DBS China can now act as lead underwriter for non-financial corporate bonds in the China Interbank Bond Market after receiving a principal underwriting licence. The licence, granted by the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors, allows DBS China to manage underwriting syndicates for non-financial corporate bond issuances in the interbank market. With this and its existing mandates, DBS said it is now the only Singapore-headquartered bank licensed to play a leading role across all onshore corporate bond issuances in the China Interbank Bond Market. Data from Wind Information shows Panda bond issuances in the interbank market grew at a 26 percent compound annual rate over the past five years, rising from RMB 54.5 billion in 2020 to RMB 173.3 billion last year. Panda bonds are renminbi-denominated bonds issued in China by non-Chinese companies, governments and organisations. In 2025, DBS China participated in RMB 65.8 billion of Panda bond issuances in the interbank market, accounting for a 38 percent market share. Ginger Cheng Ginger Cheng, CEO of DBS Bank China, said, “This licence is a recognition of our long-term commitment to the Chinese financial market and enables DBS to be a crucial lever for serving cross-border capital flows. We will seize this opportunity to attract more high-quality international issuers to issue Panda bonds, while simultaneously helping overseas investors allocate RMB assets more efficiently and conveniently.” DBS Singapore was appointed an RMB clearing bank in 2025 and admitted as an overseas direct participant of China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, adding to DBS China’s direct participation since 2015. Last year, DBS Singapore received approval to operate in China’s onshore over-the-counter bond market and completed its first pilot trade, facilitating the sale of an RMB 100 million bond to its Korea branch. Clifford Lee Clifford Lee, Global Head of Investment Banking at DBS, said, “As the only Asia-headquartered investment bank operating across the region in all asset classes, DBS has been actively developing this market. This includes acting as the joint lead underwriter of all Panda bond issuances by European financial institutions since 2024 and working with Middle Eastern financial institutions to explore their inaugural Panda bond issuances. This licence accelerates DBS’ efforts to open Asia’s capital markets to the world.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by DBS The post DBS China Secures Underwriting Licence to Expand Bond Market Role appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Singapore residents will soon be able to receive recycling refunds directly through DBS PayLah! starting 1 April 2026. This allows consumers to receive a 10-cent refund for each eligible beverage container returned at Return Right Reverse Vending Machines across the island. The initiative is a collaboration between DBS and Beverage Container Return Scheme Ltd. to provide a digital refund option within the national recycling scheme. To claim a refund, users select DBS PayLah! on the machine and scan the personal QR code generated under the “My QR” section in the app. The refund is credited to the wallet, with a push notification sent to the user and the transaction reflected in the app’s history. DBS PayLah! is open to users in Singapore. Singapore citizens and permanent residents can sign up without holding a DBS or POSB bank account, and funds in the wallet can be transferred to other local bank accounts. The partnership is intended to make recycling more practical by embedding refunds into an existing mobile payment platform. Chan Sow Han Chan Sow Han, Head of Payments and Unsecured Lending, Consumer Banking Group, DBS Singapore, said, “With more than three million users, DBS PayLah! is Singapore’s most widely adopted mobile wallet, embedded in how users make everyday payments and enjoy deals and rewards. Its reach and convenience also help support initiatives aimed at creating positive impact. We are pleased to provide consumers with a familiar digital option, demonstrating how supporting sustainability can be as easy and seamless as paying for hawker meals.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by DBS   The post DBS PayLah! Now a Refund Option Under Singapore’s Container Return Scheme appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Everyone’s been jumping on the stablecoins’ wagon over the past couple of months (myself included), but one of the more fascinating discoveries for me was that stablecoins have actually been around for a little over a decade now. To top it off, McKinsey also predicted that the value of issued stablecoins could reach as high as $2 trillion by 2028. Yet according to dtcpay’s Chief Operating Officer, Sam Lin, the reality may dwarf even that figure. @fintechnewsnetwork The $2 Trillion Stablecoin Explosion The stablecoin market is hitting $2 trillion in three years, yet industry leaders say that’s the conservative estimate. Visa and other giants are already moving in fast, because stablecoins are doing what SWIFT never could: be faster and more decentralised. @dtcpay #fintech #payments #stablecoin #AI ♬ original sound – Fintech News Network – Fintech News Network In an interview with Vincent Fong, Chief Editor of Fintech News Network captured during Singapore Fintech Week 2025, Sam dug into the key factors driving stablecoin advancement and adoption, particularly across Asia and ASEAN. Why Did Stablecoins Go Mainstream in 2025? If you want to understand why stablecoins were on a different gear altogether in 2025, Sam divulges that you have to go back to where it all started. “If you look at how the technology reshaped the payment itself, when the blockchain came into the picture 10 years ago, there was already something formed to optimise the existing payment infrastructure. But there was always back and forth. Resistance came from many areas, and the concern was always on compliance.” The TradFi industry wasn’t ready for this change, he says. For years on end, the technology outpaced the appetite for change, and so it played the waiting game. Then, in 2025, the US passed the GENIUS Act, and something finally shifted. Sam describes that it was less of a revolution but more of a release. The gates were opened, and the flood came through. The water, possibly years of dormant capital, sidelined institutions, and technology that had been waiting to prove its mettle, had been pressing against the gates long enough. It just needed someone to open the gates. “If you ask me, I think the technology itself is the main reason.” Asia is the Natural Habitat for Stablecoin Innovation Next, Sam was questioned on what makes Asia conducive and why dtcpay opted to build its platform out of here. To that, Sam spoke about innovation and diversity. Sam believes Asia has always been the more natural home for this kind of innovation, and in his opinion, it comes down to diversity. ASEAN, for instance, he says, spans many races, regions, and cultures. That friction of diversity is precisely what makes it fertile. Different people in different countries think differently, and yet coexist, collaborate and build alongside one another in peace. “They know how to work with each other, which is why innovation has come out from such diversified environments, encouraging them to try new stuff. ASEAN, in the multipolar wars now, is one of the most important pillars there. Together with China and East Asia, they’ve already built quite a lot of innovative technologies, with use cases and the respective populations, too.” To reiterate, ASEAN, he says, has something rare: the use cases, the demand, and the people to bring it to life. It’s also the precise environment dtcpay was built for. As a Singapore-based platform licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, it sits at the heart of a region that lives on the need for borderless, multi-currency payments, every single day. What Does Stablecoin Tech Really Look Like Underneath? One of the most clarifying moments in the conversation comes when Sam breaks down what stablecoins are actually doing, which is two very distinct jobs at once. The first, he says, is settlements. Blockchain’s speed and decentralised architecture make stablecoin settlement faster than traditional networks like SWIFT. But most people will never lay their eyes on it. It runs efficiently in the background, pretty much the same way nobody thinks about acquiring banks when they tap their Visa card. You don’t need to understand the plumbing for the water to run, right? The second half is the payment layer itself, Sam shares, like B2B transactions and cross-border wholesale settlements in commodities. This is where businesses watch funds move in real time, and wonder why it never worked any other way before. “People can’t feel it, but it makes all the organisation and different entities and departments work more efficiently and slowly transform your daily life. You will feel the cost-cutting. You will feel your life become easier.” As more people understand how to use stablecoins, and as the blockchain makes currency truly programmable and accessible, the innovations that follow will be difficult to predict and harder to stop. The $2 trillion figure McKinsey projected? Sam thinks it’s a floor (not a ceiling), and given that the estimate predates developments like Project Bloom, Hong Kong’s stablecoin ordinance, and a wave of other new regulatory frameworks, he may well be right. Catch the full conversation between Vincent Fong and Sam Lin below, and decide for yourself whether $2 trillion is a milestone or just the beginning. The post Stablecoins is the $2 Trillion Market That’s Been Ready for Years appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Over the past two years, the buy now, pay later (BNPL) market in India has gone from being a fast-growing fintech trend to a more structured and regulated part of the financial system. When BNPL first boomed, many fintech platforms and digital players leveraged it to allow consumers to make a purchase instantly and defer payment for a short period, often without interest if repaid on time. This helped bridge the financing gap for users who lacked traditional credit cards, and was embedded in e-commerce and mobile app checkouts as a convenient credit alternative to boost sales and conversion rates. But as adoption accelerated, regulatory scrutiny intensified. In May 