This week’s version of Finovate International critiques current fintech information and headlines from Thailand.
DV8 Public Firm to Purchase Rakkar Digital
Pending regulatory approvals, DV8 Public Firm has introduced plans to accumulate Rakkar Digital, a digital asset custody supplier, and make investments as much as $3 million (THB100 million) within the agency. DV8 has inked a share sale and buy settlement to purchase Rakkar’s peculiar shares from its present shareholders. The transaction marks DV8’s newest entry into regulated digital asset operations. The corporate invested in Korean digital asset treasury platform Bitplanet in 2025.
Rakkar Digital was established in 2022 as a joint challenge between SCBX, the mum or dad firm of Siam Industrial Financial institution, and Fireblocks, a worldwide digital asset infrastructure supplier. Headquartered in Singapore, Rakkar Digital offers institutional-grade digital asset and cryptocurrency custodian companies and has greater than $700 million in property beneath custody. In an announcement, DV8 famous that Rakkar Digital’s regulatory standing, operational framework, and belief amongst institutional prospects made the corporate a sensible acquisition and can assist DV8 compete in Asia’s quickly rising digital asset ecosystem.
Based in 1978, DV8 Public Firm is a media and promoting company based mostly in Bangkok, Thailand. Previously referred to as Demeter Company Public Firm Restricted, the corporate rebranded in 2020 and is presently remodeling itself right into a builder of regulated digital asset infrastructure. DV8 introduced this pivot final summer time, appointing Thai enterprise chief Chatchaval Jiaravanon as its new Chairman and elevating roughly $7.4 million (THB 241 million) in funding.
Mastercard and Krungthai Full Agentic Transaction in Thailand
Mastercard introduced that it has accomplished a pilot challenge in Thailand to ship its first authenticated agentic transaction in partnership with Krungthai Card Public Firm Restricted (KTC). The challenge featured Mastercard Agent Pay and was initiated by AI brokers in a safe, clear pilot surroundings with full client management. The transaction used tokenized credentials, authenticated by Mastercard Cost Passkeys, to offer buyer verification and knowledge safety.
“AI-driven innovation in funds marks a major step ahead for the monetary trade,” Krungthai Card President and CEO Pittaya Vorapanyasakul stated. “Our collaboration with Mastercard displays our strategic dedication to integrating agentic commerce into KTC’s ecosystem—enabling smarter, safer, and intuitive experiences for customers. This milestone reinforces our function in advancing fee innovation in Thailand.”
The pilot challenge demonstrated how AI can full on a regular basis duties for customers safely and effectively. On this occasion, an AI agent booked transportation from Suvarnabhumi airport to Central Chidlom through world mobility supplier Elife. Each the reserving and the agentic transaction have been facilitated by the AI agent, which was linked to Elife’s companies community.
Thailand is the newest nation the place Mastercard has examined its improvements in agentic commerce. Thus far in 2026, the corporate has accomplished authenticated agentic transactions in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
“Thailand continues to be one of many area’s most tasty journey locations, and its dynamic journey surroundings offers a great, real-world testbed for agentic commerce,” Mastercard Nation Supervisor for Thailand and Myanmar Winnie Wong stated. “By way of this collaboration with Krungthai Card (KTC), Mastercard’s first accomplice in Thailand to check agentic AI transactions, consumer-authorized AI brokers may help make journey experiences extra seamless, whereas embedding belief, authentication, and safety straight into funds.”
KTC is a serious Thai monetary companies supplier that focuses on bank cards, private loans, and different fee companies. Based in 1996, the corporate is headquartered in Bangkok.
Smart Secures Licenses for Pockets and Card Companies in Thailand
Worldwide cash switch innovator Smart (previously TransferWise) has obtained 5 licenses that may allow the agency to supply banking and monetary companies in Thailand. The UK-based firm is the primary non-bank to safe 5 licenses within the nation: an digital cash service license, an digital fund switch license, a certified cash switch agent license, a certified digital cash enterprise operator license (often known as an FX e-Cash License), and a overseas enterprise license.
These licenses replicate the comparatively complicated nature of Thailand as a marketplace for worldwide funds. Nonetheless, the hassle is prone to show worthwhile. Thailand probably the most internationally linked economies in Southeast Asia, and the APAC area is an particularly vital one for Smart, accounting for 20% of the fintech’s world income.
“Thailand’s cross-border funds market has lengthy been dominated by conventional banks, and Smart is bringing a sooner, extra clear various,” Smart Head of Banking and Enlargement for APAC SK Saraogi stated. “With these licenses, prospects will quickly be capable of handle cash seamlessly whether or not they’re sending it overseas or utilizing it domestically. Past Thailand, we see sturdy demand for our merchandise throughout APAC and can proceed to extend our regulatory footprint to deliver our merchandise to much more prospects.”
A Finovate alum since 2013, Smart is a global fintech specializing in world cash motion and administration. Launched in 2011 as “TransferWise” by Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus and headquartered within the UK, Smart supported greater than 15 million people and companies with its fund switch companies in fiscal 2025. The corporate processes £9 billion in cross-border transactions each month, saving prospects round £1.5 billion a yr.
Right here is our have a look at fintech innovation around the globe.
Asia-Pacific
Mastercard accomplished a pilot challenge that delivered the primary authenticated agentic transaction in Thailand with Krungthai Card Public Firm Restricted.
Australian Funds Plus agreed to promote its funds app Beem to Bolt Group.
StraitsX and KBank established real-time funds between Singapore and Thailand.
Sub-Saharan Africa
African fintech Moniepoint acquired Sumac Microfinance Financial institution, accelerating its entry into the Kenyan market.
Paytech Flutterwave introduced plans to determine a regional hub in Anambra, within the southeast a part of Nigeria, to assist goal small companies.
The Fintech Occasions reviewed Ghana’s fintech ecosystem.
Central and Jap Europe
Polish fintech ZEN.COM launched in Ukraine.
Fintech analyst Chris Skinner took a have a look at the “State of Fintech in Germany.”
Latvia introduced a brand new kind of banking license in a bid to encourage new market entrants.
Center East and Northern Africa
Central and Southern Asia
Indian lending platform KreditBee achieved a valuation of $1.5 billion after elevating $280 million in new funding.
A merger between CityPay and Chhito Paisa is predicted to bolster Nepal’s fintech sector.
Glaas, an India-based embedded credit score infrastructure firm, raised $5 million in funding from Devesh Sachdev, who joined the corporate as co-founder and managing director.
Latin America and the Caribbean
Stablecoin issuer and infrastructure firm Balboa Company launched in Panama.
Mexican retail financial institution BanCoppel introduced a partnership with fee options supplier BPC.
TikTok has utilized for EMI and credit score licenses in Brazil.
Picture by DUYTRG TRUONG
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