News
Vietnam fintech funding plummets 84% in 2023
Vietnam fintech funding plummets 84% in 2023
For the second year in a row there were no late-stage funding rounds.
Expect ‘stagnant’ Chinese structure finance market in 2024: S&P
Issuance momentum of dominant segments will reportedly remain slow.
37.6 million credit cards active in Taiwan in November: FSC
The number of cash cards remained the same as in October, however.
South Korean bank’s corporate lending fell in December: central bank
The Bank of Korea blamed this on seasonal factors.
Bank lending to Korean households rose slower in December
Home mortgage lending continued to expand, but other loans contracted.
Philippine bank lending up 7% in November 2023
Loans to production activities rose thanks to a growth in real estate and energy activities.
Standard Chartered names ex-Citi banker as head of global securities
Stella Choe was most recently head of global network banking for APAC in Citi.
Hang Seng Bank launches investment and life insurance plan
70% of Hong Kongers were unprepared for their parents' healthcare costs and children's educational expenses.
Partner insurer payout leaps 23% YoY through Ant Group's insurance arm
Health insurance claims contributed about 5 million claims processed by partner insurers on Ant Insurance
Prudential partners with CIMB Thai for bancassurance venture
The partnership grants Prudential access to CIMB Thai’s customer base and branch network in Thailand.
Eight in 10 Filipinos are optimistic about formal credit options
However, 42% said there were no changes in the accessibility of formal credit alternatives.
BSP onboards first non-bank e-money issuer in real-time settlement system
OmniPay no longer needs an existing RTGS participant to sponsor their settlement.
HSBC HK unveils debit, supplementary card waiving foreign currency fees
The cards also offer a 0.5% instant cash rebate on all spendings.
Indonesian fintech investments halved in 2023: study
Seed-stage and early-stage funding plummeted during the year.
SG startup Qashier launches QR payment terminal
It accepts the majority of e-wallet QR payments and is expected to benefit hawkers and minimarts.
AlipayHK warns of phishing messages
There are individuals sending out messages claiming to be from AlipayHK.
Taiwan domestic banks extended more loans in November
The bad loans ratio fell by 0.01 percentage point, according to the FSC.
Commentary
The Asian connection: China's path to sustainable growth