Asia

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

July 25, 2025 @ 2:44 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A study commissioned by Airwallex in partnership with Statista has reportedly polled 1,000 cross-border eCommerce consumers residing in the business-focused city-state of Singapore. It revealed that global purchasing is now a more established mainstream habit / consumer behavior trend amongst Singapore residents. Consumers carry out… Read More

July 23, 2025 @ 1:40 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The blockchain ecosystem, a blend of tech breakthroughs and risk, continues to evolve, with security remaining a critical concern. Two recent reports from SlowMist, a blockchain security firm established during the extended crypto bear market of 2018, highlight the challenges of combating sophisticated cyber threats… Read More

July 23, 2025 @ 8:37 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The global economy is navigating turbulent waters, as highlighted by recent reports from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). From widening current account imbalances to the growing struggles of low-income countries, the IMF’s latest emphasize the need for coordinated policy responses and financing mechanisms to foster… Read More

July 22, 2025 @ 11:18 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Sun Life Hong Kong said on Friday it will invest up to $70 million in Bowtie Life Insurance, Hong Kong’s first virtual insurer, to accelerate its growth and strengthen its position in medical insurance and preventive healthcare. The fresh capital injection reinforces Sun Life’s long-standing… Read More