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released digital lending directions, consolidating earlier guidelines to create a more accountable and secure framework. The rules strengthen oversight of relationships between regulated entities and lending service providers, enhance borrower protections, and impose stricter standards for data handling, technology use, and digital lending app governance. One of notable developments in the BNPL landscape in 2025 was the RBI’s action against Simpl, a prominent BNPL fintech company in India. In September 2025, the central bank ordered Simpl to halt all activities involving payment, clearing, and settlement functions, citing lack of authorization under the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007. This intervention paused the company’s BNPL business and led to significant operational disruptions, including layoffs and restructuring. Alongside these enforcement actions, other BNPL players and broader digital lenders adjusted their business models, pivoting towards more regulated credit formates, such as structured equated monthly installments (EMI) plans linked to banks or non-banking financial company (NBFC) partners. The sector also saw exits and product discontinuations for offerings that couldn’t easily fit into the stricter compliance environment. For example, MobiKwik’s BNPL offering was discontinued during 2025 challenging economics and tighter rules. Given these shifts, we are revisiting our previous 2021 and 2024 lists of the Top BNPL Players in India to present an updated overview of the leading BNPL brands and companies in the Indian market for 2026. Top 5 BNPL Solutions in India LazyPay LazyPay app, Source: LazyPay LazyPay is a digital credit service launched by PayU in 2017. With 6 million consumers in India, LazyPay is one of the most popular checkout options across an expansive network of more than 60,000 merchants. LazyPay’s core offering is a “pay‑later” product that provides users with a free credit limit of up to INR 10,000 (US$109), which can be used for purchases across a wide range of merchants, including food‑delivery services, fashion retailers, and quick‑commerce platforms, and repaid in a single bill every 15 or 30 days without interest or hidden fees. Users who complete a quick know-your-customer (KYC) can increase their limit to as much as INR 500,000 (US$5,500) and enjoy a longer 30‑day repayment window. Those who need additional flexibility may convert the balance into EMI plans. Beyond BNPL arrangements, LazyPay includes several ancillary services, including the BillPay feature which lets users settle utility bills, mobile recharges, and other recurring payments using the same credit line, the Auto360 module, which serves as an all-in-one vehicle management hub, and the XpressLoan product, which offers instant personal loans ranging from INR 3,000 (US$33) to INR 500,000 (US$5,500) with an annual repayment period from three to 60 months. LazyPay’s owner PayU is a non-banking financial company that aims to create a full-stack digital financial services platform to serve all tapped and untapped financial needs of merchants, banks, and consumers through technology. The company offers over 100 local digital payment methods, value-added data insight solutions, and affordability solutions across offline and online channels, empowering more than 450,000 merchants in India and processing payments for nearly 60% of e-commerce businesses in the country. PayU’s recent expansions have broadened LazyPay’s merchant network to encompass major quick commerce platforms such as Zepto, Flipkart, Instamart, and BigBasket, as well as travel, education, health, and insurance providers. ZestMoney ZestMoney platform, Source: ZestMoney Established in 2015, ZestMoney positions itself as the country’s first online EMI provider. The company’s mission is to bring affordable digital finance to the estimated 300 million Indian households that lack access to credit cards or formal financing due to thin credit histories, leveraging mobile technology, digital banking, and artificial intelligence (AI) to match consumers with lending partners and manage repayments on their behalf. ZestMoney’s BNPL solution allows customers to split purchases into installments of three, six, nine, or twelve months without needing a traditional credit card. The platform analyzes spending patterns, financial status, and other behavioral data, to deliver real‑time credit decisions, aiming to provide “short‑term transactional credit” at checkout. With availability in cloud and a 24/7 presence, it leverages APIs that connect with e-commerce websites and APIs that connects directly with banks and lenders. It also provides credit on popular wallets including Paytm and Mobikwik wallet. ZestMoney claims its credit facilities are accepted at more than 10,000 online merchants and 75,000 physical retail locations. Users benefit from a three‑step approval process that requires no paperwork or joining fees, and the platform advertises personalized credit limits up to INR 200,000 (US$2,200). The company claims more than 17 million registered users, making it one of India’s most prominent BNPL and online EMI provider. Paytm Postpaid Paytm Postpaid promo illustration, Source: Paytm Postpaid Paytm Postpaid is a short‑term credit line launched in September 2025 in partnership with Suryodaya Small Finance Bank. The offering, which operates on the UPI platform, provides users with an interest‑free credit limit of up to INR 60,000 (US$654) for a maximum of 30 days. Users activate the line by selecting the credit source in the Paytm app, scanning a merchant’s QR code, entering the amount, and confirming with their UPI PIN. Repayment occurs at the end of the billing cycle, and timely payments can help build the borrower’s credit profile. Paytm Postpaid is being rolled out selectively to customers deemed likely to use the credit, with broader expansion planned. It marks the reintroduction of the company’s BNPL product, which was halted in 2024 because of a broader decline in asset quality across the industry. At the time, Paytm said it would not resume the business until the credit cycle played out. The recasting of the product also comes at a time when Paytm has turned profitable. Founded in 2010, Paytm is an Indian fintech company that provides digital payments and financial services, including mobile payments, UPI transfers, and bill payments. It runs one of the country’s biggest financial services platforms, with more than 300 million users. Amazon Pay Later Amazon Pay Later video presentation, Source: Amazon Pay Later Amazon Pay Later is a BNPL and personal loan service that operates within the Amazon ecosystem in India.  It offers consumers the ability to split purchases into interest‑free “buy now, pay next month” installments or into EMI plans of three, six, nine, or 12 months. When a shopper selects Amazon Pay Later at checkout, the applicable tenure, minimum and maximum purchase amounts, and any interest charges (if EMI is chosen) are displayed on the payment page. Two lending partners supply the credit: Axio and IDFC First Bank. Under Axio, a one‑month “buy now, pay next month” option is available with no minimum purchase amount, while three‑month EMI starts at INR 1,500 (US$16), six‑month at INR 3,000 (US$33), nine‑month at INR 6,000 (US$65), and 12‑month at INR 9,000 (US$98), with the upper limit varying per customer. IDFC First Bank offers similar EMI tenures, beginning at INR 3,000 (US$33) for three months and scaling upward, with caps of INR 30,000 (US$327) for three‑month, INR 60,000 (US$654) for six‑month, and no upper limit for nine‑ and 12‑month plans. Amazon acquired Bengaluru‑based non‑bank lender Axio in 2025 in a deal valued at a reported US$200 million. This acquisition built upon an over six-year partnership during which Axio powered BNPL services for Amazon Pay, serving more than 10 million customers in India. Founded in 2013, Axio is an Indian consumer finance company that offers BNPL, credit, personal finance management services. It claims more than 15 million customers served, and over 3,000 merchants part of its network. ePayLater ePayLater promo banner, Source: ePayLater Founded in December 2015 and based in Mumbai, ePayLater is a zero cost credit solution for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) for purchasing their supplies. The platform allows retailers to obtain instant credit limits ranging from INR 25,000 (US$273) to INR 2.5 million (US$27,000), enabling them to purchase inventory across a wide array of product categories without the usual constraints of traditional financing. The service operates through a simple, user‑friendly mobile app. After downloading the app and submitting the required details, users receive an immediate credit approval. They can then draw on their approved limit to pay partner merchants anywhere in India, either for everyday stock purchases or for larger invoice‑financing needs. Credit is offered at 0% interest for a period of 14 to 30 days, with no processing fees, and the limit is replenished once the repayment is made. Beyond its credit facility, ePayLater offers additional products such as purchase finance, equated daily installments (EDI), and revenue‑based financing, each designed to address specific cashflow challenges faced by MSMEs. The platform integrates with partner merchants’ enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and provides dashboards for NBFCs and anchor partners, delivering real‑time approvals, credit‑limit management, and customer engagement tools. ePayLater’s network is supported by several registered NBFCs. The company reports a substantial impact on its anchor partners, claiming a 2.7‑fold increase in purchases from MSMEs. ePayLater’s reach extends across India, with integration points that include popular payment ecosystems such as Google Pay and Pine Labs. Although exact user numbers are not officially disclosed, the ePayLater app has amassed over one million downloads on Google Play, positioning it as a leading BNPL provider in the Indian embedded‑finance landscape.