Asia

January 18, 2024 @ 9:40 am By JD Alois  |  

Deepfakes are a growing concern. As technology improves and AI services proliferate, it is getting easier for bad actors to create completely bogus content that intends to dupe the unsuspecting. Today, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has issued a warning to the public to… Read More

January 17, 2024 @ 9:18 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Gulf Binance Co., Ltd., the joint venture between Binance’s subsidiary and Gulf Innova Co. Ltd., is launching full operations of its digital asset exchange and brokerage platform in Thailand, Binance TH by Gulf Binance, “making it accessible to the general public.” This launch follows the… Read More

January 17, 2024 @ 9:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

HashKey Group, a digital asset financial services group in Asia, announced the completion of a Series A financing round of nearly $100 million at a pre-money valuation above $1.2 billion. In addition to the participation and commitment of existing shareholders, this financing round attracted new… Read More

January 17, 2024 @ 10:28 am By JD Alois  |  

Once one of the largest peer-to-peer lenders in the world, China’s Lufax (NYSE:LU) has hit an all-time low trading on the NYSE. The bid-ask of shares is around $2.17. A year ago, it was trading at over $10 a share, thus delivering a spectacular collapse… Read More

January 14, 2024 @ 5:42 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das refuted claims that new digital lending guidelines would hinder fintech growth, asserting instead that investor confidence in the sector has risen since their implementation. Speaking at the Mint BFSI conclave in Mumbai, Das highlighted the positive impact… Read More

January 14, 2024 @ 5:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Pakistan’s Caretaker Federal Minister for IT and Telecom, Dr. Umar Saif said that there are some positive developments to look forward to this year. During an event called Tech Destination Pakistan, Dr. Umar Saif revealed that starting in February of this year, a pilot project should… Read More

January 14, 2024 @ 3:52 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has initiated a significant step towards refining the regulatory framework for Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) by proposing amendments to the NBFC (Establishment & Regulations) Rules of 2003. This move, aiming to modernize and streamline the sector, invites… Read More

January 13, 2024 @ 3:46 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Southeast Asian Fintech company Salmon said it has secured approval from the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, to acquire a majority stake in the Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna), a Filipino financial institution established in… Read More

January 13, 2024 @ 10:41 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Lendable is pleased to announce a $10 million debt investment in Validus, an SME lending platform with operations in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Validus drives SME financial inclusion “across Southeast Asia by leveraging proprietary data to provide supply-chain financing to under-served SMEs, thereby empowering… Read More

January 12, 2024 @ 2:45 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Zebec, a Fintech startup, announces the launch of its Web3 payment and real-time payroll services in Japan. This move marks Zebec’s continued global expansion and “underscores its commitment to fostering collaborative financial innovation worldwide.” Japan, known for pioneering a regulatory framework “for digital finance, offers… Read More

January 11, 2024 @ 10:45 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Salmon, a fintech working to improve access to credit, savings and investments for over 500 million underserved customers in Southeast Asia, announces that it has received regulatory approval from the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in order to “acquire the controlling… Read More

January 11, 2024 @ 10:23 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a significant move towards modernizing business-to-business (B2B) payment processes, PayMate India SPC, a B2B digital payments company, has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the National Bank of Oman (NBO) in order “to digitize, automate, and streamline B2B payments using Visa Business Credit… Read More

January 11, 2024 @ 10:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Turkey’s Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek has shared insights regarding part of what’s expected to be included in the country’s upcoming crypto regulations. The Turkish government said it would be legally defining key concepts related to crypto and will comment on the licensing… Read More

January 10, 2024 @ 12:08 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

BitGo will reportedly offer regulated digital payment token services in Singapore. BitGo says that it views Singapore as an “important hub” for digital asset innovation. BitGo, the provider of financial services for digital assets, confirmed recently that its subsidiary in Singapore, BitGo Singapore Pte. Ltd.,… Read More

January 9, 2024 @ 11:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PolicyStreet, a regional insurtech company, secured approval from the Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA) to commence its Takaful and Retakaful operations. This accreditation positions PolicyStreet among “the select group of approved Takaful and Retakaful operators in Malaysia, granting the insurtech company the capability to reinsure… Read More

January 9, 2024 @ 11:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

ZilBank.com, a B2B payment platform, has recently announced its initiative that enables South Korean entrepreneurs and freelancers to conduct payments to the United States effortlessly, promoting worldwide business expansion without being limited by geographic barriers. The platform has made it easier for South Korean businesses… Read More

January 9, 2024 @ 11:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Paymob, the financial services enabler in the MENA and Pakistan region, has announced its partnership with Tamara, the shopping and payments platform in the GCC region. The strategic partnership integrates Tamara’s Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service with Paymob’s secure gateway in order “to power… Read More

January 9, 2024 @ 8:09 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Hackers tied to North Korea stole at least USD$ 600 million in cryptocurrency in 2023, according to new research by TRM Labs. Additional hacks carried out in the final days of last year could, if confirmed to “have been committed by North Korea, push this… Read More

January 8, 2024 @ 7:10 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Fintech sector in India experienced a significant decrease in funding in 2023, securing only $2 billion, a sharp decline of 63% and 76% from 2022 and 2021, respectively, according to a report by Tracxn. In comparison, the sector raised $5.4 billion in 2022 and… Read More

January 8, 2024 @ 7:08 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Maalexi, the UAE-based dynamic risk management platform for SME agri-businesses, announces its completion of a $3 million pre-Series A fund raise. The investment round was reportedly “led exclusively by Global Ventures – MENA’s venture capital firm – which joins existing venture capital investors Rockstart (Amsterdam)… Read More