By Tee Kean Kang, Chief Executive Officer of Paydibs,
For many Malaysian business owners, growth is not an abstract ambition or a distant aspiration. It is a daily exercise in sustainability, measured by stable cash flow and the confidence to keep operations running the next day.
In this context, payments are not a technical feature that sits quietly in the background. They are a critical foundation of daily business operations. Yet payments are still widely viewed as something that simply needs to work. Once a transaction is completed, attention quickly shifts elsewhere. This perspective overlooks the deeper influence that payment design has on a business’s financial health and long-term growth potential.
As Malaysia enters a more decisive execution phase under national initiatives such as MyDIGITAL and the 13th Malaysia Plan, it is timely to reframe how payments are understood. They should be recognised not merely as transactional tools, but as essential national growth infrastructure that supports economic resilience, productivity and financial inclusion.
At the policy level, digital transformation is often discussed in terms of platforms, data and innovation. On the ground, however, business owners experience its impact in far more practical ways. Delayed settlements can postpone stock purchases and disrupt daily operations. Transaction fees, when accumulated, erode already thin margins. Complex payment systems can create dependency rather than empowerment. When digitalisation fails to address these realities, it falls short on its promise.
Payments, therefore, need to move beyond being a background function and play a more deliberate role in enabling stability and confidence for businesses. This perspective guides how Paydibs approaches payment infrastructure in Malaysia. Rather than treating transactions in isolation, the focus is on removing friction from the payment flow so that businesses can regain control over cash, costs and daily operations.
Direct access to national payment rails, such as FPX, removes unnecessary layers within the payment ecosystem. For Paydibs, direct connectivity to these rails is a deliberate move to reduce intermediaries, accelerate settlement cycles and give merchants a clearer visibility over their funds. Faster access to earned revenue improves liquidity while lower processing costs translate into tangible savings. These savings can be reinvested into equipment, workforce expansion or financial buffers that help businesses navigate uncertainty. For everyday business owners, these are outcomes that matter.
Growth today also extends beyond immediate neighbourhoods. Even the smallest businesses are increasingly serving tourists, regional customers and cross-border buyers. However, unfamiliar payment methods and complex integrations often prevent local merchants from fully participating in these opportunities. By enabling the acceptance of international wallets through strategic partnerships such as Alipay+, Paydibs helps businesses welcome global customers without disrupting their day-to-day operation. This approach lowers friction at checkout and allows Malaysian merchants to compete regionally with greater confidence and ease.
At the point of sale, business owners are equally clear about their expectations. They prioritise reliability, transparency and security over complexity. They do not want multiple devices, a fragmented system or increased exposure to fraud risks. Consolidated payment solutions that are secure by design simplify daily operations and reduce vulnerabilities. Faster access to funds further improves cash flow and removes the stress associated with waiting days for settlements. While these improvements may seem incremental, their impact is significant when margins are tight and operational demands are constant.
Looking ahead, the broader potential of payments lies in how transaction data is used responsibly to unlock access to opportunity. Many capable businesses remain underserved because traditional financing models fail to reflect their actual performance. This longer-term view also shapes how Paydibs thinks about the next phase of payment infrastructure, where transaction data can help businesses access financing based on proven business activity rather than rigid credit assumptions. When designed thoughtfully, embedded financing can offer a more inclusive and transparent pathway to working capital.
For Malaysia’s digital economy to succeed, its infrastructure must serve those at the foundation of the economy. Payments are one of the few systems that interact with every business, every day. When designed with intent, they do more than move money. They strengthen resilience, support sustainable growth and restore confidence.
As the country moves from vision to execution, the true measure of success will be whether business owners feel more in control of their future. Payments, when treated as growth infrastructure rather than a commodity, have the power to make that difference.