Standard Chartered and A*STAR are jointly investing S$15 million in a new Singapore lab focused on AI applications for banking and financial services. The three-year partnership will establish an AI for Banking Innovation Lab with A*STAR’s Institute of High Performance Computing, bringing together scientists, researchers and the bank’s internal teams to develop applied tools for financial services. The collaboration builds on earlier work between SC Ventures and A*STAR IHPC. Initial areas of focus include portfolio optimisation, fraud detection and natural language processing. One project already underway is developing a natural language interface that lets relationship managers query structured databases without writing code, helping them access insights faster. The teams are also exploring data-driven approaches to strengthen asset valuation and forecasting. Standard Chartered said successful projects from the AI lab with A*STAR could potentially progress into spin-offs. Alvaro Garrido Alvaro Garrido, Chief Operating Officer for Technology & Operations and Chief Information Security & Data Officer at Standard Chartered, said, “This partnership marks an exciting evolution in how we advance AI research for financial services and ultimately, for our clients. Research and experimentation are core to harnessing AI’s transformative power responsibly. By working directly with A*STAR IHPC’s scientists, we’re building safe, scalable AI capabilities that enhance how we serve clients’ cross-border and affluent banking needs grounded in rigorous testing and real-world application from day one.” Alex Manson Alex Manson, CEO, SC Ventures, said, “As we move from banks adopting AI use cases to AI native organisations, the A*STAR-SCB partnership will leverage SC Ventures’ AI Lab to create new business models running on AI, fundamentally a different way of delivering financial services.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Frolopiaton Palm via Freepik     The post Standard Chartered and A*STAR to Set Up S$15 Million Lab for Banking AI appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Sea has established an AI Centre of Excellence in Singapore to deepen its in-house AI capabilities and speed up deployment across its businesses. The centre was set up with support from Digital Industry Singapore, a joint office of the Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore and the Infocomm Media Development Authority. The initiative will support both AI research and business applications, while advancing its proprietary technology stack and broader ambition to become an AI-native company. The AI CoE will focus on foundation model development, evaluation frameworks and internal tooling, while also turning research into production-ready applications that can be deployed at scale. It will also help build AI talent and test new operating models enabled by AI. Over the next three years, Sea expects the centre to create demand for at least 100 research and innovation roles in Singapore across AI research, engineering and product development. The centre will also deepen the sophistication and application of Sea’s in-house AI models, including Compass Max v3.5, a 245 billion-parameter large language model tailored for Southeast Asian languages and e-commerce use cases. Compass Max v3.5 and its variants are already being used to power AI features across Shopee’s e-commerce platform. Forrest Li “This AI Centre of Excellence reflects Sea’s long-term commitment to investing in talent and innovation in Singapore. Such homegrown AI capabilities also contribute to the wider AI ecosystem in Singapore, which we are excited to partner with the government on growing and developing.” said Forrest Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sea Limited. The initiative is supported by DISG and aligns with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0 and Budget 2026 priorities. Philbert Gomez “This investment by Sea strengthens our position as a global AI hub with cutting-edge capabilities in Singapore. The new AI CoE will create new innovation roles in areas such as AI engineering and product development, providing Singaporeans an opportunity to create AI products with a global reach.” said Philbert Gomez, Senior Vice President, Executive Director and Head Digital Industry Singapore.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Polycube via Freepik The post Sea Launches AI Centre of Excellence in Singapore appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

OCBC, Lion Global Investors and DigiFT have launched the GOLDX token, describing it as Southeast Asia’s first tokenised physical gold fund available on a public blockchain. The token will be issued on Ethereum and Solana and gives institutional investors and corporate accredited investors on-chain exposure to the LionGlobal Singapore Physical Gold Fund, which is managed by Lion Global Investors. Through DigiFT, eligible investors can subscribe using stablecoins or fiat currencies, receive the token in their blockchain wallets and later redeem it for stablecoins or fiat currencies. According to OCBC, the launch of the tokenised physical gold fund brings together three Monetary Authority of Singapore-regulated entities. OCBC originated and led the structuring of the issuance and worked with DigiFT on the tokenisation and digital distribution of the product. Lion Global Investors provided the investment framework and governance for the underlying fund. The underlying fund had S$669.4 million, or about US$525.9 million, in assets under management as of 16 April 2026, four months after launch. Kenneth Lai Kenneth Lai, Head of Global Markets, OCBC, said, “This is a milestone in strengthening our group-wide digital asset proposition. We believe digital assets will play an increasingly important role in financial services, and our focus is on bridging traditional finance with the emerging world of decentralised finance. By bringing real-world assets on-chain – like we have done with this token – we aim to enable stablecoin capital to be invested in these assets while maintaining the standards and safeguards expected by investors.” Data from Allium showed the tokenised real-world asset market had grown to more than US$18.23 billion by January 2026, up from US$1.89 billion in January 2024.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Borin via Freepik. (From left) Kenneth Lai, Head of Global Markets, OCBC; Teo Joo Wah, Chief Executive Officer, Lion Global Investors; Henry Zhang, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, DigiFT The post OCBC, Lion Global Investors and DigiFT Launch Tokenised Physical Gold Fund appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

In 2026, BlackRock and JPMorgan Asset Management remained the top fund brands in Asia-Pacific (APAC), cited by fund selectors as their preferred suppliers based on attributes including their solidity, the appeal of their investment strategies, and their client-oriented thinking, according to the 2026 Broadridge Fund Brand 50 (FB50). The annual ranking was derived from Broadridge’s Global Fund Buyer Focus Intelligence and intensive interviews with more than 1,300 of the most significant fund selectors in Europe, APAC, and the US. Participants were asked to name their top-three suppliers across 10 attributes spanning expertise, innovation, as well as social responsibility and sustainability. This year, BlackRock and JPMorgan Asset Management continued to lead the market, ranking first and second, respectively, for their fifth consecutive year since Broadridge began its FB50 analysis of APAC. BlackRock held the number one brand position in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, while JPMorgan Asset Management ranked in the top three in all seven markets under Broadridge’s coverage. Alongside BlackRock and JPMorgan Asset Management, PIMO, Fidelity, and Allianz GI remained in the top five, retaining the trust and confidence of fund selectors and investors in the markets evaluated. Growing appetite for ETFs BlackRock and JPMorgan Asset Management, both