HSBC Malaysia has extended its first social loan facility to CapBay to help more Malaysian SMEs secure funding. The facility was issued through Bay Harbour Ventures, CapBay’s special purpose vehicle, and is designed to widen SME access to financing by helping the company connect smaller businesses to multiple liquidity providers. The structure allows CapBay to use its portfolio of loan receivables to manage funding needs more efficiently, monetise receivables earlier and reinvest capital to support additional borrowers. HSBC and CapBay can also monitor the performance and health of the receivables portfolio more proactively through this arrangement. SMEs continue to face…

SPayLater has introduced a motorcycle financing feature that lets users fund their purchases through instalments. The service, called SPayLater Motorcycle, is in a pilot phase and is planned to be available to all users by the first quarter of 2026. SPayLater is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service from Shopee that lets users make purchases and repay them over time through instalment plans. The platform, which offers Shariah-compliant financing, said that after five years in the market it has seen a maturing user base and growing demand for accessible financing. The new option provides up to RM20,000 in credit…

AEON Bank has added two Zurich Takaful plans to its app to give Malaysians low-cost protection starting from RM5 a month. The move extends the partnership first announced in May 2024 and brings 100 percent Shariah-compliant protection from Zurich directly into AEON Bank’s digital ecosystem. The Personal Accident Takaful and Term Takaful plans are available through the app. Both plans are fully digital and accessible around the clock. Malaysians aged 18 to 59 can compare options, enrol and activate coverage within minutes without meeting agents or submitting physical forms. Users can select their preferred plan, review benefits and confirm payment…

GXBank will offer up to 4 percent per annum on its Bonus Pocket savings as part of a limited-time promotion tied to its upcoming second anniversary. The bank, which officially launched on 30 November 2023, is combining its existing 2 percent base interest, credited daily, with an additional 2 percent bonus interest that will be paid at the end of a three-month tenure. The offer applies to deposits of up to RM50,000 placed in Bonus Pockets. According to GXBank, a RM10,000 balance kept for the full three-month period would earn a total of RM99 in interest. A RM50,000 balance over…

Ryt Bank will maintain its 4 percent per annum savings rate and introduce additional rewards for users in December as part of the 12.12 season. Customers can continue earning 4 percent interest in their Save Pockets by using the Ryt Card for everyday spending or by making JomPAY bill payments. New users receive two starter stamps, and three transactions in the first month are needed to unlock the boosted rate. After that, collecting five stamps every 30 days keeps the 4 percent rate active. Interest is paid daily and there is no lock-in. For December, customers can earn 1.2 percent…

TNG eWallet has extended the Visa Travel Card cashback campaign until 31 December 2026. The company said card applications have risen since launch, supported by broader growth in overseas spending across its Visa cards. Foreign transactions on its Visa portfolio increased 2.5 times year on year as of October 2025, driven by higher travel activity, competitive exchange rates and the convenience of using the cards abroad. It said these trends also informed the introduction of the Visa Travel Card. The travel card offers up to 3 percent unlimited and immediate cashback on overseas transactions, zero markup fees and competitive exchange…

CIMB has partnered with the Nicol David Organisation to roll out a youth programme that links financial literacy with movement-based learning. The +Play Finance Programme was introduced at Karnival Celik Kewangan in Penang, a nationwide financial literacy initiative led by Bank Negara Malaysia. The programme combines money management lessons with physical activities and mental wellness elements to help students build confidence and practical life skills. More than 750 students from 30 Klang Valley schools will take part in four weekly sessions that blend movement-based exercises with basic financial concepts such as saving, budgeting and responsible spending. Organisers said the format…

Malaysia’s fintech scene has been picking up a steady pace in 2025, with meaningful strides leading the way. Growth this year has been shaped by continued traction in digital payments, early signals from newly launched digital banks, and clearer regulatory direction in areas like consumer credit, data sharing, and digital assets. This shift is visible across the ecosystem. RENTAS+ made Malaysia the first in ASEAN to offer 24/7 interbank fund transfers and settlements, while the signing of the George Town Accord 2025 cemented the nation’s leadership in building the region’s next-generation of payment rails. Meanwhile, Paywatch secured one of the year’s…

Fintech News Malaysia was among those recognised by Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) at the Malaysian e-Payments Excellence Awards (MEEA) 2025. The ceremony, held at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur and themed “Leading Progress, Recognising Impact”, honoured 30 recipients across 22 categories. This marks the first time media organisations have been included among the award winners. PayNet, which serves as the backbone of Malaysia’s national payments infrastructure, said more than 2.9 million DuitNow QR touchpoints are now active nationwide. This expansion has widened access for consumers and small merchants as digital payments continue to grow across the country. “Malaysia’s digital payments…

Digitalisation is becoming central to Islamic finance in Malaysia, with regulators identifying blockchain, AI and e-KYC as key drivers of the sector’s next phase. Bank Negara Malaysia outlined this direction at the Kuala Lumpur Islamic Finance Forum 2025. Assistant Governor Suhaimi Ali said Islamic finance now forms a major part of the financial system. Islamic banking accounts for 47 percent of total financing, takaful represents 25 percent of net contributions and Malaysia holds 36 percent of global sukuk. SRI assets reached RM11.9 billion in 2024. He said the sector is well placed to support national priorities, including the RM1.2 trillion…

