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We often group the Southeast Asian region under one label when talking about the countries casually: SEAblings. But each country has its own unique identity, which transcends to how each market uses its respective payment methods, shaped by factors like dominant payment methods, relationship with cash, homegrown champions, and regulatory philosophy. Understanding those differences across markets is the best way to see how payments work in Southeast Asia. Right now, Asia Pacific, and by that extension, Southeast Asia, is where the most interesting payment method developments are taking place. Source: Global Payments Report 2026 From the warungs in Indonesia to street vendors in Bangkok and the hawker centres in Singapore, many of us have already made the switch from cash and cards, opting to pull out our phones to scan a QR code to pay via a bank account, digital wallet, or any other mode. It feels like second nature. Some of us still use cards and yes, cash too. The newly released Global Payments Report 2026 puts SEA payment methods into a clearer context with a comprehensive breakdown, comprising digital wallets, BNPL services, A2A transfers and more over e-commerce and point-of-sale systems. One global statistic stands out: By 2030, payment apps like digital wallets, BNPL services, account-to-account transfers, and banking apps will account for 46% of all Point-of-Sale (POS) spending worldwide, estimated at US$15.6 trillion. Now, how is Southeast Asia moving in its payments scene? Singapore: Digital Wallets Have Overtaken Cards at POS Source: Global Payments Report 2026 For the first time in history, Singapore’s digital wallets overtook debit cards as the leading payment method at the point of sale in 2025. Digital wallets captured 36% of POS value and 40% of e-commerce value in 2025. In Singapore’s digital wallet ecosystem, Apple Pay and Google Pay are increasingly available online and in stores, while local wallets like GrabPay, ShopeePay and PayPal are more prevalent and competing online. It’s interesting to note that stored credit cards are the leader in payments made from within wallets themselves. Credit cards remain preferred over debit at a 3-to-1 ratio by transaction value. Overall, cards still account for 44% of e-commerce and 40% of POS transaction value in 2025. A2A payments are also growing thanks to PayNow and SGQR, and the latter enables transactions to be completed through wallets or banking apps. Popular payment methods in Singapore: GrabPay, ShopeePay, PayNow, Apple Pay Malaysia: DuitNow and DuitNow QR Drive Digital Wallet Growth Source: Global Payments Report 2026 Global Payments forecasts A2A payments to reach 40% of online and 16% of point-of-sale value for Malaysia by 2030. DuitNow and DuitNow QR have been central to the growth across digital wallet and A2A channels, with Malaysia’s central bank reporting 2.6 million DuitNow QR acceptance points as of the end of 2024. PayNet’s FPX system adds another layer, allowing consumers to pay online merchants directly from their bank accounts. Meanwhile, cash is retreating, dropping from 64% in POS value in 2019 to 22% in 2025, though this still remains above the APAC average. The Malaysian government has made reducing cash use a policy goal in its Financial Sector Blueprint, and is motivated partly by the need to curb persistent tax evasion. Digital wallets captured 26% of e-commerce and 32% of point-of-sale value for 2025, led by local providers like Touch’ n Go and Boost, alongside GrabPay and ShopeePay. Global brands such as Apple Pay and Google Pay trail behind among the Malaysian consumers surveyed. The adoption of digital wallets is driven on two fronts: speed, security, and convenience draw consumers in, while merchants pull them closer with in-app discounts, loyalty rewards, and targeted incentives. Popular payment methods in Malaysia: DuitNow, FPX, Boost, Touch ‘n Go Philippines: 94 million on GCash, but Cash Still Reigns Supreme Source: Global Payments Report 2026 The Philippines has an interesting mix of the use of cash and digital wallets. On the one hand, digital wallets accounted for 41% of e-commerce and 29% of POS value in 2025. GCash, which is one of the country’s dominant digital wallets, now connects more than 94 million users to 6+ million merchants. Maya, Lazada Wallet, and ShopeePay are also highly rated according to the consumers Worldpay surveyed. On the other hand, the Philippines also records the highest rate of cash use across the entire global report, with 42% of in-store transaction value. Cash on delivery itself still represents a huge chunk of e-commerce value at 23%. This is possibly an important enabler still for Filipinos, given that 50% of the population remained unbanked as per the World Bank’s 2024 data. That said, the use of InstaPay and QR Ph is both picking up, with A2A-based payments accounting for 13% of e-commerce and 7% of POS transaction value. The central bank of the Philippines, BSP, is pursuing interoperable payment arrangements across SEA. Popular payment methods in the Philippines: GCash, Instapay, Maya, ShopeePay Indonesia: The Fastest Cash-to-Digital Shift in the Region Source: Global Payments Report 2026 Indonesia’s cash share of its POS value more than halved from 77% in 2019 to 36% in 2025, driven almost entirely by two factors: BI-FAST, its instant payment system, and QRIS, the national QR code standard. Both are initiatives by Bank Indonesia to reduce cash dependency under its Indonesia Payment System Blueprint 2030. As of August 2025, with 40 million merchants and 57 million users, BI-FAST and QRIS connect merchants and consumers to digital wallets, making it the leading payment method online and one that’s growing fast at POS too. Popular payment methods in Indonesia: BI-FAST, Gopay, DANA, Ovo Thailand: A2A Payment Leads The Way Source: Global Payments Report 2026 A2A is the top payment method across e-commerce and point-of-sale channels. This is pushed by the widespread merchant acceptance of PromptPay, the instant payment system from the Bank of Thailand, which aims to improve financial inclusion by reducing cash dependency. A2A payments accounted for 44% of e-commerce and 43% of POS value in 2025, the report shares. Digital wallets trail behind, with TrueMoney and ShopeePay cited as the preferred wallets by survey respondents. Next, cash use remains high in rural and suburban areas, but is falling in cities like Bangkok. Cash on delivery tells a similar story, as its share of e-commerce in Thailand ranks among the highest globally. Popular payment methods in Thailand: Prompt Pay, ShopeePay, TrueMoney, LINE Pay Vietnam: A Maturing Digital Payments Market Built on QR Source: Global Payments Report 2026 QR codes have been growing steadily in Vietnam. VietQR, in particular, allows users to pay from different wallets and banks by scanning a single code. Possibly due to this, adoption has scaled quickly. QR code payments grew 62% in volume and 151% in value year-on-year in 2025, becoming the fastest-growing segment in the digital payment ecosystem according to the State Bank of Vietnam. Vietnam’s digital wallet market is broad and competitive, with 49 licensed operators as of 2025. MoMo, ZaloPay and ShopeePay rank highest among consumers surveyed. Global players are also expanding their presence: in April 2025, NAPAS, the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam, brought Apple Pay’s Tap to Pay to over 80 million contactless cardholders, following up in September with an expansion to Android devices. By 2030, digital wallets are forecast to account for 38% of e-commerce and 33% of POS spending. Cash still accounts for one-third of POS value in Vietnam in 2025, with cash on delivery representing 16% of e-commerce spending. Popular payment methods in Vietnam: MoMo, VietQR, ZaloPay, ShopeePay Southeast Asia’s Payment Landscape is Vibrant and Now, Digital Taking in the bigger picture across these six markets and their respective Southeast Asia payment methods, each country arrived at their current payment landscape through a mix of similar pushes and very different starting points. Some, for instance, treated cash like a problem to solve, whilst others took it as a reality to accommodate. Phil Pomford, General Manager, Global eCommerce, APAC, Global Payments, shares on Asia’s payment landscape, Phil Pomford “Wallet adoption continues to surge, A2A rails are gaining scale across multiple markets, and interoperable QR standards are stitching the region into a unified, low‑cost real‑time payments corridor. Merchants that enable these preferred methods will be the ones who benefit most from the region’s accelerating digital economy.” Digital adoption by consumers is seemingly driven by a cocktail mix of incentive structures by merchants, regulatory mandates by governments and in some cases, public-private infrastructure, but all moving towards the same goal of digital payments as the default. For merchants operating across the region, understanding where each market sits on that curve is quickly becoming critical. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) What are the most popular payment methods in Southeast Asia? This depends on which market you’re looking at under the Southeast Asia digital payments market. In Singapore, digital wallets like GrabPay and Apple Pay lead at the point of sale. In the Philippines, GCash dominates with 94 million users, though cash still accounts for 42% of in-store value. Indonesia’s consumers increasingly pay via QRIS QR codes and wallets like GoPay and DANA. Malaysia’s DuitNow QR has reached 2.6 million merchant acceptance points as of 2024. There is no single dominant payment method across the region, as each country has its own preference. Is cash still widely used in Southeast Asia? Yes, but the trajectory varies sharply by country. The Philippines has the highest cash usage in the Global Payments Report 2026, while Indonesia’s cash share had the fastest decline in the region. How do QR code payments work in Southeast Asia? Most Southeast Asian countries have developed national QR code standards. Examples include QRIS in Indonesia, VietQR in Vietnam, QR Ph in the Philippines, DuitNow QR in Malaysia, and SGQR in Singapore. These systems allow a consumer to scan a merchant’s QR code using any participating bank app or digital wallet, complete the payment instantly via account-to-account transfer or wallet balance, and receive real-time confirmation. For merchants, the cost is minimal, like a printed QR code, which is why adoption has grown rapidly among small businesses and street vendors across the region. Featured image edited by Fintech News Singapore based on an image by Global Payments The post Everything You Need to Know About Southeast Asia Payment Methods in 2026 appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

