Across the global banking and financial services industry, artificial intelligence (AI) implementation has shifted from experimentation to aggressive adoption. In 2025, nearly all of the 1,500+ managers and executives in the banking and financial services sector polled for a study commissioned by Finastra indicated either using, exploring or research AI options, underscoring the near ubiquity of AI in the space. The study, conducted last year and covering 11 markets, revealed the widespread adoption of AI in finance, finding that only 2% of the organizations surveyed were not using AI at all. This result is a dramatic indicator of near-universal adoption of AI in the global financial industry, and reveals that what was once a frontier technology, faced with undeniable skepticism, is now embedded across the banking value chain, reshaping trust, efficiency and customer experience. Which of the following best describes your organization’s adoption and implementation of AI? Source: Financial Services State of the Nation Survey 2026, Finastra Despite the global uptake, findings show that some markets are leading the charge. In particular, Vietnam is seeing the highest level of active AI deployment at 74%. In contrast, Japan is lagging behind its global counterparts at just 39%. According to Finastra, Japan’s low performance may be in part explained by the fact that digitally advanced economies are more cautious about technological change and favor incremental innovation over rapid deployment. These economies may also be hindered by their legacy systems which are slowing down modernization efforts and upgrades. Different priorities The research also found that although AI is a key focus for financial institutions worldwide, the motivations behind adoption differ across markets. In Vietnam, banks and financial institutions are embracing AI to increase speed, with 49% of respondents in the country indicating using AI to accelerate processing in payments and lending services. This is possibly to respond to booming demand and the need to keep pace with rapid financial inclusion. In Japan, institutions are leaning more into workforce productivity at 49%, reflecting demographic pressures and a cultural preference for incremental, employee-centric innovation. Singapore, meanwhile, emphasizes compliance and regulatory processes at 43%, with firms leveraging AI to navigate the city state’s increasingly complex oversight while maintaining resilience. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), banks are deploying AI to improve accuracy and reduce error (53%) but also to lower operational costs (44%). This reflects a clear focus on efficiency and reliability. Finally, in Saudi Arabia, AI is perceived as a lever for competitive advantage at 41%, reflecting an ambition to leapfrog peers in digital transformation. Organizations’ primary objectives for implementing AI, Source: Financial Services State of the Nation Survey 2026, Finastra Payment as a primary focus for AI transformation: Singapore Leads Across key business lines, banks and financial institutions have identified payments as their primary area of focus for AI transformation, leveraging the technology to deliver personalized, trustworthy, and customer-centric experiences. Over the past 12 months, 38% of organizations have deployed or enhanced AI use cases in their payment technology. This highlights the significance of AI in areas including fraud detection, anomaly detection, and personalized transaction flows. AI use cases were their top focus for payment technology improvement and deployment over the past year, surpassing real-time payments, alternative payment methods, and operational resilience. This underscores the sector’s emphasis on immediacy and customer convenience. Certain markets, particularly across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, have progressed significantly further than others. Notably, Singapore leads in experimentation and deployment of AI use cases in payment technology, with a 73% adoption rate, followed by Vietnam at 57%. AI use cases in payments will remain a top priority in payment technology for the next 12 months, with 40% of respondents globally planning improvements and deployments in this area. Payment technologies improvement and deployment, Source: Financial Services State of the Nation Survey 2026, Finastra Lending: focus on AI assistants and fraud Another key business line of AI adoption in the global financial industry is lending. In this field, the technology is used to enhance risk assessment and expedite automated credit decisions. Like for payments, AI-related use cases were the top priority in lending improvement in 2024 and 2025. 36% of the organizations polled in 2025 indicated having adopted AI assistants and chatbots for training and troubleshooting over the past year, with the US, Germany, and the UK leading in adoption, at 45%, 42%, and 41%, respectively. AI assistants and chatbots will remain a key area of focus for lending technology improvement and deployment within the next 12 months, at 34%. Following AI assistants, fraud, along with know-your-customer (KYC) and know-your-business (KYB) enhancements, were the second most significant areas of focus for improvement and deployment in lending. Over the past 12 months, 35% of respondents deployed fraud, and KYC/KYB enhancements to strengthen identity verification and financial crime prevention. This trend was most prevalent in Vietnam at 47%, while Japan lagged behind at just 11%. Over the next 12 months, 29% of global respondents will continue to focus on fraud, and KYC/KYB enhancements, underscoring a shift towards faster, more transparent, and seamless lending journeys. Lending technologies improvement and deployment, Source: Financial Services State of the Nation Survey 2026, Finastra Though the adoption of AI has increased around the world, some regions are leading others. A July 2025 study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) polled over 4,500 employees and found that workers in APAC are embracing generative AI (genAI) tools faster than their global peers. In APAC, 70% of frontline employees use genAI regularly compared to just 51% globally. Overall, 78% of APAC respondents use AI at least weekly, versus 72% worldwide. Adoption of AI also varies sharply across countries. In India, an overwhelming 92% of employees use AI, while Japan lags at just 51%.