Asia

Thousands of U.S. merchants are weighing measures to freeze acceptance of Alipay and WeChat, two of the eight Chinese mobile payment apps that would be blocked if outgoing President Trump’s recent executive order goes into effect.

Billionaire Ant Group Co. co-founder Jack Ma skipped a recent taping of an African TV program he created, spurring speculation online about his whereabouts and the outcome of an investigation into his internet empire.

Card payments can't always cut it in different countries, says PPRO's Steve Villegas.

When the Chinese banking authorities finish reshaping Jack Ma’s empire, the only thing he may have left is Alipay — which would still be the world’s most popular mobile and online payments app.

Jack Ma’s besieged Ant Group Co. is planning to fold its financial operations into a holding company that could be regulated more like a bank, according to people familiar with the situation, potentially crippling the growth of its most-profitable units.

International fintech Robocash Group has launched its first Buy Now Pay Later service in the Philippines.

Openpay, the latest firm to enter the U.S.’s booming buy now, pay later instant-credit market, has hired a team clearly braced for heavier competition and regulation ahead.

Two large deals happened this week in Australia to build scale against international financial services encroachment from card schemes and cross-border financial services — a concern that's cropping up in several nations.

Ride-sharing apps always seem to be racing to be something else — or at least something more — especially given the coronavirus pandemic's impact on travel. With a banking license in Singapore, Grab can add fuel to the strategy.