Each business has its share of award reveals, and fintech is not any totally different.
However now and again, one comes alongside that manages to really feel grounded and related. It doesn’t chase headlines or reward the loudest voice within the room. As an alternative, it places the highlight on the individuals constructing quietly, usually with out the eye they deserve.
That was the premise behind the Fintech Frontiers 50 Awards, held on 5 August 2025 at The Property on Federal Hill in Kuala Lumpur. Timed to coincide with Malaysia’s MyFintech Week, the occasion drew founders, regulators, traders, and ecosystem builders from throughout the area.
This wasn’t the standard night time of trophies and well mannered applause. There have been no nomination charges, no promotional budgets, and no pay-to-play schemes. What earned somebody a spot on the listing was advantage, assessed by a transparent and structured course of that put influence first and ignored the noise.
This yr’s listing celebrates 50 fintech founders from throughout ASEAN. They characterize the builders (some you may’ve heard of, whereas others are nonetheless beneath the radar) who’re creating the infrastructure, merchandise, and techniques shaping the area’s monetary future.
So, how had been these 50 founders chosen? That’s the place the method itself stands out.
An Awards Programme That Truly Means One thing
It’s exhausting to not be sceptical about awards as of late. Shiny ceremonies with large sponsorships and suspiciously acquainted winners are a dime a dozen. However the Fintech Frontiers 50 got down to do issues in another way from the beginning.
The judging course of for the Fintech Frontiers 50 Awards was structured to make sure transparency and merit-based recognition throughout 4 key levels.
Stage 1: Public Nomination
Greater than 200 nominations poured in from throughout the area, reflecting the fintech group’s depth and variety.
Stage 2: Eligibility Screening
From these, the judges shortlisted and narrowed it all the way down to 92, after assembly strict eligibility standards that ensured solely related and credible candidates moved ahead. To qualify, nominees needed to:
- Be the unique founder or a founding member, enjoying a central function in establishing the corporate
- Nonetheless be actively concerned within the firm’s management
- Has headquarter(s) in Southeast Asia
- Have Southeast Asia as one in all their key markets
- Adjust to related native rules
- Have been working for at the least two years
Stage 3: Public Voting
Over 15,000 votes had been solid by the fintech group. The highest 70 finalists superior to the ultimate stage based mostly on widespread voting.
Stage 4: Closing Analysis
A ultimate scoring spherical decided the 50 winners, utilizing a balanced analysis of founder profile, monetary observe document, and enterprise mannequin innovation.
From this pool, the judges chosen the highest 50 based mostly on three equally weighted scoring standards:
- Founder Profile (10 factors): Assessed management, expertise, imaginative and prescient, and the founder’s skill to construct and provides again to the ecosystem.
- Monetary Monitor File (10 factors): Reviewed firm efficiency, income development, and sustainability to find out foundational power.
- Enterprise Mannequin (10 factors): Evaluated scalability, innovation, and social influence, together with how the answer addresses market wants and delivers actual group worth.
There have been over than 17,000 group votes. From there, the Rising 35 had been chosen by analysts from Fintech Information Community and EY.
Then got here the Frontier 15, who had been handpicked by a panel that included among the area’s most revered fintech voices, with the listing together with the likes of Coen Jonker (Tyme Group), Amrish Rau (Pine Labs), Carrie Suen (Ant Worldwide), amongst others.
The concept was easy. Winners had been recognised for what they’ve constructed, not for a way a lot noise they’ve made.
The Winners of the 2025 Fintech Frontiers 50 Awards
The 2025 cohort represents a cross-section of fintech’s evolution in ASEAN, with every winner chosen based mostly on real-world traction, regional relevance, and product innovation.
Past the popularity, winners had been additionally awarded a full function within the Fintech Frontiers 50 Booklet, ongoing editorial protection throughout the Fintech Information Community, and precedence entry to interviews, professional commentary, and media options over the following yr.
This implies the awards weren’t only a one-night celebration. For the 50 founders on this listing, it’s a platform for visibility and long-term credibility in entrance of regulators, companions, and traders alike.
Right here’s the complete listing of winners:
Frontier 15
Rising 35
For individuals who’ve been watching this house carefully, it’s grow to be more durable to separate actual innovation from the encompassing noise.
The Fintech Frontiers 50 stands out as a result of it places the main target the place it belongs. It highlights groups which are constructing genuinely helpful merchandise, reaching missed communities, and laying down infrastructure that others within the business can construct on.
As a result of if historical past is something to go by, many of those names gained’t keep “rising” for lengthy.
With Because of Our Companions
We want to prolong a heartfelt thanks to all our sponsors and companions who helped make the Fintech Frontiers 50 Awards a hit.
The programme was organised by us, Fintech Information Community, and made attainable by the help of organisations throughout the area who imagine in recognising actual innovation.
Our Platinum Sponsor, Amazon Internet Providers (AWS), stood behind this mission with unwavering dedication. So did our Gold Sponsors, PayNet and Cloudflare, our Silver Sponsors, Thredd and Bronze Sponsor Increase, whose contributions helped carry this occasion to life.
We’re additionally grateful to our Trade Accomplice, the Fintech Affiliation of Malaysia (FAOM), for serving to to anchor the programme in nationwide priorities, and to our Information Accomplice, EY, whose experience helped form a good and credible judging course of.
To not neglect, our Affiliation Companions, the Singapore Fintech Affiliation (SFA), Fintech Alliance.Ph, and the Asia Fintech Alliance, whose regional networks helped us attain throughout ASEAN, surfacing nominations and connecting communities alongside the way in which.
To every of those organisations, thanks for serving to us preserve this programme true to its founding precept: to rejoice advantage, not advertising. And to the builders on this listing, your work is what made this night time matter.
Right here’s to the founders, the dreamers, and the doers.
This text first appeared on Fintech Information Malaysia.
Featured picture: Edited by Fintech Information Malaysia based mostly on photographs by Freepik.
