Fintech
Standard Chartered and Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism sign Cooperation Agreement to promote business opportunities between Hong Kong and Dubai

Standard Chartered announced the signing of a Cooperation Agreement with Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism to jointly promote business growth and development opportunities between Hong Kong and Dubai.
The Agreement was signed by Mary Huen, Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong, Standard Chartered, and Hadi Badri, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Economic Development Corporation, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
According to the Agreement, Standard Chartered Hong Kong and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism will deepen cooperation on a range of strategic areas between Hong Kong and Dubai, including:
- promoting the growth of capital market activities, family offices, asset management, fintech and virtual asset industries;
- developing innovative sustainable and green financing solutions;
- developing innovative solutions to support trade and commodity financing for imports, exports and re-exports; and
- promoting incubation and development of start-ups and new technology-based service providers that develop cutting edge technology-based solutions for banking, financial, investment and capital market transactions.
Standard Chartered and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism will also set up a joint working group to discuss about how to achieve these objectives.
Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered, UAE, said: “In this era of global connectivity, our partnership with the Dubai Economic Development Corporation marks a significant milestone for us. We are committed to facilitating seamless banking services to organisations and investors within the UAE-Hong Kong corridor. This Memorandum of Understanding not only fosters trade and liquidity but also underscores our dedication to promoting sustainable finance while leveraging our extensive global network to connect businesses and individuals across both sides of the corridor to opportunities worldwide.”
Hadi Badri, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Economic Development Corporation, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism added: “By joining forces with partners like Standard Chartered we aim to create cross-border platforms to accelerate opportunities for trade and innovation exchange across the fastest growing economies in the world. Building on Dubai’s position as a gateway to the wider Middle East, Africa and beyond; the agreement gives companies from across Asia access to a wealth of resources and expertise to reinforce their expansion and growth plans. We look forward to working closely with our partners at Standard Chartered to help their clients and customers set up successful operations in Dubai.”
To share insights on how global businesses can capture the opportunities arising from the increasing connectivity between China and the Middle East, Standard Chartered held a panel discussion at the Belt and Road Summit organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (“HKTDC”). Speakers included Hadi Badri, CEO, Dubai Economic Development Corporation, DET, Benjamin Hung, CEO, Asia, Standard Chartered, Dr Patrick Lau, Deputy Executive Director, HKTDC, H.E. Hussain Mohammed Al Mahmoudi, CEO, Sharjah Research Technology & Innovation Park, Rola Abu Manneh, CEO, UAE, Standard Chartered, and Karen Ng, Head, China Opening & RMB Internationalisation, Standard Chartered. Around 200 business and finance leaders joined the event and witnessed the exchange of the Agreement by Mary Huen and Hadi Badri.
Standard Chartered
We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 53 of the world’s most dynamic markets and serving clients in a further 64. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.
Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.
The history of Standard Chartered in Hong Kong dates back to 1859. It is currently one of the Hong Kong SAR’s three note-issuing banks. Standard Chartered incorporated its Hong Kong business on 1 July 2004, and now operates as a licensed bank in Hong Kong under the name of Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Chartered PLC.
For more stories and expert opinions please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism is the principal authority for the planning, supervision, development and marketing of Dubai’s key economic sectors. The department is responsible for the full spectrum of services from economic development, licensing and classification to marketing and promotion of the key economic sectors. Through collaboration and partnership with both public and private sector entities, the department promotes Dubai’s vision and develops strategies to attract tourists, talent and inward investment.
Fintech
Stockify goes fully Digital, offers Mutual Funds and Dematerialization of shares

In a strategic move to expand its offerings and provide a comprehensive suite of financial services, Stockify, a leading platform for Unlisted and pre-IPO shares in India, has announced plans to venture into the Mutual Fund space.
This development comes as part of Stockify’s mission to assist High-Net Individuals (HNIs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in accessing various investment opportunities in India via the pre-IPO route and maximizing their wealth. The company is also set to facilitate the Dematerialization of Shares. (Conversion of Physical Share to DEMAT account.)
Founded by Piyush Jhunjhunwala (CA, CPA) and Co-Founded by Rahul Khatuwala (CA) both seasoned finance professionals with decades of experience in global conglomerates.
Stockify has already carved a niche for itself in the Indian Financial landscape. The platform primarily focuses on providing access to Blue-Chip Stocks before their listing on the Indian Stock Market (via the Pre IPO Route) enabling early investors to potentially achieve significant returns. While expressing the company’s intent behind expanding its services, Jhunjhunwala said, “Mutual Funds are the backbone of the Indian Equity market, and we believe it is important that NRI and retail investors in India can greatly benefit from our new offering and this will help them in creating long-term wealth.”
The recent announcement of Stockify entering the Mutual Funds market follows the company’s successful acquisition of a Mutual Fund license in the first quarter of 2023. Alongside Mutual Funds, Stockify intends to offer an array of other financial products, like Start-up Funding, fixed investment products like Bonds and Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) and Insurance-Linked Investments, in the coming months. Notably, Stockify plans to make all its products and services 100% accessible online, aligning with the Digital India vision of our beloved Prime Minster Mr. Narendra Modi.
Currently, Stockify boasts 70 Unlisted/pre-IPO companies on its platform, with in-depth research conducted on all of them as stated by Jhunjhunwala. It offers a simple online process where transactions can be completed online, and shares get transferred to the clients DEMAT account on the same day.
Stockify’s global presence was recently showcased at the Dubai Fintech Summit (DFS). The two-day event brought together over 5,000 C-suite leaders, 1,000-plus investors, and 150 speakers from around the world. Stockify was selected as one of the proud exhibitors at the summit, solidifying its position as one of the world’s largest providers of pre-IPO and Unlisted Stocks in India.
With its ambitious expansion plans and commitment to innovation, Stockify is set to continue revolutionizing the way investors access and engage with financial opportunities in India and beyond.
Fintech
VerifyVASP Wins Hong Kong’s IFTA Fintech and Innovation Awards 2022/23: Regulatory Technology Award

