Entrust has officially announced on LinkedIn the transition of Tony Ball from incoming Chief Executive Officer to the official CEO role. Ball brings decades of tech and smart card industry experience to his new leadership position at Entrust. His extensive background includes several senior roles at Gemalto between 2004 and 2007, where he served as Managing Director for the UK and Scandinavia, Vice President for Western Europe, and eventually Senior Vice President for Northern Europe. Prior to that, he spent several years in leadership at Schlumberger Technologies. During that time, he held positions such as Director of Manufacturing and Vice President and General Manager for the EMEA region. In his new role, Ball plans to focus on fortifying digital trust across all platforms. Tony Ball “In a world without a clear perimeter, identity is the common thread behind every trusted interaction,” Ball stated. He emphasised that his upcoming chapter at Entrust will centre on helping organisations secure the entire identity lifecycle to better protect their people, devices, and data. Concluding his announcement, Ball expressed his gratitude to the company’s teams, customers, and partners, reaffirming that Entrust’s primary mission remains focused on securing a world in motion. Read more about Tony Ball’s approach to securing the identity lifecycle and zero trust strategies here. Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore based on an image by noob via Freepik. The post Entrust Appoints Tony Ball as The Chief Executive Officer appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Western Union has completed its acquisition of Singapore-based digital wallet Dash from Singtel after receiving all required regulatory approvals. The deal gives Western Union its first wallet in Asia Pacific and adds Dash’s Singapore platform to its global network, which spans more than 200 countries and territories. Dash, operated by Singcash, was launched in 2014 and has grown to more than 1.4 million users. The wallet allows users to pay bills, send money overseas, and access services such as savings, investments and insurance. It is available to users regardless of their telco or banking provider. Vince Tallent, Vince Tallent, Head of Asia Pacific at Western Union, said, “By combining Dash’s local innovation and trusted customer relationships with Western Union’s global network and digital platform, we are expanding how, where, and when we serve our customers. Together, we will be better positioned to meet them in the moments that matter — whether they are sending money across borders, managing everyday payments, or accessing financial services digitally — and to deliver more seamless, convenient, and reliable experiences that truly support their needs.” Gilbert Chuah Gilbert Chuah, Head, Financial & lifestyle Services, International Digital Services, Singtel, said, “Dash has been an important part of Singtel’s digital journey, and we are proud to have built a trusted and inclusive mobile wallet in Singapore. As it enters its next phase with Western Union, we are confident that its strong local foundation, combined with Western Union’s global scale, will unlock greater value for customers.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Western Union The post Western Union Completes Dash Acquisition, Marking First Wallet Deal in APAC appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Visa has introduced six new and enhanced dispute resolution tools as issuers, acquirers and merchants contend with rising case volumes and outdated manual processes. Inefficient dispute handling continues to drive administrative costs and fraud-related losses across the payments ecosystem. Visa processed 106 million disputes globally in 2025, up 35 percent from 2019. Andrew Torre “Disputes put strain on every part of the payments ecosystem, frustrating consumers, while driving cost and complexity for merchants and financial institutions. When outdated technology cannot keep pace, fraud goes undetected. Our expanded suite of dispute services gives clients the visibility they need to focus on what matters most: serving customers, launching new products and growing their businesses.” said Andrew Torre, President of Value-Added Services, Visa. For merchants, Visa is rolling out tools aimed at resolving disputes earlier, improving recovery and preventing unnecessary claims. Its Visa Dispute Resolution Network is designed to handle potential disputes before they escalate, with a pilot now available and general availability planned for late 2026. Visa Dispute Recovery Manager, which automates representment using Gen AI-generated responses and win prediction scoring, is also set for pilot expansion in late 2026. The payments company has also updated Order Insight, which surfaces transaction details to help clear up confusion over legitimate charges. From April 2026, merchants will be able to use Compelling Evidence 3.0 within the service to share evidence with banks in suspicious transaction cases, a move Visa said could help reduce friendly fraud. For issuers and acquirers, Visa is expanding AI-based dispute tools. Dispute Intelligence, which uses predictive AI models and Visa’s global transaction and dispute data to support case reviews, is now generally available. Dispute Doc Analyzer will be available to issuers in late April 2026, summarising merchant documents and extracting key details in a structured format to support dispute decisions. For acquirers, the tool is already generally available and can auto-populate response questionnaires for merchants. Visa is also preparing to launch Visa Dispute Case Manager in North America in 2026. The platform uses AI to centralise dispute workflows across multiple card networks, from intake to resolution.