Key trends include: 

• Cross-border Payments – New Avenues for Cost Efficiency and Reach: Partnerships like SCB X Thunes are leading the charge in making instant global transfers not only accessible but also affordable. By offering fee-free transfers across 26 countries in 17 currencies, this move unlocks new opportunities for SMEs and freelancers operating in the international market. The ease of cross-border transactions is pushing Southeast Asia to the forefront of global remittance networks, making it an attractive hub for businesses with international aspirations.
• Digital Infrastructure as a Key Growth Enabler for Superapps: The GoTo–Tencent partnership emphasizes the critical role of cloud infrastructure in powering Southeast Asia’s fast-growing superapp ecosystems. Tencent’s Platform-as-a-Service solutions enable GoTo to enhance its digital services and optimize operations for millions of users. This showcases how scalable, high-performance cloud platforms are essential to staying competitive and supporting vast user ecosystems.
• Crypto and Digital Currency Adoption for Everyday Payments: Partnerships like Visa X dtcpay and Alchemy Pay X Google Pay are highlighting the growing trend of integrating crypto with everyday transactions. This signals a larger movement toward making digital currencies accessible and practical for consumers, especially in affluent segments or tech-savvy populations. As crypto usage grows in Southeast Asia, businesses in this space can capitalize by focusing on real-time conversion solutions that remove friction from digital currency transactions.