Singapore’s banking sector is moving to sharpen its cyber defences as advanced AI models raise fresh concerns over how quickly software vulnerabilities could be found and exploited, Reuters reported. Ong-Ang Ai Boon, Director of the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), shared in a written response that the industry body is helping banks compare threat signals and shape sector-wide safeguards. Individual banks have also upgraded their cyber operations to shorten the window between detecting a threat and resolving it. The concerns centre on Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview, a general-purpose AI model whose ability to identify vulnerabilities in complex software systems has led the company to limit access. Anthropic announced the model in April and launched Project Glasswing, a limited-access cybersecurity programme that gives selected partners access to Claude Mythos Preview for defensive security work. MAS has also been coordinating with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore to support critical infrastructure operators. The regulator also called on financial institutions to review their systems, close known gaps quickly and maintain strong cyber hygiene. Asian financial regulators had already signalled concern the week prior, with several indicating that they were assessing the implications of Mythos and monitoring potential risks.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Golden-Mock via Magnific The post Singapore Banks Coordinate Threat Monitoring Amid Concerns Over Mythos AI Risks appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Coda has released a new video extending its Guard Your Game anti-scam campaign to gamers across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. The video brings back Codee, the campaign mascot, to help players spot common fraud tactics. These include unsolicited reward notifications, phishing links and websites impersonating Codashop, Coda’s digital content marketplace. It is available in English and Bahasa Indonesia across Codashop’s Instagram channels in all four markets. The Coda anti-scam campaign launched in February 2026 with consumer education resources endorsed by Indonesia’s Ministry of Creative Economy (EKRAF), including a localised Anti-Scam Booklet and Coda’s Online Safety URL Checker. The tool allows gamers to verify whether a site is legitimate before transacting. According to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance’s State of Scams in Indonesia 2025 report, scam losses in Indonesia were estimated at IDR 49 trillion, or about US$3.3 billion, over the past 12 months. The report found that 66 percent of Indonesian adults encountered scam attempts, while 35 percent fell victim. Liz Adam Liz Adam, VP of Corporate Affairs at Coda, said, “Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics, and we must do the same in how we educate and protect consumers. This video is a deliberate step to reach gamers where they are and instil ongoing vigilance against bad actors. We want every player across to transact with confidence, and to know exactly what to do when something does not look right.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Magnific The post Coda Expands Anti-Scam Campaign for Gamers Across Southeast Asia appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) will remove the PayNow nickname feature for retail customers from 6 June 2026 to reduce the risk of impersonation scams. Instead of user-created nicknames, payers will see selected letters of the recipient’s registered account name before completing a transfer. ABS said the change will make it harder for scammers to use names that resemble trusted individuals or established entities to mislead victims into sending money to fraudulent accounts. The feature has been available since PayNow launched in 2017, introduced for users who did not want their full registered account names shown when receiving payments through their mobile number or NRIC number. Source: ABS Retail PayNow display names will be automatically updated from 6 June 2026 and customers do not need to take any action. All other PayNow transfer and receiving functions remain unchanged. Businesses receiving PayNow payments through their UEN are not affected, as they do not have access to the nickname feature or the ability to modify their registered account names. Ong-Ang Ai Boon Ong-Ang Ai Boon, Director of ABS, said, “Safeguarding consumers against scams is a top priority for the industry. While PayNow has made everyday payments more convenient, it is equally important that users can transact with confidence. Discontinuing the nickname feature removes an avenue that scammers can exploit while safeguarding customer privacy. This enhancement will help ensure that PayNow users continue to enjoy a secure and trusted payments experience.” Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Magnific The post PayNow to Remove Nickname Feature for Retail Users from 6 June appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

OKX, BlackRock and Standard Chartered have launched a framework that allows eligible institutional clients to use BUIDL as collateral for trading. The framework lets OKX VIP and institutional clients post BUIDL as off-exchange collateral held in custody at Standard Chartered while trading on OKX Middle East without moving assets onto the exchange. BUIDL can also be deposited on-exchange and used as yield-bearing collateral for margin trading, keeping collateral productive while trading. The companies describe it as the first off-exchange tokenised collateral framework backed by a G-SIB custodian. BUIDL, tokenised by Securitize and issued on a public blockchain, invests in cash, US Treasury bills and repurchase agreements, with yield distributed on-chain. Client collateral is held separately from OKX’s own assets, providing exchange default protection. Bringing tokenised treasuries into trading infrastructure Haider Rafique, Global Managing Partner at OKX, described the framework as a way to improve capital efficiency for institutions while showing how tokenised real-world assets can be used in digital markets. Samara Cohen Samara Cohen, Global Head of Market Development at BlackRock, said, “BUIDL was designed to bring the benefits of tokenisation to short term treasury exposure, allowing qualified investors to earn US dollar yields on blockchain rails. The framework with OKX and Standard Chartered allows qualified investors to unlock new opportunities in how they deploy collateral.” Margaret Harwood-Jones Margaret Harwood-Jones, Global Head of Financing and Securities Services at Standard Chartered, said, “Our role as custodian in this initiative reflects our commitment to delivering trusted and innovative solutions for clients as the financial ecosystem evolves. By providing secure custody of BUIDL for this collateral use case, we are helping to ensure clients can access digital asset opportunities with the high standards of protection and compliance.” The framework follows extensive institutional testing and integration between the three companies. It is intended to expand the use of tokenised real-world assets in institutional trading, margining and liquidity management.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by chocolarte via Magnific The post OKX Lets Institutional Clients Use BlackRock’s BUIDL as Trading Collateral appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Money20/20 Asia returned to Bangkok from April 21 to 23, 2026 to explore how the next wave of financial innovation is delivering tangible outcomes across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The conference examined the region’s rapid financial innovation, characterized by enhanced cross-border interoperability and strengthened digital infrastructure. It also explored Thailand’s push for open finance, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in financial services, and the transition of stablecoins from niche crypto assets to foundational payment rails. Marking its third year in the Thai capital, Money20/20 Asia 2026 welcomed over 4,500 attendees, representing a 40% increase from the previous year. More than 1,400 companies were represented, and the number of sponsors rose from 105 to 150. Over 360 speakers delivered more than 100 hours of content across four stages, while the bustling Money Hall show floor connected delegates, sponsors and exhibitors from 90 countries. Companies reported a surge in commercial activity, with hundreds of partnership meetings, product demos, and investor conversations driving tangible deal flow throughout the three days. Thailand moves towards open finance Daranee Saeju, Assistant Governor, Strategy and Special Projects Division, Bank of Thailand, at Money20/20 Asia 2026, Source: Bank of Thailand, Apr 2026 On the first day of the main conference, Daranee Saeju, Assistant Governor of the Strategy and Special Projects Division at Bank of Thailand (BOT), discussed the country’s progress in establishing a safe and inclusive digital finance infrastructure, highlighting two established layers of digital public infrastructure. Digital identity systems, like the National Digital Identity (NDID), a decentralized cross-bank platform, and government-led initiatives like ThaiID, are now serving almost 30 