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by freepik via Freepik The post AI Reaches Mainstream Adoption in Finance: Singapore Leads in Payment Use Cases appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Syfe has partnered with J.P. Morgan Asset Management to launch a new actively managed ETF portfolio for investors in Singapore. The portfolio, named Equity Alpha, will be available on Syfe’s platform from this week. Syfe said this marks the first time a digital wealth platform in Singapore is offering J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s institutional active ETF strategy in a managed format. Active ETFs accounted for about 25 percent of global ETF inflows in 2025, up from 16 percent in 2023. Equity Alpha targets annual excess returns of 0.5 percent to 1.0 percent over its benchmark. J.P. Morgan Asset Management has reported long-term outperformance of the MSCI World Index over a 20-year period for similar strategies. Ritesh Ganeriwal Ritesh Ganeriwal, MD, Head of Investment and Advisory at Syfe, said, “By partnering with J.P. Morgan Asset Management, we are bridging the gap between institutional sophistication and retail accessibility. The Equity Alpha portfolio brings a repeatable, research-led process to individual investors that was historically available only to the world’s largest institutions. The new portfolio serves as an expansion of Syfe’s growth suite, offering a different driver of returns that complements the factor-based Core Equity 100.” The portfolio builds on a global equity benchmark and takes multiple small active positions across sectors and countries, with modest country tilts. J.P. Morgan Asset Management provides research insights. Syfe remains the discretionary manager and oversees portfolio implementation. It said the strategy uses actively managed ETFs as building blocks, resulting in underlying costs of about 0.20 percent per year, compared with 1 percent to 2 percent for many traditional active funds. Yuejue Jin Yuejue Jin, Co-Head of Multi-Asset Solutions Asia at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, added, “With this partnership with Syfe, our active investment expertise and industry-leading active ETF strategies are now accessible to a wider community of investors in Singapore. We are proud to support local investors in achieving their long-term goals with portfolios designed for diversification, resilience, and consistent results.” The launch follows an earlier announcement this month that the two firms are also working together on an Income+ Max portfolio for investors in Hong Kong.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by smartmalik6384 via Freepik The post Syfe Brings J.P. Morgan’s Active ETF Strategy to Singapore Investors appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Triple-A is expanding its cross-border remittance network through a partnership with Mastercard. The company has integrated Mastercard Move into its remittance-as-a-service platform to support faster international payouts for banks, fintech firms and telecom operators. The move enables European financial institutions to launch global remittance services with near real-time settlement and improved liquidity management. Banks in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America can also use Triple-A’s infrastructure to facilitate remittance flows from Europe to key home markets. Triple-A, a licensed global payment institution, said the collaboration marks another step in its continued expansion in Europe. Mastercard Move provides cross-border money movement solutions that connect banks and payment providers across multiple markets. Eric Barbier Eric Barbier, Founder & CEO of Triple-A, said, “This collaboration with Mastercard is a natural extension of our mission to simplify global payments. Together, we’re unlocking new levels of interoperability and trust in the cross-border space, offering banks, fintech and telecom service providers with fast and efficient payment solutions to key remittance corridors.” Tulsi Narayan Tulsi Narayan, EVP, Commercial & New Payment Flows Europe, at Mastercard said, “This collaboration expands access to Mastercard Move’s cross-border payment solutions, enabling European banks, fintechs, and telecom providers to launch global remittance services while helping Middle East and Africa banks connect with diaspora communities. Together, we’re making it easier for people to support loved ones back home, securely, quickly, and with confidence.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by isaac1112 via Freepik The post Triple-A Taps Mastercard for Europe-Focused Remittance Growth appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Stripe has shown early interest in acquiring PayPal or parts of its business, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. The talks are at an exploratory stage and may not result in a deal. Both companies declined to comment. PayPal shares rose about 6.7 percent to US$47.01 in New York trading on Tuesday, giving it a market value of roughly US$43.3 billion. Stripe was valued at US$159 billion in a recent employee and shareholder tender offer. PayPal, an early online payments pioneer, has faced slower growth amid rising competition from digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Its latest quarterly results missed analyst expectations and showed continued moderation in payment volumes. The company is also undergoing a leadership transition, with Enrique Lores set to assume the role of President and CEO on 1 March, succeeding Alex Chriss.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by farknot via Freepik   The post Stripe Explores Possible PayPal Acquisition appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Checkout.com processed over US$300 billion in payments in 2025 and swung back to full-year EBITDA profitability. Total payment volume rose 64 percent year on year, while net revenue grew more than 30 percent for the second straight year. Adjusted EBITDA margin exceeded 10 percent. The company now serves more than 1,000 enterprise merchants, including Uber, eBay, Spotify, Temu, Pinterest, HelloFresh, ASOS and Vinted. Sixty-three merchants process more than US$1 billion annually on its platform, up from 39 a year earlier. Guillaume Pousaz Guillaume Pousaz, CEO and Founder of Checkout.com, said, “Our return to profitability and the record-breaking performance of our enterprise clients validate the long-term architectural bet we made from day one: that a single, unified infrastructure would ultimately outmatch patched-together legacy systems.” Checkout.com reported 99.999 percent uptime in 2025. It handled US$5.2 billion in volume over Black Friday and Cyber Monday across nearly 100 million transactions, with 95 percent completed in under one second. The company said it is building infrastructure for agentic commerce and is live with Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol, while supporting Visa Intelligent Commerce and Mastercard’s Agentpay framework. AI tools reduced due diligence time by 83 percent and now automate all rejected transaction distribution. The company generates about 2.7 million lines of AI-assisted code each month. Headcount rose 15 percent to about 2,000 employees, with new hubs in San Francisco, Atlanta and São Paulo. Checkout.com also secured approval for a Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Bank license in Georgia.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by ismode via Freepik The post Checkout.com Swings Back to Profitability as Payment Volume Tops US$300B appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Mambu has expanded its Payments Hub platform into Southeast Asia, making it available in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore for the first time. The rollout follows adoption of the hub by banks and fintech firms operating across multiple payment schemes and jurisdictions, as the company strengthens its payments offering in the region. The cloud-native, API-first platform enables financial institutions to manage multiple payment rails through a single system. It supports processing, liquidity management and reconciliations across markets while maintaining compliance. Mambu said institutions can connect to new schemes and onboard banking partners more quickly, in some cases up to six times faster, while reducing manual processes. David Becker David Becker, Managing Director and Head of APAC Sales at Mambu, said, “Mambu’s Payments Hub provides a modern, cloud-native platform that enables the orchestration of multiple payment rails, real-time payment processing, and the build and scaling of new payment solutions more quickly and efficiently and all on a single system.” Edouard Mandon Edouard Mandon, VP Payments at Mambu, said, “Payments are becoming more global and more local, more interconnected and more fragmented, and now move in real-time. This complexity makes scaling payments across multiple markets challenging. To solve this, we have expanded our payments hub to give institutions access to local schemes while maintaining a consistent integration and operational experience.” The platform is already used by Western Union, BCB Group, Flowe and Spendesk to support payment flows at scale and regional expansion.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post Mambu Expands Payments Hub Footprint to Southeast Asia appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