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by mrsiraphol via Freepik The post Visa Rolls Out Generative AI Tools as Global Dispute Volume Rises appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Sumsub has introduced an automated Satoshi Test to help virtual asset service providers verify unhosted wallet ownership as regulatory scrutiny increases. The feature has been added to its Unhosted Wallet Verification solution, allowing users to prove control of a self-hosted wallet by sending a small preset amount within a set timeframe. Sumsub then verifies the transaction on-chain and confirms the originating wallet before allowing the deposit or withdrawal to proceed. With the addition, Sumsub now supports four commonly accepted methods for proving ownership of unhosted wallets. The others are digital signature, self-declaration and screenshots. The company said this gives firms more flexibility to apply risk-based checks across markets. The move comes as the Financial Action Task Force has warned that unhosted wallets and stablecoins can increase exposure to money laundering, sanctions evasion and other illicit activity because transfers often take place peer-to-peer without the oversight of intermediaries such as exchanges. The Satoshi Test can also be integrated into Travel Rule workflows. Sumsub said the solution supports any wallet and more than 100 blockchain networks. Andrew Novoselsky “Crypto has entered an era of regulated maturity. Firms now need to demonstrate that their control frameworks stand up to real scrutiny, without sacrificing conversion or scalability. That’s why we support all four commonly accepted unhosted wallet verification methods for VASPs—fully automated and embedded into transaction flows keeping the user journey fast and intuitive.” said Andrew Novoselsky, Chief Product Officer at Sumsub.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Sumsub The post Sumsub Adds Automated Satoshi Test for Unhosted Wallet Verification appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Alteryx, an AI-ready data and analytics company, has promoted Sabya Sen to a wider regional role covering India, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Sen will serve as Vice President, IMEA & APAC, where he will focus on expanding adoption of the Alteryx One platform and helping organisations move beyond AI pilots to enterprise-scale use. He was most recently Vice President and Head of UKI and Emerging Markets Europe at Alteryx. Prior to joining the company, Sen spent 11 years at Salesforce in leadership roles supporting customers in the insurance, financial services and healthcare sectors. Sabya Sen “Across the Middle East, India, and Asia-Pacific, we are seeing unprecedented momentum driven by ambitious national transformation agendas. These efforts are accelerating economic diversification, advancing digital innovation, and firmly positioning these regions as global hubs for data and AI-led growth.” said Sabya Sen, Vice President, IMEA & APAC. Jason Janicke “Over the past few years, Sabya has had a tremendous impact on Alteryx and has demonstrated a remarkable level of focus, discipline, and strong commercial execution. He has delivered results, built a strong team culture, and consistently raised the bar. We can’t wait to see the impact that Sabya has in this next role.” said Jason Janicke, Senior Vice President for EMEA and APJ at Alteryx.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Pixelid via Freepik   The post Alteryx Promotes Sabya Sen to Wider Regional Role appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Vietnam has introduced a 0.1 percent tax on crypto transactions as it seeks to move more trading onto licensed local platforms under a new market pilot, The Business Times reported. Circular 32 applies a 0.1 percent personal income tax on each crypto transaction by individuals, regardless of residency from 27 March. Foreign organisations trading through licensed service providers in Vietnam will face a similar 0.1 percent corporate tax on transaction value. Domestic companies earning income from crypto transfers, as well as local firms providing crypto-related services, will be taxed at 20 percent on profits after deducting costs and related expenses. Crypto transfers and trading will be exempt from value-added tax, though related activities outside direct transfers will remain taxable under existing VAT rules. The tax changes come as Vietnam moves ahead with a five-year pilot for its digital assets market. A 12 March Ministry of Finance document showed that five companies had cleared a preliminary evaluation round for licences. The list includes entities linked to Techcombank, VPBank and LPBank, alongside VIX Securities and Sun Group. Applicants must meet strict licensing requirements, including minimum capital of 10 trillion dong, with at least 65 percent contributed by institutional investors. Foreign ownership is capped at 49 percent. Domestic investors trading crypto outside licensed platforms could face administrative penalties or criminal prosecution, depending on the violation. Vietnam received about US$220 billion worth of crypto between July 2024 and June 2025, up 55 percent from a year earlier, The Business Times reported, citing Chainalysis.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, images by Frolopiaton Palm and huythoai via Freepik The post Vietnam Introduces 0.1% Crypto Tax as It Prepares to License Local Platforms appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

OCBC will offer lower bonus interest on its 360 Account from 1 May, as Singapore banks continue to reprice savings products in a softer rate environment. The change was reported by Channel News Asia after the bank notified customers that the maximum effective rate on the first S$100,000 in the account will fall to 4.45 percent a year from 5.45 percent. Customers will still need to meet the same broad conditions to earn the top rate. These include crediting a monthly salary of at least S$1,800, increasing their account balance by at least S$500 a month, spending at least S$500 on selected OCBC credit cards, and buying eligible insurance and investment products from the bank. OCBC’s updated notice says the qualifying criteria for the bonus interest categories remain unchanged even as the rates are revised lower. The latest revision follows two earlier cuts to the 360 Account that took effect on 1 May and 1 August last year. The revised OCBC table shows lower bonus interest across the salary, save and spend categories, while the bank continues to offer insure and invest bonuses under the same structure.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by wavebreakmedia_micro via Freepik The post OCBC to Lower 360 Account Bonus Interest to 4.45 Percent appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

