60/40 Podcast: Unpacking Chocolate Finance, Manus AI, and more

In this episode of the 60/40 Podcast, the co-hosts dive deep into the recent drama surrounding Chocolate Finance, a robo-advisory platform (not a bank!) in Singapore.

Prashanth breaks down Chocolate Finance’s product offerings, while Peter and Aleksey discuss the subsequent fallout due to marketing miscalculations and customer trust issues. The conversation also touches on the broader implications for the fintech industry, the role of influencers in shaping customer behavior, and the regulatory landscape.

The gang then talks about the current state of China’s tech scene, including the rise of the Seven Titans and Manus AI, as well as Malaysia’s ambitions in the AI and semiconductor sectors.

Give it a listen and send us feedback or nominate topics at 6040podcast@techinasia.com.

Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the 60/40 Podcast

01:22 The backstory to the Chocolate Finance drama

03:50 Understanding Chocolate Finance’s product

13:10 The challenge of instant liquidity

22:50 Challenges of frequent flyer promotions

28:50 The dangers of “finfluencers” and homogeneous population

36:06 The one thing that Chocolate did wrong

41:51 The rise of China’s Seven Titans and Manus AI