Author: Fintech News Singapore

Grab has agreed to acquire U.S. investing platform Stash at an enterprise value of US$425 million at closing. The deal gives Grab a 50.1 percent stake initially, with the remaining shares to be acquired over three years at fair market value, marking its entry into the U.S. mass-market investing segment. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. Payment at closing will be made in cash and stock, with subsequent payments in cash and or stock at Grab’s discretion. Stash manages more than US$5 billion in assets and serves over…

Standard Chartered appointed Peter Burrill as interim Group CFO as Diego De Giorgi steps down with immediate effect. De Giorgi had been viewed by some as a potential successor to Group Chief Executive Officer Bill Winters, according to Reuters. That perception heightened market sensitivity around his exit, with shares in Standard Chartered falling following the announcement. The lender’s London-listed stock dropped 4.1 percent at the open, while its Hong Kong-listed shares slid as much as 6.4 percent before paring losses to trade about 1.7 percent lower. The move underperformed the broader Hang Seng Index, which was up nearly 0.6 percent.…

HSBC Singapore has named its Group Chief Operating Officer Suzy White as a new board director, effective 30 January 2026. White joined HSBC’s senior management team in October 2024 and sits on the Group Operating Committee. She has spent more than 25 years with the bank, holding senior roles across global banking, markets, risk and operations. Her previous positions include Chief Operating Officer for Global Banking and Markets, Regional Chief Operating Officer for Global Markets in the Americas, and Chief Risk Officer for Global Banking and Markets and Commercial Banking in the United States. She has also served on several…

Google has announced new investments to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts in Singapore, covering research and development, enterprise collaboration, workforce training and online safety. The announcement was made at the Google for Singapore event, 19 years after the company opened its first local office. Google will scale its local research and development teams across software engineering, research science and user experience design. This follows the recent opening of its DeepMind research lab in Singapore. The company will also set up a Google Cloud Singapore Engineering Center to work directly with Singapore-based enterprises on complex technology projects, including in areas…

Fireblocks, an enterprise platform, announced an expanded collaboration with Thales, a cybersecurity provider of Luna Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), on 10 February 2026 to deliver institutional-grade digital asset security architecture for financial institutions. The collaboration integrates Fireblocks’ digital asset platform with Thales’ Luna HSMs, enabling institutions to extend their existing certified hardware infrastructure into digital asset operations without having to re-architect security models. Adam Levine, SVP, Head of Corporate Development and Partnerships at Fireblocks, shared, “By expanding our partnership with Thales, we’re enabling the deployment of digital asset services using customer-owned, certified hardware they already trust – without compromising on…

Asia-Pacific’s fintech market is the most dynamic and fragmented in the world. While legacy banks struggle to keep up with shifting regulations and local payment rails, one European powerhouse is making a massive bet on the region. Gabriel, Stefanak, Business Development Head, Decta, breaks down why the current “fragmented” vendor stack is a ticking time bomb for financial institutions and how DECTA’s “Full-Stack” model, owning everything from issuing to acquiring, is their ultimate moat for entering APAC.

The Asia Fintech Alliance (AFA) has announced the results of its latest leadership election. The election was conducted in accordance with the AFA Bylaws adopted by all members in 2025. All elected members of the Executive Committee received affirmative written consent from more than two-thirds of AFA member associations. These members represent at least ten Asian economies. AFA members re-elected Jaclyn Tsai (Taiwan) as Chairwoman for a second term and confirmed Dongpyo Hong (Korea) and Wilson Beh (Malaysia) as Vice Chairpersons, continuing their roles since November 2025. They also elected Takafumi Ochiai (Japan) as Treasurer, a newly established position to…

Entrust, a global provider of identity-centric security solutions, has announced a collaboration with Google to advance identity verification (IDV) and AI-driven security. The combined solution aims to support organisations in addressing rising fraud threats while improving onboarding efficiency through reporting and actionable insights. Heavily regulated sectors such as financial services and insurance find these measures particularly relevant. Injection attacks during onboarding have risen 40% year-on-year, with the growing sophistication of deepfakes increasing the risk of identity fraud. Businesses require multi-layered fraud prevention to safeguard customers and operations. Under the partnership, Entrust’s IDV solutions will integrate with Google Cloud’s infrastructure and…

XPENG has appointed Antom as the first global payment partner for its electric vehicle (EV) charging platform to support international growth. Ant International’s Antom provides a unified infrastructure designed to simplify the complex payment landscape encountered during global expansion. The partnership debuted in Hong Kong on 9 February 2026. Initial implementation allows drivers to use the XPENG app to manage the end-to-end “Search, Locate, Charge, Pay” process. Users in the region can currently settle payments via AlipayHK at over 1,600 public chargers. Credit card options are expected to be available for these customers shortly. Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia are…

Gemini is centralising its global operations in Singapore and the US, even as the cryptocurrency exchange implements a 25% reduction in its total workforce. While the job cuts will affect employees in the Singapore office, the city-state remains a primary hub for the company as it scales back its international footprint elsewhere. This strategic focus on Singapore follows significant regulatory and leadership developments for the firm in the region. In early 2024, Gemini appointed former Grab leader Saad Ahmed as Head of APAC to “spearhead” its regional expansion. More recently, the exchange received In-Principle Approval from the Monetary Authority of…

