Asia

April 12, 2026 @ 11:01 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong’s push to turn stablecoins from a regulatory concept into everyday financial plumbing is beginning to draw in the companies that handle money at the checkout counter. Digital asset trading platform EX.IO said it signed a memorandum of understanding with payment firm Payment Asia to… Read More

April 12, 2026 @ 4:56 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based cross-border payments firm Thunes is expanding its stablecoin settlement capabilities through a new collaboration with Circle, as payment infrastructure providers step up efforts to connect blockchain-based rails with traditional financial systems. Thunes said it had joined Circle Payments Network Managed Payments, enabling its customers… Read More

April 12, 2026 @ 2:52 am By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia is trying to make cheap money do heavier lifting. The government is rolling out up to 5 billion ringgit ($1.3 billion) in low-cost financing to help small and medium enterprises move beyond survival mode and into higher-value sectors such as technology, green projects, automation… Read More

April 12, 2026 @ 12:54 am By Michael Wong  |  

Vietnam’s race to build a regulated crypto market is beginning to look less like a policy experiment and more like a capital test. Vietnam Prosperity Crypto Asset Exchange Joint Stock Company (CAEX) said it had signed investment agreements with OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital, with… Read More

April 12, 2026 @ 12:11 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched a 4 billion peso ($68 million) loan program for micro, small, and medium enterprises, as the government moves to help smaller businesses cope with economic risks linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Trade… Read More

April 10, 2026 @ 1:05 pm By Michael Wong  |  

AsiaTokenFund Group said it had formed a strategic partnership with 1MAX.com to launch a curated cryptocurrency trading platform, betting that a more selective approach to token listings could appeal to investors navigating a volatile digital asset market. The platform will target both retail newcomers and… Read More

April 10, 2026 @ 12:56 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ruben Bombardi, the VARA General Counsel and Head of Regulatory Enablement, noted that the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) published its Guidance on the Virtual Asset Issuance Rulebook, setting out in practical terms how virtual assets are “created, disclosed, and brought to market” in Dubai…. Read More

April 9, 2026 @ 2:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

South Korea based digital currency exchange Bithumb has reportedly initiated legal proceedings in an attempt to recover Bitcoin (BTC) that had been accidentally / unintentionally distributed to platform users during a surprising event this past February. As per recent media reports from local sources, crypto… Read More

April 8, 2026 @ 2:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

South Korea’s ruling party has reportedly decided to go ahead with a plan to enable the institutionalization of tokenized real-world assets or RWAs and stablecoins under the current regulatory frameworks. As indicated in a report from the Seoul Economic Daily, the Asian country’s Democratic Party… Read More

April 8, 2026 @ 12:38 am By Omar Faridi  |  

MoneyHash, the payment orchestration platform focused on emerging and global markets, entered a partnership with Eazy Financial Services (EazyPay), a Central Bank of Bahrain-licensed payments platform and acquirer enabling companies across the Middle Eastern Kingdom of Bahrain and boosting access to payment channels for merchants…. Read More

April 7, 2026 @ 11:27 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In the Middle East, fintech investors are increasingly channeling resources into sturdy domestic infrastructure as geopolitical tensions mount. While war-related instability is clearly dampening the speed of deal-making across the region, it does not appear poised to shut off capital inflows entirely. Instead, funding is… Read More

April 7, 2026 @ 7:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

South Korean fintech Toss is set to expand its digital finance ecosystem by rolling out its own cryptocurrency on a foundational blockchain mainnet. The company is also exploring the creation of a dedicated layer-two scaling network, marking a bold step into the world of decentralized… Read More

April 7, 2026 @ 12:58 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Airwallex, a global financial and payments platform, has received approval from Bank Negara Malaysia for its e-money issuing and Class A licences. With these licences, Airwallex can provide a complete suite of payment services in Malaysia. This empowers companies to expand and thrive across borders,… Read More

April 6, 2026 @ 8:55 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a move to enhance tools for investment professionals, Carta has acquired ListAlpha and introduced LP CRM, an AI-driven platform tailored for investment firms. This system seeks to streamline the oversight of limited partners (LPs), build detailed investor networks, and optimize the full cycle of… Read More

April 5, 2026 @ 3:22 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Rosella, an AI-native commercial insurance brokerage focused on the U.S. small and mid-market segment, said it has raised A$3.7 million ($2.3 million) in pre-seed funding led by Peak XV Partners and Intact Private Capital. The transaction comes as investors continue to back startups trying to… Read More

April 5, 2026 @ 5:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Checkout.com is solidifying its position as a key player in digital payments, reporting steady expansion across the Asia-Pacific region alongside new technological collaborations that aim to streamline operations for large-scale businesses and simplify experiences for international travelers. The Fintech company’s latest developments highlight its ability… Read More

April 5, 2026 @ 12:19 am By Michael Wong  |  

Bank Indonesia and the Bank of Korea have launched a cross-border QR payment link that allows Indonesians to pay in South Korea using QRIS through their domestic mobile apps, in the latest push by Asian central banks to build faster and cheaper regional payment networks…. Read More

April 4, 2026 @ 3:14 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Western Union has completed its acquisition of Dash, the Singapore-based digital wallet previously owned by Singtel, giving the U.S. payments company its first wallet in Asia-Pacific as it pushes deeper into digital financial services beyond its traditional remittance business. The deal, first announced in October… Read More

April 3, 2026 @ 3:38 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

Rain, the enterprise-grade infrastructure for stablecoin-powered payments, is partnering with Episode Six, a payment technology company and card issuer processor. Episode Six will serve as a key processing partner for Rain’s credit, debit, and prepaid card programs. The initial focus is on Asia-Pacific (APAC), where… Read More

April 3, 2026 @ 1:18 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In arguably one of the most audacious cryptocurrency thefts of the year, attackers believed to be linked to North Korea siphoned approximately $285 million in user funds from Drift Protocol on April 1, 2026. TRM Labs pointed out that the operation, completed in roughly 12… Read More