million. Additionally, Thailand’s instant payment system PromptPay boasts over 92 million registered accounts and processes an average of over 80 million transactions daily. Despite these achievements, Saeju identified the critical remaining challenge as breaking down the “data islands” where financial information still sits in silos across banks, telcos, and e-commerce platforms. This fragmentation creates gaps in financial inclusion and weakens fraud detection, she said. To address this, BOT is building the rails for open finance through initiatives like YourData and Digital-RD, in collaboration with the Revenue Department. With YourData, the government will be establishing national standards for a consent-based ecosystem, giving citizens a “digital remote control” to port their data wherever they see fit. Concurrently, Digital-RD will allow users to utilize their verified tax history as a secure, instant digital credential, replacing paper documentation. Thailand’s overarching vision is a regulated “data highway” where individuals control their data and are able to port it to the institutions they choose, expanding access to credit, and accelerating innovation, Saeju said. Ant Digital Technologies’ Southeast Asian push Garry Sien, Chief Innovation and Solutions Office of International Business at Ant Digital Technologies, at Money20/20 Asia 2026, Source: Ant Digital Technologies, Apr 2026 Later during the day, Garry Sien, Chief Innovation and Solutions Office of International Business at Ant Digital Technologies, delivered a keynote titled “Beyond the Super-App: The AI-Driven Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) Model for Global Finance.” He discussed the accelerating adoption of AI in the financial services industry, driven by agentic AI and innovative applications that create value for financial institutions and their customers. Sien also shared how Ant Digital Technologies is working on democratizing access to the underlying technology of super-apps, including mini-programs, risk engines, and AI development toolkits like Agentar. These modular, AI-native solutions allows institutions to innovate rapidly, enhance user experience, and compete with big tech, without needing to build everything from scratch. Ant Digital Technologies, an independent business unit for technology commercialization under Ant Group, launched an operation center in Malaysia earlier this year, and initiated a recruitment drive across Southeast Asia. Across Asia, Ant Digital Technologies has cooperated with partners and clients including Touch ’n Go, Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad (KIBB), Bank CenterCredit, and FPT software. The company’s global network encompasses over 300 partners, serving more than 10,000 enterprise customers worldwide. Cross-border transactions surge FXC Intelligence and Money20/20 presented new findings from their New Era of Asia’s Cross-Border Payments report, underscoring Asia’s rapid growth, rising interoperability, and the convergence of key technologies shaping cross-border finance. The report revealed that in 2025 outbound cross-border payments from the APAC region totaled US$13.5 trillion, representing 31% of outflows globally. They are set to grow faster than global averages to reach US$24 trillion, representing a 36% share, by 2033. APAC and global outbound cross-border payments volume, 2025 and 2033, Source: Money20/20 and FXC Intelligence, Apr 2026 Growth in Southeast Asia is set to be particularly critical to this, with ongoing digitization driving business-to-business (B2B) volume while increased tourism and online retail are expected to help boost consumer-to-business (C2B). System interoperability and bilateral partnerships are key enablers of this growth, exemplified by initiatives like the Bank of International Settlements (BIS)’s Project Nexus, which seeks to connect different countries’ domestic instant payment systems. Blockchain technologies, along with AI, are also seeing increased interest to support growing payments interoperability and broader infrastructure enhancements. Though Asia is notable for being a region with highly diverse financial systems and capabilities, the continent is now on a trajectory towards unprecedented interoperability, positioning it to capitalize on future cross-border growth. EBANX accelerates ASEAN expansion EBANX at Money20/20 Asia 2026, Source: EBANX, via LinkedIn EBANX, a leading payment technology firm from Brazil, announced at Money20/20 Asia 2026 the expansion of its recurring alternative payment method (APM) offerings to six more countries across Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, namely the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa, Colombia, and Peru. The rollout includes recurring capabilities for digital wallets in Southeast Asia, such as Maya and GCash in the Philippines, OVO and DANA in Indonesia, and TrueMoney in Thailand. They will be available to merchants in Q2, Q3, and Q4 this year. The announcement followed EBANX’s recent entry into Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, Malaysia, and Vietnam, with the latter two scheduled to go live in Q3 2026. These operations will be supported by EBANX’s new APAC headquarters in Singapore, inaugurated in March 2026. “We are seeing a strong expansion movement of APAC merchants into emerging markets, especially in Latin America and Africa,” said João Del Valle, CEO and Co-founder of EBANX. “In the current global landscape, companies are searching for new growth opportunities, strengthening South-South ties and building diversified and resilient global partnerships.” At Money20/20 2026, EBANX spoke in two key sessions. In the panel “Ecosystem Readiness: Turning Isolated Progress into Coordinated Scale”, Eduardo de Abreu, Chief Product Officer at EBANX and Regional CEO of EBANX Singapore, joined other industry leaders from Nium, Boku, and Bitpace to discuss how fragmented advancements across regulation, infrastructure, and market demand can be aligned to drive scalable ecosystem growth. @fintechnewsnetworkWith its latest expansion, EBANX is building a recurring payment infrastructure beyond cards across Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. #fintech #payments #Money2020 #Money2020Asia ♬ original sound – Fintech News Network In the session “Innovation Without Borders”, Vladimira Artopé, Regional Director for Southeast Asia at EBANX, explored the transformative impact of fintech and education solutions for underserved women in Asia, particularly in maternal and financial health. The panel highlighted how technology can support greater financial inclusion in resource-constrained environments. Policy20: sovereign intelligence and collaboration Policy20 at Money20/20 Asia 2026, Source: Money20/20 Policy20 at Money20/20 Asia 2026 delivered a premier regulatory summit convening more than 80 of Asia’s top policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders to address the rapid convergence of technology, finance, and regulation, and the urgent need for collaborative approaches to navigate this evolving landscape. A key highlight of the program was a closed-door Governors’ and Chairs’ Strategic Roundtable on “sovereign intelligence,” where senior policy leaders met under Chatham House Rule to address the challenge of maintaining national policy autonomy in an era of AI and digital finance. The session reached consensus on three strategic pillars: protecting national policy autonomy through proactive participation in global standards; building cross-border financial rails on shared governance protocols that respect national priorities; and shifting to “intelligence-led governance” by leveraging AI and real-time data tools for oversight. A dominant theme emerging from Policy20 was the industry-wide shift from traditional regulatory models toward co-creation, with regulators increasingly positioning themselves as enablers rather than enforcers, working alongside the private sector to design frameworks that evolve in real time with technological advancements. Experts also highlighted that innovation without usability is problematic. Discussion points centered on the idea that true financial inclusion in Asia depends on intelligent infrastructure and systems that are not just accessible, but also intuitive and affordable enough to remove friction for underserved populations at scale. Stablecoins take center stage Stablecoins were a key topic at Money20/20 Asia 2026. During the closing day of the three-day conference, four industry leaders from Ripple, Paxos Labs, Yellow Card, and Capitalixe convened in the “Money’s Next Evolution, Stablecoins, CBDCs and the New Payment Stack” panel to debate the role of stablecoins, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and tokenized deposits in the future of finance. These experts emphasized that stablecoins have moved beyond cryptocurrency trading to become foundational infrastructure for the next global payment stack, with Rahul Advani, Global Co-Head of Policy at Ripple, noting that while CBDCs remain experimental, stablecoins are already production-ready across multiple use cases, the Nation reports. The panel agreed that the future of finance will not be defined by any single form of digital money, but by how well these instruments work together. They shared concrete real-world applications where