VerifyVASP was awarded the Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia (IFTA) Fintech and Innovation Awards 2022/23 for Regulatory Technology. The awards exhibit the extraordinary achievements made by companies and individuals in the finance and technology industries.
The IFTA Awards, themed “Game Changers: The Rise of Next Gen Fintech”, celebrates ground-breaking ideas and technologies that are shaping the future of finance. The distinguished Guest of Honour presenting the IFTA awards was the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury for Financial Services in the Hong Kong SAR, Mr. Joseph Ho-Lim Chan.
VerifyVASP has established itself as a comprehensive Travel Rule solution provider catering to Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASPs) worldwide. Its commitment to facilitating full compliance with Travel Rule regulations across multiple jurisdictions has earned it this prestigious recognition.
This accolade comes at an opportune time, as VerifyVASP supports the Hong Kong Virtual Asset Trading Platforms (VATPs) in adhering to the regulatory framework set forth by the Hong Kong Securities & Futures Commission, which came into effect on 1 June 2023. VATPs are granted a grace period till 1 January 2024 to ensure compliance with Travel Rule requirements.
The IFTA Fintech and Innovation Award underscores VerifyVASP’s capabilities, including:
- Facilitation of counterparty due diligence: VerifyVASP assists VASPs in counterparty due diligence before the first transaction, to stringent standards akin to that observed in correspondent banking. This is achieved through VerifyVASP’s own rigorous due diligence process, encompassing over 100 VASPs.
- Immediate and secure transmission: Leveraging a scalable architecture, VerifyVASP ensures immediate and secure transmission of required information, alongside verification of such information. To date, the platform has processed over 5 million transfers.
- Adherence to international data protection laws: VerifyVASP complies with international data protection law thanks to its decentralised, end to end encrypted architecture. This dedication to data security and privacy sets it apart in the industry.
- Asset agnostic: VerifyVASP’s capabilities extend to accommodating any type of virtual asset, having processed over 400 cryptocurrency variants on its platform.
- Integration of third-party screening solutions: VerifyVASP seamlessly integrates third-party solutions, allowing for efficient screening of originators or beneficiaries before blockchain transactions.
SOURCE VerifyVASP Pte Ltd
Fintech
Nagad’s Digital Bank on cards, Sadaf to lead the side

Nagad, Bangladesh’s leading Mobile Financial Service (MFS) provider, is gearing up to establish the much-anticipated digital bank, as it is going to secure a licence from the Bangladesh Bank within a couple of months.
Sadaf Roksana, a co-founder and executive director of Nagad Ltd., has been entrusted with the responsibility of leading her company’s transformative venture that will bring greater convenience to the lives of millions of Bangladeshis, reducing their reliance on traditional brick-and-mortar banks.
The MFS provider earlier applied to secure a digital bank licence following the central bank’s call for applications through its website. The Bangladesh Bank also formulated necessary guidelines to widen and accelerate financial inclusion, which will also create jobs for young IT workers.
The world’s fastest mobile money carrier is going to venture into the digital banking era at a time when the financial landscape across the globe is fast evolving towards digitalisation, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer preferences.
Taking on the new assignment, Sadaf, a seasoned financial executive with a remarkable track record in the fintech industry, is poised to steer Nagad’s digital bank towards success. Once Nagad gets the digital bank licence, it will provide its consumers with innovative and convenient banking solutions.
“We are very excited that we are going to introduce digital banking services to the people of Bangladesh within a couple of months,” Sadaf said, adding, “This endeavour aligns perfectly with our vision of enhancing financial inclusion and ensuring easy access to all financial services also at affordable prices.”
Nagad is already well-equipped to launch a digital bank. It will start serving customers soon after getting the licence, Sadaf assured.
Under its digital banking platform, Nagad will introduce many new services, such as single-digit and collateral-free loans for small informal businesses and farmers who now are to take loans from moneylenders even at 40% interest rate per day, she pointed out.
“Thus, we will encourage them to come under financial inclusion, thus putting their money into the formal channel,” she expressed her optimism.
To assess one’s creditworthiness, Nagad has created an AI-based credit rating system that will analyse all transactions-related data available on public domains using one’s NID and mobile number, Sadaf Roksana added.
As Nagad goes ahead with its plans, all eyes will be on Sadaf Roksana and her team as they will embark on this exciting journey towards a more digitised and inclusive financial future for the country.
SOURCE Nagad Limited
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