Vietnam and the Philippines have moved decisively on authentication reform. Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore are close behind. Southeast Asia is quietly becoming one of the most active regulatory environments for authentication in the world — and financial institutions need to be paying attention.
In this episode of Smart Friends, Toby Rush shares the rollercoaster journey behind four startups and a nine-figure exit. From childhood influences to strategic sabbaticals, the conversation dives deep into the motivations behind serial entrepreneurship. Toby also unpacks the thinking behind his newest venture, Ideem, and how it’s aiming to make 2FA obsolete by bringing passkey-level security to payments and identity verification—without friction.