stablecoins are already solving existing problems, including enabling cheaper remittances between the US and Bolivia, enabling crop insurance in Africa to be settled in stablecoins, and supporting cross-border payments for businesses that struggle to access the SWIFT network. Looking ahead, the panel identified AI and machine-to-machine transactions as a potentially transformative future trend, where autonomous agents manage payments, treasury operations, and capital allocation without human intervention. However, they identified the lack of mutual recognition of regulatory regimes as a critical gap, warning that siloed licensing frameworks could recreate the inefficiencies plaguing traditional finance. Other corporate announcements and winning startups Beyond presentations and panels, several corporate announcements underscored the momentum in stablecoins. Nium, a real-time payment specialist co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, announced a partnership with Coinbase to enable USDC stablecoin payments across its platform. The integration allows Nium’s clients to send and receive stablecoins and convert stablecoin to fiat for payouts. @fintechnewsnetwork With Nium and @dlocal.payments ♬ original sound – Fintech News Network Additionally, dLocal, an Uruguayan cross-border payments firm, launched Stablecoin Full, a solution enabling global merchants to accept and send payments in stablecoins, fund and settle transactions in digital assets, and optimize their treasury operations across more than 40 emerging markets through a single API. Money20/20 Asia also spotlighted five startups redefining the future of money. These startups, which are Boost Capital, TrustPlus AI, Continuum, Eazy Digital, and zkMe, were showcased during Money20/20 Asia’s Startup Media Panel. Boost Capital is building a document intelligence layer for underwriting in Southeast Asia. Its VerifyIQ platform uses AI agents to read, cross-check, and fraud-screen bank statements, pay slips, identification documents (IDs), and merchant documents in real time delivering structured, trusted data to banks and e-wallets. TrustPlus AI transforms enterprise credit risk management through an AI-powered workflow platform built by and for credit risk experts. Continuum is a tech platform focused on enabling seamless infrastructure and connectivity across digital and financial ecosystems, helping organizations streamline data, services, and operations in one unified layer. Eazy Digital is an insurance technology company helping insurers and managing general agents (MGAs) digitize and streamline their operations, replacing manual, paper-heavy workflows with automated tools that improve efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance customer experience. zkMe, a decentralized identity protocol, was named this year’s Startup Competition winner. zkMe uses zero-knowledge proofs to let users verify personal or financial information without revealing the underlying data. It enables privacy-preserving know-your-customer (KYC) and credential verification for Web3 and digital finance applications.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Money20/20 The post Top Trends from Money20/20 Asia 2026 appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Singlife has revamped its digital investment platform Singlife dollarDEX, targeting self-directed retail investors with a streamlined interface and a zero-fee model. The upgraded platform provides access to over 1,500 funds across various asset classes and geographies without platform fees or sales charges. The company states the redesign focuses on simplifying account opening, fund discovery, and trading processes. Singlife plans to introduce additional features to the platform progressively. These upcoming additions include an interest-bearing cash account and a consolidated view of users’ insurance and investment portfolios. Aditya Sood “We have listened closely to feedback, and have evolved the platform for today’s retail investor,” said Aditya Sood, Chief Operating Officer, GROW with Singlife. GROW with Singlife, the company’s investment distribution arm, manages both the digital platform and its adviser-focused counterpart GROW. The unit reported a compounded annual growth rate of 27% in assets under administration from the 2022 to 2025 financial years, reaching over S$4.5 billion. Farooq Lone “We are continually strengthening both our platforms to meet these distinct needs, with GROW empowering advisers to better serve their clients, and dollarDEX catering to self-directed consumers,” said Farooq Lone, Chief Executive Officer, GROW with Singlife. Singlife launched the platform in 1999 as one of Singapore’s earliest online fund investment portals. It allows users to invest using cash, Central Provident Fund, and Supplementary Retirement Scheme funds. To mark the relaunch, Singlife dollarDEX is running a promotion until 17 July 2026. It offers bonus units for qualifying investments as well as for successful referrals.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by user23413193 via Freepik The post Singlife dollarDEX Revamp Offers Zero-Fee Fund Access appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Western Union is preparing to launch a US dollar-backed stablecoin in May, positioning the token as a faster alternative to the SWIFT network for cross-border agent settlements. The company confirmed the timeline for the Solana-based token, called USDPT, during its first-quarter earnings call on 24 April, as reported by The Block. Western Union CEO Devin McGranahan told analysts that USDPT will initially function as a business-to-business settlement tool rather than a consumer product. By moving agent settlements on-chain, the company aims to process transactions outside of traditional banking hours and public holidays. Bridging crypto wallets and retail cash Alongside the Western Union stablecoin, the company is rolling out a Digital Asset Network. This infrastructure connects cryptocurrency wallets to Western Union’s existing retail network. The system allows wallet users to convert digital assets into fiat currency at physical agent locations, creating a new off-ramp for digital assets. The first network partner is expected to go live this week. To extend the network directly to consumers, Western Union plans to introduce a US dollar stablecoin card later this year. The card is designed for users in inflation-heavy markets who want to hold and spend dollar-denominated assets globally. Q1 revenue and market reaction The digital asset push comes as Western Union reported US$983 million in first-quarter revenue. While this marks a 1% year-on-year decline, the company noted it was a 400-basis-point improvement from the previous quarter. Following the earnings release, its New York-listed stock fell 4.6% to close at US$8.90.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by ismode via Freepik The post Western Union to Launch B2B Stablecoin for Agent Settlements in May appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Jumio has appointed software and cybersecurity veteran Mark Lorion as its new Chief Executive Officer to lead the identity verification provider’s defence against AI-driven fraud. Incoming Jumio CEO Mark Lorion succeeds Bala Kumar, who has served as interim Chief Executive since early 2026. Kumar will continue his role as President and Chief Product and Technology Officer. Lorion joins from Tempo Software, where he was Chief Executive and oversaw significant revenue growth. His background also includes leadership positions at cybersecurity software firms Digital.ai and Arxan Technologies. He currently serves as a board director for intelligence firm Team Cymru. The leadership change comes as financial institutions and fintechs face rising threats from automated impersonation tactics and deepfakes. Jumio uses an identity graph and biometric authentication to verify individuals for clients seeking to automate know your customer and anti-money laundering compliance. Bala Kumar “Mark brings a strong combination of operational discipline and customer focus that will be important as Jumio enters its next phase of growth,” Kumar said. “As the identity industry faces immense pressure from AI-driven deepfake fraud, agentic AI identity threats, and expanding global regulations, I’m excited to partner with Mark to advance the Jumio platform and expand our leadership in AI-powered identity intelligence with our best-in-class technology.” Jumio operates globally across APAC, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, processing more than a million transactions daily.