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by kkhaosai via Freepik The post Top BNPL Solutions in India in 2026 appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Dyna.Ai has raised an undisclosed eight-figure Series A funding round to scale its agentic AI deployments in regulated industries, including banking. The round was led by Lion X Ventures, a Singapore venture capital fund advised by OCBC Bank’s Mezzanine Capital Unit. Other investors include Taiwan-listed technology company ADATA, a Korean financial institution and several finance industry veterans. Dyna.Ai said the funding will support the expansion of its agent-based systems, which are designed to help organisations move from proof-of-concept initiatives to production use. The technology enables enterprises to automate defined tasks within structured workflows while operating within compliance and governance requirements, particularly in regulated industries. The company said its solutions are already in use by global and regional banks as well as enterprises across Asia, the Americas and the Middle East to streamline operations and improve employee workflows. Founded in 2024, Dyna.Ai focuses on helping large organisations address operational bottlenecks as they transition from pilot projects to full-scale AI implementation. Tomas Skoumal “While much of the industry was focused on how broadly AI could be applied, we doubled down early on a specific, pressing problem and built with outcomes in mind. That focus continues to guide how we work with enterprises today and has built trust with C-suite leaders across institutions around the world.” said Tomas Skoumal, Chairman and Co-Founder of Dyna.Ai.     The post Dyna.Ai Raises Eight-Figure Series A Funding to Scale Agentic AI appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Consumers in select overseas markets will soon be able to spend stablecoins through a Pine Labs prepaid card, with launches scheduled by the end of April. The company’s CEO Amrish Rau shared the plans with Reuters. The Temasek and Peak XV-backed fintech is preparing the rollout in nine countries across the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. Pine Labs will not introduce the product in India or China, where digital asset regulation remains restrictive. China has tightened oversight of virtual currencies and moved against unauthorised offshore issuance of yuan-linked stablecoins. India does not prohibit stablecoins, but the Reserve Bank of India has warned that privately issued tokens could pose risks to monetary stability. Domestic payment platforms such as PhonePe and Paytm do not currently provide stablecoin-backed payment options. The prepaid card will be funded using stablecoins held in customers’ digital wallets. At the point of sale, balances will be converted into local currency, allowing merchants to receive fiat while customers transact using digital tokens. The initiative places Pine Labs among global payment firms exploring stablecoin-enabled infrastructure for cross-border transfers. Companies such as Stripe and PayPal have been integrating stablecoins into payment flows as adoption increases. The stablecoin market is valued at more than US$310 billion, led largely by U.S. dollar-pegged tokens including Tether and USDC. Rau said the company views stablecoin rails as part of a broader technology-led expansion. The move follows Pine Labs’ recent collaboration with OpenAI to develop agentic commerce capabilities, highlighting its focus on AI-driven payment solutions. Headquartered in India’s National Capital Region, Pine Labs provides merchant payment technology including point-of-sale systems. It operates in about 20 countries, with overseas markets contributing roughly 17 percent of revenue. The company said it will continue prioritising AI applications, cross-border growth and digital asset initiatives as part of its next phase of expansion.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by mkmult via Freepik The post Pine Labs Targets End-April Launch for Stablecoin Card in Nine Countries appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Twitter Co-Founder and current CEO of Block, Jack Dorsey, just announced in his 600-word+ X post that Block would cut roughly 4,000 roles, close to 40% of its workforce, reportedly, all because of none other than artificial intelligence. In his post, Jack pointed to rapid advances in artificial intelligence and the company’s push to “functionalise” its structure.  He said: Jack Dorsey “We’re already seeing that the intelligence tools we’re creating and using, paired with smaller and flatter teams, are enabling a new way of working which fundamentally changes what it means to build and run a company.” Though the company’s stock appeared to have risen due to the unfortunate news, the public has made sure that the company knows what they’re feeling. In shorter words, what he’s trying to say is that AI + Few People = Block moves faster. But despite his explanation, outside the earnings call, the public was raising a more sceptical conversation.  Is it really about AI? Or are you just giving an excuse to downsize? AI, Structure, and Hard Choices, According to Jack To answer that, let’s take a look back at Jack’s post on X where his argument, rested on two pillars.  First, he mentioned that AI models have become significantly more capable and it has since, opened the door to automation across a wider swathe of the business.  Second, his company, Block, had effectively been operating as two companies, with Square and Cash App running parallel structures which, according to him, created duplication. Thus, he believes that bringing the organisation under a single functional model, exposed those overlaps and created the confidence to make that decisive cut. A 23% surge in share price suggest initial market satisfaction, but we’re not entirely sure about that. Is It Really About AI or Is Just AI Washing? The public, and myself included, remain unconvinced by a strategy we view as ‘narrative substitution’. Some news even go as far as to say that this move is more about “the business being bloated for so long than it is about AI”. Block says smarter tools and a flatter organisation allow them to do more with fewer people. But that does seem like a reach. The media has increasingly used the term ‘AI washing’ to describe what is actually happening at Block. And it does not serve justice on Block’s case as the numbers give sceptics like me, something to point to.  The company’s headcount expanded sharply during the pandemic, which saw them rise from under 4,000 employees in 2019 to well above 10,000 within a few years.  Thus the scale of the cuts happening right now seems to confirm my hypothesis that this is far more about right-sizing a bloated organisation rather than just “harnessing intelligence tools”. It looks more like a convenient scapegoat and pure corporate theatre for the ‘sins’ of unchecked expansion during the COVID boom years. Feeling the Ripple Across Southeast Asia Block’s layoffs are happening in the US, but the story echoes far beyond. Around the world, companies are grappling with the same question. Are these cuts really about AI, or is AI just being used as a convenient story? AI is taking over routine tasks at Allianz in Germany, prompting the company to cut up to 1,800 call centre jobs. In Australia, WiseTech Global is letting go of 2,000 employees while pivoting to AI-driven software. Klarna has also already halved its workforce in the past few years and expects to shrink further as automation lets smaller teams handle more. In all these cases, people are actually losing their jobs because software is now doing work humans used to do. And Southeast Asia is not escaping this as DBS in Singapore also plans to phase out around 4,000 contract and temporary roles over three years. We could say that the pattern is mixed where some companies are trimming excess from an era of easy capital. Others are adjusting because certain tasks genuinely require fewer people than before. But Block seems to sit somewhere in between. Part of the reset reflects expansion that went too far. Part of it reflects a push to operate with fewer layers and more automated support. We for sure do not know whether every layoff is AI-washing, but companies will need to be honest about which is which. The harder question now is how much of today’s cuts come from smarter systems, and how much is just cleaning up after yesterday’s growth sprees. The Policy Response Is Already Taking Shape Not only that, due to such issues, governments in the region are clearly watching the shift closely. Speaking during the February Budget debate, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong moved to calm concerns, saying Singapore would avoid what he described as jobless growth even as AI becomes more deeply embedded in the economy.  The focus, he stressed, is on using AI to raise productivity while creating better jobs and wages. Such reassurance matters because this anxiety is real and it is felt by almost everyone.  Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore based on an images by Wikimedia Commons and thanyakij-12 via Freepik. The post What Could Block’s 40% Job Layoff Signal for Southeast Asia? appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

SEON has released the second edition of its AI Reality Check: 2026 Fraud & AML Leaders Report. Based on a global survey of 1,010 fraud, risk, and compliance leaders across payments, fintech, financial services, retail, eCommerce, and gaming, the report highlights that while AI adoption is nearly universal, operational challenges are increasing. The survey found that 98% of organisations now integrate AI into daily fraud and AML workflows, with 95% confident it works, including 52% who are very confident. AI/ML for transaction monitoring was the most common use case, cited by 30% of respondents. Despite automation, organisations are expanding teams and budgets: 94% plan to add at least one full-time hire, up from 88% in 2025, 85% plan to add a vendor, and 49% intend to replace an existing one. 83% expect budgets to rise in 2026. Fragmentation remains a significant bottleneck, with only 47% running fully integrated workflows and 95% reporting partial integration between fraud and AML systems. 80% find achieving a unified view of data challenging. Implementation times vary, with just 10% going live in under two weeks, 38% taking 1-3 months, and 24% requiring four months or more, contributing to higher costs (52%) and prolonged fraud exposure (47%). Top threats included account takeovers (26%), promo/discount abuse (18%), and return fraud (18%). Tamas Kadar “Fraud and financial crime were supposed to become more manageable as AI matured,” said Tamas Kadar, CEO and co-founder of SEON. “Instead, 2026 is the year leaders are confronting a more complicated reality. The bottleneck is no longer whether AI works. It’s disconnected data, siloed teams, and slow implementations.” Looking ahead, 78% of respondents expect decentralised digital identity to become central to fraud and AML, while 33% highlight data privacy regulations and 25% cite criminals’ advanced AI techniques as shaping future risk strategies.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by RSplaneta via Freepik The post AI Adoption Soars, but 94% of Firms Still Plan to Grow Fraud and AML Teams appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

