• Hyundai Motor Group highlighted hydrogen’s role in decarbonization and energy resilience during two high-level dialogues at the 16^th Clean Energy Ministerial
• The Group presented its comprehensive hydrogen business strategy, emphasizing the need for public-private collaboration to accelerate the energy transition
• At CEM16 and the APEC Clean Energy Summit, the Group provided a fleet of 32 units of the all-new NEXO FCEV as official vehicles for ministerial-level officials

BUSAN, South Korea, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) demonstrated its global hydrogen leadership at the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM16), reinforcing the Group’s commitment to advancing hydrogen innovation on an international stage.

During CEM16, the Group actively participated in two high-level dialogues, sharing perspectives on industrial decarbonization, energy efficiency and the role of hydrogen as a future energy source. By engaging with global leaders, the Group showcased its expanding hydrogen business and encouraged meaningful policy and industry collaboration.

Ken Ramirez, Head of Energy & Hydrogen Business Division at Hyundai Motor Group, presented the Group’s comprehensive hydrogen business strategy, emphasizing the need for public-private collaboration to accelerate the energy transition.

In particular, Ramirez outlined the Group’s initiatives to:

• Advance industrial decarbonization through hydrogen-powered mobility and industrial applications.
• Promote energy efficiency across the entire value chain.
• Highlight hydrogen’s critical role in reshaping the global energy mix and enabling a sustainable future.

“As an efficient energy carrier, hydrogen plays a central role in enhancing energy resilience and driving industrial innovation,” said Ramirez. “Hyundai Motor Group is capitalizing on our broad expertise and proven heritage in hydrogen of nearly three decades to deliver real-world hydrogen-powered solutions at scale through our HTWO brand and platform. We are committed to a decarbonized society and to building a hydrogen ecosystem that drives sustainability and competitiveness.”

At the ‘High-Level Dialogue on Industry Decarbonization and Energy Efficiency,’ the Group highlighted the advancement of low-carbon industries through international cooperation. The dialogue underlined the need for practical, scalable public-private initiatives and comprehensive value chain engagement to build a robust hydrogen ecosystem and enhance industrial competitiveness.

In the next session, ‘High-Level Dialogue on Future Fuel,’ the Group focused on advancing hydrogen as a key energy carrier and strengthening the ecosystem through infrastructure and upstream innovation. The Group also stressed the need for hydrogen certification and standardization frameworks, urging greater international cooperation in infrastructure, investment and policy.

Supporting both CEM16 and the APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting on August 27–28, the Group provided a fleet of 32 all-new NEXO SUVs as official transport for ministerial-level officials—the first time FCEVs have served as state vehicles at a major international event. The fleet featured custom branding and included English-language brochures on the NEXO vehicle, HTWO hydrogen brand and hydrogen fuel cell business solutions.

– End –

About Hyundai Motor Group

More information about Hyundai Motor Group can be found at: http://www.hyundaimotorgroup.com or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai, Kia Global Media Center (kianewscenter.com), Genesis Newsroom

SINGAPORE, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Tazapay, a leading global cross-border payments infrastructure platform, today announced the successful close of its Series B funding round with investment from Peak XV Partners, Ripple (US), Circle Ventures, Norinchukin Capital (Japan), and GMO VenturePartners (Japan). Existing investor Peak XV Partners led the round and 2 other existing investors January Capital and ARC180 joined the round.

The founding team at Tazapay, which has raised Series B funding to build the next generation of cross-border payments infrastructure.

Tazapay provides seamless local collection and payout capabilities in over 70 markets, supporting a growing base of global enterprises and platforms across industries. Tazapay processes more than $10 billion in annualized payment volume, has reached operational breakeven, and is growing at 300% year-over-year.

Tazapay has a differentiated and cutting-edge product offering that our clients value for its breadth and depth. The platform delivers comprehensive coverage across alternative payment methods, cards, virtual bank accounts ,payouts and stablecoins. Combined with institutional-grade security and compliance across multiple jurisdictions, and a robust fiat bridge for stablecoin settlements in emerging markets, Tazapay offers an unparalleled solution for global businesses.

The company is already licensed in Singapore, Canada, and the EU, and will use the new funding to accelerate its licensing roadmap across key global markets. Applications are underway for licenses in the UAE, US, Hong Kong, Australia, and for a Digital Payment Token (DPT) license in Singapore.

“We’re entering the next chapter of our journey — one where modern payment technologies, regulatory compliance, and partnerships with global leaders will enable the future of cross-border commerce,” said Rahul Shinghal, Co-founder and CEO of Tazapay. “With this round, we are not just capitalizing the business; we are investing in our long-term vision to become the builder of a global payment collection and payout infrastructure built on modern rails. One of the key use cases this infrastructure serves is being the Fiat bridge for stablecoins in emerging markets.”

