FRESNOFORECLOSURE

At The Binary Summit, one message rang clear: Asia is no longer just catching up—it’s ready to lead. From India’s jaw-dropping UPI volumes to tokenised loyalty programmes and borderless digital wallets, the region is rapidly crafting the infrastructure of a digital-first future.

What stood out most was the region’s unique blend of youth, openness to innovation, and a pragmatic, mobile-first approach. Manit Parikh’s concept of “Web 2.5” reflects this reality well—Asia isn’t waiting for everyone to understand blockchain, it’s quietly embedding it into everyday systems.

Meanwhile, Kamal Sharma reminded us that telcos, once seen as mere connectivity providers, are becoming digital nation-builders.

Rohit Raj’s comments on Asia’s underbanked populations were a stark reminder of the challenges—but also the immense opportunity. Startups here aren’t just scaling fast; they’re building trust from the ground up.

And Jack Heffernan made a crucial point: the capital must follow. If Asia is to truly own its innovation, it needs investment structures and exits that reflect its growing clout.

In short, Asia isn’t waiting for permission—it’s laying the groundwork for a digital ecosystem on its own terms. The question isn’t if Asia will lead, but how soon the rest of the world will catch up.

REGIONAL

VinFast collaborates with four Philippine partners for service network expansion
These partnerships are expected to play a key role in helping VinFast reach its goal of establishing over 100 authorised service workshops across the Philippines in 2025.

Indonesian may ask Worldcoin to delete 500k retinal data
This follows concerns about potential data breaches | World, a platform offering ID verification, has faced scrutiny for offering US$48.34 to users who scan their retinas.

Brinc deepens APAC footprint by acquiring Korea’s Next Stage
Brinc Korea aims to empower startups, enhance corporate innovation, and strengthen the country’s standing as a leading hub for technology and entrepreneurship.

Egune secures US$3.5M to build Mongolia’s culturally rooted AI future
The investor is Golomt Bank | Egune aims to create a super-intelligent digital assistant deeply rooted in the Mongolian language, culture, and cognitive identity.

REPORTS, FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

Asia poised to lead as the next digital nation, experts say at Binary Summit
At the summit, leaders explored Asia’s potential to lead globally in digital identity, fintech, content, and decentralised innovation by 2040.

Fuelling the future: How emerging tech is powering the energy sector forward
The push for clean energy is not just being led by multinationals. A new generation of startups is showing how emerging tech can be applied.

At the new Malaysia-China AI lab, Zetrix works on a more secure ID verification
Zetrix’s platform aims to enable the mutual recognition of national digital IDs between Malaysia and China.

INTERNATIONAL

SoftBank’s US$100B Stargate AI infrastructure plan stalls on tariffs
Rising capital costs, potential overcapacity, and cheaper AI alternatives have slowed progress, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Alibaba unit Antfin to sell 4% stake in Paytm
Antfin is planning to sell up to a 4% stake in the Indian fintech company through block deals |The stake is valued at about US$265M and is expected to be sold at a floor price of US$9.75 per share.

Two US teens face 22 felony charges for US$4M crypto kidnapping
The teenagers reportedly drove the victim across the Arizona border to a remote desert, where they forced him to give up his financial account passwords.

Blinkit, Instamart struggle with Q4 losses as rivalry grows
Blinkit’s adjusted EBITDA margin dropped to -1.9% of Gross Order Value, while Instamart’s margin worsened to -18%, reflecting deepening losses despite growing operations.

Ex-CIA officer launches US$22M VC fund for EU defense startups
Eric Slesinger’s 201 Ventures has already made eight investments in areas like hypersonics, subsurface mapping, and maritime tech.

Bybit, blockchain firm Ghaf Labs partner to boost Web3 adoption in MENA
The collaboration will focus on blockchain ecosystem growth by offering equity-free grants and resources for startups in blockchain, AI, and sustainability sectors.

SEMICONDUCTOR

Adani and Zoho’s exit won’t mean chips are down for India
The recent decisions by the two firms to call off their semiconductor manufacturing projects have sparked concern that India’s ambitious US$9 billion semiconductor incentive programme is floundering.

CT Semiconductor expands Vietnam’s first fully locally owned IC backend facility
CT Semiconductor has begun the second phase of its chip packaging and testing plant in Vietnam, targeting 100M chips annually by 2027.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Alibaba Group CEO urges return to core values in the AI-driven era
Eddie Wu emphasised that Alibaba’s core values prioritise creation over preservation | He urged employees to let go of past achievements and focus on addressing social challenges and creating customer value.

Saudi VC firm Wyld launches US$50M fund for AI startups
Backed by the family office of US billionaire Lawrence Golub, the firm will focus on early-stage companies to promote collaboration between Gulf nations and the US.

Building digital trust in an era of AI: The role of verifiable technology
In a world besieged by the crisis of trust, the adoption of verifiable technology offers a pathway to a trustless future.

The art of AI integration: Growing your business with chatbots and human expertise
By learning how to balance AI integration and human touch, businesses will be able to handle complexities and be more customer-focused.

Why corporate mental health fails and how AI can fix it
Despite rising corporate spend on mental health, burnout persists as one-size-fits-all programmes miss early, personalised intervention.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Thailand’s startup paradox: Where potential meets patience
Building a startup in Thailand is tough, but founders who adapt to its complexity find a market that rewards patience and clarity.

Malaysia’s digital dilemma: Stuck in the past or embracing the future?
Malaysian businesses can emulate successful strategies from global rivals by integrating martech systems into their operations.

Rethinking supply chains and trade in Southeast Asia amid global tariffs
In a tariff-driven world, Southeast Asia’s future supply chain advantage lies not in low cost, but in building resilient, digitised, and specialised trade ecosystems.

How to shape Singapore’s attractiveness in deep and frontier tech
The frontier tech sector in Singapore needs to produce more promising research ventures that are geared towards commercialisation and international growth.

Bimasakti: Redefining how smart living works
By weaving artificial intelligence into its platform, Bimasakti is creating a more responsive, predictive, and human-centric living experience.

How business lending culture lost its way
Many SMEs are borrowing to survive rather than to grow and without financial clarity more debt may only accelerate collapse.

How CPI, retail sales, and Powell’s speech could shape Fed policy and market sentiment
CPI, retail sales, Powell’s speech, and trade talks may shape the Fed’s rate path and rattle market sentiment this pivotal week.

The commoditisation of intelligence: Rethinking value in the AI era
As AI advances and intelligence becomes commoditised, startups must rethink defensibility by focusing on trust and human insight.

From burn rate to break even: Why SEA’s startups must rethink growth
Southeast Asia’s startup playbook is shifting from growth at all costs to sustainable scale, with profitability now the key metric.

Are Asian economies in a position to benefit from the age of Trump’s tariffs?
Trump’s tariff war with China may drive Southeast Asia to build stronger regional trade ties and boost long-term economic resilience.

Navigating the future of digital payments in Asia’s enterprises and SMBs
Explore 2025’s top commerce and payment trends, from embedded payments to AI, reshaping business efficiency, security, and growth.

How military training helped me be a better entrepreneur
Digital marketing has allowed small businesses a much more levelled playing field with the big brands, allowing exposure on massive platforms.

Why businesses must consider fractional marketing as a growth solution
Fractional marketing allows businesses to access a wide range of expertise, including strategy, digital marketing, partnerships, and customer engagement.

Entrepreneurship is at an all time high, but are you doing it right?
With so many startups unable to survive past the first year, building lasting success in entrepreneurship is easier said than done.

Big banks and fintech startups: Rivals or allies?
Technology continues to drive the marketplace forward, particularly within the financial services industry.

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