Regional News

Singapore has emerged as the leading hub for FinTech investments in Southeast Asia, capturing a significant 84% of the total $839m raised in the region during the first nine months of 2025, according to the Tracxn Geo Funding Trends Report. Despite a notable decline in overall funding compared to previous years, Singapore’s dominance underscores its pivotal role in the sector.

The report highlights a 39% decrease in total funding from $1.4b in the same period in 2024, and a 56% drop from $1.9b in 2023. Seed-stage funding saw a sharp decline, with only $62.3m raised, marking a 63% decrease from 2024. Early-stage funding also fell significantly to $219m, a 66% drop from the previous year. However, late-stage funding remained stable at $558m, consistent with 2024 figures.

Notably, the region witnessed three significant funding rounds exceeding $100m, involving companies such as Thunes, Airwallex, and Bolttech. These rounds highlight continued investor confidence in select growth-stage FinTech firms. Additionally, Southeast Asia recorded two initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2025, doubling the number from the previous year, with Antalpha and TCBS going public.

Investor activity remained robust across all stages, with Iterative, 500 Global, and 1337 Ventures leading seed-stage investments. Peak XV Partners and Citi Ventures were prominent in early-stage funding, whilst DST Global Partners and Unbound focused on late-stage investments.

The report indicates a contraction in overall funding activity, driven by declines in seed and early-stage investments. However, Singapore’s continued dominance and strategic mergers and acquisitions, such as KFin Technologies’ acquisition of ASCENT, reflect ongoing investor interest in the region’s FinTech landscape.

RegASK, a Singapore-based leader in agentic AI, has launched the Action Hub, the first vertical agentic AI command centre designed specifically for regulatory affairs. This innovative platform integrates RegASK’s agent network and AI workflows into a single workspace, enabling regulatory teams to automate routine tasks and make faster, data-driven decisions. The Action Hub is designed to mirror existing workflows, eliminating technical barriers and enhancing productivity.

The Action Hub functions as a digital command centre, where multiple AI agents work in parallel to handle tasks such as research, impact assessment, and stakeholder communication. By embedding automation into familiar workflows, the platform allows regulatory professionals to manage updates and generate audit-ready insights swiftly. “With Action Hub, we’ve made vertical agentic AI accessible and intuitive for every regulatory professional,” said Amenallah Reghimi, Chief Product and Technology Officer at RegASK.

Key innovations of the Action Hub include the Business Context Framework, which allows organisations to personalise regulatory alerts with company-specific metadata, and Impact Analysis with Context Engineering, which provides hyper-personalised assessments for regulatory alerts. Additionally, the Workflow Orchestration feature transforms compliance activities into streamlined workflows, whilst the Near Real-Time RegGenius offers immediate AI analysis of uploaded documents.

Caroline Shleifer, Founder and CEO of RegASK, stated, “This launch reflects our broader mission to transform regulatory affairs from a reactive compliance function into a strategic business enabler.” By unifying AI agents, data, and decision-making, RegASK aims to help organisations improve compliance outcomes and strengthen business resilience in a complex global landscape.

The Kuala Lumpur Sustainability Summit 2025, spearheaded by the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation, is making waves as a pivotal event for climate action in the ASEAN region. Launched by Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Malaysia’s Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, the summit gathers leaders from government, academia, and industry to forge pathways for sustainable development.

The summit, co-organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability and the Ministry of Economy, features high-level policy addresses reinforcing Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable growth. Deputy Minister of Economy, Dato Hajjah Hanifah Hajar Taib, emphasised the integration of sustainable development into national policies, whilst Secretary General Ching Thoo al Kim highlighted the need for public-private collaboration to build climate resilience.

Day one spotlighted global collaboration, with UN Special Adviser Selwin Charles Hart stressing shared responsibility in climate resilience. Maybank Foundation’s CEO, Izlyn Ramli, showcased partnerships driving inclusive green growth. The second day focused on translating ambition into action, with Bloomberg Intelligence’s Eric Kane leading discussions on cross-sector collaboration.

A significant outcome was the unveiling of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Climate Resilience, a national call to action uniting various sectors in climate adaptation efforts. The summit concludes with a message from Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, urging immediate climate action and positioning Malaysia as a leader in regional decarbonisation.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has unveiled the BLOOM initiative, designed to extend settlement capabilities through collaboration with the financial industry. Announced on 16 October 2025, BLOOM—standing for Borderless, Liquid, Open, Online, Multi-currency—will facilitate settlements using tokenised bank liabilities and well-regulated stablecoins, whilst managing risks in the digital settlement asset landscape.

