Asia-Pacific
Banking and finance news from China, Japan, India, Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific
South Korea's ESG Finance Market Tops KRW 2,000 Trillion for First Time but Annual Growth Slows to Single Digits
South Korea's ESG-related financing reached KRW 2,012.6 trillion at end-2024, but annual growth fell to 8.9%, the market's first single-digit expansion, per KoSIF data.
Reserve Bank of New Zealand Holds OCR at 2.25% as Governor Breman Chairs First Meeting
The RBNZ kept its official cash rate at 2.25% by consensus and upgraded its OCR path, hinting at a possible hike late in 2026.
RBI Fines CSB Bank ₹63.60 Lakh for Business Correspondent and Customer Service Violations
The RBI imposed a ₹63.60 lakh penalty on CSB Bank for using business correspondents beyond permitted scope and levying undisclosed savings account charges.
RBI Introduces Acquisition Finance Framework Allowing Banks to Fund 75% of Indian M&A Deals
India's RBI has introduced an acquisition finance framework allowing banks to fund up to 75% of qualifying M&A transactions by acquirers with at least INR 500 crore net worth.
RBI Imposes ₹29.60 Lakh Penalty on DCB Bank for Gold Loan LTV Ratio Violations
India's RBI has penalised DCB Bank ₹29.60 lakh for failing to maintain prescribed loan-to-value ratios in non-agricultural gold loan accounts, following an ISE 2025 inspection.
Chainalysis finds crypto flows to suspected trafficking services rose 85% in 2025
Chainalysis reported that cryptocurrency flows to suspected human trafficking services, largely based in Southeast Asia, increased 85 percent in 2025, growth it linked to Southeast Asia-based scam compounds.
Grab Reports First Full-Year Net Profit of $200 Million as Financial Services Revenue Rises 37%
Grab posted its first full-year net profit of $200m in 2025, with FY2025 revenue of $3.37bn up 20% and financial services revenue growing 37% to $347m.
Reserve Bank of India Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% at February 2026 MPC Meeting
The RBI's MPC unanimously held the repo rate at 5.25% with a neutral stance, after 125bp of cumulative easing since February 2025 with CPI inflation at 1.3% in December.
RBI Imposes Over ₹27 Crore in Penalties on Indian Banks Across 40 Actions in 2025
India's RBI levied approximately ₹27 crore in fines across 40 enforcement actions against scheduled commercial banks in 2025, with private sector lenders paying nearly double public sector peers.
KakaoBank Posts Record FY2025 Net Profit of KRW 480.3 Billion as Non-Interest Income Surpasses KRW 1 Trillion
South Korea's KakaoBank reported a record KRW 480.3 billion net profit for FY2025, up 9.1% year-on-year, as non-interest income exceeded KRW 1 trillion for the first time.
Australia Sets Sustainable Finance Record with USD 53.8 Billion Issuance in 2025, Sustainability Bonds Take Lead
Australia's sustainable finance market reached a record USD 53.8 billion in 2025, up 11% on 2024, with Sustainability Bonds overtaking Green Bonds as the leading labelled bond category.
DBS Indonesia Increases Channelling Financing to Kredivo to IDR 3 Trillion for BNPL Expansion
Bank DBS Indonesia has increased its credit facility to buy-now-pay-later provider Kredivo to IDR 3 trillion, roughly $180 million, to support the fintech's expansion into tier 2 and 3 cities.