Singaporean SMEs are collectively losing an estimated SGD800 million (US$596 million) annually by keeping idle cash in low-yield bank accounts, reveals a recent survey by wealthtech platform Syfe.

The survey polled 350 SME business owners in Singapore with cash reserves between SGD100,000 and SGD20 million.

The research highlights the difficulties SMEs face in optimising their cash reserves. Nearly half prioritise guaranteed returns (48 per cent) and value liquidity (45 per cent), which often leads them to traditional banking solutions that fail to maximise potential returns.

Vulnerability to economic disruptions

The survey revealed that the average Singaporean SME has fewer than 11 months of cash reserves to sustain operations during periods of poor performance, making them vulnerable to economic disruptions.

Also Read: AI adoption is an area of maturity for SMEs, but they have advantage over big corporations: Aicadium’s Robert Young

Rising interest rates, inflation and operational costs worsen these challenges, while internal issues such as delayed payments and supply chain disruptions further strain cash flow.

Diversified strategies preferred

The findings also indicate that SMEs prefer diversified strategies for cash management, balancing risk and returns. Popular methods include money market funds (43 per cent), standard business bank accounts (43 per cent), and fixed deposits (41 per cent).

Syfe estimates that SMEs could recover significant financial value from their idle cash by leveraging smarter cash management strategies that prioritise competitive returns and high liquidity.

In response to these challenges, Syfe has launched a tailored cash management solution that offers returns of up to 3.5 per cent with no minimum lock-in period, addressing the critical need for guaranteed returns and liquidity. Syfe Earn aims to support a diverse range of businesses, from sole proprietors to mid-sized enterprises across various industries, including consultancy firms, food manufacturers, education providers, churches and property management companies.

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MOGUL has introduced MAIA, a generative AI-powered home search tool designed to address the inefficiencies of the traditional property search process. Built on Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and leveraging the Gemini models, MAIA aims to simplify homebuying by streamlining searches, scheduling viewings, and managing commission structures.

The home search process has long been cumbersome, often requiring buyers to navigate multiple classified portals, interact with numerous agents, and manually coordinate viewing schedules. MAIA automates these aspects, allowing users to conduct geospatial searches, schedule viewings with a single click, and organise their calendars more efficiently.

By reducing these friction points, the platform promises to save time and potentially lower costs, particularly for buyers of Housing & Development Board (HDB) flats.

One of the primary challenges in the property market is the complex commission structure that varies across different property types. In private property transactions, sellers typically pay their representing agents a commission of two per cent or more. If the buyer also engages an agent, the two representatives negotiate a split. In contrast, HDB transactions require both sellers and buyers to pay a one per cent commission to their respective agents.

MAIA eliminates the need for HDB buyers to pay this one per cent commission, offering a clear financial advantage.

Also Read: Lewis Ng replaces Hari V. Krishnan as PropertyGuru CEO

Beyond cost savings, the platform’s geospatial features enhance the search experience. MOGUL has previously pioneered geospatial keyword search, allowing buyers to filter results based on specific amenities and location-based preferences. This capability is now integrated into MAIA, ensuring more precise and efficient property discovery.

Gerald Sim, CEO and co-founder of MOGUL, emphasised the transformative potential of AI in property transactions. “We are on the cusp of a revolution in property buying, much like the travel industry’s evolution from phone bookings to travel agents and AI-powered aggregators. MOGUL aims to be the ultimate homebuying aggregator, similar to how online travel agents (OTAs) have reshaped hotel bookings, and drive Singapore to the global forefront of this exciting transformation.”

The platform’s development stems from close collaboration between MOGUL and Google, ensuring that MAIA is both technologically robust and user-friendly. Vertex AI’s machine learning capabilities and the agentic features of Gemini models contribute to its seamless automation.

