This week, we’re looking at big numbers. A 4-room flat in the coveted Pinnacle@Duxton has just smashed records with a $1.52m sale, over 2,000,000 of Lady Gaga’s Little Monsters showed up in the virtual queue for her concert tickets, and Singapore’s private home sales soared to a 13-year high for Feb 2025. Plus, what happened to all those Chocolate Finance customers whose withdrawal requests got delayed?
All that and more in our bite-sized roundup of the week’s biggest finance updates—so you can stay informed without sifting through the fine print.
TLDR;
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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 in Singapore—Ticket presales exceed 2 million in queue on first day
Presales for Lady Gaga’s Asia-exclusive Mayhem tour in Singapore began on 18 Mar 2025, and over 2,000,000 Little Monsters showed up in the virtual queue. In fact, numbers reportedly peaked at 3.5 million!
Sky-high demand aside, the presale also raised eyebrows among fans when no seating plan or official ticket prices were revealed ahead of time. Fans finally saw seat prices only when the sale began, with tickets ranging from $148 to $368 and VIP packages costing up to $1,348. Oof. To top it off, many also noticed higher-than-usual booking fees, adding $10 to $20 per ticket.
Didn’t manage to get a ticket? The Mastercard presale that began on Tuesday, 18 Mar 2025 is still on, with 3 more presales coming up this week:
| Lady Gaga in Singapore 2025—How to buy tickets | ||
| Presale / Sale | Date and time | Who’s eligible |
| Mastercard Presale | Start: 18 Mar 2025, 10 am End: 20 Mar 2025, 959 am |
Mastercard cardholders via their website. You must purchase your tickets via Mastercard. |
| Klook Presale | Start: 19 Mar 2025, 10 am End: 21 Mar 2025, 959 am |
Klook members through the Klook app |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Presale | Start: 20 Mar 2025, 12 pm End: 21 Mar 2025, 1159 am |
KrisFlyer members. Registrations closed on 13 Mar 2025. Those who registered should have received their unique access code via email by 18 Mar 2025. |
| KrisFlyer Reserve Sale (redeem miles for concert tickets) | 20 Mar 2025 at the following times: – 12 pm for all PPS Club members, Solitaire PPS Club supplementary cardholders, and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members – 3 pm for all KrisFlyer and KrisFlyer Elite Silver members |
KrisFlyer members. Find out more here. |
| Live Nation Presale | Start: 20 March 2025, 12 pm via www.livenation.sg End: 20 Mar 2025, 1159 pm |
Live Nation members (membership is free) |
| General sale | 21 March 2025, 2 pm | Everyone |
Good luck, Little Monsters!
Chocolate Finance update: 90% of withdrawal requests completed
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Last week, we talked about Chocolate Finance pausing instant withdrawals after a significant number of customers began withdrawing their funds. Since that surge, the financial services platform has (mostly) caught up.
In an update on Monday, 17 Mar 2025, Chocolate Finance reported that they’ve processed 90% of the redemption requests made on 10 Mar 2025, the day they halted instant withdrawals. They had also completed 73% of the redemption requests they received on 11 Mar 2025. Chocolate Finance stated that all remaining requests that were made on 10 and 11 Mar were scheduled to be completed by 18 and 19 Mar respectively.
If you made a redemption request on or after 12 Mar 2025, expect to wait the standard 3 to 6 business days for your request to be processed.
Singapore’s new private home sales surge to 13-year high in Feb 2025
Singapore’s private home sales soared to a 13-year high for Feb 2025, driven by the strong demand for 2 newly launched suburban condos—Parktown Residence in Tampines and Elta in Clementi. Developers sold 1,575 units, a 10-fold increase from Feb 2024 and a 45.4% jump from Jan 2025. Whew.
Parktown Residence stole the show, moving 1,041 units (87% of its total), thanks to its integrated development status, direct access to an upcoming MRT station, and appeal to HDB upgraders. Elta also saw strong demand, selling 65% of its units, with 2-bedroom apartments almost fully taken up.
What’s coming up? Market confidence is expected to remain strong, with upcoming launches such as Lentor Central Residences and Aurelle @ Tampines sustaining buyer interest. Experts predict home prices will continue rising in 2025, supported by lower home loan interest rates and a strong supply of new launches—but buyers are likely to remain selective.
