Asia

February 18, 2025 @ 3:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Standard Chartered Bank (LON: STAN), Animoca Brands, and HKT have entered into agreements to establish a joint venture with the intention to apply for a license from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) in the new regulatory regime in order to issue “a Hong Kong… Read More

February 17, 2025 @ 6:45 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Multiples Alternate Asset Management, along with its co-investors, announced that it has signed definitive documents to acquire a controlling stake in digital product engineering platform, QBurst. This transaction, with an investment of $200 million, reportedly “marks Multiples’ largest control investment in technology services.” Established back… Read More

February 16, 2025 @ 6:27 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Cambodia’s Minister of Interior Sar Sokha has called for intensified efforts to suppress illegal online lending, urging citizens to stop repaying loans from unlicensed lenders and report such activities to authorities. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Interior Ministry’s annual review meeting, Sokha reiterated… Read More

February 16, 2025 @ 6:17 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Derayah Financial Company has priced its initial public offering (IPO) at 30 riyals ($8) per share, the upper end of its indicated range, following strong demand from institutional investors. The Saudi-based independent digital investment platform attracted 243 billion riyals ($64.79 billion) in total orders during… Read More

February 16, 2025 @ 6:13 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Financial technology firms are emerging as alternative lenders for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including those in agriculture, amid banks’ continued hesitancy to extend loans to the sector. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Monetary Board member Romeo Bernardo said fintech firms are playing an… Read More

February 16, 2025 @ 11:50 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Tether Operations Limited, which claims to be one of the largest companies in the digital asset industry, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Reelly Tech, one of the real estate B2B platforms in the UAE. This marks an advancement in the evolution of… Read More

February 14, 2025 @ 12:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockstream, the firm focused on Bitcoin-powered financial infrastructure, is expanding its footprint with the opening of a Tokyo office, marking an advance in Bitcoin’s evolution in Japan and across Asian markets. Partnering with Diamond Hands, Japan’s Bitcoin strategic consultancy, and Fulgur Ventures, an investor in… Read More

February 13, 2025 @ 10:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Shyft Network continues to expand its presence in India’s crypto market, announcing a partnership with Unitic for the integration of Veriscope‘s compliance solutions. The partnership comes as India‘s crypto sector continues to develop, blending traditional finance practices “with digital asset innovation in one of the… Read More

February 13, 2025 @ 10:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) announced that a new entity will be set up to consolidate the administration and governance of the city-state’s national payment schemes in a concerted effort to “position these schemes for the… Read More

February 13, 2025 @ 9:10 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tabby, the MENA’s financial services and shopping app, has reportedly raised $160 million in a Series E round at “a $3.3 billion valuation.” The latest investment round was led by existing investors Blue Pool Capital and Hassana Investment Company, and also drew “additional participation from… Read More

February 13, 2025 @ 12:40 pm By JD Alois  |  

Zeta, a banking tech platform, is sharing a new valuation for $50 million in funding. Zeta says pre-money valuation hit $2 billion compared to their prior valuation fo $1.15 billion at their last priced round. The prior round in 2021 was led by Soft Bank, but… Read More

February 12, 2025 @ 9:58 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group set out new priorities to bolster sustainable finance in Hong Kong, focusing on sustainability disclosures, transition finance, and green fintech development, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said. The Steering Group, jointly led by the HKMA and… Read More

February 12, 2025 @ 9:54 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

ION, a global enabler of trading, analytics, treasury, and risk management solutions for capital markets, commodities, and treasury management, announces that it is an empaneled vendor with the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE). This milestone registers ION’s Fidessa trading platform for “equities, futures and… Read More

February 12, 2025 @ 8:38 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Mambu has recently announced the “success” of its partnership with Money DD, which is a subsidiary of the Government Savings Bank (GSB) of Thailand. The partnership has supported the launch of the “Good Money” application, offering opportunities for “underserved” Thai citizens. The app has been… Read More

February 11, 2025 @ 9:19 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has completed its migration to cloud-native architecture using ZERO footprint topology, becoming the first Islamic bank globally to do so. Additionally, ADIB is reportedly the first bank in the UAE / GCC region to implement Swift’s Alliance Cloud platform. This… Read More

February 11, 2025 @ 9:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tabby, a UAE-based buy now, pay later (BNPL) player, has reportedly hired banks to prepare for an eventual initial public offering (IPO). The company is said to be in talks with HSBC, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley for a public offering in Saudi Arabia, potentially in… Read More

February 11, 2025 @ 9:12 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Payd, a Malaysian fintech specializing in Earned Wage Access (EWA) solutions, has reportedly raised a $400,000 seed extension round from A2D Ventures, Orbit Startups, and AngelSpark. This investment will now aim to accelerate Payd’s mission to enhance the financial well-being of employees across Southeast Asia…. Read More

February 11, 2025 @ 5:20 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PolicyStreet, an insurtech based in Malaysia, is shifting gears with the launch of its customer loyalty program, Drive+ Membership. Designed to put Malaysian drivers in the “fast lane” of savings and convenience, the Drive+ membership features benefits such as “an 80% discount on road tax,… Read More

February 10, 2025 @ 8:51 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A recent report by CBInsights reveals the shifting landscape of corporate venture capital (CVC), with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI), early-stage deals, and a decline in investment activity in Asia. CBInsights revealed in the research report that during 2024, global CVC-backed funding rebounded… Read More

February 9, 2025 @ 8:18 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

TS Imagine, the cross-asset provider of trading, portfolio, and risk management solutions for financial institutions, is announcing that Y-Intercept has chosen RiskSmart +, an integrated solution for risk and portfolio management, to support the firm’s growth. Y-Intercept, a Hong Kong-based quantitative investment firm specializing in… Read More