Google AI
The Times Australia
News From Asia

.

Halogen Capital Completes RM13.3 Million Funding Round, Led by Kenanga Investment Bank and 500 Global, to Drive Digital Asset Innovation in Malaysia

Kenanga leads the funding round, with participation from global and regional investors.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 15 December 2025 – Halogen Capital Sdn Bhd ("Halogen Capital"), Malaysia's first and only licensed digital asset fund manager, today announced the successful completion of its RM13.3 million (USD3.2 million) funding round, with Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad ("Kenanga"), Malaysia's leading independent investment bank, as the lead investor, alongside 500 Global, a leading global venture capital firm, and other investors.

Following this, with its 14.9% stake, Kenanga now holds the largest institutional shareholding in Halogen Capital.

From left to right: Lucas Ooi Ki Siong, Founder & Chief Business Officer of Halogen Capital; Ng Moon Ho, Founder & Chief Operating Officer of Halogen Capital; Liew Ooi Hann, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Halogen Capital; Datuk Chay Wai Leong, Group Managing Director of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of Kenanga Investors Berhad (“KIB”), Ranjit Singh Gill, Director & Head of Product & Market Development of KIB; Datuk Kenny Yong Foo Ken, Chief Executive Officer of Kenanga Private Equity Sdn Bhd
From left to right: Lucas Ooi Ki Siong, Founder & Chief Business Officer of Halogen Capital; Ng Moon Ho, Founder & Chief Operating Officer of Halogen Capital; Liew Ooi Hann, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Halogen Capital; Datuk Chay Wai Leong, Group Managing Director of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of Kenanga Investors Berhad (“KIB”), Ranjit Singh Gill, Director & Head of Product & Market Development of KIB; Datuk Kenny Yong Foo Ken, Chief Executive Officer of Kenanga Private Equity Sdn Bhd

The funding, made through Kenanga's wholly-owned subsidiary, Kenanga Private Equity Sdn Bhd, will support Halogen Capital to advance its Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenisation strategy, including onshore unit trust funds, bonds, sukuk, private credit, and real estate, creating broader access to investment opportunities that have traditionally been available primarily to institutional and high-net-worth investors. Building on Halogen Capital's expertise in asset tokenisation and digital asset fund management, and combined with Kenanga's institutional strength, brand recognition, and regional partnerships, the initiative will provide innovative investment opportunities for investors in Malaysia and beyond.

"This funding round represents an important step in advancing Kenanga's digital asset ecosystem," said Datuk Chay Wai Leong, Group Managing Director of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad. "Our investment in Halogen Capital—alongside our other investments in digital-first businesses such as KDX, Helicap and Merchantrade—reflects our conviction that the future of finance will be defined by innovation, supported by strong governance and transparency. By leveraging blockchain and tokenisation, as well as strengthening our network of digital platforms, we aim to redefine how investors engage with capital markets, making them more efficient, accessible and globally competitive. Together, these initiatives are laying the foundation for products that anticipate the evolving needs of investors and businesses in a rapidly changing financial environment," concluded Datuk Chay.

"The completion of this round marks an important milestone as we continue building Malaysia's institutional digital asset investing landscape," added Liew Ooi Hann, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Halogen Capital. "We are encouraged by the confidence shown by Kenanga, as well as our other notable investors, which include 500 Global, Digital Currency Group, The Hive Southeast Asia, Jelawang Capital, and Mythos Venture Partners. Their support reinforces the growing recognition of digital assets as an integral part of global capital markets. Institutional participation is rising steadily worldwide, with more than RM744 billion (USD181 billion) now held in corporate crypto treasuries. Malaysia is experiencing the same shift, and demand for regulated, professionally managed exposure has accelerated over the past three years. With the backing of leading investors, we are well-positioned to accelerate product innovation and expand access to institutional-grade digital asset investments," said Liew.

