Frances Gagua
South Korean substandard or below loans unchanged in Q2
South Korean substandard or below loans unchanged in Q2
Total SBLs of KRW16.6t was also unchanged from three months prior.
Hong Kong banks may boost tax loan campaigns as Fed rate cut looms
Demand for debt consolidation may also rise.
RACQ Bank insulated from parent group stress after insurance unit sale
There are also no intra-group deposits or loans between RACQ Bank and the RACQ Group.
China and Azerbaijan’s central banks ink cooperation MOU
They aim to strengthen bilateral financial cooperation, amongst others.
Firms cut paper, seek speed in trade finance shift
Rapid onboarding lets firms pivot quickly as tariffs force changes in supplier markets.
Thailand’s SCBX joins AI research initiative as a founding member
It aims to explore how AI is shaping the future of global financial systems.
Chart of the Week: Thailand’s POS card payments gain ground as ATM use shrinks
But ATM card usage still dominated.
Japan’s megabanks may increase foreign bond purchases to meet income goals
Upcoming US Fed rate cuts may raise bond prices, increasing urgency to buy.
China Merchant Bank profit rebounds in Q2 on lower costs
Net profit grew 2.7% in Q2 from a 2.1% decline in Q1.
Hang Seng Bank appoints HSBC’s Luanne Lim as new chief executive
Diana Cesar will return to HSBC as vice chairman, Hong Kong.
Bangkok Bank’s deputy CEO apologises due to system disruption
It caused an inaccurate display of balance in some accounts.
Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank’s profitability likely to be stable through 2026
The bank still faces high asset risk, although it has built up strong buffers.
UnionBank of the Philippines rolls out pilot for easier retirement account opening
Users can now open PERA accounts using their bank or e-wallet data.
Airwallex acquires OpenPay, to compete directly with Stripe Billing
Billing capabilities will be rolled out by Q4, Airwallex said.
Ant International’s Antom launches agentic payment solution
Antom can specifically connect AI agents to APMs using Antom EasySafePay.
India’s HDFC Bank invests in quantum-safe cybersecurity firm QNu Labs
QNu Labs was founded in 2016 and incubated at ITT Madras Research Park.
Australia’s Westpac to hire 350 bankers by 2027: report
It aims to enhance business banking and expand its market share in regional Australia.
Commentary
Asia’s banks hold the mandate to innovate. Now they must earn it.
Why Asia's banks are rebuilding their credit infrastructure in 2026
Banks retreat, private credit advances: Asia Pacific’s quiet lending revolution
Human Sparsity Blockchain: A citizen-validated ledger for digital finance supervision
Will stablecoins disrupt the banking business?
Digital transformation starts with leadership