HSBC expanded its wealth footprint in Singapore with the launch of its fourth and largest wealth centre, according to The Business Times. The new facility at Singapore Land Tower underscores the bank’s shift towards affluent clients in a key Asian wealth hub. Located on the 33rd floor, the 7,884 square foot centre features 14 meeting rooms and a dedicated family room for private multi-generational wealth discussions. HSBC said the space is designed to support more personalised advisory services. The opening coincides with the planned closure of its Raffles Place retail branch, announced earlier this year as part of a pivot away from mass retail banking towards wealth management. Premier and Premier Elite clients will have access to designated areas within the centre. Premier Elite serves customers with at least S$1.2 million in total relationship balances and includes curated lifestyle privileges such as collaborations with chef Janice Wong. HSBC said the centre forms part of a broader multi-year transformation that includes a significant expansion of its physical network in Singapore.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by HSBC   The post HSBC Opens Its Fourth and Largest Wealth Centre in Singapore appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

HSBC Singapore has announced two senior appointments aimed at strengthening its China corridor proposition, as it seeks to support Chinese businesses and entrepreneurs expanding into Singapore and across ASEAN. Singapore continues to serve as a strategic entry point into Southeast Asia and a hub for companies pursuing broader international expansion. The bank said the appointments reflect its focus on facilitating cross-border banking, trade and wealth needs linked to China-ASEAN flows. Wong Kee Joo, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Singapore, said: Wong Kee Joo “As the region’s leading trade and business hub, Singapore is uniquely positioned to support Chinese companies as they expand into ASEAN. Irene and Ying bring deep expertise in developing the China corridor, strengthening our ability to serve this fast-growing client segment and connect them to new engines of growth across the region.” Ying Wang has been appointed Head of Distribution, International Wealth and Premier Banking (IWPB), effective 26 February 2026. She will oversee sales and service channels, including the International Wealth Hub, Direct Sales and Contact Centre, with responsibility for distribution strategy and customer experience. Ying has more than 20 years’ experience in wealth management, product development and digital channels in Singapore and China. She was most recently Head of Wealth and Premier Solutions at HSBC China. HSBC Singapore has also appointed Irene Zeng as Managing Director. She will also serve as Head of Business Development, China Corridor, Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB), effective 1 March 2026. In this newly created role, she will focus on supporting Chinese corporates and entrepreneurs. She will oversee clients with cross-border requirements across Singapore and ASEAN. Irene has more than 25 years’ experience in corporate and transaction banking. She most recently served as Head of Global Payments Solutions at HSBC China. The bank noted continued growth in China–ASEAN trade and investment. ASEAN exports rose 12% year on year in 2025. Bilateral trade reached US$984 billion in 2024.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by tahantanha10 via Freepik The post HSBC Singapore Appoints Irene Zeng and Ying Wang to China-Focused Roles appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Singapore has emerged as a prominent fintech hub in Southeast Asia, capitalizing on its effective regulatory framework, robust infrastructure, and its large pool of highly skilled and experienced finance professionals. In 2025, Singapore maintained its position as the region’s top recipient of fintech funding, securing over US$725 million in the first nine months of the year, and accounting for 87% of ASEAN’s total funding. The country also represented more than half of all deals, primarily driven by activity in blockchain for financial services and investment technology. As this landscape continues to expand and evolve, Singapore remains a significant hub for fintech events, attracting industry leaders from around the globe to explore opportunities and address emerging challenges. Among the numerous conferences scheduled in the upcoming months, the following 8 stand out as the most significant gatherings in 2026. These events are set to convene leading decision-makers, regulators, and innovators to shape the future of the sector. Fintech Events to Attend in Singapore in 2026 Nexgen Banking Summit 2026 March 12, 2026 Singapore The Nexgen Banking Summit 2026, scheduled for March 12, 2026 in Singapore, will focus on the future of intelligent transformation within financial services. The conference will gather digital banking leaders, data strategists, product innovators, and artificial intelligence (AI) decision‑makers to discuss how banks are integrating advanced AI technologies, automation, and real‑time intelligence into their core systems. The summit will highlight ways to accelerate productivity and innovation by connecting core banking platforms, chat logs, compliance documents, and transaction data, thereby fostering smarter collaboration and faster execution. It will also emphasize the delivery of hyper‑personalized customer journeys and the empowerment of employees with intelligent tools that improve resolution speed and deepen engagement. Attendees will learn how AI, large language models (LLMs), and predictive analytics are reshaping decision making across retail, commercial, and investment banking. They will also gain insight into building scalable, secure, genAI‑powered infrastructures that can evolve alongside digital banking strategies. In addition to the main program, the summit will offer opportunities for one‑on‑one meetings with senior banking executives and fintech leaders who are actively exploring AI‑driven financial services, embedded finance platforms, and core‑banking modernization. Roundtable discussions will allow participants to lead focused dialogues on subjects such as real‑time payments, regtech compliance, and digital transformation, while also gathering direct feedback from decision‑makers.   TMT Finance APAC 2026 May 06-07, 2026 Singapore TMT Finance APAC 2026 will take place in Singapore on May 06 and 07, 2026. Formerly known as the TMT M&A Forum APAC, this conference promises a premier gathering for senior dealmakers involved in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), financing, and investment across digital‑infrastructure sectors such as data centers, fibre, telecoms, towers, and cloud services throughout the Asia‑Pacific (APAC) region. The two-day event is expected to bring together 350 senior industry, investment, and advisory leaders, featuring 75 speakers who will deliver 25 sessions and facilitate roughly seven hours of networking each day. Attendees can expect a focused agenda built around key thematic tracks: Power-First Data Center Investment and Acquisition Strategies AI Infrastructure Valuations, Risk and Reality Funding APAC’s Fibre Future Tower and Wireless M&A in the 5G Transition The Financing Playbook for Hyperscale and Colocation Strategic M&A and Capital Structuring in APAC Financing Innovation with REITs, Private Credit and Securitization Emerging Market Investment Outlook Speakers will include: Udhay Mathialagan, Managing Partner and CEO, Global Data Centers, Brookfield Asset Management; Wilson Chung, Managing Director, DigitalBridge; Mary Roberts, Executive for Infrastructure Strategy, Planning and Risk, Telstra InfraCo; Rangu Salgame, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder, PDG; Projesh Banerjea, Managing Director and Head of Southeast Asia Infrastructure, KKR; and Preet Gona, CEO, STACK APAC. In addition to the conference, TMT Finance APAC 2026 will provide a platform for industry stakeholders to meet, discover emerging deal opportunities and strategic trends, and forge new partnerships on site. Participants will also have the chance to raise their corporate profile, showcase thought leadership, generate leads, and gain recognition through the conference awards. Asia Tech x Singapore 2026 May 20-22, 2026 Capella, Singapore Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG) 2026 will be held in Singapore from May 20 to 22, 2026. Jointly organized by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and Informa and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, ATxSG 2026 will mark the sixth anniversary of one of Asia’s premier technology gatherings, bringing together government officials, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the intersection of technology, society and the digital economy. The three-day event will be structured around three core components. ATxEnterprise, hosted at Singapore Expo and run by Informa, will serve as the commercial hub of the conference, showcasing broadcast technology, telecommunications infrastructure, satellite communications and enterprise solutions. It will provide a marketplace for more than 22,000 global tech, broadcasting, telecom, satellite and startup leaders to exhibit innovations, forge partnerships and explore digital‑transformation opportunities. ATxSummit, hosted by IMDA at Capella Singapore, will serve as the apex event of ATxSG, comprising two distinct experiences: The Plenary and The Village. The Plenary will present an invitation-only conference exploring critical themes including AI, governance and safety, quantum computing, and sustainability and compute; while the Village will curate exclusive government-to-government and government-to-business roundtables where senior government officials, industry leaders and academia will share digital challenges, alongside symposiums, workshops, showcases and networking to cultivate digital partnerships between the public and private sector. Finally, ATxInspire, a companion series to ATxSummit, will host a year-round series of thought-provoking discussions and presentations by industry leaders, government officials, and academics. These events will focus on cutting-edge advancements in technology, empowering the tech community to stay ahead of the curve.   