Rapyd has launched a suite of stablecoin payment solutions designed to give businesses a secure and scalable way to accept, settle, and pay out in stablecoins for cross-border transactions. The platform unifies what has traditionally been a fragmented process, allowing companies to manage stablecoin pay-ins and pay-outs within a single integrated system. The rollout comes as stablecoins gain ground in mainstream finance. Blockchain transaction volumes reached more than US$27 trillion in 2025, surpassing the combined annual volumes of Visa and Mastercard. New regulations, including the GENIUS Act in the United States and MiCA in the European Union, together with similar initiatives in other major markets, are driving adoption in sectors such as gaming, e-commerce, and traditional retail. Rapyd said its service addresses challenges such as currency volatility, slow settlement times, and complex treasury operations. Companies can convert stablecoin payments into preferred fiat currencies, send payouts securely to businesses and end users anywhere in the world on a 24/7/365 basis, or settle directly in stablecoins to support liquidity and reduce reliance on traditional rails such as SWIFT or ACH. Arik Shtilman “Stablecoins have moved from early-stage concept to global utility, and companies need partners who can bridge digital assets with real-world business needs. Rapyd’s role is to strip away the complexity, integrate stablecoins into global money movement, and give businesses more control over how and when they move funds.” said Arik Shtilman, CEO and Co-Founder of Rapyd. David Rosa “Enterprises are under pressure to manage liquidity in real time while navigating multiple currencies and jurisdictions. Our Stablecoin Payment Solutions are built to remove those barriers. By combining stablecoin rails with our existing treasury, payout, and settlement infrastructure, we give CFOs and operations teams the ability to move funds instantly, reduce FX exposure, and cut out unnecessary intermediaries. It’s about taking what has been a fragmented, complex process and turning it into a single, reliable platform for global money movement.” said David Rosa, General Manager of Rapyd’s Scale Business Unit.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik   The post Rapyd Rolls Out Stablecoin Payment Solutions Amid Growing Global Adoption appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

CIMB Group is reshuffling its leadership in Singapore after Victor Lee Meng Teck stepped down from his roles as CEO of Growth Markets and CEO of CIMB Singapore. Victor Lee Meng Teck Lee has resigned to pursue other opportunities and will be on gardening leave with immediate effect. He joined CIMB in January 2019 as CEO of Group Commercial and Transaction Banking before taking over as CEO of CIMB Singapore in January 2020. The group said its succession plan has been activated and successors will be named in due course. In the meantime, Group CEO Novan Amirudin will oversee Growth Markets as Acting CEO. Andrew Boey, Chief Financial Officer of CIMB Singapore, has been appointed Officer-in-Charge to assume day-to-day leadership responsibilities and ensure continued progress and stability. Novan Amirudin Novan said, “Victor has been instrumental in transforming and institutionalising CIMB Singapore for continued sustainable success, driven by CIMB Group’s EPICC culture. As we look to the future, we are confident in the strength and depth of our bench strength, comprised of experienced and highly capable leaders, well prepared to carry forward our strategic priorities under our Forward30 plan. The group extends its sincere appreciation to Victor for his contributions and wishes him continued success in his future endeavours.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by vusal3d via Freepik   The post CIMB Singapore CEO Resigns After Five Years With the Group appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

South Korea’s fintech unicorn Toss is preparing to launch its finance super-app in Australia before the end of this year. The company also plans to issue a Korean won-backed stablecoin once regulatory conditions in its home market permit. This marks Toss’s first overseas expansion and a step towards entering digital currency markets as government support for stablecoins grows in South Korea. Toss, operated by Viva Republica, is entering the Australian market with the aim of creating a unified financial platform. Chief Executive Lee Seung-gun confirmed the company’s plans in an interview with Reuters, stating, “We proved in Korea that a startup can compete head-on with entrenched players.” Toss intends to offer a single digital application through which users can manage various financial tasks. The company has already established a unit in Australia and is preparing to launch initial services such as peer-to-peer transfers by year-end. Toss will enter a market where the average Australian holds around 2.4 bank accounts, suggesting demand for tools that help users consolidate account management. Toss views Australia’s open banking rules as providing a favourable environment. Under the Consumer Data Right (CDR), banks are required to share customer data with approved third parties, enabling fintech companies to develop applications that integrate multiple accounts. Australia’s New Payments Platform (NPP), which supports instant transfers and request-to-pay functions, is also expected to be central to Toss’s service model. Alongside its overseas move, Toss is preparing to issue a Korean won-denominated stablecoin, though only once regulators give approval. Lee said, Lee Seung-gun “We will issue and distribute won-based stablecoin, that I can say for sure.” The firm has begun discussions with regulatory bodies on how and when such a launch might proceed. South Korea’s Financial Services Commission announced in August that it intends to introduce a regulatory framework for stablecoins by October, potentially allowing local firms to begin developing and issuing won-backed digital assets. Toss is not alone in this effort; institutions including Kakao Bank and Kookmin Bank have shown interest through trademark filings. The initiative comes amid growing institutional demand for digital assets in South Korea. In July, shares in major banks rose following disclosures of stablecoin-related trademark applications, coinciding with policy proposals from President Lee Jae-myung, who has pledged a more crypto-friendly stance, including support for a won-backed stablecoin. Since launching in 2015, Toss has gained more than 30 million users in South Korea with services spanning payments, credit scoring, loans and insurance. Many of these features are expected to be introduced to overseas markets, starting with Australia. The Australian launch will act as a test case for the firm’s wider global plans, which may include both financial services and stablecoin offerings once regulatory conditions are met.   Featured image credit: Toss The post Toss to Launch Finance Super-App in Australia, Plans Won-Based Stablecoin appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

