In Focus

Meet ZA Bank, Hong Kong's first virtual-only lender
30 Jul 20
The bank’s slogan of co-creation belies a strong charm offensive of attractive deposit rates.
How Indonesia's biggest bank is pushing MSMEs to go international
10 Jul 20
Bank BRI recorded $33.5m in transaction value from local MSME exports in 2019.
Hope for Malaysian banks in 2021 after ‘washout' 2020: analyst
17 Jun 20
Bank earnings are likely to rebound 7.9% YoY in aggregate net profit.
Small banks in Malaysia, Singapore under threat as neobanks emerge
11 Jun 20
Small banks could lose market share as digital newcomers target underserved segments.
What can Asian banks learn from ING's new headquarters?
10 Jun 20
The bank’s CEOs and board members no longer have their own offices and instead work together in one large space.
Asian equities lost up to $3.5t in investor wealth due to pandemic
3 Jun 20
Safeguarding wealth and low-risk assets will be investors’ focus.
Falling oil prices exacerbate asset risks in Asian banks
31 May 20
The downturn has exposed issues in governance and operating practices.
APAC banks face shocking $1.8t credit hit
24 May 20
Axis Bank in India has seen a quarter of its loan book stop repayments.
CIMB Singapore plays to its strengths, targets SMEs as industry turns digital
23 May 20
The bank is gearing up its tech and customer-employee experience as neobanks loom.
Sustainability takes centre stage in ASEAN corporate banking
22 May 20
But 51% of ASEAN banks have yet to fulfill even a quarter of ESG criteria.
How CredoLab reduces banks' credit risks through smartphone metadata
16 May 20
The platform generates a credit scorecard in just one second, based on 1.3 million features from opt-in smartphone metadata.
Mastercard APAC's winning strategy in the digital age
9 May 20
The payments provider has been forging new tech-based products and partnerships to keep up.
Singapore big three banks' impaired loans ratio to rise to 2.5% in 2021
5 May 20
The pandemic’s full brunt won’t set in until later in 2020.
Crunch time for Malaysia's e-wallets as big firms impose merchant fees
1 May 20
They are charging 0.5% from merchants who use their services as subscriptions soar.
Digital banking to flourish in APAC by 2025: study
29 Apr 20
Over three-fifths of clients are willing to switch to neobanks.
Coronavirus to amplify hierarchy in Chinese banks: analysis
22 Apr 20
Banks with high exposure to SMEs will bear the brunt of the epidemic.
Chinese banks post loan recovery in March, but further growth unlikely
15 Apr 20
A fiscal stimulus is needed to spur demand.
Hong Kong banks' asset quality battered by COVID-19 and protests
4 Apr 20
Exodus of corporate clients, mortgage risks, and dropping credit card use pose a big threat on revenues.
Philippine banks' asset quality face decay amidst region-wide lockdown
25 Mar 20
The monetary board’s 50bp policy cut will put additional pressure on NIMs.
Credit card revenues threatened as Singaporean travellers shun usage
28 Feb 20
Card users turn to cash as they steer clear of lofty transaction fees and poor exchange rates.
Data and automation will help Hong Kong banks survive until the next decade
21 Feb 20
Emerging technology and customer data will help banks weather low interest rates and new competition.
Tokyo is banking on foreign fintechs to reinvigorate its financial sector
20 Feb 20
Fintechs may tap into US$9.07t (¥984t) of individual cash sitting in banks, says the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Singapore leads APAC in open banking
16 Feb 20
Its robust fintech ecosystem and API adoption propels its leading position.
ASEAN supply chain shifts a win for Singapore banks
29 Jan 20
They will be attracted to the banks’ strong balance sheets and access to USD funding.
Future Ready: How can banks build a checkmate-proof IT strategy in 2020?
16 Jan 20
Heavy investments in technology will mean nothing without investing in manpower, according to experts.
ASEAN fintech investments hit $8.9b from 2015-2019
15 Jan 20
This represents a CAGR of 133.1%.
How KBZ Bank strides towards financial inclusion in Myanmar
11 Jan 20
They launched mobile wallet KBZPay, banking on the country's high smartphone penetration to improve financial connectivity.
How banks can win in a rapidly shifting global payments arena
11 Jan 20
Incumbents are building up capabilities and forging partnerships with former foes to stay competitive.
APAC finance firms adapt defensive stance for 2020
8 Jan 20
Geopolitical and macroeconomic risks threaten the sector’s overall credit profiles.
ASEAN banks lack progress in green finance
1 Jan 20
Only 62% of banks have assigned sustainability strategy to senior management.
How foreign fintechs will buoy Japan's banking sector
16 Dec 19
They might introduce new business models and solve overcapacity, says a former central bank deputy governor.
Singapore banks could grapple with falling interest margins in 2020
19 Nov 19
An easing monetary policy and slow loan growth are dragging on NIMs.
Singapore bank headcounts rise with tech talent boosting numbers
16 Oct 19
Banking staff at Singapore’s 18 largest commercial banks grew 5.47% in the last two years.
Cards to reign supreme in South Korea as cash loses appeal
2 Oct 19
By 2020, cards will emerge as the dominant payment instrument.
Will the fintech revolution threaten underspending Malaysian lenders?
30 Sep 19
Alibaba and Tencent, which command significant e-payments market share, could pose a big challenge.
Will regional bank distress threaten China's fragile financial stability?
11 Sep 19
Failure at the regional level may squeeze funding options for the NBFI sector.
For better or worse: Chinese banks court risk in deepening ties with insurers
9 Sep 19
Insurers are lining up to snap up perpetual bonds, with $32.14b of such instruments already hitting the market.
Banks into hubs: OCBC NISP embraces guesthouse-feel branches
28 Aug 19
Select outlets draw on a mix of batik and contemporary aesthetic and feature special aromatherapies.
Virtual banks threaten to take a bite out of Hong Kong's small players
21 Aug 19
Banks can expect fiercer competition on the lending and deposit fronts.
Virtual bank data scientists are driving hiring in Hong Kong
14 Aug 19
Employers are seeking data scientists and full stack developers for mobile and web applications that go beyond the traditional set of tech...

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