2015 has seen a meaningful commitment from Singapore to the
Fintech sector both in Singapore and abroad; Temasek Holdings was
part of the US$150 million capital raising by UK-based peer-to-peer
lender Funding Circle in April and in July, the Monetary Authority
of Singapore (the "MAS") committed S$225
million over the next five years to growing the Fintech segment of
the start-up ecosystem in Singapore.
So what do these technological innovations mean for South East
Asia; what opportunities do they bring; what does the regulatory
environment look like; and what are the potential hurdles to
progress?
What does Fintech mean for South East Asia?
Generally defined as "the application of technology to
the provision of financial services", Fintech is a
disruptive technology that is changing the way consumers expect to
be able to receive goods and services. The growth in Fintech has
been led primarily by the Internet, increased penetration of smart
phone technology and
