The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is set to deploy $450 million to protect poor households and strengthen the economies of Cambodia and Sri Lanka as the conflict in the Middle East drives up costs and …
Economy
Southeast Asia Takes a Different Path from the U.S. and Europe… Becoming a ‘Testbed’ for Digital Asset Innovation
The focus of the digital asset industry is shifting from regulatory discussions to actual service competition. While the U.S. and Europe prioritize institutional reform, Southeast Asia is rapidly incr…
ASEAN diplomats voice ‘serious concern’ over Iran war and energy crisis
Southeast Asian nations are “deeply concerned” about the impact of blockades of key maritime trade routes in the Middle East, their top diplomats have said. Foreign ministers from the Association of S…
Malaysia’s resource anxiety tests Asia’s fastest data centre build-out
After leapfrogging Singapore to become the region’s fastest-growing data centre hub, Malaysia is facing intensifying scrutiny as the resources debate that has complicated the industry’s gr…
Southeast Asia’s Next Growth Cycle To Be Driven By ‘Fabulous Five’ – Economist
Southeast Asia’s next growth cycle will not be written by one economy, one commodity cycle or one manufacturing corridor, but will instead be shaped by five economies, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Thai…
Malaysia – Singapore border economic zone sees robust investment growth
The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) attracted 19 billion USD in approved investments in 2025, with more than 57% of cumulative approved projects already entering the implementation stag…
South-East Asia’s next growth cycle to be driven by ‘Fabulous Five’, says economist
South-East Asia’s next growth cycle will not be written by one economy, one commodity cycle or one manufacturing corridor, but will instead be shaped by five economies, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Tha…
Tokenization Can Change the World’s Financial Architecture
Policy choices will determine whether tokenized finance strengthens or fragments the financial system Tokenization is often described as a technological upgrade enabling faster settlement, cheaper pay…
World Bank Backs Sri Lanka’s Reform Agenda with US$150 Million to Drive Growth and Resilience
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved US$150 million in financing to support Sri Lanka’s reform agenda aimed at boosting investment, strengthening competitiveness, and creating jobs. …
India pushes to upgrade ASEAN FTA, advances talks on CECA with Australia
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said that it is working with its ASEAN partners to review and upgrade the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), while negotiations are …