What The FinTech #186 - 25 Mar 2025

🚀 Welcome to the Latest Edition of What The FinTech! 🌟

Stay ahead in the dynamic world of fintech with this quick and easy read. We’ve got the headlines, insights, and links to the stories that matter most. For those who crave deeper dives, our full Substack newsletter is packed with exclusive interviews, in-depth analyses, and more!

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In this edition, explore the latest fintech updates and insights, plus a sneak peek into our podcast lineup. Join us as we uncover the trends, ideas, and stories shaping the fintech world.

💬 Top Stories in Fintech & Emerging Technologies

🇭🇰 HONG KONG

💰 Hong Kong’s RedotPay Raises $40M to Scale Crypto Payments Crypto platform RedotPay secures $40M in Series A funding to scale licensing, compliance, and user experience for its fast-growing global crypto card services. 🌍

🌐 Airwallex Adds Discover Network to Expand Global Payment Options Airwallex merchants can now accept Discover and Diners Club cards globally, improving checkout experiences and reducing cart abandonment rates. 🛒

🇸🇬 SINGAPORE

🚖 ComfortDelGro Begins Robotaxi Trials in Guangzhou Singapore’s ComfortDelGro and Pony.ai launch a two-year robotaxi pilot in China, aiming for large-scale autonomous fleet deployments internationally. 🤖🚕

🇨🇳 CHINA

🚗 Ping An & FAW Hongqi Launch Insurance for Smart Driving Ping An partners with FAW Hongqi to offer insurance for eight intelligent driving scenarios and battery-related issues, enhancing EV adoption and driver protection. 🔋🚘

⚽ JD.com Becomes UEFA's E-Commerce Innovation Partner JD.com teams up with UEFA Champions League to launch exclusive merchandise, digital fan experiences, and an official online store for Chinese football fans. 🇨🇳🏆

🎢 China’s iQiyi to Launch VR-Powered Theme Park Streaming giant iQiyi is opening a VR-rich theme park in Yangzhou, blending immersive film sets with interactive tech to capture China’s booming entertainment tourism market. 🕶️🎬

🧠 Everyone in AI is Talking About Manus China's new AI agent, Manus, impresses with its research skills, transparency, and collaborative interface—but it's not flawless. It acts like a smart intern, learning as it goes and letting users step in anytime. 🌐🧑💻

Ant International Brings Embedded Finance to Brazil’s SMEs Bettr, an Ant International brand, launches AI-powered working capital loans for AliExpress merchants in Brazil, promoting credit inclusion with flexible terms. 🤖💼

🌏 ASIA

📍 Vietnam Weighs Flexible Financial Centre Models Vietnam may pursue a specialized or diversified financial hub model, eyeing regional leadership in AI and fintech, while emphasizing the importance of skilled talent. 🏦🌐

🗣️ Project ViGen Aims to Strengthen Vietnamese in AI Systems Meta and local partners launch Project ViGen to create open-source Vietnamese datasets, ensuring AI models better understand local language, culture, and idioms. 📚🤖

💳 Krungsri Bank Rolls Out Online Bill Payment for Thai SMEs Thailand’s Krungsri Bank unveils a new API-powered QR code solution to help SMEs streamline invoice and payment collections while cutting IT costs. 📲📉

📱 India’s Smartphone Exports Hit $21B with Apple, Samsung Boost Fueled by government incentives and Apple’s expansion, India’s smartphone exports soared 54% to $21B in FY 2024–25, shifting the nation from net importer to exporter. 📦📈

⚠️ Malaysia Warns Against Rising Crypto Investment Scams Malaysian authorities alert the public on crypto frauds targeting retirees and professionals with fake high-return promises, urging caution amid growing scam cases. 🪙🚨

🇲🇾 GXBank & Grab Shortlist 8 Startups to Boost Malaysia’s Fintech Scene Eight Malaysian fintechs—including Cashku, Finory, and PulseLink—have been selected to drive innovation in areas like financial planning, payroll, farming, and AI data privacy. 🚀💡

🎯 AI-Supported Spear Phishing Threatens APAC E-Commerce AI-powered phishing is rising in Asia-Pacific, targeting e-commerce platforms during peak seasons with personalized, social engineering attacks. These threats challenge cybersecurity strategies across the region. 🎣🔐

💼 Nomura & Hyakujushi Revamp Japan’s Wealth Management Nomura partners with Hyakujushi Bank to boost household investments and expand advisory services in Japan, shifting focus from traditional savings to higher-yield strategies. 🏦📈

💳 Visa Partners with Australia’s Big Banks on B2B Payments Visa joins ANZ, NAB, HSBC & Westpac to launch integrated B2B payments in Australia via SAP, streamlining processes and easing reconciliation for business owners. 🤝🏢

🇲🇾 Alipay+ Fuels QR Payment Growth for Malaysian SMEs Alipay+ powers 80% of inbound DuitNow QR payments, driving sixfold merchant revenue growth and doubling partner apps—positioning Malaysia as a global tourist payment hub. 📈📱

🌏 Vilja Expands to Vietnam with Strategic Fintech Partnerships Swedish fintech Vilja enters Vietnam, forming local alliances and showcasing at WFIS, aiming to modernize digital banking with secure, compliant cloud-native solutions. 🇸🇪📲

💸 RBI Expands UPI Globally and Champions Cross-Border Payments India’s RBI plans to link UPI with other countries’ payment systems, supporting low-cost, fast global transfers while boosting financial inclusion through awareness campaigns. 🌍💵

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🌟 That’s a wrap for this edition of What The FinTech! 🚀

We hope you found this snapshot of fintech innovation as exciting as we did. Remember, the fintech world is always evolving, and we're here to keep you ahead of the curve.

📬 Stay curious, stay connected—our Substack is where the deeper stories live, and our socials are your quick stop for fresh updates.

If you enjoyed this, why not share it with friends or colleagues who live and breathe fintech too? Together, we can grow this incredible community of innovators, dreamers, and changemakers. 💡

✨ What’s next? More breaking news, insightful analysis, and exciting podcast episodes coming your way. So, stay tuned and let’s continue this fintech journey together!

📢 Got ideas, feedback, or collaboration opportunities? My inbox is always open. Let’s create something amazing.

Cheers,

Medhy