As the push into AI continues, many banks are still struggling to modernize their digital foundations without simply recreating their existing platforms. For institutions operating across multiple markets, that challenge becomes even more complex, as firms need to balance local autonomy with the need for standardization, speed, and scalability. In a recent conversation with Vanja Tokic of Raiffeisen Bank International, Tokic explained that the real work of transformation is happening in how banks rethink processes, align teams, and prepare their data and systems for what comes next. He also talked about what it takes to actually get started. “There is still a lot of overhype on the GenAI topic. Banks and people in general are underestimating what it takes to put those things into real processes, into real production… It looks really simple when you start prompting, but when you actually have to do it in a regulated environment, then it’s really difficult to get it done.” Tokic serves as Head of Digital Channels and Conversational AI and previously led retail digital transformation strategy at Raiffeisen Bank International. With more than two decades of experience in digital banking, he focuses on translating high-level strategy into execution by aligning teams across markets, driving adoption of reusable platforms, and building what he describes as a “digital bank with a human touch.” Raiffeisen Bank International is an Austria-based banking group that operates across Central and Eastern Europe, serving millions of customers through a network of subsidiary banks. The organization functions as both a central institution for the Raiffeisen Banking Group and a holding company for its international operations, offering retail and corporate banking services across the region. Photo by Ron Lach The post How Raiffeisen Bank International is Thinking About Digital Catch-Up appeared first on Finovate.       

