FinStep Asia presents to you our periodic newsletter that curates some of the most exciting developments happening in the innovation & tech community from across Asia and beyond.
FinStep Asia is a strategy advisory firm powering the next generation of businesses in Asia. We drive innovation strategy, fuel startup engagement and enable cross border scaling by leveraging off our deep expertise and wide network in Asia across Corporates, scaleups, startups and government enterprises
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COVERED IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
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AI & BIG DATA IN FINTECH FORUM
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We are excited to announce our next event "AI & Big Data in FinTech Forum" on 29th September 2021. With the rise of Big Data and enhancement of Artificial Intelligence technologies, there is rapid transformation of Financial Services across sectors. In a post-pandemic world, embedded AI and big data analytics will form the back bone of FS, especially as they are leveraged to deliver Digital services. ABFF will showcase the best AI & Big Data solutions in Asia, with Thought leaders and Technology experts providing insights on what lies ahead for Financial Services as the adoption of digital and AI enable fast changing consumer behaviours and demands.
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STATE OF REGTECH IN APAC REPORT
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Enterprise Ireland has published their exclusive ‘State of Regtech in APAC Report’ in association with Kapronasia, Report Highlights include: Development of digital economies in APAC, Key financial industry regulation drivers in Asia, Roadblocks and challenges for regtechs in APAC, Government and regulator initiatives, Ecosystem partners, and Detailed country chapters.
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STARTUP NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD
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- What the embedded-finance and banking-as-a-service trends mean for financial services Read more>>
- Beyer Introduces New Legislation To Regulate Digital Assets Read more>>
- American Express slides back into the financial planning game 16 years after it sold off Ameriprise; expect success, experts say Read more>>
- Nigeria to launch digital currency, "e-naira", in Oct - central bank Read more>>
- E-Naira will make transactions cheaper, says CBN Read more>>
- Why Jack Dorsey’s Square is buying Afterpay for $29bn Read more>>
- ICapital Network raises $440 million in its latest funding round Read more>>
- Airwallex founders to launch new venture capital fund Read more>>
- KakaoBank Soars Over 70% in Korean Online Lender’s Debut Read more>>
- Robinhood surges 50% in second day of wild trading, up 100% this week Read more>>
- Rapyd raises $300M on $8.75B valuation as fintech-as-a-service continues to boom Read more>>
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- India’s BlackBuck valued at $1 billion in $67 million fundraise Read more>>
- Rajya Sabha clears Bill: Factoring law to draw 9,000 NBFCs, boost MSME cash flow, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman Read more>>
- PM Modi to launch e-RUPI digital payment solution on August 2 Read more>>
- BharatPe joins unicorn club, valuation triples to $2.85bn Read more>>
- Zomato sets up digital payments subsidiary Zomato Payments Read more>>
- All you need to know about e-RUPI, India's newest digital welfare drive Read more>>
- All you need to know about the IPO from Policybazaar, India's sixth largest fintech startup Read more>>
- How open banking will power the next wave of fintech innovation in India Read more>>
- COVID-19: How fintech helps businesses survive amid shift in consumer priorities Read more>>
- ED sends showcause notice to Walmart's Flipkart and its founders Read more>>
- IIFL Launches Seed Fund To Invest In Fintech Startups Read more>>
- [Funding alert] Fintech startup Zeni raises $34M in Series B round led by Elevation Capital Read more>>
- Exclusive: Neobank Jupiter raises $45 million from Brazil's Nubank, others Read more>>
- Healthtech startup Onsurity gets $16 million from Quona Capital, others Read more>>
- The Elusive Booming Of Shared Credit Market In India Read more>>
- OfBusiness turns unicorn post SoftBank-led $160 million funding Read more>>
- Indian SaaS industry can create $1T in value and 5 lakh jobs by 2030, says report Read more>>
- CoinDCX enters unicorn club with B Capital-led $90 million fundraise Read more>>
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- China calls for closer communication with US over stock market controls Read more>>
- Peak Fintech Acquires Minority Stake in China UnionPay Subsidiary Read more>>
- China urges tech companies to step up management of critical data exports Read more>>
