FINCIRCLE

Recognizing the rising demand for a seamless digital banking experience, it is imperative for incumbent banks to diversify their technology strategy. This strategy is essential to rapidly bring new products and services to market while managing the constraints of legacy infrastructure. Leveraging technology capabilities and in-depth knowledge of navigating the complexities of delivering tailored solutions for financial institutions, which empowers to enable more clients to scale and modernize with our modularized capabilities.

In view of these, we've invited Mike Breen, Chief Commercial Officer at "audax" from Singapore, a Standard Chartered-backed digital banking tech solutions provider committed to empowering financial institutions to build scalable, secure, and future-proof banking ecosystems as he walks us through its value proposition and it’s significant relevance to our digital economy.

Corporate website: audax.io

LinkedIn: Mike Breen

Corporate Email: mike.breen@audax.io

The financial system of the future won’t be built in banks — it’ll be embedded in the apps, platforms and services people already use. Redefining how financial services are accessed and delivered, embedded finance is at the forefront of fintech innovation. By seamlessly integrating payments, lending, insurance and other financial products into non-financial platforms, embedded finance is making financial interactions more accessible and intuitive. This rapid evolution is sparking discussions about the future of traditional banking institutions. By partnering with fintechs, banks that innovate will definitely thrive.

In view of these, we've invited Matthew Edmunds, the Group Chief Executive Officer at GENIUSTO International Ltd. as he explains to us the value proposition of the "Embedded Finance" and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

Corporate Website: www.geniusto.com

LinkedIn: Matthew Edmunds

Email:matthew.edmunds@genuisto.com

In today's interconnected world, digital citizenship has become an essential aspect of our daily lives. As we increasingly rely on technology to communicate, work, and access information, it's crucial to understand the rights and responsibilities that come with being a digital citizen.

As such, we've invited Craig Taylor, the Chief Executive Officer at CyberHoot based from New Hampshire, United States of America as he explains to us the value proposition of Digital Citizenship and literacy as well as it's significant relevance to our digital economy.

Corporate Website: https://cyberhoot.com

LinkedIn: Craig Taylor

Email: craig@cyberhoot.com

AI has emerged as a transformative force, revolutionizing industries and redefining the way organizations operate. The average number of AI capabilities in an organization has doubled in the past five years. The rapid growth of AI and machine learning is a testament to their immense potential to drive innovation, boost efficiency, and unlock new revenue streams for businesses. Organizational leaders often expect that with every subsequent AI use case or application, they will achieve faster speed to market and lower costs.

In view of these, we've invited Bart Puszko, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, at Blue Seas AI Consulting from Brisbane, Australia, as he explains to us the value proposition, of Scaling AI in a business context to our digital economy. 

Corporate Website: https://www.blueseas.ai

LinkedIn: Bart Puszko

The effort to overcome language barriers has always been a part of human progress, evolving from ancient cave paintings to today's digital emojis. Artificial intelligence in translation and interpreting is on the verge of a significant advancement set to reshape how we communicate by providing fast, universally accessible translation solutions. This innovation aims to eliminate language barriers globally, making AI a transformative force for instant communication. It envisions a future where cultural exchange is limitless and easily available. 

The integration of AI for translation and interpreting represents a revolutionary technological advancement, blending linguistic expertise with machine intelligence. This collaborative synergy aims to raise the overall standard of language services by enhancing quality, speed, and efficiency.

Within translation, AI-driven tools utilize sophisticated algorithms to rapidly process extensive linguistic data, facilitating swift and automated translation of both written text and spoken words. The results are nearly instantaneous, proving invaluable in various scenarios such as online communication, real-time news dissemination, and global business interactions. In interpreting, Artificial intelligence translation systems introduce simultaneous language processing capabilities, providing essential support for conferences, meetings, and other live encounters with improved accessibility and cost-effectiveness. 

In view of these, we've invited Richard Roocroft, the Client Solutions Director at Interprefy, a very powerful Swiss interpretation platform, as he explains to us the remarkable benefits of an AI powered interpretation and it’s significant importance to our digital economy.

