科技新闻

政府已于2017年9月15日推出「创科创投基金」。该计划现正接受风险投资基金申请成为共同投资伙伴(截止日期:2018年1月15日)。简介会将于2017年10月3日于香港科学园举行，欢迎风险投资基金出席。

Singapore-based retail chain Toy or Game (TOG) has deployed a solution from Singapore-based technology firm, DDS - Data Driven Solutions to automate and realign the processes involved in acquiring business intelligence and studying shopper buying behaviors.TOG has been operating in Singapore for over 3 and a half years. With 10 stores distributed throughout Singapore, this local brick and mortar retail brand caters to hobbyists of varying age groups by providing collectible toys, trading cards and video games.DDS will be working with TOG to realign all business processes to engineer and architect a data mining strategy that ultimately provides TOG with the opportunity to adopt artificial intelligence, or AI, enabled retail business management and shopper behaviour monitoring.The in-store analytics component of this big data initiative undertaken by TOG will be filled by California-based technology firm, RetailNext."TOG is set to become one of the first big data-ready SME retail brands in Southeast Asia. DDS will be the tech firm that equips them with the architecture to accomplish this. The end result: Clean, Automated Intelligence focused on retail business management and shopper behaviour analysis. The principles behind this deployment align with our Transforming Retail Initiative that we will launch later this year," said Alex Toh, General Manager for DDS."The arrival of digital retail via e-commerce brought rise to a data and analytics approach to business growth. This simple yet accurate representation of critical business insights and customer buying patterns within a physical retail store is truly an incredible feat," said Mr Samuel Ong, Co-owner of TOG."The fact that an in-depth analytical framework can now be adapted to physical retail spaces is very exciting. I look forward to a more intelligent form of retail business management being incorporated within my stores," said Girish Pradeep Tewani, Co-owner for TOG.

Golden ABC, a fashion retail enterprise from Philippines, has deployed TXT Retail to manage its end-to-end merchandise lifecycle.The lifecycle includes merchandise financial planning, open to buy, assortment planning, forecasting, allocation and replenishment to product lifecycle management.The solution will be deployed across all of Golden ABC’s product range, online and in physical channels, including more than 900 points of sale throughout Asia.Founded in 1986, Golden ABC is is home to proprietary brands PENSHOPPE, OXYGEN, FORME, MEMO, REGATTA and TYLER. It also operates RED LOGO, a wholly owned direct selling subsidiary. Originating in the Philippines, Golden ABC now has a presence in Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Macau, Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Golden ABC will leverage the TXT AgileFit deployment methodology, which accelerates deployment and time to benefits, using reference processes and a preconfigured optimized solution framework honed through TXT Retail’s experience with other customers.Golden ABC will manage with TXT Retail the full spectrum of its planning and PLM processes, from design, product development and sourcing to merchandise financial planning and open-to-buy and localizing assortments, taking into account market and channel-specific requirements and events.Forecasting, allocation and replenishment round out the offering, supporting Golden ABC’s in-season planning process, which includes optimizing product availability and inventory levels across locations.“In a context of strong domestic and international growth, speed and offer personalization are of the essence,” said Jefferson de Leon, Vice President, Operations Division at Golden ABC. “Through better collaboration between PLM and all aspects of planning, preseason and in season, the TXT Retail solution will help us further streamline and accelerate the go-to-market process while always providing an optimal product selection and curated assortments to our shoppers.”

