Asia

March 6, 2025 @ 9:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tonik has crossed 1 million cumulative loans disbursed since inception, cementing its status as the Philippines’ credit-led digital bank and propelling a new era of “credit inclusion.” While traditional banking institutions continue to emphasize corporate credit, Tonik zeroes in on a “$40 billion latent unsecure… Read More

March 3, 2025 @ 10:27 am By JD Alois  |  

D24 Fintech Group Chief Technology Officer Osama Bari has outlined how crypto firms may improve security to prevent breaches on a similar scale as the ByBit hack. D24 is based in Singapore and it provides various services for financial platforms. The ByBit breach is the… Read More

March 2, 2025 @ 5:23 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Singapore’s fintech sector “recalibrated” in 2024, with investment totaling $1.3 billion, the lowest level seen since 2020 according to a report from KPMG. This strategic pivot reflects a global trend “as fintech investment reached a seven-year low of US$95.6 billion.” Despite reduced funding levels, Singapore’s… Read More

February 27, 2025 @ 10:03 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

BDACS, a digital asset institutional custody firm in Korea, announced that it has signed a partnership with enterprise blockchain firm Ripple, the provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions. This partnership reportedly aligns with the Financial Services Commission’s (FSC) announced roadmap for “regulatory approval… Read More

February 27, 2025 @ 9:58 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

World, which claims to be the largest human-centered financial and identity network, is now available in the Philippines, a country fueled by a young, digitally savvy population and an emerging middle class “eager to adopt new technologies and financial solutions.” World ID Orb verifications are… Read More

February 27, 2025 @ 11:18 am By Michael Wong  |  

Funding in Southeast Asia’s InsurTech sector slumped sharply in 2024 as investors adopted a more cautious stance amid global economic headwinds, according to a report by data intelligence platform Tracxn. Total investments fell 61 percent to $193 million from $495 million in 2023, reflecting a… Read More

February 26, 2025 @ 8:23 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Global Dollar Network, an open network designed to accelerate and reward global stablecoin adoption, announced that Global Dollar (USDG) is now available on the Solana blockchain. This expansion reportedly brings the benefits of a stablecoin that offers “fast, low-cost, 24/7 transactions and reward-sharing for network… Read More

February 26, 2025 @ 8:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Alipay announced a feature aimed at enhancing payment convenience for travelers in China. Eligible global American Express Card Members can link their Cards to the Alipay digital wallet, enabling payments at merchants across the Chinese mainland. This initiative simplifies transactions… Read More

February 25, 2025 @ 7:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Yuno, a payment orchestration platform, and the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (Invest Qatar), announced a partnership that will accelerate Yuno’s expansion into the Middle East, with the establishment of a regional headquarters in Qatar. This move—unveiled at Web Summit Qatar 2025—reportedly aligns with Qatar’s Third… Read More

February 24, 2025 @ 9:25 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PhonePe is announcing that the Fintech company is officially commencing preparatory steps in connection with its potential (initial public offering) IPO and intends to list on Indian exchanges. This marks a key milestone for the Fintech company, which will mark its 10-year of operations this… Read More

February 23, 2025 @ 7:57 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) will overhaul its settlement fee structure from June, introducing a flat fee of 0.0042% per stock transaction in a bid to balance costs across different trade sizes, the bourse operator said. Under the current system, HKEX charges a minimum… Read More

February 23, 2025 @ 7:53 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

AltNovel, an investment platform based in ADGM providing private market solutions, announced a private credit partnership with RockCreek. This partnership aims to offer investors diversified “access to income-generating opportunities through co-investments in private credit markets.” This partnership expects to focus on private credit investments “that… Read More

February 23, 2025 @ 7:50 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI), a real asset manager, closed South Korea private credit fund with a total equity commitment of KRW 180 billion (S$169.2 million), “increasing its funds under management in its focus market of South Korea to S$3.1 billion.” The CapitaLand Korea Investment No…. Read More

February 23, 2025 @ 5:22 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) has opposed a proposal by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) to allow cryptocurrency and digital asset transactions in financial centers starting July 1, 2026, citing the need for further research and regulatory development. The MoF’s stance was outlined… Read More

February 23, 2025 @ 5:18 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippines has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list after more than three years, following significant progress in strengthening its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) framework, the global financial watchdog said. The FATF, which monitors global efforts to combat… Read More

February 23, 2025 @ 5:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Nikko Asset Management (Nikko Asset Management Co., Ltd. together with its subsidiaries), one of Asia’s asset managers, and Tikehau Capital, the alternative asset management group, announce the incorporation of Tikehau Amova Investment Management Pte. Ltd., their joint venture focused on developing private asset investment strategies…. Read More

February 22, 2025 @ 5:59 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Checkout.com, a digital payments provider, announced its partnership with HEYTEA, the creator of new-style tea drinks and one of Asia’s beverage brands. The partnership has reportedly improved HEYTEA’s customer experience and supported its global “expansion by offering localized payments solutions.” HEYTEA customers can now “place… Read More

February 22, 2025 @ 5:55 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong is mulling over the approval of new cryptocurrency and virtual assets products, including derivatives and margin lending, for select investors, as the city seeks to bolster its position as a regional digital assets hub. The move, outlined by Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)… Read More

February 21, 2025 @ 12:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

Crypto exchange Bybit has apparently been hacked. Bybit, based in Singapore, reports over 60 million users worldwide and is said to be the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. It was not immediately clear as to how much may have been stolen from the… Read More

February 21, 2025 @ 8:44 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Adyen (AMS: ADYEN), the financial platform of for companies across the globe, announced its partnership with Eats365, a restaurant point-of-sale (POS) provider currently serving 27 markets. This collab will now aim to simplify “operations for Eats365 merchants and users throughout the supported regions.” Through 365pay,… Read More