BLOOM builds on the foundation of Project Orchid, which explored the use of a digital Singapore dollar. Since its inception in 2021, Project Orchid has conducted over 10 trials, leading to market-ready solutions from participating financial institutions. BLOOM will cater to the increasing interest in tokenised bank liabilities and stablecoins, supporting multiple currencies and both domestic and cross-border payments.

The initiative will focus on several key areas:
– Distribution and clearing of settlement assets, with members like Circle, DBS, and OCBC working to streamline networks.
– Programmable controls for compliance checks, aiming to reduce costs and enhance consistency, with contributions from Ant International and StraitsX.
– Agentic payments, using AI to automate transactions, with involvement from Coinbase and DBS.

Kenneth Gay, Chief FinTech Officer at MAS, stated, “BLOOM enhances the range of settlement asset options for participants, complementing ongoing MAS-industry collaboration on asset tokenisation under Project Guardian.” MAS invites additional financial institutions and partners to join BLOOM, aiming to advance digital asset capabilities and financial innovation.

The Housing & Development Board (HDB) has announced the tender launch for an executive condominium (EC) site at Woodlands Drive 17, as part of the second half of 2025 Government Land Sales programme. The site, which can accommodate approximately 560 units, is set to close its tender on 13 January 2026.

Located within 1 km of primary schools such as Innova Primary School and Woodgrove Primary School, the site is strategically positioned near the Woodlands Regional Centre, poised to become Singapore’s largest economic hub in the North. This makes it an attractive option for professionals working in the area. Additionally, the site is conveniently accessible via the Woodlands South MRT Station on the Thomson-East Coast Line, offering a direct route to Orchard Road in just over 30 minutes.

Justin Quek, Deputy Group CEO of Realion (OrangeTee & ETC) Group, highlighted the site’s potential appeal to foreign buyers, especially once the EC is privatised in ten years, given its proximity to the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System. “We anticipate robust interest in this EC development when it is launched for sale, considering its prime location and potential for future growth,” Quek stated.

This is the second EC site released in the area, following a previous site awarded to CDL Divine Pte. Ltd. in August 2025. Despite the larger size of the new site, which may lead developers to adopt a cautious approach, the limited supply of ECs and private homes in Woodlands suggests strong demand. Recent EC launches, such as Aurelle of Tampines, have seen impressive sales, underscoring the popularity of such developments.

The increased housing supply in Woodlands is expected to support the region’s development, attracting more residents to the area. Quek anticipates 3 to 6 bidders for the site, with the highest bid potentially ranging between S$700 to S$780 per square foot per plot ratio.

CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) has announced a significant expansion of its self-storage platform, Extra Space Asia (ESA), with a nearly S$100m investment in new facilities in Singapore and Tokyo.

ESA’s new Singapore facility, located at Kaki Bukit Avenue 5, will span 185,000 square feet and is the first of its kind to be awarded an industrial government land sale by the Jurong Town Corporation for self-storage use. Upon completion, ESA’s Singapore portfolio will comprise 13 properties with over 1.5 million square feet of gross floor area. This development is set to achieve Singapore’s first ‘Green Mark Super Low Energy Building’ certified self-storage facility.

In Tokyo, ESA’s acquisition of three facilities in the city’s 23 Wards expands its Japanese portfolio to 17 facilities, totalling over 60,000 square feet. This expansion is part of ESA’s strategy to capitalise on urbanisation and e-commerce growth, aiming to grow its portfolio to S$2b by 2028.

Patricia Goh, CEO of Southeast Asia Investment at CLI, highlighted the importance of self-storage in CLI’s private funds strategy, stating, “We have deployed more than S$500m in equity to grow ESA’s portfolio from 70 to more than 100 facilities.”

Tim Alpe, Managing Director of ESA, emphasised the company’s market leadership, noting, “ESA’s portfolio maintains a high average occupancy of over 90%.”

The expansion underscores CLI’s commitment to leveraging its fund management capabilities and global network to capture growth opportunities in key Asia Pacific markets.

CBRE has announced the sale of an 8-storey freehold B1 industrial building located at 10 New Industrial Road, Singapore, with an asking price of $58m (S$80m). The sale will be conducted through a private Expression of Interest (EOI) exercise, closing on 6 November at 3pm. This property, situated on approximately 30,220 square feet of land, offers a gross floor area of about 75,261 square feet and is zoned for Business 1 use, accommodating manufacturing and R&D activities.

The building boasts high floor-to-floor heights of up to 5.7 metres, strong floor loadings, and dual 1,200A power supplies, making it suitable for a variety of industrial operations. It also features 40-foot container accessibility and around 40 parking spaces, enhancing operational efficiency. Unlike most industrial properties in Singapore, which are leasehold, this property offers perpetual freehold tenure, providing long-term security and capital preservation.