Corporate Web Site: https://www.interprefy.com/

LinkedIn: Richard Roocroft

The world is on the verge of a profound transformation, driven by rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a future where AI will not only excel at decoding language but also emotions.

Humanizing AI aims to bridge the gap between human and machine interactions, making technology more accessible, trustworthy, and beneficial in various aspects of life. This aims to create more intuitive, empathetic, and effective interactions, enhancing the overall value and impact of Artificial Intelligence, in our daily lives.

As we move forward, it is a core business responsibility to shape a future that prioritizes people over profit, values over efficiency, and humanity over technology.

In view of these, we've invited Suriel Arellano, a New York University alumni, as well as a dynamic and engaging speaker with two decades of work experience on digital transformation who is also the remarkable author of this exceptional book “Leading in the Age of AI” and another compelling book entitled, “The Golden Triangle – A Pinnacle of Digital Transformation” (now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kindle Unlimited) as he explains to us the value proposition of Humanizing AI as well and it’s significant relevance to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Suriel Arellano

Corporate Website: https://www.surielarellano.com

Hospitality technology covers a range of digital tools and systems designed to enhance and streamline various aspects of hotel management. From reservation systems and guest service platforms to data analytics and automation, these solutions are geared towards improving every aspect of a hotel's operations. Technological innovation in the hospitality industry encompasses the adoption of Artificial Intelligence, blockchain, robotics, Internet of Things among others to enhance operational efficiency, improve guest experiences, streamline services, and provide personalized offerings.

In view of these, we've invited Terence Ronson, Managing Director and Founder of Pertlink Limited from HongKong and he was also inducted at the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame in 2024, as he walk us through on the value proposition of Hospitality Technology to our digital economy.

Pertlink Limited is also an award recipient of the "Best Hospitality and Technology Consultancy" in 2024 on the HongKong Business Awards.

Corporate Website: https://www.pertlink.net

Email: Terence@pertlink.net

LinkedIn: Terence Ronson

In 2025, the battle against fraud continues to grow more complex and intense, driven by technological advancements and increasingly sophisticated tactics from cybercriminal's. Identity fraud cases more than doubled from 2021 to 2024, according to Sumsub’s (Sum and Substance Ltd.) most recent Identity Fraud Report. A striking 67% of companies reported an increase in fraud during this period. The report also highlights a global shift towards more complex and hybrid fraud schemes. AI has become a pervasive tool, with deepfakes now representing 7% of global fraudulent activity. Moreover, AI is widely used in fake document production—the fraud type now accounting for a striking 50%, of all fraud categories, according to the Report. As a result, companies, users, and regulators face mounting pressure to adapt their defenses in real-time.

In view of these, we've invited Penny Chai, Vice President for Business Development in Asia Pacific at SumSub as she walks us through the 2024 Identity Fraud Report and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

Corporate Website: https://www.sumsub.com

LinkedIn: Penny Chai

Today’s bank and financial institution treasurers face an increasingly complex environment characterized by volatile markets, tighter regulatory scrutiny, and shrinking budgets. In an effort to address these and other hurdles, more corporate treasurers are seeking to adopt advanced systems and leading practices to achieve the following priorities: Increasing transparency, technology modernization and process transformation. As such, Treasury transformation in the age of modernization helps company treasurers deploy advanced solutions for a new era of challenges.

Every business has its distinct complexities, objectives, and challenges. Yet, amid these differences, the fundamental need for an efficient, future-proof treasury operation remains universal.

Treasury transformation is not a fleeting trend; it’s a strategic shift that will define the future of corporate treasury management. It’s about optimizing systems, engaging stakeholders, aligning objectives, and ensuring scalability. With a thoughtful, tailored approach, businesses of all sizes can successfully transform their treasury functions, fostering financial resilience and agility.

In view of these, we've invited a seasoned Treasury Management System professional, Tracey Knight and presently the Principal Consultant from Real Treasury Group based from Dallas, Fort Worth, Texas, United States as she explains to us the value proposition of a Treasury Management System transformation and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Tracey (Ferguson) Knight

Corporate Website: https://www.realtreasury.com

Email: tknight@realtreasury.com

The constantly evolving economy requires financial services companies be data-driven—from mining interaction data to gathering consumer product expectations. The term ‘data-driven’ is not a new concept; financial services companies have applied regressive-based statistical analysis for years to achieve improved forecasts on products and services. This definition of data-driven has evolved to encompass customer preferences and values, especially when it comes to how customers prefer to bank.

