Artificial intelligence is forcing humanity to confront what truly makes us valuable. As machines become more capable of performing tasks once reserved for human intelligence, the definition of talent is shifting away from knowledge and efficiency toward qualities like judgment, empathy, creativity, and ethical decision-making.
In this episode of ATP, Jeevika Makani, Francis Pẽna, and Kristen Lim posit that while AI levels access to information, it ultimately widens the gap between people who use it to deepen thinking and those who accept generic outputs.
Some of the topics they covered in detail included:
Across Southeast Asia, small and medium-sized enterprises are the driving force of economic growth, yet many still face obstacles when accessing financing, managing payments, and expanding beyond their home markets. Fintech innovation is reshaping this reality by bridging gaps through digital payment infrastructures, data-driven lending, and localized financial tools.
In this episode of ATP, Chen Yu (Nicholas) Liao, CEO of Whalet, and Vikas Jain, Country Head (Thailand) at Funding Societies, argue that the region’s fragmentation, multiple currencies, regulations, and languages, makes regional trade complex and that the path forward is “global vision, local rails”.
Some of the topics that Nicholas and Vikas covered in detail include:
WEB3 gaming has experienced a turbulent journey, from the early excitement of play-to-earn models and scholarship programs to the realization that crypto speculation alone cannot sustain an industry. The promise of digital ownership drew millions into the space, offering real economic impact for players, particularly in Southeast Asia, during moments of global crisis.
On this episode of ATP, Chin Yaul Yu, co-Founder and CEO at W3GG, explains, many studios tied their survival to token prices; when crypto fell, earnings collapsed, treasuries dried up, and hundreds of projects shut down. The core lesson: speculation can’t substitute for product-market fit.
Some of the topics that Chin covered in detail:
Digital transformation is often associated with industries that are already forward looking and generally technologically savvy. However, its greatest impact may come in areas that have traditionally resisted change.
Grassroots football and the global seafood trade may seem worlds apart, but both face similar challenges. ATP was joined by Tariq Cassim, co-Founder and CEO of Koach Hub and Scott Chambers, a co-CEO at Seafood Souq to discuss how transformation is not about shiny new tools. It is about rethinking how value and opportunity are distributed across ecosystems that involve millions of lives.
Some of the topics that Tariq and Scott covered in detail include:
Wealth management is facing a critical inflection point. Legacy systems built decades ago still power many private banks, creating inefficiencies that slow down operations and frustrate clients. Manual processes like emailing PDFs and reconciling data across multiple custodians remain common, leading to errors and missed opportunities.
In this episode of ATP, Olzhas Zhiyenkul, Founder of InvestBanq, contends that private banking runs on a fragile trio of Excel, PDFs, and eMail, because rebuilding the multi-layer “wealth stack” requires years of orchestration and leadership courage.
Some of the important topics that Oz covered in detail included:
AI is evolving from static question-and-answer systems to dynamic agents capable of reasoning, learning, and making decisions in real time. These intelligent systems rely on vast amounts of data to function, but the real challenge lies not in building the AI itself, but in ensuring that the data feeding it is clean, accurate, and accessible.
In this episode of ATP, Shanmuga Muniandy, Director of Architecture & Chief Evangelist, APAC at Denodo, argues that most AI failures are really data failures: stale copies, siloed systems, and patchwork security.
Some of the topics that Shan covered in detail included:
Artificial intelligence and blockchain are no longer separate innovations. They are beginning to merge, creating systems that are both intelligent and trustworthy. AI brings automation, reasoning, and decision-making, while blockchain provides transparency, provenance, and security.
On this episode of ATP, Qin En Looi, a Partner at Onigiri Capital & Saison Capital and Ganesh Kompella, a Founding Partner at Tykhe Ventures, highlight that this moment is different because of a shift in mindset and infrastructure.
Some of the topics Qin En and Ganesh covered in detail:
The global financial system is entering a period of profound change driven by the convergence of blockchain, artificial intelligence, and decentralized infrastructure. At the center of this transformation is tokenization, which converts real-world assets into programmable digital representations that can move seamlessly across modern, borderless rails.
In this episode, Nikhil Joshi, Chief Operating Officer at EMURGO, explores how the convergence of blockchain, AI, and decentralized finance is reshaping global markets.
Some of the topics Nikhil covered in detail:
Finance is entering a period of deep structural change. What appears on the surface as small, incremental upgrades—banks digitizing workflows, adding AI tools, or experimenting with blockchain, masks a more fundamental shift: the financial system is being rebuilt from the ground up.
Karl Mohan, EVP, Financial Services and GM International at Crypto.com, explains that two forces stand at the center of this transformation. The first is asset tokenization and the second is the rise of AI agents.
Some of the topics that Karl discussed in detail include:
As digital ecosystems grow more connected, APIs have become the core channels through which data flows, services interact, and innovation happens. But this shift has also introduced new risks.
In this episode of ATP, Reuben Koh, Director, Security Strategy - Asia Pacific & Japan at Akamai Technologies, explains how essential APIs are to digital experiences.
Some of the topics Reuben covered in detail include:
Artificial intelligence has long promised to transform the way businesses operate, but only now are we beginning to see its full potential realized. Early waves of AI focused on prediction and content generation, offering useful but limited support. The newest evolution—autonomous agents—goes further by reasoning, sequencing tasks, and taking meaningful action.
