TREASURY teams in Malaysia are increasingly confident about the potential of both artificial intelligence and digital currencies but remain pragmatic about the operational and infrastructure barriers that stand in the way of wider adoption.
The findings come from HSBC’s Redefining Treasury in Asia Pacific 2026: Voices of Treasury report, which surveyed treasury and finance professionals across 11 Asia Pacific markets, including Malaysia.
The survey found that 76% of Malaysian respondents believe AI will be either “extremely useful” or “very useful” for treasury functions within the next three years, exceeding the regional average of 72%. Another 21% said AI would be somewhat useful.
Despite the optimism, 82% said treasury functions are not keeping pace with AI adoption across the wider organisation.
Integration with existing systems emerged as the biggest obstacle, cited by 69% of respondents, ahead of cost (45%) and a lack of expertise (36%).
HSBC Malaysia head of Global Payments Solutions Anand Mukati said the findings reflected strong interest in new technologies but also highlighted practical implementation challenges.
“There is a real appetite among Malaysia’s treasury community to explore what new payment instruments and AI-enabled tools can deliver,” he said.
“At the same time, treasurers recognise that the challenge is often less about the technology itself and more about how it is integrated into existing, fragmented legacy and ERP systems.”
Malaysia leads on digital currency adoption
Malaysia also stood out as the region’s most enthusiastic market for digital currencies.
Half of Malaysian respondents said they were very likely to adopt digital currencies within the next two years, compared with a regional average of 19%.
The enthusiasm persists despite 42% of respondents viewing digital assets as high risk, broadly in line with the regional average of 44%.
The survey found that 73% of respondents saw improved treasury efficiency as the main benefit of digital currencies, while 50% cited stronger liquidity management.
Mukati said Malaysian treasurers viewed risk and adoption as compatible rather than contradictory.
“What comes through quite clearly from the Malaysia findings is that treasurers aren’t viewing risk and adoption as an either-or decision,” he continued.
“They understand the operational and regulatory considerations around digital currencies, but they also see the potential to improve efficiency, manage liquidity and shape new payment models.”
Cybersecurity remains a priority
The report also found that Malaysian treasury professionals place greater emphasis on cybersecurity than many of their regional peers.
Respondents rated the threat of cybercrime and fraud at 8.4 out of 10, above the regional average of 7.78, underscoring the importance of resilience as treasury functions continue modernising.
HSBC said the findings suggest Malaysian treasury teams are increasingly ready to embrace AI and digital payments, but wider adoption will depend on overcoming integration challenges and strengthening supporting infrastructure. ‒ Sept 17, 2026
Main image: Projector Display
