https://www.scmp.com/rss/36/feed The latest technology news, reviews, gadgets, launches and products. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Dutch chipmaker ASML upgraded its 2026 sales outlook on Wednesday, citing strong demand, even as China’s share of global shipments continued to decline and the firm braced for a potential new round of US export controls targeting China. The company projected net sales for the year to fall between €36 billion (US$42.5 billion) and €40 billion, as it released its first-quarter results, up from its previous forecast of between €34 billion and €39 billion made in January. The semiconductor... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350243/asml-boosts-2026-sales-forecast-despite-shrinking-china-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350243/asml-boosts-2026-sales-forecast-despite-shrinking-china-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 03:29:22 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), China’s electric vehicle (EV) battery king, plans to earmark 30 billion yuan (US$4.4 billion) to establish a subsidiary to manage and expand mining assets, after the global energy shock paved the way for a quicker entry into the world’s automotive and energy storage system (ESS) markets. The investment arm, in line with CATL’s long-term growth strategy, would integrate existing mining assets, pursue high-quality mineral projects at home and abroad, and... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350213/chinas-catl-invest-us44-billion-mining-arm-secure-ev-battery-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350213/chinas-catl-invest-us44-billion-mining-arm-secure-ev-battery-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:50:49 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Billionaire Elon Musk seems to have embraced TikTok, the world’s most popular short video site, more than two years after he said he stopped using the platform, as he felt its artificial intelligence algorithm was “probing” his mind. A verified @elonmusk handle recently posted a video on the site run by China’s ByteDance, signalling a truce – or perhaps a strategic surrender – to the platform’s massive global reach. The account features the same profile picture as Musk’s account on X, the social... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350003/probing-minds-verified-account-how-elon-musks-stance-tiktok-shifted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350003/probing-minds-verified-account-how-elon-musks-stance-tiktok-shifted?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng US e-commerce giant Amazon has launched its first smart warehouse in Shenzhen, aiming to cut storage costs for local merchants by up to 45 per cent as competition with Chinese rivals Shein and PDD Holdings’ Temu intensifies in cross-border trade. The facility – Amazon’s first Global Warehousing and Distribution (GWD) centre – will serve as an “all-in-one” logistics hub for Chinese sellers targeting US customers, located at the heart of Shenzhen’s manufacturing base, the company said at a launch... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350199/amazon-bets-shenzhen-smart-warehouse-cut-merchant-storage-costs-45-cent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3350199/amazon-bets-shenzhen-smart-warehouse-cut-merchant-storage-costs-45-cent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Silicon photonic computing chips – long overlooked in the artificial intelligence hardware stack – are emerging as a new focal point in mainland China’s semiconductor push, as domestic companies move towards public listings amid intensifying US-China competition and surging demand for next-generation computing infrastructure. Shanghai-based Lightelligence, the first company globally to achieve large-scale deployment of hybrid optical-electronic computing, passed its Hong Kong listing hearing on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350183/lightelligence-track-ipo-plans-chinas-ai-photonics-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350183/lightelligence-track-ipo-plans-chinas-ai-photonics-race-gathers-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:31 +0000 Jeffrey Wu Jeffrey Wu A quiet but consequential shift is reshaping the global artificial intelligence competition, and it has little to do with which country builds the most powerful model. Jensen Huang did not mean to describe a geopolitical strategy. But when Nvidia’s chief executive declared, “Your workload is inference, your tokens are your commodity, and that compute is your revenue,” he was articulating, from the supply side, something China had concluded from the other direction. To understand why, start with... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349947/us-controls-chips-ai-race-china-controls-scoreboard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349947/us-controls-chips-ai-race-china-controls-scoreboard?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu For Hong Kong’s 3.3 million PayMe users, everyday transactions such as buying coffee or splitting bills with friends could soon involve stablecoins, with HSBC preparing to introduce the digital currency in the second half of this year. That comes after HSBC Holdings, together with a Standard Chartered-led joint venture, became the first to obtain a stablecoin issuer licence from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority on Friday, marking a breakthrough in the city’s digital finance development. HSBC,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350089/how-paymes-33-million-users-and-hong-kong-firms-could-start-using-stablecoins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350089/how-paymes-33-million-users-and-hong-kong-firms-could-start-using-stablecoins?