Asia

June 23, 2025 @ 5:08 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The global economic landscape is undergoing significant shifts, with Asia’s export markets and the transformation of cross-border payments taking center stage. Recent insights from Citigroup highlight two critical developments: the potential for an export payback in Asia and the ongoing migration to the ISO 20022… Read More

June 23, 2025 @ 8:19 am By Omar Faridi  |  

As stablecoins become increasingly central to digital finance and global payments, regulatory frameworks are rapidly evolving across key markets. Recent developments in jurisdictions such as the United States, Hong Kong, the European Union, and Japan reflect “a shared urgency to formalize the role of fiat-backed… Read More

June 23, 2025 @ 5:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

On June 18, 2025, Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, fell victim to a devastating cyberattack that resulted in the loss of approximately $90 million in digital assets, with some estimates suggesting losses as high as $100 million. The breach, which targeted the exchange’s hot wallets,… Read More

June 23, 2025 @ 2:22 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Allfunds Asia and Quinlan & Associates have co-published a thought leadership report that examines the wealthtech landscape in Hong Kong and Singapore and how financial institutions are leveraging wealthtech solutions to capture new market opportunities. Titled Rich Pickings: Unpacking the WealthTech Revolution in Hong Kong… Read More

June 22, 2025 @ 9:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As tensions escalate in the Middle East, the global energy market is bracing for potential upheaval. Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) is referencing Polymarket to assess the probability of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for oil shipments. Approximately 30% of the world’s oil… Read More

June 22, 2025 @ 5:11 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Razorpay continues to redefine the digital payments landscape in India and beyond, introducing innovative features and robust solutions tailored for businesses navigating the complexities of domestic and international transactions. With a focus on seamless user experiences, compliance, and cost efficiency, Razorpay’s latest updates demonstrate their… Read More

June 21, 2025 @ 8:27 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) announced the official launch of Payment Connect, a new cross-boundary payment system linking Hong Kong’s Faster Payment System (FPS) and Mainland China’s Internet Banking Payment System (IBPS). The service will go live… Read More

June 21, 2025 @ 7:25 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The University of Dubai, in partnership with the Artificial Intelligence Journalism for Research and Forecasting (AIJRF), has launched the Arab AI Researchers (AAIR) initiative, the first of its kind in the region aimed at embedding artificial intelligence into academic research and teaching across Arab universities…. Read More

June 21, 2025 @ 4:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Thailand has approved three applicants to establish virtual banks, in a move aimed at promoting financial innovation, expanding access to underserved markets, and enhancing competition in the country’s banking sector. The Ministry of Finance, acting on the advice of the Bank of Thailand (BOT), said… Read More

June 21, 2025 @ 10:44 am By Omar Faridi  |  

KuCoin joins Go Network to deliver enhanced trading and security through off-exchange settlement. Users may unlock seamless, secure trading on KuCoin while assets are safeguarded in regulated custody with BitGo Singapore Pte. Ltd., “giving institutions control and speed while minimizing risk.” For too long institutions… Read More

June 20, 2025 @ 9:31 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Airwallex, a global financial platform for modern businesses, announced the full launch of Airwallex Yield in Hong Kong. As the global payments group to receive a licence from the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC) to provide asset management services, Airwallex is empowering… Read More

June 19, 2025 @ 10:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Stake, one of the digital and global real estate investment platforms, has launched Pay to Card, a withdrawal feature powered by global digital payments company, Checkout.com. The new solution enables investors to “receive their dividends and returns directly to their bank cards, often in just… Read More

June 19, 2025 @ 8:39 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Partners Group, one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, expanded its presence in the Middle East with the opening of a regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Steffen Meister, Executive Chairman of the Board, Partners Group, comments: “Abu Dhabi is increasingly becoming… Read More

June 15, 2025 @ 7:12 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Vietnam has passed a sweeping law to regulate digital assets and boost the country’s technology sector, formally legalizing crypto assets and laying the groundwork for strategic investments in artificial intelligence and semiconductors. The Law on Digital Technology Industry, approved by the National Assembly on Saturday,… Read More

June 14, 2025 @ 12:41 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Fraud in Asia-Pacific’s fastest-growing digital sectors is rising sharply, driven by sophisticated tactics involving deepfakes and synthetic identity documents, according to a new report from global verification provider Sumsub. Healthtech recorded the highest year-on-year increase in fraud cases across the region with a 723% surge… Read More

June 14, 2025 @ 12:40 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In today’s financial landscape, Citigroup’s insights shed light on two critical areas shaping global markets: the transformation of asset servicing and the economic dynamics of Asia’s export-driven economies. These reports offer a look into the forces driving post-trade operations and the potential risks facing Asia’s… Read More

June 13, 2025 @ 5:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PhonePe Limited announced an IP purchase of conversational engagement platform Gupshup’s proprietary ‘GSPay’ technology stack for enabling UPI-based payments for feature phones. GSPay is a mobile application built “on top of NPCI’s UPI payment solution for feature phones (UPI 123PAY).” PhonePe plans to customize and… Read More

June 11, 2025 @ 11:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Thunes, the so-called “Smart Superhighway” to move money around the world, announces a strategic alliance with Capitron Bank, a financial institution in Mongolia. In joining Thunes’ Direct Global Network, Capitron Bank’s business and retail customers will be able to “send funds instantly across borders to… Read More

June 11, 2025 @ 10:26 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

South Korea’s private markets are navigating a complex landscape, marked by cautious optimism and persistent headwinds. As outlined in PitchBook’s Q1 2025 South Korea Market Snapshot, the nation’s startup ecosystem is in a holding pattern, with venture capital (VC) activity subdued and private equity (PE)… Read More

June 11, 2025 @ 5:17 am By Michael Wong  |  

GoTo Group, Indonesia’s largest digital ecosystem, has completed the migration of its digital finance arm GoTo Financial’s infrastructure to Alibaba Cloud’s local data centers in Jakarta. The move marks a critical milestone in a strategic partnership formed in 2024 and is one of the most… Read More