Bursa Malaysia to launch new platform for ‘debt asset class’: CEO

BURSA Malaysia plans to roll out a new platform that will allow companies to raise funds via rated debt as the exchange seeks to grow its products and services to woo a wider investor base as well as draw more new listings.

For starters, it hopes to target large small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and smaller listed companies seeking to raise around RM50 million (S$15.5 million), Bursa chief executive Muhamad Umar Swift told The Business Times in a recent interview.

“This is one of the building blocks when we talk about democratising investments and building a multi-asset exchange. We look at this as a B2B (business to business) funding platform that is designed to be rated (debt papers) and will focus on larger SMEs and smaller PLCs (public-listed companies). It’s non-fungible compared to the traditional corporate bonds, which are OTC (over-the-counter),” said Umar.