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by user23413193 via Freepik The post Jumio Names Mark Lorion as CEO to Strengthen Fraud Defences appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Bank of Singapore is expanding its family office and wealth advisory leadership team as demand grows for succession planning, legacy management and wealth transfer solutions among ultra-high-net-worth clients. The private banking subsidiary of OCBC Group has appointed Elvin Ho as Head of Family Office and Structuring Solutions, effective 4 May 2026. He will lead the competency and solutions centre, focusing on wealth structures and philanthropy. Ho joins from JPMorgan Private Bank, where he advised Southeast Asian clients on multi-jurisdictional taxation and succession planning. He previously spent 19 years at UBS in various senior wealth planning roles. In a related move, Jiawen Guo takes on the newly created role of Head of Family Office and Wealth Advisory for Singapore. She will oversee the wealth advisory team based in the city state. The bank also named Harry Ng as Senior Wealth Advisor, managing key client relationships for the Singapore and Malaysian markets. Christine Wong and Yasmine Omari will continue to lead the regional teams in Hong Kong and Dubai respectively. All five executives report to Paul Chua, the bank’s Head of Family Office and Wealth Advisory. Paul Chua “We have taken the opportunity to optimise our global team structure for future growth with strong leadership to support initiatives out of our Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai hubs,” said Paul Chua, Head of Family Office and Wealth Advisory, Bank of Singapore. The leadership expansion aligns with OCBC Group’s Whole-of-Wealth strategy. The team will provide clients with access to solutions involving OCBC Bank and Great Eastern Holdings.     Featured image credit: Bank of Singapore press release The post Bank of Singapore Family Office Adds Senior Hires for Wealth Push appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has ordered Meta Platforms to unwind its US$2 billion acquisition of Singapore-based AI startup Manus, according to a Bloomberg report, in one of Beijing’s most far-reaching interventions into a completed cross-border tech deal involving a US company. The directive was issued on Monday (27 April), four months after the transaction closed in December 2025, and requires all parties to withdraw from the agreement. The ruling also prohibits foreign investment in Manus, escalating regulatory scrutiny over Chinese-founded AI firms operating abroad. From Beijing to Singapore Manus had redomiciled to Singapore in mid-2025, relocating its headquarters and key staff from Beijing as part of a broader trend of Chinese AI startups shifting to the city-state to access global capital and markets while operating outside China’s domestic regulatory perimeter. By March 2026, around 100 employees had already moved into Meta’s Singapore offices, with the startup’s leadership integrated into Meta’s AI division. The company was founded in 2022 by Xiao Hong, Ji Yichao and Tao Zhang under Beijing Butterfly Effect Technology. It was previously backed by investors including Tencent Holdings and HongShan Capital Group, and had reached an annualised revenue run rate of more than US$125 million prior to the acquisition, according to the Wall Street Journal. Meta’s purchase of Manus was part of its broader push into agentic AI systems, designed to autonomously perform complex multi-step tasks such as research, planning and analysis, as it competes with rivals including Google, OpenAI and Anthropic. What the ruling means for Singapore-based AI firms The NDRC’s intervention is particularly notable because Meta has minimal commercial presence in China, making this a rare case in which Beijing is exercising regulatory authority over a deal between a US technology firm and a Singapore-incorporated company with no active China operations. Ke Yan “The Manus block is a clarifying moment,” Ke Yan, a technology analyst at DZT Research in Singapore told Bloomberg. “Manus was Singapore-incorporated with founders based here, and it still got pulled back. Beijing’s signal is that what matters isn’t where the legal entity sits.” The ruling also underscores a broader tightening of controls on capital flows and technology transfers in the AI sector. Chinese regulators have reportedly instructed firms including Moonshot AI and Stepfun to avoid US-origin funding unless explicitly approved, while ByteDance faces similar scrutiny. In parallel, Manus co-founders were reportedly subject to exit restrictions following meetings with Chinese authorities earlier this year. Alfredo Montufar-Helu, managing director at Ankura China Advisors, said to Bloomberg that the move reflects the strategic importance Beijing places on AI in its competition with the US. Alfredo Montufar-Helu “In the same way that the US has tried to prevent China’s access to advanced semiconductors, China is now moving to constrain American access to AI tech,” he said. Meta said the transaction “complied fully with applicable law” and that it expects an “appropriate resolution” to the matter, without providing further details. Singapore’s position as a neutral ground is now in question For Singapore, the decision carries wider implications beyond the fate of a single deal. The city-state has positioned itself as a neutral hub for global AI talent and capital, particularly for Chinese-founded firms seeking international expansion. The NDRC’s willingness to intervene in a transaction involving a Singapore-incorporated company raises questions over how much regulatory insulation redomiciliation actually provides. The ruling also introduces new uncertainty for investors and acquirers in the region. Deals involving Chinese-founded technology companies may now face heightened risk of review by Beijing, regardless of where firms are incorporated or operationally based. The decision comes just weeks before a scheduled summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where technology competition, investment flows and AI governance are expected to feature prominently.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by user6393596 via Freepik The post China Orders Meta to Reverse US$2B Singapore-Based Manus Acquisition appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Tokio Marine Life Insurance Singapore (TMLS) has appointed Raymond Ong as its new Chief Executive Officer, according to finews.asia. Ong joins the firm with leadership experience across the insurance sector. He has a reputation for delivering sustainable growth and strengthening operational discipline while leading customer-focused transformation initiatives. Before joining TMLS, Ong served as the CEO of a composite insurer in Singapore. In that role, he focused on product innovation, digital transformation, and the development of customer-centric solutions. His earlier career includes serving as the Chief Financial Officer at one of the largest life insurers in Malaysia. He also held the position of Group Chief Risk Officer for a leading insurance group operating across Singapore and Southeast Asia. TMLS said that Ong’s industry expertise and regional perspective make him well-suited to lead the firm into its next phase of development. The appointment aligns with the company’s strategic focus on enhancing customer experience and strengthening operational excellence. Raymond Ong “I am honoured to join Tokio Marine Life Insurance Singapore,” Ong said. “I look forward to working with the team to build on the company’s strong foundations, empowering our people to inspire confidence and accelerate progress for our customers, our people, and the communities we serve.”     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Hong Kong, based on image by mkmult via Freepik The post Raymond Ong Named CEO of Tokio Marine Life Insurance Singapore appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Six financial institutions make LinkedIn‘s 2026 Top Companies list for Singapore, from a homegrown lender at number one to a global bank at 15th, underlining why the city-state’s banks remain strong destinations for finance professionals building a career. LinkedIn released its sixth annual Top Companies list today, ranking 15 workplaces for career growth across Singapore. Across the full list, the most sought-after skills include project management, SQL, Python, business analysis and data analysis, with cloud computing, risk management and digital marketing also in demand. Common job titles span software engineer, data analyst, business development officer, investment analyst and wealth manager. The list arrives as 58% of Singaporeans report actively looking for work in 2026, with 82% saying the search is harder than before as global hiring slows and AI reshapes how roles are structured. Here are the six best banks to work for in Singapore on this year’s list, in order of ranking. 