AuMake, an AXS listed retailer connecting Australian suppliers directly with Chinese consumers, has engaged DHL eCommerce for deliveries from Australia to China.AuMake's growing database of over 80,000 members will now be able to ship direct to China with DHL eCommerce Parcel International Direct shipping solution, a tracked solution with transit times of 5-7 days.Through its growing footprint of showroom-style stores, AuMake and Kiwi Buy across Sydney, Australia, customers can easily make purchases and arrange a pick up by DHL eCommerce for international deliveries from AuMake's retail stores with the launch of the new service.According to the IPC China XB Online Shopping Survey 2017, Australian products are highly sought after by Chinese online shoppers, contributing to 20% of cross-border purchases into China in 2017, up 9% from 2016. In addition, there are an estimated 400,000 'daigous' operating in Australia who act as an overseas personal shopper to buy and ship products from Australia to China, says a report from AuMake."We're proud to partner with AuMake to offer Parcel International Direct China to their customers and provide reliable and high quality direct shipping solutions. We understand that trust is highly important for Chinese shoppers particularly in the delivery process. Our shipping solution offers great transit times, high quality handling and tracking visibility to connect Australian brands to Chinese consumers," said Denise McGrouther, Managing Director, DHL eCommerce Australia. "The demand for Australian products from China is insatiable and through AuMake's retail stores and the collaboration with DHL eCommerce, we are making it easier to ship from Australia to China. AuMake's customers can shop and ship with the additional choice of using a well known and trusted logistics provide like DHL eCommerce, providing peace of mind that their purchases will be safely and quickly delivered," said Joshua Zhou, Managing Director, AuMake International Limited. 

Sendo, a local e-commerce platform in Vietnam, has partnerd DHL eCommerce to facilitate deliveries.The partnership will allow sellers on Sendo to access DHL’s domestic delivery network so goods can be delivered the same-day or next-day to buyers in Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi and other primary cities in Vietnam.To support small businesses, DHL eCommerce also offers market leading cash-on-delivery (COD) services with next-day remittance to sellers. With more than 300 DHL ServicePoints located conveniently across Vietnam accessible to Sendo, sellers can also choose to drop-off their parcels at these locations instead of waiting for a pick-up as well as enjoy discounts of up to 20%. Alternatively, sellers can also arrange for a pickup by DHL for direct door-to-door delivery service to their buyers.“Being a homegrown company allows Sendo to have deep understanding of the Vietnamese local market and culture. Sendo aims to support over 300,000 individual vendors, micro-entrepreneurs, and small businesses to initiatively sell their goods online and deliver them affordably throughout Vietnam. With our collaboration with DHL eCommerce, we will provide not only the sellers but also several million buyers on our platform with an international quality delivery experience in Vietnam." said Tran Hai Linh, CEO, Sendo."Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises continue to play a major role in Vietnam, accounting for 98 percent of all enterprises, 40 percent of GDP and 50 percent of employment. However, they face unique challenges such as access to finance and international partners. DHL is passionate about supporting small businesses and we are excited to work with Sendo to support their sellers with an excellent, high quality domestic delivery network." said Thomas Harris, Managing Director, DHL eCommerce Vietnam.To mark the start of the partnership, DHL eCommerce and Sendo will offer special promotions for sellers during the month of September.  

