Author: Michael Chen

Based in Hong Kong, Michael Chen is expert in financial reporting, having worked for a business wire agency for at least five years. He currently works full time as Business News Asia’s Hong Kong / China correspondent.

Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms. The app has been in the news due to the various changes it has been going through. Ever since Elon Musk took over the app in October 2022, a lot of new features have been introduced on the app. There has also been a substantial change in the company personnel of Twitter. The latest figures show that Twitter currently has fewer employees than in 2012. Additionally, predictions suggest that Twitter might lose 33% of its global users by the end of 2024. However, despite all these predictions, the platform is doing…

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Nuqtah, the first NFT marketplace platform in Saudi Arabia, has announced that it has successfully raised a seed round of funding led by Animoca Brands, a global leader in blockchain, gaming, and digital entertainment. The investment round also included participation from Polygon and regional investors. With the new funding, Nuqtah aims to scale up its business over the next 12 months, empowering its creators, businesses, and users to unlock the new opportunities that the Web3 space offers to the region. Nuqtah is the first NFT marketplace in Saudi Arabia, and it is also the first to be licensed by the…

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New York-listed Apollo announce that funds managed by its affiliates have entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire the Univar Solutions in an all-cash transaction that values the company at an enterprise value of approximately $8.1 billion. The deal includes a minority investment from a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Univar Solutions shareholders will receive $36.15 per share in cash, representing a 20.6% premium to the Company’s undisturbed closing stock price on November 22, 2022. The transaction consideration also represents a premium of 33.6% to the volume-weighted average price of Univar Solutions for the 30…

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So you want to register a business in Malaysia but don’t know where to begin? Registering a business in Malaysia involves several steps. Here’s a general overview of the process: Choose a business structure: The first step is to decide on the legal structure of your business. In Malaysia, you can register as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership (LLP), private limited company (Sdn Bhd), or public limited company (Bhd). Choose a business name: Once you have decided on the business structure, you need to choose a name for your business. You can check the availability of the name…

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So you want to jump into the craze and invest in cryptocurrency? Here are some tips to consider if you want to invest in cryptocurrency for the first time: Do your research: Before investing in any cryptocurrency, it’s important to thoroughly research the project, the team behind it, and its potential for success. Make sure you understand the technology and its applications. Diversify your portfolio: It’s important to not put all of your eggs in one basket. Invest in a variety of different cryptocurrencies to reduce your risk. Keep an eye on the market: Stay up-to-date with the latest news…

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Global payments and financial platform Airwallex has secured a payment business license in China, following the successful acquisition of a 100% stake in Guangzhou Shang Wu Tong Network Technology Co., Ltd., an information and online payment services company. Shang Wu Tong Network Technology has a license for online payment services. The acquisition received approval and endorsement from all relevant China regulatory authorities. “We are excited to achieve this milestone, and to have completed the acquisition,” said Kai Wu, Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager of APAC at Airwallex. “Looking ahead, we can now significantly enhance our capabilities to empower entrepreneurs…

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SwipeRx, Southeast Asia’s leading platform for pharmacies, today announced it has secured $10 million in fresh funds as part of a new Series B2 round. This round marks investments from marquee investors such as global pharma Sanofi’s Global Health Unit and Cercano Management (formerly Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital). Existing investors Susquehanna International Group (SIG), Johnson & Johnson and Patamar Capital also participated. The firm had announced the raise of its $27 million Series B round in May 2022. The prior Series B round was led by Indonesia’s MDI Ventures with participation from other global investors, including the Bill…

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Singapore-based cross-border payments startup Tazapay has raised $16.9 million in its Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital Southeast Asia, according to an announcement. The funding round was also participated by new investors –  EscapeVelocity, PayPal Alumni Fund as well as renowned angel investor Gokul Rajaram – and existing investors – Foundamental, January Capital, RTP Global and Saison Capital. The fintech startup said it will use the funds to further scale its business across Asia and expand in other regions where the company is receiving strong demand for its services, such as the Middle East and Europe. This includes…

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Microsoft announced today that Miki Tsusaka has been appointed as the new President of Microsoft Japan, with immediate effect. Tsusaka will lead Microsoft Japan’s engagement with its customers and business partners, and be responsible for all its product, solution, service and support offerings in Japan. She reports to Ahmed Mazhari, President of Microsoft Asia. Tsusaka joins Microsoft from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she served as a Senior Partner and Managing Director. At BCG, she worked for clients across a wide range of industries in Japan and overseas, helping them to develop and implement growth strategies, improve profitability, redesign organization…

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Eastspring Investments (Eastspring), the $222-billion asset management business of Prudential plc, today announced three new senior hires for its Singapore-based Fixed Income (FI). In the announcement, Eastspring said the senior hires reflect its commitment to further building its FI capabilities, and reinforcing its position as Experts in Asia. Clement Chong joined Eastspring in December 2022 as Credit Manager, reporting to Danny Tan, Head of Fixed Income. He oversees the credit research team, responsible for robust research coverage of Eastspring’s credit views and analysis, and co-manages the Eastspring Asia Sustainable Bond Fund, alongside Rong Ren Goh, Portfolio Manager. He was most…