McKinsey estimates the stablecoin market will hit $2 trillion by 2028. But according to Sam Lin, COO of dtcpay, even that massive number might be an underestimate. In this video, we dive into why the “train cannot be stopped.” From Visa embracing stablecoins to transactions that are faster and cheaper than SWIFT, the infrastructure of money is changing fundamentally behind the scenes. Key Topics: Why the $2 Trillion forecast might be conservative Stablecoins vs. SWIFT: Speed and Cost Why Visa is entering the game The next 5-10 years of digital finance The post Why The $2 Trillion Stablecoin Prediction Is Too Low appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Chinese New Year marks more than the start of a new lunar cycle. For many Singapore SMEs, it represents a reset and a chance to reflect on festive trading performance and set the tone for the months ahead. Now that the celebrations have concluded and we enter the Year of the Fire Horse, the focus shifts from managing peak demand to planning for sustainable growth. The horse symbolises energy, drive and forward momentum.  The Fire Horse will no doubt bring with it some disruption and ambiguity for customers, businesses and supply chains. For business owners, that means moving decisively, with a clear strategy and the right financial support in place. Reflecting on the festive period lifeforstock vie Freepik Chinese New Year is traditionally a busy trading period across Singapore, bringing increased consumer spending and operational activity. Whether your business experienced strong sales or a steadier start, now is the ideal time to assess your business performance. Were there opportunities you could not fully pursue due to limited working capital? Are receivables still outstanding while supplier invoices are now due? Do you need to replenish stock or invest in marketing to maintain momentum? Joseph Lim Joseph Lim, Bizcap’s Managing Partner for Asia, said this period offers a natural checkpoint. He said, “Chinese New Year gives businesses a moment to evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and how they want to approach the rest of the year.” Rather than treating the festive season as a standalone spike, he encourages SMEs to view it as a launchpad for broader growth plans, both in Singapore and regionally across Asia.   Why cash flow planning matters now The weeks after Chinese New Year can bring tighter cash flow. Customer payments may be delayed following holiday closures, while payroll, rent and supplier commitments continue. At the same time, many SMEs are preparing new initiatives or looking ahead to the next peak trading period. Without proactive planning, early-year momentum can slow. Lim said,  “Cash flow should support your strategy, not dictate it. When SMEs secure working capital early, they are better positioned to act on opportunities rather than react to pressure.” This mindset shift from reactive borrowing to strategic financing is increasingly important in a competitive environment. Funding growth without slowing down Traditional bank financing can suit long-term investments, but approval timelines and strict criteria do not always align with the pace of SMEs. When opportunities arise, speed matters. Non-bank lenders have become an important part of Singapore’s SME financing landscape for this reason. With Bizcap, small business financing is designed to provide efficient access to capital through a streamlined application process and timely decisions. A fast “yes” or “no” is better than a long “maybe”. Flexibility is equally critical. Every SME operates on its own cash flow cycle, shaped by customer payment terms and seasonal demand. A working capital loan or line of credit should complement that cycle, not complicate it. Alternative lending solutions are structured with real-world operations in mind, offering funding amounts and repayment terms that align with business needs. Lim said that fast, practical support can make a tangible difference at the start of the year. He said,  “Access to funding at the right time allows business owners to move forward with confidence and set a strong pace for the months ahead,” Turning momentum into long-term growth As the Year of the Fire Horse gathers pace, many Singapore SMEs are focusing on sustainable expansion. Access to the right SME financing partner can support investments in new product lines, digital capabilities, staffing or equipment upgrades. It can also provide the confidence to secure supplier discounts or pursue new contracts that require upfront capital. Lim said,  “A working capital loan should solve problems quickly so businesses can keep moving forward. When funding gaps are left too long, they can compound and create bigger challenges.” By reinforcing cash flow early, SMEs create room to plan strategically rather than make rushed decisions under financial strain. Moving forward with confidence The Year of the Fire Horse represents strength and forward movement; qualities that resonate strongly with Singapore’s SME community. The post-festive period offers a timely opportunity to refine strategy, strengthen your financial foundation and commit to clear growth objectives. With the right funding partner, a business loan or line of credit  can support expansion without placing unnecessary pressure on day-to-day operations. Exploring flexible funding options, through providers like Bizcap, may help transform early-year momentum into sustained success. The year has only just begun. With clarity, preparation and the right financial backing, your business can set a confident pace for the months ahead. Bizcap offers small business loan options here for companies reviewing their cash flow needs this year. Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by tahantanha10 via Freepik The post Why Post-Festive Business Funding Planning Matters for Singapore SMEs appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

