Grab today has announced a slate of new features at its GrabX 2026 event in Jakarta, aimed at turning its superapp into what it describes as an “everyday guide” for users across Southeast Asia. The updates are built on the company’s Grab Intelligence Layer, which leverages data from over 20 billion rides and orders to automate decisions and streamline common tasks.
Among the features introduced is Group Ride, which has already been available in Malaysia since early March. Grab also unveiled several tools aimed at merchants and driver-partners, though this article focuses on the consumer-facing updates.
Food And Shopping
One of the more practical additions is Grab More, which allows users to combine orders from multiple nearby merchants into a single delivery without additional fees. The system uses AI to coordinate preparation and delivery timing so orders arrive together, avoiding the need to place separate orders.
Speaking of which, Grab is also introducing the Grab AI Assistant, a built-in concierge designed to handle tasks such as finding restaurants, planning group meals, and making bookings through a single conversation. It supports both food delivery and dine-in recommendations, and ties into the Grab Shopping Agent, which can generate a full cart from a photo, voice note, or typed list. The system searches across multiple merchants and includes suggested substitutions where needed.
Another addition is Discover by Grab, which surfaces food recommendations based on community-generated content and user preferences. Users can save, share, and contribute their own finds, while also acting on recommendations directly within the app by booking a table, ordering delivery, arranging transport, or making payments.
Navigation And Travel
Navigation is getting an upgrade through GrabMaps for Consumers. Its Journey Planner integrates with users’ calendars, predicts destinations based on past activity, and compares travel options side by side, including estimated time of arrival and cost for Grab rides versus driving. The feature also includes real-time parking availability, EV charger locations, and public transport schedules, alongside indoor navigation for malls and buildings. A Custom Voice option is also included, allowing users to personalise turn-by-turn directions.
On the travel front, the Personalised Travel Experience feature consolidates key trip information such as passport requirements, check-in counters, boarding gates, and flight updates into a single interface. It also includes a travel checklist for essentials like eSIMs and travel passes, while offering step-by-step indoor navigation within airports upon arrival.
Complementing this is GrabStays, a hotel booking service integrated into the app and geared towards last-minute bookings. User details and payment methods are pre-filled, allowing bookings to be completed quickly, while ride options to and from the hotel are surfaced within the same flow.
Payments And Financing
Payments are also being simplified through GrabPay for Travel, which enables users to pay via QR codes across the region using their existing cards without needing separate e-wallets. This removes the need for additional app downloads or maintaining foreign balances when travelling.
Grab is also expanding into financial services with Cash Loan, which offers in-app credit using AI-driven underwriting based on user activity. Eligible users can customise repayment plans and receive approval within seconds.
Local Availability
Grab More and the Grab Shopping Agent are currently live in the country, alongside GrabMaps for Consumers, although some of its functions will be introduced in stages. Discover by Grab and Grab AI Assistant, on the other hand, will only make its way to Malaysia towards the end of 2026.
Cash Loan is planned for rollout in Malaysia by mid-2026, whereas Personalised Travel Experience and GrabPay for Travel are both expected to launch in Malaysia by the third quarter of 2026. Lastly, GrabStays is scheduled to arrive in the same quarter after its initial debut in Singapore.
(Source: Grab press release / official website)
