Singapore – Media Outreach Newswire – 9 June 2026 – Credit Bureau (Singapore) Pte Ltd (CBS) and Experian Information Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (Experian Malaysia) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a two-way cross-border credit reporting service between Singapore and Malaysia.
The MOU establishes a framework for cooperation to facilitate agreed cross-border credit report applications for individuals with a financial footprint in any country. The initiative aims to enhance financial inclusion, strengthen credit risk assessment and support increased economic integration between the two neighboring markets.
Singapore and Malaysia share one of ASEAN’s most dynamic economic relations, with bilateral trade regularly exceeding SGD 100 billion annually. Both countries maintain deep labor, education and trade ties supported by strong digital infrastructure and a rapidly growing digital financial services ecosystem.
The collaboration is strategically aligned with the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), which emphasizes digital industries, data-driven enterprises and technology-enabled services. As the digital economy accelerates cross-border business models including fintech, e-commerce, digital banking and platform-based SMEs, reliable cross-border credit infrastructure will be critical to enable secure digital onboarding, responsible lending and seamless access to capital in both markets.
Under the MOU, CBS and Experian Malaysia intend to collaborate on a cross-border initiative that enables the structured and secure exchange of personal credit information between the two markets.
The proposed framework will define:
- Operational roles of “Source Bureaus” and “Processing Bureaus” in preparing and facilitating cross-border credit data applications.
- Secure mechanism to obtain and manage consumer consent for one-time release of credit report
- Personal data protection and compliance safeguards in accordance with applicable laws
- Commercial and governance models to support sustainable implementation
For consumers, the initiative is expected to improve access to financial products by enabling lenders to consider verified credit histories of cross-border individuals. This could particularly benefit digital-native workers, entrepreneurs and professionals whose financial footprints span both jurisdictions. As more individuals build financial footprints on both sides of the Causeway, the ability to securely and responsibly mirror their credit history across borders becomes increasingly important. A structured cross-border credit reporting framework can help ensure that consumers are assessed more fairly and comprehensively rather than being treated as applicants “new to credit” when moving between Singapore and Malaysia.
For financial institutions, access to cross-border credit data can provide a more holistic view of an applicant’s financial obligations, support stronger digital underwriting, reduce the risk of cross-border fraud and more confidently expand into adjacent markets. Improved cross-border data transparency can also enhance operational efficiency and portfolio flexibility in an increasingly digital lending environment.
CBS and Experian Malaysia stressed that data security, regulatory compliance and consumer consent are fundamental to this initiative. Both parties are committed to working within their respective legal and regulatory frameworks and engaging relevant authorities to facilitate responsible implementation. The MOU also includes confidentiality provisions governing the information exchanged during the collaboration.
Mr William Lim, Executive Director of Credit Bureau SingaporeSaid:
“As individuals and businesses work more seamlessly across Singapore and Malaysia, credit information systems must evolve to reflect cross-border realities. This collaboration represents an important step towards enabling more seamless and responsible access to credit for consumers.”
Ms Dawn Lai, Chief Executive Officer of Experian Information Services Malaysia, Added: “Trusted data collaboration is key to strengthening the digital financial ecosystem. By working together, we aim to expand financial inclusion, improve risk transparency, and support sustainable growth in both markets.”
Mr. Vincent Yap, Chairman of the Board of CBS and Group Chief Credit Officer, Consumer Credit Risk Management of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation“Access to cross-border credit data can provide a more comprehensive view of an individual applicant’s financial obligations, support more accurate risk assessment results, reduce cross-border fraud risk and promote seamless access to capital in both markets,” it said.
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About Credit Bureau (Singapore) Pte Ltd (www.creditbureau.com.sg)
Credit Bureau (Singapore) Pte Ltd (CBS), a subsidiary of Credit Bureau Asia Limited (CBA), is Singapore’s most comprehensive consumer credit bureau with full-industry uploads from financial institutions such as retail banks, merchant banks, finance companies and credit card issuers licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). CBS is a joint venture between the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) and InfoCredit Holdings Pte Ltd.
The establishment of the Consumer Credit Bureau in Singapore is an important addition to enhancing the risk management capacity of the Republic. Since 2002, the Banking Act, administered by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has allowed CBS members to disclose and receive credit-related information to reduce consumer credit risk through information pooling from the CBS. From 2021, credit bureaus that conduct consumer credit reporting business in Singapore, such as CBS, are regulated under the Credit Bureau Act 2016.
As part of the consumer credit reporting business, CBS aggregates credit-related information among participating members and presents a more complete risk profile of the customer to credit providers. This helps credit providers determine the likelihood of a customer paying, thereby enhancing their risk assessment capabilities. We also aim to educate and reach out to the broader community on the importance of credit reputation.
CBS has also been designated by the Law Ministry as the Operator of Moneylenders Credit Bureau (MLCB) under Section 56 of the Moneylenders Act.
MLCB is a central repository of data on borrowers’ loan and repayment records held by all Licensed Moneylenders (LMLs) in Singapore. This will allow LML to assess the creditworthiness of borrowers and take informed decisions while approving loan applications. MLCB will also help borrowers understand their Loan Information Report to work towards achieving better financial health.
About Credit Bureau Asia Limited
(www.creditbureauasia.com)
Credit Bureau Asia Limited (CBA) is a leading player in the credit and risk information solutions market in Southeast Asia. CBA provides credit and risk information solutions to a wide client base of financial institutions (“FIs”), multinational corporations, telecommunications companies, government bodies and public agencies, local enterprises and individuals in Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Myanmar. CBA has two main segments of business, the FI data business and the non-FI data business, which cover both consumer and commercial credit risk information.
As of 31 December 2024, the group has more than 255 financial institution members in Singapore, Cambodia and Myanmar, including banks, microfinance institutions, leasing companies and rural credit operators.
For its non-FI data business, the group has over 6,000 enterprise customers, ranging from multinational corporations to small and medium-sized enterprises. CBA’s non-FI data business operates in Singapore and Malaysia, where enterprise clients can access a wide range of business information and risk management services, sales and marketing solutions and commercial insights. The CBA combines data obtained from various publicly accessible registries, Dun & Bradstreet’s extensive international network, as well as information contributed by businesses that subscribe to the CBA’s payments bureau services. The group has access to a database of over 580 million business records globally.
CBA was named to Forbes Asia’s 2025 “Best Under a Billion” list, the second consecutive year that CBA has been named among the top 200 top performing publicly listed small and medium-sized companies in the Asia-Pacific region.
About Experian (www.experianplc.com)
Experian is a global data and technology company, providing opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We use our unique combination of data, analytics and platforms to help redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, provide digital marketing solutions and gain deep insights into the automotive market. We help millions of people achieve their financial goals and also help them save time and money.
We operate across multiple markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agricultural finance, insurance and many other industry sectors.
We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unleash the power of data and drive innovation. A FTSE 100 index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 25,200 people across 33 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Credit Bureau (Singapore) Pte Ltd
laura chia
marketing Manager
Email: [email protected]
experian
april ng
Head of Marketing, Southeast Asia and Greater China
Email: [email protected]
Precious Communications (for Experian)
Tanaya Chakraborty (Singapore)
Email: [email protected]
Ainur Fakiha (Malaysia)
Email: [email protected]
