Frances Gagua

Only six new digital banks in the Philippines for now: BSP head

All nine additional applicants failed to submit documents.

South Korea kicks off cash-back rewards program to boost card use

Card users can receive up to $85 in cashback rewards per month.

MAS, Singapore banks build digital platform against money laundering

This will allow sharing of customer and transaction data on money laundering cases.

Hong Kong bankers’ exodus accelerates amidst strict quarantine rules: report

UBS recently shifted to two senior bankers and might move eight more to China.

HSBC, Temasek partner to fund sustainable infrastructure projects in Asia

The two hope to dispense over US$1b of loans over the next five years.

Siam Commercial Bank’s restructuring highlights Thai banks’ need for complexity: analysts

The new entity aims to become a regional fintech conglomerate by 2025.

The Next Pedestal of the Payments War for Banks and FIs: Buy Now Pay Later

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) has seen remarkable growth in recent years and is on track to achieve a global market value of US$700b by 2023. This 90% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) reflects the growing penetration of this simple transactional instrument—consumers purchasing a product now with the agreement to pay for it later.

APAC’s mobile wallet adoption chips away at traditional payments’ dominance

Mobile wallet adoption in Thailand, Vietnam far exceed those in the US, the UK.

Singapore, Malaysia to link real-time payment systems PayNow, DuitNow

Remittances between the two countries reached S$1.3b in 2020.

Negative gov't intervention fuels rise of Malaysian banks’ systematic risks

Officials’ moratorium programs are hurting lenders’ profitability.

China’s shadow banking assets will shrink to eight-year low in H2: Moody’s

Tighter regulations will drive a wedge in the connection between banks and NBFIs.

Hong Kong’s Mox Bank appoints Barbaros Uygun as new CEO

Uygun previously served as CEO of ING Bank Austria.

FavePay teams up with Google Pay to offer cashback to Singapore users

Google Pay users can get up to a 20% cashback when they pay through SGQR.

Japan’s MUFG sells US retail bank subsidiary to US Bancorp in $8b deal

It is exiting the retail banking business to refocus on corporate transactions.