SuperAI 2026 June 10-11, 2026 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore SuperAI 2026 will take place on June 10 and 11, 2026 at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. The conference aims to showcase the transformative power of AI by gathering visionaries, developers, startups, enterprises, researchers and policymakers from around the world. It’s expected to bring together more than 10,000 attendees representing over 100 countries, alongside roughly 1,500 AI‑focused companies and upwards of 150 speakers. SuperAI 2026 will highlight six themes that are defining the current AI landscape: frontier models; robotics and embodied AI; AI infrastructure; AI applications in finance; biotech and healthtech; and the broader global impact of AI on society. These themes will be explored through keynote talks, panel discussions and demonstrations that illustrate how AI is reshaping industries and everyday life. Speakers will include Balaji Srinivasan, founder, investor and author of The Network State; Dwarkesh Patel, host of the Dwarkesh Podcast; Tao Cheung, co‑founder of Manus AI; Edward Snowden, noted whistleblower; and Felix Shang, director at Unitree. ITC Asia 2026 June 30-July 02, 2026 Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore ITC Asia 2026 will be held from June 30 to July 02, 2026 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore. This three‑day conference will gather more than 1,500 senior insurance leaders from around the world, with roughly 80% occupying VP‑level or higher positions. Over 200 inspirational speakers will address the rapid evolution of Asia’s insurance sector and the strategic imperatives needed to stay competitive. The program will be organized around key thematic tracks: Leadership Insights will feature APAC executives discussing strategy, transformation realities and fostering an innovation culture; Tech in Action will showcase real‑world implementation stories, measurable returns on investment and scalable technologies; Growth and Profitability will examine smarter pricing models and capital strategies for scaling successful initiatives; AI and Data will explore agentic workflows, analytics and revenue‑driving decision‑making; Underwriting Intelligence will highlight data‑driven risk assessment and pricing improvements; Claims Excellence and Retention will cover automation, fraud control and measures that enhance speed, loss ratios and customer retention; Customer Trust will focus on personalization, secure onboarding and privacy protection; Distribution Reinvented will discuss bancassurance, ecosystem partnerships and embedded distribution models that sustain growth; and Cyber and Specialty will address cyber risk, climate‑related opportunities and profitable specialty underwriting. Two main stages will host keynote addresses, “in‑the‑hot‑seat” sessions, a startup pitch competition and fireside chats with insurers, regulators and technology providers. Curated education will be delivered through kickoff summits, tailored tracks and a variety of interactive formats. Finally, networking opportunities will include a dedicated one-to-one meeting zone, roundtable discussions and Ask‑Me‑Anything sessions.   Tech Week Singapore 2026 September 29-30, 2026 Sands Expo Convention Centre, Singapore Tech Week Singapore 2026 will take place on September 29 and 30, 2026, at the Sands Expo Convention Centre. The two-day program is expected to attract more than 29,000 business leaders, visionaries and decision‑makers across all technology verticals, over 500 exhibitors and more than 500 international speakers and thought‑leaders who will showcase solutions and share insights. Tech Week Singapore 2026 will consolidate five co‑located conferences: Cloud and AI Infrastructure Asia, DevOps Live!, Cyber Security World Asia, Data Centre World Asia and Big Data and AI World Asia. Together, these tracks will cover the full spectrum of modern enterprise technology, from cloud and AI infrastructure to development operations, cybersecurity, data center strategies and big data analytics. Attendees can therefore expect a blend of product demonstrations, expert panels and networking opportunities designed to help organizations learn, connect and shape their future strategies. TOKEN2049 Singapore 2026 October 07-08, 2026 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore TOKEN2049 Singapore 2026 will be held on October 07 and 08, 2026 at Marina Bay Sands. Promoted as the definitive global gathering for the cryptocurrency and Web 3 ecosystem, the event will occupy all five floors of the iconic venue, creating a pop‑up city that hosts immersive experiences, side events and a festival‑like atmosphere. The event is expected to bring together decision makers from more than 160 countries, with over 60% of attendees holding C‑level roles. Organizers anticipate over 1,000 side events and a schedule of panels, workshops and networking sessions that aim to shape the worldwide trajectory of crypto and decentralized technologies. Highlights will include the TOKEN2049 Origins Hackathon, a 36‑hour challenge that will guides participants from concept to functional prototype while providing mentorship and the opportunity to pitch for prizes, funding and global recognition, and the Nexus Startup Competition, which will offer the hottest Web 3 startups a stage to pitch for equity‑free prizes, meet top investors and potentially launch their ventures on a global platform. Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) 2026 November 18-20, 2026 Singapore EXPO, Singapore The Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) 2026 will take place from November 18 to 20, 2026 at the Singapore EXPO. Organized as a global gathering of policy makers, financiers, and technology innovators, the three‑day event aims to foster connections and collaborations across the financial services ecosystem. The program will span six thematic stages that cover emerging trends such as blockchain, AI, and other cutting‑edge financial technologies. Attendees will get to participate in panels, keynotes, roundtables, workshops, and a week‑long series of side events designed to deepen learning and networking. SFF 2026 will also offer a variety of exhibition options, including standard and premium booths, international pavilions, dedicated startup and technology zones, and bespoke activations for demonstrations, workshops, or private events. It will also provide ample opportunities for business development and collaboration.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by creativaimages via Freepik The post 8 Fintech Events to Attend in Singapore in 2026 appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Mastercard has appointed Minsook Cho as Country Manager for Singapore, where she will oversee the company’s strategy and operations. She will also work with regional and global clients headquartered in Singapore on cross-market initiatives. In the role, Cho will support Singapore’s digital payments agenda, collaborating with public and private sector stakeholders on payments infrastructure and related initiatives. Cho has more than 20 years of experience in payments, fintech, analytics and consulting. She joined Mastercard in 2013 and most recently served as Senior Vice President, Advisors Client Services, Asia Pacific. In that position, she led consulting, analytics, test-and-learn and managed services across markets including Japan, Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Cho said: Minsook Cho “I am honoured to lead Mastercard’s business in Singapore, a market I have been deeply connected with for many years. Having spent over a decade driving data-driven strategies and advisory services across Asia Pacific, I look forward to leveraging this experience to deliver insight-led solutions that support Singapore’s digital innovation.” Her appointment comes as the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) advances initiatives in areas such as tokenisation, artificial intelligence and a regulatory framework for stablecoins. Before joining Mastercard, Cho held senior roles at foodpanda, Lazada and Boston Consulting Group. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Seoul National University.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by siegostuan via Freepik The post Mastercard Names Minsook Cho as Singapore Country Manager appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Financial crime in Singapore has escalated to unprecedented levels, with scams costing more than S$3.4 billion since 2019, according to the Straits Times. To help organizations tackle this challenge, Salesforce’s Agentforce offers AI-driven capabilities to automate customer anti-money laundering and combating the financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) obligations, enhance client risk profiling, and streamline regulatory filings, according a joint paper by Salesforce and PwC. The paper explores the changing financial crime landscape in Singapore and looks at Saleforce’s Agentforce solution, showing how the platform can help Singaporean banks combat financial crime threats. Agentforce is Salesforce’s enterprise grade AI agent platform that enables companies build, test, deploy, manage, and orchestrate AI agents. It covers the full lifecycle of AI agents, offering low‑code and pro‑code tools for developers and business users to create digital labor that can act on behalf of customers, suppliers, and employees 24/7. The primary purpose of Agentforce is to automate repetitive, knowledge‑intensive tasks across organizations. In sales, AI agents can generate and update quotes, surface relevant deal information, and coach representatives in real time, helping teams close deals faster, and improving overall performance. In customer service contexts, agents can resolve routine inquiries, pull data from CRM records, and hand off complex issues to human