Since launching in 2023 as the pioneer of the world's first Shariah-compliant cryptocurrency funds, Halogen Capital has grown its assets under management (AUM) to around RM400 million as of November 2025. This includes the Halogen Shariah Bitcoin Fund, which has emerged as one of Malaysia's top-performing funds since its inception, as reflected in the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Lipper data. Today, Halogen Capital serves a fast-growing investor base numbering in the thousands, including high-net-worth individuals, family offices, corporates, and institutional investors, across eight wholesale funds and private mandates—supported by a network of more than 15 distributors including commercial banks and Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia (FIMM)-approved distributors.

Leveraging Halogen Capital's expertise and growing investor base, alongside Kenanga's investment, the initiative will offer broader, differentiated product offerings—including new digital asset investment products, safer access to crypto yield generation, and tokenised securities backed by onshore Malaysian assets. These initiatives are complemented by the Securities Commission Malaysia's ongoing efforts to tokenise securities and develop regulatory guidance for blockchain-based investments and distributed ledger technology, ensuring that the development of digital asset solutions remains secure, compliant, and aligned with regulatory standards.

Hashtag: #Kenanga

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad (197301002193 (15678-H))

Established for over 50 years, Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad ("The Group") is a leading financial group in Malaysia, offering a wide range of services, including equity broking, investment banking, treasury, Islamic banking, listed derivatives, investment management, wealth management, structured lending, and trade financing. The Group's digital innovations include the launch of KDi GO, a wealth-centric app, along with game- changing products such as Rakuten Trade, Malaysia's first fully digital stockbroking platform, and Kenanga Digital Investing, an A.I. robo-advisor.

The Group has garnered multiple awards, including top honours at the Bursa Excellence Awards 2024 and The Edge Malaysia Centurion Club 2023. The Group also secured the Top 20 Overall Excellence and the Niche Cap Excellence Award at the National Corporate Governance and Sustainability Awards 2024. As one of the highest- scoring constituents of the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index and a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact, Kenanga continues to drive collaboration, innovation, and sustainability in the financial industry.

Times Magazine

Buying a New Car: Insider Tips

Buying a new car is one of the largest purchases many Australians make outside buying a home. Yet ...

Hybrid Vehicles: What Is a Hybrid, an EV and a Plug-In Hybrid?

Australia’s car market is changing faster than at any point since the decline of the local Holden ...

Chinese Cars: If You Are Not Willing to Risk Buying One, What Are the Current Affordable Petrol Alternatives

For years Australian motorists shopping for an affordable new car generally looked toward familiar...

Australia’s East Coast Braces for Wet Week as Weather Pattern Shifts

Large sections of Australia’s east coast are preparing for a significant period of wet weather as ...

A Report From France: The Mood of a Nation

France occupies a unique place in the global imagination. To many outsiders, it remains the land ...

“More Choice” Or Fewer Choices? Australia’s New Vehicle Emission Rules

The Changing Face Of Motoring When the Federal Government announced Australia’s new fuel efficien...

The Times Features

A Maple‑Infused World Cocktail Day: Cocktails & Moc…

With World Cocktail Day coming up on the 13th of May, many people will be looking for fresh ideas ...

Australian mum creates Sandy Baby wipes to remove sand …

I’m Yaz, founder and mumma behind Sandy Baby®, an Australian designed and owned brand that was cre...

Behaviour Can Be Influenced by Hormonal Imbalance

Human behaviour is often viewed through a social or psychological lens. We talk about stress, pers...

Credit Card Surcharges Are Ending: What the Changes Mea…

Australians have become accustomed to the small but irritating moment that often arrives at the ch...

Australia’s East Coast Braces for Wet Week as Weather P…

Large sections of Australia’s east coast are preparing for a significant period of wet weather as ...

The Inland Rail Dream Scaled Back: What Happened to One…

The Inland Rail project was once promoted as one of the most transformative infrastructure initiat...

Defending Australia: AUKUS, Submarines and the Biggest …

Australia is embarking upon one of the largest defence expansions in its modern history. Driven b...

Politics Has Become a Leadership Contest. Americans Cho…

Modern politics may be undergoing a profound transformation. For generations, elections were ofte...

One Nation Policies Are Resonating. Rather Than Mock Th…

Australian conservative politics is entering a period of strategic uncertainty. For years, the Li...