Southeast Asia’s digital economy is undergoing a strategic transformation, with capital and regulatory power moves laying the foundation for the next decade. This month’s digest reveals how disciplined investment, infrastructure buildout, and policy clarity are reshaping the region’s future.
Southeast Asia's future will be scripted by young builders who learn to navigate uncertainty, build from scratch, and iterate through failure. The organizations teaching them how to do that, at scale, are the region's most undervalued backbone.
Despite a 54% funding drop in 2024, a handful of investors are still deploying capital in Southeast Asia. See who’s shaping the next cycle of innovation.
Southeast Asia’s Series A squeeze stripped away the illusion of easy money. Singapore may command 88% of fintech capital, but Philippine operators thrive on discipline. The irony? The market that couldn’t attract capital may be the only one that learned to live without it.
Southeast Asia’s digital economy is undergoing a strategic transformation, with capital and regulatory power moves laying the foundation for the next decade. This month’s digest reveals how disciplined investment, infrastructure buildout, and policy clarity are reshaping the region’s future.
Southeast Asia's future will be scripted by young builders who learn to navigate uncertainty, build from scratch, and iterate through failure. The organizations teaching them how to do that, at scale, are the region's most undervalued backbone.
Despite a 54% funding drop in 2024, a handful of investors are still deploying capital in Southeast Asia. See who’s shaping the next cycle of innovation.
Southeast Asia’s Series A squeeze stripped away the illusion of easy money. Singapore may command 88% of fintech capital, but Philippine operators thrive on discipline. The irony? The market that couldn’t attract capital may be the only one that learned to live without it.
Southeast Asia’s venture landscape is undergoing capital Darwinism. The so-called “Series A squeeze” is rewriting the rules of survival: only startups with discipline on unit economics and clear profitability paths are breaking through.
SEA startups face crunch: Over 95% of deals are early-stage, but seed funding has halved and late-stage capital remains scarce. Singapore claims 92% of funding, while more founders now contend with shorter runways and tougher fundraising than before.
Southeast Asia’s startup map is shifting. The Philippines edges past Indonesia in funding, Sea proves profitability is possible, and AI still draws outsized bets. Here are the power moves and undercurrents shaping the region’s next growth cycle.
How Southeast Asia's super apps turned financial data into the new collateral — and what it means for millions caught in an invisible web of digital dependency
No credit card? No problem. In the Philippines, millions buy phones, groceries—even tuition—through Buy Now, Pay Later apps. For some it’s financial inclusion, for others a debt trap. BNPL is reshaping how Filipinos borrow and spend.
Southeast Asia’s is starting a revolution towards API-first design. From open banking to serverless computing, the region’s companies are rebuilding their tech stacks from the ground up. Infrastructure is shaping the next decade of growth.
BSP’s e-wallet gambling controls signal regulatory maturity in ASEAN fintech. By requiring separate gambling accounts & ₱300M capital minimums rather than blanket bans, Philippines creates template for balancing innovation with social harm prevention.
Hiring remote teams in Southeast Asia offers access to diverse talent and cost advantages, but success hinges on navigating cultural nuances, legal compliance, and onboarding best practices to build productive, cross-border teams.