MSME Transparency Push (Malaysia): SAMENTA urged Malaysia’s micro, small and medium enterprise lenders to publish periodic recipient reports (approval rates, processing times, default rates) and add whistleblower protection to curb insider manipulation and political interference. SMB Finance Turnaround (Sri Lanka): SMB Finance PLC reported a sharp Q1 jump in net profit to Rs 84.5m (+254% YoY), citing restructuring, stronger NII, and improved NPL recovery as it enters a new growth phase. Trade Finance Gap Warning (Africa): Afreximbank warned AfCFTA momentum could stall without closing an estimated US$80–120bn annual trade finance gap, especially for SMEs facing high sovereign risk and weak credit infrastructure. Digital Finance Customer Push (Bangladesh): Finance minister ordered banks and insurers to deploy staff at outlets to help customers use digital services, aiming to cut harassment and boost adoption of 329 digital offerings. Crypto Regulation Milestone (EU): Ripple secured a full Luxembourg CASP license under MiCA, enabling it to passport compliant crypto payment services across the EEA. AI in Finance Infrastructure (Global): A survey-backed theme: financial firms are accelerating cloud migration, with cloud infrastructure framed as the new backbone for resilience and speed. Market Movers (UK/US): London’s FTSE slipped as miners weighed on gains while easyJet and ITV advanced on deal news; Coinbase faced backlash after an AI alert incorrectly claimed a World Cup result before kickoff. Infrastructure Deals (India): TPG-led investors agreed to acquire Aseem Infrastructure Finance as NIIF exits, with GIC and ICICI Bank taking stakes.