Blog

Insurtech

Tune Protect Partners Baoviet to Offer Travel Insurance for Vietjet Air’s Flyers

Tune Protect Group’s reinsurance subsidiary has rolled out its travel insurance offering on Vietjet Air’s website in partnership with Baoviet Insurance. The sale went live on 5 July 2023. Vietjet Air is Vietnam’s largest private carrier and is the group’s

Malaysia Various

Who’s Next? Malaysian Fintech Experiences Wave of Co-founder Exits

In the rapidly changing world of fintech, an unexpected development occurred in Malaysia in 2023. Several renowned co-founders leaving their positions have grabbed attention and sparked discussions about the industry’s future. While these departures may seem unrelated, they might signify

Crowdfunding Funding

pitchIN Ties up With MRANTI for 3-Day Accelerator Programme

Equity crowdfunding platform (ECF) pitchIN has tied up with Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology & Innovation (MRANTI) for its 3-day Fundraising Accelerator (FA) programme that will take place on 24 to 26 July 2023. This specialised programme equips founders with

Financial Inclusion

Paywatch Partners With Visa in Financial Inclusion Push

Earned Wage Access (EWA) service provider Paywatch has partnered with Visa to promote financial inclusion among Asia’s workforce. Paywatch plans to extend its reach to more of Asia’s workforce and promote financial inclusion by leveraging Visa’s cross-border capabilities, network and

Funding

Two Former Fave Execs Launch ‘First Move’ Fund Backed by 500 Global

Former Fave executives Audra Pakalnyte and Joel Neoh have launched the early-stage First Move fund to invest in consumer-focused startups across Southeast Asia. Backed by venture capital firm 500 Global, the First Move fund will also be collaborating with the

E-Wallets Payments

Touch ‘n Go eWallet Users Can Now Pay for Street Parking in All KL, Selangor Areas

Touch ‘n Go eWallet now offers complete payment coverage for on-street parking in both Kuala Lumpur and Selangor areas. The newly enabled councils are the Majlis Perbandaran Klang, Majlis Bandaraya Seremban – Nilai, and Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya. To make

Various

Jirnexu Co-founders Hann Liew and Lucas Ooi Step Down From Executive Roles

Malaysian fintech company Jirnexu‘s co-founder Hann Liew said that both he and Lucas Ooi will be stepping down from their executive roles in a LinkedIn post. Hann was previously an Executive Director and has now taken on the role of

Lending

Hong Leong Offers Salary Advances With Paywatch’s Earned Wage Access Solution

Hong Leong Bank (HLB) has tied up with earned wage access (EWA) service provider Paywatch Malaysia to launch the HLB Salary Advance Employer Solution. HLB claims to be the first bank in Southeast Asia to back an EWA solution. The HLB

Islamic Fintech

SC Launches FIKRA ACE Accelerator to Spur Islamic Capital Market Growth

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) announced the launch of FIKRA ACE, a fintech initiative that aims to enhance the Islamic capital market (ICM) ecosystem. FIKRA ACE is the enhanced, three-year initiative following the launch of SC’s inaugural Islamic fintech accelerator

Financial Inclusion

BNM Lays Out Second Financial Inclusion Framework for the Next 4 Years

The Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has developed its second Financial Inclusion Framework (2023–2026) to address several remaining barriers and challenges. The four-year strategic roadmap features a shift in the focus from accessibility and usage to achieving broader development outcomes