Alibaba

Baidu

ByteDance

Meituan

Pinduoduo

Tencent

Most Followed

KrASIA Connection

China's Auto Sector

Earnings Reports

Inside China's Startups

Venture Roundup

Our Events

View All

Collections

News

Features

Insights

Ecosystem

DeepSeek

Kuaishou

Li Auto

Xiaohongshu

Xiaomi

Xpeng

On the Radar

xAI’s Grok chatbot has introduced a “companions” feature that turns it into anime-style personas like Ani and Bad Rudy. Available to SuperGrok subscri…

Events

Latest

About

36Kr (EN)

Consumer

Robotics

Fintech

What guides machine-led insights? Uncover AI applications, language models, and decision-making systems transforming sectors worldwide.

Artificial Intelligence

What lies beyond familiar frontiers? Investigate emerging tech—like quantum computing and AI—transforming traditional sectors.

Deep Tech

Enterprise services is an over-arching term to describe an architecture combining engineering discipline and computer science to solve practical business problems. 

Enterprise Services

China

The 22-year-old founder isn’t looking to make marketers more efficient. She wants Head AI to make them obsolete.

With Head AI, this Gen Z dropout aims to replace marketing teams entirely

Decoding China&#039;s tech and business pulse

KrASIA

AI Now! is a global AI community of Chinese developers, professionals, and founders.

AI Now!

China’s tech ecosystem serves as a driving force behind the world’s second largest economy, influencing global digital markets.

Explore East Asia’s thriving tech hubs, global electronics producers, and fast-evolving digital platforms shaping cross-border innovation.

East Asia

JD.com, a Chinese e-commerce leader, ensures trusted transactions, efficient logistics, and a wide product selection for online shoppers.

JD.com

What sets the bar for convenience? Examine on-demand platforms, subscription models, and personalization transforming consumer expectations.

Consumer Economy

How do clicks replace aisles? Explore global marketplaces, payment solutions, and technology accelerating online retail’s growth.

E-commerce

How does dinner arrive at your door? Study platform partnerships, last-mile delivery, and culinary trends powering the takeaway economy.

Food Delivery

How do goods cross borders seamlessly? Examine warehousing tech, route optimization, and data analytics building efficient supply chains.

Logistics

How do platforms deliver on immediacy? Analyze ride-hailing, instant deliveries, and gig models meeting consumer needs fast.

On-demand Services

What drives global exploration? Discover evolving tourism trends, hospitality services, and the shift toward personalized travel experiences.

Travel

In a candid address, JD.com’s founder maps a future grounded in core principles and innovation.

Richard Liu and 20 things he wants you to know about JD.com’s future

36Kr is China's most influential business and technology network, delivering high-quality content focused on China’s innovation and new economy trends since 2010. With its extensive traffic and network, 36Kr has built a comprehensive database and strong data analytics capabilities to provide insights into China’s technology landscape.

36Kr English

How do markets shape wealth creation? Study portfolio diversification, asset classes, and strategies balancing growth and risk.

Investment

When do companies invite public investment? Understand listing criteria, underwriter roles, and regulatory steps defining initial offerings.

Why do firms join forces? Investigate synergy goals, valuation methods, and negotiations driving corporate consolidation.

Merger &amp; Acquisition

What happens after acquisitions close? Examine deal structures, operational improvements, and exit strategies molding corporate outcomes.

Private Equity

What fuels startup ecosystems? Review funding rounds, investor strategies, and market insights guiding entrepreneurial growth.

Venture Capital

Hong Kong

Indonesia

Singapore

Southeast Asia

Bringing you the latest updates on funding deals and activities in the Asia Pacific.

Deals in brief: East Ventures invests in Sxored, Shieldbase and Transcelestial raise funding, HeySara enters Hong Kong with ILS acquisition, and more

An alias used when humans and machines team up in our newsroom. Articles under this byline may be shaped with the help of AI, but are always vetted by a human before publication.

Sudo Lim

KrASIA tracks China’s tech and business stories—alongside key developments across the broader Asia Pacific region.

Header Section | KrASIA

Home

Sections

Header Section

xAI’s Grok chatbot has introduced a “companions” feature that turns it into anime-style personas like Ani and Bad Rudy. Available to SuperGrok subscribers, the update has drawn criticism over NSFW content and the potential for emotional overreliance. Critics point to past risks, including a teen suicide linked to prolonged <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> interaction.

<a href="/company/tesla">Tesla</a> previewed its upcoming Model Y L on Weibo, releasing images but no specifications. Regulatory filings suggest the vehicle may feature a six-seat layout, signaling a new configuration for Tesla’s <a href="/industry/ev">EV</a> lineup.