operators. This enables faster response times, minimizing errors, and scaling support capacity. In fraud detection and compliance, Agentforce integrates seamlessly with MuleSoft Agent Fabric. MuleSoft Agent Fabric is a governance and orchestration layer that connects multiple AI agents into a single coordinated ecosystem, acting as the “central nervous system”. This integration delivers coordinated fraud detection, with agents sharing insights and triggering joint investigations, reducing time‑to‑detect. MuleSoft Agent Fabric also offers strong governance and auditability across all AI agents in the financial crime ecosystem, enforcing security, privacy, and regulatory controls. This helps banks confidently deploy AI at scale, knowing that every autonomous decision is safe, compliant, and auditable. Another key feature of MuleSoft Agent Fabric is its Agent Visualizer, which automatically records every agent-to-agent interaction and decision, creating a comprehensive trail. This means banks can easily demonstrate to regulators how decisions were made, which agents were involved, and what data was accessed. Key use cases The Salesforce and PwC paper highlights three main ways Agentforce can strengthen fraud detection and compliance. First, Agentforce can be used to streamline traditionally manual and time-consuming know-your-customer (KYC) and customer due diligence (CDD) processes. By leveraging Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), it automates ingestion and validation of client documents, detect expiration, ensure completeness, and apply onboarding checklists. This can result in benefits including reduced onboarding time and friction, improved accuracy and consistency across jurisdictions, and enhanced operational efficiency for middle-office managed service environments. Second, Agentforce can be used in risk scoring automation by aggregating and analyzing internal and external data sources using configurable rules and AI-driven insights. It can dynamically adjust due diligence levels based on evolving risk indicators, such as transaction patterns, geography, and adverse media, and trigger escalations when thresholds are breached. This allows for real-time risk assessment, a reduction in manual efforts and false positives, and optimized resource allocation for compliance teams. Finally, in regulatory compliance management, Agentforce can automate the preparation, validation, and submission of mandatory regulatory filings. It can be used to extract key data points, validate against regulatory requirements, and generate submission-ready documentation with full audit trails. This automation can cut manual data analysis by up to 30%, reduce risk of errors and missed deadlines, and strengthen confidence in meeting local and global compliance standards, the paper says. Financial crime on the rise Financial crime in Singapore has risen dramatically over the past years. In H1 2025, close to S$500 million was lost to scams in the city state, with almost 20,000 cases reported in Singapore, according to the Straits Times. Government official impersonation scams, in particular, remained a key concern during that period, with the number of cases almost tripling from 589 in H1 2024 to 1,762 in H1 2025. The trend continued into 2026, with at least S$2.9 million lost in February alone to a scam variant in which victims were duped into handing over valuables such as gold bars, jewelry and luxury watches to imposters posing as government officials. These trends coincide with rapid digital transformation. Singapore’s digital economy now contributes S$128.1 billion in value-added output, representing 18.6% of GDP in 2024, up from 18% in 2023 and 14.9% in 2019, according to official data. Between 2019 to 2024, the digital economy grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12%, significantly faster than that of the nominal GDP growth rate of 7.3%. Among businesses, digital adoption is near-universal. In 2024, 97% of SMEs had adopted at least one sector-specific digital solution, up from 85% in 2023. AI is further amplifying these risks, with deepfakes posing a rising threat to the business community. In March 2025, a finance director at a multinational firm in Singapore authorized a US$499,000 payment after a Zoom call that featured an AI-generated deepfake of the company’s senior leadership. The deepfake convincingly replicated the facial movements and voices of the actual executives, effectively duping the director. Survey data indicate that 56% of Singaporean businesses have encountered audio deepfake fraud and 52% have experienced video deepfakes.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Musfikur Rahman Muin via Freepik The post Financial Crime in Singapore Escalates to Unprecedented Levels, Sparks Call for AI Agents appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

The Singapore Tourism Board and Ant International have renewed their multi-year partnership to drive tourism growth through stronger digital connectivity. The collaboration will focus on driving visitor demand, enabling seamless and secure mobile discovery and payments through Alipay+, and supporting local businesses. It will also expand data sharing to generate actionable insights on traveller behaviour and strengthen the competitiveness of Singapore’s travel ecosystem, in line with STB’s Tourism 2040 roadmap. In 2025, transactions via Alipay+ in Singapore rose 36 percent year on year, placing the city-state among the platform’s top five global travel destinations. Spending through SGQR nearly tripled, benefiting SMEs including neighbourhood merchants and hawker stalls. Peng Yang “The Singapore Tourism Board has set the benchmark for how innovation, trust and public-private collaboration can power a world-class tourism economy. Together, we will support Singapore’s ambition to inspire not just as a place to visit, but one that shapes the future of travel and its shared value to communities.” said Peng Yang, CEO of Ant International. Merchants can accept 25 international e-wallets and bank apps via Alipay+, enabling travellers from 17 countries and regions to pay using familiar applications. Mainland China, Malaysia, Hong Kong SAR, the Philippines and South Korea were the top inbound markets, with transactions by Chinese travellers rising 26 percent year on year. Growth was also recorded from Kazakhstan and Italy, while visitors increasingly spent beyond retail on food and beverage, accommodation and transport. The renewed partnership will also expand joint marketing campaigns, including a 2026 campaign featuring Chinese actor Dylan Wang ahead of Chinese New Year, and leverage AI tools such as Alipay+ Voyager to enhance travel discovery and engagement.     Featured image: (From left) Melissa Ow, Chief Executive of Singapore Tourism Board; Peng Yang, CEO of Ant International The post STB, Ant International Renew Partnership to Expand Digital Travel Payments appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

TerraPay has partnered with Raenest to enable faster local currency payouts for freelancers in India and the Philippines. The integration supports Raenest’s expansion into both markets, allowing users to receive cross-border earnings more quickly in domestic currencies. TerraPay’s payments network will power international transfers for freelancers serving clients in the US, UK and Europe. India and the Philippines are among the largest freelance talent hubs globally. As more workers depend on overseas income, payment speed and reliability remain critical. Raenest said it serves more than one million customers and has processed over US$2 billion in transactions. The company, backed by over US$14 million from investors including QED, Google, Seedstars and Techstars, enables earnings from global platforms to be settled in under one hour in certain markets. TerraPay said the partnership strengthens payout infrastructure for digital workers who rely on cross-border income. Ani Sane Ani Sane, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of TerraPay, said, “By enabling faster and more reliable payouts into India and the Philippines, we’re helping freelancers receive their income with the speed and certainty they deserve. Together, we’re building a payout experience that keeps pace with how the world works today – simple, dependable, and designed for a truly global digital workforce.” Victor A Victor A, CEO and Co-founder of Raenest said, “At Raenest, we believe borders shouldn’t be a barrier, and no one should be cut off from accessing global opportunities and banking services because of their geographic location. That’s why we’ve partnered with Terrapay to ensure millions of Indian and Filipino freelancers and virtual assistants working remotely with companies and clients in the US, UK, Europe, and other parts of the world can get paid easily, faster, and with more value for their money.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by ghiska via Freepik The post TerraPay and Raenest to Scale Payouts for Freelancers in India, Philippines appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Grab has set a US$1.5 billion EBITDA target for 2028, placing AI at the centre of its next growth phase, Reuters reported following an interview with President and COO Alex Hungate in Singapore. Hungate said the Nasdaq-listed group aims to grow revenue by more than 20 percent annually over the next three years. Grab operates in over 900 cities across Southeast Asia. The company is looking to lift margins by tightening execution across its core app while expanding financial services and online groceries. Management believes frequent usage across mobility and deliveries supports lower-cost cross-selling into adjacent products. Grab reported its first full-year net profit in its 2025 results and authorised a US$500 million share buyback programme, as previously reported. However, its 2026 revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance fell short of expectations, weighing on its shares. Analysts at Huatai Securities said increased investment in AI and autonomous vehicle partnerships could pressure profitability. They also flagged risks including slower user growth and macroeconomic volatility. Hungate said Grab will prioritise reinvestment in Southeast Asia while remaining open to selective acquisitions. The company has also agreed to acquire U.S.-based wealth platform Stash as part of its limited steps outside the region. He added there are no plans for a second listing and no update on speculation regarding a potential merger with Indonesian rival GoTo. Grab is developing AI-driven tools for drivers and merchants, alongside customer-facing features aimed at improving retention. While it works with model providers such as OpenAI, the company plans to build its own AI agents tailored to its platform rather than integrate directly with standalone chatbot products.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post Grab Targets US$1.5 Billion EBITDA by 2028 as AI Drives Next Growth Phase appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