global exchange-traded fund (ETF) giants, largely benefited from the ETF boom in APAC. Total ETF assets in APAC climbed to US$2.43 trillion at the end of 2025, fueled by strong investor interest, according to research by Morningstar. The figure represents a 51.9% increase from about US$1.6 trillion a year earlier. Assets by ETF market in Asia-Pacific (US$ billion), Source: Asia-Pacific ETF Flows Q4 2025 and Full-Year 2025 Review, Morningstar, 2026 The ETF boom in APAC is underpinned by a shift from household savings and bank deposits to financial instruments capable of delivering higher returns. Furthermore, the advent of wealthtech and digital trading platforms are making new investment opportunities increasingly accessible to retail investors. The Broadridge study also revealed a growing appetite for thematic funds, particularly among younger investors in APAC, who are increasingly access these themes through ETFs. In Mainland China, thematic equity ETFs reached US$108 billion by June 2023, with tech-centric products making up over half of thematic equity ETF assets, according to Broadridge. In Hong Kong, thematic ETFs are experiencing over 40% in compound annual growth rate (CAGR), reaching HK$62.6 billion (US$8 billion) in mid-2024 and accounting for a significant portion of the Hong Kong ETF market, according to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). Blackstone recognized as a top innovator Though the top five fund brands in the Broadridge FB50 remained largely unchanged in 2026, trends such as growing demand for alternatives and stronger brand recognition saw larger jumps in the second half of the top 10. Top 10 APAC asset management brands, Source: 2026 Fund Brand 50, Broadridge Financial Solutions In particular, Blackstone, which jumped three places to rank seventh in 2026, benefited from growing regional demand for alternatives. As investors increasingly seek returns uncorrelated to traditional asset classes, fund selectors continue prioritizing alternative investment opportunities, and Blackstone remains a top choice. Blackstone is a leading American alternative asset management company that evolves its investment strategies, products, and global reach to match shifts in investor behavior. For example, it launched in 2017 the Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT), a real estate investment fund that allows investors to earn income by investing in large-scale real estate portfolios. In 2021, it introduced the Blackstone Private Credit Fund (BCRED), allowing investors to earn income by lending money to large companies instead of buying stocks or bonds. Blackstone is also known for identifying and investing in sectors before they become mainstream, standing at the forefront of the megatrends shaping the future across artificial intelligence (AI), infrastructure, life science, and consumer sectors. Key investment areas have included logistics warehouses, boosted by e-commerce growth; data centers, supporting cloud computing and AI; as well as life sciences real estate. Blackstone has also expanded globally to capture regional demand. This has been marked by major expansion in Asia and Europe, and investments in Indian real estate and European infrastructure. Assets under management surge 2024 was a breakout year for the asset management industry. Global assets under management (AUM) hit US$135 trillion, up US$15 trillion and marking the largest single-year rise of the decade, according to McKinsey. Roughly 70% of this increase came from the markets as equity valuations surged. The remaining 30% represented net new money, reflecting client demand across a variety of channels and strategies. Organic growth rose to 3.7%, up from 2.1% in 2023. Year-on-year net flows for 2024 climbed for every region, with a a standout 8.4% in APAC, 2.5% in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and 2.4% in the Americas. 2025 proved softer though still solid. In June 2025, global AUM reached US$147 trillion, with an organic growth rate of 2.2% over the same period the previous year. Flows moderated across regions. APAC stood at 4.2% organic growth rate through June, the Americas was 1.3%, and EMEA was 2.6%. Global third-party managed assets, US$ trillion, Source: McKinsey, Sep 2025   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by DC Studio via Freepik The post Top 10 Fund Brands in APAC appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Malaysia is a global leader in Islamic finance. But are Islamic banks delivering the kind of digital experience customers now expect? In this Fintech News Network roundtable, senior leaders across Malaysia’s banking and fintech ecosystem debate the digital maturity of Islamic banking, the gaps that still remain, and where the biggest opportunities for innovation lie. The discussion covers UX, ethical banking, Sharia compliance, personalization, Islamic wealth management, financial literacy, cloud migration, legacy infrastructure, and what it will take to move from compliance to genuinely better customer experiences. Speakers featured: Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi, CEO, HLB Islamic Aizuddin Danian, Chief Personal Banking Officer, AEON Bank Allison Wong, Head of CIB Islamic Products, Standard Chartered Saadiq Hazrizal Hassan, Head of Digital Banking, Bank Muamalat Zakiah Mat Esa, Chief Sustainability Officer, SME Bank Mohd Azlan Masood, Chief Operating Officer (ASNB), Permodalan Nasional Berhad Akram Mackeen, Executive Vice President / Director, Banking-as-a-Service, Strategic Programme, Maybank Islamic Berhad Fadzillah Mohd Faruk, CRO, OCBC Al-Amin Chirag Amla, Principal Solutions Architect, APAC, Mambu JayaPrasad Rao Ethamukkala, CEO, FINODYN Mohd Yuzaidi Mohd Yusoff, Chairman, FINODYN Moderator: Vincent Fong, Chief Editor, Fintech News Network Views expressed by participants are their own and not necessarily reflect the official position of the organisations they represent. The post Malaysia’s Islamic Banks Are Going Digital. But Is It Enough? appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Databricks has appointed Simon Davies as its Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific and Japan. Based in Singapore, Davies will lead Databricks’ business across the region, overseeing strategy, operations and growth across Australia and New Zealand, ASEAN, India, Japan, Korea and Greater China. Davies brings more than 30 years of experience in enterprise technology, data and cloud services to the role. Most recently, he served as SAP’s Regional President for Asia Pacific, where he led strategy, operations, people, sales, services, partners and profitability across the region. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President and General Manager at Splunk, where he helped drive regional growth and expansion. He has also held senior leadership roles at Microsoft, Salesforce and Oracle. Simon Davies “What sets Databricks apart is its ability to combine rapid innovation with strong execution, helping customers unify their data and turn AI, apps and agents into tangible business outcomes. The opportunity ahead is significant, and I look forward to working with our teams, customers, and partners to accelerate that momentum and deliver meaningful impact across the region.” said Simon Davies, SVP & General Manager for APJ at Databricks. The appointment comes as Databricks said APJ was one of its fastest-growing regions, with more than 85 percent year-on-year growth in Q4. The company said it now employs more than 1,500 people across APJ and will move later this year into a new 32,000-square-foot Singapore headquarters at IOI Central Boulevard Towers, quadrupling its footprint.