Banking & Fintech.
Thunes, UnionPay Raise China Daily Payout Cap to US$10,000
The expanded service allows instant transfers for financial institutions and money operators to 79 major Chinese banks, including ICBC and Bank of China.
Singapore Caps Private Hire Car Loans at 60-70 Percent
New regulations, effective 30 October 2026, align borrowing limits for individually owned private hire vehicles with those for regular passenger cars, capping financing at seven years.
XTransfer Seeks New Bank Partners at Asia Fintech Events
The cross-border payments firm aims to expand its global clearing network for small and medium-sized enterprises, building on over US$60 billion in payments processed last year.
BOT to Regulate Stablecoins, BNPL, High-Value Gold Transactions
Thailand's central bank will introduce five new financial measures between November 2026 and March 2027, including cash payment limits for gold transactions exceeding THB 10 million.
Skyro expands Philippine merchant services beyond POS financing
The digital fintech firm now offers SkyroCredit, a reusable credit line with up to 45 days of 0% interest, to deepen customer engagement for its 12,000 partners.
SBI Card introduces new fees for high-value fuel, transport
From 1 December 2026, a 1% charge will apply to single transport transactions over ₹30,000 and total fuel spending exceeding ₹50,000 per billing cycle in India.
Singapore Payments Network Names Derek Chan Inaugural CEO
The new entity, established by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Association of Banks in Singapore, will govern national payment schemes starting in early 2027.
StraitsX, Visa Expand Stablecoin Card Issuing to 100 Markets
Singapore's StraitsX partners with Visa to launch stablecoin-backed card programmes in over 100 markets, building on US$6 billion in annualised Asian transaction volume.
TerraPay, Kinexys Partner to Enhance Global Payment Verification
The collaboration integrates TerraPay Verify into Kinexys Liink's Confirm application, enabling financial institutions to validate bank account and digital wallet details across diverse markets.
Mastercard, BVNK launch global fiat, stablecoin payments platform
The new Mastercard Global Money Platform, integrating BVNK's technology, offers a single API for banks and fintechs to manage diverse currencies and digital assets.
DBS PayLah! Connects Singapore Users to 250,000 Taiwan QR Merchants
The Singapore bank's mobile payment service now covers two-thirds of Taiwan's TWQR network, with full integration expected by 2027.
Krungsri, JCB Launch Ultimate Card in Thailand for Japan-Focused Consumers
The new premium credit card, debuting 1 November, offers five times Krungsri Points on Japanese retail and dining, alongside JAL mileage conversion.
KPay secures MAS Major Payment Institution licence
KPay Merchant Service (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. received a Major Payment Institution licence from MAS, allowing it to offer merchant acquisition and money transfers for over 10,000 local businesses.
Singapore's Partior, Bahrain's NBB to Study Dinar Blockchain Settlement
The Memorandum of Understanding aims to integrate Bahraini Dinar settlements into Partior's blockchain network, targeting more efficient cross-border payments.
GoTyme Bank expands remittance network, offers holiday flights
The Philippine digital bank GoTyme Bank now facilitates transfers to over 200 countries and territories, partnering with Cebu Pacific for a holiday travel raffle.
Deutsche Bank, BMW Join Singapore Forum on AI Auto Finance
The AIMCONNECT 2026 event last week gathered over 180 organisations, including major lenders and carmakers, to integrate artificial intelligence into vehicle financing processes.
Singapore Police Flag S$185,000 Hotel Booking Scam Losses
The Singapore Police Force recorded 148 cases of hotel booking phishing scams since January 2026, where fraudsters impersonate legitimate businesses to steal card details.
Salary Hero Raises US$7.6 Million for Malaysia Push
Thailand's Salary Hero, an earned wage access provider, secured US$7.6 million in Series A funding to support its expansion into Malaysia, targeting 50 corporate partners by late 2027.
Mastercard Extends APAC Dining Programme to 1,300 Restaurants
The Mastercard Collection: Dining now offers cardholders discounts up to US$200 across 15 Asia Pacific markets, effectively doubling its current restaurant network.
Swift names HSBC, Citi, JPMorgan execs to new supervisory board
The financial messaging cooperative establishes a two-tier governance structure, including a management board and a 25-member council, to guide future technology strategy.
Anchorage Digital Singapore, StanChart Launch 24/7 Institutional USD Accounts
The partnership offers eligible institutional clients round-the-clock US dollar accounts and SWIFT transfers, integrating fiat and digital asset management on a single platform.
Tribe Payments appoints Alex Lim to lead APAC sales
Lim joins the payments processor from Euronet Worldwide's Pure Commerce, bringing 13 years of experience to drive regional business from Singapore.
Visa Sees Stablecoin Card Payments Grow Nearly 200%
Visa reported a significant increase in stablecoin-linked card payments, with business and commercial programmes making up 17% of volumes this fiscal year.
OCBC boosts 365 card cashback to 6%, simplifies tiers
Singapore's OCBC will raise cashback rates for everyday spending categories like dining and groceries from 1 November 2026, standardising its minimum spend requirement.
Fiserv Partners Trulioo for Global Business Verification
The collaboration aims to streamline client onboarding and underwriting processes, reducing manual effort and ensuring consistent risk decisions across diverse markets.
Kazakhstan fintech shifts to BaaS, AI, digital assets
Incumbent banks now lead consumer finance, but the sector focuses on infrastructure, with over 50 regulated digital asset providers operating under new May 2026 rules.
India UPI Transactions Dip 1.8% in September Amid MDR Rollout
The National Payments Corporation of India reported 24.07 billion transactions last month, a slight fall from August, as a new fee structure for merchants takes effect on October 15.
Asian Embedded Finance: Platforms Buy Banks, Fintechs Seek Licences
A recent webinar highlighted how digital platforms are acquiring banking capabilities, while fintechs are pursuing their own licences, redefining competitive advantage across the region.
Wise Launches Multi-Currency Account, Card in Thailand
Wise has introduced its multi-currency account and debit card for Thai users, facilitating payments and currency conversion for over 40 denominations. The service integrates with PromptPay and regional QR networks.
Pine Labs, Google Cloud Build AI Commerce for Indian Merchants
The collaboration uses Google Cloud’s Gemini technology to develop agentic infrastructure for merchant discovery, marketing, operations, and payments across India.
EBANX Targets Pakistan for Digital Payment Expansion by Mid-2027
The payment processor will support local digital wallets and Pakistan's national instant payment system, following recent market entries across Southeast Asia and Türkiye.
Hong Leong Bank unveils ceramic invitation-only Visa card
The HLB opus is Southeast Asia's first ceramic credit card, leveraging zirconia for its exclusive design and targeting ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
LexisNexis Risk Solutions AI Tool Doubles Dell's Fraud Capture
The Emailage Adaptive system, designed for real-time adaptation to evolving fraud schemes, also cut Dell's low-risk manual reviews by 83%.
Banking Circle expands OSL stablecoin payments with five currencies
Institutional clients of OSL Group can now use Australian, British, Hong Kong, Singapore, and US dollars for transactions, alongside existing euro support, through Banking Circle's infrastructure.