Alibaba

ByteDance

Huawei

Meituan

Tencent

Xiaomi

Most Followed

KrASIA Connection

100 AI Creators

China's Auto Sector

Inside China's Startups

Venture Roundup

Our Events

View All

Collections

News

Features

Insights

Ecosystem

Press Releases

Anker

DeepSeek

Li Auto

MiniMax

Pop Mart

Xpeng

On the Radar

Tencent has launched a cross-border payment gateway to expand Weixin Pay’s support for international travellers in China. Through TenPay Global, walle…

Events

Latest

About

Consumer

Robotics

Fintech

Collaborate

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

Artificial Intelligence

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

Consumer Economy

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

Deep Tech

Embodied Intelligence

How do stores adapt to digital shifts? Explore e-commerce integration, inventory analytics, and omnichannel strategies for modern shoppers.

Retail

China

While humanoid robots remain the holy grail, companies like Dreame are tapping AI to enhance a wide range of household devices.

Dreame’s new floor washers show embodied intelligence entering homes first through appliances

Decoding China&#039;s tech and business pulse

KrASIA

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

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

Huawei, a global telecom and smartphone vendor, delivers networking equipment, 5G solutions, and consumer devices integrating cutting-edge tech.

What powers tomorrow’s roads? Explore EV adoption, charging infrastructure, and battery advances sparking the shift toward sustainable transport.

Electric Vehicles

How is the way we move evolving? Explore developments in autonomous transportation, electric vehicles, and more efficient urban transit.

Mobility

How do goods and people flow worldwide? Examine transport networks, logistics innovations, and policies shaping global connectivity.

Transportation

The alliance is betting on scale to reach its goals, though overlap within its lineup poses risks.

Huawei’s HIMA plans 17 car launches to secure position in premium car market

Photo of Aaron Tan, co-founder and CEO of Carro.

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

Singapore

Southeast Asia

Vietnam

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

Deals in brief: Carro and Dat Bike raise funding, Terra Oleo debuts with seed round, six new China deals, 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

<a href="/company/tencent">Tencent</a> has launched a cross-border payment gateway to expand Weixin Pay’s support for international travellers in China. Through TenPay Global, wallets including PayPal, Venmo, GrabPay, and ShopeePay are now connected, enabling users to scan Weixin Pay QR codes or present their own wallet QR codes at millions of mainland merchants.

China’s internet regulator has ordered major tech firms, including <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> and <a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance</a>, to halt testing and purchases of <a href="/company/nvidia">Nvidia’s</a> RTX Pro 6000D, according to people familiar with the matter. Regulators concluded domestic <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> processors now match Nvidia’s China-only models, underscoring Beijing’s drive to reduce reliance on US chips and accelerate local semiconductor adoption.

<a href="/company/bytedance">ByteDance</a>-owned Doubao remained China’s top <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> app in August with 157 million MAUs, up 6.6% from July, according to QuestMobile. <a href="/company/deepseek">DeepSeek’s</a> chatbot slipped 4% to 143 million users, with many switching to Doubao, which has added features such as real-time video calls. <a href="/company/tencent">Tencent’s</a> Yuanbao and <a href="/company/ant-group">Ant Group’s</a> AQ health app both gained traction to join the top ten ranking.

Carro, an online automotive marketplace, has raised USD 60 million in a round led by Cool Japan Fund with participation from new investors. The company plans to use the funds to grow demand for Japanese vehicles across seven markets, where it says it handles more than 100,000 car transactions annually. Founded in 2013, Carro also offers financing, insurance, and after-sales services.

<a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> has secured China Unicom as a customer for its Pingtouge <a href="/industry/ai">AI</a> accelerators, which will be deployed at a new Qinghai data center, according to CCTV. The deal signals traction for Alibaba’s semiconductor unit as it invests RMB 380 billion over three years in AI infrastructure. Unicom said the chips outperform <a href="/company/huawei">Huawei’s</a> Ascend 910B in some areas, though Huawei is moving forward with its newer 910C model.

<a href="/company/chery">Chery</a>, China’s second largest carmaker by volume, plans to raise up to HKD 9.14 billion through a Hong Kong IPO. The offering covers 297.4 million shares priced at HKD 27.75–30.75, with trading set for September 25. Proceeds will fund R&amp;D, overseas expansion, and facility upgrades, with cornerstone investors including JSC International Investment Fund and Hillhouse Group.

Dat Bike, a Vietnamese electric motorbike manufacturer, has raised USD 22 million in a Series B round led by Japan’s FCC and Rebright Partners, with participation from Jungle Ventures, Cathay Venture, and AiViet Venture. The company will use the funds to scale production, advance R&amp;D, and strengthen partnerships with ride-hailing and financing providers.

<a href="/company/li-auto">Li Auto</a> will debut the i6 five-seat SUV on September 26, featuring a "shark-like" design, two-tone body, and compact frame. The model provides over 3.3 meters of interior space and combines low-drag aerodynamics with a low center of gravity to improve efficiency, range, and handling.

Terra Oleo, a Singapore-based biotech startup, has exited stealth with USD 3.1 million in seed funding and selection to Breakthrough Energy’s Fellows program. Investors include ADB Ventures, The Radical Fund, Elev8.vc, Better Bite Ventures, and an undisclosed palm oil player. The company uses microbial fermentation to produce palm oil and cocoa butter alternatives from agro-industrial waste and is moving to scale lab technologies with testing agreements in place with global consumer goods firms.

<a href="/company/meituan">Meituan’s</a> international food delivery brand Keeta launched in Kuwait on September 15, its third Gulf hub after Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The company said it will replicate its ecosystem model by providing services for consumers, merchants, and riders, while continuing to explore new overseas markets.

Atomionics, a Singapore-based quantum sensing startup, has raised USD 12.7 million in a pre-Series A round led by Paspalis, with backing from BHP Ventures, IQT, and other investors. The funds will be used to scale its Gravio gravimetry device, which maps subsurface terrain without drilling to aid exploration of copper, lithium, and other critical minerals. Atomionics will also expand in Australia and open a US base for resource and defense applications.

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

Biotechnology

Chair Zhao Yan is steering the company away from hype-driven marketing, investing in synthetic biology to rebuild growth and credibility.

After years of “sleep,” Bloomage faces biotech’s hard realities with a bet on science

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

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6ff53490f679f358bf543998d228fb32?s=96&d=blank&r=g

Mixue Bingcheng runs beverage shops, leveraging mobile ordering and social commerce to serve refreshing drinks and desserts.

Mixue Bingcheng

Closures in Indonesia and Vietnam mark growing pains, but domestic scale, coffee, and new supply hubs give the group fresh momentum.

Weixin Pay adds cross-border payment support

Latest Pulses

Most Recent

After years of “sleep,” Bloomage faces biotech’s hard realities with a bet on science

Deals in brief: Carro and Dat Bike raise funding, Terra Oleo debuts with seed round, six new China deals, and more

Mixue trims abroad, doubles down at home, and brews up Lucky Cup’s rise