DBS is set to overhaul the fee structure for its virtual account custodian services in April, according to Tech in Asia. The bank will move to a per-account pricing model that could significantly raise costs for larger fintech platforms. The shift reportedly replaces a flat annual fee, typically capped at around S$10,000, with charges tied to the number of individual customer accounts, industry sources said. Sources cited a monthly fee of S$1 (US$0.79) per customer account under the new structure. DBS did not publicly confirm a specific pricing figure in its statement, saying only that fees reflect the cost of additional risk controls and may vary from client to client. For major payment institutions required to safeguard client funds in segregated accounts under Singapore’s Payment Services Act, the change could turn what was previously a four-digit yearly expense into a six-figure one for platforms with large user bases. The update centres on virtual accounts, which fintech firms use to assign unique identifiers when processing high volumes of incoming payments. Previously, many of these accounts were generated dynamically by the firms themselves. DBS is now migrating selected clients to static accounts issued and managed by the bank, embedding additional screening and fraud controls. A DBS spokesperson told Fintech News Singapore that the move reflects the growing complexity of round-the-clock domestic and cross-border payment flows and the heightened risk of scams. “DBS is taking several proactive steps to strengthen controls for enhanced consumer protection. We take a risk-based approach, which includes migrating some fintech platforms from dynamic to static virtual accounts that embed additional controls and screening of end-customers and corporates. As we seek to balance risk and pricing, any pricing changes reflect the costs of additional risk controls and processes and may vary from client to client. We are committed to closely engaging clients and partners to support their migration.” Tech in Asia reported that some affected firms have begun trimming services or offboarding users as they assess the financial impact of the new structure.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by DBS The post DBS Fee Overhaul May Lift Custodian Costs for High-Volume Payment Firms appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Standard Chartered has teamed up with Seviora Capital to launch a multi-manager hedge fund vehicle under its VCC platform. The Signature Select Seviora Titans Absolute Return fund is a sub-fund within the bank’s variable capital company structure. It will invest in hedge fund managers selected by Seviora Capital, part of the Temasek-owned Seviora Group in Singapore. The strategy allocates across multiple managers and sub-strategies to avoid concentration risk. It also gives clients access to capacity-constrained hedge funds at lower minimum investment levels than direct allocations. The launch comes as investors face volatile markets and reduced diversification between equities and bonds. Multi-strategy and relative value hedge funds are often used in such conditions to manage drawdowns and seek steadier absolute returns. The fund will initially be offered to Accredited or Professional Investors in Standard Chartered’s Private Banking segment in Singapore, Hong Kong and Jersey, with wider distribution planned in phases. Sumeet Bhambri Sumeet Bhambri, Global Head, Advisory and Managed Investments, Wealth Solutions, Standard Chartered said, “This solution adds to the diversity of our VCC suite of funds, which offers products across all asset classes. As a leading international wealth manager, we are committed to continue innovating and partnering with the industry’s best players to enhance our wealth solutions and support our clients in their wealth journey.” Leow Li-Vern Leow Li-Vern, Managing Director, Investments, Seviora Capital said, “The ability of the STAR strategy to allocate to a portfolio of hedge funds with low correlation to public markets, can improve diversification of clients’ portfolios, which is vital in today’s volatile macro and market environment. This, in turn, can result in overall improvement of risk-adjusted returns. And we are pleased that Standard Chartered clients will be able to benefit from this.” Standard Chartered set up its VCC platform in June 2024. The latest launch marks its seventh sub-fund under the structure and its second fund introduction in 2026..     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Trend2023 via Freepik The post StanChart Taps Seviora for New Hedge Fund Vehicle appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

The Asia-Pacific payment landscape is a paradox of opportunity and complexity. It is arguably the most dynamic financial frontier in the world. Yet, it remains a daunting patchwork of fragmented regulations, hyper-local payment habits, and entrenched local champions fiercely defending their home turf. For any new entrant, the barriers to entry are high. While many fintechs attempt to enter the region by solving a single piece of the puzzle, DECTA, a UK-based powerhouse, touches down with a different philosophy. Positioning itself as a “full-stack” payment infrastructure provider, DECTA offers issuing, acquiring, and processing, all housed under one roof. Gabriel Stefanak, DECTA’s Head of Business Development, sat down with Fintech News Network’s Chief Editor, Vincent Fong to discuss why Asia Pacific is where it’s doubling down now, especially in high-growth markets like Singapore and Malaysia. Gabriel reveals how DECTA plans to navigate the fragmentation and fill the gaps left by legacy providers. He shares on both markets, “Singapore and Malaysia are good places to start, because of the number of financially regulated entities, which are kind of the main client for us.” Owning the Entire Payments Stack Removes the Weakest Link In a market as complex and fragmented as Asia-Pacific, the greatest risk for a financial institution is “solution collapse”. This happens when a multi-vendor chain breaks because one link fails as individual systems do not integrate or communicate effectively, causing a single point of failure to cascade across the entire stack. DECTA’s solution to this is what it calls “Bespoke-as-Standard.” an approach designed to balance local market flexibility with enterprise-grade reliability. According to Gabriel, this philosophy rests on two core pillars: full-stack ownership and consultative deployment. First comes high availability through full stack control. By owning the issuing, acquiring and processing layers, DECTA removes much of the fragility that comes from stitching together multiple vendors. Instead of relying on loosely connected third parties, clients operate on a single integrated infrastructure, significantly improving uptime and operational resilience. This structure also gives DECTA a clear advantage as a single point of accountability. If any component encounters an issue, responsibility does not shift between vendors. The entire chain is owned, managed, and supported by one provider, reducing downtime, finger-pointing, and escalation delays. @fintechnewsnetwork Can this European payments challenger crack APAC? Asia-Pacific’s fintech market is the most dynamic and fragmented in the world. While legacy banks struggle to keep up with shifting regulations and local payment rails, one European powerhouse is making a massive bet on the region. #fintech #payments #banking #finance ♬ original sound – Fintech News Network – Fintech News Network As Gabriel explains, many financial institutions today need more than issuing solutions. Banks and electronic money institutions increasingly seek a complete ecosystem, from card issuing to merchant acceptance, acquiring processing, and payments infrastructure. DECTA supports