Moomoo becomes first wealth-tech and digital investment platform in Southeast Asia to join Global Anti-Scam Alliance. 2026-11-10 09:00 300 As the No. 1 investment app in Singapore and Malaysia, Moomoo joins a cross-sector coalition of banking & finance, technology and telecommunications leaders to strengthen investor protection and combat investment scams SINGAPORE, Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Moomoo today announced that it has joined the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) as a Corporate Member, becoming the first wealth-tech and digital investment platform in Singapore and Southeast Asia to join the global coalition. Moomoo joins an alliance whose corporate membership includes major players across banking, payments, technology and telecommunications, including HSBC, OCBC, Standard Chartered, J.P. Morgan, Mastercard, Visa, Amazon, Google, Meta, TikTok and telecommunications providers. Mastercard serves as GASA's Chair, while Amazon is Vice-Chair. Until now, the digital brokerage and wealth-tech sector has not had a comparable presence in this ecosystem. Moomoo's membership fills an important gap by bringing the perspective of a digital investment platform into discussions on scam prevention, intelligence-sharing, customer protection and public education. Rise in investment scams requires ecosystem-driven solutions As investment activity becomes increasingly digital, scams are also evolving around the investor journey. Fraudsters are using the brands and visual identities of legitimate brokerages to create fake websites, cloned trading applications, fraudulent social media advertisements, impersonated executives, and fraudulent messaging groups. Moomoo's participation in GASA will enable it to contribute relevant insights from this part of the financial ecosystem while collaborating with partners that have visibility over other stages of a scam, from the first contact through a social-media post, phone call or message, to payments and attempted fund transfers. "Moomoo's purpose is to make investing more accessible, and that comes with a responsibility to help investors navigate the risks that can accompany a digital-first environment," said Jeyson Ng, CEO, Moomoo Singapore. "Scammers exploit trust in established brands, financial institutions and online communities. The investment industry cannot stand apart from this challenge." "By joining GASA, we are committing to contribute our perspective and insights as a wealth-tech and digital investment platform, while learning from partners across banking, payments, technology, telecommunications, law enforcement and government. A safer investment environment depends on faster information-sharing, clearer customer education and coordinated action against those who misuse legitimate brands to deceive the public." The move reflects Moomoo's commitment to taking a more active role in combating investment scams, as its business and footprint continue to expand across Singapore and Malaysia. In both markets, Moomoo is a market leader, being the number one investment app in both Singapore and Malaysia, with over two million users in Singapore and crossing three million downloads while opening its fourth store last month in Penang, Malaysia. "With that scale comes a responsibility to lead. Joining GASA is not simply about taking a seat in an important global coalition; it is about making sure that the digital investment industry contributes actively to the shared fight against scams. We want investor protection to be embedded in how our sector grows, innovates and earns trust across the region," Jeyson added. State of scams in Asia Scams remain a widespread threat across Asia. GASA's State of Scams Asia 2026 report found that 71% of Asian adults encountered a scam in the past year[[1]]. Investment scams were among the three most common forms encountered, cited by 22% of respondents, alongside shopping and employment scams. The report estimates that scams have cost consumers US$136.5 billion across Asia. The challenge is compounded by the growing sophistication of scam tactics. For investors, a scam can begin with something deceptively familiar: an advertisement using the branding of a licensed firm, a message from a purported adviser, a fabricated screenshot showing investment returns, or an invitation to an "exclusive" WhatsApp or Telegram group. As scammers use artificial intelligence, deepfakes and cloned digital platforms to make their approaches more convincing, stronger action is needed from every part of the ecosystem. GASA brings together policymakers, law-enforcement agencies, consumer authorities, financial institutions, technology and telecommunications companies, cybersecurity organisations and other stakeholders to share knowledge and develop practical solutions against scams. "A scam rarely starts where the money ends up. It might begin with a fake ad, move to a messaging group, and only later reach a brokerage account, and until now we had no investment platform at the table to show us that last step. Moomoo's decision to join GASA as the first wealth-tech and digital investment platform in Southeast Asia fills a real gap in our alliance. Their insight into how fraudsters misuse the brands of legitimate brokerages will help us, and our members across banking, technology and telecommunications, to disrupt scams earlier and protect more investors," said Jorij Abraham, Managing Director and Founder, Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA). Leading by example Moomoo's GASA membership reinforces its wider ambition to be recognised not only as a market-leading digital investment platform, but also as a responsible participant in the region's financial ecosystem. It comes as the company continues to grow its presence in Southeast Asia. "Moomoo's reputation is built on the trust customers place in us when they make decisions about their financial futures," said Erika Chiang, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at Moomoo Southeast Asia. "As a market leader, we have an opportunity and an obligation