Luno Malaysia, Halogen Capital, and Kenanga Investors have announced a strategic collaboration to explore the use of a Ringgit-pegged stablecoin, UMYR, for tokenised fund settlement. The announcement was made at the Luno Institutional Digital Asset Conference (LIDAC) 2026 in Kuala Lumpur. The initiative seeks to demonstrate real-time Delivery-versus-Payment (DvP) settlement for fund subscriptions and redemptions, aiming to reduce the settlement windows currently experienced with conventional methods.

The collaboration involves three entities licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia: Luno, a recognised market operator for digital assets, and Halogen Capital and Kenanga Investors, both holding Capital Markets Services Licences. UMYR is proposed to be issued by a dedicated entity within the Luno group, backed one-for-one by Ringgit held in a segregated account with a regulated banking partner.

Scarlett Chai, Country Manager for Luno Malaysia, stated, “With Malaysia’s digital asset ecosystem moving from foundational setup to institutional capability, infrastructure like UMYR is essential.” Hann Liew, CEO of Halogen Capital, added that testing UMYR aligns with their vision for modern asset management. Kenanga Investors’ CEO, Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, noted that the initiative complements their asset tokenisation efforts.

The initiative is designed as a closed-loop business-to-business arrangement among whitelisted institutional participants, with no retail clients involved. It aims to build on Luno’s track record as a regulated digital asset exchange and demonstrate how blockchain settlement can operate within Malaysia’s regulatory framework. The collaboration marks a significant step towards integrating regulated digital asset infrastructure with Malaysia’s existing fund management ecosystem.

Malaysian businesses are increasingly concentrating on domestic market opportunities, with 75% identifying it as their primary growth area, according to the ASEAN Consumer & Business Pulse Survey 2026. Conducted by Reeracoen Group and Rakuten Insight, the survey highlights a strategic shift in response to inflation and cost pressures.

The survey reveals that 36% of Malaysian businesses are adopting a selective hiring approach, whilst 16% are boosting investments. Yohei Yagi, Country Manager of Reeracoen Malaysia, noted that companies are aligning hiring decisions with long-term priorities, focusing on operational efficiency and growth capabilities.

Investment trends mirror this cautious approach, with 46% of businesses maintaining current investment levels. This domestic-first strategy sets Malaysia apart from its ASEAN counterparts, as firms navigate higher costs and evolving economic conditions.

On the consumer front, 88% of Malaysians report more cautious spending, influenced by rising food, fuel, and transport costs. Additionally, 54% are seeking extra income sources, and 41% are increasing savings. Collin Leow, Country Director at Rakuten Insight, remarked that the findings indicate a pragmatic adaptation to economic changes, with both businesses and consumers prioritising domestic opportunities and operational discipline.

The survey underscores a measured growth strategy, focusing on local opportunities and financial prudence.

Play Nation, the Singaporean play and lifestyle brand, has officially launched its flagship pop-up at The Exchange TRX in Malaysia, marking its first flagship presence in the country. This move is part of the brand’s regional expansion strategy, aiming to introduce Malaysian fans to its unique blend of play, creativity, and community.

The new pop-up brings Play Nation’s presence in Malaysia to seven locations, including a pop-up at Intermark Mall and brand spaces in five Parkson outlets. Over the years, Play Nation has collaborated with local partners such as FamilyMart, Jaya Grocer, and KFC, enhancing its footprint in the Malaysian market.

Kai Jun Wong, Co-Founder and CEO of Play Nation, expressed enthusiasm about the expansion, stating, “The collector community here is passionate, and the strong response to our limited-time campaigns told us Malaysia deserved more than a pop-up.”

The Exchange TRX pop-up transforms the space into a Play Nation universe, featuring collectibles, collaborations, and interactive experiences. Visitors can engage in activities like creating an Ocean in a Bottle at the Do-It-Yourself Bar or capturing moments at the Play Nation-themed Photobooth. The pop-up showcases popular collections such as the Play Nation Heritage Series and Care Bears x Play Nation Global Collection.

In addition to the flagship pop-up, Play Nation continues to expand its reach with dedicated spaces in Parkson department stores, offering Malaysian fans more opportunities to engage with the brand. This expansion reflects Play Nation’s commitment to bringing play into everyday experiences and strengthening its connection with Malaysian audiences.

The Libya Pavilion at the 22nd Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS 2026) has been inaugurated, marking a significant step in enhancing trade relations between Malaysia and Libya. The event, held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), was officiated by Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Chairman of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Libya reached RM1.03b in 2025, reflecting a 38.9% increase from the previous year. In the first eight months of 2026, Malaysia’s exports to Libya rose by 73.4% year-on-year, totalling RM106.5m. Key exports include machinery, chemicals, and palm oil products.

Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican highlighted the pavilion’s role as a “bridge, a gateway into North Africa and the Mediterranean for Malaysia and ASEAN, and a launching pad into Asia’s Halal economy for our Libyan friends.” He emphasised the importance of integrating Libya’s private sector into Malaysia’s Halal ecosystem to build robust supply chains.

The Libya Pavilion is a collaborative effort between the Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, and the General Authority for Exhibitions and Conferences. This initiative follows MATRADE’s Export Acceleration Mission to Tripoli in May 2024, which generated nearly RM250m in business opportunities.

MIHAS 2026, themed “Shaping Trust, Driving Resilience,” features 2,000 exhibitors from 58 countries and aims to generate RM5b in trade sales. As Malaysia targets RM80 billion in Halal exports by 2030, international collaborations, such as with Libya, are crucial for developing resilient global Halal supply chains.

Malaysia Airlines is enhancing its presence in China by expanding its network and forming new digital partnerships. This move comes in response to increasing travel demand between China and Malaysia. The airline reported a 27% rise in passenger numbers across its China network in the first half of 2026 and anticipates carrying over 52,000 passengers during the upcoming Golden Week, marking a 21% increase from the previous year.

The airline has signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Huawei, Weixin Pay, and TravelSky. These partnerships aim to bolster Malaysia Airlines’ digital presence in China, making it easier for travellers to discover, book, and manage their journeys. Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar, President and Group CEO of Malaysia Aviation Group, stated, “China is a priority growth market for Malaysia Airlines, and the expansion of our network to nine gateways reflects our confidence in its long-term potential.”

In 2026, Malaysia Airlines resumed daily services to Chengdu and launched new flights to Shenzhen and Changsha, extending its reach across Western China, the Greater Bay Area, and Central China. The airline now serves nine gateways in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Additionally, sister airline Firefly plans to start daily services between Kuala Lumpur and Kunming, pending regulatory approval.

These developments underscore Malaysia Airlines’ commitment to strengthening its market presence and supporting Malaysia’s tourism ambitions through initiatives like Visit Malaysia 2026. The airline continues to position Kuala Lumpur as a key gateway to Asia and beyond, enhancing connectivity and customer engagement through strategic partnerships.

AnyMind Group has announced a strategic partnership with Alibaba Cloud to integrate Qwen, Alibaba’s advanced AI models, into AnyMind’s AI-powered live commerce platform, AnyLive. This collaboration aims to enhance real-time intent analysis and response accuracy across Asian languages, utilising Qwen’s language understanding capabilities to interpret customer queries more effectively.

The integration of Qwen into AnyLive’s multi-model AI architecture will enable lifelike AI avatars to deliver natural and contextually accurate responses. This advancement is expected to improve viewer-to-avatar interactions by incorporating local cultural nuances and appropriate use of honourifics, thereby offering brands a more fluent and localised live commerce experience across regional markets.

Qwen has already proven its capabilities in large-scale e-commerce environments, such as Taobao’s digital-human livestreaming, by managing the speed and complexity of live commerce interactions. This integration will allow brands to maintain continuous live commerce operations, even during off-peak hours, with leaner teams managing scalable multi-market operations.

Takeshi Kurita, General Manager of Japan and South Korea at Alibaba Cloud, highlighted the potential of live commerce as an “intelligent, always-on channel” for brands in Asia. Akinori Kubo, Managing Director of Global E-Commerce at AnyMind Group, emphasised that the partnership will enhance the quality of live commerce experiences by improving how brands understand and respond to customer needs in real time.

The collaboration between AnyMind and Alibaba Cloud marks a significant step in advancing AI-powered live commerce, promising more engaging and informed customer interactions across Asia.

Mastercard and GXBank have unveiled a whitepaper indicating that Malaysians’ financial health is more influenced by behavioural factors than demographics. The study, based on 12 months of transaction data from over 39,000 GXBank customers, highlights that early engagement and disciplined saving habits are key indicators of financial progress.

The research underscores that whilst 89% of Malaysians hold a financial account, only 52.5% save money at formal institutions, and a mere 15% have borrowed from them. This suggests that access to financial services does not necessarily equate to active participation. The first 60 days of a customer’s banking experience are crucial, with debit card transactions increasing by 250% among active users during this period.

Key findings include the importance of saving discipline, with consumers who save 10–20% of their deposits progressing 22% more often. Additionally, adopting multiple financial products within the same month makes customers four times more likely to achieve financial security. Trust also plays a vital role, as engaged customers adopted GXBank’s cyber fraud insurance three times faster.