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by ismode via Freepik The post Databricks Taps Simon Davies to Lead APJ as Singapore Footprint Grows appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Pablo Hernández de Cos, General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), warned that wider use of stablecoins in their current form could create policy challenges from credit provision to monetary policy. Speaking at a Bank of Japan seminar in Tokyo, he said stablecoins offer features such as programmability, atomic settlement and faster cross-border transfers, but remain limited in their broader financial role. Stablecoins Still See Limited Real Economy Use The BIS official noted that stablecoins are still used mainly within the crypto ecosystem for trading, collateral and access to US dollar-denominated assets. Global stablecoin market capitalisation stood at about US$315 billion in early April 2026, while annual transaction volumes reached around US$35 trillion in 2025, but real economy payment use remains modest. He added that payment-related stablecoin flows in 2025 were estimated at around US$390 billion, far below the roughly US$8 trillion held in US bank deposits alone. He also argued that current stablecoin arrangements do not yet meet the requirements of a widely used payment instrument, citing issues around singleness, interoperability and redemption at par. BIS Flags Risks to Credit, Monetary Policy and Financial Integrity Hernández de Cos warned that broader adoption could affect credit supply, financial stability, financial integrity, monetary policy and fiscal policy. A shift from bank deposits into stablecoins at scale, he said, could raise banks’ funding costs and tighten credit conditions. He also pointed to run risk and said stablecoins on public blockchains and through unhosted wallets can weaken anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing controls by allowing activity outside the regulatory perimeter and without standard know-your-customer checks. Japan was highlighted as an early mover on stablecoin regulation after amendments to its Payment Services Act in 2022, though Hernández de Cos noted that yen-pegged stablecoins remain very small compared with US dollar-pegged tokens. BIS Calls for International Coordination on Rules for Stablecoins Looking ahead, Hernández de Cos urged policymakers to address the risks of current stablecoin arrangements while bringing useful technological advances into the regulated financial system. He pointed to work on tokenised deposits, central bank money as an anchor of trust, and Project Agorá. Pablo Hernández de Cos Hernández de Cos concluded, “As regulatory approaches are refined, I also want to emphasise the critical importance of international cooperation. Without it, divergent regulatory frameworks for stablecoins across jurisdictions could lead to severe market fragmentation or enable harmful regulatory arbitrage.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by mkmult via Freepik The post BIS Official Says Stablecoins Still Fall Short as Widely Used Payment Instrument appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

HSBC’s planned sale of retail banking assets in Indonesia has attracted several regional lenders, with OCBC now emerging as the lead contender, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The Singapore bank is seeking a deal that could value HSBC’s consumer business in the country at more than 6 trillion rupiah. The potential acquisition would strengthen OCBC’s position in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, where regional banks have been looking for room to expand. Bloomberg previously reported that DBS, UOB, CIMB and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group were also exploring bids for the assets, underscoring the level of interest in HSBC’s Indonesia business. The deal would add to OCBC’s push to build scale in key Asian markets as HSBC reviews selected retail operations in its portfolio.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by HSBC  The post OCBC Said to Lead Race for HSBC’s Consumer Business in Indonesia appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

As fraud losses mount, organizations across sectors including fintech, e-commerce, and gaming, are accelerating their integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into fraud, risk, and compliance functions. A new study by SEON, a fraud prevention and AML compliance specialist, polled 1,010 fraud, risk, and compliance leaders, and found that AI is now baseline infrastructure for digital-first organizations, with 98% of respondents reporting that their teams already integrated AI into day-to-day workflows. Transaction monitoring is the most common and mature application of AI and machine learning (ML), utilized by 30% of the organizations polled. This adoption highlights the effectiveness of AI in fraud detection and compliance amid an increasingly complex regulatory landscape and an evolving risk landscape. After transaction monitoring, 14% of respondents use AI systems that not only assess risk, but also provide clear, understandable explanations that analysts and reviewers can examine and interrogate. Following closely, 12% have deployed AI-generated summaries for alerts and cases. These tools allow organizations to reduce manual narrative work and accelerate investigations. AI tools in use, Source: AI Reality Check: 2026 Fraud and AML Leaders Report, SEON, 2026 High confidence and measurable gains Respondents shared high confidence in the reliability of AI. 95% of respondents were at least somewhat confident that AI can detect and prevent fraud, while 52% described themselves as very confident. Early adopters are already realizing tangible benefits. According to a report by the Harvard Business Review, false alerts have fallen by as much as half among financial services providers thanks to AI, and many banks are now able to automate routine human legwork in document evaluation. For example, using AI, PayPal was able to cut its false alerts in half. Meanwhile, Royal Bank of Scotland prevented losses of over US$9 million to customers after conducting a year-long pilot with Vocalink Analytics, a payments business, to use AI to scan small business transactions for fake invoices. Looking ahead to 2026, the SEON study found that 83% of respondents expect their fraud and AML budgets to increase. Hiring is also surging, with 94% of leaders planning to add at least one full‑time fraud/AML hire. Of these, one-third are planning three to five hires, another third aim for six to ten, and 17% intend to add more than ten roles. Breakdown of hiring plans for 2026, Source: AI Reality Check: 2026 Fraud and AML Leaders Report, SEON, 2026 AI agents in support Regarding the role of AI, executives overwhelmingly view the technology as an enhancer. About 80% of respondents place AI agents in a supporting or augmenting role, rather than a replacement role. In particular, 40% believe agents should support analysts with recommendations and summarization based on standard operating procedures. 38% think agents should augment investigators, providing a starting point for deeper investigations, but not replacing them. In contrast, only 12% believe AI agents will replace analyst tasks entirely. These findings suggest that AI is perceived as an effective tools to handle volume, and repetitive analysis, while human roles is steadily evolving toward designing, supervising, and explaining these systems. Emerging risks However, the increased use of AI and automation has not slowed adversaries. Instead, it has forced criminals to become more adaptive, cross-channel and sophisticated. As organizations automate routine defense mechanisms and deploy ML models to detect anomalies, attackers are abandoning static, brute-force methods in favor of more adaptive strategies, leveraging instead their very own AI tools to generate highly convincing social engineering content, automate vulnerability discovery, and dynamically alter attack patterns in real-time to evade signature-based defenses. For example, AI-enabled botnets can now scan for system vulnerabilities, bypassing verification mechanisms such as CAPTCHA tests, and sustaining high-volume spam or denial-of-service campaigns with limited oversight. One recent case involved the AkiraBot spam network, which used AI to bypass human verification protocols and post automated content across over 80,000 websites. AI is also being used to