Rohit Narang

Singapore’s journey to becoming a global FinTech hub wasn’t accidental. We were a well-placed trading port with global ambitions, and one of the first countries to dedicate a national-level focus to fintech. When I co-founded the Singapore FinTech Association (SFA) Association in 2016, it was alongside the launch of the inaugural Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF). It wasn’t just another event. It was a global signal of intent. I remember Sopnendu Mohanty Roy T. Ai Boon Ong-Ang putting together foundations of what created history. But what made it work wasn’t just early action. It was the whole ecosystem moving together: startups, regulators, and financial institutions, powered by a philosophy I call RFFL: Right First, Fast Later. It’s about building the right foundations first, then scaling with speed and confidence we advanced through purpose based corporation Fintech Nation From national digital identity and payments rails to startup-friendly regulation, together we’ve built systems that other countries now cite as a playbook. But I’ve always said, “FinTech is not a sprint. It’s a relay.” Each generation passes the baton. Ours now faces new challenges: capital recycling, API interoperability, and the real cost of scaling from a small domestic market. Over the past decade, I’ve witnessed a vibrant community where regulators become collaborators, students become founders - sending a signal from Singapore to the world that innovation can be inclusive and sustainable. As we mark SG60 and SFF's 10th anniversary, this celebration is also a checkpoint. The next decade won’t be about funding rounds or hackathons alone. It’ll be about scale, liquidity, and leadership, with a new playbook to take companies from 10x to 100x. We'll need to reskill our workforce for an AI-first world and back founders who can build global champions from a small domestic base. So, here’s the real question: Who will build the next billion-user fintech? And how do we stay bold, not just safe? Pat Patel Aisyah Begum Vanessa Ho Tawishi Singh Kai Zen Theng Chris Lim Holly Fang Shadab Taiyabi Umang Moondra Navin SuriSagari Aparna Jhajharia Nitin Mathur James Boey Yana Nasib Jael Tan Xue Fen Koh Preeti Dawra Rahul Banerjee Lakshmi Rajagopalan

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Breaking news: CMB International brings their HK–Singapore Mutual Recognition Fund to Solana with DigiFT and OnChain 🇭🇰🇸🇬🪙 CMB International — one of Asia’s leading asset managers and part of the China Merchants Bank Group — has partnered with DigiFT and OnChain to tokenize the CMB International USD Money Market Fund via the CMBMINT token. The fund is licensed in both Hong Kong and Singapore and represents one of the first dual-licensed, cross-border mutual recognition funds to be tokenized on Solana. CMBMINT is deployed on Solana, alongside three other public blockchain networks, and offers: — Institutional-grade yield backed by a licensed money market fund — Access with fiat and stablecoin subscriptions/redemptions This launch demonstrates how regulated, large-scale financial products can integrate with public blockchain infrastructure, bridging traditional finance with 24/7, globally accessible Internet Capital Markets. More on the news from DigiFT here: https://lnkd.in/gm3vAvAn

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Why does Asia have a unique opportunity when it comes to payments infrastructure? 🌏 Find out the answer at The Financial Times' upcoming Banking Summit Asia on 11 September 2025. Samarth Bansal, Wise Platform's General Manager for APAC, will be discussing why Asia's rapid adoption of instant #payments, digital wallets and cross-border pilots positions the region to redefine how money moves globally. Samarth will be joined by Bank Mandiri’s Rolland Setiawan, Standard Chartered's Louise Zhang, and The Banker's Kimberley Long, to explore: •Why CX is the new frontier for regional global payments  •From correspondent to collaboration: Partnership as a catalyst for progress •Moving beyond the #AI hype  - and its role in making payments instant •Why staying ahead of regional business regulations is a must Looking forward to some great discussions next week. Learn how Wise Platform is building the network for the world’s money: https://lnkd.in/gcJDVcgZ  #FTBanking #Fintech #