MAIA also brings efficiency to scheduling, an area where property transactions often face bottlenecks. Traditional scheduling involves back-and-forth coordination between buyers, sellers, and agents. MAIA centralises this process, allowing users to manage agent contact information, listing addresses, property prices, and viewing dates/times within a single platform.

Despite the ambitious goals for MAIA, Sim remains measured in setting targets for its launch. At a recent event, when asked about specific benchmarks, he stated, “We have our own internal estimates and stretch targets that we would like. But now, we are more focused on getting the message out, letting people know that we have built this.”

MOGUL has been in the commercialisation phase for the past 18 months, following a funding round in 2022 that supported the development of MAIA and other initiatives.

Also Read: EQT completes PropertyGuru acquisition, seeks to strengthen its position in SEA proptech sector

Looking ahead, the company aims to collaborate with buying agents and expand its reach to new launch properties, further refining the home search experience.

MAIA’s strengths lie in its platform-agnostic approach, its ability to save time through automation, and its potential cost savings for HDB buyers. By integrating geospatial search and AI-driven scheduling, the tool streamlines what has traditionally been a fragmented and time-intensive process.

The launch of MAIA by MOGUL reflects a broader trend of digital transformation in real estate, where AI-driven solutions are reshaping how properties are bought and sold. As technology continues to evolve, platforms like MAIA could play a pivotal role in redefining property transactions, making them more efficient and accessible to a wider audience.

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Image Credit: MOGUL

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The market wrap today paints a picture of a global economy wrestling with doubt, as risk sentiment pulls back under the weight of policy ambiguity, tariff jitters, and nagging growth concerns. In the US, the Conference Board Consumer Sentiment index just took its biggest monthly nosedive since 2021, a stark sign that the average American isn’t feeling too rosy about the future.

You can almost hear the collective sigh as wallets snap shut, and that unease has trickled straight into market expectations. Fed funds futures are now pricing in 2.3 rate cuts of 25 basis points by December 2025, up from 1.5 just a week ago—a clear signal that investors think the Federal Reserve might need to play firefighter to a smouldering economy.

The equity markets are reflecting that same anxiety. The MSCI US index dropped 0.5 per cent, with Communication Services, Info Tech, and Energy sectors each shedding 1.5 per cent. Nvidia’s 2.7 per cent stumble ahead of its earnings report stands out—investors are on edge, wondering if the AI chip giant can keep delivering the magic that’s fuelled its meteoric rise.

Over in the bond market, there’s a palpable shift to safety. The 10-year US Treasury yield hit its lowest point since December, sliding nearly 10 basis points to 4.29 per cent, while the 2-year yield dipped over 6 basis points to 4.09 per cent. This tightening spread screams caution, as does the US Dollar Index slipping 0.3 per cent to 106.30 and gold retreating to a weekly low. Even Brent crude, down 2.4 per cent to its weakest close of 2025, is flashing red on demand fears. It’s a classic risk-off moment—money’s flowing out of stocks and commodities and into the relative calm of bonds.

Europe’s not offering much comfort either. Germany’s economy shrank 0.2 per cent in Q4 2024, and the Bundesbank Chief’s description of it as “stubborn stagnation” feels painfully apt. His plea for a functioning government ASAP underscores just how rudderless the eurozone’s engine room feels right now.

Also Read: Global markets on edge: Trade wars, tariffs, and crypto chaos in focus

In Asia, the Bank of Korea’s expected rate cut is a lifeline for growth, but it’s not enough to stop the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index from sliding 1.4 per cent for a second day running. Regional stocks are broadly in retreat, though this morning’s mixed Asian equity session hints at some tentative stabilisation. US equity futures, meanwhile, suggest Wall Street might open with a bit of pep—a rare glimmer of optimism in an otherwise dour landscape.

Then there’s the crypto market, which is never one to miss a dramatic twist. Bitcoin’s taken a bruising, crashing through US$90,000 to close 6 per cent lower at US$88,333.09, with an earlier low of US$85,899.99 marking its weakest point since November. The equities sell-off seems to be the culprit, dragging crypto down as risk assets bleed together. The market’s in limbo, waiting for a spark—be it regulatory news, a macro shift, or something out of left field.