generate synthetic media, commonly referred to as “deepfakes”. Deepfakes are AI-generated images, videos, or audio files produced through advanced ML techniques that create highly convincing but fabricated portrayals of individuals. In Southeast Asia, criminal exploitation of deepfake technology has risen sharply, particularly in the context of business email compromise and impersonation scams. In one high-profile incident reported in early 2024, a finance worker based in Hong Kong was deceived into transferring US$25 million in what has become one of the most infamous cases of deepfake fraud to date. Since this case, other similar scams have been reported throughout Southeast Asia. In March 2025 a Singapore based finance director was contacted by scammers over WhatsApp impersonating the company’s CFO. In Asia-Pacific (APAC), deepfake fraud jumped 142% in 2025, according to verification platform Sumsub. This method accounted for 15.7% of all regional fraud attempts that year, ranking as the region’s third-largest category. Source: Sumsub Identity Fraud Report 2025-2026   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by freepik and via utaem2022 Freepik The post AI Becomes Baseline Infrastructure for Fraud Detection, Compliance appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

The payment landscape in Asia-Pacific (APAC) is undergoing a significant transformation, fueled by real-time payment rails, government initiatives, and evolving customer preferences. This collection of reports and interviews offers a comprehensive snapshot of the region’s payment ecosystem, painting a picture of resilience, innovation, but also emerging risks. They tackle emerging trends and critical topics including the mass adoption of biometric “face pay” in China, the regulatory challenges of instant cross-border payments, and the proliferation of AI-driven fraud activity. These resources aim to provide industry stakeholders with the essential intelligence needed to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape. Digital-First by Design: How Asia is Redefining the Future of Payments – HPS and Datos Insights Financial institutions in Asia require strong payment technology partners, Source: Digital-First by Design: How Asia is Redefining the Future of Payments, HPS and Datos Insights, Mar 2026 This whitepaper, released in March 2026 by Moroccan payment company HPS and research firm Datos Insights, explores how Asia has emerged as a global leader in payment innovation, characterized by a shift towards digital-first financial services, mobile-first experiences, and real-time payment networks. The report highlights how Asia has become a preview of evolving global standards, outlining key strategic imperatives for financial institutions aiming to capitalize on the region. It explores Asia’s unique customer requirements, competitive market dynamics, and the critical role of data and analytics. The report also emphasizes that partnering with innovative technology companies is essential for organizations to keep pace with rapid changes in payment methods, regulations, and consumer expectations. Cross-Border Account-to-Account Payments in Asia-Pacific: Innovation, Partnerships, and Real-Time Solutions – Visa Direct   Cross-Border Account-to-Account Payments in Asia-Pacific: Innovation, Partnerships, and Real-Time Solutions, Source: Visa, Nov 2025 This blog post, published in November 2025 by the payment network, examines the rise of instant cross-border account-to-account (A2A) payments in Asia, highlighting the trends driving this, and the challenges hindering fast, secure, and transparent A2A transactions across the region. The post underscores the critical role of remittances in APAC’s financial future, and explores how the region’s digital-first culture is providing a fertile ground for digital payment services. It also emphasizes the acceleration of ecosystem partnerships, which is broadening corridor coverage, and enhancing customer experiences. However, the report also identifies signfiicant challenges in APAC’s cross-border payment market, emphasizing the region’s fragmented infrastructure, the need for robust risk management, and regulatory complexity arising from diverse legal requirements across the region. In payments, implementation is strategy – OpenWay Group Implementation quality defines outcomes, Source: OpenWay Group, Apr 2026 This post, by digital payment software vendor OpenWay Group and released on April 2026, examines why payment platform transformations typically fail, highlighting poor delivery and implementation practices as the main culprits. The post argues that ineffective delivery does more than cause delays. It also slows time to market, inflates the cost of future change, limits scalability, and constrains the business models an institution can support later. By contrast, disciplined delivery creates compounding value through faster launches, more efficient scaling, less disruption and stronger platform economics over time. The post highlights OpenWay Group’s focus on disciplined execution alongside technical features, and shares several successful case studies. For example, OpenWay Group’s Way4 platform was delivered in nine months for a processor whose acquiring base later grew to 2 million customers. Another case is a digital multi-bank processing platform which went live on AWS in just four months. Finally, a third case involves a wallet platform launched in nine months and scaled to 40 million consumers and 700,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in three years. Face Pay vs. Tap to Pay: Which Method Will Win in Asia? ft. Sam Su, Sunmi – Fintech Fireside Asia Face Pay vs Tap to Pay: which method will win in Asia, Source: Fintech News Network In this interview conducted in January 2026 by the Fintech News Network, Sam Su, CMO of Sunmi, a China company that provides business Internet-of-Things (IoT) hardware solutions including payment terminals, point-of-sale (POS) systems, and mobile devices for merchants, discusses the current state of the payment industry in Asia and Sunmi’s offerings. Sunmi operates in more than 200 countries and regions globally, deploying various payment devices including face recognition payment terminals, with over half a million such devices deployed in China through partnerships with the likes of Alipay. The discussion also explores how payment preferences vary significantly across Asia. For example, in China, “face pay” is seeing massive adoption, while in Southeast Asia, QR codes and softPOS are still dominant. Finally, markets like North America and Europe still heavily rely on payment cards. The Next Chapter in Payments: Safety, Experience & Speed ft. Hasan Khan (Trust Bank) – Fintech Fireside Asia The Next Chapter in Payments: Safety, Experience and Speed ft. Hasan Khan (Trust Bank), Source: Fintech Fireside Asia In another interview conducted by the Fintech News Network in December 2025, Hasan Khan, business head for cards and unsecured lending at Trust Bank, explores what’s next for the payment industry, delving into pivotal trends reshaping the industry including embedded finance, real-time payments, instant credit decisioning, hyper-personalized customer experiences, and rising scam activity. Khan also details how Trust Bank utilizes cloud-native infrastructure to achieve fast onboarding and gamification to make financial wellness engaging. APAC Fraud 2026 – Sumsub APAC Fraud in 2026, Source: Sumsub, Apr 2026 The APAC Fraud 2026 whitepaper, produced by identity verification platform Sumsub and released in April 2026, examines prevailing fraud types, their evolution, interconnections, and key areas of focus for prevention leaders. The paper highlights a shift in attackers tactics from crude forgery to convincing AI-made deepfakes and synthetic identities that bypass traditional checks. It also explores the devastating scale of schemes like romance scams and pig butchering, and looks at what these integrated threats mean for banks, lenders, payment providers, and marketplaces. The paper warns of the widening gap between how