Banking Technology
SMBC, Fujitsu and SoftBank build platform to slash $31b in health costs
They will create new businesses to streamline costs of prescriptions and treatments.
Built to last: How Japan is approaching the cross-border payments challenge
Japan is extending it until the reliability it has delivered domestically is matched by when a payment leaves borders.
CBA onboards FIS to streamline reconciliations
FIS is expected to process over 150 million transactions per day for CBA.
Nonbank finance, AI and war top APAC financial institutions’ risks in 2026
A protracted war could raise their credit losses by 25% or $180b, S&P warned.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia deploys agentic AI to detect scam patterns
It also creates new rules to intercept scams, approved by the bank’s fraud analytics team.
Over 2 in 3 APAC adults say financial scams are on the rise: LSEG
Australians are most concerned about scams whilst the Chinese are likeliest to lose money.
CIMB Niaga launches two AI agents for bank staff
The agents will assist financial planning staff and service teams.
Standard Chartered unveils first-ever Global Fusion Centre in Malaysia
It is located in the bank’s Global Business Services hub.
Malaysia fines BKRM following cybersecurity breach
An external party gained unauthorised access to the bank’s IT infrastructure, the BNM said.
Westpac urges greater social media accountability as personalised fraud spikes
The bank noted a sharp rise in “Hi Mum” and business email or invoice scams.
Japanese banks bet billions on Indian finance, tech growth
GFTN is working with both sides on talent, technology, and market access.
Banks hit AI plateau as 80% see no bottom-line impact
Many lenders plateau after deploying isolated tools instead of full transformation, said McKinsey.
Financial institutions chase AI edge despite thin budgets
Almost 2 in 3 FIs allocate 10% or less of their tech budgets on AI.
Smartstream targets the mismatches banks overlook in reconciliation
It is investing in AI to remove risks, reduce costs, and make manpower more efficient.
Landbank touts digital-led financial inclusion as app logs 1 million new users
Its digital channels reportedly processed 800 million transactions in 2025.
Filipinos’ digital take-up rises as they seek more money savings: NielsenIQ PH
Over 7 in 10 have used e-wallets, a study found.
Commentary
The stablecoin conversation is missing the everyday user
Stablecoin payments are going mainstream. Hong Kong and APAC are showing how
Why digital assets are set to become mainstream in APAC
Bitcoin’s latest hacks expose where trust really sits in Asia
Singapore's next payments opportunity
DIFC's reforms open new doors for Asian businesses: Is yours ready?
Why Asia’s private wealth industry requires a new era of governance