#virtual-banks
6 stories tagged virtual-banks, newest first.
Friday, August 14, 2026
Thailand virtual banking versus Singapore digital banking: two inclusion strategies
Thailand licensed three virtual banks in 2025 for a 2026 launch with a high capital floor, while Singapore awarded four digital bank licences in 2020 with a wholesale-retail split, showing two different inclusion paths.
How Thailand's virtual banks are supposed to reach the underserved
Thailand's virtual banks are justified by inclusion: serving thin-file households and small businesses that traditional branches cannot reach economically, using data instead of a credit bureau score.
What Ascend Bank means for Thailand's virtual banking market
Ascend Money, operator of the TrueMoney app and backed by Ant International, won a Thai virtual bank licence, turning its payments reach into a banking relationship for millions.
Who won Thailand's virtual bank licences, and what their backers tell you
Thailand approved three virtual bank consortia in June 2025: SCBX with KakaoBank and WeBank, Krungthai Bank with Gulf, AIS and PTTOR, and Ascend Money backed by Ant International.
Why Thailand's virtual banks took so long to arrive
Thailand's virtual banks were approved in June 2025 with launches due in 2026, a slow, phased path shaped by a cautious regulator, a high capital floor, and sandbox safeguards.
What are Thailand's virtual banks, and why the model is different from a normal bank
Thailand's virtual banks are digital-only lenders licensed by the Bank of Thailand to serve customers with no branch network, built to reach the underbanked through smartphones.
