KAF Digital Bank has rolled out Basic Banking Services in line with Bank Negara Malaysia’s regulatory deadline, which took effect on 1 April 2026. The service provides access to deposits, withdrawals, transfers and payments. It also forms part of the obligations placed on digital banks to support financial inclusion, particularly among underserved and underbanked groups in Malaysia. The rollout comes as KAF Digital Bank continues to expand its operations after opening to the Malaysian public in August 2025, following approval to begin onboarding customers after completing its PERINTIS phase. The bank is focused on building out its Shariah-compliant digital banking…

Datuk Manoj Kurup has been appointed Executive Director of Enforcement at the Securities Commission Malaysia, effective 8 April 2026. He succeeds Budiman Lutfi Mohamed, who was appointed judicial commissioner of the High Court of Malaya on 1 April 2026. Manoj began his legal career in 1990 and most recently served as Head of the Prosecution Division at the Attorney-General’s Chambers before retiring in 2024. He also held other roles there, including Head of the Appeals Division. He was part of the Malaysian prosecution team on the joint investigation into the Malaysia Airlines MH17 tragedy and also served as a board…

Bank Islam, in partnership with Amanah Warisan Berhad (AWARIS), has introduced the AWARIS Will-Writing service through its BIMB Mobile application, offering will-writing digitally. The service integrates into BIMB Mobile while adhering to the Bank’s data security and Shariah governance standards. Datin Zaharah Abdul Muttalib, Bank Islam Director of Wealth Management, said the launch demonstrates the Bank’s commitment to accessible Shariah-compliant financial solutions. “Through this launch, Bank Islam aims to encourage the digital adoption of estate planning, strengthen public awareness on the importance of will-writing, and reinforce our position as a pioneer in Shariah-compliant digital wealth management solutions,” she said. Prof.…

Why do so many AI pilots fail in banking even when the technology itself works? In this episode, Vincent Fong, Fintech News Network, speaks with Cynthia Siantar, Head of Investor Relations and General Manager for Singapore at DynaAI, about why banks often struggle to move from AI experimentation to real execution. The conversation explores: why AI pilots get stuck inside large organisations the build vs buy dilemma facing banks what separates banks that get measurable ROI from those that do not how one collections use case created a clear business case for AI where agentic AI and internal copilots may…

CapBay and CGC Digital have entered a strategic partnership to introduce a Digital Guarantee Scheme aimed at supporting underserved MSMEs in Malaysia. The scheme combines CGC Digital’s credit guarantee capabilities with CapBay’s supply chain finance and P2P platform. The guarantees function as a risk-sharing mechanism, enabling lenders to offer more competitive financing terms while supporting businesses that lack traditional collateral. CapBay’s AI-driven credit assessment system is intended to shorten evaluation timelines and expedite access to funding. The programme includes both Islamic and conventional financing options, marking its first dual-facility rollout. It targets MSMEs with at least 51% Malaysian ownership, offering…

Akur8, the global actuarial AI platform, has entered a collaboration with Tune Protect. Tune Protect will use Akur8’s actuarial solution to support pricing of Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance products. Akur8’s platform, designed for insurers, applies machine-learning technology to enhance pricing processes. It aims to provide faster model development, transparent outputs, and data-driven pricing decisions that can be clearly communicated across stakeholders. By adopting Akur8 Pricing, Tune Protect’s team expects to accelerate pricing cycles and improve collaboration around pricing decisions through more structured and transparent modelling. The platform facilitates model development and refinement, producing results with clear, traceable workflows. This…

Maybank is offering financial assistance to customers affected by ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, including adjustments to repayment terms and extensions of financing tenure. The bank said support is available to both individuals and businesses facing financial pressure. Customers can apply through the Financial Relief option on Maybank2u or by contacting their Relationship Managers. They can also visit Maybank branches and relevant service centres nationwide, or call the Maybank Group Customer Care Hotline at 1-300-88-6688. “As part of the broader banking industry, Maybank continues to support efforts towards maintaining financial resilience and stability, and will work closely with customers and…

CIMB Group is expanding its affluent and wealth push across ASEAN under its Forward30 strategy, with Malaysia set to be the next market to launch CIMB Private Wealth in mid-2026. The expansion is aimed at deepening relationships with affluent and high-net-worth clients while growing deposits, fee income and cross-sell opportunities across investment products, financing, protection and legacy solutions. The regional push follows the launch of CIMB Private Wealth in Indonesia in January 2026 and will be extended to other markets later this year. Lani Darmawan, President Director and Chief Executive Officer, PT Bank CIMB Niaga, said, “Indonesia remains a structurally…

Hong Leong Bank has launched a portfolio financing solution that allows clients to borrow against their investment holdings without selling them. Available to HLB Priority and HLB Private Bank clients in Malaysia and Singapore, the facility is designed to provide liquidity while allowing investors to remain invested. The solution offers an alternative to more traditional financing options tied to a single asset class, such as share margin financing or overdrafts against unit trusts. Clients can use the facility to unlock funds from their existing portfolios for cash flow needs or new investment opportunities without liquidating long-term holdings, while retaining exposure…

CIMB announced that it has scheduled maintenance on five days in April that will temporarily disrupt debit card purchases. The outages will affect both in-store and online purchases using CIMB Debit Cards. The longest disruption is on 7 April, when purchases will be unavailable for 7.5 hours from midnight to 7.30am. Further maintenance is scheduled on 9 April and 16 April, with both outages lasting two hours from midnight to 2am. A five-hour disruption is also planned on 10 April, while purchases will be unavailable for six hours on 25 April from midnight to 6am. CIMB advised customers to plan…

