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Singapore SMEs gain access to institutional-grade investment returns with full liquidity and zero minimums
SINGAPORE, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspire, the all-in-one finance platform for modern businesses, today announced the launch of Aspire Yield, its new investment solution, giving small businesses access to investment opportunities within their Aspire Business Account.
The launch follows AFT SG 2 Pte Ltd, a company within the Aspire Group, securing its Capital Markets Services License (CMS) from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in April 2025, enabling it to offer regulated investment solutions to businesses. To ensure stability and performance needed to turn idle cash into capital growth, Aspire's affiliate has partnered with Fullerton Fund Management for both Singapore and US dollar investments.
The integrated solution addresses a long-standing challenge for SMEs, where competitive investment opportunities have traditionally remained difficult to access without substantial minimums or complex processes that favour larger corporations with established banking relationships. Now, through the Aspire platform, Singapore's small businesses can earn up to 2.04% for SGD investments and 3.88% for USD investments[1], compared to traditional business savings rates that typically range from 0.01% to 0.25% per annum[2].
More than half the funds were previously sitting idle
Early adoption data from Aspire Yield's clients in beta reveals a significant untapped opportunity: approximately 55% of funds now invested through Aspire Yield were previously sitting idle in traditional business accounts, earning minimal returns.
"That's a staggering statistic and shows just how much capital small businesses have been leaving on the table," said Andrea Baronchelli, CEO and co-founder of Aspire. "Aspire Yield changes this by giving every eligible Singapore business access to the same high-quality money market funds that are available to institutional investors, seamlessly integrated into their daily financial operations."
"Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of Singapore's economy, yet they've historically faced barriers in accessing institutional-quality investment solutions. Our partnership with Aspire group democratises access to professional fund management, enabling SMEs to optimise their working capital with the same calibre of investment solutions traditionally reserved for larger businesses. We're proud to support Singapore's entrepreneurial community through Aspire's innovative platform" said Mark Yuen, Chief Business Development Officer, Fullerton Fund Management.
Zero barriers, maximum flexibility for business operations
All eligible Singapore-incorporated businesses can now open SGD and USD Yield accounts immediately. Unlike traditional investment products that often require minimums and lengthy lock-up periods, Aspire Yield offers:
- No minimum investment requirement — businesses can start with any amount
- Next business day liquidity, with funds remaining accessible for operational needs
- No lock-up periods and complete flexibility to withdraw as business needs change
- Integrated investment management within the Aspire platform.
"Aspire Yield is refreshingly simple: no minimums, no hidden terms, and no pressure to 'invest' in something risky. Just move cash in, and it does its thing," said Bhavana Ravindran, founder and CEO of Earlybird AI, which uses Aspire Yield to manage its business funds.
"We designed Aspire Yield specifically for how modern businesses operate," explained Damien Passavent, Chief Product Officer, Aspire. "Businesses need their capital to work harder, but they also need immediate access when opportunities or challenges arise. This isn't about locking money away – it's about making every dollar more productive while preserving complete operational flexibility."
For more information on Aspire Yield, visit: https://aspireapp.com/yield
About Aspire
Aspire is the all-in-one finance platform for modern businesses globally, helping over 50,000 companies save time and money with international payments, treasury, expense, payable, and receivable management solutions - accessible via a single, user-friendly account.
Headquartered in Singapore, Aspire has 600+ employees across nine countries, clients in 30+ markets and is backed by global top tier VCs, including Sequoia, Lightspeed, Y-Combinator, Tencent and Paypal. In 2023, Aspire closed an oversubscribed US$100M Series C round and announced that it has achieved profitability. Aspire Yield is provided by AFT SG 2 Pte Ltd, a company within the Aspire Group.
[1] Investment returns may vary based on market conditions |
[2] Internal research conducted by Aspire in July |
Singapore SMEs gain access to institutional-grade investment returns with full liquidity and zero minimums
SINGAPORE, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspire, the all-in-one finance platform for modern businesses, today announced the launch of Aspire Yield, its new investment solution, giving small businesses access to investment opportunities within their Aspire Business Account.
The launch follows AFT SG 2 Pte Ltd, a company within the Aspire Group, securing its Capital Markets Services License (CMS) from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in April 2025, enabling it to offer regulated investment solutions to businesses. To ensure stability and performance needed to turn idle cash into capital growth, Aspire's affiliate has partnered with Fullerton Fund Management for both Singapore and US dollar investments.
The integrated solution addresses a long-standing challenge for SMEs, where competitive investment opportunities have traditionally remained difficult to access without substantial minimums or complex processes that favour larger corporations with established banking relationships. Now, through the Aspire platform, Singapore's small businesses can earn up to 2.04% for SGD investments and 3.88% for USD investments[1], compared to traditional business savings rates that typically range from 0.01% to 0.25% per annum[2].
More than half the funds were previously sitting idle
Early adoption data from Aspire Yield's clients in beta reveals a significant untapped opportunity: approximately 55% of funds now invested through Aspire Yield were previously sitting idle in traditional business accounts, earning minimal returns.
"That's a staggering statistic and shows just how much capital small businesses have been leaving on the table," said Andrea Baronchelli, CEO and co-founder of Aspire. "Aspire Yield changes this by giving every eligible Singapore business access to the same high-quality money market funds that are available to institutional investors, seamlessly integrated into their daily financial operations."
"Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of Singapore's economy, yet they've historically faced barriers in accessing institutional-quality investment solutions. Our partnership with Aspire group democratises access to professional fund management, enabling SMEs to optimise their working capital with the same calibre of investment solutions traditionally reserved for larger businesses. We're proud to support Singapore's entrepreneurial community through Aspire's innovative platform" said Mark Yuen, Chief Business Development Officer, Fullerton Fund Management.
