MetaComp, Singapore’s licensed stablecoin cross-border payments and treasury management provider, has secured US$22 million in one of the largest raises at a pre-Series A round for a regulated stablecoin payments player in 2025.

The investors include Eastern Bell Capital, Noah, Sky9 Capital, Freshwave Fund, and Beingboom Capital.

“StableX and VisionX give enterprises the speed of stablecoins with the safeguards of regulated finance,” MetaComp’s Chairman and co-founder Dr Bo Bai said. “It is validation from top-tier investors that regulated stablecoin settlement will be one of Asia’s defining financial rails over the next decade.”

Also Read: MetaComp finds 3-tool KYT setup reduces crypto compliance blind spots by over 99 per cent

The round follows MetaComp’s launch of the StableX Network, powered by its VisionX risk-intelligence engine — a next-generation settlement layer enabling 24/7 FX execution, multi-chain liquidity routing, and automated compliance.

Singapore’s growing influence as a digital finance hub

MetaComp’s growth reinforces Singapore’s emergence as the region’s anchor for institutional-grade digital finance. With a Major Payment Institution licence under the market regulator MAS and a strong compliance infrastructure, MetaComp bridges traditional finance and digital assets via a Web2.5 architecture that unifies SWIFT rails with leading stablecoin networks.

Singapore’s regulatory clarity — including MAS’s 2023 rules governing single-currency stablecoins — has accelerated adoption by enterprises and financial institutions seeking compliant, real-time settlement solutions. This clarity has also made Singapore the preferred base for scaling stablecoin infrastructure across Southeast Asia.

Stablecoin settlement gains momentum across SEA

MetaComp claims it currently processes over US$1 billion in monthly transaction volume across 30-plus markets, reflecting rising enterprise demand for instant, transparent and compliant cross-border settlement.

The StableX Engine supports over 10 stablecoins, including USDT, USDC, RLUSD, FDUSD, PYUSD and WUSD, and integrates deeply with KYT databases and real-time monitoring systems through VisionX. This shared intelligence layer enhances inter-institution collaboration while maintaining regulatory-grade oversight.

Investors see this as the foundation for MetaComp’s next phase. “Stablecoin payments are entering a structural growth phase,” said Ron Cao, founder of Sky9 Capital. “MetaComp has secured an advantageous position.”

Scaling into SEA, South Asia and the Middle East

With fresh capital, MetaComp will accelerate the expansion of StableX Network, enabling local-fiat in, stablecoin rails across borders, and local-fiat out, a key requirement for enterprises operating across jurisdictions.

The company expects demand for regulated stablecoin settlement to surge in Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East as trade flows intensify and treasury teams modernise their workflows.

Also Read: Crypto crime has a map: Where victims—and losses—are concentrated in 2025

Noah noted that MetaComp’s integrated “Payments + Treasury Management” approach positions it for significant scale across emerging markets, supported by Singapore’s robust regulatory frameworks and banking connectivity.

A defining moment for regulated digital finance in Asia

As Southeast Asia moves away from fragmented, high-cost cross-border transfers, regulated stablecoin settlement is emerging as the region’s next major financial infrastructure layer. MetaComp’s pre-A funding is not merely a capital injection; it is a signal that Singapore is shaping the future of cross-border payments and treasury management.

With deep regulatory alignment, growing enterprise adoption, and expanding regional demand, MetaComp is positioned to play a central role in building Asia’s next generation of digital financial rails.

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If you’re building a startup, your initial focus is probably straightforward: develop a great product or service and start selling. That early hustle, services, products, and customers are foundational.

But as your business scales, one of the most transformative strategies to accelerate growth lies in financing. Smart financial strategies don’t just fund growth; they create entirely new ecosystems, enabling companies to become integral parts of their customers’ daily lives.

Leveraging financing for growth

Look around. Many of today’s market leaders didn’t just scale, they built financial ecosystems around their core offerings. Leveraging financial instruments and building proprietary payment infrastructure has empowered businesses to deepen customer engagement, boost revenue, and solidify market dominance.

Take Apple as a prime example. Initially known solely as a hardware innovator, Apple’s strategic pivot into financial services reshaped its business trajectory. With Apple Pay, the company didn’t just simplify payments, it positioned itself as an essential tool in consumers’ financial lives.

