KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia and BEIJING, May 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On 12 May 2026, during the Digital Cloud & Datacenter Convention & Exhibition (DCCI) Malaysia 2026, one of Southeast Asia’s leading digital and cloud computing industry events, Bonree, a leading Chinese intelligent observability company, hosted the global launch of Bonree ONE 4.0 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Under the theme “Bonree Evolve”, the event marked the global debut of Bonree ONE 4.0, highlighting the company’s latest progress in AI Observability and intelligent operations, and underscoring a key step forward in its global expansion strategy.

During the event, Anhui He, Product Director of Bonree, delivered a keynote titled “Intelligent Observability Reimagined: How AI is Redefining Operations with Bonree ONE 4.0 2026”, introducing the platform’s AI Native Observability capabilities designed for the AI-driven era. The release showcases a major enhancement of Bonree ONE’s intelligent observability framework across enterprise AI scenarios. Smart Ask enables users to generate insights through natural language, supporting use cases such as health checks, incident diagnosis, performance optimisation, change assessment, and operations governance, with structured visual reports generated automatically. XiaoRui AI, the industry’s first intelligent observability workspace, leverages MCP, Skills, and a knowledge base to enable rapid agent creation and multi-source data integration, unifying models, tools, and knowledge assets while connecting IT operations, DevOps, BizOps, and FinOps workflows. The AI Observability capability extends this further into large model and agent environments, providing end-to-end tracing, span-level analysis, token usage monitoring, performance metrics, and session-level context tracking, while supporting frameworks such as LangChain, LangGraph, and OpenClaw to ensure stable and controllable AI operations at scale.

Bonree Data Technology Co. LTD. (stock code: 688229) is a global leader in AI-driven intelligent observability and has ranked No.1 in China’s Application Performance Management and Observability (APMO) market for four consecutive years. In recent years, the company has expanded its international footprint across Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, and Malaysia, while also delivering million-scale projects in Hong Kong. It holds internationally recognised certifications including SOC 2 Type II and CMMI Level 5, and its flagship platform Bonree ONE has been included in the Huawei Cloud international baseline solution catalogue. The company continues to advance its “global deployment, local compliance” strategy as it expands across global markets.

Bonree serves more than 1,000 enterprise customers worldwide with its integrated intelligent observability solutions. Built on proprietary unsupervised knowledge graph-based root cause analysis and AI-driven analytics capabilities, and supported by 57 granted invention patents and 135 software copyrights, Bonree ONE delivers out-of-the-box intelligent monitoring and fully managed adaptive alerting. This enables low-noise, high-precision anomaly detection and root cause analysis, significantly improving operational efficiency and incident response.

CONTACT: 
Yao Xianhan
yaoxiaohan@bonree.com 
+86-18210189324

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SOURCE Bonree

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hong Leong Bank (“HLB” or the “Bank”) has been named the Best Managed Bank in Malaysia at The Asian Banker (“TAB”) Global Leadership Achievement Awards 2026, attributed to the Bank modernizing its digital foundation, reducing dependency on legacy tech, and focusing on operational excellence and efficiency gains through its 3-5 year bankwide transformation plan.

Complementing this, Kevin Lam, HLB’s Group Managing Director and CEO, was also named the Best Bank CEO in Malaysia, recognizing his pivotal role in orchestrating the Bank’s transformation, including introducing a “Quantum Growth” goal that successfully transitioned HLB into a highly integrated, AI-driven financial institution. In its mission to deliver personalized banking solutions to its customers, the Bank implemented a “One Bank” strategy, eliminating legacy silos in favor of a unified, cross-functional ecosystem, which has yielded a market-leading Cost-to-Income Ratio (“CIR”) that has consistently hovered below the 40% mark, a benchmark for operational efficiency in the region.

This growth was achieved alongside impeccable asset quality, where HLB continues to report a Gross Impaired Loan (“GIL”) ratio of below 0.65%, significantly outperforming the industry average and demonstrating the Bank’s foundation of robust credit risk management and data-centric underwriting.

Reflecting on the milestone, Kevin Lam commented, “This recognition may seem like a finish line, but for us it’s a catalyst for our next phase of evolution. Our transformation journey was about building a future-ready infrastructure where AI and data-driven insights allow us to move from generic services to efficiently delivering hyper-personalized financial solutions. By integrating AI into the fabric of our bank, we are transitioning towards becoming a proactive partner. Whether through predictive wealth management or seamless digital onboarding journeys, our innovation is always anchored in our Built Around You promise, where we look for innovative solutions to cater to our customers’ diversified needs. Looking ahead, we will continue to pioneer products that don’t just meet market standards, but anticipate the specific, evolving needs of our customers in an increasingly complex global economy.”

TAB attributed the awards to the Bank’s disciplined navigation of a complex transformation, which has moved the institution from a position of stability to one of aggressive, tech-led growth. A central pillar of this recognition was the “One Bank” consolidated banking philosophy, which prioritized long-term customer outcomes through strategic branch transformation initiatives such as launching diversified branch models that cater to different segments of society, enabling the Bank to manage customers from across all segments effectively. For SME customers, HLB also offers solutions across their operations that meet the business owners’ personal banking and business banking needs.