The investments from Ripple and Circle, two of the world’s most prominent players in blockchain-based and stablecoin-powered payments infrastructure, reinforce Tazapay’s role in connecting traditional finance with the evolving world of digital currencies. Tazapay today has one of the widest Fiat collections network in emerging markets and these partnerships help it supercharge the network.

The future of global payments depends on the seamless convergence of traditional and digital finance. Tazapay is a clear leader in building these essential, compliant last-mile connections, especially in emerging markets,” said Eric Jeck, SVP Corporate and Business Development at Ripple. “We’re proud to invest in Tazapay in this next phase of their growth, and together provide best-in-class payment solutions in key regions such as APAC.

The investments from GMO VenturePartners and Norinchukin Capital will accelerate Tazapay’s expansion into Japan. Leveraging these partnerships, Tazapay will enable local Japanese payment methods for its global customer base and establish a dedicated sales team in Japan to help Japanese enterprises scale internationally.

Tazapay’s infrastructure supports high-trust, regulated cross-border payment solutions for B2B marketplaces, platforms, and fintechs. The company plans to further invest in modern payment rails such as real-time payments (RTP), ACH, and stablecoins, delivering a future-ready payment experience for global businesses.

With strong institutional backing, deep fintech expertise, and a clear regulatory path, Tazapay is set to lead the transformation of cross-border payments — bridging the gap between traditional banking and the next era of compliant, borderless digital finance.

Photo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/tazapay.jpg
Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/tazapay_logo.jpg

Indonesia’s Amartha rebrands as Amartha Financial Group, launching digital financial services to transform the rural economy in 50,000 villages and beyond with the backing of global investors.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Amartha, Indonesia’s pioneering platform for grassroots entrepreneurs, today announced its transformation into Amartha Financial Group after securing a digital wallet license from Bank Indonesia. This milestone marks a new chapter in Amartha’s mission to unlock the potential of Indonesia’s grassroots economy through digital technology.

Now, as Amartha Financial, the company is expanding beyond microloans into digital payments, micro-investments, and other tech-enabled financial services, delivering a complete suite of services, effectively delivering financial infrastructure for Indonesia’s rural economy, which employs over 40 million informal workers according to Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency.

“Our vision is to catalyze the sleeping potential of Indonesia’s rural economy,” said Andi Taufan Garuda Putra, Founder & CEO of Amartha. “By combining digital technology with deep human understanding, we are committed to scale impact for the grassroots, supporting millions of grassroots users to grow income, build assets, and take charge of their future.”

Bank Indonesia Head of Financial Inclusion and Green Economy Department, Anastuty Kusumowardhani, said, “Bank Indonesia will continuously support efforts toward nationwide financial inclusion through policy measures and the implementation of financial inclusion education programs targeting strategic groups, including women.”

Founded in 2010, Amartha has consistently explored how technology can drive rural financial inclusion. Over the past 15 years, it has successfully channeled loans to more than 3.3 million women-led microbusinesses across 50,000 villages, building long-lasting trust.

Amartha Financial’s new services are designed to create a virtuous cycle: entrepreneurs can borrow to start small businesses and generate income, conduct micro-investments to accumulate personal assets, and make digital payments to reduce expenses. This integrated model improves productivity, lowers transaction costs, and strengthens resilience at both household and community levels.

Nailul Huda, Director of Digital Economy at the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), said, “Data shows that around 81% of Indonesians still lack full access to formal financial services. This indicates that financial inclusion remains very low, particularly in rural areas. According to OJK, financial inclusion in rural communities continues to lag behind their urban counterparts. Leveraging a deep understanding of rural behavior and needs, there is a pressing need for innovation in rural financial services, including Amartha’s initiatives. Amartha’s transformation can help advance financial inclusion in rural areas, particularly at the grassroots level, thereby significantly boosting regional economic growth.”

At the heart of Amartha’s evolution is its AI-powered credit scoring system, tailored for rural borrowers but built on over a decade of community-level data. This combination of high-tech and high-touch underscores Amartha’s commitment to pioneering a path that few others have attempted: transforming rural economies through technology designed with and for the grassroots.

By contrast, the Indonesian Fintech Association (AFTECH) 2024 survey reported that the majority of its members, at 96%, focused only on big cities in Java, overlooking Indonesia’s more than 100-million strong rural population.

This approach has proved highly attractive to global funders, ranging from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Accion Digital Transformation Fund, Women’s World Banking, and multiple European sovereign funds.