Social media platforms are well on their way to becoming established channels for ecommerce. This is especially true in Asia, where integrated social, retail and communication sites are well ahead of the global trend when it comes to blurring the lines between socialising and shopping.For a prime example of social shopping, just look at what Alibaba has accomplished. Once a simple online marketplace, Alibaba is now bringing social entertainment to the online retail experience via special interest chat groups where users can share product information and recommendations, plus live-streamed videos featuring interactive product testing and tips. The business reports that thanks to innovations like these, users are now launching Alibaba’s Taobao app an average of seven times per day.Indeed, the rise of social shopping is intrinsically tied to the explosive growth of mobile devices. Consumers today, especially the younger generation, increasingly connect to people and information via mobile apps rather than through the traditional web browser; opting to read the news, talk with friends and shop on an app. Data from Worldpay has found that 71 percent of shoppers globally use mobile apps to make purchases, and the leading reason for this is speed and simplicity.With consumers increasingly interacting with the online world via mobile phones and social apps, it’s now becoming an imperative for retailers to leverage the power of social platforms. Merchants today need a powerful strategy to drive real purchase opportunities via social – or they will be left behind.Social shopping is most effective when it’s tailored to the platform in question. Here’s a quick glance at what social shopping looks like across five of the most popular social networking sites in Asia Pacific:InstagramInstagram recently launched long-form video capabilities, yet another sign that Instagram is well on its way to becoming an established ecommerce channel. By supporting its users with the ability to create and watch full-length videos optimized for mobile viewing, the social networking service is opening up new ways to showcase merchandise consumers want.For retailers, this is an important opportunity to engage with potential customers via a social platform. Instagrammers are already used to the idea of purchasing goods online and the potential of delivering video adverts that link directly to products can only increase their inclination to buy.FacebookA pioneer in social shopping, Facebook has always pointed the way forward in how to integrate ads, retail opportunities and social moments in one place. One key example is the Facebook Store app, which merchants can set up with just a few click and enable users to purchase products without ever leaving the Facebook app.This kind of integrated social, shopping and payment experience is key, because APAC consumers are some of the most likely in the world to abandon their online shopping carts. With frictionless browsing, buying and payments on a social platform like Facebook which consumers know and love, retailers will have a better chance of conversion.SnapchatAfter introducing a series of augmented reality (AR) tools in late 2017, Snapchat is again making a big bet on the future of AR and mobile with a new shoppable AR experience. There are three basic features for social shopping – a ‘website’ feature that takes consumers directly to a promotional or sign-up page with the touch of a button; a ‘video’ feature so users can watch a quick trailer or how-to video; and an ‘install’ feature which helps users quickly install a brand’s app. As Snapchat continues to explore the possibility of an AR dressing room experience, retailers will no doubt be watching closely to see what the social network will offer next.WeChatIn China, nearly one in three WeChat users (31 percent) are already using the messaging app the make purchases. Retailers can create shoppable ads, while consumers themselves are accustomed to sharing purchase links and QR codes within social chat groups.Of course, a major facilitator of social shopping on WeChat is the presence of the app’s own payment service, WeChat Pay – giving shoppers a seamless, secure, one-click payment experience. Merchants on WeChat are also adept at continuing the shopping journey even after payment, by sending users custom discounts and links to social games they might enjoy based on their purchase.Facebook MessengerWhile technically a subset of Facebook, retailers have much to gain by looking at Facebook Messenger as its own social channel with its own unique opportunities for social commerce. Facebook Messenger helps brands use bots to communicate with customers and get sales via the ‘buy’ button integrated into the app. Brands can even pay to deliver sponsored ads to users – so long as they’ve engaged with the brand in the past. Removing the friction between communicating and shopping, Facebook Messenger is well on its way to driving a new wave of ‘conversational commerce’. As the future of online retail evolves, social networks will no doubt continue to play an important role in how we shop online. Merchants wishing to capitalize on the possibilities of social shopping must remember two key values – fun, and convenience. When browsing and buying feel like an enjoyable, natural extension of social media, consumers will be more likely to complete their purchase and come back for more.  

The Hong Kong-based airline has deployed Salesforce Marketing Cloud to generate new revenue streams and deliver personalized customer experiences

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) have rolled out a payment QR code that claims to be compatible with as many as 27 e-payment solutions.According to a joint press release, the standard, named Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR), aims to simplify QR payments in Singapore for both consumers and merchants. SGQR can purportedly combine the QR codes from different electronic payment providers so merchants need only display a single QR code.Currently, merchants need to display multiple QR codes from different payment providers to facilitate payments.The launch follows the setting up of a task force last year to solve the problems associated with fragmented QR code payments.The SGQR is based on the “QR Code Specification for Payment System – Merchant-Presented Mode” issued by EMVCo, which has the benefits of international interoperability, multi-tenancy of QR schemes and non-sensitive data presented for payments.SGQR adopted these standards customized it for the Singapore market.PayNow, a P2P fund transfer service by seven participating banks in Singapore, will also be taking part in SGQR.SGQR has already been launched on Singtel’s mobile payment app Dash. 

