Hong Kong, February 9, 2026 — Kea, the neobanking group redefining business finance through its “human-touch” model, today announced a major strategic expansion into the Asian market. Debuting at Consensus 2026, Kea aims to dismantle the barriers that have left a $2.5 trillion Trade Finance Gap in the region, leaving innovative SMEs underserved by traditional financial institutions.
As global banking becomes increasingly automated, a dangerous “compliance vacuum” has emerged. Innovative companies in Asia frequently face “algorithmic exclusion”—where rigid, AI-only compliance systems freeze legitimate cross-border transactions without context or recourse. Kea’s arrival marks a shift back to Human Intelligence (HI) as a premium service.
Solving the SME Crisis
Traditional banks often reject small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and tech scale-ups due to perceived high risks and low margins. This risk-aversion has created a multi-trillion dollar gap in trade finance. Kea solves this by providing:
- Contextual Compliance: Unlike “Black Box” AI, Kea’s human experts review complex cases, ensuring that innovative business models aren’t blocked by outdated algorithms.
- Fast-Track Onboarding: Reducing the months-long wait times at traditional banks to typically several days for corporate accounts.
- The Asia-Global Corridor: Seamless integration of multi-currency IBANs and stablecoin liquidity to facilitate real-time trade between Asia and the rest of the world.
“The $2.5 trillion trade finance gap isn’t a tech failure; it’s an empathy failure,” says Mark Berkovich, CEO at Kea. “Traditional banks are too scared to touch SMEs, and digital banks are too automated to understand them. At Kea, we use tech to move money, but we use humans to build trust. We’re going to Consensus to show Asia’s founders that they finally have a partner who speaks their language.”
Kea will be showcasing its hybrid model at Consensus 2026, offering exclusive previews of its localized Asian payment rails for institutional partners and high-growth founders.
About Kea
Kea is a global neobanking group built for the modern economy. By blending a proprietary high-performance core with a dedicated “Human-Touch” service layer, Kea provides the infrastructure for businesses to scale across borders without the friction of legacy banking or the coldness of pure automation.
Media Contact
Olha Hryhorievska
CMO at Kea
[email protected]
keaworld.com
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