to use our reach responsibly. We are excited to work with GASA and the ecosystem to contribute to policy, intelligence-sharing and public-education discussions alongside established leaders from across the digital economy." "Our partnership with GASA also allows us to connect our investor education efforts with a broader ecosystem of banks, platforms, payment providers, telecommunications companies, public agencies and law-enforcement partners, all working towards the same goal: making the digital economy safer for the people who rely on it." "The integrity of our capital markets relies heavily on the resilience of our financial intermediaries, which serve as gateways for investor participation. Collaboration is crucial to raising that resilience and ensuring high standards of protection across the digital ecosystem. Singapore Exchange Regulation welcomes efforts that help build a safer and more trusted environment for investors," said Grace Mok, Head, Market Surveillance and Supervision, Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo). What's Next To kickstart a series of regional initiatives, GASA will be hosting a public webinar on investment scams for audiences in Singapore and Malaysia, where Moomoo will be contributing its insights alongside a panel including representatives from law enforcement and major platform players. For details on date and time, follow the official Moomoo Instagram accounts to find out more details. Singapore: @moomoosingapore Malaysia: @moomoomalaysia Longer-term programme will include regular educational content, threat-led alerts, periodic reviews of scam patterns and continued engagement with ecosystem partners. About Moomoo Singapore Moomoo Singapore is an integrated wealth-tech and trading platform, with an intelligent investing ecosystem across its digital platform, physical experience stores and investor education community. Through the moomoo app, it provides everyday investors and professional clients with access to global markets, diverse investment products, advanced trading tools and AI-powered insights. Since launching in March 2021, Moomoo Singapore has evolved beyond an investing platform into a popular financial literacy resource and full-spectrum investment and wealth platform, supporting investors at different stages of their investment journey. It is the number 1 investment app in Singapore as it surpassed two million customers in June 2026, with users spanning retail investors to private wealth and institutional clients. Moomoo Financial Singapore Pte. Ltd. is a subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed Futu Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: FUTU). The firm is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and holds a Capital Markets Services Licence (CMS101000) and Major Payment Institution Licence (PS20200617), which includes the provision of Digital Payment Token Services. It also has Exempt Financial Adviser status. Moomoo Trustee (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. is a licensed trust company, while Moomoo Singapore is a CDP Clearing Member, SGX-ST Trading Member, and SGX-DT Trading and Depository Agent of CDP. About the Global Anti-Scam Alliance The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is an international organization that brings together public and private sector stakeholders to better understand, prevent, and respond to scams. With over 100 member organizations worldwide, including leading financial institutions, technology companies, and government bodies, GASA serves as a collaborative platform for coordinated action against scams. Scams have become a widespread global problem, affecting individuals, businesses, and economies across borders. GASA exists to support coordinated, cross-sector efforts that reduce consumer harm and strengthen collective responses to scam activity.

Branching out: Digital brokerages in Singapore expanding offline, legacy firms hitting heartlands. Amid an online push, firms are scaling their physical footprints to forge deeper ties with clients Published Fri, Nov 6, 2026 · 07:45 PM * Eng Thiam Choon (left), executive director of uSMART, and Louis Koay, a senior financial services director at Phillip Securities, at physical branches of their firms. PHOTO: BT FILE [SINGAPORE] Amid the digital push, some online brokerages and financial services firms are bucking the trend. Fintech players such as uSMART, Moomoo and Longbridge have scaled up their physical footprints to forge deeper ties with clients and build trust. uSMART was the first fintech player to break with the mould by opening a physical outlet in Robinson Road in July 2025, followed by a second outlet near Somerset MRT station three months later, in October 2025. Eng Thiam Choon, the firm's executive director, said uSMART saw physical branches as a way to differentiate itself in a crowded online space. "Clients ask us, 'Where are your branches? Can we visit you to ask something?' In Singapore, we are still very cautious when it comes to finance-related issues," Eng said. Face-to-face contact builds a level of trust that an app cannot replicate. THE BUSINESS TIMES INSIGHTS Powering Asean's Future 2026 Find out how enterprises are navigating power constraints and sustainability targets ACCESS THE INSIGHTS When a customer walks in and talks to a staff member, there is "two-way communication and sharing", instead of just a cold exchange of information online, he said. This open sharing makes the whole investment journey much more comfortable. Eng added that having a physical branch gives people the confidence that the brokerage will not "suddenly disappear". Riding on the success of these two physical outlets, uSMART will open two more branches - in Bugis and Chinatown - by the end of 2026. Eng said the four locations will capture different market segments. The current Somerset branch, together with the upcoming Bugis outlet, will cater to the young demographic and the after-office shopping crowd. Meanwhile, the branch in the Raffles Place area serves the office crowd, while the upcoming