KUALA LUMPUR: Pertama Digital Bhd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two new investors, Perfect Hexagon Commodity and Investment Bank Ltd and Alsirat Sdn Bhd (ASB), to secure investment for its proposed digital bank.
Licenced as a Labuan investment bank under the Labuan Financial Services Authority, Perfect Hexagon is wholly-owned by Hong Kong's Perfect Hexagon Ltd (PHL).
Alsirat is a wholly-owned Bumiputera company that provides digital evidence management solutions, big data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) services.
Both investors will contribute to the digital bank's initial capital funds alongside Pertama Digital.
Pertama Digital director of strategy Saify Akhtar said Perfect Hexagon and Alsirat would bring additional long-term financial strength to the digital banking consortium.
"The investment will also further enhance our ability to deliver the financial inclusion objectives set out in Bank Negara Malaysia's licencing framework for digital banks," said Saify.
Alsirat director Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Manaf said it had seen first-hand the need to accelerate digital inclusivity due to the nature of its business.
Rashid said Pertama Digital's unique focus on helping financially underserved Malaysians gain access to financial services was one that Alsirat company like to align itself with.
"The potential for horizontal synergies between ourselves, Pertama Digital and the digital bank is something that we look forward to as well," he added.