2026 Best Banks to Work for in Singapore DBS Bank Most common skills: Project Management, SQL, Python (Programming Language) Most common job titles: Business Development Officer, Wealth Manager, Data Analyst Largest job functions: Finance, Engineering, Business Development DBS Bank tops the 2026 best banks to work for in Singapore list, continuing a run at number one that spans at least the past three editions of the ranking. Southeast Asia’s largest bank, DBS employs professionals across consumer banking, SME banking, capital markets, wealth management and technology functions in Singapore. Finance, engineering and business development account for its largest hiring functions on LinkedIn. The bank has invested significantly in AI tooling across its operations. Its Spark GenAI programme, run with Enterprise Singapore and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), entered a second phase earlier this month with a tiered support model designed to help SMEs adopt AI more practically. The top ranking comes even as DBS reduced its headcount by 1,624 roles in 2025, the largest decline among Singapore’s three local banks, linked mainly to integration efficiencies following earlier acquisitions in India and Taiwan. Goldman Sachs Most common skills: Python (Programming Language), SQL, Project Management Most common job titles: Software Engineer, Managing Director, Investment Analyst Largest job functions: Business Development, Finance, Engineering Goldman Sachs ranks third on the 2026 list, one of three global investment banks in the top five. The firm’s Singapore operations serve as a regional hub for its investment banking, asset management, securities and private wealth businesses across APAC. Finance and business development are among its largest job functions on LinkedIn. Roles in capital markets, advisory and client coverage are common in Singapore, reflecting the city-state’s position as a gateway for cross-border investment activity in the region. JPMorgan Chase Most common skills: SQL, Project Management, Java Most common job titles: Software Engineer, Investment Analyst, Banker Largest job functions: Finance, Engineering, Business Development JPMorgan Chase comes in fifth. The bank has maintained a presence in Singapore since 1964 and operates across 17 APAC markets from the city-state, spanning investment banking, corporate banking, private banking and asset management. Finance, IT and business development represent its largest job functions. Data and technology roles sit alongside more traditional finance and advisory positions in its Singapore hiring mix, consistent with the bank’s broader investment in technology infrastructure across its APAC operations. Standard Chartered Most common skills: Project Management, Business Analysis, Risk Management Most common job titles: Business Development Officer, Product Team Manager, Compliance Manager Largest job functions: Finance, Business Development, Information Technology Standard Chartered ranks seventh, a consistent presence on LinkedIn’s Singapore list in recent years. The bank operates a locally incorporated subsidiary in the city-state and provides corporate, retail, institutional and private banking services across more than 50 markets globally. Finance and business development functions account for most hiring, with a mix of relationship management, technology and operations roles common across its Singapore franchise. Standard Chartered has appeared on the list across multiple years, a reflection of its deep roots in the Singapore market. Barclays Most common skills: Project Management, Risk Management, Investment Banking Most common job titles: Assistant Vice President, Analyst, Director Largest job functions: Finance, Business Development, Information Technology Barclays ranks 11th on the 2026 list. The UK-headquartered investment bank uses Singapore as its primary APAC hub, with operations covering investment banking, markets, corporate banking and research. Hiring in Singapore skews towards finance and business development functions, with capital markets and technology roles prominent. The Singapore office serves as a base for regional coverage across Southeast Asia and broader APAC. Citi Most common skills: Project Management, Business Analysis, Risk Management Most common job titles: Business Development Officer, Investment Analyst, Banker Largest job functions: Finance, Information Technology, Sales Citi comes in at 15th. The bank operates as a full-service financial institution in Singapore across consumer banking, institutional banking, treasury and trade solutions, and wealth management. Citi has consistently featured in LinkedIn’s Singapore rankings, reflecting its scale as one of the largest foreign banks in the city-state by employee count. Engineering and technology roles feature alongside more traditional finance and operations functions in its Singapore hiring profile. How LinkedIn compiles the list LinkedIn builds the ranking using its own proprietary data, scoring companies on factors including how well employees can build new skills and advance within the organisation. Staffing agencies, educational institutions and government entities are excluded. The full list of 15 also includes Microsoft, Roche, HP, MSD, Genting Berhad, Alphabet, Apple, Micron Technology and Rockwell Automation. Financial firms have dominated the list in recent years. In 2024, eight of the 15 companies were financial institutions. The figure dropping to six this year reflects turnover in the list rather than any retreat by the sector.       Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by rskorzus via Freepik The post LinkedIn Top Companies 2026: Which Are The Best Banks to Work for in Singapore? appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Agentic commerce is rapidly expanding across Asia, prompting Ant International to introduce new payment and AI tools for global merchants navigating the shift. It involves AI agents autonomously managing the shopping process from product discovery to final settlement. The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a testing ground for this trend. In 2025, the region accounted for nearly a quarter of global agentic commerce revenue. Projections from the company indicate that half of all global consumer transactions will take place in Asia by the next decade. Digital wallets are expected to become the primary payment method for agentic commerce, driven by their widespread adoption within regional superapps and real-time payment networks. Addressing fragmentation and trust Despite this growth, the Asian market remains fragmented with hundreds of local digital wallets and national payment schemes. The rise of AI in shopping has also created new challenges around accountability, brand identity, and transaction security. Gary Liu “For global merchants, success across international markets demands a partner that delivers both deep digital wallet excellence and comprehensive coverage of payment methods,” said Gary Liu, CEO of Antom and Senior Vice President of Ant International. Through its merchant payment brand Antom, the company is supporting Adobe’s expansion into Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Antom provides a single integration point for seven alternative payment methods, allowing Adobe to use local acquiring networks rather than traditional card infrastructure. Securing AI payments Ant International is collaborating with major technology networks to standardise and secure these automated transactions. The company is supporting the Universal Commerce Protocol, which was co-developed by Google and other industry leaders. It is also partnering with Visa to develop a security framework for automated commerce. Rubail Birwadker “Our focus is on building the necessary trust layer through advanced authentication and tokenisation to secure agent-driven payments,” said Rubail Birwadker, Senior Vice President at Visa. Antom currently offers global merchants access to over 300 payment methods across 200 markets through a single integration. The company recently launched EasySafePay, a risk control system that it claims provides complete account takeover protection and boosts payment conversion by 10%. Additionally, an AI assistant named Antom Copilot handles merchant integration and chargeback disputes.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Antom via Facebook The post Ant International Expands Agentic Commerce in Fragmented Asian Payments appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Indian fintech firm MobiKwik has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India for a non-banking financial company license, according to a report by Reuters. The regulatory nod clears the way for the company to launch a lending arm, MobiKwik Financial Services, expanding its regulated credit offering. Shares of the company rose 14% following the announcement on Monday (27 April). The license will enable the firm to roll out lending products faster and improve margins by bringing credit operations in-house, according to the company. The new unit will offer secured and unsecured loans to consumers and small businesses, with a focus on underserved markets. Non-bank lending operations will begin after the company receives a certificate of registration from the central bank upon the fulfilment of certain conditions. MobiKwik currently operates a digital wallet and has expanded into the distribution of financial products including credit and investments.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by wahyu_t via Freepik The post MobiKwik Secures RBI Approval to Launch In-House Lending Arm appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

