Asia-Pacific
Banking and finance news from China, Japan, India, Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific
Paytm Delivers Third Consecutive Profitable Quarter with PAT of Rs 225 Crore in Q3 FY2026
Paytm reported PAT of Rs 225 crore in Q3 FY2026, its third straight profitable quarter, on operating revenue of Rs 2,194 crore, up 20% year-on-year, as consumer UPI GMV rose 35% over nine months.
Hong Kong Monetary Authority Keeps Base Rate at 4.00% in Line With Federal Reserve January Hold
The HKMA held its base rate at 4.00% on 29 January 2026, mirroring the Federal Reserve's decision to keep rates at 3.50–3.75% under Hong Kong's linked exchange rate system.
Vietcombank Plans Private Placement of 543 Million Shares With Mizuho Able to Raise Stake to 20%
Vietcombank announced a private placement of 543.1 million shares, up to 6.5% of outstanding stock, with Mizuho Bank eligible to increase its holding from 14.96% to 20%.
Vietcombank moves ahead with private placement of up to 6.5% of its shares
Vietcombank has sought quotations from independent valuation consultants for a planned sale of up to 543.1 million new shares to no more than 55 professional institutional investors.
Bank of Japan Holds Policy Rate at 0.75% in 8-1 Vote After December Hike to 30-Year High
The Bank of Japan held its policy rate at 0.75% in an 8-1 vote at its January 2026 meeting, after December's hike to a 30-year high, while raising economic growth forecasts.
AUSTRAC Orders External Compliance Audit of Australian Fintech Airwallex Over AML/CTF Concerns
Australia's AUSTRAC has ordered an external audit of Airwallex over suspected AML/CTF control weaknesses, covering customer due diligence and transaction monitoring.
PhonePe Files Updated DRHP With SEBI for $1.3 Billion IPO at $15 Billion Valuation in India
PhonePe has filed an updated DRHP with SEBI for an OFS-only IPO targeting approximately $1.3 billion, valuing the payments fintech at around $15 billion.
Competition Commission of India Approves Emirates NBD's Proposed Stake Acquisition in RBL Bank
India's Competition Commission has cleared Emirates NBD's proposed $3 billion investment in RBL Bank, though government approval for FDI above 49% remains pending.
ICICI Bank Board Approves Reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as MD and CEO Through October 2028
The ICICI Bank board approved Sandeep Bakhshi's reappointment as MD and CEO for a two-year term from October 2026, subject to RBI and shareholder approval.
People's Bank of China Cuts Structural Tool Rates by 25bp to 1.25% to Boost Targeted Lending
The PBoC cut all structural monetary policy tool rates by 25 basis points, bringing the one-year relending facility rate to 1.25%, effective 19 January.
PBOC Slashes Tool Rates in Measured Easing Signal
China's central bank cut rates on key structural tools by 0.25 points and boosted relending quotas by 900 billion yuan, and signalled room for further reserve requirement and interest rate cuts this year.
Ant International Reports Over 2 Billion Cross-Border Transactions in 2025 as Alipay+ Reaches 1.8 Billion Accounts
Ant International processed over 2 billion cross-border transactions in 2025 and its Alipay+ network now connects 1.8 billion user accounts to merchants in more than 100 markets.