attackers operate and how organizations are defending themselves, highlighting it as one of the biggest risks heading into H2 2026. Its goal is to equip professionals with the tools and knowledge to combat AI-driven fraud more efficiently. The 2026 APAC Payments Outlook: Building a Foundation for Growth – Adyen The 2026 APAC Payments Outlook- Building a Foundation for Growth, Source: Adyen, Feb 2026 This blog post, by Dutch payment firm Adyen released in February 2026, looks at the trends shaping the payment landscape in APAC in 2026. It highlights how trust is no longer built solely on the payment method, but now depends on recognizing shopper behavior, patterns, and context across the entire journey. It also explores how digital growth is increasingly paired with innovation in in-person payments, particularly through the expansion of mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) solutions, and Tap to Pay on iPhone. The post looks at the rise of agentic commerce, exploring how the focus is now shifting from discovery to delegation, requiring merchants to upgrade their payment infrastructure to securely handle transactions initiated by AI agents. Finally, it addresses the urgency of fraud activity, framing it not just as a security issue but as a critical revenue problem.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by bookzv via Freepik The post Top Resources for Payment Professionals in APAC appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

In Asia-Pacific (APAC), the fraud landscape has evolved into a highly industrialized, AI-driven ecosystem. Criminal syndicates are operating as synchronized global networks that share sophisticated tactics with their global counterparts. Autonomous AI agents, deepfakes, and voice cloning are being used to execute large-scale, and orchestrated attacks with unprecedented efficiency. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia is emerging as a global epicenter for scam activity and human trafficking, fueled by the proliferation of scam centers in border regions of Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. This collection of whitepapers, reports, and interviews examines this rapidly evolving landscape in 2025 and 2026, addressing critical offensive and defensive technologies, regulatory challenges, and the necessity of cross-industry collaboration. These resources aim to equip industry stakeholders with the essential intelligence needed to navigate the complex fraud risks defining APAC today. Identity Fraud Report 2025-2026 – Sumsub Identity Fraud Report 2025-2026, Source: Sumsub The Identity Fraud Report 2025-2026 report, released in November 2025 by identity verification platform Sumsub, shares findings from an analysis of million of verification checks and more than 4 million fraud attempts between 2024-2025 to determine fraud and risk trends. The report emphasizes the rise of “sophisticated” fraud and the emergence of AI fraud agents. These are autonomous, self-learning systems capable of executing entire fraud operations with minimal human intervention. It also highlights the industrialization of fraud production, which leverages AI, automation, cross-channel manipulation and orchestration to scale and automate attacks. The report shares recommendations to organizations to navigate this increasingly complex risk environment, emphasizing, for example, the use of AI and autonomous agents for efficiency, and a shift from single verification checks to continuous assessment. AI Reality Check: 2026 Fraud & AML Leaders Report – SEON AI Reality Check: 2026 Fraud & AML Leaders Report, Source: SEON The AI Reality Check: 2026 Fraud & AML Leaders Report, released in February by fraud prevention and anti-money laundering (AML) compliance specialist SEON, looks at the state of AI adoption in fraud prevention and risk management. Drawing from a survey of more than 1,000 industry leaders, the report highlights how AI has become baseline infrastructure for digital-first organizations, with a significant portion of professionals employing AI in transaction monitoring. It also delves into industry stakeholders’ views on AI effectiveness, and examines how fraud and AML budgets will evolve this year onwards. Threat Intelligence Report 2026 – iProov Threat Intelligence Report 2026, Source: iProov The Threat Intelligence Report 2026, released in April 2026 by biometric identity verification provider iProov, explores trends in the cyber threat landscape, highlighting three critical priorities: the globalization of crime, escalating attacks targeting iOS devices, and the expansion of deepfakes. Organized crime is evolving into a synchronized global ecosystem, with Southeast Asian groups sharing sophisticated fraud techniques with their Latin American (LatAm) counterparts. Simultaneously, attacks targeting iOS devices are accelerating, fueled by advanced injection techniques. Meanwhile, rapid advancements of accessible AI tools is driving a proliferation of hyperrealistic deepfakes in corporate environments, posing significant challenges to current active liveness solutions. This paper aims to equip professionals with knowledge on how traditional identity defenses are failing in light of these new and more advanced tactics, and what modern security architectures should look like amid an increasingly sophisticated risk landscape. Banking After Hours: Do Digital Banks Tackle Fraud Differently? – Fintech Fireside Asia Banking After Hours: Do Digital Banks Tackle Fraud Differently?, Source: Fintech Fireside Asia, Fintech News Network In this episode of Banking After Hours, the Fintech News Network sits with Julius Rajeswaran, COO of Ryt Bank, a AI-powered digital bank in Malaysia, and Tai Vo, Director of Market Planning, Fraud and Identity, APAC at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, to discuss the fraud landscape in Southeast Asia, how innovative banks are reinventing fraud prevention, and the critical role of AI, behavioral data, and consortium-level intelligence in fighting emerging threats. The discussion delves into the emergence of Southeast Asia as a global hub for scam syndicates, centers, and human trafficking, exploring how these criminals are recruiting victims to run schemes, along with the broader impact and consequences. Experts also discuss evolving fraud typologies, examining traditional account takeovers, modern impersonation scams, investment fraud, and AI-driven deepfakes. To address these growing threats, the panelists stress that fraud prevention now requires a multi-layered approach, combining advanced technology with human empathy and industry-wide collaboration. They explore the case of Ryt Bank, which leverages dynamic behavioral biometrics, AI-driven deductive analysis, and omnichannel support to create personalized, frictionless security that balances robust protection with an enhanced customer experience. Inside Asia Pacific’s Fraud Crisis and the Battle to Stop It – Fintech Fireside Asia Inside Asia Pacific’s Fraud Crisis and the Battle to Stop It, Source: Fintech Fireside Asia, Fintech News Network In this webinar hosted by the Fintech News Network, experts from GXS Bank, UOB, Tonik, and SEON, explore the fraud landscape in APAC, exploring the shift from simple transactional theft to sophisticated, AI-driven identity fraud and “authorized” scams. The panelists note that while budgets to fight fraud is increasing, losses are rising because criminals are adapting faster than traditional, reactive security measures, turning the fight into a continuous “cat and mouse” game. In response, these experts recommend adopting dynamic know-your-customer (KYC) checks and behavior-based KYC models. They also call for regional collaboration, advocating for a regional, real-time intelligence-sharing consortium involving banks, telcos, and social platforms to disrupt fraud networks before funds are moved. Upcoming Event on 7th May 2026 – Risk Ready Kuala Lumpur 2026 – LexisNexis Risk Solutions Risk Ready Kuala Lumpur 2026, Source: LexisNexis Risk Solutions At Risk Ready Kuala Lumpur 2026 on May 07, professionals