These BNPL players are crushin’ it in Southeast Asia

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TOP STORIES THIS WEEK

1️. Southeast Asia’s biggest buy now, pay later players
There’s much enthusiasm for “buying now and paying later” (BNPL) at the moment, which on some level is just a fancy name for a zero-interest installment plan.

2️. 99.co sees 62% surge in 2020 revenue amid Covid-19 setbacks
The property portal’s revenue grew robustly last year as it leveraged technology to adapt to the changes brought about by the pandemic.

3️. Vietnam’s first unicorn is finally serious about its global gaming ambitions
VNG has long been a big fish in a small pond, but the country’s first billion-dollar startup says it’s now ready for deeper waters.

4. Should Singapore’s e-wallets be threatened by Google Pay?
Is Google Pay just another e-wallet in the mix or could it be something more?

5️. Y Combinator pours $125k in Philippine edtech firm for software developers
Avion School also offers Income Share Agreements, where the program’s participants don’t need to pay for the course until they’re hired by a company.

6️. Malaysia-based Hong Leong Bank launches official store on Shopee Mall
Customers can now open a Hong Leong Bank account without having to visit physical stores.

7. Sources: Traveloka selects JPMorgan for US IPO through SPAC
The Indonesian company has held talks with several SPACs including Bridgetown and Cova.

8️. Sources: Gojek, Tokopedia look to finalize merger deal this month
The two are also considering listing the combined entity in both the US and Indonesia, chasing a valuation between US$35 billion and US$40 billion.

9️. Sources: Grab’s head of wealth management Chandrima Das to step down
Grab acquired Singapore’s robo-advisory startup Bento Investment in February last year, which was founded by Das.

10. Ex-Lazada CEO Pierre Poignant’s firm bags $150m in fundraising
Branded Group claims that its acquired brands have generated a combined US$150 million in gross revenues since its inception in 2020.

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