The PayNet Fintech Hub Drives Malaysia’s Next Wave of Ecosystem Growth
PayNet’s fintech incubator is designed to connect startups with partners, capital and mentorship, supporting 50 fintechs with over RM5 million in value-added support
KUALA LUMPUR, 8 January 2026 – Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) has accelerated sustainable fintech growth in Malaysia through the PayNet Fintech Hub, strengthening the visibility of Malaysian fintechs locally and beyond. The structured ecosystem is designed to help Malaysian startups build, test and scale by giving them direct access to industry partners, capital support and practical mentorship.
Since launching in May 2025, the Hub has delivered tangible impact to 50 fintechs. Startups have been supported by 50 ecosystem partners across banking, tech, investment and shared services. The fintechs have received value-added support exceeding RM5 million, RM3 million in cloud credits and more than 450 hours in mentorship. The startups have raised more than US$1 million, with solutions that could potentially benefit over eight million underserved Malaysians and 800,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The Hub has facilitated 11 opportunities for 26 fintechs encompassing pilots and collaborations, including seven fintech-corporate pilots and four fintech-fintech pilots. Initiatives supported through the RM1 million PayNet Credit Fund include Buzz’s optical character recognition-powered cashback engine with Touch ’n Go, as well as Fluid’s payment digitalisation initiative with a global fast-moving consumer goods brand.
Community engagement remains central to the Hub’s growth. Its flagship TGI Friday (TGIF) event in October 2025 drew more than 200 founders, investors, financial institutions and partners, reflecting growing momentum and collaboration across Malaysia’s fintech landscape.
The Hub operates across three tracks: COMMUNITY, CATALYST and COLLABORATION, supporting fintechs from scaling and global exposure through to real-world deployment. The CATALYST phase kicked off on 1 December 2025 with a bespoke immersive programme at Imperial College London. Through the PayNet x Imperial CATALYST Programme, 10 Malaysian fintechs are currently participating in a first-of-its-kind, 10-week curriculum designed specifically for Hub founders.
The programme provides hands-on exposure to global best practices and market insights, paired with practical guidance designed to be directly applicable to Malaysia’s fintech, regulatory and banking environment. Startups took part in a week-long series of curated lectures and mentorship sessions at Imperial’s London campus. Nine weeks of virtual sessions are currently underway focused on translating global learnings into Malaysian use cases, culminating in a Demo Day in March 2026. The immersive programme is a major milestone in the Hub’s evolution, transforming it from a domestic innovation platform into a launchpad that prepares Malaysian fintechs to scale and compete globally.
The Hub is a not-for-profit initiative under PayNet, which serves as the backbone of Malaysia’s national payments infrastructure. The initiative reflects PayNet’s broader purpose of enabling secure, efficient and inclusive financial services for the rakyat, and applies that same mission to supporting fintech founders. Its focus is simple: strengthen the fintech pipeline and support national goals in digital finance and financial inclusion.
For more information on the PayNet Fintech Hub, please visit: https://fintechhub.paynet.my/
About PayNet
Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) is Malaysia's national payments network with a mission to accelerate the country's payment flows by making the digital payment infrastructure more accessible, widespread, and secure. Our comprehensive retail payments suite - including DuitNow (QR and Transfer), JomPAY (Bill Payments), FPX (Online), MyDebit (Domestic Debit), MEPS, and IBG (Interbank GIRO) - provides extensive coverage across the nation, forming a core part of daily life in Malaysia.
Additionally, PayNet's real-time retail QR payments network, DuitNow, is interoperable with domestic schemes in Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia, facilitating seamless cross-border transactions with these countries. PayNet is committed to promoting a secure, efficient, and innovative payments ecosystem in Malaysia and works closely with its stakeholders to develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses.
For further details, please visit our website: www.paynet.my
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