Cards & Payments
MUFG integrates cash management services in Unity platform
MUFG integrates cash management services in Unity platform
The new platform links ASEAN partner banks for unified payments and reporting across markets.
Alipay’s new payment system lets AI agents transact with businesses and OPCs
New tool enables agent-based transactions, following Alipay AI Pay rollout in 2025.
Green SM Laos onboards Umoney e-wallet to payments
The two will develop digital and financial payment solutions for Green SM drivers.
Ant Int’l deploys privacy enhancing technologies in Alipay+
Only encrypted data is transferred to Alipay+ for processing.
Banks lag tech firms in driving credit card use
Delayed rewards and weak reminders leave cardholders disengaged.
Retail holds 38% of APAC’s payment market
Healthcare is the fastest-growing segment.
Krungthai Card beats Q1 profit estimates but credit costs loom
However, its NPL ratio rose to 1.96% due to its non-core leasing business.
Atome Philippines partners with Bayad to enable in-app bill payments
Users can pay their water, electricity, and internet bills, amongst others.
SWIFT payment framework targets clearer fees and faster tracing
More than 50 banks back changes that rely on existing systems.
How China wallets crush cards in 2025 payments race
Alipay reached 85% of surveyed users whilst WeChat Pay stood at 73%.
How can HSBC and StanChart-backed stablecoins change HKD payments?
Different target users may determine whether bank-led tokens gain everyday traction.
Hyundai Card draws younger users to premium card lineup
Nearly 3 in 4 of its “The Orange” or e-commerce-targeted card customers are aged 20 to 39.
Indonesia card payments to reach $61.3b in 2026
Inclusion and policy support fuel growth.
Where do Malaysians spend their e-money the most?
Spending at dining outlets posts the fastest climb, gaining 15 percentage points year on year.
The Philippines and UAE move to connect instant payment systems
They also floated plans to connect card switches and messaging systems in the future.
Alipay+ teams with LankaPay to push LankaQR payments
LankaQR is Sri Lanka’s national QR payment network.
Why APAC cross-border payments lag revenue despite $400b flows
Region delivers 18% of global volume but only 14% of earnings in 2025.
Commentary
Asian firms need to get ready for digital assets and currencies
AI can build your plan, but can it hold you to it?
Built to last: How Japan is approaching the cross-border payments challenge
Asia’s 20% advantage: The simplification strategy rewriting banking from Singapore to Shanghai