Robo-advisors claim to bring the world of wealth management to the masses – investment opportunities that were once only enjoyed exclusively by the wealthy. But with many robos advertising low fees, low barriers of entry, and a more personalised investment experience, they can be hard to differentiate.

Spurt in initial coin offerings over the last two years, with start-ups raising millions in minutes, have raised excitement and regulatory attention amidst fear of “bubble” and potential losses. This crowdfunding mechanism is still evolving towards more maturity, transparency and stronger market players.

Yu Jingbo, executive vice president in charge of channel and operation management of China Construction Bank, talks about transforming the functions of bank branches in the future.

Economies of scale, profitability, and developing a comprehensive service proposition remain major challenges in Vietnam’s growing retail banking industry. A long-term sustainable future will depend on how banks execute a right risk-reward balance

While much of the focus for quarterly results at DBS was on profits and non-performing loans, the impact of digitisation on expense reduction was striking and the bank’s plans for the next ten years pave the path towards even greater efficiency.

Most Asia Pacific markets have witnessed a slowdown in unsecured consumer loan growth, as regulations tighten and more alternative lending options are made available to borrowers. To stay relevant, banks are slowly digitising the business while also closely monitoring credit quality.

Michael Gorriz, group chief information officer at Standard Chartered Bank, talks about the necessity of having a universal digital identity (DI) and the role of financial institutions in collecting and protecting customer data.

Samir Gupta, chief executive officer, group consumer banking at CIMB, talks about the key building blocks of success in the digital age and how to build a sustainable regional business

In the face of rising competition, China Merchants Bank's Cloud Mortgage platform brings a different mortgage experience to both borrowers and developers, significantly boosting mortgage processing efficiency.

Asia Pacific markets have seen a shift towards digital banking during the past few years. Nowadays, banks are placing more effort on mobile banking, such as improving security and convenience of their applications and enhance the user experience to drive engagement in the channel.

Retail banks in Hong Kong are capitalising on fintech to innovate their product palate and to reach out to new customers through dedicated digital channels.

Anup Bagchi, executive director and head of retail at ICICI Bank, shares his insights on the digital transformation happening in India as the country transitions from a cash-heavy economy to a cashless one, and his bank’s response to the disruption in the payments system.

Asia Pacific markets have seen a shift towards digital banking during the past few years. Nowadays, banks are placing more effort on mobile banking, such as improving security and convenience of their applications and enhance the user experience to drive engagement in the channel.

Khalid Al Rumaihi, chief executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, believes that learning from more advanced foreign influences will help Bahrain fast track innovation while securing a sound financial system in the country.

Mobile payment apps have continued to proliferate in countries around the world, with Mercedes Pay soon likely to join the more familiar Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. Local apps in Asia, ranging from Paylah! in Singapore to Kakao in South Korea, offer mobile payments as well.