Thunes has made two senior hires as the company expands its payments network and strengthens its leadership team. The company has appointed Guy Duncan as Chief Technology and Product Officer and Parvinder Bhatia as Chief Financial Officer. Duncan joins Thunes with experience in digital transformation and scaling technology platforms. He previously served as CTO at Tide and OVO Energy. Duncan also led BMW’s digital transformation across 64 markets and helped scale Tide’s platform from 50,000 to more than 1 million members. At Thunes, he will lead the company’s technology and product teams, with a focus on building teams and deploying AI across its Direct Global Network. Guy Duncan Guy Duncan, CTPO of Thunes, said, “Thunes is at a fascinating juncture where technology and innovation acts as the ultimate strategic enabler. I am thrilled to join a team that shares my ‘Think Big’ philosophy and entrepreneurial mindset. My focus will be on ensuring our solutions solve customer friction both for now and for the future, through innovative, production-ready AI and scalable architecture.” Bhatia joins from bunq, where he served as CFO and supported the bank’s financial strategy and international expansion. He has more than 24 years of experience across fintech, private equity and venture-backed businesses. At Thunes, he will lead the company’s global finance organisation and work with the leadership team as the company continues to grow its cross-border payments infrastructure. Parvinder Bhatia Parvinder Bhatia, CFO of Thunes, added, “Thunes has built a remarkable foundation for global cross-border payments and I am joining at a time of significant momentum. I look forward to working with the board and the executive team to navigate our next phase of international growth, ensuring our financial strategy remains as innovative and robust as our technology.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by ghiska via Freepik The post Thunes Taps Guy Duncan and Parvinder Bhatia for Next Growth Phase appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Stablecoins are gaining ground in APAC finance as clearer rules draw more institutional interest, a new Money20/20 Asia report found. Published ahead of Money20/20 Asia in Bangkok this April, the report draws on insights from more than 130 stakeholders across the region and points to a fintech sector moving beyond experimentation in areas such as AI and digital assets. It highlights three main themes for 2026: maturing core technologies, deeper collaboration between banks and fintechs, and the growing importance of trust across data, cybersecurity and governance. In digital assets, the report says interest is rising particularly around stablecoins, with attention shifting away from speculative crypto activity and toward practical uses in B2B and cross-border payments. It says growing regulatory clarity is helping support that shift and attract larger traditional financial institutions, while also noting that monetisation remains a hurdle for many players and that digital assets are still seen as a parallel option rather than a replacement for fiat. AI is also moving further into deployment. The report says it has progressed beyond experimentation into active scaling, with firms focusing on embedding it into core operations. At the same time, it warns that AI is also creating new risks, especially in fraud, phishing, identity verification and broader cybersecurity. Ian Fong “APAC is no longer experimenting — it’s executing. The region is building financial infrastructure that is faster, safer, and more inclusive than ever before. What happens here will influence the future of money globally.” said Ian Fong, VP of Content at Money20/20 Asia. Separately, the report found Southeast Asia was the top market APAC fintech organisations are focused on or expanding into over the next 12 to 18 months, cited by 22.9 percent of respondents. Digital Trust Emerges as a Core Priority That focus on trust runs throughout the report. It says 91.7 percent of respondents view cybersecurity and data privacy as a top priority, while 88.2 percent see digital identity as a foundational part of the modern banking and payments ecosystem. The report adds that security is increasingly being treated as a business capability woven into products and operations, rather than just a compliance requirement. The report also points to a more collaborative regulatory climate across Asia Pacific. It says regulators are increasingly engaging through initiatives, pilots and public-private partnerships, with growing momentum toward regulatory harmonisation across markets. Respondents broadly viewed regulation as increasingly supportive of innovation, particularly in areas such as digital assets and AI risk management. Overall, the report suggests APAC fintech is moving into a stage where the question is no longer just what can be built, but what can be scaled, trusted and sustained.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by tamirt via Freepik The post Money20/20 Asia Report Maps APAC Fintech’s Shift to Scale appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Mastercard has introduced Virtual C-Suite, a new agentic AI offering designed to help small businesses operate with executive-level insight and decision-making. The first tool to be launched under the suite will be a Virtual CFO, which Mastercard said will be introduced this year through financial institutions, accounting platforms and software providers. Additional AI-powered roles tied to functions such as security and marketing are planned over time. Virtual C-Suite builds on Mastercard’s Agent Suite and is designed to work within the accounting systems, business software and banking applications that small businesses already use. According to Mastercard, the system can analyse business performance, identify risks and opportunities, forecast likely outcomes, and recommend both immediate and longer-term actions. Business owners will be able to access the service through dashboards and conversational interfaces, including for questions about cash flow and business performance. Mastercard said the recommendations will draw on a business’ own financial activity as well as insights from transactions across its network. It processed 175 billion transactions in 2025, and said the system is designed to help businesses manage how they pay, get paid, and handle working capital. Mark Barnett, Mark Barnett, Global Head of Small and Medium Enterprises at Mastercard, said, “With Virtual C-Suite, we are bringing the innovative technology, quality data at scale, and strategic expertise usually available to large enterprises to small business owners. Our goal is to turn operational complexity into clarity — helping entrepreneurs regain time, make smarter decisions, and translate their ambition into measurable growth.” Mastercard is positioning the offering as a tool for SMEs, which often operate with lean teams and may lack dedicated subject matter expertise. It said the service is aimed at giving smaller businesses access to the kind of analysis and support that has typically been more available to larger enterprises.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Freepik The post Mastercard Launches Virtual C-Suite AI Tool for Small Businesses appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Broadridge has added Crypto.com to its NYFIX network, allowing market participants to route crypto orders through its existing FIX-based trading infrastructure. The integration also marks NYFIX’s first cryptocurrency trading connection in Asia. With the tie-up, firms already connected to NYFIX can route crypto orders directly to Crypto.com through the same network used for other asset classes. The integration also gives Crypto.com access to NYFIX Marketplace. Broadridge said the setup supports order routing, drop copies and market data handling through the FIX protocol. It added that the integration combines its market access and connectivity with Crypto.com’s liquidity and low-latency trading capabilities. For Crypto.com, the connection also expands its access to Broadridge’s global network of more than 2,200 buy-side and sell-side participants, supporting its reach among professional trading firms. Broadridge also said the partnership could allow Crypto.com to explore additional capital markets capabilities on the platform as its business grows. George Rosenberger George Rosenberger, Senior Vice President of Trading and Connectivity Solutions at Broadridge, said, “As interest in digital assets continues to accelerate, this relationship reflects Broadridge’s commitment to expanding access to emerging asset classes while maintaining compliance and operational resilience. With Crypto.com we are extending NYFIX’s robust connectivity into the digital asset space, enabling our clients to route orders with the same reliability and transparency they expect from all their trading activity.” Eric Anziani Eric Anziani, President and Chief Operating Officer of Crypto.com, said, “Working with Broadridge allows us to connect with a trusted global network that has long served the world’s leading financial institutions. This collaboration strengthens our ability to serve professional trading firms with robust FIX connectivity solutions and supports our ongoing mission to expand Crypto.com’s presence across key global markets.