The Top Up is Tech in Asiaâs free newsletter that breaks down the biggest stories and trends in fintech. [Read from your browser]( The Top Up ðµ Welcome to The Top Up! Delivered every Wednesday via email and through the Tech in Asia website, this free newsletter breaks down the biggest stories and trends in fintech. If youâre not a subscriber, get access by [registering here](. Written by Samreen Ahmad
Fintech Journalist Hello {NAME} , Over a decade ago, I started my career as a copy editor in New Delhi, India. The job provided me with my first taste of financial independence, and it felt thrilling. However, I was not able to manage my money and ended up spending everything I earned. This was when my roommate suggested that I make a monthly Excel sheet so I could keep tabs on my spending. It actually helped: I was able to cut down on the wasteful expenses and started saving a bit every month from my paltry salary. Little did we know that the idea of documenting our expenses would one day emerge as an important segment of the fintech world. Like India, Indonesia is churning out several startups that record and analyze consumer spending by tracking usersâ transactions at major banks and e-wallets. Riding on the success of bookkeeping apps such as BukuKas and BukuWarung, personal finance management apps are drawing the attention of early-stage and angel investors. In this weekâs big story, my colleague Ardi explores whether personal ledgers can replicate the success of bookkeeping apps in Indonesia. Almost half of Indonesiaâs 270 million population have bank accounts, so the opportunity for money management players is big. But with bigger opportunities comes bigger competition. Read on to find out what it will take for personal finance management apps to make the cut in this burgeoning market. As for me, Iâm still using my old-school Excel sheet to track my spending. -- Samreen THE BIG STORY [Indonesiaâs personal finance apps see new tailwinds â and VC funding]( Image credit: Timmy Loen After the rise of BukuKas and BukuWarung, some startups are hoping to follow the same trajectory by putting a consumer spin on the two firmsâ B2B products. THE HOT TAKE
Â
Cryptoâs wave of MAS disapproval Image credit: Timmy Loen Hereâs what happened: - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has [imposed]( a ban on all advertising of crypto assets to the public in the city-state.
- This ban covers both online and offline advertisements as well as ads through third parties like social media influencers.
- Companies can only market on their websites, apps, and social platforms. Hereâs our take: While MAS [took pains]( to highlight that it âstrongly encourages the development of blockchain technology and innovative application of crypto tokens in value-adding use cases,â it also cited that its decision is based on how the âthe trading of cryptocurrencies is highly risky and not suitable for the general public.â This move is part of a global trend. On the same day that MAS made its announcement, Spain [unveiled restrictions]( on advertising of crypto assets. Advertisers and crypto companies are required to inform the countryâs [fiscal watchdog]( about the content of upcoming major campaigns and provide warnings about the risks of these investments. Singaporeâs approach, however, is notably stricter than Spainâs. As with other businesses, most crypto companies don't set up shop in Singapore to access its domestic market. However, this decision may encourage a further shift away from the previous perception that the city-state was a friendly jurisdiction for crypto players. On the flipside, crypto advertising does need to be controlled, given that many retail investors arenât ready for the volatility of these digital assets. Also, the MAS directive doesnât forbid crypto platforms from advertising on their own social media page - a curious loophole.
 Photo credit: Thought Catalog / Unsplash What about the outlook for crypto in the rest of Southeast Asia? On the one hand, Singapore is often at the vanguard of regulatory trends in the region. Governments in some countries may decide to follow MAS and implement similar bans. This would have a significant impact in a country like Indonesia, where the retail market is far larger and the advertising of crypto assets has been rampant. On the other hand, some governments may spy an opportunity to overtake Singapore in a fast-growing area of finance. No doubt, MAS had this in mind when it reiterated the city-stateâs continued support for innovation in the industry. The restrictions on advertising apply to a âdigital payment token.â This is a token that:
- is expressed as a unit
- is not denominated in any currency (or pegged to any currency)
- is a medium of exchange accepted by the public as payment for goods or services
- can be transferred, stored or traded electronically Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and stablecoins are unlikely to fall within the definition above. Arguably, the former is not expressed as a unit or a medium of exchange, while the latter are tied to currencies. As with many other areas, Singapore is trying to walk a fine line and have the best of both worlds. How developments in this space play out will tell us how deft it is at doing so. â Simon NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW Also check out Tech in Asiaâs coverage of the fintech scene [here](. 1ï¸â£ [Ex-Google exec's fintech firm nets $75m in series D money]( INDmoney hit 3.5 million registered users with a 20% month-on-month growth and has tracked US$15 billion in investments.
 2ï¸â£ [ð¸ð¬ edfintech firm gets $15m debt facility]( ErudiFi has partnered with over 100 educational institutions in Indonesia and the Philippines and served more than 12,000 students. 3ï¸â£ [Series SEA: Who's investing in the region's fintech startups?]( A list of investors that are pouring money into Southeast Asiaâs fintech startups.
 4ï¸â£ [ð»ð³ fintech firm gets $10m loan facility from Lendable]( F88 aims to disburse nearly US$500 million in funds by 2022. 5ï¸â£ [Sequoia joins Indian fintech firm's $75m round]( In June 2020, FPL Technologies partnered with several banks to launch OneCard, an exclusive mobile-first metal credit card. Thatâs it for this edition - we hope you liked it! Do also check out previous issues of the newsletter [here](. Not your cup of tea? You can unsubscribe from this newsletter by going to your âedit profileâ page and choosing that option in our preference center. In the meantime, if you have any feedback or ideas, feel free to get in touch with Terence, our editor-in-chief, at terence@techinasia.com. See you next week! P.S. Don't miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis. Add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. Or simply move us into your inbox. Too many emails?
Switch to a different frequency or get new content through our [preference center]( or [unsubscribe](. You can also break our hearts and remove yourself from all Tech in Asia emails over [here](
 Copyright © 2022 Tech in Asia, All rights reserved.
63 Robinson Road, Singapore 068894