In a world where AI is becoming an integral part of nearly every industry, one company stands out for its ambitious vision of democratising AI – Agnes AI. With a bold mission to build AI for the other 99.5% of internet users who have never had access to premium AI tools, Agnes is redefining what it means to make AI accessible, affordable, and inclusive. AI Neutrality, AI Parity, and AI Inclusion: The Core of Agnes AI’s Mission At the heart of Agnes AI’s work is a strong commitment to three foundational principles: AI neutrality, AI parity, and AI inclusion. These principles guide the company’s development strategy, ensuring that AI is not an exclusive technology for the few but an essential tool for the many. AI Neutrality: Agnes AI operates independently of global tech giants’ ecosystems, creating solutions that are open and flexible, accessible to anyone, and everyone, regardless of geographic location or technology platform. AI Parity: Agnes believes all users, regardless of their organisation’s size or financial capacity, should have access to the same top-tier AI capabilities. The company ensures that smaller businesses, emerging markets, and individual users can benefit from the same advanced AI models that large corporations use. AI Inclusion: The company’s ultimate goal is to bring cutting-edge AI to those who need it most — the underserved 99.5% of internet users. Through its products, Agnes is working to eliminate the digital divide and provide opportunities for all users, regardless of their technological resources. Agnes-Claw: Revolutionising AI Performance Agnes AI’s vision is embodied in its newly launched ‘Claw’ model series Agnes-1.5-Pro and Agnes-1.5-Lite, which exemplifies the company’s commitment to improving model capabilities, speed, and cost efficiency. Recently, Agnes-Claw was showcased in a PinchBench ranking, proving its performance edge. Agnes-1.5-Pro: Achieved 84.5% accuracy on PinchBench (rank 7) on the list, comparing favorably to deepseek-v3.2(81.9%) & minimax/minimax-m2.5(80.5%). Agnes-Claw delivers top-tier AI capabilities at just 10% of the cost — making advanced AI accessible to individuals, small businesses, and organisations that previously couldn’t afford it. The introduction of Agnes-Claw marks a significant step forward in AI evolution, with improvements in: Model capabilities: Agnes-Claw achieves near state-of-the-art performance, providing powerful AI tools while significantly reducing costs. Speed: Optimised for faster response times, enabling real-time AI-powered applications in multiple industries. Cost efficiency: Delivering high-value AI solutions at a fraction of the price, democratising AI access for the 99.5%. Agnes-Claw now sets the bar for a new era of AI, where speed, cost-effectiveness, and advanced performance converge to deliver powerful tools to everyone, not just the top 1%. Source: Agnes AI Agnes AI: A Model-First Company Powering Multiple Applications Unlike other AI startups that focus on consumer applications or single-use AI services, Agnes AI operates as a model company that powers multiple AI applications across various sectors. The company’s proprietary Agentic Intelligence infrastructure enables intelligent agents capable of reasoning, collaboration, and autonomous problem-solving, making it applicable to industries ranging from finance to e-commerce, education, and beyond. Through this model-first approach, Agnes AI has positioned itself as a leader in developing AI infrastructure that can support a broad ecosystem of applications, rather than merely offering a one-off product. Some of Agnes AI’s core applications include a suite of specialised products built around its broader agentic AI infrastructure. Agnes (+Claw) serves as the company’s flagship all-in-one AI assistant, designed to handle a wide range of productivity, research, and automation tasks. In global markets, it is positioned as a direct benchmark to platforms such as Doubao. Agnes Echo focuses on multi-modal AI companionship, enabling more natural and context-aware interactions across text, voice, and other media. The product is being developed to compete with conversational AI platforms like Character.ai. Agnes Pixa is a multi-modal generative platform that allows users to create and manipulate content across formats, positioning it alongside next-generation creative tools such as Sora and Little Lark. Looking ahead, Agnes Volt — currently in development — is planned as an AI-native website building solution. It aims to simplify and automate the process of creating and deploying web experiences, with positioning comparable to emerging AI-driven builders like Lovable and Replit. Strong Financial Performance and Future Outlook Agnes AI has achieved rapid growth, reflecting the increasing demand for its accessible AI solutions. The company is nearing US$20M ARR in revenue, a testament to the market’s strong demand for its products. Additionally, Agnes AI has raised tens of millions of US dollars in funding to continue its global expansion and technological innovation. Looking ahead, Agnes AI has set its sights on a public listing by the end 2026 or early 2027, a goal that will provide even more resources to scale its technology and expand its reach. The company’s funding, coupled with its growing revenue, positions Agnes as one of the fastest-growing AI platforms emerging from Southeast Asia. Agnes AI’s Vision: Building AI for the Other 99.5% Agnes AI’s vision is clear: to build AI for the other 99.5% of internet users who have been underserved by current AI platforms. This includes not only individuals in emerging markets but also small businesses, nonprofits, and other organisations that traditionally lack access to the resources needed to leverage cutting-edge technology. The company believes that AI should be inclusive and affordable, enabling everyone to benefit from the transformative power of AI. By providing advanced capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional platforms, Agnes is giving voice and agency to those who need it the most. This will allow AI to be used by a diverse global user base, helping businesses, governments, and individuals solve complex problems and achieve their goals. Leading the Charge for the Future of AI Agnes AI represents a new generation of AI companies emerging outside traditional technology hubs. By combining proprietary model clusters, Intelligent Routing system, enhanced RL framework, and a mission centered on AI inclusion, the company is building the foundations for the next phase of AI development. With the introduction of Agnes-Claw, strong financial backing, and clear vision for the future, Agnes AI is well-positioned to continue leading the charge in making AI a global tool that benefits all. The company’s growth and commitment to creating AI for the other 99.5% reflects its dedication to democratising access to AI, ensuring that the power of AI is no longer limited to just a select few but is available to all who need it.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by vishaldesignstudio via Freepik The post Agnes AI Unveils Agnes-Claw: A Game-Changer in AI Performance and Accessibility appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