Joyce Bo, Executive Vice President of Core Payments at Mastercard, stated, “Financial inclusion should be viewed as a journey and not a destination.” GXBank CEO Kaushik Chowdhury added that early support helps consumers build lasting financial habits.

This whitepaper is part of Mastercard’s global series on financial inclusion, aiming to connect and protect 500 million people by 2030. The study follows similar research conducted in Brazil, the Philippines, and Nigeria.

Tencent Cloud has announced a strategic partnership with Boost, a leading fintech and digital bank, to enhance digital transformation efforts across Malaysia and Indonesia. The collaboration aims to modernise cloud infrastructure, accelerate AI adoption, and develop super app technologies to support Boost’s growth and innovation initiatives.

The partnership focuses on three main areas. Firstly, Tencent Cloud will provide its Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) capabilities, allowing Boost to streamline infrastructure management and improve operational agility. Secondly, Boost will utilise Tencent Cloud’s Super App as a Service to enhance customer experiences by integrating multiple financial services into a single application. Lastly, the collaboration will see Boost and Tencent Cloud co-develop AI-driven products, leveraging Tencent Cloud’s existing technologies.

Poshu Yeung, Senior Vice President of Tencent Cloud, highlighted the dynamic nature of Southeast Asia’s digital economy, stating, “We are pleased to partner with Boost as it advances its digital transformation journey across the region.” Sheyantha Abeykoon, Group CEO of Boost, added, “Through our collaboration with Tencent Cloud, we are strengthening our technology foundation whilst exploring new AI-driven capabilities.”

This partnership underscores Tencent Cloud’s growing influence in Southeast Asia’s financial services sector and its ability to provide integrated solutions. As fintech innovation accelerates in the region, Tencent Cloud remains committed to helping organisations modernise operations and deliver enhanced digital experiences. Boost, recognised as one of the world’s top fintech companies in 2026, exemplifies the region’s ongoing fintech growth and innovation.

Crude palm oil (CPO) prices are expected to stay firm above RM4,700 per tonne in October, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC). This forecast is driven by weather-related supply concerns in Malaysia and Indonesia, alongside robust energy markets and favourable biofuel economics. However, potential stock accumulation poses a downside risk.

Malaysia’s palm oil production increased by 1.4% month-on-month to 1.81 million tonnes in August, buoyed by higher fresh fruit bunch collection and improved oil extraction rates. Despite this, production has been on a year-on-year decline for six consecutive months. Exports from January to August rose by 806,000 tonnes to 10.4 million tonnes, although August saw a 7.5% drop due to weaker shipments to South Asia and the Middle East.

The dry conditions linked to El Nino have intensified since early August, with rainfall in Indonesia and Malaysia significantly below average. This has raised concerns about palm oil production impacts in the coming months. Oil World forecasts a decline in Indonesia’s palm oil production by 1.9 million tonnes and Malaysia’s by 0.7 million tonnes in 2027.

Global vegetable oil markets showed mixed results in September, with Malaysian palm oil prices rising by 3.5%. Energy market disruptions, including the shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, have further bolstered biofuel blending margins. Gasoil prices surged by 147% year-to-date by mid-September, whilst crude oil prices increased by 73%.

Looking forward, CPO prices are anticipated to remain stable, supported by ongoing weather uncertainties and energy market dynamics. However, easing energy prices and further stock accumulation could impact this outlook.

Malaysia’s Budget 2027, set to be tabled on 9 October, is expected to focus on cost-of-living support, strategic investments, and digital and green transformation. The budget aims to advance the Madani agenda, which prioritises stronger growth, higher living standards, and governance reforms. Total expenditure is projected to rise to MYR445.9b, supported by resilient oil-related revenue and stronger tax collections. The fiscal deficit is anticipated to narrow to 3.3% of GDP in 2027 from an estimated 3.5% in 2026.

Key measures in Budget 2027 include increased assistance for lower-income households, targeted subsidy enhancements, and selective tax reliefs. Development spending will likely focus on regional projects, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and semiconductor hubs. The budget also aims to support SMEs, gig workers, and civil servants, with incentives for AI, digitalisation, and energy transition.

Malaysia’s GDP growth is expected to remain resilient, targeted at 4.5%-5.5% for 2027. However, geopolitical tensions and global financial volatility pose risks. A firmer domestic demand outlook could lead to a 25 basis points rate hike to 3.00% in November 2026. The budget’s expansionary stance is designed to support growth ahead of the next general election, due by February 2028, whilst maintaining fiscal sustainability.