DCS expands into Web3 payments with new platform

Move from card issuer to full-stack enabler marks shift toward embedded finance.

DCS Card Centre is accelerating its transformation from a traditional card issuer into a full-stack global payments enabler, signaling a broader ambition to bridge finance across Web2 and Web3 ecosystems.

Its role as the official payment provider at GastroBeats 2025 marks a milestone in this shift. “This year, DCS has evolved into a global payments enabler, leading innovations that breach traditional finance and web three economies to enable everyday spending,” said Dayna Leng, Chief Marketing Officer at DCS.

Originally operating under the Diners Club brand, the Singapore-based financial institution has since diversified its network partnerships including Visa, MasterCard and UPI.

This evolution is part of a wider regional trend, with embedded finance in Asia Pacific projected to reach US$255 billion by 2029. For DCS, the strategy is not just about issuing cards—it now encompasses merchant acquisition and next-generation payment services.

“Card payments have gone through significant evolution. We have gone from debit to credit to mobile to digital, from operating within the traditional finance ecosystem to dual real payments across both traffic and Web3 economies,” said Leng. “Consumers are actually today enjoying instant gratification, and expect payments to be agnostic, borderless and without boundaries.”

Businesses are also adopting new tools like virtual cards. “They are used to simplify accounting and reporting by consolidating spends across teams, vendors and merchants, and also multi currency, one wallet for businesses to reduce FX costs to spend in local currency,” she said.

“At the end of everything, the foundation is that everything needs to be regulatory first,” she added. “The digital payments landscape is going to evolve, but that's going to be a strong institutional involvement to enable a responsible digital lifestyle.”