GXS Bank has partnered Funding Societies to launch the GXS Biz Property-backed Loan. The facility offers Singapore SMEs financing of up to S$2 million. The loan is aimed at business owners who have residential or commercial property and need financing for growth, cash flow or time-sensitive business needs. The GXS Biz Property solution brings together the bank’s ecosystem reach and Funding Societies’ experience in digital SME financing and structured lending. GXS Bank is backed by Grab and Singtel. Meanwhile, Funding Societies provides digital financing to SMEs across the region. Pei-Si Lai Pei-Si Lai, Group CEO of GXS Bank, said, “For business owners with a residential or commercial property, they can now turn this illiquid asset into up to S$2 million of liquidity to seize time-sensitive growth opportunities. This partnership with Funding Societies also reinforces our commitment as a bank to support the fintechs in our community so that they can continue to scale sustainably. With our strong balance sheet as a bank and extensive ecosystem with Grab and Singtel, we can enhance and extend Funding Societies’ expertise in digital lending to more businesses in Singapore, especially those within our ecosystem.” Kelvin Teo Kelvin Teo, Co-founder and Group CEO of Funding Societies, said, “This collaboration with GXS Bank brings together GXS Bank’s ecosystem playbook and Funding Societies’ digital financing experience to make property-backed financing more accessible to businesses navigating an increasingly uncertain market. By unlocking liquidity tied up in property, SMEs can move more quickly on growth opportunities while managing cash flow with greater confidence.” The GXS Biz loan will be rolled out progressively. It will initially be available to existing GXS Bank and Funding Societies customers, as well as SMEs within the Grab and Singtel ecosystem. This includes businesses that use, work with or partner with Grab and Singtel.       The post GXS Bank Taps Funding Societies for Property-Backed SME Loan in Singapore appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

With their data-rich and language-heavy operations, financial services businesses are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the development of artificial intelligence (AI), a capability they have been pursuing for years. According to a World Economic Forum report in collaboration with Accenture, 32-39% of the work performed across capital markets, insurance and banking businesses has high potential to be fully automated through generative AI (genAI), and 34-37% holds high augmentation potential. PwC estimates that embracing AI could improve a bank’s efficiency ratio by 15 points through revenue boost by matching the right customers with the right messages, and cost transformation via intelligence automation and agile operations. Specifically, AI can double customer retention rates by proactively predicting and engaging with customers where they spend most of their time, and offering lifestyle-based financial planning. PwC also projects up to a 30% increase in lead conversion rates through autonomous lead generation and targeting, improved relationship management, and adaptive, AI-driven marketing, alongside a 50% boost in productivity and speed through human and AI collaboration. It expects up to a 25% improvement in decision-making speed and accuracy driven by modular data pipelines and context management, and a 35% enhancement in proactive risk management using AI compared to traditional methods. Net revenue efficiency ratio impact for diversified banks that fully execute AI transformation, Source: PwC Strategy& analysis, Oct 2025 Driven by these potential gains, AI in financial services is surging. In 2023, financial services firms spent US$35 billion on AI. That figure is projected to reach US$97 billion by 2027, and US$368 billion by 2032, according to Statista. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into banking, this curated selection of whitepapers, reports, and interviews examines the rapidly evolving landscape. These resources aim to equip industry stakeholders with the essential intelligence needed to transition from experimental AI pilots to production-ready, revenue-generating systems, sharing insights, case studies, and guidelines for succeeding in this new era of AI-powered financial services. The Digital-First Bank’s Guide to AI in 2026 – Oradian The Digital-First Bank’s Guide to AI in 2026, Source: Oradian Released earlier this year by core banking platform Oradian, this whitepaper aims to serve as a comprehensive guide for financial institutions, digital banks, and lending organizations considering implementing AI in their operations. The paper outlines key applications transforming digital banking, including risk scoring, fraud prevention, chatbots, and automation, while also offering strategic advice on responsible implementation. It also addresses critical technical considerations, including integrating AI with core banking systems and maintaining regulatory compliance across different jurisdictions. Most importantly, the whitepaper emphasizes that a strong data layer is the groundwork for AI deployment, and provides an AI readiness checklist to help institutions assess their preparedness for value-driven implementation. It also offers strategic guidelines for deploying AI effectively and responsibly. From Pilots to Production: How Banks Turn AI into Revenue – Dyna.Ai, GXS Partners and Smartkarma From Pilots to Production: How Banks Turn AI into Revenue, Source: Dyna.Ai, GXS Partners and Smartkarma Released in February by Dyna.Ai, in partnership with GXS Partners and Smartkarma, this executive insights report explores how banks and insurers are turning AI into new revenue. The paper blends primary interviews across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa with market data to highlight where the growth opportunities lie, what operational challenges slow scaling, and how leading institutions move from pilots to revenue impact. The report offers a playbook centered on strategic alignment, data and model foundations, fast-track use cases, modular scaling, and embed governance and trust. It also showcases real-world, revenue-generating use cases, including AI-driven inclusion lending and micro-credit, hyper-personalized wealth engagement, and AI-accelerated merchant acquisition and payments monetization. Beyond the Bot: Agentic AI’s Evolving Role in Financial Services – Fintech Fireside Asia Beyond the Bot: Agentic AI’s Evolving Role in Financial Services, Source: Fintech News Network Hosted by the Fintech News Network in October 2025, this webinar featured top executives from Boost, AWS, Ryt Bank, and WeLab Bank exploring the transition from AI systems that merely think, to agentic AI systems that can autonomously act on behalf of users. The discussion examined how the technology is reshaping the banking and financial sectors, covering key themes including the transformation of financial services through new capabilities, live deployments and early results, the impact of agentic AI on customer experience, lead generation, and problem solving, and the critical challenges of agentic AI adoption, including reliability, data privacy, and customer trust. The experts also discussed practical use cases, such as loan onboarding, automated underwriting processes, and seamless customer interactions, and explore Boost’s AI journey from AI-based lending to the Boba chatbot and new agentic AI in financial services. Why 95% of AI Pilots Fail in Banking and How Banks Can Get ROI – Fintech Fireside Asia   Why 95% of AI Pilots Fail in Banking and How Banks Can Get ROI, Source: Fintech News Network In this interview conducted in April 2026 by the Fintech News Network, Cynthia Siantar, General Manager of Singapore and Hong Kong, Head of Investor Relations, Dyna.Ai, discusses why banks often struggle to move from AI experimentation to real execution. She attributes many project failures to complex human organizational systems, including excessive layers of decision-makers, prolonged alignment meetings, and internal resistance to changing established workflows. Siantar shares a case study where Dyna.Ai worked with a digital bank to automate outbound voice calls for debt collection. She emphasizes that the key to scaling AI is to start small with measurable outcomes, secure executive visibility, and treat AI agents as a new category of workers that organizations must learn to manage. Are Banks Thinking Big Enough About AI? | Philippines AI CxO Roundtable – Fintech Fireside Asia Are Banks Thinking Big Enough About AI? | Philippines AI CxO Roundtable, Source: Fintech News Network Fintech Fireside Asia Hosted jointly by the Fintech News Network and OneConnect Financial Technology in September 2025 in Manila, this roundtable brought together banking C-level executives from the Philippines representing West Banking Corporation, UNO Bank, RCBC, GoTyme Bank, Security Bank, Tonik, Netbank, and the Philippine National Bank to explore the strategic implementation of AI in banking. These experts debated whether current efforts are sufficiently transformative or merely incremental improvements to internal efficiency. They also shared real world use cases on how their institutions are leveraging AI, highlighting applications for internal productivity, fraud detection, and compliance reporting, such as automating report processing for anti-money laundering (AML) filings. These experts also explored challenges regarding AI implementation, delving into issues related to legacy systems, and the difficulty of harmonizing fragmented data silos. How to Build an AI First Bank | Malaysia Banking CxO Roundtable – Fintech Fireside Asia How to Build an AI First Bank | Malaysia Banking CxO Roundtable, Source: Fintech News Network Moderated by the Fintech News Network in August 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, this roundtable welcomed top leaders from Malaysia’s digital and incumbent banks, including GXBank, Ryt Bank, AEON Bank, Boost, CIMB and Standard Chartered Bank, to discuss how they’re applying AI across every layer of operations. The panelists explored the strategic requirements for building an AI-first bank, and shared examples of AI deployment within their organizations. They discussed consumer-facing innovations, including personal financial management tools that leverage machine learning for budgeting and financial insights, as well as back-office transformations, such as reducing request-for-proposal processing time from weeks to days, and automating compliance due diligence workflows.