HSBC Singapore has refreshed its mobile banking app to make it easier for customers to manage investments, foreign exchange, financial planning, international transfers and everyday banking in one place. The update comes as more customers use digital channels for wealth-related transactions. The bank said 95% of foreign exchange transactions, 100% of equity trades and 78% of unit trust transactions are now completed digitally. Ashmita Acharya Ashmita Acharya, Head of International Wealth and Premier Banking at HSBC Singapore, said, “Our refreshed mobile app reflects this shift by simplifying how customers access banking, wealth and cross-border capabilities in one place. By combining simpler navigation with hyper-personalisation, the refresh aims to make wealth journeys more tailored and accessible, while helping our clients stay connected to opportunities across HSBC’s international network.” The redesigned app groups services into seven sections covering accounts, cards, wealth, payments and transfers, chat, products and an app library. Customers can also customise their homepage with favourite accounts and quick actions. Within the wealth section, the app now includes Future Planner, a goal-based financial planning tool, alongside updates to equity trading, unit trust search and foreign exchange conversion within the investment journey. Equity trading now includes tiered pricing based on trading activity and push notifications for order status and corporate actions. The bank has also added targeted messages, contextual prompts and a chat interface available across the app. In Singapore, the refresh includes dual language support in English and Simplified Chinese across key navigation pages, payments and selected investment journeys. More updates will be rolled out through 2026, including expanded dual language support and Global View on mobile, which will allow customers to link and view HSBC accounts across markets.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Freepik The post HSBC Singapore Revamps App to Bring Banking and Wealth Services Into One Place appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Thunes has launched a cross-border payout service for remote staff, freelancers and gig workers across 140 countries. The service supports payouts to 12 billion bank accounts, mobile wallets and stablecoin wallets through a single API, with funds available 24/7. This removes the need for multiple payout relationships and more complex technical setups. Its network connects businesses to local payout channels such as M-Pesa, Alipay and GCash. In markets with volatile currencies, workers can also be paid in stablecoins to help preserve the value of their earnings against FX swings. The service can be used for overseas payroll, international gig platforms, e-commerce refunds, insurance claims and NGO payouts in harder-to-reach markets. Elie Bertha Elie Bertha, Chief Product Officer at Thunes, said, “With Thunes’ direct-to-global-workforce solution, we are empowering businesses to meet the modern worker’s demand for instant transparency and immediate access to their hard-earned money. Our single API entry point reaches all corners of the world, ensuring that whether you are paying a creator in Argentina, a hail-riding driver in Singapore or a developer in Nairobi, the experience is fast, transparent, and reliable.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Trend2023 via Freepik The post Thunes Launches Cross-Border Payout Service for Gig, Remote Workers Worldwide appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Standard Chartered has named former Deutsche Bank executive Ole Matthiessen to lead a newly unified transaction services and digital assets team within its Corporate & Investment Banking business. He joins the bank as Global Head of Transaction Services and Digital Assets. Matthiessen will oversee a structure that brings together transaction banking, financing and securities services, as well as Standard Chartered’s digital asset capabilities. He will be based in Singapore, join the Corporate & Investment Banking management team, and report to Roberto Hoornweg, CEO of Corporate & Investment Bank. Prior to joining Standard Chartered, he spent 18 years at Deutsche Bank, where he most recently served as Co-Head of the Corporate Bank division and was a member of the Group Management Committee. He also previously held senior roles including Global Head of Cash Management and Head of Corporate Bank for Asia Pacific. His experience covers transaction banking, derivatives, structured lending and capital markets. The appointment supports the bank’s effort to bring these capabilities closer together as it strengthens its cross-border offering for corporate and financial institution clients. Roberto Hoornweg Roberto Hoornweg, CEO, Corporate & Investment Bank, said, “Ole is a fantastic addition to the team as we harness the convergence between Transaction Banking and Financing & Securities Services, and between TradFi and DeFi. Integrating these solutions in a unified financial ecosystem with our fast-growing digital asset capabilities will further accelerate our ability to provide a world-class cross-border experience for our corporate and financial institution clients.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by lifeforstock via Freepik   The post StanChart Names Ole Matthiessen to Lead New Transaction and Digital Assets Team appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