Accelya, a provider of financial, commercial and analytics solutions to the airline and travel industry, announced today that it is partnering with Mastercard Payment Gateway Services to launch the Accelya Payment Gateway, a platform that offers global payment acceptance across a vast array of payment methods.Mastercard Payment Gateway Services provides advanced payment processing and fraud prevention technology to merchants, technology partners and acquirers. The Accelya Payment Gateway combines this expertise of Mastercard Payment Gateway Services with Accelya’s airline know-how to create a fully scalable and reliable payment gateway that also keeps pace with emerging technologies like e-wallets and alternate forms of payment.The Accelya Payments Management Solution already comprises of the IATA-endorsed CardClear (aggregation and billing), Payment Reconciliation and Chargeback Claims Management modules and used by over 160 airlines globally.Davide Messina, Senior Vice President, Payment Gateway Services, Europe, Mastercard Payment Gateway Services, said, “Mastercard Payment Gateway Services leverages a global infrastructure to provide reliable, safe and secure processing solutions for more than 3 billion transactions annually.  By bringing together Mastercard’s global gateway and innovative digital solutions with Accelya’s experience and understanding of the airline industry, airline customers now have a one-stop payment solution.”Teresa Rivera, Head of Airline Payments Management, Accelya said, “With the addition of payment gateway, the Accelya Payments Management Solution ensures growth and revenue protection lie at the centre of airlines payments strategy. The solution enables a robust payment acceptance strategy while providing unique vision and control over the lifecycle of each transaction, delivering a true order-to-cash platform for airlines.”

DBS has launched DBS Wealth Chat, a service that will allow DBS’ wealth clients to interact, exchange ideas and transact with their relationship managers (RMs) via popular instant messaging platforms WhatsApp and WeChat.Developed in partnership with regulatory technology (regtech) start-up FinChat, DBS Wealth Chat leverages DBS’ digital capabilities to allow clients to use their existing instant messaging platforms to access DBS’ wealth services while meeting rigorous compliance standards.  To access the service, RMs can register interested clients in a private chat group with the bank. Upon confirmation, DBS will set up a unique chat group administered by the bank between the client and his/her RM. Once the chat group between the RM and client is initiated, conversations and file exchanges that occur within the chat group will be archived by the bank without any intervention required from the RM. The entire process is fully automated.  At present, RMs need to ensure key client conversations take place via the bank’s phone lines, where they can be recorded. DBS Wealth Chat allows RMs to communicate with clients on the go, on their clients’ preferred instant messaging platform. This in turn allows for speedier service delivery to clients. The introduction of DBS Wealth Chat is estimated to save some 10,000 manhours on a yearly basis, while enhancing the ease and quality of RM-client interaction.In the first phase, DBS will begin to register and onboard interested wealth clients in Singapore on the service, where content such as DBS Chief Investment Office reports, research insights and ideas, and exclusive invitations will be shared. Additional investment-related transactions, such as trade placement, will be introduced progressively in 2019. “We recognize that customers today are inundated with different apps and services and decided to go where our customers already are – WhatsApp has upwards of 1.5 billion users, while WeChat has close to one billion users. Our aim is to provide banking services that are embedded in our customers’ everyday lives, while maintaining client privacy and keeping to our rigorous security requirements,” said Tan Su Shan, Group Head of Consumer Banking & Wealth Management of DBS. “With DBS Wealth Chat, we can now meet both the communication needs of our clients and regulatory requirements. We look forward to realising the full potential of this tool, and to introducing more industry-leading solutions to our clients.”  

The annual Accuity Financial Counterparty KYC Survey has revealed that 75 percent of senior compliance and correspondent banking professionals have encountered added complexity in interpreting and adhering to local legislation.Additionally, 76 percent of respondents continue to find rising costs and onerous processes a challenge in KYC. The highest priority for 67 percent of respondents is avoiding regulatory fines and enforcement action, yet 81 percent are struggling to adapt to changing global regulation, which has gathered pace in recent years.According to the survey, regulations such as 4AMLD and the FinCEN Final Rule have placed greater emphasis on KYC processes, particularly when it comes to accurately identifying Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO). 69 percent of survey respondents admitted to finding the collection of reliable UBO information challenging, despite moves by several countries to introduce centralised UBO registers.As global regulators continue to introduce and enforce more stringent compliance standards in efforts to mitigate the risk of financial crime, compliance officers are under pressure to have all relevant due diligence information at their fingertips.Dalbir Sahota, KYC industry specialist at Accuity said: “The rising cost of compliance and changing regulatory requirements are driving financial institutions to constantly evolve their systems, but their operations are not designed for continuous change. The laborious processes involved in KYC continue to present hurdles, which can only be overcome with a more comprehensive systems overhaul.”77 percent reported that to complete KYC checks, they must undertake manual and repetitive tasks. The recruitment and training of specialist staff also emerged as an issue frustrating the KYC process, with 68 percent of respondents flagging skills shortage as a challenge.  “There are significant efficiency gains yet to be made in this industry, and technology innovation will be key,” Sahota added. “We expect to see financial institutions automate more of their KYC processes as well as looking to new developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning to overcome some of these efficiency challenges – so there is cause for optimism.”Financial institutions have also been struggling to justify the profitability of maintaining higher risk counterparty relationships, due to the increased effort required to conduct due diligence and obtain the necessary documentation. In the survey, 84 percent of respondents confirmed they review high-risk entities in a different way to low risk entities - a figure which has increased from 74 percent in 2014.“An additional cause for optimism is a slowdown in the de-risking trend we have seen develop over the last few years,” continued Sahota. “This latest survey suggests that although de-risking continues, the pace may be slowing.” In 2014, 58 percent of respondents had over 250 financial counterparties; this reduced to 47 percent in 2016 and 43 percent in 2017. Over the same period, the number of financial institutions with fewer than 250 counterparties has increased.

