Asean Business

Tighter data control: Vietnam’s race to redesign digital services

The new rules will benefit businesses that also view user consent as a way to provide value, say observers

Over the past three weeks, a string of negative signals has rattled Indonesia’s markets.

Indonesia’s transparency push calms MSCI fears, but reform continuity is key

The country’s swift measures are sufficient to avert losing emerging market status for now, say analysts

Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada is stepping up its courtship of Asia; the campaign was readily apparent in Singapore last week with a conference devoted to stronger ties with South-east Asia.
THE BOTTOM LINE

To win over Asia, Canada needs more than nice speeches

CANADA is on a public-relations roll. Prime Minister Mark Carney wowed Davos elites by declaring a “rupture” with the American-led financial and industrial system that has prevailed for decades. 

Proceeds from ESG bonds came in at US$20.3 billion in 2025, marginally higher than US$20.2 billion in 2024.

Transition finance in South-east Asia expected to grow in 2026, say market watchers

Sustainable finance proceeds raised in the region still flat in 2025

Carsome chief business officer Aaron Kee says the company is headed towards "transforming the South-east Asian automotive ecosystem".

Carsome charges into EV resale market as electric cars gain traction in South-east Asia

With EV depreciation outpacing that of conventional cars, the e-commerce platform wants to plug the gaps for its next growth play

Thailand has introduced AI-powered platforms that help tourists streamline trip planning while expanding access to information on emerging destinations.

South-east Asia’s governments put AI to work in tourism

The region’s governments are using AI to upgrade visitors’ travel experience, not just to bump up the numbers

Through Partior, a blockchain-based infrastructure backed by a consortium of global banks including Standard Chartered, real-time cross-border payments are already taking place between markets such as Singapore (above)and Hong Kong.

How digital assets are shaping the future of treasury

Digital infrastructure is impacting both financial processes and the way businesses operate

Representatives from FPT Corp, Viet Thai Group and G42 signed a pact to develop AI and cloud infrastructure in Vietnam with full data sovereignty.

Ho Chi Minh City unveils twin US$1 billion digital-asset, AI data-centre pacts

The authorities also pledge to provide support for large-scale data centres tied to a creativity-innovation-technology complex

Established in 1969 under the Bien Hoa Sugar brand, AgriS manages a circular value chain ecosystem spanning nearly 91,000 ha of sugar cane and 30,000 ha of coconut plantations across Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Australia.

Vietnam sugar giant AgriS leverages Australian agronomy expertise to advance agritech across Asean

The deal with Queensland-based Farmacist aims to commercialise high-tech agricultural solutions at scale