In Asia-Pacific (APAC), finance applications are seeing a slow down in installs, indicating a market correction after years of rapid growth and increased maturity, according to a new report by AppsFlyer and Google. At the same time, companies are pivoting from aggressive customer acquisition to user retention, as providers become more careful with budgets and prioritize re-engagement. In 2025, fintech app installs in Asia-Pacific (APAC) declined 17% year-over-year (YoY), marking the first broad correction the region has seen in recent years. India experienced the sharpest decline, dropping 22% YoY. However, the country remained the region’s largest volume contributor, accounting for 40% of the total market share. Thailand followed, declining 40%, while Vietnam dropped 20%, reflecting maturing adoption of finance apps in markets where penetration is already widespread. At the same time, APAC finance app providers are increasingly showing tighter spending decision. In particular, user acquisition investment contracted sharply across the region in 2025, with total spend declining approximately 27% YoY. The Indian subcontinent, comprising India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, recorded the steepest contraction at 38%, driven by a 42% drop in India alone. Southeast Asia declined by 27%, led by Thailand and Vietnam, with 55% and 48% drops, respectively. In contrast, Japan and South Korea recorded modest overall growth of 3%, reflecting more stable acquisition environments, while Australia increased 16% YoY. Overall finance apps install trend in Asia-Pacific, Source: AppsFlyer and Google, 2026 Growth markets see increased in paid campaigns The research also shows that while overall finance installs declined, the share of installs driven by paid campaigns expanded in growth ecosystems. Indonesia recorded one of the clearest increases in paid install rates for finance apps, reaching roughly 21% by Q4 2025, nearly double the levels seen in early 2024. At the category level, Indonesia’s investment segment saw a surge in paid install share, jumping from 22% in Q4 2024 to 45% in Q4 2025. This highlights continued expansion in markets with strong monetization potential. After Indonesia, Vietnam followed a similar trajectory, with paid install rates climbing from 12% to about 21% over the same period. Conversely, mature ecosystems moved in the opposite direction, pulling back amid budget tightening. In Australia, the paid install rate declined sharply, falling from 49% in early 2024 to roughly 15% by late 2025. These findings suggest that companies are prioritizing high-potential, lower-saturation regions for expansion and paid acquisition, while treating established, mature markets as cost centers to be optimized for efficiency and lifecycle engagement. Remarketing spend surges While user acquisition budgets contracted across APAC’s financial apps, remarketing investment accelerated in selected markets. Remarketing spend refers to the portion of an advertising budget used to target people who have already interacted with a brand in order to bring them back and convert them. Across APAC, Southeast Asia recorded the strongest expansion, with remarketing spend increasing 193% YoY. This was led by Thailand, where remarketing spend surged 339%, followed by the Philippines with 241%, Vietnam with 161%, and Indonesia with 144%. This reflects a meaningful shift in spending from user growth toward engagement depth. Japan and South Korea followed a steadier trajectory, with remarketing spend rising 74% overall, further reflecting sustained lifecycle investment in mature ecosystems. Install fraud declines The study also found that install fraud across APAC finance declined in 2025. The regional average fraud rate fell from 41% in 2024 to 22% in 2025, reflecting strengthened detection frameworks and a broader shift toward higher-quality traffic sources. Improvements were most visible in historically high-risk verticals. Investment fraud rates declined from 26% to 8%, becoming the category with the lowest exposure in 2025. Personal loans as well improved, rising from 31% to 14%. Mobile banking, meanwhile, remained the highest-risk vertical at 29%, despite a significant decline from prior-year levels. At the market level, Thailand and South Korea were among the lowest-risk ecosystems in the region, recording fraud rates of 3% each. They were followed by the Philippines reached at 9%, and India at 11%, reflecting sustained quality improvement. However, elevated exposure persisted in specific markets, with Vietnam recording a 46% install fraud rate and Bangladesh, 35%. Mobile apps dominate banking interactions Mobile apps have become the primary banking touchpoint around the world. According to Accenture’s Global Banking Consumer Study 2025, customers are averaging 150 app interactions in the category per year, representing the highest frequency among service channels. Penetration is particularly high in Southeast Asia where 81% of consumers have used an app, and 32% have used a website to access financial services, according to the 2024 Visa Consumer Payment Attitudes Study. This shift has accelerated the adoption of digital banks. These companies operate as digital-first entities whose services are only accessible online via an app or a website. In Southeast Asia, most consumers engage with virtual banks at least weekly, with Vietnam and Thailand showing the highest adoption rates at 87%, the Visa study shows. Part of the appeal of digital banks is their ability to provide users with access to bank accounts (69%), a leading product among Southeast Asian consumers, closely followed by debit (43%) and credit (38%) cards, it found.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by freepik via Freepik The post APAC Finance, Fintech Apps Pivot to Retention as Market Matures appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

We’re living in a time when convenience is moving as quickly as you can blink, including all things payments, thanks to the gift of AI. Yet the very same technology is fuelling something far more sinister and constantly proving harder to tackle: fraud. Fraud numbers are growing exponentially. According to Juniper Research, eCommerce fraud could rise from $56 billion in 2025 to hit highs of $131 billion in 2030, with factors like friendly fraud carving deeply into merchant margins. Visa paints an equally alarming picture. Today’s cyber criminals are arriving armed with AI-powered deepfakes, synthetic identities, and agentic scams that can hijack a customer’s entire identity through hyper-realistic impersonations. Once in, they own every transaction that follows. This is fraud at scale, and the world’s fraud teams are operating in right now. The scariest fact is that most of the systems sitting between customers and their money were not quite built for this challenge, and needed to catch up yesterday. The New Fraud Frontier Is Agentic If 2024 was the year of AI-generated deepfakes, 2025 is the year fraud went pretty much fully autonomous with AI. Agentic AI, software that can reason, plan and execute decisions across multiple steps without human intervention, has become the payment industry’s most exciting and dangerous pet. We’re