Asia

World’s first metaverse music label 0x0 launches in Taiwan

With the world hopping onto the non-fungible token (NFT) craze, Taiwan has taken the lead with the launch of 0x0, the world’s first metaverse music label. Created by a group of music enthusiasts, the artists that 0x0 represents exist in the form of NFT characters, putting out music and MVs with the characters as their identities. This maximizes the…

Singapore’s Oddle raises $5M in Pre-Series B funding

Funds from this bridge round will power product development and regional market expansion in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Singapore skyline SGX SPAC

Japan’s SBI, South Korea’s Kyobo & NTU Singapore to raise $75M venture fund

The fund aims to accelerate digital transformation in Southeast Asia and South Asia through the combined operational expertise, regional go-to-market connections and extensive industry network across the three general partners.

Singapore’s Jungle Ventures closes a $600 million fund, AUM crosses $1B

This brings their total Assets Under Management (AUM) to over $1 billion.

Singapore’s Volopay partners with Visa to offer financial management solutions in Australia

Volopay, a Singapore-based corporate cards and payable management fintech firm backed by Y-Combinator, announced Thursday it has signed a partnership with Visa to be part of Visa’s Fintech Fast Track Program which will significantly expand Volopay’s offering of financial management solutions in the Australian market.

Japan’s chat commerce firm Zeals raises $38.77M funding led by JIC Venture Growth Investments

Zeals Co., Ltd. (Zeals), a Japan-based Chat Commerce provider, announced Thursday that it has raised a total of ¥5 billion ($38.77 million) in funding.JIC Venture Growth Investments led the ¥3.5 billion ($27.14 million) Series E round with participation from Z Venture Capital, a venture investment arm of Z Holdings, Japan Post Capital, and Salesforce…

Singapore’s GIC leads $170M Series F financing in US blockchain data platform Chainalysis

Chainalysis, a United States-based blockchain data platform, announced Thursday a $170 million Series F financing led by GIC, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, bringing its valuation to $8.6 billion. Previous investors Accel, Blackstone, Dragoneer, and FundersClub increased their investment in the company, and the Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Melon) and…

India’s Ather Energy raises $128M Series E round led by Strategic Opportunities Fund and Hero Moto

Ather Energy, an India-based electric two-wheeler company, announced Thursday the completion of its Series E round of funding with signing of investment agreements amounting to $128 million with National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited’s (NIIFL) Strategic Opportunities Fund (SOF), and Hero MotoCorp.

Hong Kong’s Gusto Collective completes seed plus financing round of $11M

Gusto Collective, Hong Kong-based BrandTech holding company, said Thursday it has raised $ 11 million in its seed plus funding round led by Animoca Brands and Gaw Capital. The oversubscribed round also received participation from BlackPine, YCI Limited, and several existing shareholders including ClearVue Partners. With the completion of this round, the…

SC Ventures and SBI Holdings sign MOU to speed up portfolio expansion and build ecosystems

SC Ventures, Standard Chartered’s innovation, fintech investment and ventures arm, announced that it had entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SBI Holdings, Inc. SC Ventures aims to expand their portfolio at a business and geographic level and to explore new ecosystems through this partnership.