Grayscale’s filing for a Polkadot ETF with the SEC via Nasdaq is a noteworthy move, though. Submitted on Tuesday, the 19b-4 rules change has a 45-day clock ticking for SEC acknowledgment, and it’s a sign that institutional players still see upside in altcoins despite the turbulence. Polkadot’s interoperability pitch could resonate if the filing clears, adding another layer to crypto’s evolving story.

Speaking of turbulence, Bybit’s response to last week’s US$1.4 billion Ethereum hack is a blockbuster subplot. After tossing out US$140 million in bounties over the weekend, the Dubai-based exchange upped the ante on Tuesday with a bounty dashboard and website. Users can now submit leads on the stolen funds and track what Bybit calls “good” and “bad” actors in the space.

CEO Ben Zhou’s statement—“transparency isn’t just a principle, it’s our most potent weapon”—is a rallying cry with teeth. It’s a gutsy, proactive stance that could set a new bar for how exchanges handle hacks, turning a loss into a loud statement about accountability. If they pull this off, it’s not just a win for Bybit—it’s a flex for the whole industry.

Also Read: Navigating the capital winter: Strategies for successful fundraising in a slow market

Now, let’s pivot to my comment. I pointed out on X that BNB Chain tokens held up better than their peers during yesterday’s crypto dip, and my thesis is on the money. While Bitcoin dropped 6 per cent and other major chains likely saw similar—or worse—losses, BNB Chain’s ecosystem seems to have dodged the worst of the carnage.

The data backs you up: BNB itself, along with its orbiting tokens, didn’t plunge as steeply, suggesting a resilience that’s hard to ignore. My argument ties this to CZ’s influence, and I nailed a key driver here. The former Binance chief’s relentless Twitter presence and knack for stirring buzz—think TST and Broccoli listings—have kept BNB Chain in the spotlight, even as the broader market slumps.

I have outlined four pillars behind BNB Chain’s surge: CZ’s traffic generation, infrastructure optimisation, coping with narratives and wealth creation. Let’s unpack that, because it’s a compelling trifecta. First, CZ’s social media hustle is a masterclass in hype. His high-frequency tweets and willingness to lean into controversy—like those quirky token listings—keep the community buzzing.

It’s FOMO fuel, pulling in traders and degens who don’t want to miss the next big thing. Second, the infrastructure piece is BNB Chain’s quiet strength. With low fees and speedy transactions, it’s a developer’s dream and a user’s delight. Thirdly, the chain adapts to new narrative fast eg meme and AI. Finally, the wealth effect is where the magic happens. Tokens like TST and Broccoli, however gimmicky, have minted quick profits for early adopters, creating a feedback loop: gains draw attention, attention drives volume, and volume lifts the chain’s profile. It’s a momentum machine, and it’s working.

So, where do I land on all this? I see a market wrestling with big-picture gloom and pockets of defiance. The macro outlook is rough—consumer sentiment tanking, tariff threats looming, and growth stalling across continents. The Fed’s got its work cut out, and those 2.3 rate cuts signal markets are pricing in pain.

Equities are shaky, bonds are a refuge, and commodities are screaming slowdown. Europe’s stuck, Asia’s uneven, and crypto’s caught in the crossfire. Yet, there’s fight in the system. Bybit’s bounty hunt is a bold swing at crypto’s Wild West reputation, and Grayscale’s Polkadot play shows the institutional crowd isn’t backing off. And then there’s BNB Chain, your baby, Anndy, shining through the dip.

I believe you are with me on BNB Chain’s edge—it’s a bright spot worth watching. The stats don’t lie: it’s outperforming in a downturn, and CZ’s playbook is a big reason why. That said, I’d temper the victory lap. One day’s dip doesn’t seal the thesis—crypto’s too fickle, and macro risks could swamp even the savviest chains if sentiment sours further.

