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Singapore’s Hivebotics raises $6M led by Vertex to scale restroom-cleaning robots

Singapore-based autonomous robot builder Hivebotics has raised $6 million in a Series A round led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, to move its restroom-cleaning robot from pilot deployments into volume production.

Vietnam will not ban social media for under-16s, but requires parental oversight

Vietnam seeks to require parents to register and supervise social-media accounts for their under-16 children and ban under-13 kids from posting, commenting, or sharing on social media, under draft rules of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

XTransfer gets initial UAE approval for payment services license

XTransfer has secured in-principle approval for a UAE retail payment services license, subject to completing the central bank's pre-issuance conditions.

Hitachi Vantara reports 32 percent APAC revenue growth

Hitachi Vantara said Asia-Pacific revenue rose 32 percent in its first fiscal quarter, led by a 61 percent increase in regional storage revenue.

Pencil Finance completes $1M on-chain student loan cycle

Pencil Finance says its first $1 million student loan bundle completed an on-chain cycle, with principal and yield returned to funders.

Paydibs launches sales-linked financing for Malaysian merchants

Paydibs has launched a six-month merchant financing service in Malaysia with repayments linked to weekly payment settlements and transaction activity.

TDCX opens AI-enabled Foshan campus for Greater Bay Area clients

TDCX has opened its sixth China center in Foshan with about 100 positions and AI-assisted customer experience services for Greater Bay Area clients.

KKR to buy minority stake in Malaysia’s Avisena Healthcare, to expand flagship hospitals

The United States-based investment firm KKR has agreed to buy a minority stake in Malaysia's Avisena Healthcare, a private hospital operator.

From AI healthcare to XR training: 8 Korean startups showcasing practical tech at Techsauce Global Summit 2026

The X-DIGITAL@THAILAND showcase underscored that Korea’s technology story is no longer confined to its domestic market. For these startups, the opportunity lies in translating that innovation into solutions that can work — and scale — across the region.

SEA’s blockchain technology sector raises $6.2B in all-time equity funding across 1,323 firms – Tracxn

Southeast Asia’s blockchain technology sector has raised $6.2 billion in all-time equity funding across 1,323 funded companies year to date, including $680 million in 2026 year to date, Tracxn said on Thursday.