Customers expect a financial services company to remember their preferences, engagement history and behaviors so personalized experiences can be delivered. To achieve a competitive advantage, companies must break down silos of customer data and effectively extract and leverage insights to meet customer needs.

Having the correct data will enrich the customer experience, but in order to do so, financial services need to have a well-designed data transformation strategy that delivers value right from the start.

In view of these, we've invited a seasoned FinTech professional and presently the Regional Sales Director of MoneyThor, Connor Larkin based in Singapore as he walk us through the value proposition of a data driven financial platform like MoneyThor and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Connor Larkin

Corporate Website: https://www.moneythor.com/

Email: connor@moneythor.com

The speed of innovation and ability to adapt to rapidly changing market trends rests on the agility of your release cycle and the ability to quickly diagnose, triage, and fix errors. Data virtualization is the critical lever used by forward-thinking enterprises to provision production-quality data to dev and test environments on demand or via APIs.

Furthermore, data virtualization provides the ability to securely manage and distribute policy-governed virtual copies of production-quality datasets. No matter the underlying database management system (DBMS) or source database location, data virtualization technology creates block-mapped virtual copies of the database for rapid and controlled distribution all while leaving a minimal storage footprint no matter how many copies are used.

In view of these, we’ve invited Shaun Paterson, the Managing Director of Grover Consult based from Manila, Philippines as he shares with us his valuable insights on the optimal use of database virtualization and its significant importance to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Shaun Paterson

Corporate Website: www.groverconsult.com

Email: Shaun@groverconsult.com

Breaking down the analytics adoption barrier will require providing data and analytics where people spend their time, without disruption — just like we are used to receiving insights while scrolling through Netflix for instance. With this in mind, the most innovative organizations are already embedding analytics directly into users’ workflows to allow for actionable decisions based on the context in front of them.

In every industry, businesses leverage data to drive insights and make informed decisions using data analytics. As the field continues to grow, so does the demand for skilled professionals to extract insights from complex data sets.

Therefore, it's crucial that both men and women are involved in interpreting and applying this information. Women who pursue careers in data science not only contribute to shaping the data-driven world but also reap personal benefits, such as gaining access to a rapidly expanding field with attractive salary options and career prospects. By encouraging more women to join the field, we can create more opportunities for them to advance in their careers and attain financial stability.

In view of these, we've invited Michelle Alarcon, the President of the Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Association of the Philippines as well as the President of Z-Lift Solutions Inc. based from Manila as she shares with us her valuable insights on Women working in Analytics, AI and technology and its significant importance to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Michelle Alarcon

AAP: https://aap.ph

Z-Lift Solutions Inc: https://zliftsolutions.com

FTW for the Women: https://www.ftwfoundation.org

Organizational behavior is an essential part of people management in today’s work culture. The synergy and behavior between your people will determine their efficiency.

In-depth learning provides an understanding of how employees communicate with one another. Their compatibility is vital so that work goes on without problems. Without people’s unity, it is difficult to achieve long-term success. Moreover, the aspect of employee behavior is somewhat related to people science.

By definition, People Science is all about bringing innovative thinking to attract highly sought-after talent, connecting individuals to their sense of purpose, and transforming organizational culture for exceptional results. It's a very powerful technique that focuses on understanding employee behavior, motivation, and creating a fulfilling work environment. 

By aligning with business needs and fostering agile learning, it equips leaders and the workforce to meet customer demands effectively.

For this particular podcast episode, will be discussing a very interesting data-driven platform that somehow generates extensive insights into work talents as well as financial behaviors. Those insights are bundled in a way that provides a weighted blend of the most relevant insights for the way you do business. Whether your focus is on employees or clients, this provides knowledge that build a stronger business on the inherent strengths of people.

