In Focus

Interoperability vital as 24/7 push hits 'fragmented' Philippine payments

Interoperability vital as 24/7 push hits 'fragmented' Philippine payments

Fragmented ecosystems and limited wallet acceptance will cause abandoned transactions.

In Focus

Singapore finance firms struggle as 72% face talent gap

Survey shows 94% are revising financial and operational plans to secure workers.

In Focus

Digital wallets, agentic AI to speed up payments

The focus is on agentic systems that can act on behalf of users.

Exclusive

Vietnam banks to weather risks with 16% credit growth target 'reasonable'

Actual loan growth may exceed previous years even as it does not hit the official target.

In Focus

SME loan 4.1% slump weighs on Thai bank earnings

Overall credit outstanding fell 1.1% year on year across licensed banks and subsidiaries.

In Focus

Singapore banks lead pay as hiring access ranks low

DBS and OCBC were at the bottom 20% for job opportunities to non-degree holders and less experienced workers.

In Focus

APAC private banking to grow 9.43% CAGR

The market is forecast to expand from $44.3b in 2025 to $76.05b by 2031.

In Focus

How will agentic AI change online payments?

It’s unclear who’s liable if it over‑orders or pays the wrong merchant.

Expert Opinion

Philippine rural banks face merger pressure with tighter capital rules

Many lenders in the countryside have little capital buffer.

Exclusive

Why Asian banks struggle to embed AI in compliance

Institutions cite fragmented infrastructure, manual workflows and skills gaps as barriers.

In Focus

Banks to pursue smaller and more strategic M&As in 2026: McKinsey

Smaller banks are prone to getting acquired as they struggle with funding and tech costs.

In Focus

Filipinos outside capital favour loan apps and microloans over credit cards

The majority expressed willingness to access educational materials to improve their finances.

In Focus

Asia-Pacific fintech to hit $348.1b by 2031

The market will be driven by mobile-first usage and open API payment rails.

In Focus

Financial services M&A deal value rise 40% on improved bank profitability

Postal Savings Bank of China’s $18.1b deal with China Mobile is the year’s top deal.

In Focus

Indian banks’ deposits and loans log double digit growth on sustained demand

Banks continued to see demand for auto loans and MSME loans.

In Focus

E-wallet use jumps to 65% amongst Malaysia’s 25- to 34-year-olds

Older users logged a 14% rise year on year but still trail younger groups on this method.

In Focus

How can Asia-Pacific fintechs survive this year’s funding slowdown?

Hong Kong could emerge as a bright spot.

Expert Opinion