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Southeast Asia online sales have boomed, bringing with it unique warehousing and logistics challenges. HAI ROBOTICS, the pioneer of Autonomous Case-handling Robot (ACR) systems, has opened its first demo center in Singapore to demonstrate its automated warehousing solutions. Amidst global business expansion with Southeast Asia as one of the crucial markets, HAI ROBOTICS hopes to enhance local service to customers in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia,Thailand and other southeast Asian countries. HAI ROBOTICS independently developed its ACR technology in 2015, followed closely by the introduction of its HAIPICK System, the first ACR system in the world. ACR system differs from other…

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When it comes to saving money, you want to make sure you are doing it in the best way possible. This means finding a savings account that offers a high interest rate. But how do you know which one is the best for you? It can be tough to compare all of the different accounts out there. That’s why we created this guide! In it, we will discuss 7 key factors to look at when comparing different interest-earning savings accounts. By following these tips, you can find the right account for your needs and start saving money today! 1) Do…

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In the world of online gaming, there are a few big hitters that always manage to come up in conversation. Games like League of Legends and DOTA 2 have been around for years, and they continue to be some of the most popular games in the world. However, a new game has been quickly gaining popularity over the past year or so: Mobile Legends. So how does this game make money? And why is it so popular? Let’s take a look. What is Mobile Legends? Mobile Legends is essentially a MOBA (Massive Online Battle Arena), much like Dota 2 or…

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Most traffic to digital properties in China does not come through search engines but through social media platforms. One of the factors that drives this is that more than 95% of internet users in China use mobile devices to go online. So, it is mandatory for brands to utilize content and advertising on the major Chinese social media platforms to gain any sort of market share. WeChat WeChat or Weixin in China is the largest of the social media platforms and it goes beyond a simple messaging app with branded landing pages hosted by the platform itself, mini programs, ecommerce…

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The jewellery you wear is more than just a piece of decoration. It also signals a lot about your personality and style. When it comes to fashion, trends are constantly changing and generating new ideas that impact the world of clothing and accessories. Sustainability has become a key concern among consumers because of its significant impact on the environment. With the number of big names investing in green initiatives, it’s no surprise that sustainable products are becoming more popular in general. In this article, we’ll take you through 5 reasons why buying sustainable jewellery is good for the environment, and…

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The e-commerce industry across the globe experienced massive growth, especially during the past two years, owing to the pandemic. increase in internet penetration and the rise of online shoppers. Along with the e-commerce sector, the logistics sector also came to the forefront with tech advancements to meet the growing demand of the e-commerce sector, which guarantees quick and safe shipment delivery. During the pandemic, the logistics sector to overcome the challenges of massive shipments rose to the occasion with efficient warehousing and timely delivery of the markets. Further, many third-party logistic companies like Ninja Van came to the market to…

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The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, welcomes the passage of Republic Act (RA) No. 11901 or “The Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022” that provides a comprehensive financing framework for the development of the agriculture and fisheries sector and rural communities. “The BSP is committed to the effective implementation of this law, which aims to enhance access of rural communities and agricultural and fisheries households, including their micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to much needed financial services and programs,” said BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla. “The new Agri-Agra and…

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With more Filipinos relying on e-commerce to get their essentials, this has also increased the need to protect them due to the growing number of fraudulent activities happening in the digital space. In a Consumer Pulse Survey conducted by TransUnion in February 20221, of the over 1,000 Filipino adults polled, 53% said they were targeted by fraudsters in the previous 3 months. From the same survey, 42% said they were scammed by Phishing, 38% were victimized by money and gift card scams, while 30% were scammed by third-party sellers via online retail shops. While businesses in different industries are continuously…

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Global direct bank payments firm GoCardless has announced plans to acquire Nordigen, the freemium open banking data provider, as it builds on its vision to become the world’s bank payment network. In a statement, GoCardless said it will incorporate Nordigen’s next-generation open banking connectivity — offering the widest coverage in Europe, connecting to more than 2,300 banks in 31 countries — into its account-to-account network. The acquisition means the fintech will now provide free open banking connectivity at scale, opening up self-serve access to account information services (AIS) to everyone. In addition, its suite of premium data products help improve…

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Mondial de la biere, Montreal Worldwide Beer Festival, is taking place from May 19 to 22, 2022 and will feature beer, music, and discoveries, according to a report by Business News Canada. The event, considered as America’s most important international beer festival, will take place at Windsor Station and Rio Tinto Yard, a magnificent historical building in downtown Montreal. The event is also considered an ideal gathering to discover unique beers and interact with friends. It will satisfy the curious minds but also any beer lover, both newcomer and epicurean, up to the finest connoisseur, according to the announcement. View…

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