From deepfakes and synthetic identities to real-time manipulation of biometric data, fraudsters are now using AI with a level of speed and precision not seen before. With generative AI projected to drive US$40 billion in fraud losses by 2027, based on estimates for the United States alone, financial institutions must act quickly to strengthen their defences. Fintechs, banks and regulators are under mounting pressure to respond to increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics that continue to evolve. This webinar will bring together fraud and risk leaders to explore: The new face of financial crime with deepfakes, voice cloning, and fraud-as-a-service accelerating across APAC Bridging the expertise gap by investing in in-house capabilities and real-time fraud detection strategies Keeping fraud controls effective without sacrificing user experience or customer trust Understanding where regulators draw the line with insights from Singapore’s Shared Responsibility Framework and the new scams bill Panelists: Albert Dela Cruz, CISO, GoTyme Bank Chen Jee Meng, Head of Financial Crime Compliance, CIMB Singapore Gabby Tomas, Operations Group Head at Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) Lukas Bayer, Head of Biometrics, User Acquisition and User Design/Experience, Jumio Moderator: Vincent Fong, Chief Editor, Fintech News Network The post Webinar: How AI is Transforming FSI’s Approach to Fraud appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

GIC and SoftBank Vision Fund are considering selling their stakes in VNLife in a move that could value the Vietnamese fintech at more than US$1 billion, according to Bloomberg. The two investors have appointed a financial adviser and have begun sounding out potential buyers to assess interest, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. The discussions are still preliminary, and there is no certainty a transaction will take place. Both GIC and SoftBank Vision Fund declined to comment. VNLife, founded in 2007, operates in Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar and Cambodia. The company owns digital payments provider VNPay, known for operating one of the most widely used QR code payment networks in Vietnam. The fintech has attracted substantial capital in recent years. It secured over US$250 million in 2021 from General Atlantic and Dragoneer Investment Group, following an earlier funding round of around US$300 million backed by GIC and SoftBank Vision Fund.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image via VNLife’s LinkedIn  The post Talks on GIC and SoftBank Stake Sale Could Value VNLife Above US$1 Billion appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Stablecoins are rapidly evolving from a niche vertical in the cryptocurrency ecosystem into a foundational element of the global financial system, expanding beyond their initial role as lower-risk alternatives to volatile cryptocurrencies. One of the most significant and impactful applications of stablecoins is in payments, with  growing adoption across cross-border payments, peer-to-peer (P2P) remittances, business-to-business (B2B) payments, and treasury management, according to a new report by Financial Technology (FT) Partners, a fintech-focused investment bank. Stablecoins for payments Released in May, the report provides an update on the current state of the stablecoin market, exploring the technology’s use cases in consumer, B2B, and cross-border payments. It highlights the emergence of stablecoins and other blockchain-based payment systems as alternatives to traditional financial rails, such as card networks and SWIFT. Unlike traditional banking systems, which often involve slow routing and settlement processes, crypto payments operate on their own decentralized networks, enabling real-time payments, the report says. These types of payments offer a number of advantages, it says, including greater accessibility, since anyone with a digital wallet can use them without needing a bank account. Furthermore, transaction fees are often more than 50% lower than traditional rails, with near-instantaneous settlement. In addition, stablecoins can be combined with smart contracts to support payment-versus-payment systems, where transactions are settled only when both parties confirm their payment instructions. This reduces counterparty risk and increases efficiency, the report says. Additional institutional use cases are growing as well. In March 2024, BlackRock launched the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL), which digitizes traditional assets like cash, US Treasury bills and repurchase agreements. The product allows investors to earn yield while holding these assets as blockchain-based tokens on networks such as Ethereum and Solana. Stablecoin payment flows versus traditional cross-border payments, Source: Stablecoin Payments: Crypto Finds its Killer App?, Financial Technology Partners, May 2025 Research by CB Insights indicates that within the stablecoin market, the payment processing segment remains relatively early in its commercial development, with roughly half of the leading companies in this space remaining in the initial stages of commercial maturity. However, this space is demonstrating significant growth potential. CB Insights expects stablecoin payment companies to receive US$454 million in funding this year, a more than tenfold increase from the US$45 million they received in 2024. Recent developments in payment stablecoins Interest in stablecoins as a payments continues to accelerate this year. In February, Stripe acquired stablecoin player Bridge for a staggering US$1.1 billion, its largest acquisition to date. The deal marks a bold bet on stablecoins as a core payments technology rather than merely speculative assets, and underscores Stripe’s conviction that stablecoin payment acceptance is a significant value driver for its business moving forward. Bridge is crypto infrastructure company that builds technology to make using stablecoins and digital assets easier for businesses and developers. It provides APIs and tools that let companies send, receive, and settle payments in stablecoins across different blockchains, focusing on near-instant and low-cost international transfers. Stripe is not alone in doubling down on this space. In May, Visa invested in BVNK, a provider of enterprise-grade infrastructure for stablecoin payments, shortly after the startup launched an embedded wallet that unifies fiat currencies and stablecoins on one single platform. Around the same time, Visa also announced a card-issuing product in partnership with Bridge, allowing cardholders to make purchases using stablecoin balances. Mastercard has similarly expanded its stablecoin footprint, enabling stablecoin payments at 150 million partnering merchants through partnerships with platforms like Crypto.com, MetaMask, OKX, and Kraken. Standard Chartered, meanwhile, is working on a HKD-backed stablecoin in partnership with Animoca and HKT, while Facebook’s parent company, Meta, is reportedly considering using stablecoins for payouts. Another major infrastructure leap came from Fireblocks, which launched its Payments Network to streamline stablecoin transactions across more than 100 countries. By connecting blockchains with local payment systems and liquidity providers, the network supports use cases like merchant settlements and cross-border remittances, adding to the growing momentum behind stablecoin-based payment rails. The state of the stablecoin market The stablecoin market has seen consistent growth. In August, total market capitalization reached a new all-time high of US$278 billion, according to crypto news outlet CoinDesk, marking the 23rd consecutive month of growth. On centralized exchanges, trading volume in stablecoin pairs hit US$2.47 trillion, an eight-month high. Total stablecoin market capitalization and monthly trading volume, Source: Stablecoins and CBDCs Report, CoinDesk Data, Aug 2025 Tether (USDT) continues to lead the market with a US$167 billion capitalization. The stablecoin accounts for for more than 80% of total stablecoin trading volume on centralized exchanges. Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) follows with a market capitalization of US$67.1 billion, and an 11.1% market share. Top stablecoins, Source: Stablecoins and CBDCs Report, CoinDesk Data, Aug 2025 Corporate enthusiasm is fueling much of this surge, with companies like Walmart, and Expedia exploring their own stablecoins to streamline global payments, reduce processing fees, and lessen reliance on traditional financial infrastructure. Companies owned by Wall Street giants such as JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo are also considering launching a joint stablecoin. Favorable regulatory developments are further boosting the sector. The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) was signed into law on July 18, 2025, marking the country’s first major national cryptocurrency legislation. The bill aims to regulate the stablecoin market, creating a clearer framework for banks, companies and other entities to issue digital currencies. Standard Chartered projects that the stablecoin market could grow nearly tenfold to US$2 trillion by 2028. Are Stablecoins the Future of Finance in APAC: Webinar As stablecoins continue to transition into mainstream finance, Fintech News Singapore will be hosting a webinar discussing the drivers behind their adoption, potentials success factors, and their role in making payments faster, cheaper, and programmable. Speakers will include Tianwei Liu, CEO & Co-Founder, StraitsX; Evy Theunis, Head of Digital Assets, Institutional Banking Group, DBS Bank; Sam Lin, COO, dtcpay; and Amy Zhang, Head of APAC, Fireblocks.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by black.salmon via Freepik The post Are Stablecoins Set to Transform Payments? appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Ant International’s Bettr unit launched an AI-driven accounts receivable financing solution to help global e-commerce platform vendors gain rapid and secure access to working capital as year-end demand builds. The product is designed for small and medium-sized businesses that often face difficulties obtaining financing during peak retail periods. It provides fast, flexible, and reliable funding to cover inventory, marketing, and operational costs. Bettr’s system analyses vendor-provided data such as invoices, sales history, and customer ratings to instantly produce a precise credit risk assessment and generate loan offers tailored to each seller’s needs. The platform also incorporates competitive market rates and an efficient application process. To ensure security, it continuously monitors transactions in real time, identifies and prevents fraudulent activities, and conducts ongoing risk assessments in line with compliance requirements. Quan Yu “Our goal is to give the vendors the financial agility they need to capitalise on a massive opportunity. By integrating our alternative data-powered credit assessment and risk management directly into the e-commerce ecosystem, we can quickly approve and disburse funds. This is a game-changer for small and medium-sized businesses looking to scale quickly and meet demand.” said Quan Yu, General Manager of Credit Services, Ant International.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by DeKreatif.id via Freepik The post Ant International’s Bettr Offers AI-Powered Financing for Online Sellers appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Australian startup Marloo, a technology company developing AI tools for financial advisers, has raised US$2.7 million in funding to expand its platform and accelerate product development. The company operates across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, aiming to provide advisers with AI-first software that reduces administrative burdens and supports client relationships. The round was led by Blackbird Ventures, the first investors in Canva, with participation from CoVentures. It also included a group of fintech leaders and company founders, among them Tom Hambrett (Chief Legal Officer, Revolut), Sam Halse (former COO, Adyen), Philip Fierlinger (Co-founder, Xero), Tom Kelly (Co-founder, Heidi Health), and Warren Hogarth (Co-founder, Tilt). Samantha Wong, General Partner at Blackbird Ventures, said: Samantha Wong “What makes the Marloo team exceptional is their product obsession: prioritising a beautiful, intuitive AI-first experience, adopting a global-first mindset, and building a product-led strategy that reminds us of the early days of Canva.” Marloo reports a 45% month-on-month growth in adoption, with advisers referring to the platform as their “most loved” AI solution. The company’s current offering includes customised meeting templates, searchable knowledge bases, team collaboration tools with secure sharing, and adherence to enterprise-grade security standards including SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR compliance. According to Marloo, the funding will be used to accelerate its roadmap, introduce new features based on adviser feedback, and strengthen support for wealth management, planning, insurance, and mortgage firms.   Featured image credit: Marloo The post Marloo Secures US$2.7M to Expand AI Platform for Financial Advisers appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

ANZ Bank will reportedly cut about 3,500 jobs over the next year in a restructuring drive led by Chief Executive Nuno Matos. Bloomberg reported the overhaul is aimed at cutting complexity, eliminating duplication and refocusing the bank on higher-priority work while restoring investor and regulatory confidence. The lender expects to book a pre-tax restructuring charge of about A$560 million in the second half of 2025. The reductions, equal to roughly 8 percent of staff, will be accompanied by the removal of close to 1,000 contractor roles. ANZ said customer-facing jobs and those tied to its Suncorp acquisition will be spared. Matos, who joined in May after a long career at HSBC, is said to have a track record of turning around troubled divisions. Within weeks of taking over, several senior executives departed, including retail chief Maile Carnegie and technology head Gerard Florian. He has since halted non-essential projects, reshaped management and introduced new risk officer roles across business lines. The bank remains under pressure from regulators. