ASEAN Money

Insights into how Southeast Asia’s growing wealth is being created, used and managed.

Topic image
10 December 2024
One of the grander plots at Nirvana Semenyih Memorial Park in the Malaysian state of Selangor. The largest cemetery in Malaysia, it covers 2.6 million square meters. (Nirvana Asia)
The amount of outstanding debt on Indonesia's online lending platforms soared from 13.16 trillion rupiah ($828 million) in 2019 to over 66 trillion rupiah at the end of September. (Illustration by Hiroko Aida)
ASEAN Money

Millions of Indonesians fall into digital debt trap as spending power wanes

Many middle-income earners caught out by stratospheric interest rates

3 December 2024
Caecilia Chu, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore-based foreign exchange digital wallet YouTrip, met New York Stock Exchange executives as part of the IPO planning for her fintech startup. (Photo courtesy of Caecilia Chu)
ASEAN Money

Singapore's YouTrip CEO unveils route to IPO for FX digital wallet

Harvard alum Caecilia Chu wants profitable startup to grow from ASEAN to APAC

26 November 2024
Family-owned business groups in Southeast Asia, such as the Thai Summit Group, IOI Malaysia, Indonesia's Salim Group and companies owned by the Tans in the Philippines are adopting different strategies as they seek to preserve wealth while preparing to hand the reins to the next generation. (Illustration by Yoshiko Kawano)
ASEAN Money

Southeast Asian family firms lay ground for next generation's succession

Stakes rise for business groups seeking to preserve wealth as heirs multiply

19 November 2024
A Korean family walks around one of the K-Towns in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam has 50% more Korean residents than the rest of ASEAN combined. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
ASEAN Money

Vietnam's booming Korea Towns nurture niche businesses

50% more ethnic Koreans live in the communist country than rest of ASEAN combined

12 November 2024
A large majority of the hotels in the RedDoorz group, like this one in Jakarta, cater to budget travelers. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
ASEAN Money

Budget hotel chain RedDoorz bets on Gen Z and millennials

Founder eyes growth from 'key driver of tourism industry'

5 November 2024
From chipmaking to robotics, growing more cutting-edge ventures is becoming a national priority in Singapore. (Nikkei illustration)
ASEAN Money

Singapore's quiet rise in the global 'deep tech' race

U.S.-China rivalry spurs investment in Asia's top startup ecosystem

29 October 2024
(Nikkei montage/Source photo by Yuki Fujita)
ASEAN Money

Philippine tycoon Manuel Pangilinan puts his money where his mouth is

Veteran investor describes his 'promiscuous' path to wealth

22 October 2024
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, left, and his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the current premier, are having to perform a delicate balancing act as she leads the government and the family seeks to preserve its considerable wealth. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Adryel Talamantes and Yuki Kohara)
ASEAN Money

Old missteps haunt Thailand's billionaire Shinawatras

Family's travails highlight fraught relationship between money and power

15 October 2024
Venon Tian, co-founder and chief operating officer of ZUS Coffee (portrait in image), is confident the Malaysian startup, which has opened outlets in the Philippines, will soon expand to Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia. (Illustration by Yoshiko Kawano)
ASEAN Money

Malaysia's ZUS Coffee cashes in as Gen Z drives consumer boom

Startup with regional ambitions aims to be the 'AirAsia of coffee'

8 October 2024
In the wake of a money laundering case last year, Singapore is tightening its screening process for family offices in the city-state. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Kosaku Mimura)
ASEAN Money

Singapore's lure for rich Chinese breeds family office tensions

City-state navigates reputational hazards in race to attract wealth

1 October 2024
  • 1