Mastercard taps Japan’s NEC to roll out biometric checkouts across APAC
Mastercard first launched its Biometric Checkout Programme last year with NEC as an early partner.
Asia Pacific
Bambu taps WealthKernel to launch “world’s first” SaaS robo-advisor
Bambu says its solution has been designed for financial institutions that cater to mass retail investors.
Japan’s MUFG pens multi-year partnership with AWS for digital transformation
By moving to the cloud, AWS claims that MUFG has been able to reduce IT operational costs by 20%.
Travelex names ex-HSBC exec Jackie Uhi as global retail director
Travelex CCO Cameron Hume is also transitioning into the role of global wholesale director.
Regulators of UK, Singapore, Switzerland and Japan launch collaborative effort to explore digital asset use cases
Project Guardian aims to share knowledge about the benefits and risks of asset and fund tokenisation.
Kasikorn Bank snaps up 97% stake in cryptocurrency exchange Satang for $103m
Satang Corporation is to be rebranded as Orbix Trade Company with three new subsidiaries.
Singapore’s YouTrip eyes international expansion following $50m Series B raise
The latest cash injection brings YouTrip’s total funding to date to over $100 million.
MAS orders DBS Bank and Citibank to investigate banking services disruption
The banks were unable to recover their systems within the allotted time following a service outage in Singapore.
Airwallex enters Latin America with MexPago acquisition
Airwallex says the deal is an important part of its broader growth strategy in the Americas.
Vietnam’s LPBank selects Temenos for core banking upgrade
Temenos has been gaining a foothold in Vietnam, with 24 other Vietnamese banks now running on the firm’s platform.
Southeast Asia’s BigPay taps Thredd to power payment processing
As BigPay expands in Southeast Asia, the firm says it needed a partner with “deep understanding of the region”.
Yemen’s Tadhamon Bank upgrades to latest version of Azentio’s iMAL core banking platform
The bank has been running on iMAL since 2010.
Japan’s 77 Bank taps Fujitsu to launch in-store banking tablets
The in-store tablets are backed by Fujitsu’s customer engagement solution Chordship.
Brokerage platform Alpaca plots Asian expansion with SBI partnership
As part of the strategic partnership, SBI Group has also made a $15 million investment in Alpaca.
ICYMI fintech funding round-up: Untangled Finance, Kennek and more
A handy round-up of the recent funding endeavours of fintech companies across the globe.
HSBC acquires Citi’s $3.6bn consumer wealth portfolio in China
The deal is expected to close in H1 2024, with HSBC planning to extend offers to “in-scope employees” in China.
Investree to launch Qatar lendtech hub following $231m Series D
The round also saw participation from existing investor SBI Holdings, and succeeds the platform’s $23.5m Series C.
Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia CEO Arsalaan Ahmed departs to pursue “personal ambitions” in fintech
Ahmed played a pivotal role in the launch of ARBM’s digital banking offering Rize last year.
Coinbase receives payment licence from Monetary Authority of Singapore
The news follows a year after the crypto heavyweight received its In Principle Approval (IPA) from MAS.
Project Mariana successfully completes cross-border settlement of wholesale CBDCs
The project was completed between BIS, Banque de France, MAS and the Swiss National Bank.
AlphaSense lands $150m Series E funding at $2.5bn valuation
The latest fundraise comes months after AlphaSense secured $100m in Series D funding led by Alphabet’s CapitalG.
GoTyme Bank taps Nice Actimize to fight financial crime
The bank aims to leverage Nice Actimize’s AI and analytics solutions in order to prevent financial crime and fraud.
Standard Chartered strikes corporate multibank connectivity through Starfish Digital partnership
The bank’s new service seeks to benefit its corporate clients’ inter-bank connectivity and cash management processes.
Funding Societies secures $27m debt funding to support SMEs across Southeast Asia
Funding Societies will channel the funding into its financing solutions to support SMEs in its five operating regions.
Singapore’s Grab pulls the plug on investment services citing non-viability
Customers will have to withdraw their money by 13 October, after which the accounts will be permanently closed.
Fujitsu launches joint trials with Hokuhoku Financial Group to explore generative AI use cases
The trials are being held with two subsidiaries of Hokuhoku Financial Group – Hokuriku Bank and Hokkaido Bank.
CardsPal founder and CEO Saim Yeong Harng steps down three months after Utu acquisition
Utu acquired the Singapore-based lifestyle app in June following its $33 million Series B.
Standard Chartered Ventures launches new BaaS fintech Audax
Audax has been designed to help banks and financial institutions accelerate their digital transformation.
India’s Samunnati signs for Finbots.AI’s CreditX AI credit modelling solution
The deal marks another step in Finbots.AI’s push to scale across APAC.
Geely Group buys out Saxo Bank stake in joint fintech venture
Saxo Fintech was launched in 2019 to bring Saxo’s tech solutions to FIs in Mainland China.
MAS appoints Chia Der Jiun as managing director with Ravi Menon set to retire
Chai succeeds Ravi Menon as managing director, who only renewed his term in May.
ICYMI fintech funding round-up: CredRight, MFast, Maly and OneID
A handy round-up of the recent funding endeavours of fintech companies across the globe.
Digital banking – realising the opportunity
Aspire Systems’ Suresh Ranganathan talks about the company’s ambition to be at the forefront of digital banking transformation.
Sanjay Singh appointed as new CEO of Azentio Software
Singh has spent much of his career at US tech firm Akamai Technologies.
Maybank Investment Bank taps Broadridge for securities borrowing and lending offering
Broadridge claims the platform will provide better customer experience and cost management for the bank.
Standard Chartered global head leaves to found fintech start-up
Manohar Chadalavada is leaving the bank to be the co-founder of a fintech start-up currently in stealth.
MAS firms up regulatory framework for stablecoins
Issuers in Singapore will have to fulfil requirements to be recognised and labelled as “MAS-regulated stablecoins”.
GoLogiq signs letter of intent to acquire Fram Venture 7 and SME lender DragonLend
The $6 million deal is to be completed via an all-stock transaction by September.
Payroll fintech OneBlinc secures $100m credit facility with Clear Haven
The fintech landed $20 million in a Series A funding round in June 2022.
Cebuana Lhuillier Bank taps Temenos for core banking platform
Temenos has tasked its delivery partner, Orion Innovation, with implementing the new core.