seeing solutions like Mastercard’s Agent Pay surface, which is ‘enabling secure, scalable and trusted payments in agentic commerce’. AI-initiated payment solutions are becoming a structural feature in modern commerce. The same technology enabling that convenience is right now being exploited by bad actors, running fraud operations at a speed and scale human teams are finding harder to match. Think about it for a moment. When a fraudulent agent enters the picture, it does not merely mimic a person. It mimics a trusted AI agent, introducing an entirely new layer of deception that most detection engines may not be calibrated to catch. Synthetic identities, which are trained to exhibit good customer behaviour across months and even years, are among the hardest to detect, simply because they do not look fraudulent until the moment exploitation hits. For organisations, the implications are acute. As real-time payment rails expand across the region, driven by national switches and the rapid growth of instant and A2A payments, the attack surface expands with them. Faster payments are an unambiguous benefit for consumers, and equally beneficial for fraudsters. Your institution is possibly already facing some facets of AI-orchestrated fraud. The next question is whether your fraud stack is built to meet it or built for yesterday’s threats. SmartVista Fraud Management, Architected for the Moment The BPC SmartVista Fraud Management was built for this environment. Trusted by more than 200 clients across 80+ countries, SmartVista Fraud Management is an enterprise-grade, omni-channel AI fraud management platform that unifies real-time scoring, machine learning, behavioural profiling and link analysis into a continuous flow. Source: BPC SmartVista Fraud Management Brochure SmartVista Fraud Management delivers a 360-degree view of the customer across all channels, regardless of whether a customer uses their card online, in-store, in-app, and in every jurisdiction. Underpinning this is a continuous profiling engine: every piece of information is monitored, used and reused, creating a precise customer profile built from common behavioural patterns. For enterprises that can’t afford a rip-and-replace approach, BPC provides a dedicated integration layer supporting any interface or API. SmartVista Fraud Management works alongside what you already have, saving both cost and time without disrupting existing middleware. Its architecture is also designed for the pace at which modern fraud operates. Built on microservices and deployable on Kubernetes across AWS, Google Cloud, OCI, or on-premise, SmartVista scales elastically with transaction volumes. Detection rules can be updated in minutes, critical when fraud patterns mutate faster than traditional release cycles allow. Maxim Kuzin, Head of Fraud Prevention and Risk for BPC Banking Technologies, shares, Maxim Kuzin “Our goal isn’t just catching more fraud, it’s giving the future-proven tools to our customers to prevent the most modern fraudsters and shorten the time to contain them. Update your defences in minutes, not days or months, and stay aligned with local compliance wherever your business is operating.” In instant payment rails, the window between a fraudulent transaction and an irreversible transfer is seconds, and that window is unforgiving. SmartVista’s online, real-time risk and fraud prevention solution is built to close it, a capability that is central to the platform since its launch in 2008 and still remains its defining priority today. Proven in the Field With Malaysia’s Co-opbank Pertama When Bank Negara Malaysia issued stricter directives mandating all licensed banks to adopt high security benchmarks for digital channels, Co-opbank Pertama (CBP) needed a platform that could meet requirements like velocity checks to analyse customer behaviour without disrupting operations or customer experience. CBP deployed SmartVista Fraud Management across its retail and corporate mobile and internet banking channels. The platform delivers real-time transaction monitoring alongside near-real-time and offline validation modes, behavioural profiling, rules-based analysis, comprehensive case management, and a notification engine, all surfaced through a 360-degree view of data via customisable dashboards and reports. Zairil Anuar Ahmad, Chief Technology Officer at CBP, commented, Zairil Anuar Ahmad “Implementing high-standard preventive measures is both a top priority and a regulatory requirement as Malaysia intensifies efforts to combat fraud. Through our partnership with BPC and the integration of their advanced fraud management solutions, we have strengthened our defence mechanisms and are now better equipped to deliver a secure, seamless digital banking experience.” A machine learning module was also introduced to leverage historical fraud data and continuously refine detection mechanisms, sharpening the precision of the bank’s defences. The entire project went live in under four months. CBP’s experience reflects a pattern playing out across the region: regulatory requirements and fraud threats are not separate problems requiring separate responses. They are the same problem, and financial institutions that address them through a single adaptive platform are the ones that stay ahead of both. Strengthen Your Fraud Defences With SmartVista Fraud Management Fraud teams do not need another reminder that the threat landscape has evolved. What they need is the ability to respond at the same speed and scale, if not more than the attacks that they’re facing. SmartVista Fraud Management was built for this shift, enabling institutions to move from fragmented detection to real-time, omnichannel protection without the operational drag of legacy systems. Whether the challenge is rising alert volumes, increasing false positives, or the latest fraud AI agent, the solution is designed to address it effectively. BPC works with tier-1 banks, national switches, payment service providers, fintechs, and government agencies, and the breadth is intentional, as fraud is a global problem. The intelligence that comes from operating at that scale, across regulatory environments and channel types, is embedded into how the platform develops. Assess your fraud readiness and see how BPC’s SmartVista Fraud Management can deliver real-time, adaptive protection across every channel. Featured image edited by Fintech News Singapore based on images by ezps and stocksbuddy on Freepik The post When Fraud Runs on Autopilot, Your Defences Can’t