Asia

SUNRATE Secures China Payment License Through Transfar Pay Acquisition

Global payment platform SUNRATE acquired a payment business license in China following its purchase of a complete stake in Transfar Pay, a subsidiary of Shenzhen-listed Transfar Group. The RMB 315 million ($43.8 million) acquisition received approval from Chinese regulatory authorities. Transfar Group disclosed the transaction… Read More

Axiata Group Signs Cybersecurity Partnership with Cambodia Ministry

Malaysian telecommunications company Axiata Group Berhad signed a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia’s Ministry of Post and Telecommunications to enhance cybersecurity capabilities and develop digital talent in the Southeast Asian nation. The agreement establishes cooperation between Axiata and the ministry across cyber threat intelligence, incident… Read More

Hong Kong Regulators Warn Against Stablecoin-Related Market Speculation

Hong Kong’s central bank and securities regulator issued a joint warning against speculative trading driven by stablecoin licensing announcements and social media posts. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Securities and Futures Commission said they observed market movements linked to corporate announcements, news reports, and… Read More

Schroders Capital Announces Acquisition of 50% Stake in JERA Nex’s US Solar Portfolio via Schroders Greencoat

Schroders Greencoat, the specialist energy transition manager of Schroders Capital, and JERA Nex, the global renewable energy developer, are pleased to announce that Schroders Greencoat has taken “a 50% stake in JERA Nex’s US solar portfolio.” The portfolio is comprised of the “300MW Oxbow Solar… Read More

Fintech Tuum Selected by Uptex Bank to Enable E-Banking Expansion in MEA Region

Tuum, the core banking provider, has been selected by Oliver Business Development (OBD) Holding to power its newly licensed e-banking services in the MEA region called Uptex Bank. The partnership marks Tuum’s first customer in the Middle East and reinforces its strategy to “support financial… Read More

Accenture to Acquire Cybersecurity Firm CyberCX

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire CyberCX, a privately-owned cybersecurity services provider serving private and public sector organizations across Australia, New Zealand and internationally. The move represents Accenture’s largest cybersecurity “acquisition to date and will bolster Accenture’s cybersecurity services in Asia Pacific.” It will… Read More

KAIO Uses Hedera for Tokenized Fund Offerings

KAIO, a firm that aims to tokenize real-world assets, says it has enlisted Hedera to bring institutional funds on the blockchain. KAIO says that it has now incorporated several separate funds: Laser Digital Carry Fund (LCF) – a market-neutral, low-correlation digital asset fund BlackRock ICS… Read More

Greater China Leads APAC IPO Activity in 2025, New Report Reveals

The Asia-Pacific region’s initial public offering market continued its upward trajectory despite market volatility and geopolitical tensions. In the first seven months of 2025, 385 listings raised a “$28.4 billion in the region, which marks a 32.6% year-on-year (YoY) increase in IPO proceeds.” Greater China… Read More

Animoca Brands Takes Majority Stake in Cool Cats NFT Collection Owner

Web3 gaming and blockchain company Animoca Brands announced that it has completed a strategic investment in Cool Cats Group, securing majority control of one of the most recognizable NFT collections alongside partner Coin Operated Group. The investment gives Animoca Brands access to Cool Cats, a… Read More

Singapore’s Kamet Capital Invests $8.4m in AI Avatar Platform TopView

Singapore-based multi-family office Kamet Capital has completed an $8.4 million Series A investment in artificial intelligence avatar platform TopView.ai, valuing the startup at approximately $30.7 million. The investment represents Kamet’s exclusive backing of the AI-powered content creation platform, which develops technology enabling brands to produce… Read More

UAE Fintech Alaan Raises $48m Series A to Expand Across MENA Region

UAE-based business-to-business Fintech startup Alaan has secured $48 million in Series A funding led by Peak XV Partners, formerly Sequoia Capital India, to expand its AI-powered spend management platform across the Middle East and North Africa. The funding round included participation from Pioneer Fund, 885… Read More

WorldFirst Receives Malaysian License to Expand Cross-Border Payment Services

Ant International’s WorldFirst has obtained a Class A Money Services Business license from Bank Negara Malaysia, enabling the company to provide international payment and foreign currency receipt services in the country. The license permits WorldFirst to serve small and medium-sized enterprises conducting cross-border trade operations…. Read More

HK’s HashKey Exchange Partners with IVD Medical for $19m Ethereum Purchase

HashKey Exchange, Hong Kong’s largest licensed virtual asset trading platform, has formed a strategic partnership with publicly listed IVD Medical Holdings Limited to advance enterprise-level digital asset adoption and explore blockchain integration with industrial capital. IVD Medical Holdings, which trades on the Hong Kong Stock… Read More

Regtech Sumsub Supports Regulatory Developments Focused on Digital Assets Compliance in Taiwan

In collaboration with the Digital Asset Development Research Center and FinTech Center of Institute for Information Industry, Regtech company Sumsub took a closer look at Taiwan’s proposed Virtual Assets Service Act and anti-fraud legislations, supporting global-standard compliance across APAC. Sumsub recently joined the Digital Asset… Read More

Southeast Asia’s Early-Stage Capital Crunch: VC Ecosystem Undergoing Significant Transformation

The venture capital ecosystem in Southeast Asia is undergoing a significant transformation, as highlighted in PitchBook’s Q3 2025 Analyst Note titled Southeast Asia’s Early-Stage Capital Crunch. The report from PitchBook underscores a tightening of early-stage funding, driven by cautious investor sentiment, macroeconomic uncertainties, and a… Read More

Unveiling the Shadow Bankers : TRM Labs Report on Illicit Crypto Networks

In a report released by TRM Labs, titled Shadow Bankers: Illicit Actors in Crypto Networks, the blockchain analytics firm delves into the clandestine world of cryptocurrency-enabled financial crime. The document provides a comprehensive analysis of how illicit actors exploit decentralized finance (DeFi), centralized exchanges, and… Read More

Singapore GDP Remains Steady as Nation-State Attracts Significant Investments, Report Reveals

The Q2 2025 Singapore Market Snapshot, released by PitchBook on August 4, 2025, offers a comprehensive overview of the nation-state’s evolving macroeconomic and microeconomic landscape, spanning both private and public markets. As one of Asia’s financial hubs, Singapore continues to demonstrate resilience amid global economic… Read More

Fintechs to Expand Operations in Hong Kong As Applications Open for Stablecoin Issuer Licenses

Hong Kong is emerging as a global hub for fintechs, driven by the steady adoption of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. As the city opened applications for stablecoin issuer licenses on August 1, 2025, fintech companies have been quick to seize the moment, raising substantial capital… Read More

UAE’s Mubadala Capital Invests in US AI Firm Anaconda’s $150M Series C Round

Mubadala Capital, the asset management arm of Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company, has joined a $150 million Series C funding round in Anaconda Inc., a US-based provider of open-source infrastructure for artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. The round was led by New York-based growth… Read More

Grab Holdings’ Financial Services and Fintech Business Expands in Q2 2025

Grab Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GRAB), Southeast Asia’s superapp, released its second-quarter 2025 financial results on July 31, 2025, showcasing growth in its financial services and FinTech-related businesses. The company, headquartered in Singapore, continues to leverage its integrated platform to deliver steady performance across its mobility, deliveries,… Read More

Send this to a friend