this through a full suite of white-label capabilities, including payment gateways, enabling clients to scale across use cases without introducing additional vendors. The second pillar is what truly defines “Bespoke as Standard”: consultation before configuration. Gabriel emphasises that DECTA does not kick off with a product pitch. Gabriel Stefanak “One of the biggest strengths of DECTA is our team. A good company comes with good products and good people behind it. We have a great team of professionals who are experienced in the market for more than 20 years.” Rather than pushing predefined solutions, DECTA starts by understanding where the client wants to go, identifying core pain points and challenges. Gabriel closes, saying, “A non-functional solution is not an actual business activity for us.” Fintech Fast Track Lowers the Cost of Entry for New Issuers Alongside its core infrastructure offering, DECTA has introduced the FinTech Fast Track Program, an incentive-driven initiative designed to lower the barriers to entry for new issuers and acquirers, particularly startups and non-financial companies expanding into issuing as an extension of an existing business line. The program is built to solve a familiar problem in fintech: strong ideas slowed down by cost, complexity, and lack of execution experience. Source: DECTA DECTA provides up to €100,000 in implementation incentives, allowing participants to redirect capital toward critical growth areas such as marketing, product development, or internal resourcing. For early-stage players, this can change the economics of launching an issuing or acquiring proposition. But Gabriel is clear that the financial incentive is only part of the value. What differentiates Fintech Fast Track is direct access to DECTA’s institutional experience. With a team that brings more than two decades of hands-on market knowledge, DECTA works closely with participants to ensure they are connected to the right ecosystem partners and vendors from day one. This is particularly critical on the issuing side, where a missing component or misaligned partner can delay launches or compromise scalability. Through the program, DECTA helps ensure all operational, technical, and regulatory components are in place before implementation begins, reducing costly rework later. For past participants, the impact has been tangible. Companies have been able to launch faster and scale more confidently, benefiting from incentives, clear expectations, structured guidance, and early risk mitigation. What Success Looks Like for DECTA Looking ahead, Gabriel frames success not just in terms of volume, but reputation. Within the next year, DECTA hopes to see financial institutions publicly validating its role as a challenger processor, one that is willing to disrupt legacy models and raise the bar for what modern processing partnerships should look like. To hear directly from Gabriel Stefanak on why DECTA believes full-stack ownership and Bespoke as Standard are critical for succeeding in APAC payments, watch the full conversation below. Featured image by Fintech News Singapore The post Can DECTA’s Full-Stack Approach Break Through APAC’s Payments Complexity? appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Anaplan has launched a Singapore-based AWS data center to support local compliance needs and regional growth. The new facility expands the company’s global infrastructure and is aimed at customers in Southeast Asia that require in-country data hosting. Anaplan said the move will improve processing speeds and strengthen security controls, particularly for organisations in the public sector and financial services. The company will host its AI-driven planning and analysis platform on Amazon Web Services infrastructure in Singapore, allowing customers to meet local regulatory requirements while using its planning platform. Amit Bagga Amit Bagga, Managing Director for APAC at Anaplan, said, “We are delighted to bring the Anaplan platform, including our new suite of role-based AI agents, to Singapore and the broader Southeast Asia region. Data sovereignty is a stringent requirement for our clients, and our new location ensures that their data remains within Singapore, adhering to local regulations. Plus, with Anaplan Intelligence, businesses can harness the power of AI to optimize and unify their finance, workforce, sales, and supply chain planning processes, gain deeper insights and make strategic decisions with confidence.” Carol Potts Carol Potts, General Manager for North America ISV Sales at Amazon Web Services, said, “The launch of Anaplan on AWS in Singapore represents a strategic milestone and reinforces our shared commitment to customers across Asia-Pacific.” The Singapore data center forms part of Anaplan’s US$500 million innovation roadmap to expand its global footprint. The company has also established data center locations in India, Indonesia and Australia as it builds out its presence across Asia Pacific.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore/, based on image by mkmult via Freepik The post Anaplan Expands APAC Infrastructure With Singapore AWS Data Center appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Peak XV Partners has raised US$1.3 billion across three new funds targeting India and the broader Asia Pacific region. The capital spans its India Seed Fund, India Venture Fund and an APAC-focused fund, according to a LinkedIn post by the firm. Peak XV added that it still holds substantial uninvested capital in its existing Growth Fund, allowing it to back companies from early to later stages. The funds are the firm’s first under the Peak XV brand following its 2023 split from Sequoia Capital. It said many of its limited partners are global endowments and foundations. Peak XV pointed to growing momentum in artificial intelligence across India and APAC, alongside continued depth in sectors such as fintech and consumer technology. The firm said it sees long-term opportunities driven by expanding markets, technical talent and increasing global ambition among founders. The firm invests across seed, venture and growth stages and has backed technology companies in the region for more than two decades.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Peak XV Partners via LinkedIn The post Peak XV Closes US$1.3 Billion for India, APAC Investments appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

