Issue #16: What’s Happening This Week? Lady Gaga Presale Registrations Start, Chocolate Finance Pauses Instant Withdrawals

What do a global pop star and grumpy fried chicken seller have in common? They’re both making headlines in Singapore this week.

From Lady Gaga’s long-awaited concert to Fiie’s Cafe slashing prices for Ramadan, there’s plenty happening. Meanwhile, CPF members get good news on interest rates, lower-income families receive more support, and Chocolate Finance stirs up drama with sudden changes.

Here’s a bite-sized roundup of the week’s biggest finance updates—so you can stay informed without sifting through the fine print. 

TLDR; Lady Gaga is set to perform 4 shows in Singapore in May 2025, with presales starting from 18 Mar before general sales open on 21 Mar 2025. Register for the KrisFlyer presale this week, by 13 Mar 2025. Chocolate Finance quietly removed AXS payments, triggering a wave of withdrawals that temporarily halted instant cash-outs, with new spending limits now in place. CPF members will continue earning extra interest on their savings in Q2 2025, with OA at 2.5% and SMRA at 4%, ensuring stable retirement growth. The ComLink+ scheme is expanding to offer more healthcare support and help families in public rental housing transition to home ownership. Viral hawker Mr Grumpy Fried Chicken is offering his Signature Nasi Ayam at $5 this Ramadan from 3 to 6 pm daily until 31 Mar 2025, proving even the grumpiest can be generous.

Want more details? Let’s dive in.

Psst, missed last week’s issue? View all past editions of What’s Happening This Week? to catch up.

 

Lady Gaga is coming to Singapore—register for presales this week

a

The Mother Monster is hitting our shores in May 2025—her only Asia stop. She’ll perform 4 shows at the National Stadium on 18, 19, 21 and 24 May 2025.

General sales start 21 Mar 2025, but who’s gonna wait that long? There are 4 presales before that:

• Mastercard Presale: 18 Mar 2025, 10 am
• Klook Presale: 19 Mar 2025, 10 am
• KrisFlyer Presale: 20 Mar 2025, 12 pm
• Live Nation Presale: 20 March 2025, 12 pm

The Mastercard presale is the earliest and is also the lowest hanging fruit—all you need is a Mastercard card, of which there are plenty to choose from. Be sure to check out with your Mastercard for the transaction to be valid.

If you’re gunning for the KrisFlyer presale on 20 Mar 2025, take note you need to register here by 13 Mar 2025. You’ll receive your unique access code via email by 18 Mar 2025, which you can then use to purchase your tickets..

---

ALSO READ: Best Bank Offers in Singapore (Mar 2025): Lady Gaga Concert Presale, Up to 50% off Flights, and More

---

 

Chocolate Finance removes AXS support, faces withdrawal issues

Uh oh—Chocolate Finance is in a bit of a sticky mess. The popular financial services platform made waves among miles chasers a few weeks ago on 11 Feb 2025 when they announced that you could earn 2 Max Miles per dollar (mpd) spent on their debit card, the Chocolate Visa Card. All you needed to do was link your Chocolate Visa Card to your HeyMax account to earn 2 mpd on tons of transactions—even AXS payments.

As you can guess, Singaporeans flocked to apply for the Chocolate Visa Card. They scrambled to link their HeyMax accounts. And in no time at all, Chocolate Finance was inundated with AXS bill payments. However, Chocolate Finance doesn’t benefit from people using their card on an AXS machine. They ended up sponsoring miles for free, which proved to be unsustainable.

In response, Chocolate Finance decided to “nip it in the bud” and remove AXS payment support—but it did so quietly and suddenly, without informing customers. Cue not just angry customers, but also uneasy ones.

These uneasy customers who wanted out decided to make use of the platform’s “Chocolate Liquidity Programme”, which allows customers to withdraw $20,000 per day instantly. Unfortunately, the number of customers who did this was significant enough to dwindle down the pool of cash Chocolate Finance set aside for these instant withdrawals. 

This brings us to today, with Chocolate Finance’s instant withdrawal function on a temporary hiatus. You can now expect to wait 3 – 6 business days to receive your withdrawn funds.

Additionally, there’s now a $250 per transaction spending limit on Chocolate Finance’s debit card, and AXS and e-wallet top-ups are officially no longer supported.

Chocolate Finance says these measures will ensure its miles earning programme can keep running, and in a statement on 12 Mar 2025 reaffirmed to customers the security of their funds.

“I’ve also learned that offering a freebie that you know to be unsustainable is not a great way to build long-term trust and relationships,” founder and CEO Walter de Oude, who also founded insurance firm Singlife, said.

 

CPF members to continue earning extra interest in Q2 2025

This doesn’t really come as a surprise, but it’s good news all the same for CPF members—extra interest rates will remain unchanged for the second quarter of 2025, helping boost retirement savings.

• Members below 55 will continue earning an extra 1% interest on the first $60,000 of their combined CPF balances (capped at $20,000 for their Ordinary Account).
• Members aged 55 and above will get an extra 2% on the first $30,000 and 1% on the next $30,000.

Savings in Special, MediSave, and Retirement Accounts (SMRA) will continue earning 4% per annum, as the pegged rate remains below this floor rate. Similarly, the Ordinary Account (OA) interest rate stays at 2.5% per annum, keeping the HDB housing loan rate stable at 2.6% per annum.

For those enrolled in CPF LIFE, extra interest still applies to their CPF balances, ensuring higher payouts in retirement.

---

ALSO READ: CPF Guide Singapore: CPF Contribution Rates, Ceilings, Retirement Sum and More (2025)

---

 

More health and housing help for lower income families under ComLink+ scheme

Singapore’s ComLink+ scheme will soon offer enhanced support to help lower-income families navigate healthcare and housing challenges. From later this year, families under the programme will receive personalised health support, including family coaches who will guide them on healthier lifestyles, regular screenings, and accessing medical services. Those with complex health conditions will also get tailored health action plans.

Beyond healthcare, ComLink+ families in public rental housing will receive more structured support to help them transition into home ownership. HDB officers and family coaches will assist with financial planning, saving for a home, and navigating the buying process.

This builds on recent enhancements to the Fresh Start scheme, allowing eligible first-time ComLink+ families to buy new flats on shorter leases, while the Fresh Start grant for second-time applicants will increase from $50,000 to $75,000, making home ownership more achievable for lower-income households.

 

Singapore’s grumpiest nasi ayam goreng seller gives back this Ramadan

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Erma Othman (@erma.othman)

Singapore’s grumpiest fried chicken seller, Shafiie of Fiie’s Cafe, is feeling generous this Ramadan. As part of his Grumpy Gives Back initiative, he’s offering his Signature Nasi Ayam for $5 instead of $6.50 from 3 to 6 pm daily until 31 Mar 2025.

But don’t worry—his grumpy charm is still very much intact. After going viral in 2023 for his legendary customer service (or lack thereof), Shafiie has turned his reputation into a business empire. He now runs 5 Fiie’s Cafe outlets, with a sixth opening soon in Tampines. Fully embracing his grouchy persona, he’s ev Best Bank Offers in Singapore (Mar 2025): Lady Gaga Concert Presale, Up to 50% off Flights, and Moreen nicknamed his own business as Mr Grumpy Fried Chicken.

So if you like crispy fried chicken, great deals, and a side of attitude, now’s the time to drop by Fiie’s Cafe. Just don’t expect a smile.

 

That’s it for this week! Stay tuned for next week’s What’s Happening This Week to keep up with the latest in finance, business, and beyond.