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by vykhopentaras via Freepik The post Broadridge Adds Crypto.com to NYFIX in First Asia Crypto Trading Link appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Thailand is leading the transition towards cashless and digital payments both domestically and across borders, driven by real-time payment infrastructure, e-money growth, and cross-border payment linkages, a new report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says. However, this shift is also introducing new risks and challenges. Between 2019 and 2024, the use of non-physical payments increased annually by more than 75% on average. This surge has been fueled largely by PromptPay, Thailand’s real-time digital payment system. Launched in 2016, PromptPay links bank accounts to national identification (ID) or mobile phone numbers, offering a universal, low-cost platform for multiple use cases, including request to pay, merchant payments, cross-bank bill payments, bulk/batch payments, and e-donations. During 2019 to 2024, the average number of fast payment transactions through PromptPay rose more than eight-fold from below 40 per person per year to almost 350. Today, registration to PromptPay exceeds over 90 million against a population of about 71 million, and the system processes more than 74 million every day, according to The Nation. Thailand is also seeing high penetration of e-money account. Today, nearly half of the adult population owns an e-money account, outperforming its regional peers where only about 20% of ASEAN consumers have an e-money account. This significant progress in digital payments has been a catalyst for financial inclusion. In 2024, about 80% of adults in Thailand owned financial accounts, 55% owned a debit card, and 50% had made digital payments. The country now has more registered mobile banking accounts at 107.24 million than people, according to The Nation. ASEAN: Payment digitalization and financial inclusion, Source: ASEAN’s Digital Payment Revolution: A New Frontier for Regional Integration, International Monetary Fund, Feb 2026 In response to the shift to cashless payments, Thai merchants are embracing digital payments at a fast pace. A 2022 survey by the Bank of Thailand (BOT) found that 96% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) had adopted digital payments, which accounted for over two-thirds of their payment value. Thai SMEs adoption of e-payment, Source: Survey on SMEs Payment Behavior, Bank of Thailand, 2023 Cross-border payment linkages Across ASEAN, Thailand is also leading progress in establishing bilateral and multilateral cross-border fast payment linkages with its regional counterparts. Thailand was one of the first movers in linking digital payments across borders, establishing in 2018 its first QR payment linkage with Japan, and later with eight other economies. This type of linkage is the most common in Southeast Asia, and allows travelers to make real-time payments to merchants in other countries by scanning a QR code. In April 2021, Thailand established the first cross-border fund transfer connectivity with Singapore. This type of linkage aims to facilitate instant remittances and fund transfers across borders between individuals by using simple identifiers like a mobile phone number or a national identification. ASEAN: Bilateral cross-border payment linkages, Source: ASEAN’s Digital Payment Revolution: A New Frontier for Regional Integration, International Monetary Fund, Feb 2026 The IMF report notes that while QR cross-border payments in Southeast Asia are still small in value and volume, they have shown a significant surge in growth. In Thailand, inbound payments through all bilateral QR linkages stood at approximately THB 2.5 billion (US$79 million) in 2024. This represents a fivefold increase from THB 500 million (US$15.8 million) in 2023. Cross-border payments in Thailand, Source: ASEAN’s Digital Payment Revolution: A New Frontier for Regional Integration, International Monetary Fund, Feb 2026 Growth potential remains nevertheless substantial, particularly given rising intra-ASEAN tourism. In 2023, intra-ASEAN tourists accounted for 42% of total visitors, up from 36% in 2019. Fragmentation issues However, multiple linkages in current bilateral cross-border payment arrangements are leading in a highly fragmented landscape, making interoperability between systems and jurisdictions difficult to achieve. Project Nexus, a collaboration between the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub and central banks from Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and India, aims to address that through a multilateral approach. Project Nexus employs a standardized blueprint to connect multiple domestic fast payment systems through a single, central hub. This significantly simplifies the infrastructure required for regional and global payment connections. The initiative completed a successful proof of concept in 2022 and a comprehensive blueprint in July 2024. Nexus is already being incorporated in Singapore, marking a key step towards operationalization. The scheme is expected to go-live in the city state by 2027. Financial crime on the rise In addition to technological challenges, increased reliance on digital platforms is also heightening risks of financial crime and money laundering. Just this week, the Thai Digital Asset Operators Trade Association (TDO) said that more the 10,000 suspicious accounts had been frozen as the industry intensified efforts to combat money laundering through mule accounts. This initiative follows a series of arrests conducted in late-2025 involving hundreds of suspects, recruiters, and ringleaders linked to mule-account networks. These actions are part of a nationwide effort to curb financial crime amid surging online scam activity. Between November 01, 2023, and June 27, 2025, Thailand’s Anti Online Scam Operation Centre (AOC) received more than 1.18 million cases of online scams. This trend is accelerating in 2026. According to police, authorities logged 7,682 complaints of online scams from March 01 to 07, 2026 alone, up 4% from the 7,344 complaints the prior week. These scams caused THB 433.86 million (US$14 million) in damages.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by coffeemill and via user21016237 Freepik The post Thailand Leads ASEAN in Digital Payment Transformation appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

KAST, a global financial platform built on stablecoin rails and founded by former Circle executive Raagulan Pathy, has raised US$80 million in a Series A funding round. QED Investors and Left Lane Capital co-led the round, with returning investors Peak XV Partners, HSG and DST Global Partners also participating. The funding comes amid growing global adoption of stablecoins, particularly in emerging markets and among internationally mobile workforces, where demand for fast, dollar-denominated payments is outpacing traditional banking infrastructure. KAST plans to use the capital to expand in Latin America, North America and the Middle East, while accelerating licensing, compliance, product development and recruitment. Launched in July 2024, KAST provides USD-denominated accounts and global pay-ins and payouts to over 190 countries. Since launch, it has reached more than one million users and is processing nearly US$5 billion in annualised transaction volume. Revenue is projected to reach US$100 million annual run rate in 2026, with month-on-month growth of 15-20%, and has doubled since September 2025. Raagulan Pathy, Founder and CEO, said: Raagulan Pathy “The latest funding, raised less than 18 months from launch, reflects the confidence of leading investors in the stablecoin neobank thesis, and in KAST’s ability to execute it at global scale. Our end game is clear: to be the leading neobank for the stablecoin world, both for consumers and businesses.” KAST has hired over 250 staff across engineering, compliance and operations, including from Stripe, Revolut, Binance, Circle and Airwallex, to support its growth.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by smth.design via Freepik The post KAST Raises US$80 Million Series A to Expand Stablecoin Banking Globally appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

More than 3.4 billion digital wallets are already in use worldwide, powering close to $9 trillion in annual payments. By 2026, digital wallet adoption is expected to rise to 5.4 billion users, cementing e-wallets as one of the most dominant financial tools on the planet. Yet, despite these transaction volume surges, margins remain as thin as ever. Payment processing has become a scale game, with high-volume, low-yield written all over it. How do banks, fintechs, and payment providers turn these high-volume, low-margin transactions into sustainable profit? Is there a way to effectively move beyond transactions and build ecosystems that drive loyalty, data, and new revenue streams? The answer lies in how wallet ecosystems are designed. Closed vs Open-Loop Wallet Ecosystems Closed-loop and open-loop wallets represent two distinct approaches to digital payments, each shaped by different priorities around control, scale, cost, and even customer experience. Closed-loop wallets operate within a defined and controlled network. Transactions are restricted to the issuer’s own environment or selected partner merchants. This structure offers tighter control over the payment experience and allows organisations to bypass traditional card networks, reducing transaction costs. Closed-loop models are especially effective for loyalty-driven use cases like retail chains, transit systems and internal enterprise ecosystems. As the issuer manages the entire infrastructure, fraud prevention and security controls can be both centralised and monitored closely. Source: Your Essential Guide on How to Build Closed and Open-loop Wallet Ecosystems, BPC Open-loop systems take a different approach. Instead of restricting transactions to a proprietary network, they connect to global payment schemes, e.g. Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay. This enables its users to transact across multiple merchants, industries and geographies, as open-loop wallets are built for interoperability and scale. Open-loop wallet use cases range from P2P transfers and cross-border payments to e-commerce transactions and multi-merchant ecosystems. Their global acceptance makes them highly attractive for banks and fintechs that want to expand beyond a single brand or network. Due to this reason, its transaction fees tend to be on the higher side, and fraud prevention is a more complex affair in a decentralised environment with multiple partners and jurisdictions. The key difference between these two models can be boiled down to a trade-off between efficiency and expansion. Source: Your Essential Guide on How to Build Closed and Open-loop Wallet Ecosystems, BPC The future of wallet ecosystems is not purely open or closed. More institutions are adopting hybrid approaches. Many begin with a closed-loop model to refine operations, build engagement and test value propositions in a controlled environment. Over time, they extend into semi-open or fully open-loop structures to unlock new revenue streams and geographic expansion. Technological advances, open API frameworks, embedded finance capabilities, and evolving consumer expectations are accelerating this change. Understanding how and when to transition between these models is ultimately what determines whether a wallet becomes a cost centre or sustainable revenue engine. Strategic Middle Ground with Semi-Closed Wallet Models Semi-closed wallets extend usability beyond a single proprietary network while still maintaining structured partnerships and defined boundaries. It’s a strategically important phase, as it allows institutions to test elements of interoperability and broader merchant acceptance, minus the full complexity of a global scheme integration. Source: Your Essential Guide on How to Build Closed and Open-loop Wallet Ecosystems, BPC By collaborating with select external merchants, transit operators or service providers, organisations can expand customer utility while preserving the many advantages they already have in a controlled ecosystem, including factors like lower transaction costs and strong loyalty mechanisms. This requires careful execution. Your business must establish commercial partnerships with external merchants and integrate their wallet with multiple payment gateways. The infrastructure under the hood needs to support seamless interoperability across different systems, allowing multi-merchant transactions without letting the user experience dip. Loyalty programs have to remain unified across the ecosystem, and real-fraud detection capabilities must match transaction growth. If all of these boxes are ticked, a semi-closed model serves as a strategic middle ground where ecosystem control begins to evolve into a scalable opportunity. Building an Open-Loop Ecosystem for Issuers and Acquirers Moving into an open-loop ecosystem next requires deeper alignment across strategy, operations and technology. For issuers, launching an open-loop wallet begins with building a robust, future-ready platform. This means integrating global payment networks, enabling digital and virtual card assistance, and ensuring that the wallet interacts with no hiccups with diverse financial systems across regions. The wallet must support multi-currency transactions, cross-border capabilities, and real-time processing while maintaining a consistent user experience. Its infrastructure has to be able to support advanced fraud detection, secure tokenisation, and regulatory alignment across jurisdictions. Without these implementation steps in place, expansion can introduce operational strain. Steps for Implementation for Issuers Issues should pay attention to integrating global payment networks, providing digital card issuance and ensuring interoperability across diverse financial systems. These factors will ensure that issuers successfully launch an open-loop wallet. Step 1: Start with Closed-Loop Wallets Many issuers begin by launching closed-loop wallets within their ecosystems, allowing them to test features such as wallet funding, QR/NFC payments, and loyalty program integrations. For example, retail chains can introduce wallets for in-store use while offering rewards for frequent usage. Step 2: Introduce Virtual Card Issuance Issuers should enable real-time virtual card issuance linked to the wallet for online and in-store payments. BPC’s SmartVista card management solution, for instance, provides instant card issuance capabilities, allowing customers to begin transactions immediately upon onboarding. This feature is critical for attracting tech-savvy users who demand instant access. For example, leveraging the BPC platform, GoTyme was able to start issuing cards within a few minutes of customers engaging the terminal, which led to a surge in customers over the next few years. Now Tyme possesses over 12 million customers and continues to expand. Step 3: Expand to Global Networks To transition from closed-loop to open-loop ecosystems, issuers must integrate their wallets with global payment networks like Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Diners, or UnionPay. This integration ensures widespread acceptance across regions and industries, enabling cross-border payments and enhancing customer convenience. For example, Nubank’s integration with Brazil’s PIX and international networks allowed it to offer multi-currency wallet features, boosting user adoption. Step 4: Features and Customer Engagement Offer value-added services such as P2P payments, budgeting tools, PFM and personalised offers. Revolut’s wallet is an example of how issuers can enhance customer retention through such features, reaching 45 million users in 2024. Step 5: Security is the Key Implement AI and ML-driven fraud detection tools, tokenization, and biometric authentication to ensure secure transactions of your service and ecosystem. Security is a critical factor in building trust, particularly when expanding into global markets. Steps for Implementation for Acquirers For acquirers, the transition to open-loop ecosystems centres on one core objective: merchant enablement. A wallet may be interoperable, but without widespread acceptance, its value is still cut short. The acquirer’s role is to ensure merchants can accept open-loop wallet payments across physical stores, online platforms, and emerging digital channels. Step 1: Start with Closed-Loop Merchant Acceptance Acquirers can initially focus on building a network of merchants within their ecosystem who accept closed-loop wallet payments. For example, a shopping mall could implement a wallet for payments across its stores with minimal or no acquiring fees to encourage merchant adoption. Step 2: Enable QR Code Solutions Issuers should enable real-time virtual card issuance linked to the wallet for online and in-store payments. BPC’s SmartVista card management solution, for instance, provides instant card issuance capabilities, allowing customers to begin transactions immediately upon onboarding. This feature is critical for attracting tech-savvy users who demand instant access. For example, leveraging the BPC platform, GoTyme was able to start issuing cards within a few minutes of customers engaging the terminal, which led to a surge in customers over the next few years. Now Tyme possesses over 12 million customers and continues to expand. Step 3: Integrate Open-Loop POS Acceptance Acquirers should enable merchants to accept payments via open-loop POS networks that support various methods, including QRs, NFC, contactless payments, and tokenised card transactions. Step 4: Provide Merchant Analytics and Tools Acquirers must offer tools for real-time transaction monitoring, customer analytics, and loyalty program integration. This ensures merchants can track performance and optimise their strategies to increase footfall and customer engagement. Step 5: Collaborate with Technology Providers Partnerships with technology providers like BPC allow acquirers to access APIs and SDKs that streamline merchant onboarding and payment processing. These integrations make it easier for merchants to accept open-loop payments and expand their offerings. Step 6: Support Cross-Border Transactions Upon successful approval, the specified amount is deducted from the wallet balance or linked payment source. Users receive a confirmation notifying them that the payment has been completed. What Lies in the Future of Wallet Ecosystems? Functionality, intelligence, and global integration will define the next phase of wallet evolution. This is not a surprise, given the fact that wallets are expanding far beyond their original purpose as transaction tools and becoming comprehensive financial platforms. One visible shift is cryptocurrency integration. As of 2024, the global cryptocurrency market was valued at $2.2 trillion, spotlighting consumer interest in digital assets. Wallets are already incorporating crypto storage, trading and payment capabilities. As global commerce hits new highs, consumers and businesses both expect frictionless international transactions. Wallets that support quick and efficient currency conversion and cross-border payments reduce the complexity that is usually associated with global trade. Research from Convera suggests that cross-border payments could reach $290 trillion by 2030, underlining the scale of this opportunity that awaits. Wallet ecosystems that can support multi-currency flows efficiently may be the ones at the centre of this growth. However, scale alone is no longer a guarantee of success. Imran Vilcassim, BPC’s Global Chief Commercial Officer, Digital Banking, shares that wallet growth is no longer the North Star, but rather unit economics are. Imran Vilcassim “For banks and fintechs, the path to profitability lies in moving beyond a ‘land grab’ for users and toward a shared ecosystem of value. Success requires deliberate orchestration: leveraging the trusted infrastructure and capital of banks alongside the agile distribution and user centricity of fintechs.” Imran shares that regardless of operating in a high-engagement closed loop or scaling through open-loop interoperability, the winners will be those who industrialise fraud and compliance. Sustainable revenue goes beyond the transaction, he says, and is about the operational discipline that turns high volume into high margin. Build the Right Wallet Ecosystem Before You Scale Designing a successful wallet is all about choosing the right model, expanding at the right time, and building an ecosystem that can grow profitably across markets and use cases. Institutions that understand when to use closed, semi-closed, and open-loop strategies are the ones turning wallets into long-term platforms for engagement and revenue. For a deeper look at the implementation pathways, infrastructure choices, and real-world case studies shaping this evolution, download BPC’s “Your Essential Guide on How to Build Closed and Open-Loop Wallet Ecosystems.” Featured image edited by Fintech News Singapore based on image by freepik on Freepik The post The War on Cash Is Over. The Real Battle Is Building Profitable Wallet Ecosystems appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