DBS and Granite Asia have kicked off a three-year partnership with the closing of a US$110 million AI-focused IPO fund targeting Asia’s next wave of tech listings. The fund, distributed exclusively to DBS wealth clients, invests in the initial public offerings of AI-driven companies in Asia. Granite Asia said the vehicle drew investors from Southeast Asia, South Asia and Europe. It provides exposure at the point of listing and supports the region’s expanding AI sector. The fund is the first in a planned series of investment products under the partnership. Granite Asia will structure additional funds for DBS clients and offer co-investment opportunities. One upcoming product will focus on private capital aimed at accelerating technology-enabled transformation in Asian businesses through non-dilutive funding, while giving wealth clients access to asset classes typically reserved for institutional investors. DBS will provide financing and advisory services to Granite Asia’s funds and portfolio companies, including subscription financing, corporate loans, mergers and acquisitions advisory, bond issuances and IPO preparation support. Granite Asia said it has guided five portfolio companies to public listings and filed 10 additional IPO applications in the past six months. Tan Su Shan Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS, said, “This partnership, the first of its kind for DBS with an asset manager, reflects our heritage as a development bank and our commitment to power Asia’s next generation of global category leaders. It is a clear expression of our One Bank approach, where we bring together our wealth, institutional banking and global financial markets teams to serve clients seamlessly across their lifecycle. By combining DBS’ capabilities with Granite Asia’s deep founder relationships and track record in backing innovative Asian champions, we can offer differentiated investment opportunities to our clients and create new pathways for ambitious founders to expand internationally.” Jenny Lee Jenny Lee, Senior Managing Partner of Granite Asia, said, “Granite Asia brings a unique investment lens focused on technology and transformation, while DBS contributes unrivalled banking strength, capital markets expertise and regional networks. Together, we aim to support founders and companies as they scale across borders and mature into enduring global leaders.”   The post DBS and Granite Asia Launch US$110 Million AI IPO Fund appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Luxembourg has launched NextFin Asia, a new fund that will invest directly in Southeast Asian fintechs focused on financial inclusion. The fund will support the third edition of the Catapult: Inclusion SE Asia programme run by the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology. It is being launched in partnership with the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade and ADB Ventures, the venture arm of the Asian Development Bank. The move shifts the programme from a pure acceleration model to one that combines capital and institutional support. For the first time, participating startups will receive direct investment through the NextFin Asia Fund alongside strategic guidance to help scale across ASEAN. The 2026 edition will launch in Luxembourg in June and continue at the Singapore Fintech Festival in November. Since its inception, the Catapult programme has supported 115 fintech startups from emerging markets in Africa and Asia, helping expand access to financial services for underserved communities. Alex Panican “The NextFin Asia Fund is the result of the trust from Luxembourg’s Government and ADB’s towards the Catapult SE Asia program. And it definitely reflects the amazing quality of the entrepreneurs and partners taking part in it. I am confident that NextFin Asia will become the key catalyst for inclusive finance and innovation in Asia. And we are very excited at the LHoFT to take part in such an endeavor,” said Alex Panican, Deputy CEO of the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology (LHoFT).     The post Luxembourg Expands ASEAN Fintech Push With New Inclusion-Focused Fund appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

DBS will introduce a 12-hour cooling period for selected high-risk banking activities from 7 March, as part of its latest measures to curb scams. The Straits Times reported that customers were notified via e-mail that digital banking users will no longer be able to instantly add a new transfer recipient, raise daily transfer limits for local or overseas transactions, or update contact details. Instead, these changes will only take effect after a 12-hour delay. The bank said the safeguard is intended to give customers time to detect and stop unauthorised activity. If a new payee is added or transfer limits are raised, transactions under the revised settings will only proceed once the cooling period has lapsed. Alerts will be sent to customers’ registered contact details during this window, allowing them to review and report suspicious requests. DBS has introduced several anti-scam measures over the past year. Customers must activate a toggle within the banking app before adding cards to mobile wallets, with the setting automatically switching off after 10 minutes. In June 2025, the bank rolled out real-time fraud surveillance for accounts with at least S$50,000, blocking or placing a 24-hour hold on transactions exceeding half of the account balance. Scam losses remain substantial. Police data released in August 2025 showed nearly S$500 million lost in the first half of the year, with close to 20,000 cases reported. Phishing scams were the most common, accounting for 3,779 cases and S$30.4 million in losses, more than double the S$13 million recorded in the same period in 2024. Many cases involved unauthorised card transactions after victims disclosed their card details and authentication codes to scammers. Banks are already required under the Shared Responsibility Framework, introduced in 2024, to enforce a 12-hour cooling period for digital token activation. The framework also mandates real-time alerts for higher-risk activities, including changes to account details, increased limits and new payees, as well as logins to e-wallets on new devices.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore/Malaysia, based on image by DBS The post DBS to Impose 12-Hour Cooling Period for High-Risk Account Changes from 7 March appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Sumsub has launched Summy, a large language model-based AI Copilot embedded across its platform to support compliance officers, risk managers and fraud investigators. The tool allows users to query case data in plain language and generate audit-ready outputs grounded in Sumsub data within existing workflows. It builds on Summy’s earlier role as an AI assistant introduced last year in the company’s Case Management solution and now extends across broader compliance and fraud processes. The release comes as fraud grows more sophisticated. Sumsub’s Identity Fraud Report 2025–2026 found that multi-step, resource-intensive AI-driven schemes rose 180 percent year on year globally in 2025. Meanwhile, regulations such as the EU Artificial Intelligence Act and Singapore’s Protection from Scams Act are raising expectations for transparency, documentation and timely decision-making. Andrew Novoselsky “Unlike autonomous AI systems that make opaque decisions, Summy is designed as a supporting AI agent for compliance teams, not a substitute for them. All decisions remain under human control, without sacrificing reliability, traceability, or accountability. With Summy and our recently launched AI Agent Verification, we are investing in an AI ecosystem where agents are explainable, tied to real accountability, and built to help businesses stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud.” said Andrew Novoselsky, Chief Product Officer at Sumsub. Sumsub said Summy operates within thresholds set by compliance teams, aligning outputs with internal policies rather than replacing human judgement. The company added that the Copilot can cut manual analysis and improve case handling productivity by up to three times, on average. Summy can retrieve product information including setup flows and troubleshooting guidance, generate visual analytics from platform data, provide structured regulatory input and summarise complex cases into concise overviews highlighting key risk signals and suggested next steps.