India’s Akasa Air and Malaysia’s AirBorneo are pressing ahead with expansion plans despite soaring jet fuel prices and disruption from the Middle East conflict, in a development that analysts say is a sign smaller Asian carriers are finding room to grow as larger airlines grapple with capacity constraints.
Akasa Air, India’s youngest airline, said last week that it was seeking to raise 10.5 billion rupees (US$110 million) through equity and debt, including loans from state-run banks, to fund the…
Tornado rips roofing from Indonesian construction site, sends workers fleeing
A tornado tore through an industrial site in Batam, Indonesia, ripping roofing from workshop facilities and sending helmeted workers running for cover as weather officials warned that unstable conditions could trigger further sudden storms.
The short-lived wind vortex, described locally as a puting beliung, struck VME Process in Tanjung Sengkuang, Batu Ampar, at about 10am on Wednesday, damaging workers’ shelters and scattering construction materials across the site, according to Indonesian…
More businesses set for tax relief as government unveils latest rates cuts
The UK government has announced a 20% business rates cut for pubs, clubs and music venues as part of broader cost of living measures aimed at supporting retail and hospitality companies.
Malaysia probes telecoms giant Maxis over Khairul Aming privacy leak
A social media post over an unpaid phone bill has triggered a data-protection investigation in Malaysia, after one of the country’s most recognisable influencers questioned how a stranger obtained details from his telecoms account.
The episode involving Khairul Amin Kamarulzaman, better known as Khairul Aming, has raised uncomfortable questions for telcos about how tightly they manage customer account information and how quickly private details can be exposed when those controls fail.
Khairul…
What does New Zealand bring to the Philippines’ security network?
The elevation of ties between the Philippines and New Zealand to a comprehensive partnership gives both countries a wider framework to deepen cooperation, as Manila expands its network of middle-power partners and Wellington steps up its engagement in Southeast Asia, analysts have said.
The upgrade also builds on rapidly tightening defence ties, giving Manila another security partner and New Zealand a stronger foothold in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific, observers add.
New Zealand and the…
DFSA proposes sweeping overhaul of DIFC funds regime
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has unveiled plans for a significant overhaul of the Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) collective investment funds framework in a move designed to modernise the regime, align it with better align it with international standards, and support the DIFC’s continued development as a global investment funds hub.
‘Disbelief, shock’: Singapore PM on Faishal’s inappropriate messages with woman
A married Singapore minister’s sudden resignation amid revelations he had exchanged inappropriate messages with a woman has rocked the city state’s establishment circles, with a groundswell of sentiment calling for him to be retained.
Amid online petitions and calls to keep former minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs Faishal Ibrahim following his resignation on Monday, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shed further light on the controversy, suggesting the matter was more serious than previously…
Philippines’ impeachment trial: court ruling heightens stakes for VP Sara
Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio suffered a serious setback in her impeachment trial this week after the Senate allowed prosecutors to examine key financial records in an unexplained wealth case against her.
Analysts said the Senate impeachment court’s ruling could give prosecutors a clearer route to show she amassed ill-gotten wealth and pull down her popularity ratings in time for the 2028 presidential election, thus raising the stakes for Duterte-Carpio as she fights not only to…
Thailand SEC Proposes Overhaul of Digital Asset Derivatives Licensing Framework
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand (SEC) has proposed a significant overhaul of the regulatory framework governing digital asset derivatives trading, introducing what amounts to the most market-expanding reform to date for the country’s crypto ecosystem.
The most consequential change in the proposed revisions is the introduction of a direct licensing pathway, permitting existing digital asset operators to apply for derivatives business licenses without the administrative burden of establishing separate corporate entities. Under the current framework, operators wishing to offer derivatives products were required to spin up entirely new companies, a costly and time-consuming requirement that effectively slowed market maturation.
The SEC’s stated objectives are twofold: accelerating the formal recognition of digital assets as a legitimate asset class within Thailand’s traditional financial regulatory taxonomy, and providing market participants with advanced risk management tools. The commission notes that the revision aims to promote the recognition of digital assets as an asset class and provide investors with additional hedging tools.
However, the liberalized access is accompanied by heightened compliance demands. The proposed rules require operators to implement robust conflict-of-interest prevention mechanisms, and introduce elevated financial standards for both derivatives trading centers and clearing institutions. The public consultation window runs until May 20, 2026, with the SEC inviting stakeholder feedback on the revised licensing requirements.
Strategically, this development positions Thailand ahead of several regional peers in the derivatives space. Singapore has yet to fully liberalize derivatives access for existing Digital Payment Token Service Providers, while Malaysia’s derivatives framework for digital assets remains narrower in scope. If enacted, Thailand’s approach would lower barriers for established platforms such as Bitkub and Zipmex to diversify into regulated derivatives products, potentially driving significant institutional liquidity to the Bangkok market as neighboring jurisdictions including Hong Kong and South Korea develop their own digital asset derivatives infrastructure.
The move comes at a pivotal moment for Thailand’s digital asset sector, which has been pursuing a strategy of regulatory proactivity since the country first approved cryptocurrency ETF frameworks earlier this year. The derivatives reform, paired with the crypto ETF sandbox and the TouristDigiPay regulatory sandbox, signals a deliberate multi-track approach to positioning Thailand as the region’s most crypto-friendly capital market.
Australia data centres to become ‘net-generators’ under proposed reforms
New mandatory data centre rules in Australia will reshape how the country’s next generation of large-scale data centres are financed, built and operated, experts have said.