Fiuu reported US$13 billion in total payment volume in 2025, up 32.65 percent from 2024, as it expanded across Southeast Asia. It had reported US$8.3 billion in total payment volume for the first nine months of the year, before processing another US$4.7 billion in the fourth quarter. Fiuu also handled more than 960 million transactions across the region in 2025. During the year, the company introduced new payment features and partnerships. In Malaysia, it said it became the first payment acquirer to enable Samsung Pay Online and expanded digital wallet acceptance nationwide. Fiuu launched Tap to Pay on iPhone in…

Former Bank Islam Group CEO Mohd Muazzam Mohamed has joined the board of the Consumer Credit Commission. The commission, also known as Suruhanjaya Kredit Pengguna, was set up to oversee consumer credit providers in Malaysia outside the banking sector. The commission earlier named former Bank Negara Malaysia Assistant Governor Abu Hassan Alshari Yahaya as its first Executive Chairman. This follows the enforcement of the Consumer Credit Act 2025 on 1 March 2026 and marks the start of the commission’s operations as the body overseeing consumer credit providers in Malaysia. Muazzam stepped down as Group CEO of Bank Islam in December…

Kenanga Investment Bank has increased its stake in Kinetic DAX to 81.7%, making the exchange its subsidiary. It previously held a 19% stake. The transaction was carried out through Kenanga Private Equity, the group’s wholly owned subsidiary, as part of a fundraising and capitalisation exercise by KDX. KDX, which is licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia, is now Malaysia’s first and only bank-backed digital asset exchange. The bank said KDX’s stronger capital position will support its next phase of growth and resilience, including platform expansion, broader offerings and strategic initiatives linked to Kenanga’s wider digital plans. It added that KDX…

RHB marked the Hari Raya season by distributing 9,000 Baju Raya items to 18 charity homes and supporting 120 underserved families. The outreach combined public clothing donations, food aid and festive shopping support. The clothing drive was carried out through Projek Baju Raya, with RHB serving as a collection and distribution platform and setting up donation points for public contributions. Volunteers also distributed close to 200 sets of essential food supplies, including rice, sugar, flour and condensed milk, to help families prepare for the celebrations. As part of its wider Hari Raya outreach, RHB also organised RHB Shopping Raya 2026…

As digital onboarding becomes the primary gateway to financial services across Southeast Asia, financial institutions face a growing challenge: delivering fast, seamless customer experiences while staying resilient against increasingly sophisticated fraud threats. From synthetic identities to deepfake powered impersonation and device manipulation, AI-driven fraud is reshaping the risk landscape. What was once a compliance checkpoint is now a critical decision layer embedded directly into customer journeys. In markets such as Malaysia and Indonesia, where digital adoption is rapidly accelerating, onboarding is expected to be instant and frictionless. At the same time, identity verification must remain secure and resistant to emerging…

Bursa Malaysia Securities has fined KAF Investment Bank RM300,000 and issued a public reprimand over due diligence and disclosure lapses tied to an ACE Market listing submission. The action relates to KAF Investment Bank Berhad’s role as sponsor for an applicant seeking admission to the ACE Market. The exchange said the bank breached multiple ACE Market Listing Requirements by failing to make all reasonable due diligence enquiries and consider relevant matters involving non-compliances tied to the certificate of completion and compliance of the applicant’s two core manufacturing plants. It also found that the pre-admission consultation pack and draft prospectus submitted…

Banks in Malaysia will begin overhauling hire purchase financing from June 2026, as the industry moves to clearer loan pricing and fairer early settlement terms. The changes come under the Hire-Purchase (Amendment) Act 2026, which takes effect on 1 June 2026. In a joint statement, the Association of Banks in Malaysia, the Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia, and the Association of Development Finance Institutions Malaysia said the new framework will abolish the Rule of 78 method for early settlement and remove flat-rate pricing for fixed-rate hire purchase financing. Hire purchase financing will instead shift to a reducing…

The Malaysia Co-Investment Fund (MyCIF) has launched two new funding measures for MSMEs, targeting businesses linked to the ageing economy and deals led by venture capital and private equity firms. The measures include a Silver Economy Scheme covering care-tech, specialised healthcare and senior living, as well as a profit-sharing incentive to attract VC and PE-led deals to equity crowdfunding platforms. Under the incentive, MyCIF will share 50 percent of profits with VC and PE lead investors that deliver exits, giving crowd investors access to those deals. Gobi Partners and OSK Ventures International have expressed interest in bringing such deals to…

Bursa Malaysia has moved a step closer to digital currency ETF listings after launching a public consultation on proposed rule changes. The amendments would facilitate the listing and trading of these products on the local bourse. The move follows the Securities Commission Malaysia’s revised Guidelines on Exchange-Traded Funds, issued on 2 March 2026, which now permit digital currency ETFs under an enhanced regulatory framework. Digital currency ETFs are designed to give investors regulated and transparent exposure to digital currencies through an established capital market product. The proposed changes cover the Main Market Listing Requirements and Bursa Malaysia Securities’ directives, with…

Malaysia is weighing a plan to let EPF members use Account 2 savings to buy basic medical and health insurance or takaful products. Bernama reported that the proposal is being studied by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) through a written parliamentary reply. Under the proposal, any withdrawal would be voluntary and limited to savings meant for health and protection needs. MOF said Account 1, or Akaun Persaraan, would not be affected, framing the move as a way to widen access to protection without cutting into core retirement savings. The issue was raised by Senator Datuk Rosni Sohar, who asked about…

