Asia

April 5, 2024 @ 9:35 am By JD Alois  |  

ZA Bank, one of the first regulated digital banks in Hong Kong, is now supporting stablecoins. Stablecoins are digital assets tied to another asset. Typically, this means fiat currency like the US dollar or Euro, but they can also be tied to other assets like… Read More

April 4, 2024 @ 9:52 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As the fintech landscape in Singapore continues to expand and evolve, the need for an updated, comprehensive registry has never been clearer, according to an update shared with CI. As stated in the announcement, the upcoming launch of the SFA FinTech Ecosystem Registry in June… Read More

April 3, 2024 @ 9:23 am By JD Alois  |  

Following the full regulatory approval from the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority to deal in securities in the UAE, Capital.com has opened an office in Dubai and plans to expand its services across the MENA and Asia regions. Launched in 2016, Capital.com aims to enable… Read More

April 2, 2024 @ 10:01 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital asset exchange Fasset’s app is now officially available to users in the UAE. The app offers access to broker-dealer services for “both early investors and experienced real-world asset investors seeking to diversify their investment portfolio with digital assets.” Fasset’s platform allows secure and seamless… Read More

April 2, 2024 @ 11:54 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto.com, which claims to be “trusted” by more than 80 million customers worldwide and the industry leader in regulatory compliance, security and privacy, announced that it is launching the Crypto.com App in South Korea, which will allow Korean retail users in the market to trade… Read More

April 2, 2024 @ 5:12 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Malaysian card payments market is expected to grow by 10.2% to reach MYR387 billion ($84.9 billion) in 2024, supported by constant consumer shift towards non-cash payments, says GlobalData, a data and analytics company. GlobalData’s Payment Cards Analytics reveals “that card payments value in Malaysia… Read More

April 1, 2024 @ 11:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has launched COSMIC, the first centralized digital platform to facilitate sharing of customer information among financial institutions (FIs) to combat money laundering (ML), terrorism financing (TF) and proliferation financing (PF) globally. The Financial Services and Markets (Amendment) Act 2023… Read More

April 1, 2024 @ 10:41 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Startups operating in the MENA region have reportedly secured over $250 million in capital during March 2024, according to an update shared by local sources. To be precise, MENA startups acquired $254 million across 54 different deals, which is up considerably by 186% MoM from… Read More

March 31, 2024 @ 2:18 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Reserve Bank of India is contemplating the establishment of the Digital India Trust Agency (DIGITA) in a move to combat the escalating cyber fraud. This initiative aims to clamp down on the proliferation of illicit lending applications by instituting a verification system for digital… Read More

March 31, 2024 @ 12:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) recently issued a Notice to extend, for a further six months until 30 September 2024, the suspension of the use of channels that are not specifically permitted (non-specified channels by remittance companies “when transmitting money to persons in the… Read More

March 31, 2024 @ 2:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

Qatar has launched its “first national e-card with registered Qatari brand,” named Himyan, as announced by the Qatar Central Bank. This initiative aligns with the country’s Third Financial Sector Strategy, emphasizing the development of Qatar’s digital payments infrastructure. Himyan represents a significant advancement in the… Read More

March 30, 2024 @ 10:32 pm By Michael Wong  |  

QNB Group, the leading financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, has announced the launch of “FAWRAN,” a revolutionary payment method designed to enhance the payment experience for its customers in Qatar. This innovative service allows for quick and secure transactions using just the… Read More

March 30, 2024 @ 8:07 am By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based AI cybersecurity firm StealthMole has announced raising $7 million in Series A funding, a round spearheaded by Korea Investment Partners (KIP). This investment round also saw contributions from Hibiscus Fund, a multinational venture between RHL Ventures, Penjana Kapital, and KB Investment, alongside Smilegate Investment…. Read More

March 30, 2024 @ 7:01 am By Michael Wong  |  

MOVE Digital, the digital arm of Malaysia-listed aviation group Capital A, announced a strategic collaboration with Singapore’s fintech powerhouse, Ant International. This partnership aims to diversify payment methods, enhance digital marketing efforts, and foster sustainable finance practices for the micro, small & medium enterprise (MSME)… Read More

March 29, 2024 @ 5:51 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Australian digital wallet provider and payment startup Stables has announced the launch of international remittances for its thousands of users (focusing on the AU-PH Corridor). From today, Stables users in over 130 countries can send Australian Dollars or Philippine Pesos to over 140 million people… Read More

March 29, 2024 @ 4:39 pm By Michael Wong  |  

MyShell, a Tokyo-based innovator in the field of artificial intelligence, announced that it has successfully raised $11 million in a Pre-Series A funding round. This recent injection of capital, led by Dragonfly Capital and supported by a consortium of investors including Delphi Ventures, Bankless Ventures,… Read More

March 29, 2024 @ 11:03 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PhonePe App users traveling to the UAE can now make payments using UPI at Mashreq’s NEOPAY terminals, available across a wide array of retail stores, dining outlets, as well as tourist and leisure attractions. They simply need to “scan the QR code for seamless and… Read More

March 26, 2024 @ 10:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ahlan App, the Bahraini loyalty programme, reports that it has successfully raised $3 million at a valuation of $15 million in its first investment round, which has been fully subscribed to and led by Hope Ventures. The investment round was said to be “joined by… Read More

March 26, 2024 @ 6:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Alibaba’s Ant Group has reportedly committed another SGD 200 million investment into ANEXT Bank, which is its wholly-owned subsidiary and SME digital bank. This, according to media reports from March 25, 2024. As reported by DealStreetAsia, the digital finance and technology firm had previously committed… Read More

March 26, 2024 @ 4:04 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Soft Space, the fintech-as-a-service company, has announced a capital alliance with its long-standing partner, GMO Financial Gate, Inc., which claims to be one of Japan’s largest payment processing companies. This investment from GMO-FG comes before Soft Space’s planned Series C funding round, combining their strengths… Read More