- Southeast Asian FinTech funding drops 25% to $899 million.
- Early-stage funding rises, late-stage plummets.
- Singapore dominates, capturing over half of total investments.
The first half of 2024 saw Southeast Asian FinTech startups facing a funding crunch. According to Tracxn’s latest report, total funding plummeted 25% to $899 million, down from $1.2 billion in the same period last year.
This marks the least funded half-year for the sector in the past three years, reflecting ongoing macroeconomic challenges and geopolitical tensions.
Rollercoaster ride for different stages
It’s not all doom and gloom in the FinTech playground. Early-stage funding bucked the trend, soaring 17% to $519 million.
However, late-stage investments took a nosedive, dropping 47% to $338 million. Seed-stage investments also felt the pinch, decreasing by 53% to $42.5 million.
Only two startups managed to secure $100 million+ rounds: ANEXT Bank and GuildFi.
Singapore leads the pack
Despite the overall downturn, some segments are still making it rain. Investment tech funding skyrocketed by 666%, while Banking Tech grew by 59%.
Singapore remains the golden child of Southeast Asian FinTech, accounting for more than half of the total investments at $518 million.
The sector also saw an uptick in acquisitions, proving that where there’s disruption, there’s opportunity.