in the industry came together to explore emerging threats, exchange insights, and share best practices in financial crime compliance and fraud detection. Thought leaders and practitioners convened to discuss the key challenges shaping today’s evolving risk landscape, while AML specialists and anti-fraud professionals took part in dynamic, solution-focused discussions addressing critical issues in today’s security and compliance ecosystem. The event featured keynotes and breakout sessions on fraud prevention and financial crime compliance, with speakers from LexisNexis Risk Solutions, major banks like CIMB and Citi, and consulting firms including PwC and KPMG. Key topics spanned AML regulatory updates, fraud orchestration, identity controls, scam prevention, and the use of AI and machine learning in combating financial crime across Asia. The APAC Anti-Scam Blueprint: Fighting Fraud in the Age of AI – NICE Actimize, Regulation Asia The APAC Anti-Scam Blueprint: Fighting Fraud in the Age of AI, Source: NICE Actimize, Regulation Asia This whitepaper, produced in 2025 by financial crime, risk and compliance provider NICE Actimize in collaboration with financial news and intelligence platform Regulation Asia, examines how regulators, financial institutions and ecosystem participants across APAC are responding to the surge of fraud and scam activity in the region, and where current approaches are proving insufficient. This paper explains why APAC has become the global epicenter of scam activity, driven by regulatory lags, uneven financial literacy and fragmented cross-border controls, and how AI is reshaping both attack and defense through deepfakes and voice cloning, but also behavioral analytics and real-time monitoring. The paper details how regulators and law enforcement agencies are experimenting with new intelligence sharing arrangements and cooperative frameworks to disrupt transnational fraud networks. It concludes with a four-pillar blueprint for strengthening fraud resilience across APAC, focusing on shared accountability, ecosystem-wide intelligence, modernized regulatory tools and institutional preparedness. Asia Pacific Risk in Focus 2026 – The Institute of Internal Auditors Asia Pacific Risk in Focus 2026, Source: The Institute of Internal Auditors Asia Pacific Risk in Focus 2026, released earlier this year by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), shares the most significant risks impacting organizations today in the region, the top priorities for internal audit effort, and key considerations for boards and audit committees. Drawing on survey results, regional roundtables, and interviews with local experts, this year’s report highlights concerns over growing geopolitical uncertainty, and unrelenting threats from cybersecurity and new technology, fueled by AI. It reveals distinct nuances across the region. East Asia prioritizes human capital and business resilience over market competition, and the Pacific region faces equal threats from business resilience and cybersecurity while grappling with digital disruption. South Asia exhibits the highest sensitivity to geopolitical uncertainty and technology risks, and Southeast Asia sees cybersecurity and business resilience as top risks. The paper also offers tailored recommendations to navigate these complex landscape. These include engaging with governing bodies on agility, supply chain adoption and talent retention strategies, fostering third-party collaborations, and strategically supporting AI adoption.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by rawpixel.com via Freepik The post Top Resources for Fraud, AML and Risk Professionals in APAC appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Singapore has urged banks to review and strengthen their cyber safeguards as authorities respond to growing concern over Anthropic’s Mythos AI system. According to Bloomberg, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is coordinating with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore to strengthen protections for critical infrastructure operators, including banks. The MAS comments came in response to Bloomberg’s queries about the risks linked to Mythos. The regulator said financial institutions should step up efforts to identify weaknesses in their systems, fix exposed vulnerabilities quickly and maintain strong cyber hygiene, including timely patching. It also warned that advances in artificial intelligence are likely to speed up both the discovery of software flaws and attempts to exploit them. The issue is also drawing attention beyond Singapore. Bloomberg previously reported that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened senior Wall Street executives to discuss the risks tied to Mythos and the precautions banks are taking to defend their systems. JPMorgan Chase, which is testing the model, has also acknowledged the shift, with CEO Jamie Dimon saying on a recent earnings call that AI is worsening cyber risk even as it gives firms better tools to improve their defences. Anthropic has kept Mythos on a limited release after determining that the model was too dangerous to release widely, having shown an ability to uncover security gaps that had gone undetected for years. In a recent analysis, AI industry expert Dr. David R. Hardoon examined how Anthropic’s limited release of Mythos is raising fresh questions about AI-driven cybersecurity risks. Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency separately issued an advisory on 15 April warning of similar dangers, though it did not name Mythos specifically.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on images by Freepik and MAS The post Singapore Calls on Banks to Boost Cyber Defences Over Anthropic’s AI Model Mythos appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

UOB is seeing stronger traction in Southeast Asia after integrating Citi’s retail banking businesses in four markets, according to a report by The Business Times. Speaking at the bank’s annual general meeting, Deputy Chairman and CEO Wee Ee Cheong said the acquisition is now contributing more clearly to UOB’s regional retail growth after a lengthy integration process. The S$4.9 billion deal was announced in January 2022 and covered Citi’s retail banking businesses in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. UOB noted that the integration has expanded its regional scale, with the bank now serving more than 8.5 million customers across ASEAN. The completion of the Vietnam integration marked the end of its multi-year regional transformation linked to the deal. Wee added that UOB will continue investing in infrastructure and technology as it builds out its retail platform across the region. He noted that Southeast Asia is not a uniform market, with differences in language and customer needs requiring a more tailored approach in each country. That strategy is also showing up in the numbers. UOB’s ASEAN-4 segment, comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, recorded 5 percent total income growth for the 12 months ended 31 December 2025, outperforming the broader group, where total income fell 3 percent. UOB added that its retail focus is now on deepening customer relationships through more personalised wealth solutions, advisory and continued investment in digital capabilities.