In view of these, we’ve invited Hugh Massie, the Executive Chairman and Founder of DNA Behavior International based from Atlanta, Georgia, USA as he shares with us his valuable insights on behavioral solution and its significant importance to our digital economy.

Corporate Website: https://dnabehavior.com/

LinkedIn: Hugh Massie

Corporate Email: Hugh.Massie@dnabehavior.com

As our world becomes more interconnected, so too does the need for banking systems to follow suit. In the past, businesses and individuals were often restricted to banking in a single country, but the rise of borderless banking is enabling both to benefit from greater financial freedoms.By definition, borderless banking refers to any bank account, which allows users to spend, send and receive money across different countries and currencies, without incurring heavy fees. The concept has become increasingly popular in recent years, with more people now working in cross-border job roles and with many businesses requiring capital in a different currency than that of their country of origin. 

Let’s take a closer look on why this trend is so important and how FinTech companies are helping to make it possible. 

In view of these, we've invited Mr. Neil Ambikar, the Co-Founder and Chief Finance Officer of Narvi Payments as well as the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer from B2BPay based from Berlin, Germany as he explains to us the critical importance of cross border financial transaction platforms to our digital economy.

Narvi Payments Corporate Web Site: https://narvi.com/

B2B Pay Corporate Web Site: https://www.b2bpay.co/

LinkedIn: Neil Ambikar

B2BPay corporate email address of Neil: neil@b2bpay.co

Narvi Payments corporate email address of Neil: neil@narvi.com

Resilient businesses are those that are strategically prepared to cope with disruption – whether it comes from pandemics, economic downturns, the ongoing skills shortage for instance, or any other threats that may be on the horizon.

With this in mind, the forward-looking businesses are focusing their digital transformation initiatives on overcoming the most pressing challenges of today. The threat of cyber-attacks, supply chain disruption, environmental and social upheaval, and workforce disruption will impact every business in a different way. In order to survive, it’s essential that businesses develop new ways of working that enable them to respond in a flexible and agile way.

Moreover, in order to build resilience against these threats, businesses must ensure that they thoroughly understand the landscape of new and emerging technologies as they are relevant to their market. In view of these, we've invited a seasoned Business Continuity Management professional, Mr. Willem Hoekstra, presently the Head of Resilience Services from THALES group based in Hongkong as he walks us through the value proposition of business resiliency in our respective organization and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Willem Anne Hoekstra

Corporate Web Site: www.thalesgroup.com

Credit cards have become integral tools in our daily lives, facilitating transactions and adapting to evolving financial environments. With the emergence of innovations such as virtual cards for instance, and buy-now-pay-later options, for online payments among others, consumer finance is undergoing significant transformation.

With the rise of new technologies, the credit card industry has had to evolve. From chip technology to digital cards, the credit landscape is ever-changing.

In view of these, we've invited Ms. Aishwarya Jaishankar, the Co-Founder and COO of Hyperface Technologies based in Bangalore, India as she shares with us her valuable insights on the technological innovation on modern stacks of credit cards and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

Hyperface is Asia's first Credit Cards as a Service (CCaaS) platform that empowers banks and co-brands to launch digital-first credit cards 10x faster and better with a configurable program, customer lifecycle management, value-added services, and a rich end-user experience.

LinkedIn: Aishwarya Jaishankar

Corporate Website: https://www.hyperface.co

A recent McKinsey report states that the worldwide expenditure on digital transformation will reach an astonishing $3.4 trillion by the year 2026. However, this is not just about financial investment. It indicates businesses placing notable bets on the transformative power of technology.

It is therefore evident that the world of digital innovation is evolving constantly and businesses are now in the position to keep up with its emerging trends to stay competitive in the market. Embracing these trends is not only significant for survival but also to thrive in this digital age. 

