TLDR:
- Capital A and Standard Chartered Malaysia will explore a Ringgit-backed stablecoin through BNM’s regulated sandbox.
- The MYR stablecoin aims to support wholesale digital-asset use cases across Capital A’s multi-industry ecosystem.
- Standard Chartered Malaysia is positioned as the issuer, offering institutional-grade controls and compliance frameworks.
- The partnership supports Malaysia’s plan to advance responsible digital-asset innovation and improve financial efficiency.
Capital A and Standard Chartered Malaysia have initiated a new collaboration aimed at developing Malaysia’s first Ringgit-backed stablecoin.
The partnership is framed under a Letter of Intent signed within Bank Negara Malaysia’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub, creating a regulated space to examine stablecoin issuance and wholesale use cases.
The work positions both entities at the center of Malaysia’s next phase of digital-asset modernization.
The MYR-denominated stablecoin represents Capital A’s entry into regulated digital-asset activity.
Standard Chartered Malaysia will lead issuance duties using its global banking infrastructure, while Capital A will contribute real-world testing opportunities across its broad ecosystem.
New Stablecoin Exploration Within Malaysia’s Regulatory Sandbox
Capital A and Standard Chartered Malaysia will operate under the Digital Asset Innovation Hub to conduct assessments covering technical, commercial, and regulatory considerations.
The initiative supports wholesale digital-asset scenarios and real-time settlement models. Capital A’s Group CEO Tony Fernandes introduced the strategic intent, stating that “the future of finance is digital,” adding that the LOI marked a major point in the company’s shift from an aviation-led entity into a broader technology-focused ecosystem.
Standard Chartered Malaysia’s involvement places the bank at the center of stablecoin issuance and regulatory alignment.
CEO Mak Joon Nien reinforced this direction by explaining that the bank has always embraced innovation and that collaborating with Capital A enables it to “shape the architecture of tomorrow’s financial economy.”
The statement reflects the bank’s goal to extend its digital-asset strategy to enterprise clients.
The sandbox environment enables both organizations to work directly with Bank Negara Malaysia on oversight, infrastructure standards, and testing parameters.
It also provides a controlled setting for evaluating design options that meet Malaysia’s requirements for responsible digital-asset development.
Advancing Wholesale Use Cases Across Capital A’s Multi-Industry Network
Capital A will use its logistics, travel, and digital-service platforms to test wholesale transactions.
Fernandes explained that an MYR stablecoin supported by Standard Chartered’s expertise can enhance “real-time settlements, better treasury management, and programmable flows.” These areas represent key operational themes within the group’s Asean-focused businesses.
Standard Chartered Malaysia plans to apply its institutional-grade systems to give corporates the assurance required for digital-asset-linked services.
Nien emphasized that the initiative allows the bank to support products linked to digital assets while strengthening financial inclusion across the region.
Both entities will now advance into deeper assessments within the sandbox.
Their shared objective is to support Malaysia’s move toward responsible innovation in digital assets and to examine how a Ringgit-backed stablecoin can enhance liquidity, operational efficiency, and next-generation financial services.