This is most evident in HLB’s structured lifecycle migration model for SME banking, where growing retail SMEs are seamlessly transitioned to Commercial & Corporate Banking as they scale, ensuring the Bank retains holistic relationships by evolving alongside its clients rather than losing them to legacy institutional barriers.

The Bank has also consistently championed AI integration throughout its operations, and has recently democratised the use of AI by providing all its employees with access to AI tools, allowing employees to shift their focus from routine processing toward strategic problem-solving and high-value innovation.

HLB has recently accelerated its momentum through several strategic initiatives aimed at deepening its customer-centric ecosystem. Within the wealth management segment, HLB has enhanced its regional capabilities through a landmark strategic alliance between HLB Private Banking and Lombard Odier, blending global private banking excellence with local market insights. This was further complemented by the refresh of HLB Priority, which transitioned the affluent segment toward an advisory-led model focused on long-term stewardship. Simultaneously, the Bank elevated its Shariah-compliant offerings via the rebranding of HLB Islamic, introducing the Hayat @ HLB Islamic proposition to provide holistic, value-based financial solutions. To ensure physical accessibility remains a priority, the Bank also introduced the innovative Meet @ HLB branch concept, providing flexible banking services and specialized support within the heart of Malaysia’s growing townships.

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SOURCE Hong Leong Bank Berhad

NEW YORK, May 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In its 2026 rankings, Expert Consumers named Western Union the Best Money Transfer App, noting its international scale, multi-channel functionality, and continued investment in digital services. The recognition captures how user expectations are evolving, especially around transaction speed, upfront pricing, and mobile usability.

Best Money Transfer App

Western Union – a global financial services company that enables individuals and businesses to send and receive money across countries through digital platforms and physical agent networks

The assessment by Expert Consumers focused on key factors shaping the international money transfer market. Western Union differentiated itself through its global network, allowing users to send money across borders in various currencies using either digital platforms or cash-based methods.

Key areas considered in the evaluation included:

Geographic coverage and currency supportTransfer speed and delivery optionsFee transparency and exchange rate clarityMobile app usability and accessibilitySecurity and regulatory compliance

Western Union’s infrastructure enables users to send funds to bank accounts, mobile wallets, or physical agent locations. This hybrid model remains relevant in areas where access to banking services is still inconsistent.

Growth of Mobile-First Cross-Border Payments

The recognition comes as mobile apps become the primary channel for international remittances. According to industry data, digital transfers now account for a growing share of cross-border payment volume, driven by smartphone use and improved financial connectivity.

Western Union has expanded its app functionality, which now includes real-time tracking of transfers, saved recipient profiles for repeat transactions, multiple payment methods such as bank transfer, card, and digital wallets, and integrated compliance checks to support secure transactions

The updates show how providers are balancing more intuitive experiences with the demands of a regulated environment.

Transparency and Cost Awareness in Focus

Cost visibility remains a concern for users sending money internationally. Hidden fees and unclear exchange rates have historically created friction in the remittance experience.

Expert Consumers highlighted Western Union’s efforts to improve transparency by providing upfront pricing and clearer breakdowns of transfer costs within the app. It coincides with increasing pressure from authorities to make fee and rate information transparent and standardized.

At the same time, users continue to compare services based on total cost rather than just transfer fees. This makes exchange rate competitiveness an important factor in platform evaluations.

Security and Compliance as Core Requirements

Cross-border money transfers operate within a complex regulatory environment. Platforms must meet anti-money laundering requirements, identity verification standards, and local financial regulations across multiple jurisdictions.

Western Union’s long-standing presence in the industry was noted as a contributing factor in its ranking, particularly in relation to:

Established compliance frameworksFraud detection and prevention systemsIdentity verification processes integrated into the app

As digital transfers scale globally, these safeguards are becoming more important to users and regulators alike.

Where the Industry Is Headed

The global remittance market continues to expand, supported by migration flows, remote work, and increased economic connectivity. At the same time, competition among transfer apps has intensified, with fintech platforms introducing lower-cost and fully digital alternatives.

Despite this, legacy providers like Western Union are adapting by investing in digital channels while maintaining physical networks. This dual model is a reflection of the current state of the market, where user needs vary significantly by region and access to financial services.

Expert Consumers’ 2026 ranking highlights the evolving expectations placed on money transfer apps. Speed, transparency, and accessibility are now baseline requirements rather than differentiators.

This recognition emphasizes Western Union’s strength in adapting to market evolution while leveraging its global operations. As cross-border payments continue to digitize, the balance between innovation, compliance, and reach is likely to remain a defining factor in how platforms are evaluated.

For a more in-depth review, please visit the Expert Consumers website.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company is committed to helping people around the world who aspire to build financial futures for themselves, their loved ones and their communities. Our leading cross-border, cross-currency money movement, payments and digital financial services empower consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments – across more than 200 countries and territories and nearly 130 currencies – to connect with billions of bank accounts, millions of digital wallets and cards, and a global footprint of hundreds of thousands of retail locations. Our goal is to offer accessible financial services that help people and communities prosper. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About ExpertConsumers.org: Expert Consumers delivers news and insights on consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Expert Consumers may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

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SOURCE ExpertConsumers.org