Tagged: asean

October 21, 2025 @ 10:26 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Six national payment networks from five Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a common standards body for non-card instant retail payments, aiming to make cross-border transactions faster and safer while preserving national control. The George Town… Read More

October 4, 2025 @ 6:26 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Indonesia-based private equity firm Sriwijaya Capital has signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi’s BlueFive Capital to form a strategic alliance aimed at channeling more Gulf capital into Southeast Asia and expanding access for ASEAN investors to Middle Eastern opportunities, the firms stated. The… Read More

August 2, 2025 @ 9:57 am By Michael Wong  |  

The SIDC-CASI SRI Conference 2025 concluded in Kuala Lumpur after three days of discussions focused on accelerating sustainable finance across Southeast Asia. Co-hosted by the Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC) and the Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI), the event gathered more than 300 delegates… Read More

November 10, 2024 @ 10:02 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PwC has released their research report, entitled FinTech in ASEAN 2024: A Decade of Innovation. PwC noted that during the past decade, the global FinTech landscape has evolved rapidly, transforming financial services and “driving digital inclusion worldwide.” Yet, the research report explained that considerable challenges… Read More

November 10, 2024 @ 5:05 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Fintech companies from mainland China are increasingly choosing Hong Kong as the base for their headquarters, attracted by the city’s capital accessibility and a strong talent pool. These firms are leveraging Hong Kong’s strategic position to expand their operations into ASEAN markets. KN Group, a… Read More

October 5, 2024 @ 6:22 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Funding for the generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) sector in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is projected to increase by 50 percent year-over-year in 2025, according to the latest report from GenAI Fund. The “ASEAN GenAI Startup Report 2024” attributes this anticipated growth to… Read More

August 20, 2024 @ 8:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Valverde Investment Partners, a Singapore-based independent investment management firm specializing in ASEAN equities, has appointed global Fintech Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR) to enhance its portfolio management, trade order management, and risk analytics processes. This enhancement will support Valverde’s newest fund launch and “strengthen… Read More

April 5, 2024 @ 8:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB) and the Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) have officially joined the Regional Payment Connectivity (RPC), marking a significant milestone in ASEAN’s financial integration efforts, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has announced. The BDCB’s accession to the RPC… Read More

March 16, 2024 @ 3:13 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Starting in 2025, Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plan to unify QR code payment systems to simplify transactions and avoid the need for currency exchange, especially benefiting tourists. This move, as reported by Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and announced by Japan’s… Read More

November 19, 2023 @ 5:18 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Green fintech has become a promising new growth area in Southeast Asia, with green fintech firms bringing innovative solutions to help businesses and governments address challenges and opportunities of going green. This insight was part of the report – Fintech in ASEAN 2023: Seeding the… Read More

November 11, 2023 @ 6:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Maybank announced the expansion of its cross-border QR Pay service to China, one of the first in the market for a Malaysian bank, amplifying Maybank’s existing cross-border payment capabilities and enhancing the ease and efficiency of financial transactions. This initiative aims to benefit over 8… Read More

September 16, 2023 @ 10:18 am By Michael Wong  |  

The recently introduced ASEAN QR Code innovation promises to open up a broader market for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by facilitating seamless cross-border payments, Pandu Sjahrir, the legacy lead of ASEAN QR Code, told Indonesia’s news agency ANTARA. This integration offers a platform… Read More

September 11, 2023 @ 10:50 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Under its chairmanship of ASEAN this year, Indonesia is placing a strong emphasis on the expansion and enhancement of the region’s local currency transaction (LCT) network. The move is aimed at fortifying trade and investment, streamlining cross-border payments, and advancing financial asset substitutability. Iss Savitri… Read More

September 3, 2023 @ 8:17 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries have been urged to collaborate to maximize the region’s investment potential, estimated to reach $20 trillion by 2045, according to Arsjad Rasjid, Chairman of the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC). Rasjid made the statement at the ASEAN Business… Read More

April 20, 2023 @ 10:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

UOB (SGX: U11) will reportedly invest more than S$500 million “to build its new global technology and innovation center in JTC’s Punggol Digital District (PDD).” With this investment, UOB claims it “becomes the first local bank to establish its presence in Singapore’s first smart and… Read More

March 13, 2023 @ 10:10 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Homegrown financial services company Singlife has appointed Citi and BlackRock Aladdin to “provide it with a comprehensive technology platform to unify and transform its asset management capabilities across its front, middle and back-office offering.” Citi and BlackRock Aladdin previously “entered into an alliance to leverage… Read More

February 16, 2023 @ 1:37 am By Omar Faridi  |  

As part of its efforts to enhance financial literacy among the younger generation in ASEAN, Maybank’s Cashville Kidz financial literacy program has reached out to 37,020 students and 945 educators in over 113 schools in 2022. In a year that was recovering from the pandemic,… Read More

December 24, 2022 @ 11:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The World Economic Forum has launched the ASEAN Digital Generation Report 2022, the sixth edition of the report since 2017. This year’s report “examines digital financial services, gaps in access and where businesses, governments, and civil society organizations need to improve financial inclusion.” The report… Read More

October 20, 2022 @ 3:27 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

UOB (SGX: U11) recently announced the launch of the UOB Sustainability Compass at the Gateway to ASEAN Conference. The Sustainability Compass is a tool that “provides a step-by-step guide for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to overcome their inertia and kickstart their sustainability journeys.” As… Read More

November 28, 2021 @ 6:52 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The time is “ripe” for the Philippines to take its place on the global stage as an important player in the technology space, according to a new report. The Philippines’ local technology market is still developing: While a digital economic gap currently exists, there’s strong… Read More