Category: Nation

Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad (Kenanga Group), Malaysia’s leading independent investment bank and the Stellar Development Foundation (Stellar), a US-based non-profit organisation that supports the Stellar network, introduces Myrra, a dedicated token platform that leverages the Stellar blockchain to enable the tokenisation of real world-assets.

The inaugural deployment on the Myrra platform is the tokenisation of the Kenanga Money Market Fund (KMMF) and the Kenanga Islamic Money Market Fund (KIMMF) managed by Kenanga Investors Berhad (Kenanga Investors). The Funds represent the first tokenised unit trust funds to go live within the Malaysian market.

Through this initiative, investors can now transact blockchain-based digital representations of the Funds’ units through Myrra. Tokens are issued on a 1:1 basis, with each token representing a unit of either fund. This ensures the digital tokens function exactly like traditional fund units, while prioritising regulatory compliance, legal parity with existing unit holders, and operational integrity.

By tokenising its Malaysian Ringgit money market funds using trusted Stellar blockchain infrastructure, Kenanga Group is bringing its money market products directly to a broader segment of Malaysian investors, enabling the purchase or selling of tokens directly on Myrra’s web portal.

Operating for more than a decade, Stellar is one of the earliest blockchains designed specifically to support payments, asset issuance, and financial products in a compliance-forward and transparent manner. It hosts Franklin Templeton’s Benji token, a tokenised U.S. Treasury money market fund primarily used by institutional users for on-chain settlement and peer-to-peer transfers. Stellar also powers MoneyGram’s large-scale cash-to-crypto on/off-ramp across 170 countries using USDC and supports the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (“UNHCR”) in distributing USDC-based aid that refugees can redeem even without bank accounts.

Myrra represents a milestone in addressing a tokenised asset opportunity in Malaysia, estimated at US$43 billion by 2030. It builds upon recent efforts by the Securities Commission Malaysia to advance tokenised capital market products within a framework that balances innovation with investor protection. By applying blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology to familiar financial products, Kenanga Group is taking a pragmatic approach to financial innovation and inclusion while positioning Malaysian investors for a global transition toward faster settlement and enhanced transparency.

The KMMF aims to provide investors with a regular income stream while maintaining capital stability by investing entirely in money market instruments, debentures, and deposits. Meanwhile, the KIMMF offers similar benefits aligned with Shariah principle. Both Funds cater to investors who want stable, short-term returns with minimal volatility.

As part of its ROAR30 ambition, Maybank (the Bank) is developing its digital assets and tokenised money agenda as a core pillar of the Bank’s digital transformation to deliver values-based offerings and faster, more seamless and inclusive financial services.

Towards this, Maybank is launching the first Ringgit tokenised money pilot with global energy infrastructure company, Yinson Holdings Berhad (Yinson) as a participant, under Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH). The pilot will explore on-chain cross-border payments involving Ringgit and other ASEAN deposit tokens on Maybank’s permissioned blockchain.

The initiative will assess the technical feasibility and operational readiness of executing on-chain transactions securely and in near real-time, while helping to shape the foundational design of next generation money rails and payment infrastructure.

Building on this first pilot, Maybank aims to pioneer a range of tokenised assets, including tokenised Islamic finance for businesses from large corporates to SMEs (small and medium enterprises), and retail customers, including wealth solutions.

Through programmable money, the Bank aims to empower SMEs by automating transparent payment flows from anchor clients such as governments and corporates, enabling payment transparency that can eventually unlock accessibility to financing.

For wealth clients, the Bank is exploring tokenised investment products, especially Islamic finance assets such as Sukuk and funds to enable broader participation through fractionalisation.

With its network advantages as one of the leading banks in ASEAN, Maybank aims to reduce friction in today’s transaction and payment flows, and deliver exceptional customer experiences, reinforcing its position as the gateway bank for tokenised ASEAN currencies and assets through blockchain-enabled solutions.

Dato’ Sri Khairussaleh Ramli, President and Group CEO of Maybank said, “At Maybank, our ROAR30 strategy to become the leading global Islamic finance institution, and ASEAN’s leading wealth management, transactions, payments, corporate and investment bank compels us to reimagine how money moves and what our clients demand. Together with regulators, clients and partners, and taking a holistic, pragmatic and inclusive approach, we will progressively expand digital assets and tokenisation initiatives into areas like investing, Islamic finance and supporting SMEs. We continue to work on innovation to deliver tangible benefits for our clients like Yinson and the broader real economy, while upholding the highest standards of governance, security and regulatory integrity.”

Lim Chern Yuan, Group CEO of Yinson Holdings Berhad said, “With diverse businesses and operations across multiple jurisdictions, and complex cross border treasury operations, Yinson is constantly seeking ways to optimise its financial position, manage risks, and respond swiftly to opportunities. We are open to leverage innovative technology with the support of regulators and established financial institutions like Maybank. Enabled by on-chain solutions, shorter settlement cycles to almost real-time allows Yinson to further manage working capital more efficiently and reduce foreign exchange exposure and transaction costs. We welcome the prospect of collaborating with BNM and Maybank in this pilot initiative.”

RHB Banking Group (RHB/ the Group) and Cagamas Berhad (Cagamas), the National Mortgage Corporation of Malaysia, through its sister company Cagamas SRP Berhad (Cagamas SRP), introduces a new conventional Green Home Financing scheme that provides Malaysians with up to 110% financing for residential properties that carry recognised green building certifications. The scheme is designed to reduce upfront cash requirements by offering 100% financing for the property value plus an additional 10% for Mortgage Reducing Term Assurance or Takaful.