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:37 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese robotics companies are increasingly banking on quadruped robots as major revenue drivers, a trend highlighted by AgiBot’s recent decision to spin out its four-legged robotics unit into a new subsidiary called AgiQuad, and Amap’s coming launch of a quadruped model. The move by AgiBot was intended to drive large-scale growth so that the unit would not “live in the shadow of the humanoid robot giant”, Qiu Heng, chief operating officer of the new subsidiary, said at a media briefing last... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350071/chinese-robotics-firms-focus-quadrupeds-major-revenue-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350071/chinese-robotics-firms-focus-quadrupeds-major-revenue-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:00:19 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese energy storage firm Sigenergy has ignited a market frenzy with its initial public offering (IPO) plan in Hong Kong, drawing an oversubscription of over 1,000 times, while its listed peer Guoxia Technology enjoyed a rally, as the duo capitalise on the artificial intelligence boom. Shanghai-based Sigenergy, which aims to raise HK$4.4 billion (US$561.6 million) in its IPO, is expected to be 1,414 times oversubscribed, as retail investors borrowed HK$358.6 billion from 17 brokerages,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350082/how-chinese-energy-storage-firms-sigenergy-guoxia-excited-investors-leveraging-ai-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350082/how-chinese-energy-storage-firms-sigenergy-guoxia-excited-investors-leveraging-ai-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:21:33 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory, its largest production base, has the potential to build humanoid robots in future, the company’s China president says, with its manufacturing efficiency and innovative capability seen as potential drivers of CEO Elon Musk’s hopes of commercialising the technology swiftly. Allan Wang Hao said in a media briefing on Tuesday that the Shanghai Gigafactory could provide a “golden key” to the mass production of robots designed to resemble and move like humans. “Like other... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350076/shanghai-gigafactory-has-potential-construct-humanoid-robots-tesla-china-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350076/shanghai-gigafactory-has-potential-construct-humanoid-robots-tesla-china-president?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:02:53 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang China’s world models are benefiting from early integration with the country’s strong industrial base, which gives the domestic ecosystem greater momentum than that of the US, according to an executive at a leading Chinese world model start-up. World models simulate 3D environments and physical dynamics, and are expected to help train the next generation of physical artificial intelligence applications, including robots and autonomous vehicles. Wang Xiaofeng, an algorithm partner at GigaAI, said... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350062/chinas-edge-over-us-ai-world-models-abundant-data-faster-deployment-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350062/chinas-edge-over-us-ai-world-models-abundant-data-faster-deployment-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese chip start-up Dishan Technology has achieved a breakthrough in designing a 2-nanometre artificial intelligence chip, according to local media reports. Shanghai-based Dishan, which focuses on the development of high-performance computing chips and sensor chips, was now in the crucial prototype verification stage for its first 2nm AI graphics processing unit (GPU), the Shanghai Morning Post reported recently. The GPU was unveiled by the company last July. The company then said it had... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350050/chinas-dishan-technology-nears-2nm-ai-chip-breakthrough-reports-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350050/chinas-dishan-technology-nears-2nm-ai-chip-breakthrough-reports-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:59:56 +0000 Morning Studio editors Morning Studio editors Just over 1,400 of one of the world’s rarest primates, the white-headed langur, remain in the wild. The slender, long-tailed animals, which eat leaves, shoots and fruit, and measure about 60cm (2ft) in height, are at risk from hunting, logging and uncontrolled fires caused by land clearance. Protecting the species – categorised as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species – involves tracking where it goes, how it behaves and any... https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/technological-game-changers/article/3349898/how-ai-technology-supports-conservation-endangered-species?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/tech/topics/technological-game-changers/article/3349898/how-ai-technology-supports-conservation-endangered-species?