The payment industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by growing demand for seamless, contactless, and autonomous experiences, alongside an accelerating rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) throughout the payment value chain. In the Asia‑Pacific (APAC) region, consumer adoption of AI‑driven shopping tools is soaring, laying fertile ground for agentic payments that act on behalf of buyers. Yet, a new Visa survey reveals that lingering concerns about security and transparency are creating hesitation at the moment of checkout. The survey, which polled more than 14,700 consumers across 14 APAC markets in 2025, found that 74% of respondents are already using AI to shop, leveraging the technology to discover, track or learn about products. This underscores a strong appetite for AI during the early stages of the purchase journey. Singaporeans are among the top adopters of AI, with eight in ten local consumers now relying on the technology for assistance when shopping online. Trust gaps and transparency concerns While many consumers in APAC are comfortable using AI to compare prices and better understand product features, confidence fades when it comes to handling money and personal data. 32% of APAC consumers are reluctant to share personal or payment information with AI systems, drawing a clear line between using AI to browse and trusting the same technology when transactions become more personal. Additionally, 26% are unsure if AI recommendations fully align with their best interest, signaling some level of suspicion and a demand for greater transparency and user control. Nearly half (45%) of those surveyed in APAC indicated that they would be more open to AI-powered or agentic commerce if they had stronger assurances around payment security. This highlights the pivotal role that trust and clear data‑usage policies will play in scaling AI‑driven commerce. The study also revealed income and regional variations. In particular, affluent households with monthly income of US$8,000 or above exhibited the most caution, with 39% of this group demanding higher expectations around how their data is used, compared to 29% for lower-income groups. Digital-first markets such as Australia (38%), New Zealand (37%) and Singapore (34%) also displayed above-average caution, suggesting that consumers in digitally advanced economies tend to be more vigilant about privacy and are likely to demand stricter safeguards compared with other markets. Emerging markets most open to agentic commerce Within APAC, the study shows that emerging economies are the most open to fully autonomous AI commerce. India and Vietnam lead the region in this regard, with 42% of consumers in each market being prepared to use AI for online purchases, indicating strong appetites to experiment with new ways of shopping. In contrast, consumers in digitally mature economies show greater reservation towards AI-enabled online shopping, with just 14% in Singapore, 14% in Japan and 16% in New Zealand expressing interest. This could indicate higher concerns about control or privacy for agentic commerce. Agentic commerce refers to the use of autonomous AI agents that can act on behalf of customers or businesses throughout the buying journey. These AI agents can find, compare, and potentially make purchases for customers based on their needs and preferences, aiming to enhance customer experience, convenience, and efficiency. Agentic commerce represents a booming industry that’s set to influence over US$1 trillion in e-commerce spending. According to research by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 81% of US consumers expect to use agentic AI tools to shop, shaping more than half of all online purchases in the near future. Powering agentic payments Within this space, a new class of startups and solutions is emerging to support agentic commerce. These solutions allow organizations to build and deploy AI agents that learn, adapt, and make real-time decisions across the entire payments value chain. Stripe, for example, launched in September 2025 an API for agentic payments. It also introduced with OpenAI the Agentic Commerce Protocol, which is designed to enable AI agents to complete purchases on behalf of users. Similarly, Visa has created Visa Intelligent Commerce, offering a suite of tools and protections to support agentic commerce and enable AI-driven purchases through Visa’s payment network. These tools include tokenized “AI-ready” payment credentials, APIs for authentication, transaction controls, and lifecycle management, personalization and consent-driven data sharing, as well as fraud preventions and security features. Earlier this week, Singapore’s DBS Bank became the first bank in APAC to pilot Visa Intelligent Commerce for agentic transactions. This collaboration will allow the two organizations to example a broad range of use cases, including online shopping, travel bookings and more, aiming to make digital transactions more seamless for consumers, reduce manual steps and streamline payment processes. In e-commerce, agentic payments are poised to address several high-impact use cases. According to an extensive post by AWS, AI agents can choose the best route for a payment by considering fees, regulations, currencies, and fraud risks. They can also manage foreign currency flows and liquidity so companies always have the right funds in the right places. In cross-border payments, AI agents can monitor currency markets and execute exchanges at better times to reduce costs. These systems also improve security by detecting fraud through multiple specialized agents working together. They can fix failed payments automatically by understanding payment network rules and local regulations. In e-commerce, AI assistants may eventually search for products and complete purchases on behalf of users. Finally, AI agents can automate operational tasks such as matching invoices with payments and handling payment disputes, reducing manual work and speeding up resolution. The rise of AI agents Beyond commerce, AI agents are gaining traction across an array of business applications and industries. Since 2023, more than 500 AI agent startups have emerged across over 20 categories, including financial services, supply chain, and healthcare. Booming funding activity has further helped propelled this market. In 2024, AI agent startups raised US$3.8 billion, nearly tripling 2023’s total. Adoption is also keeping pace. A 2025 McKinsey survey of nearly 2,000 professionals in 105 nations found that 23% of respondents said their organizations were scaling an agentic AI system somewhere in their enterprises, and an additional 39% were experimenting with AI agents. But use of agents is not yet widespread, with most of those who are scaling agents stating that they were only doing so in one or two functions. Phase of AI agent use at respondents’ organizations, by business function, % of respondents, Source: McKinsey, 2025 Despite the early-stage nature of implementation, the market for AI agents is expected to grow strongly over the coming years. BCG projects an annual growth rate of 45% through 2030, with the the AI agent market surging from US$5.7 billion in 2024 to US$52.1 billion in 2030. AI agents market by technology 2024-2030 (US$ billion), Source: BCG analysis   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post APAC Consumers Embrace AI Though Security Concerns Slow Agentic Payment Adoption appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

In the first half of 2025, I took a glance at KPMG’s Pulse of Fintech, which at that time read like the sector was taking a breather. What I meant by that is that investment across Asia Pacific had slowed sharply, valuations were adjusting, and investors were pulling back after years of aggressive deployment. Six months later, the tone has shifted, although only ever so slightly. Just like the H1 report, the Pulse of Fintech H2 2025 update does not point to a broad-based recovery, nor does it suggest the return of easy money. What it does show is a market that is beginning to stabilise, with capital still flowing but under a much tighter scrutiny. The change is subtle but meaningful. Compared with the earlier read in H1, where the narrative centred on contraction, the second half of the year reflects something a bit more measured. Yes, the pullback has not reversed completely, but the pace of decline appears to be easing as investors become more selective about where they place their bets. So is this the beginning of a genuine reset, or simply a more disciplined funding cycle taking shape? Funding Still Remains Soft, but the Floor May be Forming On the surface, the numbers still look subdued as reported by KPMG. Asia Pacific attracted just US$9.3 billion in fintech investment in 2025 across 763 deals, down from US$11.7 billion the year before. In the second half alone, the region recorded US$4.6 billion across 362 deals. Those figures confirm that the funding winter has not fully thawed from last year’s. Taken from the KPMG Pulse of Fintech H2 2025 page 56. Compared with the Americas and EMEA, the Asia Pacific continues to lag in absolute investment volumes. However, the more telling signal is the funding in H2 showed signs of levelling compared with earlier declines The steep downward trajectory that defined earlier cycles appears to be flattening. That matters as markets rarely snap back overnight as they tend to always find a floor first. Selectivity is Replacing Broad-Based Caution If the past year was about investors stepping back, the latest data suggests they are now stepping forward. But are treading carefully, ever so slightly. KPMG reported that macroeconomic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and profitability concerns have continue to weigh on decision-making for most of these