DBS has expanded its SecureFX service to all corporate customers in Singapore, widening access as businesses look for more certainty in volatile currency markets. The foreign exchange service, which launched in March 2025, allows businesses to lock in preferred rates for future-dated foreign currency payments through DBS IDEAL. DBS said the broader rollout will give more companies access to a tool that can help them better manage foreign exchange risk. The bank said around 60 percent of its Singapore SME foreign exchange customers with cross-border payment needs have used SecureFX since launch. It also said its latest Business Pulse Check Survey found that 83 percent of SMEs plan to internationalise in 2026 as they seek growth amid market volatility. DBS said implied volatility in the euro, yen and pound has been rising since the start of 2026 due to ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty. Eileen Chia Eileen Chia, Regional Head of Corporate Advisory, Global Financial Markets at DBS, said, “While global markets are moving through a period of heightened volatility, this also presents opportunities for businesses that are ready to scale beyond their home markets. Companies that take a more strategic approach to managing their foreign exchange exposures are often better positioned to seize regional opportunities, strengthen supplier relationships and plan with greater clarity.” Available within DBS IDEAL, SecureFX covers five currency pairs namely USD/SGD, EUR/SGD, EUR/USD, GBP/SGD and JPY/SGD. Businesses can lock in rates up to one month in advance for local and overseas payments of up to US$1 million at any given time, without credit lines or upfront cash commitments.   The post DBS Expands FX Rate-Locking Tool to All Corporate Customers in Singapore appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

If managing identity risk in Singapore feels harder than it did a few years ago, you’re not imagining it. It doesn’t mean something is broken. It means Singapore is operating closer to the future than almost any other market and the rest of the world is heading in the same direction. Singapore’s digital economy moves at a pace most countries haven’t yet reached. Identity decisions are automated, embedded into user journeys, and largely invisible to customers. That’s the upside of a highly digital economy. The downside is that when something goes wrong, it propagates fast. This is not uniquely Singaporean. It’s a preview for other countries. APAC as the world’s early warning system APAC is the most diverse identity environment globally, but its most advanced markets share a pattern: digital adoption outpaces the governance and operational controls meant to manage it. That gap is where new forms of identity risk emerge first. Singapore is pushing the frontier with national digital identity and services. Australia is accelerating toward a unified digital identity framework. South Korea and Hong Kong run high-velocity financial ecosystems where attackers test new techniques early. India operates identity at a national scale, where small errors can ripple across millions instantly. Across these markets, identity verification is no longer a compliance step. It is part of the product. Decisions that once took minutes or hours now happen in seconds, often without human review. When those decisions fail, they fail loudly. What APAC experiences today, others will face tomorrow. Singapore as a global stress test Source: lifeforstock via Freepik Singapore is often described as a benchmark market. In identity risk, it is better understood as a stress test. Research from Regula indicates that Singaporean organizations are more likely than global peers to treat fraud prevention as a senior leadership issue. Nearly one-third cite strong executive involvement as critical, a higher proportion than in the US, Germany, or the UAE. This does not signal higher fraud volumes. It reflects earlier recognition. As identity decisions scale, errors shift from operational incidents to systemic exposures. That movement pushes identity risk into governance, where accountability resides. Other regions will follow as their digital ecosystems mature. Fraud is moving upstream globally The most important shift Singapore reveals is not the volume of fraud, but its nature. Biometric fraud and deepfake-powered impersonation appear more frequently than traditional document fraud. Attackers target the signals automated systems trust most. This pattern is already emerging across APAC and will not remain regional: Australia is seeing deepfake-enabled attacks against high-value financial services. South Korea faces biometric spoofing targeting mobile-first banking. India is experiencing AI-assisted impersonation layered onto Aadhaar-linked services. Document fraud targets static artifacts. AI-assisted attacks target decision logic. As verification improves, the attack surface moves upstream, the direction global fraud is heading. Automation concentrates risk everywhere Source: Freepik Automation reduces friction and enables scale without proportional staffing increases. But it also concentrates risk. Most organizations did not design identity systems as a unified whole. They assembled them over time: document checks from one provider, biometrics from another, databases and watchlists elsewhere. At low volumes, this fragmentation is manageable. At scale, it becomes opaque. APAC is the first region to feel the full impact of this under high automation. But the same structural weaknesses exist in Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East.  As these markets accelerate digital identity strategies, they will encounter similar challenges. When identity decisions function more like launch points than checkpoints, lack of coordination becomes risk. Teams lose visibility into how trust was established, which signals influenced outcomes, and how that trust propagated. Detecting an issue is often easier than containing it. User experience also degrades. Repeated document submissions, failed liveness checks, unnecessary manual reviews, and poorly routed edge cases introduce friction and increase abandonment. Complexity accumulates quietly. What Singapore indicates about what comes next Singapore is already operating in the environment others are moving toward: identity decisions that are fast, automated, and consequential. The challenge is no longer scale, but control — whether decisions can be understood, explained, and contained once made. This is a likely future for every digitally advanced economy. Europe will feel it as digital wallets scale under eIDAS 2.0. The US will feel it as fintechs consolidate fragmented identity stacks. The Middle East will feel it as national digital identity programs expand into private-sector use cases. LATAM will feel it as neobanks push onboarding speed to compete. Singapore is the first to experience automation’s full impact at scale. APAC is the proving ground. The rest of the world is on the same trajectory — just delayed. What Singapore is experiencing now is not a regional anomaly. It’s the global future of identity.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post Singapore Is Living the Future of Identity Fraud appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Thredd has made two senior leadership changes as it expands its cloud-native platform and prepares to launch credit capabilities. The issuer processing platform has appointed Marilyn McDonald as Chief Technology Officer and promoted Ryan Dew to Chief Product Officer. Marilyn McDonald McDonald succeeds Edwin Poot, who helped modernise the company’s technology stack. Thredd said its cloud-native global platform is now live in the United States, with end-to-end credit capabilities due to launch in the coming months alongside a new debit platform and unified ledger. The company said McDonald will focus on operational readiness, delivery and resilience as it expands embedded finance programmes with banks and credit unions globally. She previously held senior roles at Citigroup, Mastercard, Expedia Group and StubHub. Ryan Dew Dew’s promotion is aimed at bringing product development more closely in line with Thredd’s broader platform strategy. Over the past two years, Thredd said it has expanded into London, Singapore, Sydney and Austin, while adding products in tokenisation, fraud, risk and reconciliation. It also cited launches tied to Mastercard Wholesale Program, Visa Fleet 2.0, Visa Cloud Connect and Mastercard Cloud Edge. Thredd said its platform supports debit, credit, BNPL, cross-border B2B programmes and payouts through a single API. The company added that it is expanding into areas such as real-time payments, ACH and stablecoin settlement.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by lifeforstock via Freepik The post Thredd Names New CTO, Promotes Product Chief as Credit Launch Nears appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

