The MOU establishes a framework for collaboration to facilitate consented cross-border credit report applications for individuals with financial footprints in either country. The initiative aims to enhance financial inclusion, strengthen credit risk assessment, and support the growing economic integration between the two neighbouring markets.

Singapore and Malaysia share one of ASEAN’s most dynamic economic relationships, with bilateral trade regularly exceeding SGD 100 billion annually. Both countries maintain deep labour, education and business linkages, supported by strong digital infrastructure and rapidly growing digital financial services ecosystems.

The collaboration is strategically aligned with the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), which places strong emphasis on 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, trusted cross-border credit infrastructure will be critical to enabling secure digital onboarding, responsible lending and seamless access to capital across 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 individual credit information between the two markets.

The proposed framework will define:

• The operational roles of the “Source Bureau” and “Processing Bureau” in generating and facilitating cross-border credit data applications
• Secure mechanisms for obtaining and managing consumer consent for a one-time release of the 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 individuals from across the border. This may 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 reflect 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 “new-to-credit” applicants when they move 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, supporting stronger digital underwriting, reduced cross-border fraud risk and more confident expansion into adjacent markets. Improved cross-border data transparency may also enhance operational efficiency and portfolio resilience in increasingly digital lending environments.

CBS and Experian Malaysia emphasised that data protection, regulatory compliance, and consumer consent are foundational to the 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 contains confidentiality provisions governing information exchanged in the course of collaboration.

Mr. William Lim, Executive Director of Credit Bureau Singapore, said:

“As individuals and businesses operate 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 digital financial ecosystems. By working together, we aim to enhance financial inclusion, improve risk transparency and support sustainable growth across both markets.”

Mr. Vincent Yap, CBS Board Chairman & Group Chief Credit Officer, Consumer Credit Risk Management of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, said “The access to cross-border credit data can provide a more comprehensive view of an individual applicant’s financial obligations, supporting more accurate risk assessment outcomes, reduced cross-border fraud risk and promote seamless access to capital across both markets.”

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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 that has 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 setting up of a consumer credit bureau in Singapore is a significant addition to enhance the Republic’s risk management capability. Since 2002, the Banking Act, administered by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has allowed CBS members to disclose and obtain credit-related information to mitigate consumer credit risk through information pooling from CBS. From 2021, credit bureaus that conduct consumer credit reporting businesses in Singapore, such as CBS, are regulated under the Credit Bureau Act 2016.

As part of consumer credit reporting business, CBS aggregates credit-related information amongst participating members and presents a more complete risk profile of a customer to credit providers. This helps credit providers to determine the likelihood of the customer repaying, thus enhancing their risk assessment capabilities. Our goal is to also educate and reach out to the wider community on the importance of credit reputation.

CBS has also been designated by the Ministry of Law as the operator of the Moneylenders Credit Bureau (MLCB) under Section 56 of the Moneylenders Act.

MLCB is a central repository of data on borrowers’ loans and repayment records with all licensed moneylenders (LMLs) in Singapore. It will allow LMLs to assess the creditworthiness of borrowers and make informed decisions when granting loan applications. MLCB will also help borrowers to understand their loan information report so as 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 an extensive client base of financial institutions (“FI”), multinational corporations, telecommunication companies, government bodies and public agencies, local enterprises and individuals across Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Myanmar. CBA’s business has two core segments, the FI Data Business and the Non-FI Data Business, covering both consumer and commercial credit risk information.

As at 31 December 2024, the Group has more than 255 financial institution members across Singapore, Cambodia and Myanmar, including banks, microfinance institutions, leasing companies and rural credit operators.

For its Non-FI Data Business, the Group has more than 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 customers can access a wide range of business information and risk management services, sales and marketing solutions, and commercial insights. CBA combines data sourced from a variety of publicly accessible registries, Dun & Bradstreet’s extensive international network, as well as information contributed by businesses which subscribe to CBA’s payment bureau services. The Group has access to a database of more than 580 million business records globally.

CBA was named in Forbes Asia’s 2025 “Best Under A Billion” list, marking the second consecutive year that CBA has been named among the top 200 top-performing publicly listed small and mid-sized companies across the Asia-Pacific region.

About Experian (www.experianplc.com)

Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and platforms. We also assist millions of people to realise their financial goals and help them to save time and money.

We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments.

We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and to innovate. 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.