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority imposed an additional A$250 million capital overlay over weaknesses in non-financial risk management, while the securities regulator is reviewing ANZ’s role in government bond sales. Early in the restructuring process, a poorly handled redundancy email forced Matos to apologise, underlining the cultural issues he has vowed to fix. Analysts expect the overhaul to deliver substantial cost savings over time, though near-term results will be weighed down by the restructuring charge. Most forecast the benefits will only become visible from 2027. ANZ shares have climbed about 15 percent this year, outpacing the broader banking index.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by evening_tao via Freepik   The post New CEO’s Overhaul to Cost ANZ A$560 Million, Resulting in 3,500 Job Cuts appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Banks today face three unstoppable forces: the need for rapid digital adoption, the surge in demand for seamless, mobile-first services, and increasingly complex regulatory requirements. These have made one thing clear: transformation is an imperative. Across the Asia Pacific, banks are under mounting pressure from fintech disruptors and their peers who are racing ahead in their modernisation journeys. For banking leaders, the pressing question is how quickly and effectively this transformation can be achieved. The answer lies in the strategic adoption of cloud banking through SaaS, enabled by partnerships that blend deep financial expertise with robust infrastructure. To explore how this shift is unfolding in the region’s financial sector, Fintech News Network sat down with Frankie Wai, Business Solution Director at Temenos, and Eric Yeo, Country General Manager to AWS Vietnam, to discuss the future of cloud banking in APAC and the lessons from banks already setting the pace. New Priorities and Challenges Defining APAC’s Banking Future Several factors are pushing the shift in the Asia Pacific’s banking landscape. At a recent industry webinar that featured leaders such as WeLab Bank, a client of Temenos, four themes stood out. First, digital banks are moving beyond the fight for survival and into a new phase of profitable scaling. Secondly, artificial intelligence is emerging as the engine of hyper-personalised experiences, provided it is deployed within clear ethical boundaries. Third, open banking is starting to gain traction, enabled by more responsible approaches to data sharing and collaboration. Finally, physical branches are no longer seen as cost centres to be trimmed but as “experience hubs” that complement digital channels and strengthen customer engagement. Frankie shares, Frankie Wai “With APAC’s corporate and investment banking revenues projected to exceed US$1.4 trillion and sustain 7% annual growth through 2027, institutions that master this balance will not only lead regional innovation, they will also set the benchmark for global banking practices.” The challenge ahead lies in balancing rapid technological advancement with regulatory compliance and ethical responsibility. To this end, the strategic partnership between  Temenos and AWS has been nothing short of transformational. Temenos’ cloud-native, cloud-agnostic architecture, paired with AWS’s fully managed services, enables banks to tailor solutions to their market needs while maintaining resilience and compliance. It gives banks the freedom to innovate. More importantly, this strategic partnership is fuelling SaaS adoption across APAC, where digital transformation is advancing at an unprecedented pace. Why Temenos and AWS Are Leading the Cloud Banking Shift For Temenos, choosing the right cloud partner is critical to delivering SaaS at scale. Having supported banks worldwide in their cloud migrations, AWS brings deep financial services expertise and an understanding of the unique pressures institutions face. By supporting more than 140 security standards and compliance features, AWS provides the resilient core that banking demands, where downtime is more than a technical issue, impacting thousands of customers and a bank’s reputation. Even financial regulators themselves run critical workloads on AWS, a testament to its reliability. From Temenos’ perspective, this partnership directly unlocks new opportunities for banks in APAC. Data sovereignty is one of the most pressing challenges, and with AWS’s extensive local infrastructure, institutions can meet diverse regulatory requirements without the expense of redundant on-site systems. Scalability, too, becomes effortless. Banks can lower infrastructure and operating costs while using AWS’s auto-elastic capabilities to expand seamlessly in step with business growth. This is a critical advantage in APAC, where rapid digital adoption and surging customer bases are the norm. Speed to market is another differentiator. Cloud banking delivered on AWS enables banks to launch new solutions far more quickly than traditional on-premises setups, while also reducing operational overhead and environmental impact. The partnership, in short, empowers APAC financial institutions to move with agility, stay compliant, and build the kind of resilience needed to thrive in an intensely competitive market. On Faster Growth, Lower Costs, and Always-On Banking Across the Asia Pacific, the results of Temenos and AWS’ partnership are visible through banks that have boldly and swiftly modernised their core and embraced SaaS. In Vietnam, for example, PVcomBank strengthened its mobile experience and overcame legacy limitations by shifting to Temenos Digital Banking on AWS. Customer onboarding that once took weeks now takes minutes, acquisition has more than doubled, and over a million customers now enjoy a consistent digital journey. Eric Yeo Eric shares, “More notably, PVcomBank achieved a 130 percent increase in customer acquisition, reflecting true transformational growth. Digital channel performance also saw dramatic improvement, with a 200 percent increase in customers opening deposit accounts online.” Next, WeLab Bank in Hong Kong went from concept to launch in under 10 months, an unheard-of timeline in traditional banking. Backed by Temenos and AWS, it opened more than 10,000 accounts in its first 10 days of launch, with customers opening a bank account in five minutes. WeLab Bank has also been able to expand while keeping infrastructure costs lean, using AWS’s auto-elastic capabilities to scale operations in line with its growth. Meanwhile, Vietnam International Bank (VIB) has leveraged Temenos Transact on AWS to underpin its “Mobile First-Cloud First-AI First” strategy. Frankie shares, “Under “Cloud First,” VIB migrated core banking services to the cloud to achieve dynamic scalability, seamless service delivery, and optimised operational efficiency. With “Mobile First,” the bank prioritised robust APIs, high performance, and flexible architecture to ensure uninterrupted mobile banking access and superior customer experience. Finally, “AI First” reflects VIB’s commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning for predictive analytics and personalised financial solutions.” With 94% of retail transactions now digital, VIB has also built the kind of resilient, always-on infrastructure that allows it to roll out new services quickly and stay ahead in one of Asia’s fastest-moving markets. From SaaS Success to the Next Wave of Innovation These stories make one thing clear: Temenos SaaS on