SUNRATE has changed the name of its China-licensed entity from Transfar Pay to SUNRATE Pay following following regulatory approval. The renamed entity will serve as SUNRATE’s core operating platform in China, supporting local enterprises with cross-border payment needs. The Singapore-based payment and treasury management firm said it will focus on facilitating two-way fund flows, including helping businesses bring in international capital and expand abroad efficiently and compliantly. The change comes after SUNRATE secured a payment business licence in China in August 2025 through its acquisition of Transfar Pay. The company said the renaming reflects its efforts to deepen its presence in China, expand local operations and strengthen its compliance foundation. SUNRATE also said it remains focused on compliance, risk management and governance as it grows its cross-border payments business. The firm has a presence in markets including Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. In 2025, SUNRATE acquired a 100 percent stake in Transfar Pay, a unit of Shenzhen-listed Transfar Group, for RMB 315 million, or about US$43.8 million. The deal was first disclosed by Transfar Group in an exchange filing dated 1 April 2025, while the registered capital of the payment entity was increased to RMB 200 million that same month.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by SUNRATE The post SUNRATE Renames China Payment Unit Following Regulatory Approval appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Indonesia’s digital economy is not just growing; it is reshaping how millions transact every day. With strong consumer adoption, rapid digital payment growth, and coordinated infrastructure modernisation, the country is firmly positioned as Southeast Asia’s largest digital market through the next decade. According to Google–Temasek–Bain’s e-Conomy SEA research, Indonesia’s digital economy is projected to more than double to US$ 360 billion by 2030, fuelled by expansion in e-commerce, digital financial services, and a rapidly expanding base of connected consumers. At the centre of this transformation stands PT Jalin Pembayaran Nusantara (Jalin) – the institution quietly strengthening Indonesia’s national payment backbone. Jalin, established in 2016 through collaboration between Indonesia’s Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises, the Himbara banks (Bank Mandiri, BNI, BRI, BTN), and PT Telkom Indonesia, was designed to serve precisely this need. Under its “Link” brand, Jalin manages ATM, debit, and QR switching services – enabling withdrawals, balance inquiries, fund transfers, and bill payments across banking channels nationwide. The Ambition: Consolidation Without Compromise Jalin’s mission extended far beyond a technical system upgrade- it demanded a structural overhaul of Indonesia’s technology managing national ATM infrastructure and switching. The mandate included consolidating the ATM operations of four state-owned banks while preserving each institution’s functionalities and branding.  The Modernisation Imperative As Indonesia’s payment landscape rapidly expanded, Jalin confronted the growing limitations of having its entire workload on legacy systems amid rising transaction volumes and increasingly stringent regulatory expectations.  To support the nation’s next phase of digital growth, the company identified the need for a resilient and scalable modern payments platform and a credible partner with proven global expertise.  Following a rigorous, governance-aligned evaluation, Jalin found a perfect partner in Euronet for this strategic modernisation program.  The Turning Point: Implementation of a Modern Payments Platform https://fintechnews.sg/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/increment1.mp4 Euronet deployed its Ren payments platform – a microservices-based, cloud native architecture designed for modular growth. Unlike traditional monolithic systems, Ren allowed independent service deployment, granular customisation, and parallel development across multiple banks. Jalin now integrates new services and transaction type across ATMs, POS / QR payments, and connections to major card associations. The platform also manages clearing and settlement functions via APIs, enabling agile service rollouts.  The modernisation was implemented in phases, beginning with workload migration and cross-border QR payments with Thailand and Malaysia. Subsequent phases are expanding capabilities across products and geographies positioning Indonesia for deeper regional payment connectivity.  Measurable Impact The results have been tangible and immediate. Ario Tejo Bayu Aji, President Director of Jalin, shared that the transformation enabled: Redeployment of 4,500+ ATMs for wider reach in a record time. Up to 40% reduction in shared service costs 99.9%+ uptime in accordance with SLA commitments The redeployment of these ATMs alone significantly widened reach while lowering shared service costs. The modernisation program unlocked a new wave of digital payment capabilities across Indonesia, enabling seamless domestic and cross-border QR transactions, cardless cash withdrawals, and contactless payments nationwide. The initiative also delivered a major milestone for the country’s e-commerce ecosystem with the launch of Indonesia’s first EMV 3-D Secure solution for GPN online transactions, developed in partnership with Euronet’s Infinitium.  Ario described the initiative as foundational to Indonesia’s national digital strategy.  Regional Recognition In 2025, Jalin and Euronet received The Asian Banker Award for Best Retail Payments Initiative in Asia Pacific, recognising the scale and impact of the transformation across Indonesia’s national payment ecosystem. The National Digital Highway Vision Today, Jalin connects more than 100 banks and fintechs, positioning itself as Indonesia’s “National Digital Highway.” Looking ahead, Jalin is charting an ambitious roadmap to further strengthen Indonesia’s digital payment ecosystem. Key priorities include expanding QR cross-border connectivity to additional countries, introducing dynamic currency conversion to enhance traveller convenience, scaling cardless cash withdrawal services, and continuing to advance inclusive access to secure, modern digital payments for all Indonesians As Ario notes, collaboration with regulators, industry stakeholders, and partners such as Euronet is central to building a stronger, more inclusive, and globally connected Indonesian payments ecosystem. Conclusion: Innovation Within Regulation Jalin’s transformation – powered by modern architecture and strategic partnership -illustrates how national infrastructure, when modernised effectively, becomes more than a switch. It becomes a platform for financial inclusion, regional integration, and sustained digital growth. Indonesia’s payments evolution demonstrates that innovation and regulation can advance together.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by zendaIA via Freepik The post How Jalin Became Indonesia’s National Payments Backbone appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Visa has launched a new authorisation capability for acquirers as payment processors handle more complex digital payment flows. The Visa Intelligent Authorisation is part of the Visa Acceptance Platform and allows banks and other financial institutions to process transactions across major card networks through a single API. Visa said this can reduce the need for costly infrastructure rebuilds. Authorisation sits at the core of digital payments, with acquirers sending transaction requests through card networks to issuing banks for approval or decline in seconds. Visa said legacy systems can struggle with higher volumes and more complex data, resulting in false declines, higher costs and limits on support for newer payment methods. The product can be used as an acquirer’s main processor or alongside existing systems. Visa said it delivers 99.999 percent uptime and a global average approval rate of 96.3 percent. The company said its machine learning engine analyses transaction data in real time to optimise routing decisions based on network rules, industry programmes and regional regulations. The system also includes risk alerts and a centralised portal with an analytics dashboard for oversight, settlement and regulatory compliance. Visa said demand for modern processing infrastructure is rising as digital wallets, stablecoins and newer forms of commerce, including agentic commerce, add to transaction volume and complexity. Axel Boye‑Moller “We’re entering a new era of commerce, where AI agents can act on behalf of consumers, stablecoins are reshaping settlement, and digital wallets are becoming the primary interface for payments. The opportunity is significant. But much of today’s infrastructure was built for a different generation of transactions. Visa Intelligent Authorisation is designed for this shift, delivering smarter decisioning across networks through a single integration. It is built for what’s happening now, and what’s coming next.” said Axel Boye‑Moller, Head of Value‑Added Services, Asia Pacific at Visa. Visa Intelligent Authorisation is now available to eligible acquirers through the Visa Acceptance Platform.