Miguel Cordon · · 4 min readChocolate Finance chases a sweeter 2027
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In focus
- A sweet 2027 in sight for Chocolate Finance as it eyes breakeven
- An ex-ByteDance exec’s next act with Chance AI
- A merger puts a smile on Zenyum’s face
Hello reader,
Apart from allocating funds for rent, groceries, and utilities, I’m a bit lazy in moving money away from my savings accounts. I’m still enjoying the promotional interest rates of digital banks, but I’ll be feeling the heat from inflation once they’re done.
This problem is exactly what Singapore’s Chocolate Finance is targeting. And judging by their latest numbers, it’s working.
Launched in 2024, the company generated US$4.2 million in revenue in its first financial year – a 16-month period ending April 2025. But of course, as Chocolate Finance was just starting, it offered promotional interest rates that helped attract more users.
Since then, the firm has had to trim down its rates to roughly 2% for the first tier of deposits from 4.2% when it launched. While it’s still better than a base bank account, the gap is closing. The firm will also have to contend with digital competitors like Trust Bank, which offers up to 2.5%.
The full article breaks down Chocolate Finance’s runway and its expansion plans into Hong Kong and beyond.
Meanwhile, my colleague Samreen breaks down Chance AI, the new venture of former ByteDance exec Xi Zeng. The company is betting on the future of AI-human interactions being visual, instead of the current talk and type. The company raised US$3 million in its seed round, and a group of US-based investors have backed this first tranche.
It seems like, for this edition, new players are coming out swinging.
Miguel Cordon, journalist
Top Stories
1️⃣ Chocolate Finance eyes 2027 breakeven amid overseas push
Chocolate Finance’s CEO Walter de Oude and brand ambassador Henry Golding (L-R) / Photo credit: Chocolate Finance
Chocolate Finance is looking to break even by 2027. To help it get there, the company is looking to expand across markets like Hong Kong, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.
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