Citi participated as lender and agent in two syndicated facilities totalling approximately $4.6 billion for Japan-backed US power projects. China announced the nationwide expansion of its cross-border RMB and foreign-currency cash-pooling framework.

South Korea committed KRW 5 trillion ($3.5 billion) in trade finance for semiconductor suppliers, while AfDB agreed to cover up to 100% of MCB’s non-payment risk on eligible African trade transactions. In Kenya, Maersk introduced financing that allows eligible customers to release containers without posting large refundable deposits.

Read more on the week’s key developments:

1. China expands cross-border RMB and foreign-currency cash pooling nationwide

China will extend nationwide its programme for the centralised management of multinational companies’ cross-border RMB and foreign-currency funds from 14 September. Participating groups can pool the foreign-debt and overseas-lending quotas of member companies, determine how much funding to centralise and manage both currencies through the same account. More than 260 multinational companies had registered under pilots in Beijing and Guangdong by the end of June, covering over 5,500 member companies in China and overseas.

The rollout moves the programme from a regional pilot into a wider corporate-treasury framework. It gives qualifying multinational groups one structure for managing RMB and foreign-currency liquidity, foreign-debt quotas and overseas lending across their member companies.

2. Citi participates in $4.6 billion Japan-US energy financing

Citi, through Citibank, N.A., Tokyo Branch, participated as lender and agent in an approximately $4.6 billion syndicated facility for Japan Invest 4 LLC and Japan Invest 5 LLC, US investment companies established with equity investment from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). The financing will support natural gas-fired power-generation projects in Pennsylvania and Texas. Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) is covering the portion provided by private financial institutions.

The structure combines JBIC lending, syndicated bank financing and loan-agency roles. Based on JBIC’s breakdown, it provided approximately $1.54 billion of the combined $4.61 billion. NEXI is covering the estimated $3.07 billion balance, equivalent to around two-thirds of the financing, although Citi’s and JPMorgan’s individual commitments were not disclosed.

3. South Korea commits KRW 5 trillion to trade finance for semiconductor suppliers

The South Korean government announced KRW 5 trillion ($3.5 billion) in trade finance for export-oriented semiconductor materials, parts and equipment companies. It will establish a separate KRW 5 trillion semiconductor fund for materials, components, equipment and fabless companies, alongside a KRW 1 trillion ($705 million), 10-year programme supporting cooperation between large semiconductor groups and smaller businesses from technology development through mass production.

The financing targets suppliers in a sector that generated $41.01 billion, equivalent to about 41% of South Korea’s exports, in July. The three measures create separate channels for export funding, investment and longer-term supplier development across the semiconductor supply chain.

4. AfDB adds Mauritius Commercial Bank to trade-finance guarantee framework

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) signed a confirming-bank agreement with Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) under its Trade Finance Transaction Guarantee Instrument. The unfunded instrument provides transaction-by-transaction guarantees covering up to 100% of the non-payment risk assumed by MCB on eligible transactions originated by approved African issuing banks. AfDB estimated Africa’s unmet trade-finance demand at $74 billion–$92 billion in 2024.

The guarantee addresses counterparty credit limits by allowing MCB to confirm eligible transactions without retaining the full non-payment exposure. It does not address foreign-exchange liquidity constraints faced by banks: 36% of banks surveyed by AfDB identified foreign-exchange liquidity as their main constraint to expanding trade finance.

5. China adds eight banks to its digital yuan operator network

The People’s Bank of China added eight banks to its authorised institutions for digital yuan operations on 17 August, bringing the total to 30. Ping An Bank, Hengfeng Bank, China Bohai Bank, Bank of Shanghai, Bank of Hangzhou, Huishang Bank, Bank of Changsha and Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank will begin providing services after completing technical and operational preparations.

The two rounds of expansion in April and August increased the operator network from 10 banks to 30. Adding joint-stock and city commercial banks will broaden distribution once they become operational, including into regional customer bases that were less directly represented previously.

6. Maersk partners with Viaservice on digital trade financing for Kenyan customers

A.P. Moller–Maersk partnered with Viaservice-Ke, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Viatrans, on 12 August to give its Kenyan customers access to the Viaservice Container Solution. The digital trade-finance platform facilitates financing for container-related charges and logistics transactions, allowing eligible freight forwarders and other customers to secure container release without paying large refundable deposits upfront. Viaservice can also advance payments for demurrage, damage and total-loss charges on a reimbursement basis. The partnership extends an existing collaboration in Tanzania.

The arrangement reduces the cash tied up between container release and return, preserving working capital for customers handling multiple shipments. Viaservice provides the advance-payment mechanism, while Maersk distributes the solution through its Kenyan customer network.

7. Jeonbuk Bank adopts Ripple Payments for cross-border remittances

Jeonbuk Bank partnered with Ripple to deploy Ripple Payments for cross-border remittances, becoming the first South Korean regional bank to adopt the service, according to Ripple’s 18 August announcement. Ripple said the service would provide near-real-time settlement for business customers, including importers, exporters, technology companies and online-content creators, with transactions completed within seconds or minutes and available continuously.

Unlike Ripple’s South Korean projects with Kyobo Life Insurance and Kbank, which concern on-chain government-bond settlement and institutional wallet infrastructure respectively, the Jeonbuk agreement applies its technology to business remittances. Ripple did not disclose the launch timetable, supported corridors, pricing or expected transaction volumes.

8. RHB combines QR and card acceptance in Sound Box Plus

RHB Banking Group introduced Sound Box Plus on 13 August as a multi-payment acceptance device for businesses. It combines DuitNow QR with debit and credit card acceptance and includes near-field communication, built-in SIM connectivity and real-time voice alerts. RHB is positioning it as an alternative to conventional card terminals, particularly for card payments of up to MYR 250 ($ 61.50).

Sound Box Plus extends RHB’s merchant-acquiring proposition by adding contactless card acceptance to its existing QR sound-box range. Combining dynamic QR generation, card acceptance and voice confirmation allows merchants to accept and verify both payment types through one device.

9. Maybank partners with Haier Energy on ASEAN expansion

Maybank and Haier Energy, a subsidiary of China-headquartered Haier Group, entered into a Heads of Agreement on 17 August covering Haier Energy’s planned expansion from Malaysia into selected ASEAN markets. Maybank will use its Maybank2E platform and services spanning transaction banking, supply-chain and sustainability financing, cash management, trade finance, treasury and foreign exchange. The agreement also covers retail financing and credit-card partnerships.

The framework spans Haier Energy’s corporate treasury and working-capital requirements as well as financing and payment options for its customers. It extends Maybank’s proposed role from supporting Haier Energy’s regional operations to financing its customers, although no facilities or implementation timetable were announced.

10. AFFIN Group and Baiduri Bank sign MoU to expand Malaysia-Brunei banking cooperation

Malaysia’s AFFIN Group and Brunei’s Baiduri Bank signed an MoU on 18 August to explore cross-border banking cooperation. Trade finance and treasury form part of the proposed collaboration, alongside corporate financing and investment services. According to the banks, bilateral trade between Malaysia and Brunei totalled MYR 5.8 billion ($1.43 billion) in 2025.

The agreement brings AFFIN’s Malaysian network and Baiduri Bank’s Brunei franchise into a common framework covering transaction banking and investment services. Its practical value will depend on how the banks structure customer referrals, cross-border product access and transaction execution.

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