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China is gaining from America’s trillion-dollar artificial intelligence spending spree despite Washington’s efforts to curb Chinese technology ties, as the US data centre boom ripples through Asian technology supply chains, according to research by Oxford Economics. Roughly US$2 trillion worth of data-centre projects are planned or under way in the US, according to a report by the consultancy, with as much as three-quarters of the cost tied to equipment such as semiconductors and servers. That... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350010/china-quietly-profits-us-ai-boom-despite-washingtons-tech-curbs-research?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350010/china-quietly-profits-us-ai-boom-despite-washingtons-tech-curbs-research?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Asia’s technology industry is bracing for longer and deeper disruptions from the Middle East turmoil as analysts warn that prolonged hostilities could throttle semiconductor production and the buildout of artificial intelligence data centres. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a quarter of global seaborne crude oil trade and 20 per cent of liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, remained effectively closed after US President Donald Trump said he would block the channel following the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349895/how-prolonged-iran-war-could-disrupt-asia-tech-industry-chipmaking-ai-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349895/how-prolonged-iran-war-could-disrupt-asia-tech-industry-chipmaking-ai-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Ann Cao,Themis Qi Ann Cao,Themis Qi Printed circuit boards (PCBs) – unsung core components in all electronic devices – are emerging as the latest source of excitement in China’s chip supply chain, as domestic companies capitalise on surging global demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure to pursue share listings. Victory Giant Technology, a PCB supplier to US chip champion Nvidia, kicked off bookbuilding in Hong Kong on Monday for an initial public offering (IPO) that aims to raise up to HK$17.49 billion (US$2.2... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349924/victory-giant-joins-ipo-push-chinas-circuit-board-makers-amid-ai-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349924/victory-giant-joins-ipo-push-chinas-circuit-board-makers-amid-ai-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Governments, industry and the public are in “common ignorance” about the present and future of artificial intelligence, making both international collaboration and coordination between industry and policymakers necessary, experts have said. In a panel discussion at the inaugural Hong Kong Global AI Governance Conference at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on Saturday, Alibaba Group Holding policy lead Fu Hongyu said that China was now at the front lines of global efforts to introduce guardrails... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349871/common-ignorance-how-china-took-lead-global-efforts-govern-ais-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349871/common-ignorance-how-china-took-lead-global-efforts-govern-ais-future?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu China’s internet regulator has introduced new rules for live stream tipping, banning children under eight from the practice and introducing a tiered system for older minors, as part of a broader effort to curb manipulative inducements and irrational spending behaviour. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced the live-streaming regulations on Monday after unveiling them on April 4, banning platforms from allowing children under eight to tip content creators. Under a new tiered... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349912/china-curbs-live-stream-tipping-new-rules-protect-minors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349912/china-curbs-live-stream-tipping-new-rules-protect-minors?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:49 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren A pivotal year for self-driving cars has begun in China, with the first “hands off” models approved to ply public roads, carmakers gearing up to mass-produce them and the first mandatory safety standards for autonomous vehicles out for public comment. The first carmakers were given the go-ahead in mid-December to build electric vehicle (EV) models with Level 3 (L3) autonomous driving capability. On an international scale from L0 to L5, an L3 autonomous vehicle can operate independently under... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/china-evs/article/3349837/chinese-carmakers-gear-l3-self-driving-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/china-evs/article/3349837/chinese-carmakers-gear-l3-self-driving-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 03:40:07 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has launched a national action plan to embed AI across its education system, in a strategic push to future-proof its workforce amid intensifying global competition in advanced technologies. The “AI+ Education” action plan, unveiled by the Ministry of Education and four other ministerial-level bodies, mandates the integration of artificial intelligence at every stage of learning – from primary schools to lifelong education. The initiative builds on China’s long-term education plan to the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349832/amid-fierce-global-competition-china-launches-national-plan-boost-ai-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349832/amid-fierce-global-competition-china-launches-national-plan-boost-ai-education?