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A decade ago, a traveler from Singapore visiting Bangkok or Jakarta would likely rely on U.S. dollars or a global credit card to settle the bill. Today, things are changing. A Malaysian tourist in Thailand can pay for street food by scanning a QR code, with money instantly debited from their account in ringgit and credited to the vendor in baht. Such small conveniences are part of a broader, quiet revolt in Southeast Asia – a concerted effort by regional governments to reduce their reliance on the U.S. dollar in...

The Indonesian rupiah yesterday fell to its lowest level since the Asian financial crisis of 1998, reflecting concerns about the government’s fiscal trajectory and the uncertainties about incoming U.S. tariffs. According to The Jakarta Post, the rupiah momentarily fell to around 16,654 against the U.S. dollar, its weakest since June 1998, before recovering slightly. The currency has been one of the worst performers in emerging markets in 2025, declining by more than 3 percent since the start of the year. Tuesday’s reading was slightly lower than the previous low of...