Showcasing AI-Powered Lending, Payments, and Digital Services for a Rapidly Transforming Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --  At the 20th edition of the IDC Asian Financial Services Congress and Awards, held at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore, Nucleus Software showcased its AI-driven digital banking solutions, reinforcing its commitment to enabling transformation across Southeast Asia's financial ecosystem. The event brought together over 120 CIOs and senior technology leaders from across the region—including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines. The Congress explored high-impact themes across AI transformation, regional payment modernization, and CBDC readiness—paving the way for a resilient and interoperable financial ecosystem in the region.

Team Nucleus Software at IDC’s 20th Asian Financial Services Congress 2025 in Singapore

"What makes IDC's Asian Financial Services Congress & Awards unique is that it is built as a community," said Dr. Ashish Kakar, Research Director, Asia/Pacific, IDC. "Our attendees become members of an exclusive, thriving network of decision-makers and change agents who will design the future of banking in ASEAN. Through roundtables and analyst-led discussions, we actively facilitate interaction across borders, industries, and ideas." 

Transformation in Motion: A Pragmatic Path for Heritage BFSIs

One of the most compelling conversations at the Congress was the fireside chat titled:

"Changing the Engine While the Bus Is Running: A Pragmatic Path to Transformation for Heritage BFSIs". The session featured Chandima Cooray, Chief Information Officer, Hatton National Bank, and Aabhinna Suresh Khare, Chief Marketing Officer, Nucleus Software, who discussed the realities of transforming legacy financial institutions in dynamic, real-time environments.

"The ASEAN region is unique-diverse in infrastructure, yet united in ambition. Our partnership with Nucleus allows us to remain adaptive and innovative, while continuing to build trust through secure, scalable systems," shared Chandima Cooray, speaking on Hatton National Bank's digital transformation journey.

The dialogue emphasized that for heritage BFSIs, transformation must strike a balance between regulatory trust, operational continuity, and digital agility-making the shift both strategic and sustainable.

Nucleus Software's presence at the Congress reflected its broader mission to enable AI-enabled, purpose-driven transformation for financial institutions across Southeast Asia. Through its integrated suite-FinnOne Neo® for lending, FinnAxia® for transaction banking, and Nucleus Digital Services for cloud-ready innovation-the company continues to enable banks accelerate digitization across both retail and corporate segments.

Whether it's supporting credit inclusion for MSMEs in rural Indonesia, enhancing cash visibility for regional corporates in Malaysia, or enabling faster digital onboarding in Vietnam, Nucleus Software's platforms are driving measurable impact.

AI as a Strategic Enabler: Future-Forward Vision from Nucleus Software

Closing the session, Aabhinna Suresh Khare offered a bold outlook on the evolving role of AI in banking:

"AI is a mindset shift-reshaping how banks think, decide, and deliver. For Southeast Asia, with its young digital population and progressive regulatory landscape, AI is a game-changer in delivering speed, personalization, and proactive risk management. At Nucleus Software, we view AI as a strategic enabler-empowering institutions to move from reactive to predictive, from rule-based processes to intelligent, adaptive systems. Whether it's smarter underwriting, dynamic collections, or hyper-personalised engagement, AI is opening doors to possibilities that were unimaginable just a few years ago." 

As Southeast Asia accelerates toward a digital-first financial future, Nucleus Software remains committed to enabling banks to lead with intelligence, operate with agility, and grow with purpose. The company's presence at the 20th IDC Asian Financial Services Congress reaffirms its role not just as a technology provider, but as a trusted transformation partner-empowering financial institutions across the region to rewire legacy systems, embrace AI responsibly, and deliver banking that is inclusive, interoperable, and future-ready.