<a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia</a> CEO Jensen Huang said during a Beijing visit that he hopes to sell more advanced chips to China beyond the H20, which was cleared for export this week. He praised China’s <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> progress and confirmed the H20’s role in recent trade talks, as US-China tech ties remain uncertain.

<a href="/company/huawei">Huawei</a> topped China’s smartphone market in Q2 2025 for the first time in four years, taking an 18.1% share despite a 3.4% drop in shipments, IDC said. National smartphone sales fell 4% amid weak demand and reduced subsidies. Nationwide sales fell 4% amid weak demand and reduced subsidies.

Klook is exploring a US IPO that could raise USD 300–500 million, according to sources. Backed by SoftBank and Goldman Sachs, the travel booking platform turned profitable in 2023 and may file confidentially soon, joining a wave of firms eyeing a return to public markets.

Ganfeng Lithium and Tianqi Lithium issued profit warnings for the first half of 2025, citing falling lithium prices and sector volatility. Ganfeng expects net losses of RMB 300–550 million, while Tianqi could return to profit with net income of up to RMB 155 million, supported by inventory gains and asset sales. Both flagged risks from tariffs, exchange rates, and price wars.

ASML beat Q2 2025 estimates with EUR 7.7 billion in sales and EUR 5.5 billion in bookings but warned of potential flat growth in 2026 amid rising global uncertainty. The company also trimmed its 2025 outlook and issued soft Q3 guidance, sending shares lower despite continued AI-driven demand.

Sino Biopharmaceutical plans to acquire the remaining 95.09% of LaNova Medicines for up to USD 951 million, raising its stake to 100%. After accounting for LaNova’s estimated USD 450 million in cash, the net payment will be about USD 500 million. The deal strengthens Sino Biopharm’s pipeline as it targets the launch of 30 new drugs by 2027.

<a href="/company/minimax">MiniMax</a>, one of China’s leading <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> startups, is reportedly closing a nearly USD 300 million funding round that would push its valuation above USD 4 billion. Founded by former <a href="/company/sensetime">SenseTime</a> executive Yan Junjie, the company recently launched its <a href="https://kr-asia.com/minimax-finds-its-aha-moment-and-a-way-to-challenge-the-ai-status-quo">MiniMax-M1 foundation model and multimodal agents</a>. The company declined to confirm the raise, and is also said to be <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/chinese-ai-startup-minimax-files-for-hong-kong-ipo-sources-say-bbc88c91">nearing a Hong Kong IPO</a>.

<a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance</a> has denied reports that it applied to purchase <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia’s</a> H20 chip, which was recently cleared by US authorities for export to China. A company spokesperson said no request had been made and called the reports inaccurate. <a href="/company/tencent">Tencent</a>, also named in the reports, has yet to respond.

Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser said the bank is exploring the launch of a Citi stablecoin and is actively developing tokenized deposit solutions. The bank is also assessing crypto custody and reserve management. The announcement came as Citi shares rose on strong Q2 earnings and a planned USD 4 billion stock buyback.

What shapes modern healthcare and agriculture? Examine biotech startups, gene editing, and drug discovery unlocking biological potential.

Biotechnology

The Silicon Valley entrepreneur has turned his body into a living experiment in a bid to reframe longevity as a solvable problem.

Bryan Johnson: The man trying to engineer longevity into the human condition

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a6b9ace74da9df391d5f7ba1892f4393?s=96&d=blank&r=g

With chip access in flux and scrutiny mounting, Manus has left China for Singapore, betting that neutrality offers a safer path forward.

Has China become too risky a home for AI startups? Manus thinks so

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cd0d29f7b9fd019c7c0d49a09a1ec8b1?s=96&d=blank&r=g

T. K. Lin

Alibaba, China’s e-commerce giant, operates online retail marketplaces, cloud computing services, and digital payment networks across Asia and beyond.

Meituan, China’s all-in-one local services platform, covers food delivery, travel bookings, and lifestyle deals, simplifying daily consumer choices.

Taobao, Alibaba’s consumer-to-consumer marketplace, connects Chinese shoppers with diverse products, from fashion and electronics to everyday essentials.

Taobao

What changes the way we shop? Review fresh inventory management, dark stores, and logistics driving door-to-door grocery services.

Grocery Delivery

A single Saturday saw Taobao Shangou, Meituan, and JD.com log a combined 200 million orders, testing subsidy strength, logistics, and supply chains in real time.

Grok adds anime-style "companions"

Latest Pulses

Most Recent

Bryan Johnson: The man trying to engineer longevity into the human condition

Has China become too risky a home for AI startups? Manus thinks so

Meituan scrambles on “Super Saturday” as Taobao Shangou tops 80 million daily orders