AWS is more than technology. It’s a catalyst for faster growth, sharper compliance, and stronger customer engagement. For banking leaders in the region, the real question is no longer if cloud adoption should happen, but how quickly they can move to capture the same advantages. Eric emphasized, “In this future, companies will deploy autonomous AI agents, and this vision is already taking shape. For example, Anthropic’s Claude for Enterprise is now available in the AWS Marketplace as a full-fledged software-as-a-service, and includes a Financial Analysis Solution that is tailored specifically for financial analysts, with pre-built financial data source integrations.” With Temenos’ banking expertise and AWS’s innovation engine, from foundation models on Amazon Bedrock to high-performance chips like Trainium 2, the partnership is positioned to help APAC banks not only keep pace with change but set the standard for the industry’s future. Discover how Temenos and AWS can help your institution scale faster and lead with confidence. Featured image by freepik on Freepik The post How Temenos and AWS Are Powering Banks With a Cloud-First Strategy appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Singapore’s blended finance programme FAST-P has taken a major step forward, with its Green Investments Partnership (GIP) reaching a first close of US$510 million. The fund will support green and sustainable infrastructure projects across Southeast and South Asia, backed by a strong pipeline of deals. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said commitments came from a mix of public, private and philanthropic investors. These include MAS itself, the Australian Government through Export Finance Australia, International Finance Corporation, Dutch development bank FMO, HSBC, Temasek, British International Investment, Bank of the Philippine Islands and Allied Climate Partners. The European Commission is also supporting GIP under its Global Gateway programme. Pentagreen Capital, a debt financing platform set up by HSBC and Temasek, will manage the fund. Investments will target renewable energy, storage, electric vehicle infrastructure, sustainable transport, water, waste management and other areas vital to the region’s energy transition. Launched in 2023, FAST-P was created to combine public, private and philanthropic capital to help close Asia’s climate finance gap. GIP is the first fund under the programme to reach a close, pooling concessional and commercial capital from governments, multilateral institutions, philanthropies and private investors. It will provide debt financing for marginally bankable projects that often face difficulties securing funding due to risks in development and construction. FAST-P also includes the Industrial Transformation infrastructure debt programme, which focuses on decarbonisation projects in hard-to-abate sectors. The Energy Transition Acceleration Finance partnership supports renewable energy, grid modernisation and the early retirement of coal assets. Gillian Tan Gillian Tan, Assistant Managing Director (Development & International) and Chief Sustainability Officer of MAS said, “The first close of the Green Investments Partnership is an important milestone for FAST-P. Pentagreen has brought together a diverse group of partners, which are participating across the different commercial and concessional tranches of the capital structure to de-risk and finance marginally bankable green infrastructure projects in the region. MAS welcomes participation by a broader community of partners in FAST-P to mobilise and scale blended finance for Asia’s transition.” Munib Madni Munib Madni, CEO of FAST-P Office said, “The FAST-P Office congratulates all our partners who have come together to achieve this milestone and extends our heartfelt gratitude for their commitment. The FAST-P Office looks forward to continuing the work with Pentagreen, our partners in other pillars, and the broader ecosystem of commercial and concessional investors, to promote blended finance solutions for sustainable infrastructure in the region.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by lifeforstock via Freepik The post Singapore’s FAST-P Secures US$510 Million to Address Asia’s Climate Finance Gap appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

MetaComp, a licensed provider of cross-border foreign exchange and digital asset infrastructure based in Singapore and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), has announced a strategic partnership with OSL Group, a digital financial infrastructure platform headquartered in Hong Kong. The collaboration will focus on developing digital solutions for cross-border payments, enhancing the market infrastructure for tokenised real-world assets (RWAs), and strengthening regulatory-compliant innovation across the two financial centres. Central to the partnership is the aim of building a more interconnected ecosystem for digital assets and tokenised finance. Areas of focus include improving liquidity, enabling cross-border transactions, supporting compliant RWA trading, and reinforcing asset management and compliance frameworks. To meet growing institutional demand for over-the-counter (OTC) digital asset trading, MetaComp and OSL plan to explore the integration of their liquidity networks. This would seek to improve execution for clients trading in digital assets, including payment instruments, by enhancing pricing, reducing slippage, and expanding access to liquidity. The two firms also intend to co-develop infrastructure that enables the use of stablecoins for cross-border payments between Singapore and Hong Kong. The initiative aims to allow financial institutions and payment service providers to transfer value more quickly, cost-effectively and transparently, while remaining compliant with local regulations. In addition, OSL and MetaComp, together with MetaComp’s parent company Alpha Ladder Finance (ALFIN), which holds a Capital Markets Services License from MAS, will assess solutions for cross-listing and trading tokenised RWAs. The initiative seeks to create more liquid and transparent regulated markets for tokenised assets in Asia, accessible to institutional and accredited investors, using either fiat currency or stablecoins. The partnership will also prioritise compliance and risk management. Both companies will collaborate on strengthening anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures, drawing on shared KYC databases, blockchain wallet analytics, and cross-chain transaction monitoring tools. Tin Pei Ling “This partnership with OSL represents a significant milestone in our commitment to building the next generation of digital financial infrastructure,” said Tin Pei Ling, Co-President of MetaComp. Eugene Cheung “By combining our strengths, we are not only advancing regional connectivity but also setting new benchmarks for compliance and innovation in digital asset markets.” Eugene Cheung, Chief Commercial Officer of OSL Group, added: “Hong Kong and Singapore are natural partners in shaping Asia’s digital finance future. Through this collaboration with MetaComp, we’re laying the groundwork for interoperable, real-world solutions that serve institutional needs and meet the highest regulatory expectations.