“Global investors are drawn not only to our unique approach, but also to our governance standards, including internationally certified borrower protection practices,” said Amartha CFO Ramdhan Anggakaradibrata. He further noted that the company has been profitable since 2021.

Njord Andrewes, Managing Partner at Accion Digital Transformation, said, “We are proud to support Amartha’s expansion of responsible financial services for grassroots entrepreneurs. This represents a valuable model of how technology can help drive rural economic growth: creating shared prosperity through digital financial tools that are accessible, trusted, and transformative.”

About Amartha Financial

Amartha Financial (PT Amartha Financial Group and subsidiaries) provides full service financial digital services tailored for rural grassroots users in Indonesia, including payments, micro-investments, working capital, and AI-powered credit scoring designed for bottom-of-the-pyramid borrowers.

Since 2010, Amartha Financial has served more than 3.3 million women-led entrepreneurs across 50,000 villages. Its mission is to create inclusive and sustainable prosperity for the grassroots.

For more information, visit www.amartha.com.

SINGAPORE, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Tazapay, a leading global cross-border payments infrastructure platform, today announced the successful close of its Series B funding round with investment from Peak XV Partners, Ripple (US), Circle Ventures, Norinchukin Capital (Japan), and GMO VenturePartners (Japan). Existing investor Peak XV Partners led the round and 2 other existing investors January Capital and ARC180 joined the round.

The founding team at Tazapay, which has raised Series B funding to build the next generation of cross-border payments infrastructure.

Tazapay provides seamless local collection and payout capabilities in over 70 markets, supporting a growing base of global enterprises and platforms across industries. Tazapay processes more than $10 billion in annualized payment volume, has reached operational breakeven, and is growing at 300% year-over-year.

Tazapay has a differentiated and cutting-edge product offering that our clients value for its breadth and depth. The platform delivers comprehensive coverage across alternative payment methods, cards, virtual bank accounts ,payouts and stablecoins. Combined with institutional-grade security and compliance across multiple jurisdictions, and a robust fiat bridge for stablecoin settlements in emerging markets, Tazapay offers an unparalleled solution for global businesses.

The company is already licensed in Singapore, Canada, and the EU, and will use the new funding to accelerate its licensing roadmap across key global markets. Applications are underway for licenses in the UAE, US, Hong Kong, Australia, and for a Digital Payment Token (DPT) license in Singapore.

“We’re entering the next chapter of our journey — one where modern payment technologies, regulatory compliance, and partnerships with global leaders will enable the future of cross-border commerce,” said Rahul Shinghal, Co-founder and CEO of Tazapay. “With this round, we are not just capitalizing the business; we are investing in our long-term vision to become the builder of a global payment collection and payout infrastructure built on modern rails. One of the key use cases this infrastructure serves is being the Fiat bridge for stablecoins in emerging markets.”

The investments from Ripple and Circle, two of the world’s most prominent players in blockchain-based and stablecoin-powered payments infrastructure, reinforce Tazapay’s role in connecting traditional finance with the evolving world of digital currencies. Tazapay today has one of the widest Fiat collections network in emerging markets and these partnerships help it supercharge the network.

The future of global payments depends on the seamless convergence of traditional and digital finance. Tazapay is a clear leader in building these essential, compliant last-mile connections, especially in emerging markets,” said Eric Jeck, SVP Corporate and Business Development at Ripple. “We’re proud to invest in Tazapay in this next phase of their growth, and together provide best-in-class payment solutions in key regions such as APAC.

The investments from GMO VenturePartners and Norinchukin Capital will accelerate Tazapay’s expansion into Japan. Leveraging these partnerships, Tazapay will enable local Japanese payment methods for its global customer base and establish a dedicated sales team in Japan to help Japanese enterprises scale internationally.

Tazapay’s infrastructure supports high-trust, regulated cross-border payment solutions for B2B marketplaces, platforms, and fintechs. The company plans to further invest in modern payment rails such as real-time payments (RTP), ACH, and stablecoins, delivering a future-ready payment experience for global businesses.

With strong institutional backing, deep fintech expertise, and a clear regulatory path, Tazapay is set to lead the transformation of cross-border payments — bridging the gap between traditional banking and the next era of compliant, borderless digital finance.

Company to present MediAI solution suite and strengthen partnerships for expansion across Southeast and East Asia

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Crescom, a leader in AI-powered musculoskeletal (MSK) image analysis software, announced its participation in the 26th Asian Musculoskeletal Society (AMS) Annual Meeting which takes place from August 29 through 31 at Singapore EXPO.

At the event, Crescom will host an exhibition booth to showcase its AI solution suite and engage directly with healthcare professionals across the region. The company aims to leverage the conference to expand its global network and accelerate entry into Southeast Asian and East Asian markets.