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 02:57:32 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang An open-source artificial intelligence project aimed at harvesting human capabilities into reusable AI “skills” has gone viral in China, gaining traction as a meme among the country’s uneasy young workers as they face growing job insecurity amid rapid AI advances. Supposedly, certain skills of luminaries such as Steve Jobs, spiritual figures like Gautama Buddha and ordinary office workers have been extracted into digital form and uploaded online, making these skills – such as Jobs’ product... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349790/colleague-skill-ai-job-fears-china-set-viral-spread-supposed-ability-harvester?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349790/colleague-skill-ai-job-fears-china-set-viral-spread-supposed-ability-harvester?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:31:10 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi The chairmen of China’s battery and solar giants have called for more top-down regulations to rein in cutthroat competition, warning that unchecked overcapacity is squeezing profits and threatening the industry’s stability. Despite tailwinds including the Middle East conflict that could increase demand for renewable products, overcapacity remains a major challenge for industry players. Zhang Tianren, chairman of Tianneng Holding Group – ranked second behind Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3349627/chinas-battery-solar-bosses-urge-top-down-rules-overcapacity-clouds-industry-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3349627/chinas-battery-solar-bosses-urge-top-down-rules-overcapacity-clouds-industry-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek is ramping up recruitment in Inner Mongolia, signalling a potential expansion of its data centre footprint ahead of the much-anticipated release of its V4 model. The Hangzhou-based company is recruiting for two new roles – server maintenance engineers and delivery managers to oversee data centre launches – in Ulanqab, in Inner Mongolia, according to recent job postings. The move marks the first time DeepSeek has publicly advertised on-site roles... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349741/deepseek-ramps-hiring-ahead-v4-launch-questions-swirl-over-chip-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349741/deepseek-ramps-hiring-ahead-v4-launch-questions-swirl-over-chip-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:37:34 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng China’s red-chip structure – long used by internet companies to attract foreign capital while navigating domestic restrictions – is facing renewed scrutiny as regulators tighten oversight of offshore listings. The shift is already reshaping the pipeline for Hong Kong initial public offerings (IPOs), with companies increasingly being encouraged to unwind these structures or justify why they remain necessary. This explainer outlines the reasons behind the policy shift, what it means for tech IPOs,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349735/what-does-chinas-tightening-grip-red-chip-structures-mean-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349735/what-does-chinas-tightening-grip-red-chip-structures-mean-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:37:35 +0000 Iris Deng,Yeon Woo Lee,Coco Feng Iris Deng,Yeon Woo Lee,Coco Feng Samsung Electronics faces a “strategic dilemma” over whether to defend its shrinking footprint in China or redeploy resources to bolster global competitiveness, analysts say, as speculation grows that the tech giant may scale back parts of its mainland operations and double down on semiconductors. The South Korean firm was considering a broad restructuring of its China business, potentially exiting segments such as home appliances and displays while retaining smartphones and storage as core... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349728/samsung-weighs-china-retreat-focus-shifts-global-chip-race-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349728/samsung-weighs-china-retreat-focus-shifts-global-chip-race-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:08:28 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Fang Liu, a partner at global law firm Clifford Chance, counts among his clients many technology companies that are keen to list in Hong Kong, but find the current requirements cumbersome. Clifford Chance has helped more than a dozen innovative companies raise funds under the new listing regime since 2018, when Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) introduced reforms for pre-revenue biotech firms and companies with weighted voting rights (WVR), where one class of shareholders carries more... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349647/hong-kongs-listing-reform-20-can-it-outshine-global-rivals-innovative-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349647/hong-kongs-listing-reform-20-can-it-outshine-global-rivals-innovative-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Yang Zhilin, founder of fast-rising start-up Moonshot AI, has become the latest artificial intelligence entrepreneur to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang, as Beijing steps up its push to accelerate the digital transformation of manufacturing. The 32-year-old was among a select group of business leaders and experts invited to a high-level symposium on Friday, where participants offered views on China’s economic resilience and future growth drivers. Li acknowledged that the external environment had... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349707/chinas-li-qiang-urges-faster-industrial-ai-adoption-meeting-moonshot-ai-founder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349707/chinas-li-qiang-urges-faster-industrial-ai-adoption-meeting-moonshot-ai-founder?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen The latest US restrictions on Chinese telecoms operators could ultimately force them out of the American market, analysts said, marking an escalation in Washington’s multi-year crackdown on Chinese technology. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said on Thursday that it was considering broader measures to bar Chinese telecom carriers from operating data centres in its territory, further restricting Chinese telecoms carriers’ access to US networks and infrastructure. China Mobile,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349699/china-telecoms-face-us-exit-risk-fcc-deepens-crackdown-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349699/china-telecoms-face-us-exit-risk-fcc-deepens-crackdown-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:55:29 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Tencent Holdings’ super app WeChat has updated its content governance rules to ban non-human automated publishing, including the use of artificial intelligence and scripts, amid a surge in technologies that can replace human creators. “Official accounts and service accounts must not use AI, scripts, APIs or other automated methods to replace human involvement in content production and distribution,” WeChat said on Thursday via its official platform. The super app, marketed as Weixin on the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349696/tencent-moves-rein-ai-content-flood-wechat-stricter-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349696/tencent-moves-rein-ai-content-flood-wechat-stricter-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:31:11 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang A new video generation model quietly unveiled by Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding has overtaken Seedance 2.0, ByteDance’s most advanced model, as the world’s top-ranked artificial intelligence video tool based on an evaluation by a benchmark site, offering a glimpse into the AI talent race as the market heats up. The HappyHorse 1.0 model, which was still under internal beta testing, was developed by the Innovation Business Unit under the e-commerce giant’s newly formed Alibaba Token Hub... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349662/alibabas-happyhorse-tops-seedance-offering-glimpse-chinas-race-ai-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349662/alibabas-happyhorse-tops-seedance-offering-glimpse-chinas-race-ai-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered have been awarded Hong Kong’s first stablecoin issuer licences, marking the city’s latest step towards embracing cryptocurrency’s most-traded cash substitute in its bid to become a global digital asset hub. Eight months after Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Ordinance, one of the world’s first such laws, took effect, HSBC and Anchorpoint Financial, the Standard Chartered-led group, received the green light from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on... https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3349644/hong-kong-awards-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-stanchart-led-group-long-awaited-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3349644/hong-kong-awards-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-stanchart-led-group-long-awaited-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:09:55 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Last week, on April 1 to be exact, Apple reached the grand old age of 50 (almost exactly a year younger than Microsoft), one of a tiny proportion of S&P-listed companies that have stayed the course for half a century. It is a company with which I have had a special connection and a love-hate relationship for most of my adult life. Not that I have ever owned an Apple product (I have always been a loyal Android man) nor any Apple shares; heavens, I wish I had. No. My special connection is more... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349541/my-love-hate-relationship-apple-android-user?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349541/my-love-hate-relationship-apple-android-user?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital have agreed to invest in Vietnam’s cryptocurrency trading platform CAEX, a move the exchange said would give it enough capital to join the country’s regulated pilot scheme for digital asset trading. The combined capital injection from OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital, which would be deployed in April, aimed to help CAEX – officially known as Vietnam Prosperity Cryptocurrency Asset Exchange Joint Stock Company – reach the minimum charter capital threshold of 10... