Frances Gagua

China bank asset quality risks surge on state lending

Relending rates fell by 25 bps to relieve funding pressure on micro and small enterprises.

Mastercard pushes tokenisation as payments go passive

Transactions fade into the background when there’s  trust.

Crédit Agricole unifies CIB and wealth arms in 43,400 sqft hub

An internal staircase now connects the corporate and wealth management teams across two levels.

XTransfer targets $20t market with Alipay-style instant transfers

 Buyers and sellers can complete transfers 24/7 in as fast as 15 minutes.

UOB logs ‘highest’ Copilot usage amidst 40-branch rollout

Specialised digital assistants now manage product inquiries across Singapore.

Visa urges banks to bridge data gap as payment choice surges

One bank doubled its cards in force and grew payment volumes by over 20%.

GFTN targets growth-stage fintechs with $200m fund

The focus will be on firms that have shown commercial traction and scale.

Singapore keeps retail out of crypto for now

The central bank is unlikely to change its stance in the next two to three years.

Thailand backs major conglomerates for digital banks but risks stifling innovation

Did the Bank of Thailand play it too safe by going for large, established conglomerates?

HSBC: Human oversight key as AI advances

AI tools should be deployed with strong oversight.

DBS sees tokenised finance as future

Regulatory uncertainty is the biggest barrier.

Tencent’s TenPay Global opens WeChat mini programs to overseas wallets

Visitors from other countries may now use their homegrown wallets inside Mainland China.

MAS cracks down on influencers promoting financial products

Seemingly educational content or advice can cross into regulated territory.

CIMB's new card gives 114-day interest-free drawdowns to small businesses

It offers 114 days interest-free period for working capital loans.