Asia

August 3, 2025 @ 10:48 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Taiwan-based artificial intelligence (AI) data center infrastructure firm Zettabyte has raised new strategic funding from Lam Capital, the corporate venture arm of U.S.-based semiconductor equipment supplier Lam Research Corp. The funding round also included participation from major Taiwanese electronics manufacturers Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron, the… Read More

August 3, 2025 @ 9:59 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Telegram’s May 2025 ban on two major illicit cryptocurrency marketplaces, Huione Guarantee and Xinbi Guarantee, has disrupted Southeast Asia’s guarantee services ecosystem, though it has not eradicated it. According to a July 29, 2025, report by TRM Labs, these platforms, which facilitated over $35 billion… Read More

August 2, 2025 @ 6:50 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC), a wholly owned entity of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has signed a real estate finance portfolio purchase agreement with Bank Albilad as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen the Kingdom’s residential mortgage market and enhance liquidity… Read More

August 2, 2025 @ 3:37 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Global Fintech firm Adyen has partnered with Singapore-based restaurant technology provider Atlas to improve payment processes and operational efficiency for food and beverage (F&B) businesses, according to an announcement. Through the partnership, Atlas integrates Adyen’s payments infrastructure into its AtlasPay solution. This offers simplified reporting,… Read More

August 2, 2025 @ 9:57 am By Michael Wong  |  

The SIDC-CASI SRI Conference 2025 concluded in Kuala Lumpur after three days of discussions focused on accelerating sustainable finance across Southeast Asia. Co-hosted by the Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC) and the Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI), the event gathered more than 300 delegates… Read More

July 31, 2025 @ 7:59 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Thunes, the so-called “Smart Superhighway” to move money around the world, announces a collaboration with EzyRemit, one of the digital money transfer operators, to enable cross-border payments to overseas communities worldwide. EzyRemit has offices in “Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, the US and Vietnam, and… Read More

July 30, 2025 @ 11:03 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced the implementation of a regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers, set to take effect on August 1, 2025. This move underscores Hong Kong’s commitment to fostering Fintech advancements in the digital asset space while ensuring financial stability and consumer… Read More

July 30, 2025 @ 2:17 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent move for the United Arab Emirates’ financial services sector, RAKBANK has become one of the first banks in the MENA region country to offer crypto brokerage services directly to retail customers through its mobile app. This milestone marks a step toward integrating… Read More

July 30, 2025 @ 12:18 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Sumsub completed the Malaysia e-KYC assessment, confirming that its digital identity verification technology meets the standards set by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). The independent evaluation was conducted by Deloitte and “covered Sumsub’s ID verification, liveness detection, and facial recognition modules.” The report validated Sumsub solutions’… Read More

July 29, 2025 @ 11:04 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a move to deepen its footprint in the Philippines’ digital payments ecosystem, Tonik, the nation’s digital-only bank, has launched QRPH transfers within its mobile app, enabling enhanced digital transactions across a vast network of over 675,000 merchants and 1,824 billers. This initiative marks another… Read More

July 29, 2025 @ 1:01 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Airwallex, a global Fintech platform, has made significant progress this year, reinforcing its mission to enable businesses with digital financial services. The company recently announced the launch of its Airwallex Yield product in Singapore, following regulatory approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and… Read More

July 28, 2025 @ 3:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Emirates Airline and Dubai Duty Free are taking steps to integrate cryptocurrency into their payment systems through separate partnerships with digital asset platform Crypto.com, as part of Dubai’s broader ambition to position itself as a global digital finance hub. Emirates plans to accept cryptocurrency payments… Read More

July 28, 2025 @ 12:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

Lean Technologies has gained in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE. Lean is a financial infrastructure firm enabling payments and data for businesses.  Founded in 2019, Lean reports supporting over 300 companies and has processed more than $2 billion in transaction volume through… Read More

July 27, 2025 @ 11:29 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised down its growth forecasts for developing economies in Asia and the Pacific for both 2025 and 2026, citing weaker external demand, global trade uncertainty, and subdued domestic consumption. According to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) July 2025 report… Read More

July 27, 2025 @ 11:24 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based Fintech firms Green Link Digital Bank (GLDB) and 129Knots have launched a global embedded finance initiative targeting liquidity gaps in the marine fuel sector, aiming to bring structured financing to an industry traditionally underserved by conventional credit providers. The partnership will leverage 129Knots’ Origination-to-Distribution… Read More

July 27, 2025 @ 10:13 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based robotics software firm Augmentus has secured $11 million in a Series A+ funding round to scale deployment of its no-code, AI-driven robotic systems for industrial automation. The round was led by Woori Venture Partners, with participation from Singapore government-backed EDBI. Existing investors Sierra Ventures… Read More

July 27, 2025 @ 7:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a step toward building a digital ecosystem, Vietnam has announced the deployment of NDAChain, its national blockchain platform. Developed by the National Data Association and operated by the Data Innovation and Exploitation Center (under the National Data Center, Ministry of Public Security), NDAChain is… Read More

July 27, 2025 @ 5:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Citigroup has released a comprehensive report outlining its strategic vision to enhance remittance services across Asia. As Asia remains a critical hub for global remittances—accounting for a significant share of the $700 billion global market—Citi’s report highlights approaches to address consumer and business needs, leveraging… Read More

July 26, 2025 @ 11:58 am By Michael Wong  |  

China has placed Alipay, Tenpay, and NetsUnion Clearing Corporation under the direct anti-money laundering supervision of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), according to a report by Yicai. The move expands the central bank’s regulatory scope to include major non-bank payment platforms as part of… Read More

July 25, 2025 @ 2:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Customer satisfaction remains a critical benchmark for industries striving to adapt to evolving consumer expectations. J.D. Power’s U.S. Mortgage Servicer Satisfaction Study and 2025 China Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study offer insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the mortgage and automotive sectors, respectively. Released… Read More