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by user21016237 via Freepik The post Top Resources for AI in Banking appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the banking licence of Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL), effective from the close of business on 24 April 2026. PPBL is prohibited from conducting banking business or any additional business under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The RBI will apply to the High Court to wind up the bank. The central bank confirmed PPBL has sufficient liquidity to repay its entire deposit liability upon winding up. Grounds for Paytm licence cancellation The RBI cited four statutory grounds under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The bank’s affairs were conducted in a manner detrimental to the interests of the bank and its depositors, while the general character of its management was prejudicial to depositor and public interest. The regulator also concluded that no useful purpose or public interest would be served by allowing PPBL to continue, and that the bank had failed to comply with the conditions of its payments bank licence. The action follows earlier restrictions. The RBI directed PPBL to stop onboarding new customers from March 2022, before barring further deposits, credits, and top-ups in existing customer accounts, prepaid instruments, and wallets in early 2024. Paytm’s broader operations unaffected One97 Communications, which operates Paytm, said in a stock exchange filing that no services provided by the company are in partnership with PPBL, and that PPBL operates independently with no board or management involvement from the company. There is no direct financial impact, as the company had already impaired its investment in PPBL as of 31 March 2024. In a subsequent filing on 25 April, One97 Communications said PPBL’s board and shareholders had approved resolutions to enable the winding up of the bank, either as directed by the RBI or voluntarily with its permission. The company also noted that PPBL will cease to be an associate company once the winding-up order becomes effective. Services including the Paytm app, Paytm UPI, Paytm Gold, Paytm QR, Paytm Soundbox, Paytm card machines, Paytm Payment Gateway, and Paytm Money will continue to operate uninterrupted.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by vishaldesignstudio via Freepik The post RBI Moves to Wind Up Paytm Payments Bank After Licence Cancellation appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

The Master of IT in Business (MITB) program at Singapore Management University (SMU) was launched in 2007 to equip professionals with the skills to navigate the increasing demand for technology-driven leadership in business. Since its inception, the program has evolved significantly in response to global technology trends and industry needs, expanding from its initial focus on financial services to encompassing key areas of expertise relevant to today’s business environment, including data science, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI). It’s designed to address the critical gap between business leaders who drive strategic goals and tech professionals responsible for implementation. SMU MITB program overview SMU’s MITB program offers five distinct specialization tracks: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Science and Analytics, Digital Transformation, and Financial Technology and Analytics (FTA). Each of these tracks prepares students to lead competently and decisively in a digital era where technology drives meaningful business impact. In particular, the FTA track focuses on the digitalization of the financial sector, preparing students to work with technologies like blockchain, AI, and analytics. The electives in this track cover topics such as digital banking, digital payments, risktech and regtech, as well as central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Class sessions are three hours long, and are conducted in a highly interactive, seminar-styled manner. These sessions combine lectures with discussions, lab sessions, problem-solving practice classes, and group work. Beyond technical foundations, the curriculum cultivates critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving through modules like “Experimental Learning and Design Thinking” and “Modern Software Solution Development”. This holistic approach ensures graduates can translate technology into business solutions effectively. The curriculum also emphasizes hands-on learning through internships and capstone projects, leveraging SMU’s strong industry connections. This practical exposure helps students build portfolios and professional networks before graduation. To accommodate the schedules of working professionals and part-time students, as well as full-time students who might be engaged with industry attachments, all classes are held either on weekday evenings, Saturday mornings, or Saturday afternoons. The MITB program spans 12 to 24 months, with intakes in August and January. Students must complete and pass a total of 15 Course Units (CUs) with a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 out of 4 to graduate with the MITB degree. Alumni success stories Graduates of the SMU MITB program have successfully secured leadership roles across various industries and at prominent organizations. Kristine Joy Paas, a 2025 graduate from the Philippines specializing in digital transformation, now works as a software engineer at Grain, a food experience company in Singapore, automating manual workflows. She highlights how her education enhanced both her technical skills and professional responsibility. Michael Kevin Wiratama Djohan, a 2024 graduate from Indonesia, serves as the director of advanced process and innovation in the animal nutrition division of Evonik, a chemical company from Germany. Now based in Singapore, Djohan drafts digital transformation strategies by identifying business needs and matching them with available technologies. He explains that the program prepared him for his career trajectory by clarifying the “what” of specific tools, the “how” of strategic frameworks, and the “who” of key stakeholders essential for successful transformations. Yeo York Yong, a 2025 graduate specializing in data science and analytics, now works in the data analytics team at the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). He highlights how the program equipped him with practical, industry-relevant skills such as building machine learning (ML) pipelines with Amazon SageMaker and managing data with MySQL Workbench, while also fostering critical thinking abilities essential for problem solving. Ngo Thi My Duyen is a professional from Vietnam part of Citibank’s global partnership and innovations team. She enrolled in the SMU MITB program in January 2024 to better integrate her technical and business knowledge for her role. She explains that the program provided her with essential hard skills regarding emerging market trends and technology, alongside soft skills that significantly improved her ability to work independently, collaborate effectively in teams, and manage group projects efficiently. High employability The SMU MITB program boasts high graduate employability, with alumni sought after by some of the world’s biggest and most innovative corporations. According to SMU, these corporations mainly operate in technology (39%), financial services (24%), and government (8%), and include Apple, Google, PayPal, and Grab. Among the 2023-2024 cohort, 90% of graduates accepted job offers within six months, while nearly 70% secured offers within three months. This underscores the program’s alignment with industry demands and the high market value of its graduates. MITB graduates also command competitive salaries that rival international peers. For the 2023-2024 cohort, the average annual starting salary stood at SGD 77,260 (US$60,750), with a range spanning SGD 69,941 (US$54,990) to SGD 97,433 (US$76,710). Tuition fees and scholarships The tuition fee for the program is SGD 56,680 (US$44,550), inclusive of GST. SMU offers various scholarships and discounts based on citizenship and merit. Filipino citizens are eligible to receive discounts starting from SGD 3,000 (US$2,400), with specific scholarships including the Richard Lim Lee Scholarship, valued at SGD 62,500 (US$49,100), the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation Scholarship, valued at SGD 20,000 (US$15,700), and the SMU ASEAN Postgraduate Scholarship, valued at SGD 10,000 (US$7,900). Indonesian citizens also qualify for the discount, in addition to scholarships, including the MITB Excellence Scholarship, valued at SGD 15,000 (US$11,800), and the SMU ASEAN Postgraduate Scholarship. Similarly, Vietnamese citizens are eligible for the discount, as well as scholarships, including the Vingroup Young Talent Scholarship, valued at SGD 79,000, the MITB Excellence Scholarship, and the SMU ASEAN Postgraduate Scholarship. Finally, Singaporean citizens are eligible to receive discounts starting from SGD 5,000 (US$3,900). Applications for the SMU MITB August 2026 intake close on May 31, 2026. Interested people can learn firsthand about the program from the directors at the next virtual MITB information session taking place on May 16, 2026, from 10:00 to 12:00 (SGT).   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post Why Choose SMU’s Master of IT in Business appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

