Home • Digital Nomad

Grab & StraitsX Introduce Web3 Wallet and Stablecoin Payments Across Asia

Tue Nov 18 2025

Grab partners with StraitsX to launch a Web3 wallet enabling stablecoin payments, real-time cross-border settlement, and programmable finance for merchants across Southeast Asia.

🌏 Grab & StraitsX Team Up to Bring Stablecoin Payments to Everyday Asia

Grab is adding a Web3 wallet and stablecoin settlement network — unlocking faster, cheaper, cross-border payments for millions.

Grab and StraitsX have signed a major MoU in Singapore to build a Web3-enabled wallet and a stablecoin clearing network designed to overhaul how payments move across Asia. The collaboration marks one of the region’s biggest pushes toward bringing stablecoins into mainstream commerce.

🔎 Quick Facts

🤝 Grab & StraitsX sign MoU in Singapore
💳 Stablecoins accepted: XSGD, XUSD
🔐 Wallet model: non-custodial + programmable smart contracts
🌍 Goal: real-time, low-cost cross-border payments
🏬 Merchants: GrabPay merchants can accept stablecoins
📱 Wallet integrated directly into the Grab app

💸 Stablecoins Come to Everyday Payments

Grab’s future Web3 wallet will let merchants receive stablecoin payments instantly, while users maintain full control through non-custodial wallets. Thanks to on-chain settlement and smart contracts, the system promises:

⚡ faster settlements
💵 lower FX and cross-border fees
🔎 transparent, auditable transactions

StraitsX will lead the technical build-out — everything from wallet infrastructure to compliance tooling.

“The future of payments will be defined by trust, speed, and interoperability — and stablecoins are at the heart of this shift.”
— Tianwei Liu, CEO of StraitsX

🧩 How It Works: Web2 Meets Web3

The Web3 wallet integrates with Grab’s existing payment rails, but upgrades settlement using stablecoins. This means merchants can accept payments from:

🇸🇬 local users
🌏 travelers
🌐 international wallets

…all with real-time FX clarity and without the slow banking friction typical in Southeast Asia.

🏦 Compliance & Security Built In

The project includes full regulatory consideration:

🛡️ AML and compliance checks
🔍 regulatory frameworks across Asian markets
📜 programmable settlements that follow local rules

StraitsX’s experience with stablecoin issuance ensures the system balances innovation with trust.

🌐 Why This Matters for Southeast Asia

Across SEA, payments remain fragmented — high card fees, slow settlement, heavy FX friction. This partnership could create the region’s first interoperable stablecoin settlement layer used at retail scale.

For merchants, this means:

📈 better liquidity management
🧮 programmable treasuries
💼 lower operating costs

For users:

🌍 smoother cross-border payments
💸 instant settlement in-app
🔗 compatibility with outside wallets

“Web3 tech can improve cross-border retail payments while keeping the experience familiar.”
— Kell Jay Lim, Head of Grab Financial

🧭 The Bigger Picture

Southeast Asia is rapidly becoming a digital-asset innovation hub. By combining Grab’s scale with StraitsX’s stablecoin infrastructure, this initiative creates a foundation for:

future CBDC integration
real-time treasury management
interoperable Web3 financial products

This collaboration signals a future where stablecoins power everyday payments, cross-border commerce, and regional financial connectivity.