Still, there’s no denying BNB Chain’s got legs. CZ’s traffic game, paired with solid tech and a knack for minting winners, makes it a contender. My take? It’s a standout in a stormy sea, but the storm’s still raging. Keep your eyes on the horizon—BNB Chain’s resilience is real, but the market’s mood could test it yet.

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Estonia’s journey towards building a fully digital government is one of necessity, strategic foresight, and cultural adaptation. As a small nation with limited financial and human resources, Estonia had to rethink governance from the ground up.

According to Rannar Park, Head of Business Engagement at e-Estonia, in a presentation that e27 recently attended in Tallinn, “We do not have the resources, both financially or population-wise, to build a classical government, so we had to streamline.” This necessity coincided with the internet boom of the mid-1990s, providing a unique opportunity for digital transformation.

A key milestone in Estonia’s digital evolution was the Tiger Leap programme. Introduced by Estonia’s then-ambassador, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who later became president, the initiative aimed to connect all schools to the internet. “Tiger Leap truly is the foundation of Estonia today as we know it,” Park noted.

The programme fostered a digitally literate generation, equipping students with basic coding and website-building skills from a young age. According to Park, many startup founders credited this programme with beginning their tech careers; it helped spark their interest in the industry.

Citizen-centric service design has also been a defining feature of Estonia’s e-government. “We’ve always asked the citizens first. The citizen always comes first when we look at service design,” Park emphasised.

Prioritising public trust was crucial in overcoming the fears that often hinder digitalisation efforts in other countries. Estonia’s leaders understood that a well-educated and digitally competent population was key to the widespread acceptance of e-services.

Also Read: Easing access to government bonds: Libeara’s vision for financial inclusion

Three key areas of digitalisation

When Estonia first began its digitalisation efforts in the 1990s, it focused on three main areas: entrepreneurship, education, and healthcare. These sectors were identified as having the highest impact on both the economy and public trust.

While education played a crucial role in fostering digital literacy, healthcare proved to be the most challenging to digitise due to the complexity of its networks. “The hardest part to digitalise was the healthcare system because there are so many moving parts,” Park explained.

Hospitals, family doctors, and welfare agencies initially struggled to communicate with one another. The government addressed this challenge by balancing control between hospitals and state institutions while offering incentives for digital adoption. “We try to find a healthy balance … making it clear to them how we are actually saving them time and how we are helping them process more patients and help them save money.”

Efficiency has been a core driver of Estonia’s digital transformation. Estonians value time and seek to minimise bureaucracy. “Perhaps one of the biggest drivers there has been this cultural idea of getting our time back,” Park observed.

The country’s digital infrastructure ensures that citizens spend less time waiting in lines and more time conducting essential tasks online. “With digitalisation, we went from standing in line to doing everything online, and it has worked.”

Unlike many other nations, Estonia’s e-government is built through extensive collaboration between the public and private sectors. “A lot of our digitalisation … has been built by our private companies,” Park remarked, exaggerating to illustrate the deep involvement of private enterprises.

Decentralising data

One of Estonia’s approaches to digital governance is its decentralised data management system. Rather than storing all citizen data in a central database, Estonia distributes it across multiple smaller hubs.

“Instead of our data being owned by the government, and it staying in a national database, we break up all of our data.”

This structure enhances security and minimises the risks associated with data breaches.

Also Read: Singaporean SMEs bleeding millions due to poor cash management

Transparency is another critical component, with the Data Act ensuring that each citizen retains ownership of their personal information. This system acts as the opposite of a ‘Big Brother’ surveillance model, empowering citizens to monitor how their data is used. “The data tracker guarantees the integrity and the check-and-balances,” Park noted.

To further safeguard its digital infrastructure, Estonia established a unique backup system known as the data embassy. “Its physical location is in Luxembourg. What it functions as is a physical backup of our E-state.”

