Asia

September 8, 2025 @ 9:49 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Singapore continues to solidify its position as a global hub for financial innovation and regional collaboration through recent developments: the Green Investments Partnership (GIP) achieving its first close with US$510 million in committed capital and the reaffirmation of bilateral cooperation between the Brunei Darussalam Central… Read More

September 7, 2025 @ 11:23 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) said online lending volumes climbed 22.01% year-on-year in July, even as it tightened enforcement across the financing sector with fresh sanctions on dozens of institutions. Total peer-to-peer (P2P) loan disbursements reached Rp84.5 trillion ($5.3 billion) in July, up from Rp83.5… Read More

September 7, 2025 @ 8:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has finalized its acquisition of Bengaluru-based digital lending startup Axio, formerly known as Capital Float. As reported by local sources, the deal, completed eight months after the signing of a definitive agreement in December 2024, marks one of Amazon’s largest buyouts in India,… Read More

September 7, 2025 @ 3:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Sora Ventures, a Taiwan-based venture capital firm specializing in digital assets, has launched Asia’s first $1 billion Bitcoin (BTC) treasury fund. Announced at Taipei Blockchain Week, the initiative is backed by an initial $200 million from institutional investors across the region, with plans to acquire… Read More

September 5, 2025 @ 9:10 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Stripe, the programmable financial services company, today launched Stripe Terminal in Japan, helping Japanese businesses unify commerce experiences across online and offline channels. The announcement was made at Stripe Tour Tokyo, the company’s annual gathering of business leaders in Japan “where Stripe showcased a series… Read More

September 5, 2025 @ 1:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) recently released the findings of their annual joint survey on the distribution of non-exchange-traded investment products, showing record sales and level of market participation for these products during 2024. Total transaction amount… Read More

September 4, 2025 @ 10:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Qatar Development Bank (QDB) has positioned itself as a key player in digital banking by modernizing its IT infrastructure through a partnership with IBM. Established back in 1997, QDB is considered to be a key part of Qatar’s economic diversification, dedicated to empowering small and… Read More

September 4, 2025 @ 1:45 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The latest Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index, released on September 2, 2025, highlights a transformative year for cryptocurrency, with India and the United States emerging as global leaders in grassroots and institutional adoption, respectively. This latest report by Chainalysis, a blockchain analytics firm, analyzes on-chain… Read More

September 3, 2025 @ 7:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The venture capital funding landscape in China has shown signs of contraction in 2025, “reflecting broader global trend and challenges specific to the domestic market.” According to recent data, the total VC deal volume in China “has decreased marginally by around 1% during January-July 2025… Read More

September 3, 2025 @ 2:19 am By Michael Wong  |  

Amartha, an Indonesia-based platform for entrepreneurs, announced it has secured a digital wallet license from Bank Indonesia and transformed into Amartha Financial Group. The company is expanding beyond microloans into digital payments, micro-investments, and other financial services for Indonesia’s rural economy, which employs over 40… Read More

September 2, 2025 @ 7:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security firm SlowMist has announced that its proprietary anti-money laundering (AML) tracking system, MistTrack, has been selected for the Hong Kong Cyberport Blockchain & Digital Asset Pilot Subsidy Scheme. This acknowledgement underscores MistTrack’s approach and practical value in combating financial crime within the rapidly… Read More

September 2, 2025 @ 5:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

Solowin (NASDAQ: SWIN), a Hong Kong-based financial services firm that is in the digital asset sector, says it will gain a US banking license via the acquisition of an unnamed chartered bank. Solowin says that it is in “advanced stages” of the acquisition, adding that… Read More

September 2, 2025 @ 11:15 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Schroders Capital, the private markets division of global investment manager Schroders, has made significant strides in strengthening its real estate operations with a key leadership appointment in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region and a leasing achievement in the UK. These developments underscore the firm’s commitment… Read More

September 2, 2025 @ 8:18 am By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based Crypto.com has signed a strategic partnership with Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. (TMTG), operator of Truth Social, Truth+, and Truth.Fi, the companies said. The agreement covers the integration of Crypto.com’s digital wallet infrastructure into TMTG’s platforms, with the Cronos (CRO) token adopted as… Read More

September 2, 2025 @ 12:44 am By Omar Faridi  |  

OKX, a global cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain technology company, announced updates that align with its commitment to expanding access to digital assets and enhancing security for its users. The first announcement from OKX highlights the launch of OKX Wallet and onchain services across Europe, while… Read More

September 2, 2025 @ 12:26 am By Omar Faridi  |  

QCP Trading Pte. Ltd., the over-the-counter (OTC) spot digital payment tokens (DPT) trading arm of QCP Group, is pleased to announce that it has been granted a Major Payment Institution (MPI) License by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The development enables QCP Trading to… Read More

September 1, 2025 @ 8:52 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security firm SlowMist, established during the extended crypto bear market of 2018, continues to focus on setting standards in safeguarding the Web3 ecosystem. Through various partnerships, proper threat detection, as well as more comprehensive compliance initiatives, SlowMist is focused on addressing the challenges of… Read More

September 1, 2025 @ 4:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The cryptocurrency market continues to witness significant developments, with institutional players, individual whales, and academic institutions making key moves. From substantial Bitcoin acquisitions by global companies, Ethereum purchases by individual digital assets holders, to strategic, compliance-focused leadership changes at crypto exchanges, the landscape is evolving… Read More

September 1, 2025 @ 11:15 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Cactus Custody announces a partnership with Fosun Wealth International Holdings Limited, a global so-called “Web5” (Web2 + Web3) wealth management platform. The collaboration covers institutional-grade digital asset custody and OTC trading capabilities, supporting Fosun Wealth Holdings’ global client base. Guided by a launch reliable services first,… Read More

August 31, 2025 @ 5:37 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Bank Nizwa, Oman’s largest Islamic lender, has launched an electronic mandate (E-mandate) service for direct debit payments as part of its push to expand digital banking solutions, the bank said on Sunday. The service, which complies with the Central Bank of Oman’s regulatory framework, is… Read More