DBS has announced it will provide a special one-time bonus of S$1,000 to its junior-ranked employees. The initiative will benefit more than 23,000 staff members across the bank’s global operations, including approximately 6,800 employees in Singapore. This year’s allocation of S$18 million for junior staff follows a trend of performance-related payouts at the bank. In 2025, following a record-breaking financial year in 2024 where net profit rose 11% to S$11.4 billion, DBS had set aside a larger pool of S$32 million for a similar S$1,000 bonus that extended to all employees except senior management. The current S$18 million initiative is…

Embedded credit startup Seedflex is preparing to raise a Series A round of US$6 to US$8 million later this year, as its Malaysia operations turn profitable and the company looks to scale beyond its core market. Founder and CEO Ritwik Ghosh told DealStreetAsia that Seedflex became profitable in Malaysia in the third quarter of 2025, roughly 18 months after launch, and has remained so since. The company provides cashflow-based credit to MSMEs through payment and commerce partners. Ghosh said the upcoming Series A is driven by growth opportunities rather than financial pressure. “This is not about the runway or survival.…

DBS’ years-long investment in AI and machine learning drove record deposit inflows, wealth growth and fee income in 2025, Chief Executive Tan Su Shan said. Speaking at the bank’s results briefing on February 9, Tan said AI-powered tools such as contextual nudges and automated customer engagement were key to attracting new-to-bank customers and driving volume growth. The Business Times reported that DBS has increasingly embedded AI across its operations to improve customer acquisition and productivity. “This I can attribute to the hard work we’ve done over the years in using AI, using machine learning and contextual nudges to gather new-to-bank…

Nexus Global Payments (NGP) has appointed a joint venture between Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) and Network for Electronic Transfers Singapore (NETS) as the Nexus Technical Operator (NTO), following a competitive procurement process involving international bidders. The joint venture was selected for its technical capability, operational resilience, cost efficiency, and alignment with Nexus’ goal of global payments interoperability. The NTO will work with Amazon Web Services and Endava to deliver the technical design and development of the Nexus platform. AWS provides cloud infrastructure and AI capabilities, while Endava leads end-to-end design and engineering. The NTO will be responsible for building, operating,…

India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system is set to enter the Malaysian market, as the two countries continue to strengthen their longstanding economic ties, said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The Malaysia-India Digital Council is paving new pathways for our digital collaboration. I am happy to share with you that India’s UPI will come to Malaysia soon,” The intention for UPI to enter Malaysia was first expressed in August 2024. Modi said while addressing the Indian diaspora at a reception in Kuala Lumpur on February 7, according to The Star. He noted that nearly half of the world’s real-time digital…

DBS Group reported a 10% fall in net profit for the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2025, to S$2.26 billion, from S$2.52 billion a year earlier. Excluding S$100 million set aside for corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments, net profit would have been S$2.36 billion. Rate headwinds, higher tax expenses and the absence of non-recurring gains recorded a year ago outweighed stronger fee income and treasury customer sales. The results missed the S$2.59 billion consensus forecast in a Bloomberg survey of six analysts, The Business Times reported. The bank declared an ordinary dividend of S$0.66 per share and a capital return…

Payments online should be simple, yet issues still occur. Charges can be wrong, settlements delayed, and disputes common. This has led companies to consider other payment options. Crypto payment processing is one such option. It enables businesses to accept payments beyond traditional banking systems. This article explains how it works and where it fits in modern commerce. What Is Crypto Payment Processing? Crypto payment processing is the system that allows your business to accept cryptocurrency payments for goods or services. It removes some traditional intermediaries by using blockchain verification, enabling fast transfers and more control over incoming funds. It typically…

EBANX has appointed Eduardo de Abreu as its new Chief Product Officer (CPO) to lead its global product roadmap from Singapore. Abreu, who previously served as the Vice President of Product in Brazil, will relocate to the city-state to strengthen the company’s presence in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Abreu joined EBANX in 2015 and has held leadership roles across various departments, including Operations, Treasury, and Sales Engineering. He was also a key figure in the company’s recent expansions into Africa, India, and the Philippines. In his new capacity, he will also serve as the CEO of EBANX Singapore, focusing on…

Singapore’s reputation as one of Asia’s most vibrant business hubs continues to attract entrepreneurs from around the world. Its strategic location, transparent regulatory framework, and investor-friendly environment make it an appealing choice for startups and established firms alike. But while the region’s advantages are well known, many founders still have questions about the cost and value of company incorporation packages, bundled services that simplify the complex process of starting a business in Singapore. Why Singapore Stands Out for Business Formation Before diving into costs and services, it’s important to understand why so many companies choose Singapore. The city-state consistently ranks…

Grab Finance has deployed the FICO Platform across six countries as it expands credit eligibility across its ecosystem. The financial services arm of Grab has implemented more than 22 credit decision workflows covering drivers, merchants and consumers. The rollout has increased credit offer eligibility rates by nearly 50 percent and supports lending across its ecosystem of more than 46 million consumers as well as millions of merchants and drivers. Grab Finance said the platform assesses borrowers using behavioural data generated within the Grab app, including ride activity, merchant revenues and payment history. These signals support automated pre-approved credit offers while…