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by mohammadhridoy_11 via Freepik The post MetaComp and OSL Partner on Digital Finance Between SG and HK appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Stripe and Paradigm rolled out Tempo to give enterprises a blockchain built for payroll, remittances and other daily payments. The new L1 targets stablecoin transactions and real-world financial use cases, addressing gaps the firms see in trading-oriented crypto infrastructure. Tempo draws on Stripe’s payments experience and Paradigm’s crypto engineering work, with design motivations such as fees denominated in fiat units familiar to users and support for batch transfers. Initial design partners include Anthropic, Coupang, Deutsche Bank, DoorDash, Lead Bank, Mercury, Nubank, OpenAI, Revolut, Shopify, Standard Chartered and Visa. The network is expected to support payment acceptance, global payouts, microtransactions, tokenised deposits, embedded financial accounts and agentic payments, with a built-in stablecoin AMM to remain neutral across different stablecoins. Stripe said usage of stablecoins and crypto is rising across its own services including Stripe, Bridge and Privy. CEO Patrick Collison also highlighted the performance gap Tempo aims to close, noting that Bitcoin handles about five transactions per second, Ethereum around 20 and newer chains up to 1,000, compared with Stripe’s own peak volumes of more than 10,000. Tempo is an independent company with a 15-person team led by Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang, who continues to lead the investment firm alongside Alana. Stripe and Paradigm are the first investors. The network will begin with an independent and diverse validator set and plans to transition to permissionless validation. According to the firms, Tempo is intended to complement existing crypto infrastructure and provide a pathway for more enterprises to adopt on-chain financial services. Stripe itself will continue to work with multiple blockchains. More information is available by contacting partners@tempo.xyz.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Irina Beloglazova via Freepik The post Stripe and Paradigm Launch Tempo, Built to Power Stablecoin Payments appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Banking software company Temenos announced that CEO Jean-Pierre Brulard has stepped down with immediate effect. The board named Chief Financial Officer Takis Spiliopoulos as interim CEO while it searches for a permanent successor and has engaged an executive search firm. Thibault de Tersant Board chair Thibault de Tersant thanked Brulard for his leadership saying, “Jean-Pierre has positioned the company for long-term success, simplifying our global product and technology organisation, aligning our product portfolio with our strategic priorities and increasing our US presence. While we will be moving to new leadership to execute the next phase of the strategic plan, and have started the corresponding search, the board has full confidence in Takis’ ability to lead the company during this transition period.” Spiliopoulos will oversee both the chief executive and financial functions during the transition. Jean-Pierre Brulard Brulard said, “I am proud of everything achieved since I joined, much was accomplished during the 16 months of my tenure. I would like to thank everyone at Temenos, its customers and partners for their confidence. I wish all the best to the company.” Temenos reconfirmed its guidance for FY-25, which it raised at its Q2-25 results in July, and reaffirmed its FY-28 targets. The leadership change comes after a challenging period for the company. In early 2024, activist short-selling firm Hindenburg Research alleged accounting and product issues at Temenos. The company strongly rejected the claims and commissioned an independent review, which later concluded that the allegations were without merit. While the episode temporarily slowed sales, Temenos maintained its full-year outlook. Shares in Temenos fell about 16 percent on September 5 to CHF 59.45, down from above CHF 70 earlier in the week.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by legion via Freepik The post Temenos Stock Tumbles Following Sudden CEO Exit After 16-Month Tenure appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a growing threat to personal security, with public confidence in online authenticity continuing to erode amid rising fears of manipulated content and AI-friend deception. A new study by Jumio found that 74% of consumers in Singapore believe AI-powered fraud now poses a greater threat to personal security than traditional forms of identity theft, underscoring the rapid proliferation of AI tools to commit fraud. The Jumio 2025 Online Identity Study polled more than 8,000 adult consumers in the US, the UK, Singapore and Mexico, to assess consumer awareness around issues involving online identity, fraud risks, and current methods used to protect consumer data. Findings highlight not only rising awareness of AI-driven fraud, but also the increasing sophistication of such attacks. Compared to 12 months ago, 71% of Singapore consumers said AI-generated scams are harder to detect than traditional scams, reflecting this growing complexity. AI-powered fraud is posing a bigger threat to personal security, Source: Jumio 2025 Online Identity Study, Jumio, May 2025 Rising concerns in Singapore Consumers are also becoming more aware of the risks of conducting life and business online, with Singaporean consumers expressing above-average concern compared with global respondents: 84% of Singaporean respondents worry about fake digital identification documents created using AI, 8 points above the global average; 82% worry about scam emails or messages that use AI to trick people into giving away passwords or money, also above the global average of 75%; 83% worry about videos or voice recordings that look or sound real, compared to the global average of 74%; and 81% worry about being fooled by manipulated social content, versus 72% globally. How worried, if at all, do you get on a day-to-day basis about the following?, Source: Jumio 2025 Online Identity Study, Jumio, May 2025 Higher levels of concern in Singapore can be attributed in part to the city state’s high digital penetration and cashless economy. Singapore is one of the most digitally connected societies in the world, boasting near-universal smartphone use, strong e-commerce use, and a government push toward a cashless economy. This strong reliance on digital platforms makes the country’s population more exposed to fraud risks, with criminals having taking notice. According to a study by Sumsub, Singapore registered the highest year-on-year (YoY) rise in identity fraud among countries in Asia-Pacific (APAC) in 2024, with cases surging by 207% from 2023. This was significantly higher than the 121% increase reported for the whole region. In particular, deepfakes, which use AI to manipulate images, videos or voices to impersonate individuals, are surging, accounting for 7% of global fraud attempts in 2024, marking a fourfold YoY increase. In APAC, Singapore came in joint second with Cambodia for a staggering 240% increase in deepfake attacks. High-profile cases