Chinese technology company ZTE Corporation announced Thursday the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Multimedia University Malaysia (MMU) to collaborate on talent development initiatives in the fields of 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation. ZTE said in a statement that this partnership marks a significant step in bridging academia and industry, equipping students and professionals with globally recognized ICT certifications and skills to thrive in the...

Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet), Malaysia’s national payments network, and Ant International, a Chinese global digital payment, digitization and financial technology provider, have expanded their partnership with a new memorandum of understanding (MoU). The renewed partnership prioritizes four key focus areas including driving tourism through cross-border digital payments, strengthening fraud defences, talent development, and advancing sustainability. The newly inked MoU...

Similar to its neighboring regions, Southeast Asia is at an inflection point in mobile marketing. As AI becomes more accessible and embedded in everyday tools, marketers across the region are tapping into its potential to improve performance outcomes. However, this surge in adoption comes with a parallel responsibility: upholding data privacy, ensuring consumer transparency, and safeguarding ethical use. With mobile-first behavior so deeply ingrained in Southeast Asian markets, striking the...

Vietnam’s technology startup ecosystem has crossed a major milestone, with over 5,500 startups, of which more than 4,100 remain active, and a funding inflow of $3.2 billion, Tracxn said Wednesday. The report “The Vietnam Tech Startup Pulse: An All-Time View” underscored the country’s transformation into one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic startup hubs, marked by the rise of six unicorns, nine mega funding rounds, and an increasingly diverse portfolio of funded...

Despite strong preference for artificial intelligence (AI), 92 percent of Singapore AI natives still want the option of human support in customer interactions, a new study commissioned by Zoom revealed Wednesday. Zoom said in a statement that the rise of a new class of ‘AI natives’ in Asia Pacific (APAC) — individuals aged between 18 and 24 years old — who have had early exposure to AI growing up, and are currently active users of the technology. It noted that they...

Singapore-based digital banking platform IFAST Corporation Ltd. announced last Friday that its Malaysia-incorporated subsidiary, iFAST Pay Malaysia Sdn Bhd, has received approval-in-principle from Bank Negara Malaysia to operate as an Electronic Money (E-Money) Issuer and to hold a Money Services Business (MSB) Class A license. IFAST said in a statement, the group’s vision is to build a seamlessly connected digital banking and wealth management ecosystem that empowers customers to...

Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) in Asia Pacific (APAC) have fundamentally shifted their approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI), according to new research from Salesforce, moving from cautious spenders to strategic investors who are betting on AI not just for cost-cutting, but as a crucial engine for long-term revenue growth. Salesforce said in a statement on Tuesday that a striking 63 percent of APAC CFOs reported having a conservative AI strategy in 2020. Fast forward to today, and that...

Japanese multinational investment firm SoftBank Group Corp. and global technology firm Intel Corporation announced Tuesday their signing of a definitive securities purchase agreement, under which SoftBank will make a $2 billion investment in Intel common stock. The investment comes as both Intel and SoftBank deepen their commitment to investing in advanced technology and semiconductor innovation in the United States, Softbank said in a statement. “Semiconductors are the foundation of...

Alchemy Pay, the Singapore-based fiat-crypto payment firm, announced Tuesday its collaboration with Sumsub, a global firm in verification, to integrate its Travel Rule solution across Alchemy Pay’s entire product suite. Sumsub said in a statement that this integration marks a significant milestone in reinforcing regulatory compliance, transactional transparency, and user security, further aligning Alchemy Pay with the vision of building a secure, compliant, and accessible bridge...

Cities take up 3 percent of the Earth’s surface, yet hold more than half the global population. That share is only growing, with urban centres absorbing an ever-larger proportion of people. This influx of billions of people is leading to more traffic, greater demand for energy, water, and housing, as well as a sharp rise in waste. This is the reality that mayoral leaders all over the globe are currently facing, hence it’s no surprise that smart cities have become such a big...

AI startups in Asia Pacific are growing faster than ever, but the real opportunity is just beginning. The next wave of growth will be driven by startups building deeply integrated vertical applications and intelligent, autonomous agents. These emerging opportunities, known as vertical AI and agentic AI, will represent a fundamental shift in how software is conceived, delivered, and monetized. Recent data from Stripe showed that AI startups take a median of just 11 months to reach US$1...

SUNRATE, the Singapore-based payment and treasury management platform, announced last Friday that it has secured a payment business license in China following its successful acquisition of a 100 percent stake in Transfar Pay, a unit of Shenzhen-listed Transfar Group. SUNRATE said in a statement that the RMB 315 million ($43.8 million) acquisition has received approval from relevant Chinese regulatory authorities. This transaction had been previously announced by the Transfer Group in an...