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by user23413193 via Freepik The post Visa Launches Authorisation Tool for Acquirers as AI, Stablecoins Reshape Payments appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Finance has long been one of the world’s most influential industries, and historically, one of its most male-dominated. The numbers still show a hole. Women account for 41% of fintech customers globally, according to the World Economic Forum. But across Asia’s halls, fintech startups and payment networks, the balance is shifting. Across Asia’s financial ecosystem, more women are stepping into positions where decisions about capital, technology, and financial access are made. Women today are leading digital banks, scaling payment infrastructure, shaping regulatory frameworks and building the technologies that millions rely on to move money every day. The change is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore. This International Women’s Day, we recognise the women shaping fintech across Asia in 2026. Top Fintech Female Leaders in Asia in 2026 These 12 leaders are building and scaling the fintech infrastructure that powers payments, lending, wealth, insurance, and cross-border commerce across Asia. Adeline Kim, Country Manager Singapore & Brunei, Visa Adeline Kim has spent over a decade at Visa, moving through some of its most strategic roles. These include the Head of Products for Southeast Asia, Head of Consumer Solutions and Loyalty for Asia Pacific, and Head of Data and Risk Solutions for Asia Pacific. Now, as Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei, she owns the full strategy, innovation roadmap, and P&L for both markets. Before Visa, Adeline worked extensively in Singapore across Citibank, UOB, and the Singapore Tourism Board. Holly Fang, President, Singapore Fintech Association As President of the Singapore FinTech Association, Holly leads the national industry body’s strategic direction across advocacy, business growth, capital access, and talent development. Concurrently, as Chief Business Officer at Finmo, she is driving global financial and strategic partnerships as the company builds out its international treasury and payments infrastructure. She has over a decade of experience in financial partnerships. Rachel Freeman, Chief Growth Officer, Tyme & Board Member, GoTyme As Chief Growth Officer at Tyme and board representative at GOtyme, Rachel leads the growth engine spanning Africa and Asia, translating that conviction into scale, with millions of customers reached across South Africa and the Philippines. Before Tyme, focused on driving financial inclusion and fintech innovation at the IFC across emerging markets. Martha Sazon, President & CEO, GCash Under Martha Sazon, GCash became a financial lifeline. Since taking the helm as President and CEO of Mynt, she has driven GCash’s expansion from mobile payments and remittances into savings, investments, and digital solutions that have brought millions of previously unbanked Filipinos into the financial fold. With over 20 years of experience spanning consumer, finance, technology, and telecommunications across global markets, Sazon brings a rare cross-industry range into her role. Jeeta Bandopadhyay, Co-Founder & COO, Tookitaki Jeeta Bandopadhyay has grown Tookitaki from a startup into a global regtech company with over 100 employees. Her expertise in the space has earned her a spot among the Emerging 35 in the Fintech Frontiers 50 awards for 2025, as well as a place as one of the 10 leaders celebrated in the Singapore FinTech Association’s 10 Years, 10 Voices report.  Caecilia Chu, Co-Founder and CEO, YouTrip Caecilia Chu co-founded YouTrip to solve a simple but costly problem: the hidden fees and markups that made spending across borders needlessly expensive. The result was a multi-currency e-wallet that lets users hold and spend in over 150 currencies at real-time wholesale rates, built on a bank-grade platform. Today, YouTrip operates across Singapore, Thailand, and, recently Australia. Off the clock, Chu channels her energy into education, youth, and women’s leadership, causes that mirror her own story as the daughter of a postman and kindergarten teacher from Hong Kong. She sits on the boards of YouthTech SG and the International Women’s Forum Singapore. Tessa Wijaya, Co-Founder and COO, Xendit Tessa Wijaya has helped build Xendit into one of Southeast Asia’s most recognised payment infrastructure companies. Now, it is dubbed the “Stripe of Southeast Asia”, with over $500 million raised and billions in annual payments processed across Indonesia, the Philippines, and beyond. Under her leadership, Xendit has achieved a 40% female workforce. She has been featured in Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen list and J.P. Morgan’s Top 100 Asia-Pacific Women-Powered Businesses 2021. Oi-Yee Choo, CEO, Climate Impact X Oi-Yee Choo has spent 25 years moving through Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, and UBS before taking the helm at ADDX, where she grew the blockchain-based private capital markets exchange to over US$1 billion in tokenised securities, one of the largest figures worldwide. Now, as CEO of Climate Impact X (CIX), she is in a new frontier: building the exchange infrastructure that accelerates environmental impact at scale through carbon markets. CIX is backed by DBS Bank, Mizuho Financial Group, Singapore Exchange (SGX Group), Standard Chartered and Temasek. Fernn Lim, Chief Operating Officer, audax As Chief Operating Officer at audax, the digital banking platform spun out of Standard Chartered, Fernn Lim deputises the CEO and oversees everything from board engagement and legal to growth strategy and multi-market expansion. Beyond audax, Fernn is actively working to shift the numbers on female representation in financial institutions and boardrooms through her involvement with BoardAgender by SCWO, Deloitte’s Board Ready Women, and Money20/20. Cindy Kua, Co-Founder & CEO, Sunday Before co-founding Sunday in 2017, Cindy Kua had already moved through two distinct worlds: corporate M&A law at Rahmat Lim & Partners in association with Allen & Gledhill, where she worked on significant financial services transactions across Southeast Asia, and operational transformation across non-life insurance companies in Thailand and Indonesia. That rare combination of legal, strategic, and operational experience is what she channelled into Sunday, a fully integrated data and technology platform offering real-time, customised, and affordable non-life insurance products in Thailand. Within three years of launch, Sunday had broken into the country’s top 20 non-life insurance companies in the health segment. Hooi Ling Tan, Former Co-Founder, Grab As co-founder of Grab, Hooi Ling Tan helped build what became one of Southeast Asia’s most transformative tech platforms, turning on-demand transport into a regional superapp that redefined how millions of people move, pay, and access services. While she has since stepped out from her role at Grab, her impact on the region’s startup ecosystem is hard to ignore. She now channels that experience as a global board member at Endeavor, backing the next generation of high-impact entrepreneurs. Amanda Ong, Arta Finance CEO, Singapore As Singapore CEO and Global Head of Partnerships at Arta Finance, Amanda Ong has made collaboration the engine of digital wealth management. She has driven partnerships with the Bank of Singapore and Hong Leong to equip financial advisors with AI-enabled tools, and worked with Income Advisory FA to introduce a platform built for high-net-worth clients. Leadership That Mirrors the Market As the industry navigates AI, digital assets, financial inclusion, and cross-border complexity, the question is no longer whether women belong in finance’s highest ranks. The more urgent question is how much further and faster the ecosystem can evolve when leadership reflects the diversity of the markets it serves. When decision makers understand different customer realities, income patterns, and behavioural needs, innovation becomes sharper and inclusion more intentional. The women leading across payments, digital banking, regtech, wealth, and other fintech segments are shaping the architecture of Asia’s financial future, ensuring that growth and resilience are built into the system from the start. Featured image edited by Fintech News Singapore based on image by ismode on Freepik The post Top Women in Fintech in Asia (2026) appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

AmMetLife Insurance announced that it has appointed Wan Saifulrizal Wan Ismail as its new CEO. He succeeds Rangam Bir, who has left the company to pursue other opportunities. Wan has nearly 30 years of experience in the insurance and takaful sectors. His career includes roles as a regulator, actuary and senior leader across insurance and takaful organisations. Wan has also served as Chairman of the Malaysian Takaful Association. Elena Butarova Elena Butarova, MetLife’s Regional Head for Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam, said, “Wan brings a strong combination of actuarial insights, deep industry experience, and commercial leadership to AmMetLife, at a time when protection and health needs in Malaysia are evolving rapidly. We are confident he will lead the company with focus and purpose in its next chapter.” Wan Saifulrizal Wan Ismail Wan added, “Now more than ever, Malaysians are looking to build a more confident future. I’m excited to be leading AmMetLife as we continue to share the benefits of insurance, health protection, and sound financial planning to millions of Malaysians.” AmMetLife was established in 1973 as AmLife Insurance Berhad and is among the longer operating insurers in Malaysia. The company is a joint venture between AmBank Group and MetLife, which provides insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management services globally.