Aspire
SEA's all-in-one SMB finance OS.
- Who holds it
- A licensed payment institution holds your balance in a safeguarding account — MPI (MAS).
- The ledger
- The payment institution’s own ledger.
- If it fails
- Safeguarded funds are returned in administration — ring-fenced, but access can be frozen and slow.
Derived from Aspire’s regulation type and custody — a class of protection, not a guarantee. Limits and eligibility vary by scheme, balance and jurisdiction; confirm before you rely on it. What happens if a neobank shuts down →
The facts
| Category | traditional · SMB & startups |
| HQ | Singapore, SG |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Custody | Custodial |
| Regulation type | Payment institution |
| License detail | MPI (MAS) |
| Card | Visa · Business debit |
| Cashback | 1% select |
| Yield | Yield on idle cash |
| Stablecoins | No |
| KYC | Yes |
| Active regions | Asia |
| Countries | Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam |
| Founders | Andrea Baronchelli + 3 |
| Funding | ~$300M raised |
Verified links: official site ↗ · terms ↗ · privacy ↗ · @AspireApp ↗
Common questions about Aspire
What is Aspire?
Aspire is a fiat neobank built for SMB & startups, headquartered in Singapore, SG and founded in 2018. Your money is held custodially, so Aspire or its partner bank holds the balance and you hold a claim on it. It is regulated as a payment institution (MPI (MAS)).
Does Aspire have a card, and where can you use it?
It issues a Visa business debit card. It is available in 4 countries, across Asia.
Does Aspire require KYC?
Yes. Aspire requires identity verification (KYC) to open an account, as a payment institution.
What does Aspire cost?
From the verified fields: cashback 1% select; yield Yield on idle cash. Cashback and yield are "up to" figures that change constantly and often depend on a paid plan — confirm current terms with Aspire before relying on them.
Early investors
Head-to-head
Aspire vs MYbank · Aspire vs Open · Aspire vs RazorpayX · Aspire vs ANEXT Bank
Peers
Wise · KakaoBank · WeBank · bKash · Maya · GCash
Aspire appears in
Neobanks authorised as payment institutions (13) · Neobanks available in Asia (132) · Neobanks for small businesses and startups (33) · Neobanks that issue a Visa card (182) · Neobanks in Singapore (12)
Figures compiled from public sources, for comparison only — not financial advice. "Up to" rates change constantly; always confirm with the issuer. Spotted an error? Suggest a fix.