In a milestone development for the SAR, the two firms plan to launch and integrate stablecoin related payment products over the next few months.

Singapore’s equity market is stirring, but success now hinges on moving beyond the structural reset to solve the harder, "stubborn" gaps in research depth, corporate behaviour, and retail participation; MAS has warned "there's much work ahead".

The US president said that more talks between the US and Iran will take place later this week.

Two M&A deals in Australia’s financial services sector hit major turbulence in March, underlining some of the recent challenges in completing deals, including higher interest rates and the war in the Middle East.

The Singapore law firm is reorganising into four specialist verticals, betting that sector depth will win mandates as wealth conflicts, crypto cases and cross-border enforcements increase across Asia.

As oil moves above $115 a barrel, Apac governments are scrambling to reduce energy demand as the OECD sees US inflation rising to 4.2% this year. Markets are bracing for more turmoil as the war escalates with the Houthis joining the fight.

At this year’s Two Sessions, Beijing has indicated it is slowing GDP growth to “high quality development”; rapid AI innovation is set to spur modernisation.

As investors show more confidence in China's onshore bond market, Singapore's UOB priced a three-year panda bond at 1.83% on March 18, while Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas also issued panda bonds worth over Rmb5bn this month.

With the HKMA close to issuing licences, yuan-linked stablecoins could help boost the internationalisation of the Chinese currency.

As integration continues apace, James Fok, chief commercial officer, CMU OmniClear, shares his views on how Hong Kong can be a greater gateway to mainland China for capital markets activity.