Asia

October 5, 2025 @ 7:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

The United Arab Emirates’ drive to modernise its monetary system, including the rollout of a Digital Dirham and new rules for stablecoins, is improving policy transmission and supporting financial resilience, the International Monetary Fund said at the end of its 2025 Article IV mission. “Enhancements… Read More

October 4, 2025 @ 6:26 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Indonesia-based private equity firm Sriwijaya Capital has signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi’s BlueFive Capital to form a strategic alliance aimed at channeling more Gulf capital into Southeast Asia and expanding access for ASEAN investors to Middle Eastern opportunities, the firms stated. The… Read More

October 4, 2025 @ 2:20 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore strengthened its position as the world’s third-largest foreign exchange trading hub, with average daily turnover rising 60% to $1.485 trillion in April 2025 from April 2022, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said, citing results of the Bank for International Settlements’ 2025 Triennial Central… Read More

October 4, 2025 @ 2:01 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

HarbourVest Partners, an independent private markets asset manager with more than $147 billion assets under management (as of March 31, 2025), announced the opening of its office in ADGM, the International Financial Centre (IFC) of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The expansion underscores the firm’s… Read More

September 30, 2025 @ 3:56 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital assets firm OKX noted that the so-called “next generation” of stablecoin payments begins with the launch of OKX Pay in Singapore. OKX Pay is Singapore’s stablecoin-powered scan-to-pay service, “enabling customers to pay with USDT or USDC stablecoins at GrabPay merchant-partners by scanning their GrabPay… Read More

September 29, 2025 @ 5:38 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore’s financial regulator said disputes over investment-linked policies (ILPs) more than doubled in 2024, prompting new consumer protection measures as the city-state seeks to strengthen oversight of complex financial products. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said 211 ILP-related cases were handled by the Financial… Read More

September 29, 2025 @ 4:45 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong-based fintech platform WeLab announced an artificial intelligence partnership with Google to accelerate digital banking across Asia Pacific, as the company targets serving 500 million users by 2032 with AI-powered financial services. The collaboration will see WeLab leverage Google’s advanced AI models and cloud… Read More

September 29, 2025 @ 2:48 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Republic, a global online investment platform, announced that it plans to tokenize the equity of Animoca Brands, an international Web3 enabler. Republic started its existence as a Funding Portal but has since expanded its services of online capital formation to both primary and secondary offerings…. Read More

September 29, 2025 @ 8:49 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announced the approval of using the “Visitor ID” for opening bank accounts at banks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in “accordance with banks’ account opening rules.” The “Visitor ID,” issued by the Ministry of Interior, “serves as an official… Read More

September 29, 2025 @ 12:27 am By Michael Wong  |  

Kuwait’s stock exchange extended its trading hours by 30 minutes starting Sunday as the Gulf state seeks to enhance liquidity and align with global markets to attract more international investors. Boursa Kuwait now operates continuous trading from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., compared to the… Read More

September 28, 2025 @ 12:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a move signaling its commitment to the burgeoning Middle East market, Airwallex, the Melbourne-headquartered global financial platform, has unveiled updates designed to enhanc its regional footprint. The announcement from Fintech Airwallex encompasses pivotal regulatory approvals, foundational infrastructure setups, and high-impact partnerships. These developments come… Read More

September 28, 2025 @ 3:16 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Blue Owl Capital Inc.  have announced a partnership agreement. This collab establishes a digital infrastructure platform aimed at addressing the explosive demand for compute power driven by cloud computing and artificial intelligence advancements. With initial assets exceeding $3 billion,… Read More

September 28, 2025 @ 3:10 am By Michael Wong  |  

The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Chad are looking to deepen cooperation in the financial sector following a high-level bilateral meeting in Dubai aimed at enhancing institutional partnerships and expanding economic collaboration. UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs Mohamed bin Hadi Al… Read More

September 27, 2025 @ 10:23 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore’s fintech sector attracted nearly $1.04 billion in the first half of 2025, rebounding strongly after a muted 2024, with investors pouring money into payments, cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence-driven platforms, according to a KPMG report. The funding, spread across 90 deals, marked the highest level… Read More

September 27, 2025 @ 6:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

APAC firms are doubling down on compliance investments amid rising enforcement pressures. A new report from Regtech firm SteelEye underscores this trend, while ongoing debates around GDPR and MiFID II highlight the intricate balance between data retention and privacy. These developments seemingly signal a pivotal… Read More

September 27, 2025 @ 6:23 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore will evaluate fund managers appointed under its S$5 billion ($3.65 billion) Equity Market Development Programme (EQDP) over at least three years, with key performance indicators (KPIs) including investment returns, mobilising third-party capital and contributions to the city-state’s market ecosystem, a senior minister said on… Read More

September 27, 2025 @ 10:24 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) set out a detailed roadmap to strengthen the city’s fixed income and currency (FIC) markets, part of a broader push to reinforce its role as a global financial centre and deepen its… Read More

September 27, 2025 @ 9:24 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, said it will stop accepting new applications for digital bank licenses from Dec. 1, as the regulator moves to tighten oversight of the fast-growing sector and safeguard financial stability. The suspension follows the… Read More

September 26, 2025 @ 9:57 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) is focused on enhancing digital payments and financial services in Asia and across Europe. From forging a credit partnership to supporting growth in emerging markets and backing European fintechs, recent updates underscore PayPal’s commitment to enabling more inclusive digital financial… Read More

September 26, 2025 @ 1:36 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is emerging as a hub of innovation and adoption, with on-chain activity surging threefold from $81 billion in July 2022 to peaks of $244 billion by December 2024. As we move into late 2025, insights from Chainalysis reveal that this acceleration… Read More