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Malaysia, based on image by lifeforstock via Freepik The post AmMetLife Insurance Appoints Wan Saifulrizal as CEO appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Leadership in Asian banking has never been a path of least resistance, especially for women. It has required navigating cultural expectations that weren’t designed with them in mind, systems that were, and the relentless pressure of competing in some of the world’s most demanding financial markets. And yet, the most consequential decisions in Asian banking today, like steering digital transformation, managing the region’s historic wealth transfer, and building the infrastructure that will define the next decade of finance, are being made by women. Women who have earned their seats through decades of expertise. From the CEOs of multinational giants to the architects of Asia’s most disruptive fintechs, these are the female leaders driving the region’s financial future. Top Banking Female Leaders in Asia in 2026 These 11 leaders sit at the helm of some of Asia’s most influential banks and financial institutions, leading from vantage points like digital transformation to capital markets and sustainable finance. Tan Su Shan, CEO, DBS Group While her experience spans over 35 years across consumer banking, wealth management, and institutional finance in Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and London, perhaps what defines Su Shan most is what she built outside of it. In 2001, she founded the Financial Women’s Association of Singapore, a non-profit dedicated to developing and mentoring women in finance. She is actively involved in charitable causes across Singapore. Ng Wei Wei, CEO, UOB Malaysia A career banker with over two decades across senior country and regional roles at global financial institutions in Asia, Ng Wei Wei leads with results and intention. Under her watch, UOB Malaysia has claimed Malaysia’s Best Bank at Global Finance’s World’s Best Bank Awards 2025 and both Best Bank and Best Sustainable Bank at the 2025 FinanceAsia Awards. Bonnie Y Chan, CEO, Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing Limited (HKEX) With over 30 years of global capital markets expertise, Bonnie Y Chan has played a vital role in transforming Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing Limited (HKEX) into a leading global exchange group. Chan is a regular voice at the World Economic Forum and a member of its Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems Advisory Council. Pei Si Lai, Group CEO, GXS Bank Pei-Si Lai Pei Si Lai has 25 years of international banking experience across Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia, covering consumer and corporate finance, product management, governance, and operations. As a founding member of GXBank, she led the build from scratch and launched Malaysia’s first digital bank in 2023. She now serves as the Group Chief Executive Officer of GXS Bank. Ye-Chin Chiou, Chairperson, First Bank & First Financial Holding As Chairperson of First Bank and First Financial Holding, Ye-Chin Chiou is said to be the only female chairperson of a state-controlled financial institution in Taiwan, according to the Tatler Asia. Under her purview, First Bank has retained its position as an SME loan leader for 13 consecutive years. Ana Maria A Delgado, Executive Director, UnionBank Ana Maria Aboitiz-Delgado is a UnionBank original. She started as a Product Manager in Retail Banking and worked her way up through institutional banking, customer experience, SME lending, and consumer finance before taking the top seat. That experience across the bank’s own DNA is what makes her leadership distinct. Today, she sits at the helm of UnionBank as President and CEO, while also serving as Director across City Savings Bank, UnionDigital Bank, and publicly listed Aboitiz Equity Ventures. Vera Eve Lim, MD and CFO, PT Bank Central Asia As Director and CFO of PT Bank Central Asia (BCA), one of Indonesia’s largest banks. Since 2018, Vera Eve Lim has overseen many things. She takes charge of corporate planning and strategy, investor relations, communications, and governance, all while steering the bank’s growing ESG investment agenda. It’s a wide portfolio, and one she has held with authority for nearly a decade. Maggie Ng, CEO, HSBC HK (Hong Kong) Maggie Ng joined HSBC in 2020 as Head of Wealth and Personal Banking, Hong Kong, and has since overseen significant growth in what is HSBC’s largest retail banking and wealth management market. With over 20 years in finance, her expertise cuts across wealth management, digital transformation, customer advocacy, and risk. She now holds dual responsibility: as CEO of HSBC Hong Kong and as the Head of Retail Banking & Wealth in the organisation. Lynette V. Ortiz, President & CEO, Landbank of the Philippines Lynette V. Ortiz has spent over three decades building one of the most well-rounded banking careers, accumulating deep expertise in risk management, treasury, corporate finance, and capital markets across major global and domestic institutions. Now at the helm of Landbank, a P3.4 trillion institution, Ortiz leads with clear intent: to sustain stronger capital and a commitment to serving clients efficiently and on time. Kattiya Indaravijaya, CEO, KASIKORNBANK Kattiya Indaravijaya is a trailblazer. She is the first non-family and one of the first female CEOs among top-tier banks in Southeast Asia. Her story with KASIKORNBANK began in 1987 as a fresh recruit, before a KBank scholarship took her abroad and brought her back, committed. Over three decades, she has moved across corporate strategy, digital transformation, investment banking, retail, finance, marketing, and HR. Under her watch, KBank has cemented its position in Thailand across digital payments, mobile banking, and wealth management. Raja Teh Maimunah, incoming CEO, Bank Islam YM Raja Datin Paduka Teh Maimunah Raja Abdul Aziz will close out her tenure as CEO of AEON Bank in March 2026 before stepping into her next chapter as Group CEO of Bank Islam Malaysia, effective 1 April 2026. With 30 years across the financial sector, including senior roles at AmBank Group and Hong Leong Islamic Bank, her credentials are formidable. But perhaps her most defining mark came at Bursa Malaysia, where she is said to have pioneered the world’s first Shariah-compliant commodity trading platform. Redefining Power at the Helm of Asian Banking From the pioneering Shariah-compliant platforms of Raja Teh Maimunah to the digital-first move of Pei Si Lai, these executives are proving that the future of banking is about moving society. As we look toward the remainder of 2026 and beyond, the influence of these women will only deepen. They are ensuring that the ladder they climbed remains sturdy for the next generation. More importantly, they are normalising female leadership at the highest levels of banking, ensuring that the path upward is no longer an exception but an expectation for the generation that follows. Featured image edited by Fintech News Singapore based on image by mkmult on Freepik The post Top Women in Banking in Asia (2026) appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Singapore is one of the world’s strategic financial hubs and the Asia-Pacific’s pivotal financial industry node. Home to one of the strongest financial exchanges globally, Singapore is well known for its Tier-1 regulatory framework, cutting-edge infrastructure, and business-friendly environment. Its geographical location, political stability, and robust financial and economic sectors have contributed to the city-state’s positioning as the go-to destination for banking, asset and wealth management, hedge funds, and prime brokers. This has contributed to the spectacular growth of Singapore’s financial services sector.  In early 2025, the market capitalisation of the Singapore Exchange (SGX) exceeded US$644 billion, making regional competitors like Bursa Malaysia (US$400 billion), the Thailand Stock Exchange (US$500 billion), and the Indonesia Stock Exchange (US$600 billion) look petty by comparison. Against this backdrop, the selection of Singapore as the headquarters for APAC’sFinance Magnates Summit could not have been more strategic. Debuting this May, the Finance Magnates Singapore Summit will be held between 12 and 14 , bringing together retail and prime brokers, liquidity providers, banks, hedge funds, wealth and asset management firms, EMIs, and PSPs at Suntec Singapore. As registrations for the Finance Magnates Singapore Summit 2026 are now officially open, industry professionals are invited to confirm their participation and secure their place at one of Asia’s most promising summits for financial services. So, why wait? Register your interest today. Participants can expect three days filled with networking, high-calibre industry sessions, and an exhibition displaying thought-provoking trading technologies, liquidity solutions, as well as the most advanced regtech and fintech products. Every reason to attend FM Singapore Summit 2026 For years, Finance Magnates Summits have served as venues for high-level collaboration in the financial industry. The first edition of the Singapore Summit sets the stage for nothing less than upscale deal-making. Attending the Finance Magnates Singapore Summit 2026 helps financial industry players unlock unique insights and identify exclusive opportunities across the entire Asia-Pacific region.. Register now if you wish to: Understand how brokers perceive VIP clients (beyond deposit size) Identify the specific services, products, and benefits that boost trust and increase lifetime value (LTV) Access offerings designed for scale without increasing overheads and operational friction Discover how leading brokers grow premium segments and what’s next Unlock practical strategies, real-world case studies, and scalable models that deliver tangible results. Laying the groundwork for business The Singapore Summit will kick off at 17:30 (GMT+8) on May 12, with the Opening Networking Event at the Paulaner Brauhaus . This exclusive social gathering will offer attendees the opportunity to break the ice and exchange ideas with FX and fintech decision-makers in a less formal setting before getting down to business at the exhibition scheduled for the following day. The FM Singapore Summit will officially open its doors on May 13 at 9:00 AM at Suntec, were anyone missing the online registration timeline can register onsite, and online registrants can collect their attendee badge. The badge gives access to the expo, the tailored conference sessions, the high-end FX roundtables, and much more. The Conference: A stage for sharing real insights In parallel with the deal-making expo, the FM Singapore Summit promises 2 days of live industry sessions and panel discussions featuring FX and fintech industry thought leaders. Some of the hottest topics to be tackled include: Gold Rush? APC View of The Liquidity Landscape AI Gets Real for Brokers The Revolution WILL Be Tokenised Country in Focus: Singapore Join The Club: What Premium Clients Want All the topics have been carefully curated and grouped into a thought-provoking agenda designed to offer solutions, not to leave you with more questions.  