An exposed Amazon-hosted server allowed anyone to access reams of customer data without needing a password.

Gibraltar has issued its first license to a prediction market operator, as higher UK gambling taxes begin to put pressure on the territory’s core remote gaming industry.Singapore Summit: Meet the largest APAC brokers you know (and those you still don't!) The license was granted to Predict Street Ltd on March 26, according to a statement by Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry Nigel Feetham, who described prediction markets as a potential area of growth for the jurisdiction. The company says it is the “official prediction market partner” of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and operates on infrastructure provided by a blockchain firm based in Abu Dhabi. Pressure on the Gambling Model The move comes as Gibraltar’s remote gambling sector faces rising costs linked to changes in UK tax policy. The industry, which serves primarily UK customers, accounts for roughly one-third of the territory’s tax revenue. Recent tax increases are expected to significantly raise the effective rate for Gibraltar-based operators, potentially affecting profitability. Feetham linked the licensing decision to these changes, noting that he has taken a more direct role in promoting Gibraltar’s regulatory offering since the tax measures were introduced. Exploring a New Segment Prediction markets represent a different regulatory category from traditional betting, but their classification remains contested across jurisdictions. By issuing a license, Gibraltar is allowing operators in this segment to establish a regulated presence locally, rather than operating offshore. Other jurisdictions are also examining the space. Malta has said it is working on a framework for licensing prediction market operators, while countries such as France and the Netherlands continue to treat such platforms as gambling and restrict access. Limited Signal for Now The licensing of a single operator does not yet indicate how large this segment could become. While prediction markets are attracting interest, it remains unclear whether they can offset potential losses in Gibraltar’s gambling sector. For now, the move suggests that Gibraltar is testing a new area of activity as its existing business model comes under pressure. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

Rosella, a US-based AI-native commercial insurance brokerage, has raised US$3.7 million in pre-seed funding led by Peak XV Partners and Intact Private Capital. The company aims to streamline core insurance workflows and improve service for small and mid-market businesses by automating operational tasks while keeping brokers focused on client relationships, risk assessment, and sales. The US commercial insurance brokerage market, valued at US$215 billion, remains complex. Many processes, including submissions, policy comparison, and servicing, rely on manual effort across fragmented systems, slowing response times and creating uneven service across clients. Rosella targets three main challenges: repetitive submissions across multiple carriers, the complexity of commercial policies, and variable service levels by account size. Risk complexity is also rising. Nuclear verdicts exceeded US$31 billion in 2024, and the excess and surplus market has expanded as standard carriers retreat from higher-risk categories. Sean Stuart “Software as a product is stalling. Services are booming,” said Sean Stuart, co-founder. “The next US$100 billion company will not sell software licenses. It will sell a service powered by software, built specifically for the people doing the work.” Rosella’s platform includes AI document intelligence to compare policies and flag coverage gaps, a multi-portal submission agent that automates submissions across over 100 carrier portals, and AI-assisted phone support for live calls. Certificates of insurance that once took 30 minutes can now be generated in under two minutes. “The holy grail is not chatbots,” Stuart said. “It is browser agents that can navigate a hundred carrier portals, each one different, each one changing daily.”       Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by siegostuan via Freepik The post Rosella Raises $3.7M to Automate US Commercial Insurance Brokerage appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Collaboration aims to enhance LSEG’s cloud capabilities for financial services. Highlights: LSEG partners with Dell to create a private cloud platform. New platform aimed at enhancing financial services infrastructure. Collaboration supports LSEG’s digital transformation goals. London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has announced a partnership with Dell to develop a private cloud platform. This initiative is designed to improve LSEG’s cloud services, enabling more efficient and flexible solutions for its financial services. The collaboration is part of LSEG’s ongoing digital transformation efforts, which include leveraging cloud technology to enhance operational capabilities. The new cloud platform is expected to streamline infrastructure and provide better services to LSEG’s clients.

A lawsuit filed in Northern California alleges that Google's AI features generated contact information for Epstein victims.