In view of these, we've invited Ms. Tanvi Saxena, the Chief Executive Officer of a very dynamic fintech company in the Asia Pacific Region, "Grover Consult" based in Singapore as she explains to us the value proposition of digital innovation to the financial industry and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

Corporate Website: https://www.groverconsult.com/ LinkedIn: Tanvi Saxena

Email: tanvi@groverconsult.com

Wearable devices hold great promise, particularly for data generation for cutting-edge health research, and their demand has risen considerably in the last few years. At this stage, 640 million wearable technology devices are expected to be shipped worldwide by 2027. On average, 1 in 5 Americans use a smartwatch or fitness tracker or any other type of wearable technology. In 2025, the wireless health monitoring segment of the wearable tech industry is projected to reach $312.4 billion according to the recent study by PwC. In view of these, we've invited Dr. Eliott Justin MD, FACEP, the CEO and Founder of FirmTech Inc. from Montana, United States of America as he shares with us his valuable insights on wearable technology and its significant relevance to Health and Wellness as well as to our digital society.

Email: eliott@myfirmtech.com LinkedIn: Eliott Justin MD, FACEP Corporate website: https://myfirmtech.com/

Asia-Pacific anti-money laundering market is expected to gain market growth in the forecast period of 2024 to 2028. Deloitte market research analyses that the market is growing with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 14.0% in the forecast period of 2024 to 2028 and expected to reach USD 1,683,320 million by 2028. Growing demand for transaction monitoring system that assess financial crime patterns can act as a major factor for the growth of the market. In view of these, we've invited Mr. Eric Favila, the Founder and CEO of AMLakas Corporation based from Singapore as he explains to us the value proposition of an Anti Money Laundering digital platform and its significant relevance to our digital economy. Linkedin: Eric Favila Email: efavila@amlakas.com

Corporate Website: https://www.amlakas.com

Tokenization is the process of digitally representing assets, rights, or items of value through a smart contract on a blockchain, has gained significant attention in recent years.

By enabling assets to be divided into smaller tradable units, tokenization has the potential to revolutionize the funding and capital model across many different industries. What may have previously been a non-bankable real-world asset can find its way into the financial ecosystem, becoming accessible to a wider range of investors.

The ability to divide previously indivisible assets allows for easier and more affordable access to digital assets, as users no longer need to purchase an entire unit of an asset to participate in its ownership. This means that smaller investors can participate in investments that were previously only available to larger investors, thus democratizing access to investment opportunities like real estate for instance.

In view of these, we've invited Mr. Robert Hoving, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of “GORO”, a very promising digital platform from Indonesia which has the objective of democratizing real estate investment for more fractional ownership opportunities as he explains to us the value proposition of real estate tokenization and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

LinkedIn: Robert Hoving

Website: https://www.goro.id

In 2024, the finance sector stands at the intersection of legacy and innovation. The impact of demonetization lingers, serving as a reminder of the sector's resilience and adaptability. Artificial Intelligence and digital transformation are propelling the industry into new frontiers, promising greater efficiency, accessibility, and personalization.

As we navigate this evolving landscape, one thing is very clear: finance will continue to be a dynamic and exciting field, shaped by innovation and the changing needs of the digital age.

In view of these, we've invited the former Chief Executive Officer of the Sydney Stock Exchange and presently the Group Chairman of the Marbanc International, Mr. Michael Go as he shares his insightful views on the recent developments on the financial market in Australia and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

Corporate Website: https://marbanc.com/

LinkedIn: Michael Go

Consulting firms worldwide have a lot to contend with over the last few years with the global pandemic and resulting great resignation, plus widespread supply chain disruption as well as challenges on technology and system configuration rollout. Maintaining growth in profitability and sustaining it during this period wasn’t easy, but some consulting firms succeeded somehow. How did they managed to do it? In view of these, we've invited Mr. Matthew Hartley, the Founder and Lead Consultant of the very promising startup group from Sydney, Australia most widely known as "Config Consulting" as he walk us through the value proposition of the consulting services of this group of seasoned professionals that focus on the Treasury Management system implementation as well as it significant relevance to our digital economy. Business Website: https://www.configconsulting.com.au Matthew Hartley | Founder | Lead Consultant Email: matt@configconsulting.com.au

Mobile: +61 435 089 082    Address:  6 Mount Place, Green Point, NSW, 2251, Australia Consulting Partners: Calvin Pipping Reise Consulting: Founder | Principal Consultant Phone: 778 838 2173 Email: cpipping@reise-consulting.com Website: https://www.reise-consulting.com   Tracey Ferguson Knight SAAS-Y Business Consulting

Phone: 646-455-8244 Email: tracey@saasybc.com

Website: https://www.saasybc.com/

The economic volatility and uncertainty, higher cost of funding, and the need to diversify supply chains are particular concerns for businesses operating in the Asia Pacific region. But what sets the region apart is the access to enormous technology talent pools that are adept at resolving problems through the use of artificial intelligence, process automation, and data analysis among others.