Vietnam’s VPBank Finance Company Limited (FE Credit) has enabled the use of Samsung Pay for its cardholders.FE CREDIT cards can now be linked to the Samsung Pay application via a few steps. Cardholders can then start transacting with their mobile phone without requiring their physical card or wallet. .FE CREDIT has its own rewards program Everyday Rewards Plus. To encourage the use of Samsung Pay,  cardholders who use Samsung Pay will receive a double dip benefit of Everyday Rewards Plus Points along with Samsung Reward Points.Kalidas Ghose, CEO of FE CREDIT said, "FE CREDIT believes in harnessing technology to create unique propositions for our valued customers. The FE CREDIT Samsung Pay launch is one more example of this ongoing effort."Nimish Dwivedi, Credit Card Business Center Director of FE CREDITcontinued, "FE CREDIT aims to provide first time card users with an unprecedented level of convenience. Now with Samsung Pay, they can use their mobile phone to pay at any card accepting terminal in Vietnam or internationally in a flash, without requiring their physical cards."

The majority of Hong Kong commuters (86 percent) are willing to break the current transit payment habit of using stored value contactless transit cards and switch to new methods that come with incentives, such as cashback and loyalty reward points, according to a recent Visa survey.[1]The survey, which examines Hong Kong commuters’ perceptions and preferences in public transport, found that commuters will choose to pay with contactless mobile wallets (44 percent), contactless credit cards (40 percent), and QR code payments (15 percent) apart from current payment method if it meant they would be able to receive offers and benefits traditionally associated with retail banking products.  When it comes to paying at gates, Hong Kong commuters are most conscious of price (65 percent), speed of transaction (64 percent), security (57 percent), and the ability to pay as one goes or not having to top up (35 percent).According to the survey, the biggest pain points related to their commutes are transit cards running out of values when used (55 percent), long queues at fare gate during rush hour (50 percent), and extra time spent to top up stored value cards (40 percent). Paul Jung, Visa Head of Products, North Asia: “Given Hong Kong’s mature financial services sector, commuters expect more than just fast, secure and convenient payments at transit gates. The recent Visa study shows that they want to be able to earn reward points, cashback and even mileages when paying for their subway and bus rides.”Contactless payments are widely used and accepted in Hong Kong, accounting for 43 percent of total face-to-face Visa transactions; The city ranks fifth in Asia Pacific in term of usage. Hong Kong also has one of the highest penetration levels of Visa contactless payments made via mobile devices in the world.Jung added: “With high consumer expectations, lingering commuter frustrations, and a market already familiar with contactless payments, it is to Hong Kong’s benefits to implement open payment ecosystem in mass transit, just like other international cities such as London, New York, Sydney and Vancouver. A transit system, where all standardized payment methods are accepted, can help boost the experience of millions of daily commuters and travellers visiting Hong Kong.”

3 Hong Kong has deployed mobile and NB-IoT connectivity for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link ahead of its launch on Sunday

PwC has projected that AI and related technologies will create around 90 million more jobs than it displaces in China

Data artists bridge the gap between business and IT by creating data visualizations that can be quickly understood by business leaders to help accelerate decision-making