Chocolate Finance Launches High-Yield Business Accounts for Singapore SMEs at The Business Show Asia

Singapore’s business cash management landscape is shifting as Chocolate Finance officially launches its dedicated business accounts. For fintech professionals, this represents a significant move into the B2B space by a high-growth retail player, targeting the S$800 million in potential interest currently lost by SMEs to low-yield corporate bank accounts.

What was announced

Chocolate Finance has introduced Chocolate Business, a Cash Managed Account designed specifically for Singapore-based enterprises. The product serves as an alternative to traditional corporate bank accounts or fixed deposits, which often suffer from low interest rates or restrictive lock-in periods. The launch, taking place at The Business Show Asia 2026, marks the company’s first major expansion beyond its consumer-facing roots.

The account structure is built around liquidity and yield. Businesses can currently access 1.5% p.a. on their first S$300,000, a return supported by the Chocolate Top-Up Programme during the qualifying period. For balances exceeding that threshold, the account offers up to 1.5% p.a. Unlike fixed deposits, there are no fixed tenures, withdrawal charges, or penalties, allowing companies to maintain access to capital for operational needs like payroll and supplier payments.

Operational features include daily visibility of balances and returns via a dedicated mobile app. Funding is handled through FAST transfers or PayNow, with no minimum or maximum deposit requirements. While liquidity is a priority, the company notes that withdrawals typically take between one and two business days. Notably, Chocolate Finance employs a performance-based fee model, only generating revenue after target returns for the client have been met.

"Businesses often earn very little on the cash sitting in their bank accounts, and frankly, the returns can be rubbish. We think we can do better. Businesses need their cash available for payroll, suppliers and whatever comes next, but there's no reason it should sit around earning next to nothing in the meantime. Chocolate Business lets that cash work harder while staying accessible. Business owners have been asking us for this, and to us, it just makes sense."

Walter de Oude, Founder and CEO of Chocolate Finance.

The companies involved

Chocolate Finance is a Singapore-based financial services provider that has rapidly scaled its presence in the Southeast Asian market. Since its inception two years ago, the firm has amassed approximately S$1.6 billion in assets under management and serves a customer base exceeding 150,000. The company is led by Walter de Oude, a prominent figure in the regional insurance and finance sectors.

The launch addresses specific market gaps identified in the region. Data from Syfe, a digital investment platform, suggests that Singaporean SMEs are losing significant revenue due to inefficient cash management, with nearly half of these businesses prioritizing liquidity. By positioning itself between traditional banking and long-term investment, Chocolate Finance is competing for the idle capital of small-to-medium enterprises that require more flexibility than a standard fixed-term product allows. The official debut of the business account takes place at The Business Show Asia, a major regional trade event held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, where the firm is engaging directly with the SME community to drive adoption of its new B2B suite.

What this means

This move puts immediate pressure on traditional Tier-1 and Tier-2 banks in Singapore, whose corporate savings products have long relied on inertia rather than competitive yields. By removing lock-in periods and offering a performance-linked fee structure, Chocolate Finance is challenging the "lazy balance" model that has historically padded bank margins. The entry of a nimble, tech-first player into the B2B cash management space suggests that the era of SMEs accepting near-zero returns for the sake of liquidity is ending. The broader industry must now consider whether the convenience of a primary banking relationship is enough to offset the transparent, daily-accrued yields offered by specialized cash management platforms. The central question for the sector is how quickly traditional incumbents will adjust their corporate deposit rates to stem the potential outflow of SME capital toward these more aggressive digital alternatives.