Asia

December 19, 2022 @ 10:47 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group,  announced a roadmap for the launch of its first Blockchain Node Service. Scheduled for the first quarter of 2023, the Blockchain Node Service will “support the growth of the evolving Web3.0 ecosystem and better… Read More

December 19, 2022 @ 10:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Validus announced that it has secured its first tranche of funds in a Series C-1 round with new, key strategic investors NongHyup Financial Group, NorinChukin Bank, Aizawa Asset Management and Lotte F&L Singapore. Validus’ early investors – Vertex Ventures SEA & India, Vertex Growth Fund,… Read More

December 19, 2022 @ 9:07 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) recently announced the licensing of Manafa – a finance company specialized in debt-based crowdfunding in the Kingdom. Manafa is “a closed joint-stock company with a capital of SAR 40 million.” The license was granted to the company “after a successful… Read More

December 19, 2022 @ 8:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mastercard (NASDAQ: MQ) brings Apple Pay to its cardholders in Kuwait. Apple Pay is “providing a safer, more secure and private way to pay that helps customers avoid handing their payment card to someone else, touching physical buttons or exchanging cash — and uses the… Read More

December 19, 2022 @ 10:45 am By JD Alois  |  

LumiShare (previously IllumiShare), a digital asset management ecosystem, has raised $3.2 million in a funding round led by the Abu Dhabi royal family. According to a company statement, the funds were part of the early stages of its Abu-Dhabi-licensed $SRG token presale.  The funding will… Read More

December 18, 2022 @ 11:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

Securities brokerage CGS-CIMB Singapore has enabled access to ADDX, a digital securities private market. Accredited investors may now access ADDX offerings on CGS-CIMB. Previously, CGS-CIMB mainly offered traditional securities. ADDX offers access to its listed deals via a plugin to simplify integration.  CGS-CIMB was one… Read More

December 16, 2022 @ 7:37 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Celesta Capital, a deep technology venture capital firm, announced that it has created a formal partnership with The Sultanate of Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and IT (MTCIT) and the Public Authority for Special Economic and Free Zones (OPAZ). Celesta Capital has “had a longstanding… Read More

December 16, 2022 @ 8:31 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Matrixport, one of the “largest” digital assets financial services platform, has announced that its institutional custodian service brand, Cactus Custody, has successfully “completed the SOC (System and Organization Controls) 2 Type 1 audit of its security and data privacy practices.” This certification “reflects Matrixport’s commitment… Read More

December 16, 2022 @ 8:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Payoneer (NASDAQ: PAYO), the commerce technology company powering payments and growth for the new global economy, has received in-principle approval as a Major Payment Institution License holder from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The license, once received, “will allow Payoneer to offer additional payments… Read More

December 15, 2022 @ 11:48 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

NOW Money, the GCC’s first mobile banking solution focused on financial inclusion, and ThetaRay, a provider of AI-powered transaction monitoring technology, announced a collaboration to implement ThetaRay’s cloud-based AML solution “to monitor cross-border payments and support in the prevention of financial crimes and money laundering… Read More

December 15, 2022 @ 9:51 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Cashfree Payments, India’s leading payments and API banking solutions company, is enabling eUPP (eLite Unified Payment Platform), a fee payment management system for schools and colleges, “to offer an instant and secure fee payments experience for end users.” Currently, through this partnership, “more than 500… Read More

December 15, 2022 @ 9:48 am By JD Alois  |  

ZA Bank has announced a currency exchange service. The digital bank states that the service will incorporate zero handling fees with no additional charges and real-time quotations to offer users a transparent experience. Last month, Wise, a digital currency transfer and payment provider, announced services… Read More

December 14, 2022 @ 11:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Azentio Software, a Singapore-headquartered technology firm owned by funds managed by Apax Partners, announced that National Bonds, the UAE’s Shariah-compliant savings and investment company owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, has “selected Azentio’s Islamic Banking solution, iMAL, to support its quest to improve process… Read More

December 14, 2022 @ 4:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

American Express (NYSE: AXP) announced it has opened a new Decision Science Center of Excellence (CoE) in Singapore that will deliver global data-driven solutions. The CoE will “focus on data science applications in the areas of credit and fraud risk model development and production using… Read More

December 13, 2022 @ 9:40 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Compliance and international payroll provider, RemotePass launches a mobile app designed specifically for remote workers, “offering them equal access to financial services and benefits from anywhere in the world.” The RemotePass Super App, which “comes with a virtual and physical payroll card, enables remote workers… Read More

December 11, 2022 @ 10:51 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

IFZA Dubai, which claims to be the UAE’s most “dynamic” and “truly” international Free Zone, has entered into a partnership agreement with Wio Bank, the region’s “first” platform bank, “to provide IFZA Free Zone companies with quick and convenient access to digital banking services and… Read More

December 11, 2022 @ 10:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

BI-FAST, Indonesia’s domestic real-time payments scheme — provided by Bank Indonesia and powered by ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), a key player focused on mission-critical, real-time payments software — has announced plans “to launch a wide range of new real-time payment services as the scheme celebrates… Read More

December 11, 2022 @ 10:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Earned Wage Access (EWA) service provider Paywatch has reportedly secured $9 million via a pre-Series A funding round that was led by existing investor Third Prime. The investment round also included contributions from Hana Ventures which is the venture division of Hana Financial Group in… Read More

December 11, 2022 @ 9:58 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Boost, which claims to be the leading regional full-spectrum fintech arm of Axiata, and Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet), the national retail payments network infrastructure announced that Boost merchants in Malaysia can now “accept cross-border payments from Thailand tourists via its DuitNow QR.” This new feature… Read More

December 11, 2022 @ 9:57 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Union Bank of Philippines, a “long-standing” partner of Hex Trust, is expanding their digital asset exposure by “tapping into the metaverse.” As a continuation of their “Tech-up Pilipinas” advocacy, UnionBank has announced their entrance “to The Sandbox, with the help of Hex Trust’s digital asset… Read More