Asia

September 18, 2023 @ 7:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

RAM Holdings Berhad, the holding company of the largest credit rating agency in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, has entered into a partnership with MVGX Tech and Carbon Rating Malaysia Sdn Bhd (CRM) to strengthen RAM’s ESG rating capabilities. MVGX is a carbon Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company and… Read More

September 17, 2023 @ 5:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the city’s central bank, has released its Q2/2023 payment card statistics, revealing that the total number of credit cards in circulation in Hong Kong reached 19.71 million by the end of the second quarter. This indicates a marginal growth… Read More

September 17, 2023 @ 2:35 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has issued a public advisory warning against crypto businesses that are presenting themselves as “banks” or labeling their products as “deposits”. The regulatory body emphasizes that such misrepresentations may violate the Banking Ordinance. There have been instances of crypto… Read More

September 17, 2023 @ 2:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

On the occasion of its 3rd anniversary in the Egyptian market, Foodics in Egypt, the restaurant management solutions provider that’s based in the Middle East, conducted a comprehensive review of its future business strategy, business volume, and the services extended to its partners in the… Read More

September 17, 2023 @ 11:14 am By Omar Faridi  |  

State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest bank, announced reduced customer verification time from 24 hours to just minutes in a partnership with Onfido, the global provider of automated identity verification and authentication solutions. SBI (UK) Ltd, the subsidiary of SBI in the UK, is… Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 10:40 am By Michael Wong  |  

Global payments company Circle Internet Financial (Circle) and Southeast Asia’s super app Grab announced a groundbreaking partnership that aims to usher in Web3 customer experiences in Singapore. This innovative collaboration will see the integration of Circle’s new Web3 Services platform directly into the Grab app…. Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 10:18 am By Michael Wong  |  

The recently introduced ASEAN QR Code innovation promises to open up a broader market for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by facilitating seamless cross-border payments, Pandu Sjahrir, the legacy lead of ASEAN QR Code, told Indonesia’s news agency ANTARA. This integration offers a platform… Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 10:15 am By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong-based virtual insurer Bowtie has successfully wrapped up a $34.9 million Series B2 funding round, the company has confirmed. The latest financial injection was led by Sun Life Hong Kong Limited, and saw significant contributions from Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Bowtie’s announcement highlighted that… Read More

September 15, 2023 @ 12:11 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The team at TWINO is pleased to announce the expansion of TWINO Group lending operations into the Philippines, in a continued partnership with VIA SMS Group under the VAMO brand. Thus, VAMO Philippines securities are now “available for investments on TWINO platform allowing you to… Read More

September 15, 2023 @ 11:15 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Philcoin, the blockchain platform dedicated to philanthropy, announces its collaboration with the Repton Family of Schools in the UAE. This partnership, part of Excella‘s esteemed network of high-performing K-12 institutions, promises to “turn student achievements into tools for fostering philanthropy through cryptocurrency tokens.” As the… Read More

September 15, 2023 @ 9:57 am By JD Alois  |  

The Japanese government will allow startups to raise capital selling crypto as opposed to shares in a company. This is according to a report posted on Nikkei today. Explaining that Japan is falling behind the rest of the world in the utilization of digital assets,… Read More

September 14, 2023 @ 9:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Zodia Custody, an institution-first digital asset custodian whose shareholders include Standard Chartered, SBI Holdings and Northern Trust, has expanded its presence to Singapore. This makes Zodia Custody the first entity “that is owned by, and partnered with, banks to provide digital asset custody services for… Read More

September 14, 2023 @ 8:59 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) and Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance collaborate “to spur skill development in the regional financial sector” Described as a “first-of-its-kind” collaboration, Mastercard and the Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance will aim to “initiate a renewed understanding of the latest industry… Read More

September 14, 2023 @ 4:30 pm By Michael Wong  |  

ADDX, the Singapore-based private market exchange, revealed plans to venture into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Middle East/North Africa (MENA) regions. This strategic move aims to enhance the efficient allocation of growth capital and bridge the existing gap between private entities in need of… Read More

September 14, 2023 @ 10:08 am By Michael Wong  |  

In a strategic move aimed at streamlining its operations and capitalizing on growth opportunities, British insurer Aviva plc has unveiled plans to sell its 25.9% stake in Singapore Life Holdings Pte Ltd, commonly known as Singlife, along with two debt instruments, to Sumitomo Life Insurance… Read More

September 14, 2023 @ 8:25 am By Michael Wong  |  

A new report by global index provider FTSE Russell reveals a dip in the interest surrounding sustainable investment (SI) in the Asia-Pacific region. This finding forms part of their annual 2023 global asset owner survey that delves deep into SI’s global reception and application. While… Read More

September 13, 2023 @ 7:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Thailand’s digital bank, KASIKORNBANK (KBank), has launched a $100 million flagship fund, KXVC, aimed at fintech startups specializing in AI, Web3, and Deep Tech globally. The move is set to capitalize on the booming digital economy in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, projected to hit $1… Read More

September 13, 2023 @ 9:14 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Qudian Inc. (NYSE: QD), a consumer-oriented technology company, announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. As noted by Qudian, the Second Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights are: Total revenues were RMB11.1 million (US$1.5 million), compared to RMB105.4 million for the same… Read More

September 12, 2023 @ 7:39 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto exchange Bitget has introduced a $100 million fund in order to make strategic investments in exchanges, data analytics and other initiatives. As widely reported, Bitget’s EmpowerX Fund should support efforts related to expanding and further diversifying the crypto provider’s solutions.  The fund is expected… Read More

September 12, 2023 @ 7:55 am By Omar Faridi  |  

  The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has published its joint report on Project Sela. The initiative focused on the cybersecurity, technical, and policy aspects of a retail CBDC implementation. The HKMA is working with the Bank of Israel (BOI) and the Bank for International… Read More