Chubb Insurance Malaysia has begun the IPO process for a planned Main Market listing on Bursa Malaysia, based on a draft prospectus published for public feedback. Reuters reported that the insurer plans to sell 300 million existing shares, equal to 30 percent of its issued capital. The entire offering is an offer for sale by its sole shareholder, Chubb INA International Holdings. As all the shares are existing shares, the proceeds will go to Chubb INA rather than the Malaysian operating entity. The draft does not include details on valuation or the expected listing date. The institutional portion totals 249.55…

Malaysians are losing between RM200 and RM350 on each overseas trip due to exchange rate markups they do not see, according to new research by international money app Wise. This is happening even as many spend up to two days searching for flight and hotel deals. The study found that 31 percent of travellers believe they save more than RM500 through promotions, but only 41 percent check exchange rates. A RM2,500 weekend in Singapore can cost RM180 to RM250 more and a RM5,000 Bangkok trip may rise by RM350 to RM450. Even a RM15 latte in Melbourne effectively becomes RM16.50…

FeedMe has raised US$5 million in funding led by Integra Partners, with participation from Cento Ventures. The Malaysia-based restaurant software company will use the capital to expand into Thailand, strengthen its engineering team and advance its AI-driven capabilities. It also plans to introduce financial services that improve payment access and lending options for merchants. FeedMe offers a restaurant management platform that brings together POS, delivery integrations, e-invoicing, QR ordering, queue management, payments, accounting, kitchen display systems, HR tools, inventory, CRM and AI operation tools. The system is designed to unify front- and back-of-house operations on a single platform. The company…

Webull is partnering with AHAM Capital to launch Moneybull, a cash management product that helps investors earn returns on idle cash. Moneybull allocates uninvested balances into the AHAM Aiiman Enhanced i-Profit Fund-Class B, a Shariah-compliant money market fund managed by AHAM Capital. The fund reportedly offers daily returns of up to 3.4 percent per annum with no lock-in period. Cash moves automatically through Webull’s Auto Sweep function and can be used immediately for stock purchases on Bursa Malaysia. Webull said the feature carries no subscription, redemption, or additional platform fees. “Moneybull reflects the next step in making investing a part…

Alliance Bank Malaysia has gone live with an AI-powered Retail Loan Origination System developed by CTOS Data Systems and JurisTech as part of its push to modernise retail lending. The project, initiated in May 2023, focuses on automation, improved decisioning accuracy and faster turnaround times. The platform manages the full loan lifecycle from lead management and digital onboarding to decisioning, disbursement and credit administration. It is built for straight-through processing and multi-product origination, with the first production release completed within a year. Since implementation, the bank has recorded more than a 30 percent improvement in application turnaround time and staff…

Malaysia’s listed companies continued to strengthen their governance standards in 2025, although board diversity and senior pay transparency remain among the weakest areas, the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) said in its latest review. The SC released the Corporate Governance Monitor 2025, which provides data-driven insights to guide targeted interventions and support policy enhancements. The report tracks how public listed companies apply the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance. The MCCG will be revised next year, its first update since 2021. Thirty-three of the 48 best practices recorded adoption levels of at least 90 percent, up from 30 practices in 2024. More…

Payment gateway firm Fiuu processed more than US$8.3 billion in payments in the first nine months of 2025, up 32% from a year earlier as digital transactions surged across Southeast Asia. In October, Fiuu became the first payment acquirer in Malaysia to enable Samsung Pay Online for its ecommerce merchants. The service, now live with more than 300 merchants across sectors such as food and beverage, pharmacy, health and wellness, and entertainment, adds another payment option for consumers. The company has also deepened its partnerships with organisations such as PayNet, Pos Malaysia, Affin Bank, and others. Fiuu said it is…

In Southeast Asia, regulators are tightening their oversight of financial services marketing, placing financial institutions under pressure to monitor agent behavior, mitigate misinformation, and maintain brand trust. A new paper by Meltwater, an online media, social and consumer intelligence company from Norway, looks at how regulators are cracking down on unethical behavior such as misleading advertising and high-pressure sales tactics, highlighting recent regulatory developments amid the surge of financial influencers (finfluencers). In Malaysia, Securities Commission (SC) released in March 2025 a revised version of its Guidelines on Advertising for Capital Market Products and Related Services, taking into account evolving global…

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has launched investED for Returning Women, a training and re-entry programme to help women restart their careers in the capital market after a career break. Officiated by Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying, the initiative aims to equip participants with the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to re-enter and thrive in the workforce. Announced in October, it has drawn more than 600 applications from women in their mid-30s to late 40s, many from the oil and gas, banking, finance and insurance sectors. Most cited family responsibilities and caregiving as the main reasons for leaving work.…

AEON Credit said it will inject RM125 million into its 50%-owned AEON Bank to strengthen the digital bank’s capital base and support future growth. According to The Edge, the additional subscription will preserve AEON Credit’s 50% equity stake, as joint venture partner AEON Financial Service will undertake a matching subscription to maintain the existing shareholding ratio. Upon completion, AEON Bank’s issued shares will increase from 550 million to 800 million. AEON Credit’s holdings will rise from 275 million to 400 million shares through the subscription of 125 million new shares at RM1 each. In total, both parties will inject RM250…