Apple Card, introduced in partnership with Goldman Sachs, further embedded Apple into the financial ecosystem, giving customers new reasons to stay loyal and increasing lifetime value. Today, Apple’s financial services are integral components of its ecosystem, enhancing its core product lineup and customer retention.

Another stellar example is Shopify. Initially, Shopify was simply an e-commerce platform helping small businesses launch online stores. However, Shopify recognised that financing was a bottleneck for many entrepreneurs. Enter Shopify Capital.

By providing merchants easy access to funds based on their sales data, Shopify didn’t just diversify its revenue streams, it dramatically improved customer success rates and loyalty. This financial layer, seamlessly integrated into their platform, ensures merchants remain within Shopify’s ecosystem, reinforcing their market position and driving exponential growth.

Also Read: How Malaysia and Indonesia are redefining Islamic finance in SEA

Building robust financial ecosystems

Then there’s Amazon, the undisputed master of leveraging financial infrastructure for growth. Amazon Payments allowed the company to own the transaction flow, providing unmatched convenience for customers. Moreover, Amazon built upon this with Amazon Lending, offering sellers easy access to capital.

By understanding merchants’ sales data intimately, Amazon can offer personalised financial products precisely when sellers need them most. These strategies enabled Amazon to create a powerful, self-reinforcing ecosystem where customers and sellers are deeply intertwined within Amazon’s broader marketplace.

Square, now Block, also exemplifies how financial infrastructure can radically transform a business. Initially a simple payment-processing solution, Square rapidly expanded into a full-fledged financial powerhouse.

Square Capital offers loans to small businesses, Cash App facilitates peer-to-peer payments, investments, and crypto trading, and their acquisition of Afterpay introduced a buy-now-pay-later model. By owning the financial rails, Block solidified its place as a go-to financial platform, dramatically broadening its market reach and revenue potential.

Integrating financial services for customer success

These examples illustrate a crucial insight: financing isn’t merely about raising money, it’s about strategically embedding financial tools directly into your business model to enhance customer experiences and drive sustainable growth. Companies that successfully deploy financial infrastructure enjoy greater customer retention, higher lifetime value, and increased market power.

Also Read: How to navigate through the vast opportunities in the finance industry

For startups looking to scale, the lesson is clear: think beyond products and services. Consider how financial services or infrastructure might integrate into your core offerings. Start by analysing your customer’s financial pain points. Is accessing capital challenging? Are payment processes cumbersome? Could seamless financing significantly enhance customer experiences or retention? By addressing these financial friction points, startups can forge deeper, more profitable customer relationships.

This strategy isn’t limited to tech giants. Even smaller, growth-stage companies can integrate financial services strategically. Offering tailored financing, simplified payments, or embedded lending can dramatically differentiate your company from competitors. Startups can partner with fintech platforms or even develop their own payment systems, gradually building toward greater financial autonomy and stronger market positioning.

In the long term, creating proprietary financial infrastructure transforms your business from a mere service provider into an indispensable partner in your customer’s success. The result? Increased revenue streams, stronger customer retention, and ultimately, exponential growth.

If you’re planning your startup’s next growth stage, don’t overlook the transformative potential of financing. Whether through embedded payments, lending products, or complete financial ecosystems, strategically leveraging financial instruments can significantly elevate your business trajectory.

The most successful companies of the next decade won’t just sell great products, they’ll empower their customers through financial innovation, driving sustainable, scalable growth for years to come.

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In these fast-paced times, companies need to be agile, innovative, and efficient to stay in the game. One of the most effective strategies for achieving this is staff augmentation.

Whether you’re scaling up for a major project, addressing skill gaps, or seeking cost-effective solutions, staff augmentation offers a flexible and strategic approach to workforce management.

What is staff augmentation?

Staff augmentation is a workforce strategy where businesses bring in external professionals on a temporary or project basis to supplement their existing teams. Instead of hiring full-time employees, companies can leverage skilled experts for specific roles, ensuring they have the right talent at the right time.

Let’s talk about the benefits of staff augmentation

• Access to a global talent pool

One of the biggest advantages of staff augmentation is the ability to access a diverse and highly skilled talent pool. Businesses are no longer restricted by geographical boundaries and can bring in top-tier talent from around the world to meet their specific needs.