ALSO READ: Downpayment for Condo: How Much Do First-Timers Need in Singapore? (2025)
Pinnacle@Duxton smashes HDB record with $1.52m sale
Speaking of soaring home prices, another million-dollar HDB sale has made waves—this time at Pinnacle@Duxton, where a four-room flat sold for a record-breaking $1,502 psf. The 49th-floor unit was snapped up for $1.52 million, a massive jump from its original $378,000 price tag 15 years ago.
The buyers, a 41-year-old couple with a child, forked out $108,000 in cash above the HDB valuation of $1.41 million. Pinnacle@Duxton, a 50-storey landmark near the CBD, remains one of Singapore’s most coveted HDB estates, with high demand and limited supply driving up prices.
This sale follows other million-dollar transactions at the estate, including a three-room flat for $1.4 million and a five-room unit for $1.55 million. With public housing supply in the downtown area limited, analysts expect prices to keep rising, making Pinnacle@Duxton a hot favourite among HDB upgraders and investors.
Grab wants to buy GoTo—Here’s what it could mean for you
Singapore’s Grab is making moves to acquire its Indonesian rival GoTo, which operates Gojek, as both companies struggle with slower growth amid rising inflation and cautious consumer spending. Reports say Grab is now reviewing GoTo’s finances and operations, but whether the deal actually happens is still up in the air—GoTo has reiterated that no deal is in place yet.
Theoretically, what if Grab acquires GoTo? Well, if the deal goes through, it could reshape the ride-hailing and delivery landscape in Southeast Asia. Grab and GoTo are already the biggest players in the region, so a merger might raise antitrust concerns—which means regulators could step in.
For Singaporeans, this could impact pricing, promotions, and competition in the ride-hailing space. With fewer competitors in the region, ride fares and delivery fees could change, and the usual flood of discounts and promo codes may slow down. Uber, which exited the region in 2018 but still holds a stake in Grab, may also have a role in the deal. For now, talks are ongoing, but this potential mega-merger is one to watch.
Standard Chartered introduces free scam insurance and higher interest for seniors
Standard Chartered is rolling out a revamped MyWay savings account for those aged 55 and above, featuring higher interest rates and free digital scam insurance for the first year.
The Digital Scam Protection Insurance, underwritten by MSIG, covers up to $50,000 for losses from phishing and malware scams but excludes authorised payment scams like love or investment scams. Customers must also follow security measures, such as updating device software and using anti-malware solutions, to be eligible for claims.
Alongside enhanced security, interest rates have increased for balances over $50,000. While the first $50,000 still earns 0.05% p.a., balances beyond that now enjoy rates between 0.5% to 3% p.a., depending on tiered amounts.
Additionally, account holders can earn a 0.5% bonus interest rate for three months by depositing at least $200,000 in fresh funds. These changes aim to provide better returns and peace of mind for seniors banking with Standard Chartered.
ALSO READ: 10 Best Savings Accounts in Singapore with the Highest Interest Rates (Feb 2025)
More Singapore Residents secure higher-skilled jobs in 2024
Good news—more Singaporeans secured better-paying, higher-skilled jobs in 2024, especially in finance, IT, healthcare, and professional services. Meanwhile, lower-skilled sectors like F&B and admin support saw a decline in local employment. Overall, 8,800 more residents found jobs, reversing the dip seen in 2023.
The job market is still going strong, with 1.64 job vacancies for every unemployed person as of December 2024. Demand remains high for roles like financial analysts, software developers, accountants, and business managers. At the same time, more companies are looking to hire and increase wages in the coming months.
That said, retrenchments in finance and insurance crept up in Q4 2024 due to rising costs, but it hasn’t dampened overall confidence. With steady hiring demand and strong employer sentiment, the labour market is expected to grow in early 2025—though global uncertainties could shake things up later in the year.
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.
About the author
Vanessa Nah likes her finance articles the way she likes her sitcoms—light-hearted, entertaining, and leaving people knowing a little more about life. She believes money—like life—should be made simple. Outside of work, you’ll find Vanessa attending dance classes, fingerpicking a guitar, and fulfilling her life mission to make her one-eyed cat the most spoiled kitty in the world.
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