Paydibs is expanding its MSME offering with embedded insurance through a partnership with Great Eastern General Insurance Malaysia. Under the tie-up, selected insurance coverage will be bundled with Paydibs payment terminals, allowing merchants that accept digital payments to receive business protection as part of the offering. The package includes protection against accidental damage to shop premises from fire, flood or break-ins, loss of cash in transit or at the outlet, employer-related liabilities, and business disruptions that may temporarily affect operations. Coverage will be included with the terminal offering, removing the need for a separate insurance application process. Tee Kean Kang,…

Standard Chartered has launched its first Global Fusion Centre in Malaysia, with the facility set to support the group’s operations. Located at the bank’s Global Business Services hub in Kuala Lumpur, the centre brings together people, technology and intelligence functions in one integrated model to improve real-time response. The facility is intended to strengthen operational resilience and help reinforce trust with clients, regulators and other stakeholders. The centre is housed within Standard Chartered’s Global Business Services unit in Malaysia, which was established in 2001. The unit was the country’s first multi-disciplinary global business services centre of an international bank. GBS…

The Securities Commission Malaysia and MCMC have signed a MoU to strengthen cooperation on enforcement and step up efforts against scams, online fraud and unlicensed investment schemes. The agreement will support closer coordination on enforcement, intelligence sharing and scam prevention, particularly in cases involving scams and fraudulent schemes that exploit digital platforms and communication technologies. It also includes the use of emerging technologies and AI tools to improve detection, investigations and enforcement. The move comes as authorities step up efforts to tackle digital investment scams and online fraud, in line with the expanded remit of the National Scam Response Centre.…

Oracle and MyDIGITAL Corporation plan to train 300,000 students and professionals in Malaysia in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, and related digital skills by 2029. The collaboration supports Malaysia’s Digital Economy Blueprint and National Fourth Industrial Revolution Policy, and aims to boost employability, support career growth, and strengthen the country’s digital talent pipeline. MyDIGITAL Corporation is a monitoring agency under the Ministry of Digital that oversees the implementation of both policies. The programme will provide free digital training and foundational certifications to help learners prepare for future jobs. Delivered through Oracle MyLearn, Oracle University’s digital learning platform, the programme will offer…

SME Bank approved RM4.3 billion in financing in 2025, up 19 percent from a year earlier as demand from Malaysian MSMEs continued to grow. The demand came from sectors such as Bumiputera development, technology and innovation, digital adoption, climate-resilient initiatives, the halal industry and tourism. The performance was in line with Bank Negara Malaysia’s Performance Measurement Framework and the MADANI Economic Framework. Samad Majid Zain, Relief President/Chief Executive Officer of SME Bank, said “Total approved financing grew 19% year-on-year to approximately RM4.3 billion, with approximately RM3.8 billion channelled to MSMEs, representing approximately 20% increase from the previous year, while more…

Hata reported that it had processed RM1.04 billion in transactions in 2025, marking 315 percent year-on-year growth. The Malaysia-based dual-licensed digital asset exchange said the performance was supported by sustained fiat and crypto deposit activity throughout the year. Monthly fiat deposit volumes consistently reached RM16.1 million and peaked at RM28.7 million, while crypto deposits averaged 2.65 million units a month. Across Hata Malaysia and Hata Global, assets under custody reached a high of RM115 million by September 2025. Its most traded tokens during the year were XRP, Bitcoin, Ether and Solana. Since launch through the end of 2025, Hata said…

RHB Banking Group has introduced two new wealth and protection solutions with the launch of RHB Wealth Advance and Takaful mySmart Income Enhanced. Developed with Tokio Marine Life Insurance Malaysia and Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga, the products add conventional and Shariah-compliant options to RHB’s offerings. Jeffrey Ng Eow Oo, Managing Director, Group Community Banking, RHB Banking Group said, “Today’s customers are looking beyond returns. They seek solutions that enable them to grow, protect, and eventually transfer their wealth with confidence. With RWA and MSIE, we continue to innovate and help them achieve these objectives while offering two distinct yet complementary…

Bank Negara Malaysia has imposed a RM1 million administrative monetary penalty on Bank Rakyat over breaches involving cybersecurity and customer information protection. The penalty was paid on 26 January 2026. The penalty was imposed on 20 January 2026 after BNM found that Bank Rakyat had failed to comply with requirements under its Risk Management in Technology policy document and its policy on the management of customer information and permitted disclosures. BNM said the breaches were uncovered after a cybersecurity incident in which an external threat actor gained unauthorised access to the bank’s IT infrastructure. It linked the breaches to inadequate…

Fintech News Network has learned through a LinkedIn post that points to a round of restructuring at BigPay, a fintech subsidiary of Capital A. In an earlier post, Nurul Afiqah Jamaluddin from BigPay’s People & Culture team said that her team and she had been impacted by internal restructuring and that their roles were at risk. In a later post, she said several other colleagues across the three markets had also been impacted by the recent restructuring. The departures include high-ranking leadership and technical heads based in Singapore, notably Chief Information Security Officer Angus Thorn, Head of Backend Architecture and…

Airwallex has secured two new licences from Bank Negara Malaysia, paving the way for a full commercial launch in Malaysia. The company received approval for an e-money issuing licence and a Class A licence, allowing it to offer a complete suite of payment services in the country. These approvals build on Airwallex’s existing Class B Money Services Business licence and its status as a Registered Merchant Acquirer in Malaysia. With the expanded regulatory clearance, Airwallex can now offer services including payments, multi-currency accounts and foreign exchange through a single platform. Arnold Chan, General Manager for Asia-Pacific at Airwallex, said, “Malaysia…