Grace Tanuwijaya
Desk byline for banking and fintech at Asianomist: bank results, digital lenders, payments, and crypto and digital assets.
Singapore's covered bond market reaches S$29.8 billion
The Monetary Authority of Singapore reported that new issuance reached a record S$11 billion in 2025, with the market growing 15% annually since 2021.
Marex Names Robert Cheeseman Asia Prime Services Head
London-headquartered financial services firm Marex appointed Robert Cheeseman as its Asia head of prime services. He will operate from Hong Kong, bringing experience from HKEX and major banks.
StashAway Names Nandini Joshi CEO, Ferrario Becomes Chairman
Singapore-based digital wealth platform StashAway has appointed Nandini Joshi as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, succeeding co-founder Michele Ferrario, who transitions to chairman after nine years.
Morgan Stanley: Singapore, Hong Kong Banks Gain Most From Asia Capital Markets
Singapore and Hong Kong financial institutions will capture the largest gains as Asia's capital markets deepen in the second half of this year, Morgan Stanley analysts forecast. Regional wealth accumulation drives this shift from traditional deposits to diverse financial assets.
Grab to acquire 60% of Atome Financial for US$1.49 billion
The initial cash transaction, including US$260 million in growth capital, is expected to close by the third quarter of 2027, with full ownership planned two years later.
Ant International Secures Brazil Payment Licence
Ant International obtained a payment institution licence from Brazil's central bank. This approval expands its local and cross-border payment services in the country. The move deepens Ant International’s presence through its Antom platform.
China Securities Association Proposes Offshore Pay Clawbacks
China's Securities Association seeks feedback by September 29 on draft rules introducing pay clawbacks and integrity reporting for brokerages' overseas operations.
RBI Drafts Rules for Indian Banks on Cyber Fraud Debit Holds
The Reserve Bank of India issued draft amendments on 11 September, outlining procedures for commercial and co-operative lenders to temporarily freeze accounts linked to financial fraud.
KB Financial Group names Lee Jae-keun chairman nominee
Korea's largest financial group, KB Financial Group, has nominated Lee Jae-keun, 60, as its next chairman, an unexpected move over the incumbent that signals a focus on new growth strategies.
Cake Digital Bank wins Euromoney's Vietnam Best Digital Bank 2026 award
The Vietnamese lender, operating for nearly six years, reported profitability in mid-2024 and serves over 7.6 million customers through its digital platform.
Bank of Thailand to Mandate BNPL Licences by Q4 2026
The move aims to tighten oversight of online instalment lenders, with public consultation on the new framework scheduled by end-September.
Nam A Bank secures $30 million Proparco green finance for Vietnam
The five-year credit facility supports renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other green projects, boosting Nam A Bank's lending capacity across Vietnam.
DBS CEO Tan Su Shan: Bank to focus on Asia, not global expansion
South-east Asia’s largest bank will prioritise regional wealth management, capital markets, and trade, acknowledging US market dominance.
Alipay+, S&P Global: Consumers Wary of AI Payments
A survey of 6,000 consumers across nine markets by Alipay+ and S&P Global shows only 26% would use AI agents for transactions, despite strong interest in AI for travel planning.
Ant International Expands AI Payments to 1.5 Billion Asian Users
The Agentic Mobile Protocol, launched in April 2026, integrates AI agents with 10 digital wallets and seven payment acquirers, including Alipay and GCash, across Asia.
Grab, GXS Bank Launch EV Financing, Charging for Singapore Drivers
Singapore drivers can access up to 100% financing for electric vehicles and over 3,000 charging points via Grab's new integrated platform.
Mastercard Names Beena Pothen West Southeast Asia President
Mastercard has appointed Beena Pothen to lead its West Southeast Asia division. She will oversee operations across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, and Myanmar, following a restructure of the company's regional leadership.
State Street names Tim Helyar as new Asia Pacific chief
Mr Helyar moves to Hong Kong from Sydney, taking over the regional leadership role from Lochiel Crafter at the US global banking giant.
Laters.com, Crypto Flight Booker, Raises US$1.5M Seed Led by XBO
Singapore's Laters.com secured US$1.5 million in seed funding. XBO Ventures led the round for the flight booking platform, which processes payments with 70+ cryptocurrencies.
Sumsub Launches Fraud Prevention Kit as Complex Attacks Jump 180%
Sumsub released a new fraud prevention kit. This tool addresses a 180% increase in complex fraud attempts, using onboarding data to assess applicant risk.
Hong Kong University Launches Wealth Academy Amid Talent Demand
The University of Hong Kong Business School has established a new wealth management academy. This initiative seeks to train professionals for Hong Kong's expanding private-wealth industry. The city recently surpassed Switzerland in cross-border wealth management.
Nextbank, Mount Carmel Rural Bank Launch Mobile Banking
Philippine banking tech firm Nextbank expanded its partnership with Mount Carmel Rural Bank Inc. (MCRBi). MCRBi will adopt Nextbank's Mobile Banking Solution, enhancing digital access for customers in the Calabarzon region.
Mynt CTOO Sy: AI Adoption Needs Trust, Not Just Speed
Mynt's Chief Technology and Operations Officer, Pebbles Sy, stressed that artificial intelligence (AI) integration demands strong governance and accountability. Speaking at the GCash iGnite Innovation Summit 2026, Sy noted that building user trust must accelerate faster than technology itself.
MAS Commits S$220 Million to Singapore Fintech Development
Singapore’s central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), will inject S$220 million over three years into its financial technology sector. This funding, via the FSTI 4.0 scheme, aims to boost innovation and talent.
Crédit Agricole CIB Names Nicolas Vix Apac Regional Officer
Crédit Agricole CIB appointed Nicolas Vix as its Asia Pacific senior regional officer, effective today. He replaces Jean-François Deroche, operating from Hong Kong.
Societe Generale Names Sasai Japan Global Markets Head
Societe Generale has appointed Tomoyuki Sasai as its Head of Global Markets for Japan, effective September 1, 2026. He takes over from Marc Saffon, who now serves as the bank's Japan Country Head.
China's 6 State Banks Post H1 Growth, First Since 2022
China's six largest state-owned banks recorded their first simultaneous revenue and net profit growth in the first half of 2026 since 2022, signalling a tentative rebound in net interest margins.
Techcombank CEO Jens Lottner's H1 2026 Pay Rises 29 Percent
Techcombank Chief Executive Jens Lottner collected US$650,000 (VND16.9 billion) during the first half of this year, a 29% increase from the prior year period. The bank's financial statements reveal total remuneration for its board and CEO also rose.
ACI Worldwide Acquires Cranium Ventures for Card Switching Tech
ACI Worldwide will acquire Cranium Ventures, a company with key operations in Singapore and Malaysia, for its cloud-native card switching technology. The deal expands ACI's payment platform capabilities.
Asian Cybercrime Networks Use AI, Deepfakes; APG Warns Businesses
Asian cybercrime groups are shifting to decentralised operations and deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to scale their scams and avoid detection, according to a new report from the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG).