Asia

May 18, 2026 @ 12:19 am By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore’s central bank will ease some rules governing the sale of complex investment products to retail investors, as regulators seek to balance investor protection with growing demand for self-directed investing platforms and digital financial services. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it will proceed… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 7:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A recent report indicates that China’s artificial intelligence venture market is demonstrating notable resilience amid a broader slowdown in venture capital activity, according to a new Q2 2026 analyst note from PitchBook. While overall VC deployment has contracted significantly since its 2021 peak, AI-related investments… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 7:06 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Qatar has launched a $30 million deep-tech venture fund that will invest in early-stage startups headquartered in the country that are developing tech with measurable social or climate impact. The fund adds to a wave of state-backed investment vehicles across the Gulf aimed at attracting… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 3:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Harvard University’s endowment is said to have significantly scaled back its cryptocurrency exposure, while Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company has steadily expanded its commitment to Bitcoin. Recent 13F filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) highlight these shifts among major institutional players navigating… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 3:29 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Australia’s NEXTDC has opened a $720 million data center in Malaysia, betting on rising demand for AI infrastructure and cloud services in Southeast Asia as governments and companies race to expand digital capacity. The facility, known as KL1 Kuala Lumpur, marks NEXTDC’s first international expansion and comes… Read More

May 17, 2026 @ 11:41 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The stablecoin sector continues to evolve with various financial institutions and regulators advancing infrastructure that blends traditional finance with blockchain capabilities. French banking provider Societe Generale is expanding its tokenized finance initiatives by integrating its CoinVertible stablecoins into the Canton Network. Through its digital assets… Read More

May 15, 2026 @ 1:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security firm CertiK has released its Skynet DPRK Crypto Threats Report, offering a rather concerning look at how North Korean-linked actors have turned digital asset theft into a streamlined, high-yield revenue engine for the regime. Covering nearly a decade of activity through early 2026,… Read More

May 14, 2026 @ 1:56 am By Omar Faridi  |  

South Korean consumers are embracing facial recognition technology for everyday purchases. A fintech player is leading the charge, with ambitious plans to render traditional physical credit cards obsolete within the next three years. This shift highlights the country’s rapid evolution in digital payments, where convenience… Read More

May 13, 2026 @ 8:45 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Research from digital payments provider Checkout.com shows that the expansion of online shopping across the MENA region is fueled by consumers’ desire for effortless, seamless transactions. Yet the report, titled “From Invisible Payments to AI Agents,” makes one thing clear: frictionless experiences only succeed when… Read More

May 11, 2026 @ 12:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

BNY (NYSE: BK) has joined forces with Finstreet Limited and the ADI Foundation in a partnership designed to introduce regulated, high-capacity, institutional-quality digital asset custody services rooted in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The initiative combines BNY’s established strengths in asset safeguarding with the… Read More

May 10, 2026 @ 6:34 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Southeast Asia’s food delivery market is becoming a structural part of household spending rather than a pandemic-era habit, BMI Country Risk and Industry Research said, pointing to Grab Holdings’ record first-quarter results as evidence of a broader shift in consumer behavior. Singapore-based Grab reported first-quarter… Read More

May 10, 2026 @ 12:41 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore retained its position among the world’s stronger jurisdictions for combating illicit finance after the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said the city-state has a “robust and effective” framework to counter money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing. The development comes as regulators push for… Read More

May 10, 2026 @ 11:38 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it plans to mobilize $30 billion by 2030 to help Southeast Asian nations strengthen economic resilience, deepen capital markets, and accelerate regional energy connectivity as the bloc faces mounting geopolitical and economic uncertainty. ADB President Masato Kanda announced the commitment during the 48th… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 10:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Visa (NYSE: V) has rolled out its Agentic Ready initiative to issuers in Canada and Malaysia, marking another step in its global push to ready the payments industry for a future shaped by artificial intelligence. This program equips banks and partners with a secure testing… Read More

May 7, 2026 @ 6:08 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Jito Foundation has teamed up with Nasdaq-listed Solana Company to expand institutional-grade Solana validator and staking infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region. The move comes as blockchain networks compete to attract regulated financial institutions and professional investors, analysts said. Per the announcement, the partnership will see… Read More

May 6, 2026 @ 2:30 am By Michael Wong  |  

Featherless.ai, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence infrastructure firm, has secured $20 million in Series A funding to expand its platform for deploying open-source AI models. The round was co-led by AMD Ventures and Airbus Ventures, with participation from BMW i Ventures, Kickstart Ventures, Panache Ventures, and… Read More

May 5, 2026 @ 11:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

SBI Holdings, a Japanese financial services conglomerate, has launched formal discussions to acquire a significant stake in Bitbank, one of the country’s major cryptocurrency exchanges. The move, announced earlier this week, reflects the group’s broader strategy to strengthen its presence in the digital asset space… Read More

May 4, 2026 @ 8:49 am By Omar Faridi  |  

North Korea has launched a forceful denial of international accusations linking it to large-scale cryptocurrency thefts, directing its ire at what it describes as “reptile media” alongside U.S. officials and allied groups. In an official statement released through state channels, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismissed… Read More

May 3, 2026 @ 11:28 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has moved forward with proposed changes to the Securities and Futures Act 2001 that would make it easier for companies to pursue dual listings on the Singapore Exchange and overseas markets. The proposed framework is designed to support the… Read More

May 3, 2026 @ 6:39 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

MoonPay Korea will support the global distribution, cross-border settlement, wallet access, and currency conversion infrastructure for Korea’s emerging won-backed stablecoin market. As part of this effort, MoonPay Korea has signed its first banking MOU with Woori Bank, South Korea’s oldest commercial bank and one of… Read More