- Wanxiang Blockchain Announces its Blockchain and FinTech Plans in JTC's Punggol Digital District Read more>>
- China’s central bank keeps sights set on monopolies Read more>>
- Nebula Brands Launched China's First Amazon Aggregator and Started to Raise Capital from International Investors Read more>>
- Chinese crypto addresses sent $2.2 bln to scams, darknets in 2019-2021 -report Read more>>
- Peak Fintech Launches New Steel Trading Platform as Part of Business Hub Ecosystem Read more>>
- How Xi’s Four Pillars of Regulation will reshape China’s Big Tech Read more>>
- Huawei, Kunlun and China’s tech giants drive a quiet revolution in Africa’s fintech with mobile payment apps and wallets Read more>>
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- More women are investing in Hong Kong, US amid a surge in online brokerages Read more>>
- Hong Kong IPO market gets boost as mainland China, US tighten grip on listings Read more>>
- Cryptoexchange Binance to stop Hong Kong users trading derivatives Read more>>
- Babel Finance Bets on Longtime Fintech Hand to Help Navigate Regulatory Landscape Read more>>
- STICPAY Announces Hong Kong Local Bank Wire Service Read more>>
- Cyberport Academy launches Green Finance Speaker Series to promote the development of Green FinTech Read more>>
- DigiMax Expands Global Marketing into Asia with Signing of Collaboration Deal in Hong Kong Read more>>
- Top Hong Kong virtual banks seek new frontier in second year of operations, eye marriage with wealth management services Read more>>
- Hong Kong minister signals path to adopting China anti-sanctions law Read more>>
- AI could create financial unfairness, prejudice without human intervention, Hong Kong monetary chief says Read more>>
- Venture capital managers ask Hong Kong government to speed up vetting process for US$257 million tech co-investment fund Read more>>
- Digital Asset Management Platform Aspen Digital Raises $8.8M in Pre-A Funding Led by RIT Capital Partners and Liberty City Ventures Read more>>
- Standard Chartered to open paperless ‘green branch’ in Hong Kong offering sustainable finance products, says local boss Read more>>
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- Singapore and Hong Kong Named as Unicorn Incubators Read more>>
- Fintech startup Nium becomes unicorn after $200-million funding Read more>>
- MAS to spin off Singapore Fintech Festival as a stand-alone entity Read more>>
- Singapore announces plans for blockchain and FinTech development in Punggol District Read more>>
- Singapore’s Fintech Firm FinAccel To List In U.S. Via $2.5 Billion SPAC Deal Read more>>
- Singapore FinTech STACS Joins Mastercard’s New Start Path Blockchain Programme For Startups, Spearheading ESG FinTech Read more>>
- Singapore fintech firm Validus hits $738m in loan disbursals to SMEs in Southeast Asia Read more>>
- BIS and MAS publish blueprint for cross-border payment idea Read more>>
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- Thailand's fintech comes of age Read more>>
- Fintech unit of Malaysia's AirAsia secures up to $100 mln from SK Group Read more>>
- Thailand telecoms firm to expand into Bitcoin mining Read more>>
- Malaysia takes aim at Binance chief executive as global crackdown escalates Read more>>
- Fintech for farmers Read more>>
- Lending platform Kredivo to go public via $2.5 bln SPAC merger Read more>>
- E-Commerce Operator Bukalapak Lists in Indonesia's Largest-Ever IPO Read more>>
- Indonesian verification platform for fintech set to graduate from Y Combinator Read more>>
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- Dubai-based buy now, pay later platform tabby raises $50M at $300M valuation Read more>>
- Fintech Saudi announces the results of national fintech adoption survey Read more>>
- Nuwa Capital invests in YC-backed fintech startup baraka Read more>>
- NEWSFormer Careem Pay boss launches SimpliFi, a Cards as a Service platform for MENA and Pakistan Read more>>
- Why MENA start-ups are a focus for global venture capital investments Read more>>
- Saudi fintech Forus secures Series A funding Read more>>
- Saudi Arabia ranks second in region's venture capital market Read more>>
- Baraka raises $4 million seed, launches investment app to connect retail investors in Middle East with US markets Read more>>
- ECOSYSTEMKuwait’s Zain launches VC arm with investments in Swvl and Pipe Read more>>
- Fintech QPS Global to Expand UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait Business Operations Read more>>
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FINSTEP ASIA SUPPORTING EVENTS
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GLOBAL DIGITAL CURRENCY FORUM 2021
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Our founder, Musheer Ahmed is excited to speak at Global Digital Currency Forum in panel discussion: The future of CBDCs, The Impact of CBDCs On Cross Border Payments And The Importance Of Interoperability on 12 August 2021 at 12:30 - 13:30 British Summer Time.