If you’re expanding to APAC or looking to solidify your position in the region, the Finance Magnates Singapore Summit 2026 is the place to be. Join industry leaders to be a leader yourself! Secure your place today.   Featured image by FM Singapore Summit The post Finance Magnates Announces First FM Singapore Summit: Registrations Now Open appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Grab plans to double the voting rights attached to its Class B shares, a proposal that could raise CEO Anthony Tan’s voting power to nearly 75 percent. The company will hold an extraordinary general meeting on Mar 24 to seek shareholder approval for the change, according to a circular reviewed by The Business Times. The resolution would increase the votes attached to each Class B share from 45 to 90. Grab said Tan held about 59.1 percent of the company’s total voting power as at Jan 31, including proxy arrangements. If the proposal is approved and no further share conversions take place, his voting power could rise to as much as 74.9 percent. The resolution requires support from more than two thirds of valid votes cast. Grab said it expects other Class B shareholders, including co-founder Tan Hooi Ling and former president Ming Maa, to convert their shares into Class A shares if the resolution is approved. Class A shares carry one vote each. The company said the proposal is intended to ensure that Tan retains majority voting control even if those conversions take place. In that scenario, his voting power would still stand at about 69.4 percent. Grab’s board has recommended that shareholders vote in favour of the resolution, saying the move would help reinforce the company’s capital structure and support its long-term growth plans. The circular also pointed to regulatory considerations tied to Grab’s digital bank joint venture with Singtel. Grab added that Tan’s majority voting control is needed to satisfy Monetary Authority of Singapore requirements that the venture remain under the control of a Singaporean. The extraordinary general meeting will be held virtually at 11.45 am on 24 March.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Frolopiaton Palm via Freepik   The post Grab Proposal Could Lift CEO Anthony Tan’s Voting Power to Nearly 75% appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

OxPay has teamed up with Liquid Group to broaden QR wallet acceptance for merchants in Singapore. The partnership will integrate Liquid Group’s RoamQR payment network into OxPay’s payment platform. RoamQR connects banks, wallets and payment providers across markets, allowing merchants to accept payments from a wider range of regional e-wallets. Liquid Group developed RoamQR from the Monetary Authority of Singapore-backed SGQR+ initiative. The network links Singapore’s payment ecosystem with partner national QR systems and supports QR payments from mobile wallets including those from China, Cambodia, Vietnam and South Korea. Through the integration, OxPay merchants will also be able to accept additional payment methods such as India’s Unified Payments Interface through OxPay’s existing payment integrations. The companies said the expanded acceptance could help merchants capture more spending from international visitors who prefer to pay using familiar wallet apps from their home markets. OxPay also expects the move to strengthen its merchant acquiring business and support growth in total payment processing volumes. Chin Mun Chung Chin Mun Chung, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of OxPay, said, “Merchant acquiring remains essential to driving the Group’s growth. We believe delivering value-added and differentiated services is essential to enhance merchant loyalty and to expand our market share in a competitive landscape. To that end, Liquid Group is a natural strategic partner as its established RoamQR platform complements and enhances OxPay’s existing payment acceptance capabilities.” OxPay is also exploring opportunities to deploy RoamQR in overseas markets where it holds payment licences, targeting tourism-driven digital payment growth across parts of Asia. Jeremy Tan Jeremy Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Liquid Group, said, “Through RoamQR, Liquid Group provides the network layer that connects national QR schemes, acquirers and wallets across markets. Our partnership with OxPay extends this interoperability directly to merchants in Singapore and, over time, to OxPay’s regional markets. This allows us to scale real-world QR usage across travel corridors while supporting merchants in capturing inbound tourist spending more effectively.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by pe_jo via Freepik   The post OxPay Taps Liquid Group to Expand Regional QR Wallet Acceptance appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Across Asia-Pacific (APAC), e-commerce merchants are missing out on billions of dollars each year due to cart abandonment, foreign exchange (FX) costs, and settlement delays. Cross-border payment firm Payoneer estimates that these inefficiencies collectively represent an estimated US$72 billion in annual value exposure across key APAC markets. Cart abandonment, where buyers abandon checkout when authorization attempts fail, preferred payment methods are unavailable, transactions are declined by issuers, or final pricing outcomes change unexpectedly at the point of payment, accounts for an estimated US$28.53 billion annually in India, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, and South Korea. This represents almost 40% of total leakage and is the largest single source of lost revenue. FX, payment costs, and conversion leakage arises as a cross-border transaction moves through payment service providers (PSPs), card networks, FX providers, and correspondent banks. Each of these intermediaries retains a share of value, eroding margins, and slowing liquidity. Payoneer estimates that this creates an estimated US$25.96 billion in annual value exposure, representing 36% of total leakage. Finally, settlement delays trap cash in transit for days or weeks as funds pass through PSPs, acquiring banks, correspondent banks, and platform payout schedules. This results in losses of an estimated US$17.7 billion annually, accounting for 24.6% of total leakage. Quantifying the leakage in APAC, Source: The USD 72 Billion Unseen Cost, Payoneer, Feb 2026 Recommendations for reducing leakage Though Asia already drives 62.6% of global e-commerce growth, according to marketing research firm NielsenIQ (NIQ), e-commerce merchants can unlock additional cross-border trade by replacing fragmented processes with controlled, end‑to‑end systems. Payoneer identifies four stages to follow. First, merchants must identify where value leaks across the payment settlement lifecycle, and pinpoint failed or downgraded transactions. Next, they must modernize money flow by consolidating intermediary relationships and automating reconciliations, thereby achieving end‑to‑end control. Third, e-commerce merchant must strengthen acceptance by integrating local payment methods in each market, and showing prices in the shopper’s native currency, turning checkout into a conversion advantage. Finally, merchants should focus on accelerating liquidity by allowing for funds to be moved across borders in minutes rather than days. They should also hold and deploy currencies intentionally, and maintain real‑time visibility into liquidity and settlement. By adopting these practices, Payoneer says merchants can substantially reduce cart abandonment, minimize FX and payment‑related leakage, and eliminate settlement‑delay losses, unlocking significant revenue potential across the APAC region. Market outlook APAC is home to some of the world’s biggest e-commerce markets, like China and South Korea, alongside the fastest-growing Southeast Asian economies. According to the e-Conomy SEA 2025 report by Bain, Google and Temasek, e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV) reached US$185 billion across Southeast Asia’s ten biggest economies in 2025, marking a 19% increase over the previous year. Forecasts project GMV to surge to US$359 billion by 2030. E-commerce GMV and recenue in ASEAN, Source: e-Conomy SEA 2025 Report, Google, Temasek, Bain, Nov 2025 Video commerce is emerging as a major driver of the region’s e-commerce market, now accounting for roughly 25% of total GMV, up from just 5% in 2022. By merging video content with shopping experiences, video commerce creates engaging online shopping experiences, boosting conversion rates. A global Nielsen MMM meta analysis shows that YouTube drives 2.3-times higher long-term return on ad spend than paid social. Adoption among merchants is also soaring. In 2025, the number of sellers and stores in the region using video surpassed 3 million, marking a 80% year-over-year (YoY). Video commerce in Southeast Asia, Source: e-Conomy SEA 2025 Report, Google, Temasek, Bain, Nov 2025   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post APAC E-Commerce Merchants Lose US$72B Annually to Inefficiencies appeared first on Fintech Singapore.