Afford to Coast appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Nium has launched a stablecoin card issuance platform that allows businesses to issue payment cards across the Visa and Mastercard networks. Through a single API, businesses can issue cards and use stablecoin balances for payments at merchant locations worldwide. The platform supports crypto-to-fiat conversion at the point of sale and can also support stablecoin settlement in markets where this is permitted. Nium said the platform requires no new infrastructure and is the first enterprise platform to support stablecoin card issuance across both Visa and Mastercard. It can shorten launch timelines for stablecoin card programmes from months to days by handling conversion flows, cross-border settlement requirements and card network compliance in one system. The offering is tied to Nium’s payout network in more than 190 countries, giving businesses a way to manage card spending and disbursements through one provider. Nium holds regulatory licences in more than 40 countries. Prajit Nanu Prajit Nanu, CEO and Founder, Nium said, “Stablecoins have proven they can move money. We are now proving they can power commerce at enterprise scale. Every business we speak to that holds stablecoins wants the same thing: a simple, compliant way to deploy those balances without building the infrastructure themselves. Today, Nium delivers exactly that – on both major payments networks, in every major market, through one integration.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by ismode via Freepik The post Nium Enables Stablecoin Card Issuance Across Visa and Mastercard appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

If the startup world is one big pizza party, female founders are still only walking away with a single slice. Despite a recovering market, only 12% of deal funding is going to women. Where is the rest of the capital going, and why is the system structurally built to ignore female ambition? In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Lim (Investment Partner, OSK Ventures) and Rejina Rahim (Founder, Wahine Capital) to uncover the hard truths of the Venture Capital ecosystem in Southeast Asia. We move past the surface-level “diversity” buzzwords to address the real roadblocks: from the staggering lack of female decision-makers (67% of SEA investors have none) to the societal “Double Burden” that traps women in invisible labor at home. The post Southeast Asia Funding is Recovering, But Why Are Women only Getting 12% appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

MobiFone Digital Payments Joint Stock Company has launched in Vietnam with plans to develop digital payment infrastructure in the country. The Hanoi-based company is backed by MobiFone Telecommunications Corporation. It is licensed by the State Bank of Vietnam to provide intermediary payment services covering financial switching, electronic clearing, payment gateway services, and collection and payment support. MDP has already partnered with more than 20 member institutions, including Vietnamese banks and financial institutions, and announced a collaboration with Visa at its launch event. Prior to its official launch, MDP signed a MoU with the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam, or NAPAS, to explore possible interconnection models between their switching systems. The move is aimed at supporting a more coordinated and secure national payment infrastructure. MDP received its licence from the State Bank of Vietnam on 27 November 2025. The company said it will continue expanding partnerships with banks, technology firms, fintech companies, and other ecosystem players as it grows its presence in Vietnam’s payments market. Phan Thanh Son Phan Thanh Son, CEO of MDP, said, “With a modern technology foundation and an open collaborative approach, MDP aspires to build a new digital payments infrastructure for Vietnam, one developed by Vietnamese, operated to international standards, and seamlessly connected with both domestic and global financial ecosystems. We believe that when banks, technology companies, and partners collaborate on a shared platform, Vietnam’s digital payments market will grow faster and more sustainably, while gradually enhancing the country’s position within the regional digital economy ecosystem.”     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Phan Thanh Son via LinkedIn  The post MobiFone Digital Payments Officially Launches in Vietnam appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

World Foundation has sold US$65 million worth of WLD in OTC transactions, with the token trading near an all-time low. The Block reported that World Assets, the foundation’s token issuance arm, sold the tokens to four counterparties, with the first settlement taking place on 20 March. The transactions were priced at an average of about US$0.2719 per token, bringing the total sold to around 239 million WLD. The sale price is far below WLD’s March 2024 peak of about US$11.82. World Foundation said US$25 million worth of the tokens sold are subject to a six-month lock-up. The foundation said the proceeds will support operations, product development, orb production and ecosystem growth. The disclosure came days after on-chain activity flagged by Lookonchain showed 117 million WLD moved to Binance and FalconX on 21 March. That transfer was valued at about US$39 million at the time and may have been linked to part of the OTC activity disclosed later. The latest transaction adds to earlier WLD sales by the project. In April 2024, the then-named Worldcoin Foundation said it planned to sell between 500,000 and 1.5 million WLD a week through private placements to institutional trading firms. In May 2025, the project also raised US$135 million through a token sale backed by Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital Crypto to support its US expansion. A major community token unlock is also due to begin on 23 July 2026, covering 52.51% of WLD’s total supply, according to DefiLlama. Eightco Holdings, which launched a WLD treasury in September 2025 alongside a US$250 million private placement, held 277 million WLD as of 20 March and has been identified in market coverage as the largest publicly traded holder. World has also drawn regulatory scrutiny in Asia, including an operational suspension in Indonesia, a cease order in Hong Kong, investigations in Singapore tied to the sale of Worldcoin accounts and tokens, and a fine in South Korea over biometric data privacy breaches.       Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on images by Steve Jurvetson via Wikimedia Commons, and user23413193 via Freepik The post Sam Altman’s Iris-Scanning Crypto Project Sells US$65M in WLD as Token Plummets 98% appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

