The stories shaping Malaysia, in focus.
The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office warns that artificial intelligence is creating dollar-centric financial systems. Regional economies must accelerate integration of AI infrastructure, energy and local-currency digital payments to maintain economic independence.
Mastercard exceeded quarterly profit forecasts as consumer spending remained resilient despite geopolitical tensions. The payment processor's transaction volumes surged, reflecting strong wage growth and affluent household spending patterns.
A New York judge has rejected Zelle's attempt to dismiss a lawsuit from the state's attorney general over allegations that the payment platform failed to implement adequate safety protections, resulting in over $1 billion in consumer fraud losses.
PayPal, the digital payments pioneer that once commanded a $360 billion valuation, now faces an unsolicited $53 billion takeover bid from Stripe and Advent International. The company's board deems the offer insufficient, reflecting how far the firm has fallen from its position as a market leader.
Digital payment transactions through Alipay+ surged nearly 90% to RM824 million in Malaysia last year, reflecting growing tourist spending and the success of integrating Chinese payment systems with local infrastructure.