One result of this is the region’s leadership in adopting new real-time payments methods, plus API and cloud-based payments technologies, which has led to the emergence of popular digital wallets and sophisticated digital banking providers. These in turn are transforming e-commerce and leading the swift rise of new business approaches, such as direct-to-consumer, usage-based pricing, and subscription models. Meanwhile, online platforms that once catered to a single niche are expanding through partnerships with firms in other sectors, giving rise to multi-industry, region-wide ecosystems.

This has made the region a cradle of innovation when it comes to financial technology, and a must-follow space for those interested in where digital adoption go next. In view of these, we've invited Mr. Umang Moondra, Chief Executive Officer of APIX platform as he walks us through the significant relevance of innovation into our digital economy. https://apixplatform.com https://www.synfindo.com

Blockchain technology has impacted the real estate industry in a variety of ways, including offering a new means for buyers and sellers to connect with one another. Moreover, Blockchain could be used to cut intermediaries out of the real estate transaction process, thereby reducing costs. This technology could also help to codify the practice of fractional ownership of real estate.

Global real estate is worth hundreds of trillion of dollars, but is dominated by the wealthy and large corporations. Through blockchain technology, it is possible that more people will be able to access the market where transactions can be made more transparent, secure and equitable. Real estate transactions may eventually become truly peer to peer activities with blockchain powered platforms doing most of the work.

In view of these, we've invited Joshua Kagan, CEO and Co-Founder of BONFIRE, a very promising US FinTech company based in Denver, Colorado as he explains to us the value proposition of Blockchain technology in a real estate industry as well as its significant relevance to our digital economy.

https://www.bonfire.capital

Being relevant – to the market and to consumers – is paramount for businesses. In today’s rapidly evolving marketplace, companies and individuals alike must keep up with new digital trends if they are to continue meeting consumer expectations. Traditional business models are being pushed to the wayside, and many organizations are struggling to keep pace or, worse yet, resisting change altogether.

How a company responds to these changes and trends will determine its ability to survive or thrive. Even if it has embraced digital transformation, knowing what changes to make, when to make them, and how to manage updated business processes and outcomes is a significant challenge.

For instance, Amazon, Uber and Netflix are classic examples of companies that combine these elements and embody the very face of digital disruption. Both platforms capitalize on new technologies and changing consumer habits, and both have significantly impacted traditional businesses and systems in their respective industries. Their disruptive presence – and rapid rise – forced established and entrenched companies to rethink their tried-and-true models.

In view of these, we've invited once again Mr. Ian Rae, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Wyzepay from United Kingdom as he explains to us the exceptional features of the platform presently disrupting the consumer and B2B payment sector in London as well as its significant relevance to our digital economy.

https://www.wyzepay.com/

As with most aspects of digital transformation, the outlook for data analysis appears to demonstrate that adoption is heading in one direction— UP.

Business leaders, all the way up to the C-Suite, are more inclined than ever to invest in predictive analytics. McKinsey found that 70% of business leaders agree that predictive analytics has changed their respective industries in at least in a moderate way.

Combine that with the efficiency and competitive benefits that can be achieved through these solutions, and it’s almost certain that data analytics platforms will be the norm, rather than the exception.