The partnership makes certified green homes accessible to a wider segment of Malaysians. By extending financing to more homebuyers for primary market properties, the financing scheme broadens access to sustainable living and ensures that green-certified homes are no longer viewed as a premium option reserved for the affluent.

Jeffrey Ng Eow Oo, Managing Director, Group Community Banking, RHB Banking Group said, “Many Malaysians want homes that are comfortable, efficient and better for the environment, but affordability often gets in the way. This collaboration helps close that gap. Our focus is on giving communities innovative financial solutions that genuinely address their needs while supporting long term, sustainable living. By expanding access to certified green homes, we are helping more Malaysians make choices that benefit their families today and their future tomorrow.”

This initiative is aligned with RHB’s PROGRESS27 corporate strategy, which embeds sustainability across the Group’s business priorities. It also reflects the principles outlined in RHB’s Sustainable & Transition Finance Framework (STFF), one of the enablers supporting customers through their sustainability and transition needs. Under PROGRESS27, RHB is committed to mobilising RM90 billion in Sustainable Financial Services (SFS) by 2027. As at December 2025, the Group’s cumulative SFS reached over RM59 billion, representing close to 66% of its target.

“At Cagamas, our priority is to strengthen Malaysia’s housing financing ecosystem by supporting solutions that meet the evolving needs of homebuyers. Our collaboration with RHB not only encourages the growth of green certified homes, but also supports lenders ready to offer responsible, forward looking products. Building on the success of earlier guarantee schemes such as Skim Rumah Pertamaku, Skim Perumahan Belia and the First Home Mortgage Guarantee Programme, all of which have enabled more than 100,000 Malaysians to own their first homes, the Green Mortgage Guarantee Programme (Green MGP) adds a new dimension of environmental responsibility. It provides financial institutions with a valuable risk mitigation tool to advance ESG aligned lending, while giving homebuyers improved financing options for sustainable properties,” said Kameel Abdul Halim, President/Chief Executive Officer of Cagamas Berhad.

Maybank Asset Management Sdn Bhd (MAM) today announced the expansion of the signature Maybank CIO-powered franchise with the launch of the MAMG Growth and Income-I Fund (the Fund). This strategic expansion follows the growing adoption of MAM Group’s CIO-powered investment framework across its conventional strategies, which are implemented through multiple mandates and partnerships in Singapore and Malaysia. Collectively, these CIO-led strategies have achieved significant scale, reflecting strong investor demand for disciplined, multi-asset portfolio solutions anchored on a central investment house view.

This Shariah-compliant multi-asset solution represents the next evolution of MAM Group’s investment-first philosophy. The Fund is built upon a high-conviction synergy that integrates the strategic asset allocation views of Maybank Group Wealth Management’s (GWM) CIO with the specialist global multi-asset investment capabilities of Schroders. By anchoring global opportunities within MAMG’s investment framework, the Fund provides investors with an institutional-grade multi-asset strategy designed to capture growth and income across diverse market cycles. While guided by a common CIO framework, the Fund is implemented through an approach and partnerships to meet Shariah requirements.

The Fund is designed as a flexible, all-weather investment solution that offers investors multiple currency and income options to better manage portfolio outcomes in a volatile macro environment. Investors may access the Fund through USD, MYR-hedged, or MYR share classes, allowing for more effective positioning amid recent currency fluctuations between the Ringgit and the US Dollar. In addition, both accumulation and distribution classes are available, catering to investors seeking long-term capital growth as well as those who prefer regular income, while maintaining exposure to a professionally managed global multi-asset strategy.

Muhammad Hishamudin Hamzah, CEO of Maybank Asset Management Sdn Bhd, noted that the milestone achieved by our CIO-powered strategies reflects the strength of the MAMG’s collaborative model and the firm’s focus on performance-led outcomes. “The momentum of our CIO-powered suite is a testament to the clarity and discipline of our investment house view. In an era of heightened policy uncertainty, there is an imperative for strategies that offer both sophisticated oversight and tactical agility. By extending our established CIO framework into the Shariah space, we are providing our clients with a resilient growth engine that combines global scale with the strategic foresight of our Chief Investment Office. Our priority remains delivering high-conviction solutions that empower investors to navigate global complexity with confidence.”

Katherine Cox, Head of Client Group, South Asia, and Global Official Institutions at Schroders, said: “We are delighted to deepen our partnership with Maybank Asset Management Malaysia through the launch of the MAMG Growth and Income-I Fund, our fourth tie-up since 2018. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to supporting Malaysian investors with resilient strategies that deliver powerful growth and recurring income, particularly in today’s complex environment. Leveraging our global multi-asset capabilities and Shariah investment expertise, we have developed an actively managed solution designed to manage volatility and identify growth opportunities. We are confident this new offering will empower investors in Malaysia to invest with greater assurance and capitalise on opportunities across market cycles.”

Denominated in Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) as the base currency, the Fund is offered across multiple share classes, including MYR (Accumulation), MYR (Distribution), MYR (Hedged) (Accumulation), MYR (Hedged) (Distribution), USD (Accumulation), and USD (Distribution) classes, with minimum initial investment amount of MYR 1,000 and USD 1,000 respectively.

Investors are advised to read and understand the contents of the Fund’s Product Highlights Sheet and Prospectus, dated 14 January 2026, before making any investment decisions.

The MAMG Growth and Income-I Fund is now available via Maybank2U and at Maybank branches nationwide.