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We have leveraged blockchain to establish a US$1 billion digital US commercial paper (USCP) programme. This unlocks near-instantaneous short-term US dollar funding capabilities, and the speed is made possible by tokenised securities and funds being on-chain, enabling OCBC to receive funds within minutes. The USCP programme, facilitated by J.P. Morgan’s Digital Debt Service application, strengthens our liquidity resilience in today’s uncertain geopolitical and macroeconomic landscape. It is an alternative channel to tap the deep and liquid US$1.4 trillion USCP market to quickly raise USD, complementing our conventional US$25 billion USCP programme established in August 2011. Apart from issuance and settlement, the USCP’s record-keeping and servicing will also be done on-chain. We are proud to be the first USCP issuer in the world to leverage blockchain across the securities’ entire lifecycle, reducing reliance on traditional infrastructure, intermediaries and legacy payments systems. As Singapore’s blockchain ecosystem continues to evolve, our sights are set on commercialisation and expanding our asset tokenisation capabilities.

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Announcing our new client BIBD Securities, which is now live on the Avaloq platform. As a wholly owned subsidiary of BIBD Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam, BIBD Securities becomes our first client in #Brunei and marks a major milestone in Avaloq’s growth across Southeast Asia. With Avaloq, BIBD Securities has migrated its operations to a unified platform to enhance its Islamic investment offerings and brokerage services. The Avaloq platform now serves as the core wealth management system for BIBD Securities, consolidating back and middle office functions onto a single platform. Our platform also ensures a high degree of #automation and straight-through processing so our client can achieve greater operational efficiency and ensure high-quality service delivery across Brunei and #AsiaPacific. Jason Wong, Managing Director at BIBD Securities: “Our partnership with Avaloq supports us in delivering tailored, world-class wealth management services that align with Islamic values. By leveraging the Avaloq platform, we are able to serve our clients with personalized investment solutions while supporting Brunei’s #Vision2035 to build a dynamic and sustainable digital economy.” Vibhooti Chaturvedi, Regional Director for South Asia at Avaloq: “This go-live marks Avaloq’s first client in Brunei and a major expansion of our presence in Southeast Asia. The Avaloq platform enables BIBD Securities to scale its operations, roll out new products and services more quickly and to deliver an exceptional #WealthManagement experience.” Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/dQ2tG9Gx #AvaloqCommunity #IslamicFinance #DigitalTransformation #SoutheastAsia #Partnership #Finance #Innovation

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OSL is partnering with MetaComp to build compliant cross-border digital asset and RWA infrastructure — strengthening payments, trading, and risk management between Hong Kong and Singapore. Eugene Cheung, CCO of OSL, noted that the two markets complement each other in shaping Asia’s digital finance. This partnership lays the foundation for real-world applications that meet institutional needs with the highest compliance standards.

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The funding will accelerate HugoHub’s expansion, a cloud-native banking platform said to cut costs by up to 90% and support financial inclusion. Read here: https://lnkd.in/gFYPG2D8 -with Atlas Consolidated Jeremy Tan Fergusson, David #fintech #funding

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Digital Banking Licences are reshaping the future of finance—and regulators in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines are leading the charge by issuing dedicated digital and virtual bank licences. It’s a clear signal: the future of banking is digital—and regulators aren’t just watching from the sidelines, they’re enabling it. Dedicated digital banking licences mean: - Lower barriers to entry – making it easier for tech-driven players to enter the market. - Acceleration of digital-first banking – speeding up the shift away from branch-heavy models. - A shift in regulatory philosophy – from reactive oversight to proactive innovation enablement. - Targeted financial inclusion – allowing banks to serve niche segments like SMEs, gig workers, and the unbanked more effectively. In Africa, there are whispers that proactive regulators like the Bank of Ghana may soon follow the Asian market’s example in issuing digital banking licences. This raises the question: - If you were starting a digital bank from scratch, where would you begin? - What key considerations and steps would guide your journey? That’s exactly the topic of my latest video—perfect for curious minds eyeing the opportunity to build a digital or virtual bank when regulation makes it possible. #DigitalBanking #Fintech #FinancialInclusion #VirtualBank #BankingInnovation #BankingTheUnbanked #BankingTransformation #FutureOfBanking #FintechAfrica https://lnkd.in/eeKua4p2

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