SCBX has formed BankX Bank after its consortium won approval to establish one of Thailand’s three virtual banks. The new subsidiary will serve as the vehicle for SCBX’s planned virtual banking business in Thailand. The Bank of Thailand announced in June 2025 that SCB X Public Company Limited, WeTechnology Limited and KakaoBank Corp. were among the three groups approved by the finance minister to establish a virtual bank. In a filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, SCBX said it holds 90 percent of the total issued shares in BankX Bank Public Company Limited. The company was registered as a public limited company with an initial registered capital of THB 10,000. SCBX said it plans to raise the registered capital to THB 5 billion within 2026, or upon submission of an application for a virtual banking licence to the Ministry of Finance, in line with the rules and timeline set by the Bank of Thailand. The central bank said approved groups must establish a public limited company, meet the conditions set by the finance minister, pass a readiness assessment by the Bank of Thailand and begin operations within one year from the date of approval. BankX Bank is now preparing for launch with its strategic partners KakaoBank Corp. and WeBank Technology Services Limited. KakaoBank is one of BankX Bank’s shareholders and is South Korea’s largest digital banking service provider. WeBank Technology Services Limited, formerly known as WeTechnology Limited, is a subsidiary of WeBank Co., Ltd. The new entity will use technology and innovation from its partners to develop financial products and services in Thailand. The virtual banks are expected to serve unserved and underserved retail and SME segments, while bringing new value propositions or improving the efficiency of existing financial services through digital channels.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by lifeforstock via Freepik The post SCBX Forms BankX Bank as Thailand’s Virtual Bank Race Takes Shape appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Singapore is setting out new measures to strengthen its position as a trusted gold trading centre for the Asia-Pacific, as interest in vaulting and trading gold in the city-state grows. The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Bullion Market Association said the focus areas were identified by a Gold Market Development Working Group formed in January 2026, following discussions and studies with industry participants in 2025. The group will look at developing gold-related capital market products to support price discovery and liquidity, while also setting internationally aligned standards for vaulting and logistics. It will also build a clearing system for the over-the-counter settlement of large bar and kilobar gold trades in Singapore. MAS is also studying the possibility of offering vaulting services for foreign central banks and sovereign entities to meet potential demand. These steps are aimed at improving market confidence and supporting Singapore’s role as a regional gold hub alongside other major centres. The effort is also intended to anchor higher-value activities in Singapore, create jobs, and strengthen the resilience and diversity of the financial sector. The working group is co-chaired by MAS and SBMA, with steering committee members from DBS, ICBC Standard Bank, JPMorgan Chase, SGX Group, UBS, UOB and the World Gold Council. It is supported by technical workstreams involving a wider group of stakeholders, including the institutions listed below. The group is expected to work out the details of the measures over the next few months and provide updates on implementation through 2026.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by amankris via Freepik The post MAS and Industry Partners to Strengthen Singapore’s Gold Trading Infrastructure appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Sri Lanka’s national payment network, LankaPay, has launched cross-border QR payment acceptance via China’s Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay). The integration allows inbound travellers to make payments at over 400,000 LANKAQR merchants across the island. With Weixin Pay reportedly serving nearly 900 million monthly active users globally, the partnership aims to reduce friction at points of sale for Chinese tourists. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam said the industry is preparing for a possible 30% to 40% decline in the European market due to global crises. The initiative also seeks to direct tourism revenue into rural areas and reduce foreign exchange leakage. Currently, tourism revenue leakage exceeds 30%, largely because major hospitality providers rely on imported goods. Hewawasam highlighted that rural vendors, such as craftspeople, bakeries and local produce sellers, could benefit from the ability to accept digital payments, according to the Daily Mirror. For local businesses, the integration offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional payment methods. LankaPay Chief Executive Officer Channa de Silva said: Channa de Silva “The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has capped the merchant discount rate for international QR transactions at 1.8%, presenting a significantly cheaper alternative to standard international credit card fees. The direct integration also eliminates the cumbersome and costly dual conversion process through the US dollar.” He called on banks to educate merchants to ensure the system is fully used. Weixin Pay Managing Director for Southeast Asia and North America Ben Yang said Sri Lanka is well-positioned to benefit from Chinese outbound tourism. “The collaboration extends beyond basic payment processing; the objective is to connect with Chinese tourists, convert their engagement into seamless transactions, and grow Sri Lanka’s overall tourism revenue,” he said. Both parties plan joint campaigns to promote Sri Lankan travel experiences and local merchants to Chinese consumers.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by Harsha de Silva via LinkedIn The post Chinese Tourists Can Now Use WeChat Pay at LankaPay Merchants in Sri Lanka appeared first on Fintech Singapore.