FinTech
Thunes Asia receives IPA to expand scope of MPI license from MAS
Singapore-based payment firm Thunes announced Thursday that it has received in-principle approval (IPA) for a variation of its major payment institution license (MPI) from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
FinFan and Thunes forge strategic alliance to strengthen Vietnam’s cross-border remittance ecosystem
Vietnam-based fintech company FinFan and Singapore-based payment firm Thunes have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing the development of Vietnam’s cross-border remittance ecosystem.
OpenSys launches Malaysia’s first palm-based payment innovation
OpenSys Technologies Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of OpenSys (M) Bhd, has on Monday introduced PalmWav, an innovation prototype exploring the use of palm-recognition technology for seamless, device-free payments in Malaysia.
Vietnam’s C4IR and Ant International partner to advance digital economy
The Vietnam Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR Vietnam), established by the World Economic Forum and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and Ant International have on last Thursday announced a strategic partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance Vietnam’s digital economy, foster innovation, and support Ho Chi…
Funding Societies Thailand joins NCB to strengthen SME access to finance
FS Capital, direct lending arm of Funding Societies, one of Southeast Asia’s largest digital financing platforms for small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs), has officially become a member of the National Credit Bureau (NCB), Thailand.
Philippine fintech firm Higala closes $4M seed fund
Talino Venture Studios, Chemonics International, Kadan Capital, Tenco Capital, and 1982 Ventures have closed Higala’s seed funding round to $4 million, amplifying its abilities to digitally transform rural banks and other microfinance institutions in underserved communities.
Primer’s Theo Spyrides on turning payment complexity into opportunity during Asia’s peak shopping season [Q&A]
Against the backdrop of an increasingly fragmented payments landscape in Asia-Pacific, where digital wallets, local schemes, and situational payment preferences all coexist, Primer's Theo Spyrides shares how merchants can better align their payment flows with rapidly evolving consumer expectations. He notes that shoppers today are not only looking for their…
BENEFIT and Ant International partner to launch Alipay+ in Bahrain
BENEFIT, the Bahraini fintech firm, and Ant International, a digital payment firm headquartered in Singapore, have partnered to launch cross-border QR payments between Bahrain’s BENEFIT QR payment scheme and Ant International’s global wallet gateway, Alipay+, during 2026 to support the transition to toward a more inclusive digital payments ecosystem.
Visa’s Axel Boye-Moller on AI, tokenization, and the next phase of fraud prevention in Asia Pacific [Q&A]
Technologies like AI, machine learning, and tokenization are already transforming fraud prevention, and their impact is only set to grow. Beyond these, behavioral analytics, biometrics, and blockchain technology are emerging as complementary tools in the fight against fraud.
ASEAN cross-border QR payments reach 12.9 million transactions in first half – BNM’s governor
In the first half of 2025 alone, ASEAN cross-border QR payments surged, reaching 12.9 million transactions, Malaysian Central Bank's governor Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said Wednesday.