• Cost-effectiveness

Hiring full-time employees comes with significant costs, including salaries, benefits, office space, and training. Staff augmentation eliminates many of these expenses, allowing businesses to optimise their budgets while still acquiring the expertise required to execute projects efficiently.

• Scalability and flexibility

It enables businesses to scale their workforce up or down based on project demands. Whether it’s a short-term project, seasonal workload, or a long-term initiative, companies can quickly adapt to changing needs without the complexities of traditional hiring.

• Faster time-to-market

With staff augmentation, businesses can bring in experienced professionals who are ready to contribute immediately. This significantly reduces onboarding time and accelerates project timelines, ensuring faster product launches and service delivery.

• Reduced administrative burden

Traditional hiring processes involve lengthy recruitment cycles, legal formalities, and employee benefits management. With staff augmentation, these responsibilities are handled by the staffing provider, allowing businesses to focus on core operations.

Also Read: Why startups should prioritise brand reputation from day one

• Specialised skill sets

Many businesses require niche expertise for specific projects, such as AI development, cybersecurity, or cloud computing. Instead of training existing employees, companies can onboard specialists who bring in-depth knowledge and experience, leading to better project outcomes.

• Seamless integration with in-house teams

Unlike outsourcing, where entire projects are handled externally, staff augmentation ensures that external professionals work alongside your existing team. This promotes better collaboration, alignment with company culture, and knowledge transfer within the organisation.

How it enhances business growth

By leveraging staff augmentation, businesses can focus on innovation, efficiency, and growth without being constrained by traditional hiring limitations. It allows organisations to:

• Take on bigger projects without long-term commitments
• Improve productivity with the right expertise
• Stay competitive in evolving industries

As the future of work continues to evolve, companies that embrace staff augmentation will position themselves for sustained success.

If you’re looking to enhance your workforce with top-tier talent, now is the time to explore staff augmentation as a powerful growth strategy.

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In the world of artificial intelligence, Large Language Models (LLMs) generate responses based on a set of parameters — model quality, temperature, and top_p — each influencing how the model functions and its ability. But I feel success in life follows a similar formula.

At its core, a person’s ability to succeed is shaped by their experience, adaptability, mindset, emotional intelligence, and a sprinkle of luck. Let’s break it down.

The “model” — Experience and ability

An LLM is only as good as the data it’s trained on. Similarly, a person’s knowledge, skills, and experiences shape their capacity to make informed decisions. The broader and deeper their experience, the better their ability to navigate challenges. However, just like an AI model, experience alone isn’t enough—it needs the right settings.

Temperature — Risk-taking and adaptability

In LLMs, temperature controls how creative or conservative the output is. A high temperature makes responses more unpredictable, while a low temperature keeps things structured.

In life, this mirrors risk-taking and adaptability. A bold entrepreneur (high temperature) might experiment with multiple business ideas, while a stable professional (low temperature) follows a steady, predictable career path. The key is knowing when to adjust—too high, and decisions become chaotic; too low, and opportunities may be missed.

Top_p — Mindset and focus

The top_p setting in an LLM controls how wide or narrow the model considers potential answers. In people, this translates to mindset and focus.

• A person with a fixed mindset (low top_p) might limit themselves to traditional paths, avoiding risk.
• A growth-oriented person (higher top_p) explores more possibilities, staying open to new opportunities.

Also Read: LLM prompting, fine-tuning, RAG, or AI agents: Which AI is better for marketing?

A healthy balance between focus and flexibility is crucial—too narrow, and you may miss creative solutions; too broad, and you may lack direction.

EQ and SQ — The human intelligence layer

No AI model can replace the power of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Social Intelligence (SQ) in human success.

• EQ (Emotional Intelligence): The ability to manage emotions, handle stress, and stay motivated despite setbacks.
• SQ (Social Intelligence): The ability to read people, build relationships, and navigate social dynamics.

In essence, EQ and SQ act as fine-tuning mechanisms, helping people communicate better, lead teams, and turn knowledge into real-world impact.

The “luck factor” — Randomness in life

Even with all the right ingredients, luck plays a role. Just like an LLM sometimes generates unexpected but brilliant outputs, life can take unpredictable turns. Right place, right time, right connection—these uncontrollable factors can tip the scales.

