The Philippines is the fastest-growing digital economy and home to one of Southeast Asia's most valuable fintech unicorns. Yet for investors and fintech founders looking to expand, this hidden gem is not top of mind.Lito Villanueva, Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer at RCBC Bank and Chairman of Fintech Alliance.PH explains why you should be paying attention to the PhilippinesIn this conversation, you’ll hear about:• Why the Philippines is the next fintech hotspot• Opportunities and gaps in Philippines’ fintech scene• AI adoption in the Philippines

Boost is deeply rooted in Malaysia’s fintech story as the company that pioneered e-wallets and laid the foundations for Malaysia’s cashless culture.Nearly a decade later, the company has evolved to offer a full suite of fintech services from payments, lending, to a full fledged digital bank.Sheyantha Abeykoon, Group CEO, Boost has his eyes set on taking the Malaysian story regional.Will Boost be a household name in Southeast Asia? Will it finally turn profit this year?

We sat down with Jaykie Tan, Head of Business Development APAC at Mambu, and Cecilia Tan, Regional VP at Thredd, to unpack one of fintech’s biggest questions:Are e-wallets or digital banks better positioned for profitability, innovation, and financial inclusion in Southeast Asia?

In this episode of Fintech Fireside Asia, I sit down with Tessa Wijaya, Co-founder and COO of Xendit, one of Southeast Asia’s leading fintech unicorns. Known by many as the “Stripe of Southeast Asia,” Xendit has raised over $500 million and powers billions in annual payments across Indonesia, the Philippines, and beyond.But behind the billion-dollar valuation lies a much grittier story.

Tessa opens up about:

• Knowing when to let go of a failing idea
• What it really took to build payment infrastructure in Southeast Asia
• The system crash that nearly broke Xendit

What started as a RM6,000 loan funded out of their own pockets has grown into over RM4 billion disbursed to more than 2,000 SMEs. Xing Xian shares the raw, behind-the-scenes story. From an impromptu pitch that caught Bank Negara Malaysia’s attention, to the early struggles, hard lessons, and the real mission behind CapBay.

• The accidental pitch that led to CapBay being founded
• How the founders used their own savings to fund their first borrower
• Why leaving their destiny at the hands of the banks nearly killed their momentum• CapBay’s role in funding digital-first businesses across Southeast Asia
  

After two decades of building AI systems from defense projects to billion-dollar banks, Foong Chee Mun has seen it all.

In this episode, the Ryt Bank Chief Product Officer joins us to cut through the AI hype and reflect on what this technology really means for society, creativity, and the future of financial services.

This is not a conversation about the flashiest tools or latest models. It’s a grounded take on how AI, like any other tool, can be used for better or worse.

Highlights:

• What career advice can you give your kids when AI takes over all the jobs?

• How Much of AI is bullshit?

• Will AI change the way we do banking forever

Tyme Group, a digital banking group operating in South Africa and Southeast Asia has raised US$250 million in a round led by Nubank, the world's largest digital bank.
Now valued at US$1.5 billion co-founder Coen Jonker gives us an honest look at how to build a fintech unicorn

The fintech industry is about a decade old in Malaysia now, is it finally ready to shine?

We are joined by Wilson Beh, President of Fintech Association of Malaysia and co-founder of PolicyStreet to deep dive into Malaysia's fintech scene.

In this episode we sit down with Gan Pai Li, Group Chief Consumer Officer at Alliance Bank, to discuss her remarkable 28-year journey from investment to consumer bankingShe gave us insights on how their recently launched of the virtual credit cards led to the revival of their credit card business.This episode of Banking After Hours is brought to you by AWS and is part of a series highlighting Malaysia's top women leaders in banking.

This episode was first published on 14th Jan 2025

With a career spanning over 3 decades, Raja Teh says AEON Bank may be her final stint in banking. In this interview she talks to us about her leadership journey, and the legacy she wants to leave behindThis episode of Banking After Hours is brought to you by AWS and is part of a series highlighting Malaysia's top women leaders in banking.