Zero barriers, maximum flexibility for business operations
All eligible Singapore-incorporated businesses can now open SGD and USD Yield accounts immediately. Unlike traditional investment products that often require minimums and lengthy lock-up periods, Aspire Yield offers:
- No minimum investment requirement — businesses can start with any amount
- Next business day liquidity, with funds remaining accessible for operational needs
- No lock-up periods and complete flexibility to withdraw as business needs change
- Integrated investment management within the Aspire platform.
"Aspire Yield is refreshingly simple: no minimums, no hidden terms, and no pressure to 'invest' in something risky. Just move cash in, and it does its thing," said Bhavana Ravindran, founder and CEO of Earlybird AI, which uses Aspire Yield to manage its business funds.
"We designed Aspire Yield specifically for how modern businesses operate," explained Damien Passavent, Chief Product Officer, Aspire. "Businesses need their capital to work harder, but they also need immediate access when opportunities or challenges arise. This isn't about locking money away – it's about making every dollar more productive while preserving complete operational flexibility."
For more information on Aspire Yield, visit: https://aspireapp.com/yield
About Aspire
Aspire is the all-in-one finance platform for modern businesses globally, helping over 50,000 companies save time and money with international payments, treasury, expense, payable, and receivable management solutions - accessible via a single, user-friendly account.
Headquartered in Singapore, Aspire has 600+ employees across nine countries, clients in 30+ markets and is backed by global top tier VCs, including Sequoia, Lightspeed, Y-Combinator, Tencent and Paypal. In 2023, Aspire closed an oversubscribed US$100M Series C round and announced that it has achieved profitability. Aspire Yield is provided by AFT SG 2 Pte Ltd, a company within the Aspire Group.
[1] Investment returns may vary based on market conditions
[2] Internal research conducted by Aspire in July
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Aspire Launches Yield Solution to Boost SMEs Investment Returns
ALULA, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the official opening of Desert X AlUla 2026, the landmark fourth edition of the international, open-air biennial exhibition. Arts AlUla, in collaboration with Desert X, welcomes visitors to experience a stellar line-up of Saudi and international multi-generational artists whose site-responsive earthworks, sculptures, and installations will engage in a powerful dialogue with the awe-inspiring landscapes and layered heritage of AlUla.
As a premier destination rich in ancient history and breathtaking nature, AlUla, located in Northwest Saudi Arabia, solidifies its position on the global stage as a dynamic, emerging land art destination with Desert X AlUla, the region's first public art biennale, and a key highlight of the AlUla Arts Festival.
The 2026 edition of Desert X AlUla brings together 11 acclaimed artists whose diverse works reflect a wide spectrum of ideas, materials, and traditions. From monumental kinetic sculpture to sound-based explorations above and below ground, each commission is deeply rooted in relationships to AlUla's distinctive environment, further cementing Desert X AlUla's reputation as a globally significant platform for site-responsive land art.
Desert X AlUla runs until February 28, 2026, as a cornerstone of the annual AlUla Arts Festival. Curated by Wejdan Reda, Zoé Whitley, with artistic direction by Neville Wakefield, and Raneem Farsi, its fourth edition explores 'Space Without Measure.' Inspired by Kahlil Gibran, the theme fosters contemplation of imagination within AlUla's natural settings. The exhibition, set in the desert canyons of AlUla, serves as a pre-opening programme for Wadi AlFann, offering a pivotal glimpse into AlUla's plans to create a permanent land art 'Valley of the Arts.'
Hamad Alhomiedan, Director of Arts & Creative Industries at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), said: "At Desert X AlUla 2026, audiences will engage with art that deeply converses with AlUla's unique landscapes and rich heritage. These compelling commissions highlight AlUla's dynamic transformation into a major global destination, where ancient and contemporary expressions converge. This exhibition is part of our broader revitalisation of AlUla as a culturally rich destination to live, work and visit and integral to positioning AlUla in the global dialogue of contemporary art and as a precursor to monumental projects like Wadi AlFann."
Participating artist/artworks are:
- Sara Abdu, A Kingdom Where No One Dies: Contours of Resonance
- Mohammad Alfaraj, What was the Question Again?
- Mohammed AlSaleem, The Thorn, AlShuruf Unit, The Triangles, Flower Bud, and Al Ahilla (courtesy of Royal Commission for Riyadh City)
- Tarek Atoui, The Water Song
- Bahraini-Danish, Bloom
- Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Imole Red
- Agnes Denes, The Living Pyramid
- Ibrahim El-Salahi, Haraza Tree
- Basmah Felemban, Murmur of Pebbles
- Vibha Galhotra, Future Fables
- Héctor Zamora, Tar HyPar
For further information, please contact:
Sabrine.Shaw@bursonglobal.com
AlUlaArtsFestival@bursonglobal.com
Multimedia gallery:
High-resolution photos of all 11 artists and their artworks can be found here.
About AlUla and Arts AlUla
Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.
The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages. AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes was developed from at least the 12th century and has been revitalised as the vibrant hub for visitors and residents.
The creation of Arts AlUla within The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) is a commitment to crafting the next chapters in a millennia of artistic creation – celebrating cultural inheritance and shaping a future inspired by artists built be artists. The work of Arts AlUla seeks to preserve this legacy: fuse the old with the new; the local with the international, keeping the arts central to the spirit of AlUla as a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage.
Wadi AlFann, meaning 'Valley of the Arts,' will be a global cultural destination for land art, unveiling from 2028 onwards, where era-defining works by artists from around the world will be permanently sited in the monumental landscape of AlUla, the extraordinary desert region of north-west Saudi Arabia.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Desert X AlUla 2026: monumental land art exhibition opens in the ancient oasis of AlUla