Chinatown outlet will focus on the seniors who hang out around the area. "Both Bugis and Chinatown have good footfall and traffic," Eng noted. While expanding into these premium locations will cost more, he said uSMART is confident it will capture a new segment of customers. Eng plans to utilise the physical spaces within each outlet more fully and is exploring a few ideas. Among them: hosting small-scale conferences and training events, offering refreshments through F&B partnerships, and creating shared spaces for investors to network and exchange ideas. Despite launching its offline strategy slightly later, uSMART's peer Moomoo already boasts four physical storefronts. The online brokerage opened two outlets at Jem in Jurong East and 313@Somerset in Orchard on Nov 8, 2025, followed by a pop-up concept store at Parkway Parade in the east of Singapore on Nov 20. Most recently, on Mar 6, Moomoo opened its largest physical store in South-east Asia. The two-storey store in Bugis features an in-house cafe and serves as the brokerage's financial education hub. Separately, another fintech brokerage Longbridge opened Longbridge Cafe in Tanjong Pagar on Oct 21, as a place for retail investors to network, learn and share perspectives over a cup of coffee. The heartland strategy. Meanwhile, among the brick-and-mortar brokerages, PhillipCapital stands out as one player that is holding onto its physical presence even as it grows its digital capabilities. In contrast, most of its peers - including OCBC Securities, Maybank Securities, UOB Kay Hian and Lim & Tan Securities - have streamlined their operations by consolidating their physical presence into a single central office or corporate hub. Phillip Securities, which pioneered online trading in Singapore with its POEMS - or Phillip's Online Electronic Mart System - platform in 1996, now has eight company-managed Investor Centres throughout Singapore. This includes its main Raffles City headquarters and heartland locations like Toa Payoh, Bukit Batok, Yishun and Boon Keng. Luke Lim, managing director at Phillip Securities, the brokerage arm of PhillipCapital, said having more touchpoints within the community makes it easier for financial advisers to have regular conversations and build trust with clients. These investor centres are evolving from pure transactional hubs into community spaces for discussion and financial education. The Marine Parade branch, for instance, is being renovated to include a community cafe and a dedicated space for financial literacy initiatives and retirement-planning talks. Phillip Securities is also the only brokerage with branches owned and managed by self-employed financial advisers under a Phillip Investor Centre Lite franchise model. These "lite" branches complement the company's own network of centres, bringing financial advice directly to where clients live and work. There are now three such centres in Bukit Timah, Jurong East, and Tai Seng. This approach also gives financial advisers "greater ownership of their client relationships", as they have the freedom to run their own business and manage their own clients, Lim said. Louis Koay, a senior financial services director at Phillip Securities, started the newest "lite" branch in Jurong East on Sep 3. It is strategically located near the MRT and public transport network, and residents can walk in and speak with a financial adviser anytime, even on weekends and public holidays - no formal appointments or travelling all the way to the financial district are needed. This open-door approach is yielding results. The centre welcomed an average of seven walk-ins per day in October. Koay said more than 60 financial advisers from his team are rostered to provide financial planning services to walk-in customers in areas ranging from investments to insurance coverage, retirement planning, cash flow and overall wealth planning. He likens the concept to a clinic in the heartlands. Just as people consult a doctor when they feel unwell, he hopes Jurong East residents will visit his "financial clinic" for regular financial health check-ups. He noted that the digital space is flooded with an enormous amount of financial content, but more information does not necessarily mean more clarity. Sometimes what people really need is "a real conversation with someone who understands their situation", he added. To keep the conversation going, the team started to host weekly in-person seminars in October. The sessions are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during lunch hours or in the evenings and cover investment and financial planning topics. Having a physical presence does not negate the need for an online presence, said Koay, who markets his latest venture through targeted Facebook campaigns. He also hopes that word-of-mouth marketing, including "more referrals and reviews online" by customers, will attract others to visit the outlet. Staying purely digital. Not all digital brokerages are dialling into the physical storefront narrative though. Webull Singapore, for one, intends to stick to its digital-first playbook, even as it engages offline with clients through investor education sessions and community events. "As a digital-first brokerage, our priority remains delivering a seamless and accessible investing experience through our digital platform," said Jonathan Man, CEO of Webull Singapore. This allows the brokerage to avoid the overheads of operating a network of branches - costs which competitors with a physical presence may pass on to customers through higher fees, commissions or other charges, Man noted. Eng, who has been in the finance sector for more than 20 years, said the industry is constantly evolving. He observed that while many traditional players have closed down physical branches, some online brokerages have realised they need one or two brick-and-mortar locations to engage clients offline. Traditional and online brokerages are converging, he noted. "It is just like the mobile phone industry: first, phones shrank to tiny devices, and now they are getting bigger again." THE STRAITS TIMES