Asia

April 2, 2025 @ 8:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Fireblocks, a digital asset security and infrastructure provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC Group), one of Japan’s largest banks, alongside Ava Labs and TIS Inc. This collaboration aims to explore the potential of stablecoins for wholesale payments,… Read More

April 1, 2025 @ 11:45 am By Omar Faridi  |  

PitchBook noted that China’s latest move to bolster its technological capabilities has arrived in the form of a 1 trillion yuan (approximately $138 billion) high-tech fund, unveiled during the 2025 Two Sessions. The report from PitchBook added that this state-backed venture capital (VC) initiative targets… Read More

March 31, 2025 @ 9:28 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

HashKey, an Asian digital asset financial services group, and Bosera announced the launch of the tokenized money market ETFs, Bosera HKD Money Market ETF (tokenized class) and Bosera USD Money Market ETF (tokenized class). Both were approved by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 10:20 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has launched a public consultation on a proposed regulatory framework to expand retail investors’ access to private market investment funds, the central bank said. Under the current regulations, retail investors in Singapore have limited opportunities to invest in private… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 10:12 pm By Michael Wong  |  

South Korea’s cryptocurrency market continues to grow, with the number of virtual asset investors surpassing 16 million, nearing the total number of stock investors in the country, news agency Yonhap reported. Data submitted to Rep. Cha Gyu-geun of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party indicated… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 9:16 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry has selected seven Equity Crowdfunding (ECF) and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) financing platforms to participate in the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP2030) Strategic Co-Investment Fund (CoSIF), according to local reports. The program aims to support companies in high-tech and high-impact… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 7:59 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Rohan Misra, Head of GCC and Senior Executive Officer (SEO) of AMINA Bank in Abu Dhabi Global Market, has shared key insights with CI. As DeFi continues to reshape the financial landscape, numerous initiatives and hubs are emerging to harness the opportunities of this digital… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 7:47 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Hong Kong Academy of Finance (AoF) announced the selection of 23 senior executives for its Financial Leaders Programme (FLP) 2025, underscoring its commitment to developing future financial leaders within the territory. The participants represent a diverse range of sectors in Hong Kong’s financial industry,… Read More

March 30, 2025 @ 6:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Asia-focused alternative investment firm PAG has reportedly closed its third fund dedicated to Significant Risk Transfer (SRT) deals, raising $1.25 billion from investors looking to tap into bank loan portfolios. This milestone underscores the growing appeal of SRT as a financial instrument that bridges the… Read More

March 29, 2025 @ 8:00 am By Omar Faridi  |  

European credit specialist AlbaCore Capital Group announces the launch of a new Senior Direct Lending Strategy, having secured anchor investments from a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation. AlbaCore has completed its first close,… Read More

March 28, 2025 @ 10:54 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a criminal complaint against Aux Cayes FinTech Co. Ltd., operator of digital asset exchange platform OKX, and nine associated individuals for allegedly running an unlicensed digital asset exchange, the regulator announced. The complaint, lodged with Thailand’s Economic… Read More

March 28, 2025 @ 5:46 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has proposed an investment of up to $75 million in a senior tranche of asset-backed securities (ABS) to support digital lending operations by SeaMoney (Capital) Co Ltd in Thailand. The senior tranche will… Read More

March 25, 2025 @ 11:00 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Rain, a global card issuing platform powered by stablecoins, announced $24.5 million in new funding led by Norwest Venture Partners. New investors joining the funding round included the following: Galaxy Ventures, Goldcrest, Thayer, and Hard Yaka. Existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, Coinbase Ventures, Vinyl Capital,… Read More

March 25, 2025 @ 8:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Fintech ecosystem in the Philippines is experiencing a surge in 2025, cementing its role as a key player in Southeast Asia’s financial technology ecosystem. Although a relatively smaller economy in terms of GDP growth and GDP per capita when compared to some nearby countries… Read More

March 25, 2025 @ 4:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

ADGM, the International Financial Centre (IFC) of the UAE’s capital, has signed an MoU with Chainlink, which is said to be the “standard” for onchain finance, marking a key step in advancing compliant tokenization frameworks. This alliance will support projects under ADGM’s Registration Authority by… Read More

March 25, 2025 @ 10:17 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Circle Internet Group, Inc., a financial technology company and stablecoin market participant / issuer, announced its commitment to Japan by leveraging its Japanese entity, Circle Japan KK, and local partnerships to drive the adoption of Circle platforms and technologies in Japan. Circle’s partners in Japan… Read More

March 24, 2025 @ 11:01 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Hong Kong’s economic and employment prospects reflect a blend of resilience and cautious optimism, according to recent reports from KPMG. Three key updates—the Hong Kong Employment Outlook Report, insights into the trust industry’s growth, and an analysis of government reserves—paint a picture of a city… Read More

March 23, 2025 @ 10:30 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Fintech firm PayU, backed by global consumer internet group Prosus, has acquired a 43.5% strategic stake in India-based real-time payment technology provider Mindgate Solutions, bolstering its position in the country’s digital payments ecosystem. The transaction values Mindgate between $180 million and $250 million, depending on… Read More

March 23, 2025 @ 3:27 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Nayla Finance, a Saudi Arabia-based Fintech focused on improving access to capital for micro-businesses, has raised $4 million in seed funding to scale its operations and expand its digital lending platform, the company said. The round was led by Sanabil Venture Studio by Stryber and… Read More

March 22, 2025 @ 11:36 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based digital asset infrastructure provider BetterX has secured S$2.3 million (approximately $1.7 million) in a pre-Series A funding round to support its expansion across Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. The funding round brought in new investors including Grand Prix Capital, Aument Capital,… Read More