investors. Many fintechs across the region are still rightsizing operations and extending their runway, where none of that has changed materially. What has changed however is investor behaviour. Capital is no longer retreating indiscriminately as instead, it is now concentrating. The report repeatedly points to a market that is becoming more disciplined. Investors are prioritising scalable business models, clearer paths to profitability and technologies that can deliver measurable efficiency gains. The era of funding growth at all costs is giving way to something more sober. In many ways, this mirrors the natural maturation of the sector. After a decade of rapid expansion, Asia Pacific fintech is being forced to prove its fundamentals. AI Moves From Experiment to Investment Magnet And nowhere is this shift clearer than in artificial intelligence. AI has been a jargon slang in fintech circles for several years, but in 2025, it began to translate into real capital flows. Globally, AI-focused fintech investment climbed to US$16.8 billion, and Asia Pacific is increasingly part of that story. What investors are backing, however, is telling. The focus is less on flashy consumer applications and more on embedded financial infrastructure. Financial institutions across the region are exploring generative AI, large language models and emerging agentic AI capabilities, particularly in areas such as compliance, fraud detection, risk management and operational automation. The emphasis is pragmatic. Banks and insurers are looking for tools that reduce cost, improve accuracy and streamline complex workflows. AI is being evaluated less as a novelty and more as core plumbing. For fintech startups, this raises the bar. According to the report, firms hoping to attract capital will need to demonstrate genuinely differentiated intellectual property and real business impact. Simply layering AI onto an existing product is unlikely to be enough. Infrastructure Plays Begin to Dominate Investor Interest Closely linked to the AI story is a broader reorientation towards infrastructure and efficiency. Across payments, regtech and core banking technology, investors are showing a growing preference for platforms that support the underlying financial system rather than purely consumer-facing propositions. The payments sector itself illustrates this shift. Total global payments investment remained relatively flat at US$19.2 billion in 2025, but deal volume fell to a nine-year low. Taken from the KPMG Pulse of Fintech H2 2025 page 17. Fewer companies are getting funded, but those that do tend to be larger, more established players. Within payments, B2B infrastructure has been drawing increasing investor attention in the second half of the year. Demand is rising for modular platforms that can support cross-border transactions, integrated compliance and multi-rail orchestration. This is a notable change from the previous cycle, when much of the excitement centred on digital wallets and super apps. Those models are not disappearing, particularly in emerging markets, but they are no longer commanding the same premium attention from investors. Where the Biggest Deals Are Landing The shift towards more disciplined capital deployment is also visible in the region’s largest transactions. Data from KPMG’s latest report shows that the top fintech fundraisings in H2 2025 were concentrated in more established platforms and infrastructure-oriented players rather than early-stage consumer disruptors. India’s PhonePe led the pack with a US$600 million late-stage round, underscoring continued investor confidence in scaled payments ecosystems. Other notable transactions included Hong Kong-based AlloyX (US$350 million), cross-border payments player Airwallex in Singapore (US$330 million), and Japan’s back office platform Upsider (US$313.7 million). Risk and compliance-focused firms such as PremiaLab also featured prominently, with a total of US$220 million. Payments specialists remained well represented, with South Korea’s Toss (US$200 million) and Indonesia’s Honest (US$140 million) both securing significant late-stage backing. Rounding out the list were consumer finance provider Snapmint (US$125 million), wealthtech player Raise Fintech Ventures (US$120 million), and the Metropolitan Stock Exchange (US$144.4 million), all coming from India. Taken from the KPMG Pulse of Fintech H2 2025 page 60. Digital Assets Quietly Rebuild Credibility Another development worth watching is the steady rehabilitation of the digital assets sector. After two difficult years marked by market volatility and regulatory uncertainty, global investment in digital assets nearly doubled to US$19.1 billion in 2025. While the Asia Pacific share remains modest compared with the United States and Europe, the region continues to play an active role in evolving regulatory approaches. Several Asian jurisdictions have been actively refining their stance on crypto and stablecoins. Hong Kong, for instance, has been advancing its stablecoin licensing regime, while other markets across the region continue to explore tokenisation frameworks and central bank digital currency initiatives. At the same time, policy divergence remains pronounced. China continues to maintain a strict ban on most crypto-related activities, highlighting the fragmented nature of the regional landscape. What stands out in the H2 report is the growing participation of traditional financial institutions. Corporates are exploring stablecoins for treasury management, cross-border payments and money market fund tokenisation. The conversation is shifting away from speculative trading towards regulated financial infrastructure. That evolution may prove critical for the sector’s long-term credibility. Taken from the KPMG Pulse of Fintech H2 2025 page 26. What to Watch in 2026 The outlook for the coming year is cautiously constructive. The report points to several forces that could shape the next phase of fintech development across Asia Pacific. Artificial intelligence is expected to remain a major draw for investment, particularly where solutions can demonstrate measurable business impact rather than incremental automation. Consolidation among smaller fintech firms is also likely to continue as companies pursue scale and more sustainable unit economics. At the same time, progress in digital asset regulation could determine how quickly institutional participation deepens across the region. Compared with the first half of 2025, the direction of travel now looks more defined. Earlier in the year, the story was largely about contraction and correction. By the second half, the emphasis has shifted towards discipline, with capital still flowing but into a much narrower set of business models and technologies. Whether this marks the start of a healthier fintech cycle or simply a more selective funding environment remains an open question. What is becoming clear is that the era of easy capital has fundamentally reshaped investor expectations. If the past decade rewarded the fastest disruptors, the next phase may favour something totally different. Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore based on an image by Who is Danny via Freepik. The post KPMG Finds That AI Is Still the Talk of the Town in Asia Pacific Fintech Funding appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

ONERWAY’s Singapore entity has obtained a Major Payment Institution licence, expanding its regulated footprint in the city-state. The licence was granted to Overcross, the Singapore-incorporated operator of the ONERWAY payment platform, by the Monetary Authority of Singapore with effect from 1 March 2026. Under the approval, Overcross is authorised to provide regulated payment services in Singapore. These include merchant acquisition, domestic money transfer and cross-border money transfer services. The company is regulated under the Payment Services Act 2019. Overcross must comply with regulatory requirements including anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism controls, safeguarding of customer funds and technology risk management standards. ONERWAY provides multi-currency payment solutions to e-commerce and enterprise clients, supporting over 110 global payment methods from offices in London, the United States, Europe and Asia.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Max4e via Freepik The post ONERWAY Secures Payment Licence from MAS appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Contour has named Rahul Bhargava Interim COO as it enters its next growth phase after being acquired by XDC Ventures. In his interim role, Bhargava will lead operational scale-up, deepen engagement with global network members and expand participation across the platform. He will also oversee integration of XDC’s trade, digital asset and settlement capabilities, including structured trials of regulated digital settlement models alongside fiat payment rails. The trade finance platform said the appointment supports its plans to extend its Letters of Credit digitisation services and strengthen links between trade workflows and settlement infrastructure. Integration with XDC Network will support reconciliation and broader settlement capabilities. Bhargava has held roles across banks, regulators, multilateral institutions and payment infrastructures, with experience in cross-border financial systems and interoperability standards including ISO 20022. Contour said his background will support operational scale-up and regulatory alignment as the platform advances. Rahul Bhargava Rahul Bhargava said, “By vertically scaling up Contour’s proven Trade digitisation services portfolio and horizontally extending to combine XDC Network capabilities we aim to deliver a future-ready, scalable platform helping streamline trade to settlement. A Stablecoin Lab will also be available to trial USDC based settlement models.” Ritesh Kakkad Ritesh Kakkad, Co-Founder of XDC Network and XDC Ventures, said, “Rahul’s expertise in bridging legacy financial infrastructure with emerging digital rails directly supports our vision of building a powerful institutional gateway for tokenised trade finance. With Contour, we are focused on delivering scalable, compliant solutions that connect trade digitisation with efficient settlement optionality.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Borin via Freepik The post Contour Appoints Rahul Bhargava as Interim COO appeared first on Fintech Singapore.