underscore the threat of deepfakes. In March, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned that deepfakes of him were being used to sell cryptocurrencies, money-making schemes, and permanent residency application services. Last year, over 100 government officials and agencies received extortion emails containing deepfake images, demanding the equivalent of US$50,000 in cryptocurrencies in return for not releasing the visuals. The emails contained an image purporting to be a screenshot from the video in question. Manipulated images of political office holders and public officers’ faces were clearly identifiable in the image. The images of the political office holders and public officers appeared to have been sourced from open sources such as LinkedIn, according to the Ministry of Digital Devqelopment and Information (MDDI). Accountability and regulation As concerns rise, consumers are calling for greater accountability from technology companies. The Jumio study found that 43% of global respondents believe bigtechs should be responsible for stopping AI-powered fraud, compared to just 18% who said individuals should be responsible. In Singapore, regulators have already started acting. Recently, authorities ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to implement stronger safeguards to protect users from scams. The firm could be fined up to S$1 million (US$776,000) if it fails to comply, Reuters reports. In August, Singapore’s home affairs ministry found that 37.6% of all e-commerce scams reported in 2024 were perpetrated on Facebook. These scams generally involved the sale of goods and services online, which were not delivered after payment was made. It also rated Facebook Marketplace as the weakest platform among six e-commerce marketplaces in terms of anti-scam features deployed. This is despite the platform having implemented measures such as enhanced user verification, as well as in-product safety notices and marketplace messenger anti-scam notices. AI Fraud Webinar Tomorrow With tech companies facing mounting pressure to respond to increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics, Fintech News Singapore will be hosting a webinar on September 09, 2025, 3:00PM SGT. This event will explore the new face of financial crime, focusing on emerging trends including deepfakes, voice cloning, and fraud-as-a-service. It will also examine Singapore’s evolving regulatory response, and discuss best practices for keeping fraud controls effective without undermining user experience. Featured speakers include fraud and risk leaders from GoTyme Bank, CIMB Singapore, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), and Jumio.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by DC Studio via Freepik The post AI-Powered Fraud on the Rise in Singapore appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

IG Group Holdings  has appointed Gavin Chia as CEO of IG Singapore and Emerging Markets, September 1 2025, subject to regulatory approval. The appointment comes as IG looks to expand its product offering across Asia. Chia was previously CEO and a founding employee of Moomoo Singapore, where he developed the platform into one of the country’s leading brokerages within four years. He has held senior positions at UOB Kay Hian, Haitong International and PhilipCapital, and is recognised for his experience in scaling businesses and working with regulators, exchanges and industry partners. Gavin Chia “Singapore is a hub for increasingly sophisticated investors, and IG is well placed to serve mobile-first clients looking for greater choice and deeper market access,” said Chia. “Beyond Singapore, emerging markets present a tremendous opportunity as more individuals gain access to financial markets for the first time. “There is a growing appetite for a wider range of investment options, and rapidly developing technologies such as AI and smarter trading tools will allow us to serve these markets more effectively. I am excited to join IG at this pivotal moment to build on its strong foundations and deliver its next phase of growth.” Chia holds a Master of Science in Business Analytics from the National University of Singapore and a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Aeronautical Engineering with a Minor in Business from Nanyang Technological University.   Featured image credit: IG The post IG Group Appoints Gavin Chia as CEO of Singapore and Emerging Markets appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Fireblocks has announced the launch of the Fireblocks Network for Payments, aimed at supporting stablecoin transactions in more than 100 countries, including Singapore and Hong Kong. The new network extends Fireblocks’ infrastructure to stablecoin payments, providing institutions such as fintech firms and payment service providers with the ability to manage payouts, remittances, merchant settlements, cross-border treasury, and global payment flows. It links local payment rails, blockchains, and stablecoin systems with on/off-ramps, issuers, liquidity providers, on-chain foreign exchange, and remittance services covering over 60 currencies. Michael Shaulov “Fireblocks is the backbone of stablecoin payments,” said Michael Shaulov, Chief Executive and Co-founder of Fireblocks. “By introducing unified APIs and workflows, and APIs purpose-built for stablecoin use cases, the Fireblocks Network for Payments gives institutions the ability to move value securely across every provider, blockchain, or fiat rail.” Many financial institutions encounter difficulties when setting up stablecoin payments due to the fragmented landscape, with multiple providers across jurisdictions requiring separate integrations, compliance checks, and operational frameworks. Fireblocks said its network addresses these challenges by consolidating participants within a single interoperable system. More than 40 providers are already available on the Fireblocks Network, including Alfred, Banxa, Bridge, Braza Bank, B2C2, Circle, Conduit, dLocal, GSR, NexChange, Nonco, OpenPayd, Pave Bank, QCP, Reap, SCRYPT Digital, Singapore Gulf Bank, Sygnum, Transak, Transfero, Velocity, Yellow Card, Zerocap, Zerohash, and Zodia Markets. Future integrations with the Circle Payments Network and WalletConnect are expected to give institutions access to over 2,400 participants globally, including banks, issuers, exchanges, and wallets. According to Fireblocks, stablecoins now process more annual volume than Visa and Mastercard combined, though institutions continue to rely on multiple providers and settlement systems. The Fireblocks Network consolidates these functions, with built-in tools for sanctions screening, wallet verification, and compliance with the Travel Rule. The network has already been used to settle more than US$10 trillion in digital asset transfers. Fireblocks stated that as stablecoin use cases expand, the network will continue to evolve to meet the requirements of global finance. A webinar on September 18 will further explore the rise of stablecoins, their adoption, and their role in payments. Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by ksandrphoto via Freepik The post Fireblocks Unveils Payments Network for Stablecoin Transactions appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