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by MD.Laik alom mollik via Freepik The post UOB Expands Retail Scale After S$4.9 Billion Citi Consumer Banking Deal appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Organized crime has evolved into a synchronized global ecosystem, with Southeast Asian groups sharing sophisticated fraud techniques with their Latin American (LatAm) counterparts. At the same time, attacks targeting iOS devices are accelerating, fueled by advanced injection techniques. Meanwhile, rapid advancements of accessible artificial intelligence (AI) tools is driving a proliferation of hyperrealistic deepfakes in corporate environments, posing significant challenges to current active liveness solutions. These threats are among the top trends emerging this year highlighted by iProov, a provider of science-based biometric identity verification solutions, in a new report. Drawn on data from the iProov Security Operations Center (iSOC), combined with real-time threat detection, external threat intelligence, dark web monitoring, red-team penetration testing, and biometric security research, the report explores the evolving threat environment for 2026. Globalization of crime Organized crime has evolved from fragmented, regional operations into a highly synchronized, cross-border ecosystem. Sophisticated groups, particularly those in Southeast Asia, now rapidly share tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) across borders with counterparts in Latin America (LatAm) with near-instantaneous speed. This cross-hemisphere collaboration has created a synchronized threat environment where Southeast Asian groups effectively beta-test the innovations that LatAm groups later industrialize. This professionalized offensive has led to an escalation in Southeast Asian attack volumes, which iProov expects to see across LatAm financial institutions. Underscoring this trend, Southeast Asia experienced a 720% spike in attacks in Q3 2025, highlighting the region’s growing role as a testing ground for emerging fraud techniques. Increase in attacks in Southeast Asia 2025, Source: Threat Intelligence Report 2026, iProov, Apr 2026 The sophistication of these operations has also escalated. Criminal groups started couple of years ago by sharing basic PDF guides for manual presentation attacks. They eventually evolved into deploying advanced malware that allowed them to bypass weak biometric liveness technology. In 2025, their focus further shifted, pivoting from distributing cracked Android package kits (APK) files to releasing high-value know-your-customer (KYC) data packages. These bundles typically include stolen US and European identity documents, with matching selfies. iOS attacks surge In 2025, attacks targeting iOS devices accelerated, marking them as attractive targets for criminals. While H1 2025 saw a modest year-over-year (YoY) increase of 14.9%, H2 2025 experienced a critical surge of 1,151% compared to the same period of 2024. This hyper-growth in the second half of the year marks the industrialization of attack techniques once feasible only for experimental or state-sponsored use. These have moved from isolated operations to weaponized, repeatable playbooks deployed at scale. iOS injection attack escalation- 2024 vs. 2025, Source: Threat Intelligence Report 2026, iProov, Apr 2026 Injection attacks started on web platforms, moved to Android, and left iOS relatively untouched for years. This perceived robustness stemmed from Apple’s closed-loop of owning the entire stack, from the hardware to the operating system and App Store. However, in September 2025, researchers discovered a sophisticated tool designed to bypass identity verification systems on jailbroken iPhones running iOS 15 or later. The tool connects to remote servers that generate the fake footage and then inject the finished high-fidelity video directly into the device’s video stream. The injection occurs before the camera layer, and tricks applications into believing they are seeing a live person when they are actually viewing a pre-made deepfake. Deepfakes expand across the enterprise Deepfakes are increasingly being used beyond identity verification systems and into everyday corporate workflows, particularly across video-based interactions. Advances in image-to-video generation, driven by widely accessible AI tools such as Kling AI, Nano Banana, and similar platforms, are making it easier than ever to quickly create highly realistic synthetic identities from minimal source material. This year, iProov predicts the proliferation and sophistication of hyperrealistic, live deepfakes. These deepfakes will be applied directly to an attacker’s face during a video conference meeting, effectively fooling human reviewers and neutralizing many current liveness solutions challenges. Active liveness solutions that require a movement or action will be easily duped. Organizations that fail to deploy solutions with multi-layered defenses, where the vendor captures a broad range of signals from the user, imagery, and device for high accuracy and security, will remain vulnerable. This prediction aligns with findings of other industry studies. A 2025 Gartner survey revealed that organizations are increasingly impacted by deepfake incidents, with 43% of cybersecurity leaders reporting at least one audio call incident and 37% experiencing deepfakes in video calls. This threat has accelerated over the past years. A 2025 Ponemon Institute research found that deepfake impersonalization attacks targeting executives jumped from 34% in 2023 to 41% of respondents in 2025. AI vulnerabilities are accelerating at an unprecedented pace. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, 87% of the 800+ C-suite executives surveyed identified AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk over the course of 2025. Perception of increase or decrease in cyber risks over the past year, Source: Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, World Economic Forum, Jan 2026 Looking ahead to 2026, data leaks associated with genAI (34%) and the advancement of adversarial capabilities, such as phishing, malware development, and deepfakes (29%), stand out as leading concerns. Top concerns related to genAI, Source: Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, World Economic Forum, Jan 2026   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by ArtiDirector54 via Freepik The post Top Cyber Threat Trends in South East Asia appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Former Trust Bank Chief Strategy Officer Nick Woodruff has joined SC Ventures as Head of Early-Stage Ventures. The move follows his departure from Trust Bank, where he spent five years as part of the founding team and held roles spanning strategy, product, marketing and Gen AI. Prior to joining Trust Bank, Woodruff spent a decade at Standard Chartered and earlier held roles at Finsbury Glover Hering, and Barclays. Nick Woodruff He said, “During my time at Trust Bank Singapore and FGS Global, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact of venture building, particularly the ability to learn fast and create strategic optionality. I’m now bringing that experience back to the SC Ventures platform, across a global portfolio of ventures from ideation through to build and launch.” SC Ventures is Standard Chartered’s venture-building and investment platform. It focuses on promoting innovation, investing in disruptive financial technology and exploring alternative business models. Woodruff’s move comes shortly after Trust Bank announced leadership changes following his exit. The bank named Alexander Pariyskiy as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff, while Naveen Sethia was promoted to Chief Customer Officer.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by alexokov via Freepik   The post Nick Woodruff Moves to SC Ventures After Leaving Trust Bank appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

