The Asian Sun

Two announcements in two days: Mastercard launched its APAC SME commerce suite on March 11, followed by the Bank of Shanghai integration on March 12, part of a coordinated regional payments strategy.

The blooming of cherry trees marks a seasonal transition and a celebrated time across Japan.

DBS became the first Singapore bank to offer SMEs FX rate-locking in March 2025. One year later, the service is now available to all corporate customers in the country.

Wood Mackenzie's full-year estimate: Asian LNG imports fall from a forecast 12.4 million tonnes to approximately 5 million tonnes in 2026. That is not demand management. That is demand destruction.

The IEA's emergency mechanism covers crude oil. It covers nothing for the 20 percent of global LNG supply also blocked by the Hormuz closure.

The AIDC Taiwan collaboration, signed in March 2025, gives Cape Renewables access to industrial-grade technology frameworks for microgrid deployment and EV infrastructure across Southeast Asia. It is the technical backbone behind the March 16 expansion announcement.

Moody's in February. Fitch in March. Now a formal pivot in Bank Indonesia's forward guidance. Indonesia's policy credibility story is the most consequential emerging market narrative in Southeast Asia right now.

Authorities in Japan began releasing oil reserves to cushion the impact of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Timo brand survives under Kredivo Group ownership, with card-based payment products to follow in phase two of a structured integration plan.

Salmon Group has now committed PHP 1.3 billion to its Philippine banking subsidiary, signaling long-term confidence in the country's digital banking market.