Metropolitan Asia

ShopeePay launches cross-border QR payments via Alipay+, reaching 150 million merchants across 100 markets instantly.

IFC invests US$40 million in Zetrix AI to build blockchain and AI public infrastructure across Malaysia and ASEAN.

Malaysia's largest IPO in nine years is fully subscribed. Sunway Healthcare Holdings Berhad confirmed its RM1.45 price on March 9, with the retail tranche closing 5.57 times oversubscribed — 77,236 applications received for 1.51 billion shares against 230 million available.

Vietnam opened 2026 with $3.21 billion in realized FDI, the highest two-month disbursement in five years.

Singapore sourced nearly half its LNG from Qatar in 2025. That supply is now offline.

ASMC projects 80 to 100 percent probability of above-normal heat across Indonesia and Malaysia through May 2026.

PBI 10/2025 is part of a longer agenda. Bank Indonesia's Blueprint for Indonesia Payment System 2030 is a multi-year roadmap for digital integration and risk-based supervision.

Singapore's Shared Responsibility Framework, which took effect December 16, 2024, makes the 12-hour cooling period a formal duty for financial institutions. DBS Bank's March 7 activation brings it into full compliance.

The NextFin Asia Fund shifts the Catapult model from pure acceleration to a platform combining capital, mentorship, market access, and impact measurement for ASEAN fintech founders.

Thailand and Myanmar have introduced fuel conservation policies as global energy prices rise. The measures aim to manage domestic demand and stabilize supply.