Tagged: southeast asia

January 6, 2021 @ 10:01 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Singapore’s fast-growing 1,000+ Fintech sector includes a thriving Wealthtech segment which is on track to continue growing and maturing. It’s being supported by an increased interest from local investors, strategic acquisition deals, and the growing demand for automated financial advisory services (or Robo-advisors). Many younger… Read More

January 5, 2021 @ 10:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Agoda, a fast-growing online travel platform, has teamed up with Singapore-based Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platform Atome in order to provide flexible instalment plans for accommodation bookings. These payment options will first be offered in Singapore and Malaysia, and then rolled out to several… Read More

January 2, 2021 @ 7:03 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Malaysia’s reserve bank, Bank Negara, has released its policy document on digital banks. The Malaysian central bank’s new document on the licensing framework for all-digital banks has been published after completing a 6-month public consultation. Bank Negara officials stated on December 31, 2020, that the… Read More

December 27, 2020 @ 9:53 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Indonesia-based Fintech firm Finantier has revealed that it has acquired an undisclosed amount of capital from US-based startup accelerator Y Combinator. Finantier will be joining Y Combinator’s Winter 2021 funding cycle, which is scheduled to begin in January 2021. Finantier is planning to expand its… Read More

December 24, 2020 @ 8:58 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The gig economy has been growing steadily in Asian countries like Malaysia, particularly at a time when the COVID-19 outbreak is forcing residents to pick up side jobs to supplement their earnings during these uncertain times. Although the gig economy or temp work opportunities are… Read More

December 24, 2020 @ 7:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Hong Kong based ZA Tech, a technology venture launched by insurance firm ZhongAn Online and supported by the Softbank Vision Fund, has revealed that it teamed up with the holding company of digital wallet OVO. Through the partnership, both organizations will offer insurance providers in… Read More

December 23, 2020 @ 11:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Brunei’s Fintech sector continues to grow steadily due to the rising demand for digital financial services and its government’s push to encourage its residents to use modern payment methods. Brunei has the second-highest (after Singapore) human development index or HDI (which measures the overall quality… Read More

December 23, 2020 @ 10:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

CIMB Bank Vietnam and Viva Republica, the operator of the Toss app (a payments service), have launched the CIMB-Toss debit card after the success of the CIMB and Toss virtual card – which was introduced in July of this year. Launched earlier this month, the… Read More

December 21, 2020 @ 10:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mobile payments wallet provider GCash has reportedly been chosen by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the Philippines to distribute funding for training to local residents. TESDA has joined many other businesses and organizations that are using the GCash platform to carry… Read More

December 19, 2020 @ 3:59 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Indonesian tech giant has reportedly paid around $159.5 million for shares in an Indonesian bank (PT Bank Jago) – which is part of a major Fintech deal. Gojek is competing with ride-hailing app provider Grab which is also focused on establishing regional Fintech services. Gojek… Read More

December 17, 2020 @ 11:09 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The team at Singapore-based Propine, a regulated digital asset custodian, notes that 3 months ago, the company was selected by blockchain platform Zilliqa as one of 8 startups to take part in the ZILHive Accelerator program. The Propine team has now confirmed that they managed… Read More

December 17, 2020 @ 10:10 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Fairbanc, the Silicon Valley-based Fintech firm that provides credit to the unbanked or financially underserved in Southeast Asia, has received financial backing from Columbia Business School’s student-run impact fund, Microlumbia. According to a release, this financial backing has come shortly after an investment from 500… Read More

December 17, 2020 @ 10:06 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

  Razer Fintech, the fintech arm of Razer announced on Thursday it has joined forces with Rely, a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service provider, to offer BNPL services in Southeast Asia to merchants registered under Razer Merchant Services (RMS), its B2B (business-to-business) solution. According… Read More

December 16, 2020 @ 11:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Fintech industry could leverage its tools and capabilities to gather climate-related data in the Philippines, which would be in line with the nation’s goal of supporting sustainable financing, according to FintechAlliance.ph Chairperson Angelito M. Villanueva. In statements shared with local news outlet, the BusinessMirror,… Read More

December 15, 2020 @ 11:59 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Paul Bassat, co-founder and Partner at Square Peg Capital Pty., an established Australian VC firm, recently talked about the company’s local and international investments amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Bassat revealed that major Australian pension funds believe that the country’s first recession in around 30 years… Read More

December 15, 2020 @ 9:37 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Philippines based Fintech firm SquidPay Technology Inc. has acquired Php 100 million (appr. $2.08 million) in funding through a Series A round and Php 100 Million (appr. $1.04 million) line of credit – which was arranged by the Eastern Securities Development Corporation (for the company’s… Read More

December 14, 2020 @ 9:23 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Four in five or 80% of Fintech companies in the ASEAN region are focused on expanding their operations following the COVID-19 outbreak. ASEAN member countries include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. A report from UOB, PwC… Read More

December 13, 2020 @ 11:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) have entered into a co-operation Agreement (CA) in order to collaborate on various Fintech initiatives that will enhance Singapore and Hungary’s economy. The CA aims to establish a framework for Fintech collaboration between… Read More

December 13, 2020 @ 10:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Malaysia-based CapBay, a peer to peer (P2P) supply chain financing platform, has reportedly arranged RM 100 million (appr. $24.68 million) in funding across 500 investment notes via its platform since it began operations in March of this year. This milestone is part of CapBay Group’s… Read More

December 13, 2020 @ 9:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Amsterdam-based Backbase, a Fintech software provider that “empowers” financial institutions to accelerate their digital transformation strategies in order to compete in a digital-first world, has been chosen by DigiBankASIA to provide its “full-stack” online engagement banking platform solution for its virtual bank UNO. Backbase will… Read More