But here’s the thing: the more you refine your model (experience), adjust your temperature (risk-taking), optimise your top_p (mindset), and fine-tune with EQ/SQ, the better you position yourself for success.

Final formula for success

If we put it all together:

Success = Experience × Ability × Adaptability × Mindset × EQ × SQ × Luck

The right balance of these factors determines outcomes. Some people succeed despite lower ability because their mindset and social intelligence compensate. Others struggle despite talent because they resist change or neglect relationships.

So, if you’re looking to “optimise your model” for success, take a moment to check your settings. Are you limiting your potential with a rigid mindset? Are you taking calculated risks? Are you leveraging emotional and social intelligence? Fine-tune your approach, and success will perhaps, not be just a possibility, but a probability.

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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.

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I still remember the moment I came across C.K. Prahalad’s Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid. I was in university, flipping through books on developmental economics and business strategy, expecting the usual case studies and market analyses.

But this one hit differently.

It made a bold claim, one that still echoes in my head to this day:

“If we stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden and start recognising them as resilient and creative entrepreneurs and value-conscious consumers, a whole world of opportunity opens up.”

That sentence flipped a switch.

Up until that point, most of what I understood about business was focused on margins and market share. But this was different.

Growth wasn’t just in selling more to the wealthy. Growth was in serving better, listening deeper, and building smarter for those who had long been excluded.

It wasn’t just about scaling up — it was about scaling out. To people who had always been overlooked. At the time, it felt radical: the idea that billions of underserved people, long ignored by traditional business models, weren’t just a “cost to manage” or a “market to develop.” They were the future.

Entrepreneurial. Adaptive. Value-conscious. Capable of building, buying, and shaping markets — if anyone paid attention.

That idea never left me. That book didn’t just change my career path. It shaped my worldview.

I didn’t want to just “run a company.” I wanted to create systems that could improve people’s lives, I wanted business to be a vector for change.

I’ve spent the last few years helping companies expand into new markets, and here’s what I can tell you now, not from theory, but from the ground:

The next wave of growth is already here.

Also Read: Hiring for hypergrowth? Here’s what founders keep getting wrong

Fast forward to today: Asia’s new middle class is rising

Back then, this felt a little idealistic. Today, it feels obvious.

We’re witnessing a massive shift, the rise of a digital middle class across the developing world.

And this isn’t some abstract economic theory. It’s millions of people:

• Getting online
• Up-skilling via YouTube and TikTok
• Starting businesses with a phone and a dream
• Working remotely for companies halfway across the world
• Consuming content, products, and services that speak their language

Across the region in these developing markets, change is occurring at a breakneck speed, with new opportunities made available to them with the internet. These are first-generation digital natives with rising purchasing power and global cultural fluency.

They are young, ambitious, and ready to participate — with a desire for brands that see them. To platforms that include them. To products designed with them, not just adapted for them.

We’re talking about consumption patterns of a new, connected, rising middle class:

• Smartphones over bank branches
• Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop over malls
• Remote work over local job scarcity
• Entrepreneurship over employment security

Here’s the strategic opportunity: Most Western or regional brands still overlook these markets, or enter late, slow, and with the wrong assumptions.

Also Read: The hidden growth engine: How offshore creative teams are powering global marketing innovation

Which means the field is wide open.

If you’re the first to enter, you get:

• Lower customer acquisition costs
• Loyal early adopters
• Brand recognition before the market gets crowded
• Partnerships and infrastructure shaped in your favour
• A head start on adapting your product to local needs

You’re not just selling into a market — you’re helping define it.

Final thought: Don’t wait for the market to “mature”

If you’re waiting for these markets to look like yours, you’ve already missed it.

They’re not just catching up — they’re leapfrogging. New behaviours. New tools. New infrastructure. Entire economies are being built on WhatsApp, GCash, Shopee, and TikTok — not email and Excel.

But what we do try to do is spot the gaps — the invisible disconnections between:

• A great product and its next market
• A skilled worker and the team that needs them
• A local founder and the tools that could help them scale
• A small business and a big vision

We’re not here to “export solutions.” We’re here to co-build.

To listen. To test. To adapt. To help brands and startups navigate new markets with respect and relevance — and help people access the global economy on their terms.

The question is: will your brand be part of this new story — or will you read about it later?

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