In this episode of ATP, Gavin Barfield, CTO and VP of Solution Engineering for ASEAN at Salesforce, explains how this “third wave” of AI is transforming the way businesses operate.
Some of the topics that Gavin covered in detail include:
In many emerging markets, traditional credit systems fail to serve the underbanked because they rely on formal employment records and financial histories that many people simply don’t have. But access to credit doesn’t have to be limited to those with paperwork.
In this episode of ATP, we talk to Rene Payan, Country Manager for the Philippines at PayJoy who explains how PayJoy is changing that reality by using smartphones as digital collateral and AI-powered risk models to “find a yes” instead of defaulting to “no.”
Some of the topics that Rene covers in detail include:
Traditional financial systems rely heavily on trust—trust in banks, brokers, custodians, and exchanges. But emerging technologies like blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) are challenging this model by introducing a trustless, self-custodied approach to asset management.
In this episode of ATP, Srikumar Misra, Founder of aarnâ Protocol, explains how decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain technology are reshaping investment and asset management. He breaks down the evolving landscape of digital assets into three key categories: Bitcoin as a store of value, utility-based native tokens, and tokenized real-world assets like real estate or art.
Some of the topics Srikumar discussed in detail include:
The global fashion and consumer goods industries are facing a growing crisis of overproduction and overconsumption. Despite already having enough garments in circulation to clothe several future generations, fast fashion continues to flood the market with new items.
In this episode of ATP, Louise Blein and Amarine Erbs, co-founders of Yours, explore how overconsumption and the fast fashion industry have created a crisis of excess. They share their personal motivations for starting Yours—a safer, community-focused secondhand platform—and how their experiences as expats highlighted the wasteful repetition of buying new things with each move.
Some of the topics Louise and Amarine covered in detail include:
Digital commerce in Asia is undergoing a profound transformation. The rise of mobile payments, government-backed payment rails, and local digital wallets is reshaping how people pay and how businesses operate. This shift is driven not only by convenience but by necessity, as financial inclusion increasingly depends on the ability to support local payment methods.
In this episode of ATP, we speak with Deborah Im, about the fast-moving evolution of digital commerce in Asia.
Some of the topics that Deborah covered in detail include:
Quantum computing is poised to transform how we process information, making today’s most powerful computers look slow by comparison. Unlike classical computers that rely on binary bits—either 0 or 1—quantum computers use qubits, which can exist in multiple states at once.
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Dipen Mehta, EVP & GM for APAC at Softserve, breaks down why quantum computing is a game-changer.
Some of the topics that Dipen covered in detail include:
Travel is evolving far beyond flights and hotel bookings. Today, technology—particularly artificial intelligence—is transforming how people choose destinations, plan trips, and engage with local experiences. From AI-powered travel planning tools to immersive digital environments that let travelers explore a place before arriving, the focus is shifting from convenience to personalization.
ATP went to the Travel & Tech Asia 2025 event in at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, where thought leaders from across the travel industry revealed how technology is fundamentally reshaping how people discover, book, and experience travel.
Artificial intelligence emerged as a driving force, not just for automating tasks, but for creating deeply personalized and intuitive interactions—from chat-based trip planning to virtual hotel walk-throughs using digital twins. AI is also helping hotels manage high volumes of guests, respond instantly to reviews, and even bridge language gaps, making the travel experience smoother for both tourists and locals.
Equally important was the role of frictionless infrastructure. Cloud-based hotel systems now let owners manage properties from anywhere, while smart payment orchestration ensures transactions go through even when the first attempt fails. Meanwhile, immersive experiences—like Muay Thai fights enhanced with projection mapping—demonstrated how blending culture and technology can create emotional connections with travelers and amazing travel experiences!
As someone who’s spent years talking to technologists, entrepreneurs, and industry experts, I can confidently say: something seismic is happening in travel. Not just in how we go places—but in how we decide where to go, how we experience the destination, and how platforms build loyalty and create seamless, intelligent experiences.
Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly across Asia, not only because of its economic potential but also due to the region’s strong appetite for innovation and global competitiveness. Countries are embracing AI to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and create smarter business strategies.
ATP spoke to Adrian Johnson, Senior VP and General Manager Americas and Asia Pacific at Hitachi Vantara about how countries like Singapore and China are not just experimenting with AI—they’re leading.
Some of the topics Adrian covered in detail include:
Japan is facing a quiet crisis with over 9 million abandoned homes, known as akiya, scattered across the country—a number expected to double in the next decade. This phenomenon is largely driven by an aging population, declining birth rates, and continued migration to urban centers.
ATP spoke to Tsuyoshi Domoto, the Founder of Akiya Air, who has created a platform to help unlock the potential of akiya by offering a one-stop service for buying, renovating, managing, and monetizing these homes.
Some of the topics Tsuyoshi covered in detail:
Global financial systems are evolving rapidly, but many remain fragmented, creating barriers for people and businesses trying to move money across borders. While local solutions like mobile wallets have improved access in specific regions, they often operate in isolation.
In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Elie Bertha, Chief Product Officer at Thunes, explores why interoperability is becoming the cornerstone of global financial services.
Some of the topics that Elie covered in detail include:
