In Focus
Islamic lenders hit digital wall on slow rollout
Islamic lenders hit digital wall on slow rollout
Products don’t evolve quickly due to extra layers of review.
12 hours ago
APAC banks to absorb $500b new losses from Middle East & China risks
Slower growth in China and worsening property risks is amongst factors that can affect banks.
13 hours ago
Japan corporate banking hits $34b by 2032 amidst strain
The market climbed to $8.9b in 2024 whilst legacy tech remains a hurdle.
13 hours ago
How can China balance bank pricing power with financial stability?
Lenders gain when prices rise but bear losses when loans sour.
1 day ago
Banks hit AI plateau as 80% see no bottom-line impact
Many lenders plateau after deploying isolated tools instead of full transformation, said McKinsey.
1 day ago
Banks face budget squeeze from AI and legacy systems
Corporate IT allocations are projected to keep climbing through 2027.
1 day ago
Japanese banks avoid $550b US investment hook for now
The JBIC would likely do the initial heavy lifting.
2 days ago
Singapore on-time loan repayments in 2025 hit post-COVID record high
It has jumped to 86%, when it hovered around 36% to 65% in 2020-2024.
2 days ago
Singapore banking sentiment slips in Q4 2025
Banking and insurance posted 55.7 whilst the wider business reading climbed to 53.4.
2 days ago
Malaysian banks face 1.6% net profit decline per 25bp OPR cut: report
OPR cuts could mean a profitability decline of -1.2% for Maybank and -5.3% for Bank Islam.
3 days ago
China holds 40% share as fintech competition intensifies
India posts 27% annual growth backed by over 100 billion UPI transactions.
3 days ago
Financial institutions chase AI edge despite thin budgets
Almost 2 in 3 FIs allocate 10% or less of their tech budgets on AI.
4 days ago
APAC small firms plan embedded finance investment in 12 months
Europe stands at 70% and Latin America at 65% according to a 2026 payments report.
4 days ago
Chinese banks face concentration risk from top borrowers
The stress test found banks from poorer regions as most vulnerable.
Financial-services M&A rises 40% as APAC recovery stays cautious
Average transaction size climbed to $815m as larger deals dominated the market.
China shifts bank lending as Beijing cuts direct steering
It has shifted to a market-based approach, from reliance on window guidance.
How India digital lending targets $720b by 2030
India held about 82% of Android mobile loan apps worldwide.
Commentary
From behavioural change to scalable inclusion: Cross-border payments in APAC
Device governance is not an IT problem. For SEA's financial sector, it is a boardroom one
Corporate acupuncture: How precision M&A is reshaping Asia’s competitive edge