In view of these, we've invited Jaap Vink, a seasoned predictive analytics professional and the executive consultant of Zeno Analytics based from Zeist, The Netherlands as explains to us the significant relevance of Predictive Analytics to our digital economy.

https://www.zenoanalytics.com/

According to the survey from McKinsey, adoption of digital banking in emerging markets has caught up with that in developed markets. Between 2017 and 2021, the share of consumers in Asia–Pacific emerging markets actively using digital banking increased sharply, rising 33 percentage points from 54 percent in 2017 to 88 percent in 2021. The level of digital adoption among consumers in developed Asia–Pacific markets has remained stable at approximately 90 percent. The shift to digital banking has happened quickly and was likely accelerated by existing trends—such as increasing use of digital channels for diverse transactions, including banking, and broader use of teleconferencing/video calls in place of face-to-face meetings—that have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey results suggest that the high levels of digital adoption are likely to hold as the pandemic subsides. As Asia-Pacific consumers turn increasingly to digital channels to manage all aspects of their finances, incumbent banks must weigh carefully the strategic questions above and chart their course forward. To thrive in this increasingly dynamic market, each bank will need to build (or acquire) the technology, talent, and ways of working that will enable it to scale distinctive and relevant innovations quickly and at low cost. As such, we've invited Gloria Soo, Founding Partner of Almond Tech Pte. Ltd. based in Singapore as she walk us through the significant relevance of Financial Technology solutions to our digital economy.

https://www.almond-tech.com/

From barter to cash to checks to online banking, money is an evolving technology that has been part of human history for thousands of years. While cash is expected to remain a significant payment instrument in the near future, factors such as “contactless” pay systems, increasing mobile penetration, and high costs of cash like ATM fees for individuals, cash storage for businesses, currency printing for governments, among others are prompting society to reconsider its ubiquity. Some experts support less-cash operations, arguing that high denomination notes should be phased out as smaller bills slowly fall towards disuse. 

We can categorically say that we are likely approaching a less-cash future, not a completely cashless future. And, while progress has been made in this transition, it has hardly been universal or uniform. A migration to a cashless economy includes considerations ranging from the purely financial to those social in nature. Consequently, a country’s specific technological, financial, and social situations will inform its specific benefits, drawbacks, and approach to such a transition.

In view of these, we've invited once again, Kannan Swaminathan, Chief Executive at WhiteBridge Consulting LLC to discuss the value proposition of Cashless initiatives in our digital economy.

Is Crypto worth investing? Cryptocurrency can be a great investment with astronomically high returns overnight; however, there is also a considerable downside. Investors should analyze whether their time horizon, risk tolerance, and liquidity requirements fit their investor profile. In view of these, we've invited a Crypto enthusiast, investor and entrepreneur, Mr. Chip Winternitz as he share with us his relevant takeaways on his crypto journey and its value proposition to our digital economy.

What does Crypto Travel Rule mean for you?

The measure is essential to prevent bad actors from using digital assets to launder money. It affects everyone who dabbles in cryptocurrencies from exchanges to everyday investors.

Almost three years after the controversial "travel rule" guidance was issued by the Financial Action Tax Force or FATF, regulators and virtual asset service providers or VASP are still coming to terms with the economic and technical challenges of implementing these rules. While VASPs, which include but are not limited to crypto exchanges, wallet services and crypto custodial solutions, are the primary focus of this regulation, mass implementation is expected to slowly but surely impact how you interact with crypto.

In view of these, we've invited once again a seasoned banker, a brilliant crypto compliance consultant and an exceptional AML (Anti-Money Laundering) transaction monitoring advisor, Mr. Dominic Gee presently based in Asia Pacific region as he walk us through the critical importance of the "Crypto Travel Rule Policy" and its significant relevance to our digital economy.

The Global learning management system market was worth around 14.9 billion US Dollars in 2021, and is estimated to grow to about 43.6 billion US Dollars by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of approximately 18.4 percent over the forecast period. The market growth of LMS is mainly attributed to the growing adoption of the e-learning in different business industries particularly on the financial sector with regulatory learning requirements like Anti Money Laundering and Know Your Client for instance. Relatively, the growing initiatives for the improvisation of digitalization is further impacting on the growth of the market.

In view of these, we've invited a seasoned banker, an exceptional digital learning creator, and also the Senior Partner at the International KYC Group from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Mr. Pieter Ris, as he explains to us the value proposition of Digital Learning Innovation to our virtual society.