News

Sea, OpenAI launch APAC AI Hackathon series, starting in Singapore in June

Singapore technology giant Sea Ltd and OpenAI will launch the Sea x OpenAI Codex Hackathon in Singapore on June 6, 2026, marking the start of a regional hackathon series across the Asia-Pacific region.

Japan’s ENEOS to acquire Chevron fuel, lubricants businesses in APAC with a $2.17B deal

ENEOS Holdings will acquire American energy giant Chevron’s downstream fuels and lubricants businesses across several Asia-Pacific markets in a transaction valued at $2.17 billion.

Virtual asset trading firm BTSE Bhutan approved for financial services license in Gelephu Mindfulness City

BTSE Bhutan, a provider of trading and custody services for virtual asset, has received in-principle approval from the Gelephu Financial Services Office to obtain a Financial Services License in Gelephu Mindfulness City.

Vietnam’s FPT, Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors to collaborate in AI, automotive software

Vietnam's leading technological firm FPT and Japan's industrial giant Mitsubishi Motors will collaborate in software and digital technologies, including the potential establishment of a future joint venture focused on the automotive sector.

42% of APAC enterprises to spend at least $1M on AI agents in next 12 months

Enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region are rapidly increasing investments in agentic AI, with 42 percent of organizations planning to allocate at least $1 million to AI agents over the next 12 months, according to a new report released by Informa and technology research firm Omdia.

Melazyme raises $2M seed round from Thailand-based SeaX to scale precision fermentation platform

Melazyme, a precision fermentation startup focused on functional biomolecules, has raised $2 million in a seed funding round led by SeaX Ventures, with participation from Stellaris Venture Partners and Plug and Play Ventures.

Southeast Asia’s e-commerce market to reach $289.8B by 2029 – study

The Southeast Asian ecommerce market is on a strong upward trajectory, with potential to reach $289.8 billion by 2029, from $156.3 billion in 2024, a study conducted by payments platform 2C2P by Antom found Wednesday.

Maybank: Sea Q1 underscores durable growth momentum

Maybank Investment Bank sees Sea's first quarter results reinforce its ability to sustain high growth while deepening structural advantages in e-commerce, logistics and digital finance.

Vietnam can launch digital asset exchange in Q3 this year, says Deputy Minister

Vietnam’s digital asset exchange could begin official operations as early as the third quarter of 2026 under a pilot framework approved by the government, Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Duc Chi said.

Ant Digital Technologies & RYT Bank win Best AI-Powered Customer Experience Award in Malaysia

The award recognises the joint achievement of both organisations in deploying enterprise-grade AI technology to deliver personalised, scalable financial services and bring best-in-class customer experiences in Malaysia, according to a statement.