Tobu Top Tours has partnered with SBI Ripple Asia to launch a prepaid token payment platform on the XRP Ledger, gaining regulatory approval in Japan. Set for rollout later this year, it allows users to convert yen into blockchain tokens for various tourism services. SBI Ripple Asia also announced research to enhance Japan-South Korea cross-border payments using the XRP Ledger.

Southeast Asia's energy transition companies raised $1.8 billion across 258 firms, predominantly for solar and electric vehicles, with minimal funding for energy storage and efficiency. Singapore led funding, highlighting investor preference for established segments over critical infrastructure needs.

A report by the Hong Kong Institute of Finance reveals that 74% of global financial institutions foresee growth in transition finance, with Asia-Pacific showing 91% optimism. It emphasizes collaboration, regulatory clarity, and innovation to enhance sustainable finance.

OrtCloud, a Singaporean startup, raised $1.7 million in pre-seed funding for its specialized cloud infrastructure designed for AI workloads. With clients like OpenAI and Samsung, it aims to enhance product development and expand in Asia Pacific and the U.S.

Ebanx is expanding into Thailand, Indonesia, and Turkey, having established an Asia headquarters in Singapore. The firm, which serves clients like Uber and Shein, aims to increase its international profits, with significant funding for expansion from cash reserves.

Southeast Asian tech startups raised $2.8 billion in Q1 2026, a 110% year-on-year increase. Late-stage funding surged, driven by AI investments, while seed funding declined. Singapore dominated the funding landscape, with significant growth in fintech and emerging hubs in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The BeyondBlocks Asia 2026 conference will be held in Seoul on April 16-17, focusing on AI, Web3, stablecoins, and gaming. It features notable speakers and discussions on the future of blockchain and AI integration.

Southeast Asia’s first OpenClaw Agentic Trading Event will be held in Singapore on April 16, showcasing how developers can use OpenClaw to build agentic trading applications. The event is organized by Moss in partnership with Lightspeed and blockchain VC, among others, and features guests including founders of blockchain projects.

Gate News message, April 8, SBI Ripple Asia has completed development of a token issuance platform based on the XRP Ledger, and has registered in Japan as a prepaid payment instrument issuer. The platform enables businesses to issue tokenized payment instruments.

An Indonesian court ruled on three individuals suspected of financing terrorism, with on-chain cryptocurrency transactions serving as the core evidence, revealing that they used cryptocurrencies to move funds to activities related to ISIS. Investigations show that improvements in cryptocurrency regulatory capabilities and heightened monitoring across Southeast Asia mean the flow of terrorist funds is facing strict scrutiny.