Asia

May 24, 2025 @ 1:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

areeba, a global enabler of payment infrastructure, has partnered with Foo, a provider of digital banking and fintech solutions, to introduce a fully integrated – program for digital services. This bundled offering enables banks and fintechs to “build their own secure and scalable card programs… Read More

May 23, 2025 @ 10:19 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Google Cloud has unveiled a comprehensive suite of artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives aimed at accelerating Indonesia’s digital economy in support of the government’s Indonesia Emas 2045 vision. The move comes alongside the expansion of Google Cloud’s Jakarta region infrastructure to meet rising demand for enterprise-grade… Read More

May 23, 2025 @ 8:53 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

JP Morgan-backed Fintech venture, In-Solutions Global (ISG), has partnered with Bank of Baroda UAE to launch Jaywan Cards in the UAE. This collaboration reinforces ISG’s commitment to “enabling localised, secure, and cost-effective payment solutions for banks and consumers in the region.” The introduction of Jaywan… Read More

May 23, 2025 @ 7:07 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Ant International has become the first corporate client to utilise HSBC’s new Tokenised Deposit Service in Hong Kong, marking a milestone in the city’s push to integrate blockchain into traditional finance, Business News Asia reported. The service enables real-time, round-the-clock HKD and USD payments between… Read More

May 23, 2025 @ 2:40 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singaporean investors are increasingly aware of cryptocurrency, with 94% of respondents familiar with at least one digital asset, according to the latest annual Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index. Despite record-high awareness, the actual ownership rate of cryptocurrencies has declined to 29% in 2025 from 40% a… Read More

May 22, 2025 @ 6:18 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

IBM (NYSE: IBM) announces its collaboration with Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC of Sri Lanka to modernize the bank’s digital infrastructure and deliver faster, more secure banking services across Sri Lanka. Banks in Sri Lanka are undergoing transformations to meet “the needs of new and… Read More

May 22, 2025 @ 3:28 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Asia Pacific’s commercial real estate market posted a strong start to the year, with investment volume rising 11% year-on-year to US$33 billion in the first quarter of 2025, according to CBRE’s latest Asia Pacific Cap Rate Survey. The bi-annual report captures investor sentiment, cap rate… Read More

May 22, 2025 @ 10:15 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Bitcoin Suisse, the Swiss crypto financial service provider, is pleased to announce that its subsidiary BTCS (Middle East) Ltd. has received an In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM. This milestone represents “a step forward in Bitcoin Suisse’s strategic expansion,… Read More

May 22, 2025 @ 8:11 am By Michael Wong  |  

Airwallex, a global payments and financial platform, has secured $300 million in a Series F funding round, lifting its valuation to $6.2 billion and further solidifying its position as one of the world’s most valuable Fintechs. The round includes $150 million in secondary share sales… Read More

May 21, 2025 @ 11:59 am By Omar Faridi  |  

StraitsX, Southeast Asia’s digital payment infrastructure provider, announced the launch of its Singapore dollar-backed stablecoin, XSGD, on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), a “decentralized” layer-1 blockchain. The deployment marks the first phase of a broader collaboration with Ripple, a contributor to the XRP Ledger and a… Read More

May 21, 2025 @ 7:45 am By JD Alois  |  

The Hong Kong government approved stablecoin legislation today. The new law provides for fiat-referenced stablecoins (FRC) for issuers in Hong Kong. The goal is to further enhance Hong Kong’s “virtual asset activities.” The new rules will come into effect this year. The Stablecoins Ordinance requires… Read More

May 19, 2025 @ 8:41 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Global digital payment solutions provider Checkout.com has entered a strategic partnership with du Pay, one of the UAE’s fintech platforms focused on advancing financial inclusion and accessibility. This collab enables du Pay to leverage Checkout.com’s robust and scalable payments infrastructure to deliver “high performance payments and… Read More

May 19, 2025 @ 7:07 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Ripple, the provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions,  announced new clients in the UAE utilizing Ripple Payments. Ripple Payments employs blockchain, digital assets, and a global network of payout partners to “deliver reliable cross-border payments and on/off ramps for banks, crypto companies, and… Read More

May 18, 2025 @ 10:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Dubai Finance (DOF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Crypto.com, a global cryptocurrency trading platform, to facilitate government service fee payments using cryptocurrencies—marking a pioneering milestone in digital finance on a global scale. The agreement was formalized by Ahmad Ali Meftah, Executive Director… Read More

May 18, 2025 @ 10:47 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) and GFH Financial Group have formed a strategic partnership to develop a comprehensive book on Islamic capital markets, in a move aimed at reinforcing Bahrain’s status as a global hub for Islamic finance education and innovation. The… Read More

May 18, 2025 @ 7:48 am By Michael Wong  |  

Gulf International Bank B.S.C. (GIB) has closed its debut $500 million syndicated Murabaha financing facility, marking a milestone in its funding strategy and expanding its footprint in the Islamic finance market, according to a company announcement. The three-year Shariah-compliant facility was significantly oversubscribed, attracting strong… Read More

May 17, 2025 @ 12:02 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has proposed reforms aimed at simplifying initial public offering (IPO) requirements and expanding outreach to investors, as part of broader efforts to strengthen the city-state’s position as a competitive equities hub. In a consultation paper, MAS outlined a three-pronged… Read More

May 17, 2025 @ 11:01 am By Michael Wong  |  

BillEase, a digital consumer finance platform in the Philippines, has partnered with Maya Business, the country’s largest digital payments processor, to bring its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) service to Maya’s ecosystem. The integration enables installment-based payments at checkout via QRPh-enabled point-of-sale (POS) terminals and… Read More

May 14, 2025 @ 2:12 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Global fintech platform Pine Labs and India’s private sector J&K Bank, seek to enhance credit issuance in India by introducing a tech-first RuPay Credit Card for the bank’s customers. The RuPay Credit Card can also be “linked to UPI for seamless credit transactions.” Developed using… Read More

May 13, 2025 @ 11:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Hidden Road announced that its ADGM entity, Hidden Road Partners CIV (AD) Limited, received In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM to operate as a regulated financial services firm. Pending final regulatory approval, Hidden Road will be “authorized to offer… Read More