TBCASoft, developer and operator of the HIVEX® cross-border payment framework, today announced the launch of a landmark cross-border mobile payment initiative enabling Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay) users to make QR code payments at PayPay’s merchants in Japan. This collaboration marks a major step forward in HIVEX’s mission to connect leading mobile wallets globally and deliver a frictionless payment experience for international travelers. In collaboration with HIVEX, Weixin users that travel to Japan can now pay directly at millions of PayPay merchants by scanning PayPay’s QR code stand – without currency exchange or additional app downloads. The service is expected to go live in mid-September 2025. Weixin and its international service WeChat have more than 1.4 billion monthly active users combined. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 797,900 Chinese tourists visited Japan in June 2025, a 19.9% year-over-year increase, keeping China as the country’s largest inbound market, with strong spending power across retail, food and beverage, and travel experiences. Ling Wu “This partnership brings together three market leaders – Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay) in China, PayPay in Japan, and HIVEX – to create a powerful proposition for both travelers and merchants,” said Ling Wu, CEO of TBCASoft. “It demonstrates how a collaboration between ecosystems can deliver secure, compliant, and scalable cross-border payment solutions that benefit all participants.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by tawatchai07 via Freepik The post HIVEX Powers Seamless Cashless Payments for Chinese Travelers in Japan via WeChat Pay and PayPay Collaboration appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

ICICI Bank has opened a new branch in Bengaluru designed to meet the specific banking requirements of startups through a mix of digital and in-person services. Situated on 19th Main Road, Sector 3, HSR Layout, the branch is intended to act as a single point of access for emerging businesses at different stages of growth. The branch provides a range of services for both founders and employees of startups. Business banking facilities include current accounts, such as GIFT City accounts, overdraft options, corporate credit cards, escrow services, foreign currency accounts, and working capital loans. These loans extend to financing against Stand by Letter of Credit (SBLC) and Fixed Deposits, as well as schemes under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE). For personal banking, the branch offers products tailored for startup employees and founders, such as family banking arrangements, 3-in-1 demat accounts, Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) accounts, home and property loans, gold and personal loans, credit cards, and a range of investment options. In terms of digital services, customers can access Corporate Internet Banking (CIB), the InstaBIZ app, Trade Online, and an Integrated Payment System for vendor and tax payments. Additional features include e-collections, e-mandates, payment gateway facilities, and UPI solutions. The bank also makes available more than 250 application programming interfaces (APIs) through its Developer Portal, allowing integration across payments, collections, auto-reconciliation and related services. Global banking support includes Swift remittances, as well as assistance with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) transactions. Beyond conventional banking, the branch serves as an engagement space, providing opportunities for startups to connect with venture capitalists. A dedicated relationship management team is available to offer personalised guidance. ICICI Bank currently operates more than 460 branches and over 1,020 ATMs and cash recycling machines in Karnataka. The new branch will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, and on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each month.   Featured image credit: ICICI Bank The post ICICI Bank Opens Startup-Focused Branch in Bengaluru appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

TBCASoft, the U.S.-based on-chain finance innovator and the creator of the HIVEX® Network, announced a strategic MOU (“Project HIVEX® StableLink”) with StraitsX, a licensed Major Payment Institution (MPI) based out of Singapore and issuer of the XSGD and XUSD stablecoins. This collaboration marks a major leap forward in delivering scalable, blockchain-powered, cross-border payments that will utilise regulated stablecoins for instant FX and settlement finality, bringing significant cost-efficiencies to our network partners – mobile users, issuers, acquirers and merchants. Under this collaboration, StraitsX will integrate with the HIVEX® Network, a next-generation international mobile payment solution. Project HIVEX® StableLink aims to connect regulated stablecoin issuers across multiple jurisdictions including, but not limited to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the United States. The HIVEX® Network leverages blockchain to enable sovereign, interoperable, and secure cross-border payments – ensuring FX transparency, regulatory compliance, and robust data protection across jurisdictions. HIVEX®, which has been utilising stablecoin technologies for cross-border clearing since 2023, aims to expand the network’s capability from instant clearing to regulated instant settlement and foreign exchange (FX) under the HIVEX® StableLink initiative. Ling Wu “Project HIVEX® StableLink and this collaboration with StraitsX is a defining milestone in the evolution of the HIVEX® Network as the global infrastructure layer for mobile payments. We are not just connecting wallets and businesses. We are reshaping the future of digital finance with a blockchain-powered, trusted, multi-party framework that ensures scalability, interoperability, and sovereignty at every level. With Singapore being a key international financial center, this collaboration with StraitsX, the issuer of the XSGD stablecoin with a 1:1 peg to the Singapore Dollar, will deliver tremendous customer value across our HIVEX® Network.” said Ling Wu, Founder and CEO of TBCASoft. Tianwei Liu “We are excited to work with TBCASoft to make cross-border payments simpler, smarter and more cost-effective for businesses. By integrating our stablecoins and payment capabilities within the HIVEX® Network, we are making it possible for businesses to access seamless and instant QR payment and settlement experience, backed by trusted infrastructure, strong compliance, and competitive value.” said Tianwei Liu, CEO & Co-Founder of StraitsX. This announcement further cements TBCASoft and the HIVEX® Network as global enablers of mobile wallet interoperability, aligning the interests of banks, e-wallets, merchants, and users under a harmonised decentralised framework. Project HIVEX® StableLink will spur HIVEX®’s footprint expansion, accelerating the shift toward an open, borderless mobile payments future.     Featured image: (From left) TBCASoft Founder and CEO Ling Wu and StraitsX CEO & Co-Founder Tianwei Liu   The post TBCASoft Partners with StraitsX to Lead Multi-Currency Stablecoin Payments appeared first on Fintech Singapore.