The Master of IT in Business (MITB) program at Singapore Management University (SMU) was launched in 2007 to equip professionals with the skills to navigate the increasing demand for technology-driven leadership in business. Since its inception, the program has evolved significantly in response to global technology trends and industry needs, expanding from its initial focus on financial services to encompassing key areas of expertise relevant to today’s business environment, including data science, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI). It’s designed to address the critical gap between business leaders who drive strategic goals and tech professionals responsible for implementation. SMU MITB program overview SMU’s MITB program offers five distinct specialization tracks: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Science and Analytics, Digital Transformation, and Financial Technology and Analytics (FTA). Each of these tracks prepares students to lead competently and decisively in a digital era where technology drives meaningful business impact. In particular, the FTA track focuses on the digitalization of the financial sector, preparing students to work with technologies like blockchain, AI, and analytics. The electives in this track cover topics such as digital banking, digital payments, risktech and regtech, as well as central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Class sessions are three hours long, and are conducted in a highly interactive, seminar-styled manner. These sessions combine lectures with discussions, lab sessions, problem-solving practice classes, and group work. Beyond technical foundations, the curriculum cultivates critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving through modules like “Experimental Learning and Design Thinking” and “Modern Software Solution Development”. This holistic approach ensures graduates can translate technology into business solutions effectively. The curriculum also emphasizes hands-on learning through internships and capstone projects, leveraging SMU’s strong industry connections. This practical exposure helps students build portfolios and professional networks before graduation. To accommodate the schedules of working professionals and part-time students, as well as full-time students who might be engaged with industry attachments, all classes are held either on weekday evenings, Saturday mornings, or Saturday afternoons. The MITB program spans 12 to 24 months, with intakes in August and January. Students must complete and pass a total of 15 Course Units (CUs) with a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 out of 4 to graduate with the MITB degree. Alumni success stories Graduates of the SMU MITB program have successfully secured leadership roles across various industries and at prominent organizations. Kristine Joy Paas, a 2025 graduate from the Philippines specializing in digital transformation, now works as a software engineer at Grain, a food experience company in Singapore, automating manual workflows. She highlights how her education enhanced both her technical skills and professional responsibility. Michael Kevin Wiratama Djohan, a 2024 graduate from Indonesia, serves as the director of advanced process and innovation in the animal nutrition division of Evonik, a chemical company from Germany. Now based in Singapore, Djohan drafts digital transformation strategies by identifying business needs and matching them with available technologies. He explains that the program prepared him for his career trajectory by clarifying the “what” of specific tools, the “how” of strategic frameworks, and the “who” of key stakeholders essential for successful transformations. Yeo York Yong, a 2025 graduate specializing in data science and analytics, now works in the data analytics team at the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). He highlights how the program equipped him with practical, industry-relevant skills such as building machine learning (ML) pipelines with Amazon SageMaker and managing data with MySQL Workbench, while also fostering critical thinking abilities essential for problem solving. Ngo Thi My Duyen is a professional from Vietnam part of Citibank’s global partnership and innovations team. She enrolled in the SMU MITB program in January 2024 to better integrate her technical and business knowledge for her role. She explains that the program provided her with essential hard skills regarding emerging market trends and technology, alongside soft skills that significantly improved her ability to work independently, collaborate effectively in teams, and manage group projects efficiently. High employability The SMU MITB program boasts high graduate employability, with alumni sought after by some of the world’s biggest and most innovative corporations. According to SMU, these corporations mainly operate in technology (39%), financial services (24%), and government (8%), and include Apple, Google, PayPal, and Grab. Among the 2023-2024 cohort, 90% of graduates accepted job offers within six months, while nearly 70% secured offers within three months. This underscores the program’s alignment with industry demands and the high market value of its graduates. MITB graduates also command competitive salaries that rival international peers. For the 2023-2024 cohort, the average annual starting salary stood at SGD 77,260 (US$60,750), with a range spanning SGD 69,941 (US$54,990) to SGD 97,433 (US$76,710). Tuition fees and scholarships The tuition fee for the program is SGD 56,680 (US$44,550), inclusive of GST. SMU offers various scholarships and discounts based on citizenship and merit. Filipino citizens are eligible to receive discounts starting from SGD 3,000 (US$2,400), with specific scholarships including the Richard Lim Lee Scholarship, valued at SGD 62,500 (US$49,100), the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation Scholarship, valued at SGD 20,000 (US$15,700), and the SMU ASEAN Postgraduate Scholarship, valued at SGD 10,000 (US$7,900). Indonesian citizens also qualify for the discount, in addition to scholarships, including the MITB Excellence Scholarship, valued at SGD 15,000 (US$11,800), and the SMU ASEAN Postgraduate Scholarship. Similarly, Vietnamese citizens are eligible for the discount, as well as scholarships, including the Vingroup Young Talent Scholarship, valued at SGD 79,000, the MITB Excellence Scholarship, and the SMU ASEAN Postgraduate Scholarship. Finally, Singaporean citizens are eligible to receive discounts starting from SGD 5,000 (US$3,900). Applications for the SMU MITB August 2026 intake close on May 31, 2026. Interested people can learn firsthand about the program from the directors at the next virtual MITB information session taking place on May 16, 2026, from 10:00 to 12:00 (SGT).   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post Why Choose SMU’s Master of IT in Business appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

DBS and POSB are committing S$10 million to expand cashback rewards for Singapore consumers and step up AI adoption support for SMEs amid rising costs. The package follows the Singapore government’s S$1 billion relief package announced earlier this month. DBS cashback Singapore: what consumers get From August to December, DBS and POSB cardholders and PayLah! users can redeem more than three million cashback rewards at hawker centres, heartland shops and supermarkets, including S$3 cashback at hawker stalls and heartland shops every Saturday. Full redemption details and participating retail partners will be announced in July. Among those who redeemed cashback rewards in 2025, 36% were senior citizens or individuals earning less than S$2,500 a month. Saturday earnings for participating hawkers and heartland merchants rose 50% through PayLah! transactions last year, surpassing the 40% gain recorded during a comparable 2024 campaign. DBS is expanding its previously announced Spark GenAI programme to give SMEs structured access to IMDA workshops, a global network of over 16,000 solution providers, and a new “Implementing AI for Impact” playbook. Lim Him Chuan “As the prolonged uncertainty drives up prices, we know that some are feeling the strain more acutely than others. Through this support package, the bank is committed to enabling more people to stretch their dollar, while strengthening our SMEs which are the backbone of the economy.” said Lim Him Chuan, DBS Singapore Country Head.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by DBS The post DBS Commits S$10 Million to Cashback Rewards, AI Support for SMEs appeared first on Fintech Singapore.