Larissa Ku

Senior reporter for Asia

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Larissa Ku is a senior reporter for Asia. She joined Euromoney in 2023. Based in Hong Kong, she has spent more than a decade covering private equity, banking, treasury and fintech across various brands, including Asian Venture Capital Journal – where she won State Street Institutional Press Awards Asia Pacific 2023’s technology journalist of the year – Corporate Treasurer and DigFin.

Fintech

HashKey: How banks in Asia rewired their playbook for the digital asset era

HashKey’s rise from scrappy startup to a leading digital asset platform underscores a critical shift: banks are no longer bystanders. Through partnerships with Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank and others, the exchange is pioneering a blueprint for bridging traditional finance with the blockchain era – redefining risk, innovation and trust in the process.

Larissa Ku, March 05, 2025

Treasury

Beyond the US-China trade corridor

As tariffs and geopolitical tensions transform the $700 billion US-China trade corridor, companies are creating sophisticated new supply chains, with banks rapidly evolving to serve emerging trade patterns.

Larissa Ku, January 30, 2025

Treasury

JPMorgan on innovating real-time cross-border payments

As global banks race to transform cross-border payments, JPMorgan leads with a distinctive dual-track approach, combining traditional rail enhancements with blockchain innovation.

Larissa Ku, January 09, 2025

CAPITAL MARKETS

Chinese corporates return to the dollar bond market

Larissa Ku, December 16, 2024

TB Leadership Mindset

Citi’s Shahmir Khaliq on building international seamless solutions

Larissa Ku, November 28, 2024

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge tretches across the water with several cars driving on it in Zhuhai, China

BANKING

How international banks can capitalize on China’s Greater Bay Area

Larissa Ku, November 15, 2024

CAPITAL MARKETS

Why China’s retail CBDC e-CNY is taking off

Larissa Ku, November 08, 2024

CAPITAL MARKETS

Chinese corporates return to the dollar bond market

Larissa Ku, December 16, 2024

TB Leadership Mindset

Citi’s Shahmir Khaliq on building international seamless solutions

Larissa Ku, November 28, 2024

BANKING

How international banks can capitalize on China’s Greater Bay Area

Larissa Ku, November 15, 2024

CAPITAL MARKETS

Why China’s retail CBDC e-CNY is taking off

Larissa Ku, November 08, 2024

CAPITAL MARKETS

Behind the scenes: Inside Midea’s mega Hong Kong IPO

In a deal that has reshaped Hong Kong’s IPO landscape, China’s home-appliance giant Midea successfully raised $4.6 billion in September, marking the city’s largest offering in years. From showcasing Midea’s transformative B2B growth to navigating the complexities of the listing process, Euromoney explores the key factors that led to the company's triumphant debut – and its implications for the future of Hong Kong's IPO market.

Larissa Ku, October 15, 2024
Treasury

SME frictionless cross-border payments enabled by Deutsche Bank-XTransfer partnership

Balancing growth and risk is a delicate task for banks. By understanding client needs and leverage their technology capabilities, banks can not only maintain this balance but also tap into new opportunities in emerging industries. The partnership between Deutsche Bank and Chinese fintech XTransfer, highlighted by their recent success in Thailand, serves as a prime example of how tailored solutions and innovative processes can drive growth and operational efficiency.

Larissa Ku, October 03, 2024
Fintech

How a digital bank can turn profitable in saturated markets

Digital banks often struggle with soaring customer acquisition costs in saturated markets. Hong Kong’s ZA Bank, which announced its first monthly profit last week, can offer valuable lessons for firms navigating similar challenges.

Larissa Ku, September 12, 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS

Why Japan’s stock market went on a rollercoaster ride

A perfect storm – triggered by the Sahm Rule, AI-driven transactions and the unwinding of the yen carry trade – sent the Japanese and global stock markets on a wild ride. While the Bank of Japan gains more flexibility to raise rates after the unwinding, investors remain optimistic about the long-term prospects of Japanese equities.

Larissa Ku, August 08, 2024
Treasury

Treasurers take a strategic seat in Asia amid the shifting landscape

As multinationals navigate the complexities of developing Asian businesses – amid supply-chain reconfigurations, the rise of sustainable financing and the penetration of e-commerce – treasurers are playing a bigger role in strategic decision-making.

Larissa Ku, August 05, 2024
Fintech

Asian digital banking: decline or revival?

Despite Asia boasting the world’s highest mobile payment penetration rate, digital banks in the region have failed to meet expectations. Traditional banks in many Asian markets no longer view them as serious competitors. What explains this underwhelming performance and are there any exceptions?

Larissa Ku, July 29, 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS

Philippines' new SWF seeks foreign investment

Six months into his job, Rafael Consing, president and CEO of MIF, explains the mandate, approach and targets of this newly launched sovereign wealth fund, as well as its potential to catalyze foreign investment and transform the country's energy and infrastructure sectors.

Larissa Ku, July 24, 2024
Treasury

HSBC’s big bet on trade finance

The bank is targeting the often-overlooked service sector with structured solutions, along with identifying embedded finance as a fast-growing segment. With the launch of Global Trade Solutions, it goes beyond traditional product offerings and financing.