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Sumsub The post Sumsub Rolls Out AI Copilot Across Compliance and Fraud Workflows appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Pine Labs will embed OpenAI’s API capabilities into its AI-native infrastructure and global merchant ecosystem to enhance how merchants manage payments and operational workflows. The collaboration comes as India’s digital payments market continues to scale, with annual volumes exceeding 180 billion transactions. The country operates the world’s largest real-time payment system, and its fintech sector is projected to reach US$1.5 trillion by 2026. Pine Labs said the integration marks a shift from deterministic, rule-based systems toward technology that can interpret context and support more complex financial decision-making. The company described this as adding a reasoning layer to its commerce stack, enabling systems to weigh probabilities rather than rely solely on fixed instructions. AI-driven processes will operate within Pine Labs’ existing enterprise security framework, including data isolation, encryption, audited controls and human oversight where required. B Amrish Rau, CEO of Pine Labs, said, “For decades, commerce has been built on passive systems that simply follow instructions. At Pine Labs, we are moving beyond that era to build an active, intelligent layer for business. Our work with OpenAI ensures that our infrastructure is no longer just a participant in a trade, but a driver of efficiency and growth. We are building the first agentic stack for the next generation of the global economy.” Oliver Jay “The next phase of AI is about moving from information to action. By combining our advanced reasoning capabilities with Pine Labs’ deep merchant infrastructure, we are helping to create a powerful engine for innovation that turns complex financial workflows into seamless, agentic experiences at scale.” said Oliver Jay, Managing Director, International, OpenAI. Pine Labs also plans to extend elements of the AI stack to its developer ecosystem, allowing third parties to build applications on its platform. The company said the initiative is intended to support merchants from SMEs to global businesses as they adopt more advanced digital tools for payments and financial management.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by rawintanpin via Freepik The post Pine Labs to Add OpenAI Models to Merchant Ecosystem appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Small and medium enterprises sit at the core of Asia Pacific’s economic engine, yet they remain among the most underserved segments in formal finance. Across the region, SMEs account for more than 97% of all businesses and contribute up to 53% of national GDP in some markets, according to the Asian Development Bank’s 2024 SME Monitor. But why did we mention that SMEs are among the most overlooked sectors in formal finance in the same sentence when they are the driver for the region’s economy? Well, despite their economic importance, access to credit remains constrained. Mastercard estimated in 2024 that the SME credit gap in the Asia Pacific stands at US$2.5 trillion, a figure echoed by the International Finance Corporation’s 2025 MSME Finance Gap Report, which warns that demand for financing continues to outpace supply. That’s a couple of years ago. The number these days could be very different. Traditional banking models have now long struggled to serve this segment at scale. Legacy technology stacks, fragmented regulatory frameworks, and manual workflows continue to slow credit decisions, even at a time when fintech players redefine expectations around speed, automation, and accessibility. Joe Udomdejwatana, Business Development Director for Asia Pacific at Axe Finance, believes banks remain stuck in incremental digital transformation, and they have a lot to do. Speaking during the Singapore FinTech Festival, he explained why he believes, Lending 3.0 represents a fundamental shift in how financial institutions can modernise credit decisioning and reach the region’s underserved enterprises. The Illusion of Digital Transformation in SME Lending Banks often highlight digitalisation initiatives as evidence of progress, but Joe argues otherwise. He said, Joe Udomdejwatana “What banks do at the moment is actually transforming digital from [a] manual process.” Joe pointed out the example like how relationship managers often still gather SME documents manually before entering them into CRM systems, with analysts relying heavily on Excel for financial spreading. The underlying issue, he explained, is that digital tools have been layered onto legacy workflows rather than replacing them with streamlined processes. Many banks continue to stitch together multiple decisioning engines, data warehouses, and third-party systems in an attempt to automate lending, but the resulting complexity often slows down decision-making instead of accelerating it. Fragmented technology stacks can create operational bottlenecks that make it difficult for banks to scale SME lending efficiently, even when demand is strong and data is readily available. Why Legacy IT Budgets Keep Banks Stuck Plus, the constraints of fragmented, legacy infrastructure are not only just technical but also financial. Forrester estimates that traditional banks spend around 70% to 80% of their IT budgets just on maintaining existing systems alone. Which tends to mean that they often leave limited capacity for innovation. Composable architecture is often discussed as a solution for that, and the Business Development Director for Asia Pacific at Axe Finance agrees. But he did put an emphasis that modernisation must occur without disrupting core banking operations. And what does he mean by that? Joe gave a perfect analogy. “Think of fully composable as something … like you’re renovating a room in a house, [that] you’re still living in it, and you don’t want it to disrupt your lifestyle while [the renovation is taking place],” he said. Rather than replacing core systems outright, banks can add modular capabilities on top of their existing infrastructure. The layered approach enables institutions to roll out new capabilities while preserving system stability, a non-negotiable requirement in heavily regulated financial services environments. The Black Box Problem in AI-Driven Credit Artificial intelligence has become central to a lot of segment, and modern credit decisioning is one of it. However, it lacks explainability which remains a major concern for regulators and risk leaders. Opaque AI models create accountability challenges, particularly when decisions must be justified to regulators and internal risk teams. “Regulators will not accept [when you tell them] that you approve [a loan] because of AI,” Joe smiled while he gave this example. To address such issue, he advocates hybrid models that combine AI with traditional statistical approaches. @fintechnewsnetwork Banks Can No Longer Hide Behind AI Regulators will never accept “because the AI said so” for credit decisions. So, risk officers are now required to have a transparent and auditable trail to ensure compliance. Is your institution prepared for the era of explainable AI? #Fintech #AI #Banking #RegTech #AxeFinance ♬ original sound – Fintech News Network – Fintech