Top News In Payments: More Companies Ponder Malaysia Banking Application; Vodafone Bails On Libra

In today’s top news, Grab, Razer, AirAsia and CIMB join other companies considering applying for one of five digital banking licenses in Malaysia, and Vodafone leaves the Libra Association. Also, Big Rech shines at the first day of Davos.

Grab, Razer, AirAsia, Others Ponder Malaysia Banking Application

Grab, Razer, AirAsia, Axiata and CIMB join other companies considering applying for digital banking licenses in Malaysia, which said last month that it might give conventional or Islamic online banking licenses.

Vodafone Bails On Libra

Vodafone left the Libra Association on Tuesday (Jan. 21) making it the eighth to exit the association. It intends to use the resources squared away for Libra on its own payment service, M-Pesa, which currently operates in six African countries.

Manufacturing, Big Tech And Valuations Among Davos Day One Focus

At the first day of Davos, the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, panelists focused on Big Tech as well as unicorns — tech startups with IPO valuations of at least $1 billion — and the need to focus on profitability.

Travel Stocks Drop Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Despite the outbreak of a new coronavirus in Wuhan, China, travel plans have yet to slow or change noticeably. But travel stocks are a bit more pessimistic, dropping 152 points Tuesday, as concerns of the spread rise ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Why State And Local Governments Struggle To Shred The Paper Check

While the majority of U.S. consumers prefer receiving instant disbursements, digital fraud and regulatory concerns lead many government bodies to continue to rely on legacy methods like paper checks for disbursing funds. In the State And Local Disbursements Report, PYMNTS spoke with representatives from local governments in Oregon, Tennessee and Texas to learn why checks still persist and what it will take to replace them.

How kimkim Uses Faster Payments To Win Gig Worker Loyalty

Paper checks are still one of the most popular ways for companies to pay freelancers, despite workers’ increasing desire for faster digital payments. In the inaugural Gig Economy Tracker, PYMNTS spoke with Yenyi Fu, head of product for travel platform kimkim, to discuss how the company worked to win the loyalty of its ad hoc travel experts in 70 countries with faster payments.

Netflix Notches Growth, But Is Slowed By Emerging Streaming Competition

Netflix reported fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday, the first quarter facing new competition from Disney+ and Apple TV. The streaming giant beat both top and bottom line expectations, but domestic subscriber growth and guidance for Q1 were weak.