Larissa Ku, July 17, 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS

Nexus set to revolutionize Asean cross-border payments

Mamerto Tangonan, the deputy governor and head of the payments and currency management sector at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, tells Euromoney how southeast Asian countries are using advances in digital payments to revolutionize cross-border transactions.

Larissa Ku, June 27, 2024
Fintech

Could China-led wholesale CBDC fuel de-dollarization?

MBridge, China’s cross-border digital currency initiative, has entered the minimum viable product stage. It is the world’s most advanced cross-border CBDC and stands on the cusp of playing a pivotal role in the de-dollarization process.

Larissa Ku, June 13, 2024
BANKING

Citi taps into Asia-LatAm trade corridor opportunity

The bank is looking to capitalise on its local presence in Latin America as Korean and Chinese firms intensify their nearshoring efforts.

Larissa Ku, May 23, 2024
Opinion

From greenwashing to green hushing: the quiet ESG challenge

Some companies overhype their eco-credentials, while others hide theirs. Banks are navigating this complex landscape to capitalize on surging demand for sustainable investment.

Larissa Ku, May 15, 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS

Spilling the tea on Hong Kong IPOs

Several Chinese bubble-tea makers are looking at Hong Kong IPOs. When high-end tea maker Nayuki listed three years ago investors drank it up, but the deal now trades 90% below its listing price. Can a new group of issuers revive the market?

Larissa Ku, May 03, 2024
Opinion

CCB petition is a warning for China’s developers

China’s Project Whitelist, launched at the start of the year, exists to ensure bank funding for property development. But it is there to protect projects, not the developers behind them.

Larissa Ku, April 15, 2024
Opinion

Have Korea’s banks emerged from their perfect storm?

The Korean banking sector faces many obstacles, but a single, powerful catalyst is driving change.

Larissa Ku, April 04, 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS

How Japan’s stock market reform inspires Asia

Stock market reform has not only revitalized the country's capital markets but has also permeated the real economy. Countries like Korea are quickly following suit. Interestingly, China also seems to be drawing inspiration.

Larissa Ku, March 26, 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS

Japan ends negative interest rates, but QE continues

As Japan puts an end to the global negative interest rate era, its central bank's QE programme remains in place and may be a model for peers. Investors maintain a bullish outlook on the stock market.

Larissa Ku, March 20, 2024
Treasury

Cash-forecasting automation empowers treasurers

In a world of higher interest rates, economic uncertainties and data overload, corporate treasurers are turning to cutting-edge tools and strategies to predict and optimize their cash flows.

Larissa Ku, March 18, 2024
Opinion

China’s state-owned banks drive lending surge

Encumbered by an impotent fiscal policy and a sluggish stock market, bank lending could be China’s only route to economic recovery.

Larissa Ku, March 14, 2024
Opinion

When will Korean banks learn their lesson?

In the wake of heavy losses and mis-selling to retail investors, there is an urgent need for an overhaul of risk management in the banking sector.

Larissa Ku, February 27, 2024
Opinion

ETFs: China’s latest craze

As Beijing works to underpin the equity market, China's fund houses and investment banks are betting on exchange-traded funds as the next big thing. That reflects a market corseted by regulation, where limited options compel a collective herd mentality.

Larissa Ku, February 02, 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS

Why the China-Switzerland Stock Connect never quite took off

The Sino-Swiss corridor, set up to encourage Chinese firms to sell global depositary receipts to international investors in the European state, took off fast in 2022. But a host of challenges, from Chinese regulatory concerns to an apparent lack of global interest, has stalled its progress.

Larissa Ku, January 23, 2024
Opinion

Why bankers, not venture capitalists, should lead bank venture units

Some banks like the idea of external venture capitalists leading their venture businesses, but banker-led units are more likely to cement their inherent advantage.

Larissa Ku, January 18, 2024
BANKING

Chinese investment banks change tack in Hong Kong

Hong Kong-based Chinese investment banks, plagued by the market’s liquidity issues, are looking to China's economic pivot and the renminbi's rise as a fundraising currency to restore their fortunes.

Larissa Ku, January 03, 2024
Opinion

Can China’s banks rescue the property market?

As the Chinese property crisis deepens, a new round of bank-led rescue efforts is on the horizon. While banks must shoulder part of the blame for the crisis, their options for action are limited.

Larissa Ku, November 30, 2023
CAPITAL MARKETS

The rise of renminbi creates opportunities for banks

While the dollar’s international supremacy is unchallenged for now, the wider landscape is shifting. Companies are raising more funding in renminbi and the currency’s use in international payments and settlements is growing.

Larissa Ku, November 20, 2023
Opinion

Shengjing Bank: The truth behind a troubled Chinese bank’s strange bailout

A local asset management company in Liaoning province just bailed out Shengjing Bank – by borrowing the capital it needed from the very same ailing regional lender.

Larissa Ku, November 01, 2023
Treasury

Trade finance and the quest for scalability

While banks have accelerated digital solutions across business lines, accomplishing end-to-end digitalization of global trade remains far beyond their reach. The complexity of supply-chain finance remains a challenge, and banks continue to hunt for scalable solutions. Embedded finance could be the answer.

Larissa Ku, October 20, 2023