Author: The Banking Outlook

BANGKOK (AP) — Banks in Thailand are now required to set a daily limit of 50,000 baht ($1,537) on many online transfers to lessen financial fraud, particularly those involving customers judged vulnerable such as children and older people. The rule announced Tuesday by the Bank of Thailand is meant to help combat the huge criminal industry of online scams, which makes billions of dollars annually and is especially active in Southeast Asia. In many countries there is increasing pressure on banks to play a more active role in safeguarding the assets of customers targeted by scammers. The new measure aims to…

Southeast Asian digital bank digital bank Yup has raised $32 million to build the region’s version of Brazilian giant Nubank.

At the edge of Bali’s Pura Tanah Lot, an ancient Hindu temple that towers above the ocean atop an outcrop of rocks on the Indonesian island’s southwestern coast, a row of souvenir stalls invites tourists to shop for artwork, bracelets, sarongs, and other wares. A $2 pair of sunglasses catches a shopper’s eye. A buyer can use a mobile wallet app to scan a QR code: a faded black-and-white printout taped to a glass counter at the back of the stall. After keying in the amount and showing the stall owner the transaction confirmation screen, the sale is complete. No…

JAKARTA, Oct 9 (Reuters) – Indonesia’s finance minister said on Thursday he expected economic growth to rise to 6% thanks to a recent liquidity injection of 200 trillion rupiah ($12.09 billion), most of which had already been disbursed as loans by banks. Southeast Asia’s largest economy has faced a slow rebound since the COVID-19 pandemic, and though growth has been steady at around 5%, it has struggled to accelerate further and has failed to keep up with the expanding population. Speaking at a conference in Jakarta, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said signs of the economic impact of last month’s injection would…

SINGAPORE, October 9, 2025 – The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) today released its ASEAN+3 Financial Stability Report (AFSR) 2025 and the ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook (AREO) October Update, highlighting the region’s broad resilience in the face of heightened uncertainties driven by US trade policy shifts and geopolitical tensions. Growth in the ASEAN+3 region is projected at 4.1 percent in 2025 and 3.8 percent in 2026, an upward revision from July’s forecast, supported by robust first-half performance and stronger-than-expected export momentum. Market pressures have gradually eased since peaking in April following the announcement of the “Liberation Day” tariffs. “While intra-regional trade…

Three central banks over two days surprised markets and economists this week with unexpected interest rate decisions, each flashing warning signs over growth in the coming months and stirring uncertainty over the path of policy. New Zealand cut its key rate by 50 basis points Wednesday, twice as large as most analysts had forecast, on economic activity and business sentiment that came in worse than expected. Most Read from Bloomberg Thailand stood pat later in the day, even though poor economic growth prospects, a strong currency and a dovish new governor sent most economists expecting a cut. Citigroup Inc. economists…

Private credit is set for expansion in Apac under selected conditions but is unlikely to displace banks, Knight Frank says In a report released on Oct 2 on private credit in real estate, Knight Frank believes Apac is ripe for a take-off in private credit. “Markets (in Apac) that have traditionally been secure and core over the long term but are now facing a lack of funding for refinancing or new developments present an ideal scenario for private credit. Hong Kong is a clear example of where the availability of real estate credit has contracted as asset values have been…

Pakistan-based lenders dominated a ranking of Asia-Pacific banks with the best-performing stocks in total return during the third quarter, helped by gains in the equities market. The Bank of Punjab was the best performer among a sample of publicly traded banks headquartered in the Asia-Pacific region with a market capitalization greater than $100 million, according to an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis. The Lahore-based lender, which had a market cap of about $320 million as of Sept. 30, generated a total return of 176.4% during the third quarter. Peshawar-based The Bank of Khyber ranked second, with a total return of 108.2%. The other Pakistan-headquartered banks…

Oct 7 (Reuters) – Standard Chartered (STAN.L), opens new tab said on Tuesday it appointed Roberto Hoornweg as chief executive of corporate and investment banking, elevating him from the co-head role he shared with Sunil Kaushal. Kaushal will retire on March 31, 2026, after a 27-year career at the Asia-focused lender. The Week in Breakingviews newsletter offers insights and ideas from Reuters’ global financial commentary team. Sign up here. Hoornweg and Kaushal were named global co-heads of the unit in March 2024 as part of a wider management reshuffle. Hoornweg, who joined Standard Chartered in 2017 as global head of financial markets, will continue to oversee…