Moderator: Zennon Kapron, Founder / Director, Kapronasia
Speakers:
- Matthew Lovatt, Exco Member, Singapore Fintech Association
- Carmelle Cadet, Founder & CEO, EMTECH
- Syed Musheer Ahmed, Founder, Finstep Asia, Co-founder Fintech Association of Hong Kong.
- Indra Suppiah, Government Relations Lead, APAC, R3
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BRITCHAM GBA TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION SUMMIT IN SHENZHEN
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Our founder, Musheer Ahmed will be giving the opening speech at the GBA Technology & Innovation Summit. He will share his insights on the future trends for FinTech businesses in GBA, especially from a Hong Kong perspective.
The GBA is fast becoming a key market for both UK & other international companies looking at entering Mainland China on one hand and for local companies who have ambitions of investing and scaling overseas on the other hand. With tech and innovation being key sectors, the British Chamber of Commerce Guangdong is hosting the GBA Technology & Innovation Summit 2021 on Thursday 26th August 2021 in Shenzhen to showcase the best of GBA tech & innovation.
We are giving away 10 complimentary passes to Finstep Asia subscribers on a first come first serve basis. Please register for Non-Member Ticket with the code "VFTF", to avail of the offer.
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HONG KONG FINTECH WEEK 2021
GLOBAL FAST TRACK 2021
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The Hong Kong FinTech week will take place on 1-5 November this year at HKCEC and online. Bringing together over 17,000 virtual and physical attendees, including the region’s biggest FinTech executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and regulators, this one-week event will go beyond the borders of online and offline and connect FinTech practitioners across the globe.
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FinStep Asia is excited to collaborate with India FinTech Forum as Outreach Partner. India FinTech Forum will be held on 23rd - 25th November 2021.
The India FinTech Forum is a non-profit initiative that offers a platform for fintech companies to collaborate and voice their opinions on the relevant policy issues. More than 2,000 fintech companies and over 25,000 individuals who are members of this forum, are dedicated to enhancing the ecosystem to ensure that India leads the global fintech innovation wave. Indian fintech firms have unique opportunities with the India Stack (Aadhar, UPI, etc.), which are not available anywhere else in the world.
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We are delighted to support CFTE to build THINK - the world’s first learning hub for digital finance that combines the power of unlimited courses, live events and an engaged community. Their platform will help you unlock the power of digital technologies in finance by giving you access to the latest knowledge in the industry from Digital Currencies, FinTech to RegTech. Now you can stay in control of your career and goals.
We would love for our members to access the THINK platform. So sign into your membership portal to access your exclusive discount today with unique 25% off with the discount code: think_finstep for FinStep Asia members.
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VIRTUAL FINTECH FORUM (VFF2021) IS NOW AVAILABLE ON DEMAND
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Virtual FinTech Forum 2021, part of SMUHK, was a great success with over 4500+ delegates from 100+ countries joining us for over 12 hours of high quality thought leadership content. We also had over 6,500 live views, including 6,000+ from the mainland on our partner streaming platforms.
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1. Widening the Aperture: Family Office Investment Insights
Published by Goldman Sachs
View here>>
2. Regtech Adoption Practice Guide: Issue #2: Anti-Money Laundering/ Counter-Financing of Terrorism
Published by Hong Kong Monetary Authority and KPMG
View here>>
3. Investor protection measures for special purpose acquisition companies: Changes to the Listing Rules
Published by Financial Conduct Authority
View here>>
4. Nexus: A blueprint for instant cross-border payments
Published by BIS Innovation Hub
View here>>
5. Q2 2021 Quarterly FinTech Insights
Published by FT Partners Research
View here>>
6. The Q2 DeFi Repot
Published by Consensys
View here>>
7. Square & Afterpay: transaction overview
Published by Square, Inc
View here>>
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