Located within walking distance of Bartley MRT station and with easy access to major expressways, the property ensures excellent connectivity for logistics and workforce mobility. Graeme Bolin, Head of Occupier and Leasing, Industrial and Logistics Services at CBRE, highlighted the property’s unique combination of freehold tenure, prime location, and modern industrial features as key selling points. “This represents a compelling investment with significant benefits from its freehold status for discerning industrial users and investors looking to future-proof their portfolio,” Bolin stated.

Huttons Asia has commented on the upcoming sale of the second executive condominium (EC) site at Woodlands Drive 17, predicting a stable bidding environment. The site, located within a five-minute walk of Woodlands South MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), is anticipated to draw 4 to 6 bidders with top bids ranging from $700 to $800 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr), according to Huttons Asia CEO Mark Yip.

The location offers convenient access to key areas, being one train stop from Woodlands Regional Centre and two stops from the RTS link. The TEL provides connectivity to Orchard, the Central Business District, and Changi Airport. The area also boasts proximity to three primary schools within a 1km radius, making it attractive for families. Additionally, an estimated 6,500 Housing Development Board (HDB) flats completed between 2016 and 2018 could serve as a potential pool of upgrading demand for the EC.

Woodlands Regional Centre is undergoing significant transformation, with the RTS expected to be operational by 2027 and growing interest in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. The relocation of the Singapore Sports School to Kallang is also expected to free up more land for development in Woodlands.

Recent EC launches have seen strong take-up rates, ranging from 53% to 90%, driven by a stable pool of HDB upgraders. Developers are keen to tap into this market segment. Huttons suggests that revising the income ceiling upwards could further boost the EC market by expanding the potential pool of buyers. The previous tender along Woodlands Drive 17 was sold for $782 psf ppr, and Huttons expects the bid price for this second site to remain around the same level.

The Asia Climate Philanthropy Advisory (ACPA), the first regional platform dedicated to climate giving, has been launched to address Asia’s significant climate finance gap. The initiative, backed by prominent foundations such as the Tara Climate Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, seeks to mobilise philanthropic capital and enhance strategic climate giving in the region.

The launch event, held in Singapore, was officiated by Ravi Menon, Singapore’s Ambassador for Climate Action. He emphasised the critical role Asia plays in global climate efforts and the need for innovative partnerships to bridge the finance gap. The ACPA aims to simplify and make climate philanthropy more impactful by addressing barriers such as complexity and collaboration gaps.

Laura Lee, the newly appointed CEO of ACPA, stated, “Our mission is to make climate giving in Asia simpler, more strategic, and more impactful.” The initiative plans to leverage regional insights and networks to empower Asian philanthropists to contribute effectively to climate solutions.

Asia faces an annual $815b finance gap, with the region contributing only 12% of global climate philanthropy despite generating nearly two-thirds of global wealth. The ACPA intends to unlock new forms of capital, including philanthropy, to supplement public and private finance, thereby accelerating Asia’s climate transition.

The initiative builds on two years of consultations with philanthropists and non-profit organisations across Asia. It aims to provide the guidance and networks necessary for philanthropists to confidently fund solutions tailored to the region’s needs. As Jamie Choi, CEO of Tara Climate Foundation, noted, “This Advisory is a bold, Asia-first step to close the gap.”

The Housing Development Board (HDB) has launched a government land sales (GLS) tender for an executive condominium (EC) site at Woodlands Drive 17, expected to yield approximately 560 new units. This follows the award of a previous EC site in the same area in August, which set a record land rate of $782 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr).

Located near the Woodlands South MRT station, several schools, and the Woodlands Health Campus, the site is anticipated to draw significant interest from developers. Wong Siew Ying, Head of Research and Content at PropNex, noted that the elevated land price of the first site may influence bidding strategies, as developers balance market expectations with affordability concerns. Buyers of new EC units face a 30% mortgage servicing ratio and a monthly household income ceiling of $16,000.

City Developments (CDL), which secured the first Woodlands Drive 17 EC site, may bid again to maintain its market position. CDL’s previous winning bid of $782 psf ppr surpassed the former record of $768 psf ppr for an EC site at Tampines Street 95.

With a significant number of HDB flats in Woodlands and ongoing interest from first-time buyers and HDB upgraders, the upcoming EC projects are expected to be well-received. The area has not seen new EC supply since the Northwave EC in 2015 and Bellewoods EC in 2013, potentially creating pent-up demand.

PropNex projects the tender could attract four to six bids, with the top bid ranging between $770 and $780 psf ppr.