Crescom’s solutions already in clinical use include:

• MediAI-BA, an AI-based bone age and growth prediction solution, currently being utilized by over 400 hospitals and clinics
• MediAI-OA, a quantitative knee osteoarthritis assessment solution that improves diagnostic accuracy, adopted by South Korea’s Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA).
• MediAI-FX, the world’s first AI solution capable of detecting scaphoid fractures on plain radiographs, setting a new benchmark in fracture detection.

The company is also expanding its portfolio with other AI solutions in the pipeline including ankylosing spondylitis, skeletal geometry, and scoliosis, with an aim to solidify its standing as a global leader in musculoskeletal AI.

The AMS Annual Meeting, held jointly with SGCR-WIRES 2025, is one of Asia’s largest international conferences, spotlighting the latest advancements in musculoskeletal imaging and medical AI.

“AMS is a key gathering for the global MSK community,” said Lee Jae Joon, CEO of Crescom. “We see this as an opportunity to strengthen partnerships with hospitals and explore collaborations that will drive our growth across Southeast and East Asia.”

SINGAPORE, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Digital travel platform Agoda is calling on all nature enthusiasts to flock to some of Asia’s most enchanting birdwatching destinations. From seasoned birders to those new to the experience, travelers can enjoy a dual reward: the excitement of the spot and the chance to immerse themselves in spectacular landscapes.

As slow travel vacations grow in popularity, birdwatching provides a peaceful escape and a unique connection with nature, making it a compelling reason to travel. Asia is home to some of the world’s premier birdwatching locations, making it a must-visit region for enthusiasts seeking remarkable avian encounters.

Here’s Agoda’s curated list of 6 destinations in Asia where travelers can spread their wings:

1. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, India
   Known as a birdwatcher’s paradise, Keoladeo National Park is a vast bird sanctuary that’s home to over 370 species of birds. Travelers can spot the majestic Sarus Crane and the vibrant Painted Stork amidst the park’s wetlands. Beyond birdwatching, the park lies close to several heritage landmarks that are well worth exploring, including the Lohagarh Fort, and the Bharatpur Palace & Museum.
2. Amami Oshima, Kagoshima, Japan
   This subtropical island is a haven for birdwatchers, offering sightings of the rare Amami Thrush and Lidth’s Jay. The lush forests provide a stunning backdrop for birdwatching adventures, while its pristine beaches, crystal clear waters and coral reefs make it one of Japan’s most popular destinations for snorkeling and scuba-diving.
3. Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia
   Tangkoko Nature Reserve is a conservation area renowned for its dense forests, volcanic landscapes, and diverse birdlife, including the endemic Sulawesi Hornbill and the Knobbed Hornbill. The reserve also protects critically endangered primates like the Crested Black Macaque and the Spectral Tarsier. To further explore its diverse ecosystems, travelers can take a guided walk or a mangrove boat tour to observe other rare species that inhabit the coastal areas.
4. Khao Sok National Park, Surat Thani, Thailand
   With its ancient rainforests and towering limestone cliffs, Khao Sok is a birdwatcher’s dream. The park is home to over 300 species of birds, including the rare and widely admired Great Hornbill and the colorful Blue-winged Pitta. Beyond birdwatching, travelers can also enjoy jungle trekking and canoeing in this breathtaking natural wonder.
5. Suncheon Bay, Jeollanam-do, Korea
   Suncheon Bay, one of Korea’s most scenic coastal wetlands, attracts thousands of migratory birds each year. Its sweeping reed fields and serene landscapes make it a birdwatcher’s haven, home to endangered species like the Hooded Crane. After exploring the wetlands, visitors can also enjoy the nearby Suncheon Bay National Garden.
6. Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Cebu, Philippines
   This sanctuary is a critical stopover for migratory birds, offering sightings of the Chinese Egret and the Black-tailed Godwit. The island’s mangroves and tidal flats provide travelers an unparalleled birdwatching experience in their natural habitats. After a day of exciting bird sightings, travelers can also enjoy the island’s tranquil beaches and vibrant marine life.

Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply at Agoda shared, “There’s something magical about birdwatching: it’s like a treasure hunt in nature. Asia is home to some of the world’s most incredible birdwatching spots, and Agoda is thrilled to help travelers explore these destinations with great deals on accommodations, flights, and activities.”

For those eager to embark on a birdwatching adventure, Agoda offers a wide range of accommodations and travel options to these picturesque destinations. With over 6 million holiday properties, 130,000 flight routes, and 300,000 activities available, travelers can easily plan their next getaway. Visit Agoda.com/deals or download the Agoda mobile app for the best deals.