What's in this episode:

• TOP BIT: The End of One-Euro Parcels from China
  • The EU plans to scrap duty exemptions for low-value imports (under €150) by 2026, two years earlier than planned, due to surging volumes from China.
  • An additional 2-euro admin fee per parcel is planned.
  • 4.6 billion low-value parcels entered the EU in 2024, 91% from China (Temu, Shein), shipped on 35 daily cargo flights.
  • China’s tax office is also cracking down, with retroactive 13% tax claims on previously under-declared sales.
• NUMBER OF THE DAY: $80 Million
  • The amount Vietnamese app developers earned abroad in 2024.
  • Vietnam is an "app powerhouse" with over 6 billion downloads (5.7B from overseas); 12,000 apps installed per minute globally.
  • AI is a key growth engine, cutting development time by up to 40%.
• MARKET BIT: Grab + GoTo Mega-Monopoly Merger
  • Grab and GoTo are negotiating a $29 billion merger in Indonesia, ending costly market-share battles.
  • The Indonesian government is backing the deal, potentially with a "golden share" for its sovereign wealth fund.
  • Monopoly concerns are high, as the merged entity would control over 90% of Indonesia's ride-hailing and delivery market.
  • Regulatory scrutiny focuses on pricing, data dominance, and impact on drivers and smaller rivals.
• STARTUP OF THE WEEK: Foodie Media
  • Founded by Nicholas Lim from a chicken rice blog in 2016, it's now a major Southeast Asian food media company going public.
  • 46 million followers across platforms, $64.5 million USD valuation, with an IPO planned for Nov 28 aiming to raise $18 million USD.
  • Investing in AI tools for video translation and lip-syncing for global reach.
• Partner Highlights:
  • Germany excludes Huawei from future 6G networks, replacing existing components for digital sovereignty.
  • Thailand scraps afternoon alcohol ban (2-5 p.m.) in a pilot scheme to boost tourism.
  • LG & Mercedes-Benz plan deep collaboration on EV batteries, SDV software, and displays.
• Country Reads: Updates from New Delhi (terrorist attack), Malaysia (smart-factory initiative), and Hong Kong (phone scam).

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What's in this episode:

• TOP BIT: China Cracks Down on Deepfakes
  • Starting 2026, China will enforce stricter rules against fake images and AI-generated content.
  • Mandatory labels for AI content will be required from platforms, app providers, and creators to combat manipulation.
  • The revised Cybersecurity Law includes multi-million dollar fines for violations and requires immediate deletion of misinformation.
  • Real-world cases include arrests for faking child abduction and earthquake damage using AI.
  • 515 million Chinese now use generative AI, driving demand for detection and labeling tools.
• NUMBER OF THE DAY: 3000 Yen
  • Japan's departure tax per person for international travelers is set to triple, adding about 2,000 yen to return tickets.
  • The revenue aims to combat overtourism at popular sites, which is leading to overcrowding and congestion.
• MARKET BIT: Succession Crisis: Wealth Without a Plan
  • Asia’s private wealth is projected to hit $99 trillion by 2029, much of it in founder-led companies.
  • Nearly half of first-generation families have no clear succession roadmap, often waiting until health scares or business pressure.
  • "Dynasty drift": Heirs often lack motivation or prefer to build their own ventures, leading to conflicts between "Pro over Patriarch" approaches.
  • Weak succession planning risks frozen assets and family disputes, impacting key growth markets.
• HEAD OF THE DAY: Hiroshi Mikitani 三木谷浩史
  • The architect of Japanese e-commerce, who founded Rakuten after the 1995 Kobe earthquake.
  • Rakuten is a global ecosystem (e-commerce, fintech, telecom) generating $10 billion USD in annual revenue.
  • Famous for making English the company's official language in 2010, symbolizing Japan's global ambition.
• Partner Highlights:
  • Luckin Coffee eyes a return to US markets after its accounting scandal, betting on rapid expansion.
  • VinFast expands EV production in Vietnam, shifting focus to stronger Asian growth prospects.
  • Singapore pushes for an EU-ASEAN Digital Economic Agreement to boost regional trade and data flows.
• Country Reads: Updates from New Delhi (terrorist attack), Malaysia (smart-factory initiative), and Hong Kong (phone scam).

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What's in this episode:

• The Chinese influencer who spent an estimated $500,000 on 10,000 hyaluronic acid injections for artificial eight-pack abs, seeking a Guinness World Record.
• TOP BIT: Asia’s Data Boom — The New Power Race
  • Asia is set to account for 40% of global data center capacity by 2030, requiring over $800 billion in investments, turning the region into a geopolitical battleground for data dominance.
  • Focus areas include: Singapore's "green" facilities, Thailand's fast-track billion-dollar projects, South Korea's $35B AI-driven 3 GW complex, and India's rise to a projected 4.5 GW market by 2030.
  • Global giants (AWS, Google, Meta) are investing over $360 billion in new infrastructure worldwide.
• NUMBER OF THE DAY: $300 Billion
  • The projected revenue scale of Southeast Asia’s digital economy in 2025 (with GMV expected to surpass $300 billion).
  • E-commerce remains king; social commerce is a major growth driver, projected to account for 25% of online sales.
  • Investor capital is stabilizing, focusing on late-stage startups and growth in AI, fintech, and cross-border QR payments.
• MARKET BIT: SoftBank Goes All-In on OpenAI
  • SoftBank sold its entire Nvidia stake for $5.83 billion to fund a strategic shift toward AI applications and infrastructure.
  • $30.5 billion in Q4 allocations, primarily for OpenAI and Ampere, to fuel the Stargate project.
  • The pivot drove a massive Vision Fund gain, but also caused investor concerns about high valuations and the thin financing cushion for the mega-project.
• HEAD OF THE DAY: Carl Pei
  • The visionary behind Nothing and OnePlus, known for building global fan communities and focusing on design, emotion, and curiosity in tech.
  • Nothing generates around $600 million in annual revenue.
• Highlights: Sentiment lifted across Asia amid hopes for an end to the US government shutdown. Tokyo saw strong gains, and China's gold stocks rose.
• China’s Singles Day is losing its shine due to consumer fatigue and a weak economy.
• India and South Korea deepen defense ties with a joint shipbuilding alliance.
• Apple removes popular gay dating apps from its Chinese App Store under government order.
• Country Reads: Updates from Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.

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