Electronic identity (e-ID) is another pillar of Estonia’s e-government. Introduced in 2002, the ID card serves as a secure key to accessing government services.

While inspired by Finland’s e-ID initiative, Estonia took a different approach by making the system compulsory. However, participation in specific e-services remains voluntary. This strategy ensures universal digital identity while preserving personal agency.

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As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, the workplace is undergoing a fundamental transformation that’s reshaping how organisations approach talent acquisition and management. This evolution isn’t just about remote work or digital transformation—it’s about a complete reimagining of the workforce model itself.

The perception around work, employment, and career has changed and will continue to evolve thanks to COVID-19, massive post-COVID-19 retrenchments at a scale that’s never been seen before, and a generational change in perception of what a career should be like beyond just a job title.

Off the back of such retrenchments, big company names are no longer as attractive as before, which highlights a shift change in employer branding, especially among the younger generation of digital natives.

The great skills reset

The pace of change in skill requirements is accelerating at an unprecedented rate. By 2030, an estimated 60 per cent of employers expect AI to significantly impact their operations, while 39 per cent of workers’ existing skill sets may become outdated within the next five years. This creates a fascinating paradox: we’re simultaneously facing both a talent shortage and a skills obsolescence challenge.

The fastest-growing skills paint a clear picture of where we’re headed:

• AI and big data expertise
• Network security and cybersecurity capabilities
• Technology literacy across all roles
• Creative thinking and innovation
• Resilience and adaptability in the face of change

The new talent equation

Today’s workforce is increasingly gravitating toward flexible arrangements that offer greater autonomy and work-life integration. This shift isn’t merely a pandemic aftermath—it’s a structural change in how people view their careers and professional development.

Also Read: How to embrace optimal efficiency in the future of work

The emerging workforce priorities are crystal clear:

• Control over their time and work location
• Opportunities for skill development across multiple industries
• Higher income potential through diverse client engagements
• Reduced burnout risk through varied work experiences
• Career autonomy and project selectivity

The rise of fractional talent

Here’s where things get interesting: the convergence of organisational needs and workforce preferences is giving rise to a powerful solution—fractional talent. This model isn’t just a stopgap; it’s increasingly becoming a strategic advantage for forward-thinking organisations.

Why companies need to embrace fractional talent

The business case for fractional talent is compelling:

• Cost-effectiveness: Access to executive-level expertise at 30-70 per cent lower cost than full-time hires, with the ability to scale resources based on actual needs.
• Strategic agility: Rapid access to specialised skills without the overhead of traditional hiring processes or long-term commitments.
• Innovation catalyst: Fresh perspectives from professionals who bring cross-industry experience and diverse problem-solving approaches.
• Risk mitigation: “Try before you buy” approach to critical roles, with easier adjustment of resource levels as needs change.

The mindset shift

For organisations to fully leverage this model, several traditional assumptions need to be challenged:

• From control to outcomes: Success metrics need to focus on deliverables rather than time spent.
• From fixed to fluid: Organisational structures must become more adaptable to accommodate varying levels of engagement.
• From ownership to partnership: The relationship with talent needs to evolve from traditional employment to strategic collaboration. Companies need to stop thinking that the employees “belong” to them.

Looking ahead

The future of work isn’t about choosing between traditional and flexible models—it’s about creating an ecosystem where both can coexist and complement each other. Organisations that successfully navigate this transition will gain significant advantages in talent acquisition, innovation capacity, and market responsiveness.

The key to success lies in understanding that this isn’t just a temporary trend but a fundamental reshaping of the work landscape. Companies that adapt their talent strategies accordingly will be better positioned to thrive in an increasingly dynamic business environment.

The question isn’t whether to embrace these changes, but how quickly and effectively organisations can adapt their talent strategies to this new reality. The future of work is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed yet.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn to stay connected.

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