The Fintech-Corporate Matchmaker? Inside PayNet Fintech Hub

Innovation is risky for banks, and traction is expensive for startups. Launched in May 2025, the PayNet Fintech Hub aims to solve this deadlock by acting as the "bridge" between Corporate Malaysia and innovation. BFM speaks with Gary Yeoh (PayNet) and Joshua Lim (Buzz) to explore how this ecosyste…

Grok, Bikinis, and Malaysia's Online Safety Act 2025

The timing couldn't have been more scripted. Just as the Online Safety Act (ONSA) 2025 came into force on January 1st, the AI chatbot Grok sparked a controversy by generating inappropriate content, prompting action from Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). Lawyers Ong Johns…

Cautious Optimism: What Malaysians Really Expect from 2026

It’s a new year, and optimism is starting to creep back in. On this episode of Enterprise Explores, we examine Ipsos Malaysia’s 2026 Predictions report to understand how Malaysians are feeling about the year ahead and what that means for businesses. From confidence in the economy and attitude…

When China Sneezes: The Slowdown Spillover Across APAC

2026 presents a landscape of mixed signals for Asia-Pacific: US tariffs are at their highest levels since the 1930s (effective rate of 13.6%), and China’s growth is projected to slow to 4.1%. Yet, Fitch Ratings has maintained a Neutral outlook for the sector. Thomas Rookmaaker, Head of APAC Sove…

Suing Trump’s White House: Has Costco Cracked the Code?

In late November, Costco filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the “Liberation Day tariffs", and the White House remained surprisingly silent. BFM speaks with Bryan DeAngelis of Penta Group to decode this "quiet rebellion." Corporate America is finally "unbending the knee," but t…

Lock In or Lose Out? The Looming Office Supply Crunch

The "buy and wait" era is over. According to Knight Frank Malaysia, 2026 marks a shift toward "value hunting amid volatility." Amy Wong, Executive Director of Research & Consultancy at Knight Frank Malaysia, joins BFM to decode the 2026 outlook.  With office supply set to drop by 11% this year a…

Internal Audit, "Stop Hiding Behind Independence"

According to the Risk in Focus 2026 report, organisations in Southeast Asia correctly rank cybersecurity, business resilience, and digital disruption as their top priorities. Yet, with cybercrime losses in Malaysia crossing RM1 billion, there is a glaring gap between risk awareness and real-world p…

Temasek’s VC Pivot: An Opportunity or Warning for Malaysia?

2025 was a year of "stark contrast" for Malaysia’s private capital markets. While institutional commitments from GLICs like Jelawang Capital, Khazanah, and KWAP signaled continued government support, regional confidence faced significant headwinds. The eFishery scandal cast a long shadow over gover…

From Digital Banks to Crypto: Fintech to Watch in 2026

For years, the Malaysian fintech story was about anticipation, waiting for digital bank licenses, waiting for regulation, and waiting for mass adoption. According to the Malaysia Fintech Report 2025, the wait is over. Vincent Fong, Chief Editor of Fintech News Malaysia, joins BFM to review a yea…

Beyond SME Survival: Using AI & Branding to Thrive in 2026

For Malaysian SMEs, 2025 was a defensive year, graded a modest C+ (or B-) by SAMENTA. It was a year defined by uneven recovery, compliance shocks (from e-Invoicing to SST hikes), and the "Second China Shock" squeezing local businesses. For 2026, Datuk William Ng, National President of SAMENTA, o…