News Network Rather than relying entirely on machine learning, banks should also ensure decisions remain traceable and auditable, with clear explanations for each approvals or declines. Why? Because explainability has increasingly becoming a regulatory requirement rather than just an optional feature, as automated decisioning becomes more widespread across financial services. Regulation as a Structural Barrier Across Asia Regulatory fragmentation adds another layer of complexity for banks operating across Asia Pacific. “In this region, I think the reason is because of [the] diversity,” Joe mentioned. What he means by that is not only because of the divergent nature of the region, but also because each market is governed by its own central bank and regulatory framework, creating significant variations in workflows, credit scoring requirements, and compliance processes. Hence, coordinating compliance across multiple jurisdictions adds operational strain for regional banks, particularly when regulatory changes must be implemented quickly. “One challenge is … how do we actually centralise all that at the region … to allow changes [to be made] real time and rapidly,” he added. But Joe has an answer to that. He admits that platforms that support multi-entity frameworks could help banks manage regulatory requirements centrally. Which all can be done while still complying with local mandates, reducing the operational burden created by fragmented compliance processes. Empowering Business Teams With No-Code Tools Beyond these issues though, Joe Udomdejwatana sees a growing shift towards empowering business users such as compliance officers, risk managers, and product teams to configure systems directly. He believes that no-code tools will allow policy updates, workflow changes, and regulatory simulations without any form of intervention from the developer. Not only that, decentralising configuration capabilities can significantly shorten time to market and allow banks to respond more rapidly to regulatory changes. Joe said that giving business teams direct control over rules and regulatory simulations helps institutions reduce dependence on long development cycles while increasing agility in lending operations. Embedded Lending as a Massive Opportunity Embedded finance also represents a major growth opportunity, particularly within B2B ecosystems. In Asia Pacific alone, embedded lending is estimated to represent a US$78 billion market. Speed however, will be the defining factor. “Embedded financing lives and die basically on speed of decisioning in seconds, not days,” said Joe. Traditional banks often struggle to match fintech agility, where loan approvals can happen in seconds rather than days. He strongly believes that composable architecture and AI-driven models can help banks compete by enabling faster decisioning and seamless integration into digital platforms. Joe is also on the side that technology can give banks the capabilities to compete with fintech players. However, success will also depend on how well banks prepare their operations and integrate into digital ecosystems. Lending 3.0 and the Need for Intelligent Adaptability For what lies for the future, Joe describes the next phase of credit as Lending 3.0, driven by real-time data and adaptive decisioning systems. “I would say the term is intelligent adaptability,” he indicates. Modern lending platforms must ingest, interpret, and act on data continuously rather than relying on periodic assessments. Banks must feed real-time performance data, behavioural signals, and application information directly into their risk models to maintain accuracy. Such transition will now help to redefine lending from periodic underwriting assessments to continuous risk monitoring, requiring platforms capable of sensing changes, interpreting data, and acting in real time. Flexibility and agility will become essential as long as lending models evolve towards real-time intelligence. From Legacy Maintenance to Intelligent Banking Ending his thoughts, Joe believes that banks must move beyond maintaining legacy systems and focus more on becoming intelligent service providers. All of the things he mentioned beforehand, the composable platforms, explainable AI, embedded finance, and real-time adaptability, all represent a roadmap for banks seeking to close the SME credit gap and compete with fintechs. Technology alone, however, will not solve the structural challenges. Banks must be able to rethink workflows, regulatory coordination, and decisioning models in order to truly unlock Asia’s vast SME potential. Joe Udomdejwatana highlighted that the region’s credit gap remains one of the largest untapped economic opportunities. Whether traditional banks can evolve quickly enough will determine who captures it in the next decade. Watch the video as Joe and I unpack the limitations of basic digitisation and explore what true Lending 3.0 strategies could mean for banks across Asia Pacific. The post Banks Have Been Digitising Lending, but Still Haven’t Transformed It appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Two in three retail customers who started investing with OCBC in 2025 chose gold or silver as their first asset class, replacing equities and unit trusts as the usual entry point. The number of precious metals investors rose 2.5 times year-on-year in 2025, reflecting stronger demand for paper gold and silver. As at end-January 2026, new investor numbers were three times higher on a month-on-month basis despite higher precious metal prices. Younger investors accounted for a significant share of the increase. In 2025, the number of investors under 40 doubled from the previous year and made up about half of all precious metals investors. Those in their 20s recorded the fastest growth in gold and silver holdings. OCBC said many first-time investors viewed precious metals as an accessible way to begin building wealth while hedging against geopolitical uncertainty, inflation concerns and shifting expectations around global interest rates. The bank expects demand to remain firm into 2026, supported by underlying structural factors and sustained industrial demand. Through the OCBC app, customers can buy paper gold or silver from 0.01 oz, priced at under S$65 for gold and about S$1 for silver as at 12 February 2026. The service, introduced in 2021, allows customers to invest digitally at any time. Premier Banking and Premier Private Client customers can also invest via relationship managers and client advisors. Tan Siew Lee Tan Siew Lee, Head of Group Wealth Management at OCBC, said, “Precious metals, especially gold, continue to be supported by solid structural factors, and will remain important as a source of diversification in portfolios. Typically, once an asset becomes mainstream, hype can often creep in. The recent volatility is a reminder that sharp price swings can happen. Young investors may feel tempted to chase quick gains, but true investing is about building long-term wealth, not speculation. While precious metals can play a stabilising role in a portfolio, allocations should stay measured. Gold should sit alongside a well-balanced investment mix, in line with one’s risk tolerance and preferences.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by OCBC The post Gold, Silver Replace Equities as Preferred Entry Point for OCBC Retail Investors appeared first on Fintech Singapore.