American Express (Amex) has agreed to acquire Hypercard, known as Hyper, an agentic expense management company, as it looks to strengthen AI capabilities across its commercial services business. The deal brings in Hyper’s team of AI experts as American Express builds agentic tools and other AI-powered solutions to help businesses automate processes and simplify operations. Raymond Joabar “Our customers want smarter, more efficient ways to manage expenses so they can focus on what’s next for their business, and AI has the potential to transform the way businesses get things done. We’re thrilled to welcome Hyper, a team with deep expertise in designing and deploying AI agents, as we build next-generation AI capabilities into our products and services, including our expense management platform launching later this year.” said Raymond Joabar, Group President of Global Commercial Services at American Express. Founded in 2022, Hyper develops native AI agents that can categorise and file expenses, check them against budgets and company policies, and send reminders when submissions are due. American Express and Hyper previously partnered in 2024 to launch the Hypercard Rewards American Express card, which included embedded AI-powered expense agents built through the Agile Partner Platform. Hyper has since continued refining its agentic expense management capabilities. Marc Baghadjian “We’re excited to join the team at American Express and work together to help businesses reduce friction in the expense process through AI technology. Hyper was founded with the ambition to better automate expenses, and we’re excited to continue this mission as a part of the Amex team.” said Marc Baghadjian, CEO and Co-Founder of Hyper. The acquisition also comes ahead of Amex’ planned launch of an expense management platform later this year. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to closing conditions.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik   The post Amex to Acquire Hyper Ahead of Expense Platform Launch appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Sumsub has launched a free online fraud prevention course through its academy for professionals working in risk, compliance, and fraud. The programme is aimed at professionals including risk managers, internal auditors, anti-fraud strategy professionals, AML compliance officers, and senior management. It covers digital fraud risks, detection methods, and operational best practices. It features 26 micro-learning sessions across six modules on digital fraud foundations, fraud lifecycle, entities and data, fraud signals and detection methods, common fraud schemes, industry-specific risks, and the operation of a fraud prevention function. The course also includes sector-specific sessions on crypto, financial services, iGaming, marketplaces, and e-commerce. Participants who complete it will receive an official certificate and gain practical knowledge on identifying, investigating, and preventing fraud across onboarding, account access, and transactional flows. Speakers include Alex Wood, presenter of the BBC’s Scam Secrets; Angelina Škrabec of evoke; Arturs Linde of Paybis; Matteo Gamba of Merchant Payments Ecosystem; Michael Dare of iFAST Global Bank Limited; Ivan Prokofev of Cleo; and Sumsub’s Arthur Tsvettsih and Svetla Gocheva. The course was developed in response to demand from past learners and wider market interest. More than 10,000 students have completed Sumsub Academy courses to date. Fraud Prevention is the eighth course launched by Sumsub Academy, following earlier courses including Sumsub User Verification and AML Fundamentals.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by MDROTONALI via Freepik The post Sumsub Academy Launches Free Fraud Prevention Course appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Airwallex has launched a point-of-sale (POS) payments product designed to bring online and in-store payments together on a single platform. The new offering, Airwallex POS Payments, is now available in the UK, Europe, Hong Kong and Singapore, with the US and Australia next on the roadmap. The launch marks Airwallex’s expansion into in-person payments, as more businesses look to reduce the fragmentation between their online and offline payment systems. Airwallex is positioning the product as a way to bring online and in-store payments together through one integration across multiple markets. The system can integrate with existing point-of-sale, order management, enterprise resource planning and platform systems through APIs and software development kits. It also includes SoftPOS support, allowing platforms to embed in-person payments acceptance into their apps without shipping separate payment hardware. The firm is targeting enterprise retailers and SaaS platforms that want to add in-store payments to their existing systems. Airwallex POS Payments also allows platforms to offer services such as payouts, accounts and cards.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Airwallex The post Airwallex Expands Into In-Person Payments With POS Launch appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Brazilian payments firm Ebanx is adding Thailand, Indonesia and Turkey to its network as it prepares to enter Malaysia and Vietnam next quarter, according to Reuters. The move marks a further step in its Southeast Asia expansion as Ebanx builds out payment coverage across more emerging markets. Ebanx supports global merchants including Uber and Shein, connecting them with local payment options in markets where card usage is still limited. More of Ebanx’s gross profit is now coming from outside Brazil. In 2025, 65 percent came from other countries, up from 32 percent in 2021, while 20 percent came from markets beyond Latin America. To support its Southeast Asia growth, Ebanx has set up its Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, with Chief Product Officer Eduardo de Abreu leading from there. Ebanx has been expanding into markets beyond Latin America since 2022, including India, the Philippines and South Africa. The report added that the company is targeting more launches in Asia and the Middle East in early 2027. This year’s expansion will be funded from Ebanx’s existing cash reserves. Its last disclosed capital raise came in 2021, when Advent International invested US$430 million and joined FTV Capital as a minority shareholder.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by MDROTONALI via Freepik The post Ebanx Builds Out Southeast Asia Presence Ahead of Malaysia, Vietnam Launches appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

FPT has launched an ASEAN Salesforce Center in Hanoi to help financial institutions in Vietnam test and deploy practical data and AI applications. Developed with Salesforce, the center is located at FPT Tower and will serve as a space for banks to explore real-world use cases, train teams, and develop new applications. The facility is focused on Vietnam’s banking sector but is also intended to support wider adoption across ASEAN. The ASEAN Salesforce Center will showcase use cases across the customer journey. These include digital onboarding for account opening and credit activation, AI-driven financial recommendations based on spending patterns, and predictive tools that help banks identify customers who may be ready for new products or services. It also features customer intelligence tools that connect interactions across channels, along with a Tableau-powered dashboard for management teams. The center will also provide hands-on training on Agentforce and Data 360 as part of efforts to strengthen delivery capabilities in Vietnam’s financial services sector. Nguyen Quoc Dong Nguyen Quoc Dong, Senior Vice President and Chief Delivery Officer of FPT Corporation, said, “Through our collaboration with Salesforce, we are helping organizations across Vietnam and ASEAN turn these technologies into meaningful transformation, from intelligent decision-making to deeply personalized customer experiences. This initiative builds on that momentum, helping accelerate the next generation of data-driven banking across the region.” Paul Carvouni Paul Carvouni, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Salesforce ASEAN, said, “The Salesforce Center of Excellence with FPT is more than just a facility; it’s a launchpad for Vietnamese companies to redefine the customer journey and scale their growth. We are giving local businesses a space to move beyond experimentation to real business value by experiencing how Agentic Enterprises improve customer experiences, create higher revenue and increase productivity.” FPT has built its Salesforce capabilities over more than a decade. The company now maintains a global team of over 1,000 developers with more than 800 certifications and has delivered over 200 projects across various industries.     The post FPT Launches ASEAN Salesforce Center in Hanoi for Banking AI Adoption appeared first on Fintech Singapore.