Homeowners installing rooftop solar through Verdant Solar will receive built-in protection under a new partnership with Tune Protect Malaysia. The offering combines Verdant Solar’s residential solar installation services with insurance from Tune Protect Malaysia under a single package. The companies said it is Malaysia’s first integrated residential solar and protection model. The package covers accidental loss or damage from events such as storms and fire, as well as lost electricity savings caused by downtime linked to insured damage. The companies said this is meant to reduce concerns over system damage, disruption and financial risk, while removing the need for homeowners…

The Securities Commission Malaysia and the Companies Commission of Malaysia have signed a two-year data-sharing deal to widen capital market access for MSMEs and mid-tier companies. The move will support capital market funding initiatives and strengthen supervisory functions. It is part of the Capital Market Masterplan 2026-2030 and aligns with the SC’s five-year roadmap to improve market access for MSMEs and mid-tier companies. Under the collaboration, the SC will use SSM’s corporate data to identify unlisted companies with strong growth potential and financing needs. It will then connect them with fundraising avenues such as Bursa Malaysia’s Main, ACE and LEAP…

Hong Leong Islamic Bank has rebranded as HLB Islamic as it seeks to grow its Shariah-compliant banking business and strengthen its role within the wider Hong Leong Financial Group ecosystem. Alongside the rebrand, the bank introduced Hayat @ HLB Islamic, a new proposition built around wealth stewardship. It is designed to support different stages of a customer’s financial journey rather than treat financial services as separate products and transactions. Hayat is built around a Shariah-guided wealth lifecycle approach covering wealth creation and accumulation, protection, purification and distribution. Kevin Lam, Group Managing Director & CEO of Hong Leong Bank, said, “By…

The Consumer Credit Commission (SKP) has named former Bank Negara Malaysia Assistant Governor Abu Hassan Alshari Yahaya its first Executive Chairman. The appointment follows the enforcement of the Consumer Credit Act 2025 on 1 March 2026 and marks the start of the commission’s operations as the body overseeing consumer credit providers in Malaysia. Abu Hassan previously led the Consumer Credit Oversight Board Task Force, which was set up in July 2021 to work with relevant ministries and agencies on drafting the Consumer Credit Bill. During his time at BNM, he led several functions including finance, currency management, strategic communications and…

Google will update its financial services verification process to introduce new requirements for certain financial services advertisers in Malaysia from 14 April 2026. The categories that may be subject to verification include banking, credit cards, credit and loans, investment, brokerages and day trading, bonds, commodities and futures trading, and insurance. Advertisers may initiate verification themselves, but those in financial services categories that are in scope for verification in Malaysia will be required to complete the process if requested by Google. The company said affected advertisers will be notified by email or through in-account alerts. Those that do not successfully complete…

Correction: An earlier version of this article, based on the original press materials provided, stated that Maybank was part of the collaboration. We have since received clarification that the pilot involved CIMB and RHB only. Mastercard has completed its first authenticated agentic transaction pilot in Malaysia with CIMB and RHB. The pilot tested how AI agents can carry out payments in a controlled environment with consumer consent, authentication and security safeguards in place. In the first use case, an AI agent booked a ride from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to KL Sentral through mobility provider hoppa. The transaction was facilitated by…

Malaysia aims to grow its capital market to as much as RM6.3 trillion by 2030 under a new five-year masterplan launched by the Securities Commission Malaysia. The plan is intended to help the market outpace national GDP growth through new listings, stronger capital mobilisation and other market development measures. Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched the Capital Market Masterplan 2026-2030. The plan is aligned with the MADANI Economy, the 13th Malaysia Plan, the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and the National Energy Transition Roadmap. It also forms part of a broader 20-year vision for Malaysia’s capital…

AmMetLife Insurance announced that it has appointed Wan Saifulrizal Wan Ismail as its new CEO. He succeeds Rangam Bir, who has left the company to pursue other opportunities. Wan has nearly 30 years of experience in the insurance and takaful sectors. His career includes roles as a regulator, actuary and senior leader across insurance and takaful organisations. Wan has also served as Chairman of the Malaysian Takaful Association. Elena Butarova, MetLife’s Regional Head for Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal and Vietnam, said, “Wan brings a strong combination of actuarial insights, deep industry experience, and commercial leadership to AmMetLife, at a time when protection…

Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) has partnered with CIMB Islamic to introduce a RM500,000 reward pool aimed at improving loan repayment among Malaysian youth. The initiative forms part of the “Setel PTPTN dengan CIMB” campaign, which runs from 1 January to 31 December 2026. It links PTPTN loan repayments to CIMB Islamic’s Shariah-compliant Daily Unrestricted Investment Account-i, known as DURIAN-i, to encourage borrowers to build consistent repayment habits while starting to save. Borrowers who repay their PTPTN loans through the DURIAN-i account can accumulate points through eligible transactions and increase their chances of receiving rewards. Participants may also stand…

CIMB Bank Malaysia has denied claims circulating online that a dataset containing about 1.2 million customer records had been leaked. In a post on X, the bank said the claims were false and confirmed that there had been no data leak. CIMB added that its security teams had verified that all systems were secure. The statement followed an alert from cybersecurity monitoring platform VECERT, which alleged that a threat actor known as “datasource” had reported a breach involving CIMB Bank customer data. According to the post, the dataset allegedly contained about 1.2 million records, including names, bank account numbers, card…