Grace Tanuwijaya
Desk byline for banking and fintech at Asianomist: bank results, digital lenders, payments, and crypto and digital assets.
South Korean Banks Face Cyberattacks, Regulators Order Security Checks
Seven financial firms, including Shinhan Bank and Yegaram Savings Bank, reported data breaches affecting tens of thousands of clients, prompting an emergency regulatory response.
WIDTH Named Pan Asian RegTech Provider at Singapore Awards
The compliance technology firm received the accolade at the ALB Pan Asian Regulatory Awards 2026, marking its 12th year in the industry.
Philippine Banks' Bad Loan Ratio Steady at 3.35% in August
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported a stable non-performing loan ratio for August 2026, as the banking sector's overall lending growth outpaced new problem accounts.
Visa Sees Stablecoin Card Payments Grow Nearly 200%
Visa reported a significant increase in stablecoin-linked card payments, with business and commercial programmes making up 17% of volumes this fiscal year.
Citi Appoints New Japan M&A, Sponsor Coverage Heads
The US banking giant's investment banking division has named Hajime Higuchi to lead mergers and acquisitions, and Yoshinobu Agu for sponsor coverage in the Japanese market.
MB Bank, OceanBase partner for database upgrade in Vietnam
Vietnam's MB Bank signed a pact with OceanBase on 2 October 2026 to enhance its core database, aiming for greater system resilience and scalability for digital banking.
OCBC boosts 365 card cashback to 6%, simplifies tiers
Singapore's OCBC will raise cashback rates for everyday spending categories like dining and groceries from 1 November 2026, standardising its minimum spend requirement.
Ping An Bank adopts AI rules, setting China banking benchmark
The Shenzhen-listed lender's board approved new management measures for artificial intelligence, a first among mainland institutions, following regulatory pressure for oversight.
Fiserv Partners Trulioo for Global Business Verification
The collaboration aims to streamline client onboarding and underwriting processes, reducing manual effort and ensuring consistent risk decisions across diverse markets.
South Korea's FSC Mandates Bank Security Checks After Cyberattacks
The Financial Services Commission on Friday, October 2, directed all banks and credit card firms to review IT systems following data breaches at Shinhan Bank and KB Kookmin Bank affecting thousands of customers.
Trust Bank turns profitable in 3.5 years, CEO cites tech and referrals
Singapore's digital bank, a joint venture of Standard Chartered and FairPrice Group, reported $135 million in income for FY2025, achieving profitability earlier this year.
Kazakhstan fintech shifts to BaaS, AI, digital assets
Incumbent banks now lead consumer finance, but the sector focuses on infrastructure, with over 50 regulated digital asset providers operating under new May 2026 rules.
India UPI Transactions Dip 1.8% in September Amid MDR Rollout
The National Payments Corporation of India reported 24.07 billion transactions last month, a slight fall from August, as a new fee structure for merchants takes effect on October 15.
China Bank Savings supports 1,200 Philippine educators, offers P50,000 accounts
The Philippine thrift bank provided financial wellness training last month and will award vehicles, including two Mitsubishi Mirages, on October 5.
GXBank Targets 2028 Profit Amid Loan Growth, Asset Cap Review
The Malaysian digital bank reported a wider first-half net loss of RM122.1 million in 2026, while securing an IFC risk-sharing agreement for MSME lending.
Asian Embedded Finance: Platforms Buy Banks, Fintechs Seek Licences
A recent webinar highlighted how digital platforms are acquiring banking capabilities, while fintechs are pursuing their own licences, redefining competitive advantage across the region.
Deutsche Bank appoints Philippines country chief, corporate head
Vikas Arora assumes leadership as Philippines Chief Country Officer, succeeding Dino Siason in the Manila-based role for the German lender.
SFA, KPMG: Governance Slows Asia RegTech Cloud Adoption
A new report from the Singapore FinTech Association and KPMG reveals operational and accountability issues, not technology, slow financial institutions scaling cloud-based RegTech in Asia-Pacific.
HLB Private Bank, Lombard Odier Launch Multi-Asset Fund
The wholesale HLB Chief Investment Office Fund will serve as a core component for client portfolios, drawing on global research and regional client insights.
Wise Launches Multi-Currency Account, Card in Thailand
Wise has introduced its multi-currency account and debit card for Thai users, facilitating payments and currency conversion for over 40 denominations. The service integrates with PromptPay and regional QR networks.
DBS, Avaloq Boost Wealth Tech Partnership for S$1 Trillion Goal
Singapore's DBS Bank aims to reach S$1 trillion in retail and wealth assets by 2030, deepening its 18-year technology alliance with Avaloq to develop new capabilities.
SBI, HDFC Bank branches close today, open Sunday ahead of strike
Major Indian private lenders and public sector banks will see varied operations this weekend, with a nationwide labour action planned for next week that could disrupt services.
Pine Labs, Google Cloud Build AI Commerce for Indian Merchants
The collaboration uses Google Cloud’s Gemini technology to develop agentic infrastructure for merchant discovery, marketing, operations, and payments across India.
EBANX Targets Pakistan for Digital Payment Expansion by Mid-2027
The payment processor will support local digital wallets and Pakistan's national instant payment system, following recent market entries across Southeast Asia and Türkiye.
RBI Fines KLM Axiva Finvest ₹2.70 Lakh for Auction Rule Breach
India's central bank penalised the non-banking financial company (NBFC) for failing to return surplus funds to borrowers after auctioning pledged gold.
Futu Securities Leads Hong Kong Digital Firms' Branch Push
Online brokerages and digital banks are opening physical branches in Hong Kong, with Futu Securities International establishing a 42,000 square foot global headquarters in Pacific Place.
Hong Leong Bank unveils ceramic invitation-only Visa card
The HLB opus is Southeast Asia's first ceramic credit card, leveraging zirconia for its exclusive design and targeting ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
LexisNexis Risk Solutions AI Tool Doubles Dell's Fraud Capture
The Emailage Adaptive system, designed for real-time adaptation to evolving fraud schemes, also cut Dell's low-risk manual reviews by 83%.
StashAway First Investment Platform in yuu Rewards Club
Over two million yuu members in Singapore can now accrue points and vouchers for consistent investments through the platform.
Banking Circle expands OSL stablecoin payments with five currencies
Institutional clients of OSL Group can now use Australian, British, Hong Kong, Singapore, and US dollars for transactions, alongside existing euro support, through Banking Circle's infrastructure.