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349530/okx-ventures-hashkey-investment-enables-vietnam-crypto-platforms-pilot-scheme-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349530/okx-ventures-hashkey-investment-enables-vietnam-crypto-platforms-pilot-scheme-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Alibaba Cloud captured more than 50 per cent of global open-source model downloads as of March following the release of its Qwen 3.5 model series, a new report has found. The finding underscores the dominance of Chinese models in the global open-source artificial intelligence landscape, though some US companies including OpenAI and Nvidia are also making early gains. Qwen reached nearly 1 billion cumulative downloads by March, far surpassing rivals like Meta Platforms’ Llama and DeepSeek,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349552/alibabas-qwen-family-captures-over-50-global-open-source-downloads-report-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349552/alibabas-qwen-family-captures-over-50-global-open-source-downloads-report-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding’s cloud and artificial intelligence unit is expected to remain a prime engine for the March quarter, with the growth rate forecast to accelerate as the company steps up AI monetisation and reshuffles its AI businesses, according to analysts. Cloud revenue growth was projected to increase to around 40 per cent during the period, up from 36 per cent in the December quarter, analysts said. The growth momentum was expected to be supported by “a robust surge in token usage”,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349508/alibaba-cloud-growth-forecast-accelerate-ai-push-higher-service-charges-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349508/alibaba-cloud-growth-forecast-accelerate-ai-push-higher-service-charges-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Unitree Robotics, one of China’s largest robot makers, will debut the R1, its cheapest humanoid model, on the international market via Alibaba Group Holding’s AliExpress marketplace next week, according to two sources familiar with the matter on Thursday. The launch would cover major overseas markets including North America, Europe, Japan and Singapore, one of the sources said. The product would later be available on other channels, the second person said. The R1, launched in mainland China last... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349489/chinas-unitree-debut-cheapest-humanoid-robot-globally-alibaba-site-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349489/chinas-unitree-debut-cheapest-humanoid-robot-globally-alibaba-site-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:30:11 +0000 Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Wency Chen,Yulu Ao Manycore Tech, a spatial design software developer and one of Hangzhou’s fast-rising “Six Little Dragons”, launched its Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) on Thursday, aiming to raise about HK$1.02 billion (US$130 million). Manycore is issuing about 161 million shares, of which 90 per cent have been set aside for institutional investors and the rest for retail investors in Hong Kong. The shares are priced between HK$6.72 and HK$7.62 each, valuing the company at between HK$11.4 billion and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349471/hangzhou-six-little-dragons-member-manycore-seeks-us130m-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349471/hangzhou-six-little-dragons-member-manycore-seeks-us130m-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:09:20 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Artificial intelligence has emerged as the driving force behind global trade growth, fuelled by a surge in data-centre buildouts at a time when geopolitical tensions are redrawing trade flows, according to McKinsey & Company. Global trade grew 6.5 per cent last year, outpacing the world economy, with AI-linked goods accounting for about one-third of that increase, McKinsey’s research showed. The category – including semiconductors, graphics cards, routers and servers – has been propelled by the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349424/ai-fuels-global-trade-growth-china-us-flows-shift-mckinsey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349424/ai-fuels-global-trade-growth-china-us-flows-shift-mckinsey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese e-commerce and AI giant Alibaba Group Holding has set up a high-level technology committee led by CEO Eddie Wu Yongming, as part of a broader restructuring to sharpen its focus on artificial intelligence amid intensifying competition. The Hangzhou-based company formed the Alibaba Group Technology Committee as part of its efforts to accelerate AI development, according to an internal letter from Wu to staff on Wednesday. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. The committee brings... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349428/alibaba-creates-ceo-led-technology-committee-amid-intensifying-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349428/alibaba-creates-ceo-led-technology-committee-amid-intensifying-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:27:07 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang Chinese artificial intelligence company Zhipu AI open-sourced its latest flagship model, GLM-5.1, on Wednesday while raising application programming interface prices by 10 per cent, signalling a shift towards monetising advanced AI capabilities as competition with US rivals intensifies. The move marked Zhipu’s second price increase this year, following a broader overhaul in February that lifted rates for its coding subscription plans by more than 30 per cent. While the latest adjustment was more... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349422/chinas-zhipu-ai-open-sources-flagship-model-raises-prices-narrow-gap-us-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349422/chinas-zhipu-ai-open-sources-flagship-model-raises-prices-narrow-gap-us-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:00:27 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao The latest bill proposed by US lawmakers to further restrict China’s access to advanced chipmaking equipment marks a fresh escalation in Washington’s efforts to throttle the country’s semiconductor ambitions, as it seeks to bring allies such as the Netherlands and Japan into closer alignment on export controls, analysts said. Introduced last week by Republican Representative Michael Baumgartner, the Multilateral Alignment of Technology Controls in Hardware (Match) Act aims to close “critical... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3349413/washington-pushes-allies-match-tougher-china-chip-curbs-under-new-bill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3349413/washington-pushes-allies-match-tougher-china-chip-curbs-under-new-bill?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:02:26 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow DeepSeek has introduced new “instant” and “expert” modes to its chatbot, the most significant update to its user interface since the Hangzhou-based start-up gained global recognition. The changes come ahead of the much-anticipated release of DeepSeek’s next-generation flagship model V4 this month, more than a year after its R1 version made it a household name. On Tuesday, the company added the two modes to its website and mobile app, giving users the choice of settings. Instant mode was designed... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349345/chinas-deepseek-adds-instant-and-expert-chatbot-modes-ahead-much-awaited-v4-release?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3349345/chinas-deepseek-adds-instant-and-expert-chatbot-modes-ahead-much-awaited-v4-release?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:00:09 +0000 Iris Deng,Ann Cao Iris Deng,Ann Cao China is ramping up efforts in the AI race, as tech giants Alibaba Group Holding and Huawei Technologies deploy massive computing clusters in the push to develop home-grown infrastructure. E-commerce giant Alibaba has announced the deployment of a 10,000-card intelligent computing cluster powered by the Zhenwu AI chips developed by its T-Head semiconductor design arm. Launched in collaboration with China Telecom in the Shaoguan data centre in Guangdong province, the “fully domestic” cluster was... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349335/ai-race-us-intensifies-chinas-alibaba-launches-10000-card-computing-cluster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349335/ai-race-us-intensifies-chinas-alibaba-launches-10000-card-computing-cluster?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:30:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, has seen its valuation surge to a record high of more than US$600 billion after a proposed equity sale from one of the founding shareholders, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The deal aimed to transfer US$900 million worth of ByteDance shares, one of the sources said. The seller originally had the company’s valuation at US$550 billion, in line with an earlier proposal by General Atlantic, one of the firm’s earliest institutional... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349337/bytedance-valuation-surges-record-high-over-us600b-proposed-equity-sale-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349337/bytedance-valuation-surges-record-high-over-us600b-proposed-equity-sale-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:40:21 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao China is looking to the ocean to power its artificial intelligence computing ambitions, as it seeks new ways to meet soaring demand for computing power through underwater data centres in eastern and southern China. Shanghai’s Lingang Special Area, a government-designated free-trade zone designed to attract advanced manufacturing and hi-tech industries, recently saw an underwater data centre (UDC) begin operation, marking the first such facility in the world to be directly linked to an offshore... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349280/china-turns-offshore-wind-farms-subsea-data-centres-ease-ai-computing-bottleneck?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3349280/china-turns-offshore-wind-farms-subsea-data-centres-ease-ai-computing-bottleneck?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng As the global memory industry rides an unprecedented “super cycle” fuelled by AI demand, China’s leading memory chipmakers are leveraging lower pricing and expanding production to capture a bigger market share, according to analysts. “Chinese manufacturers often enjoy a price advantage of more than 15 per cent for products of the same specifications, which is highly attractive to the price-sensitive general-purpose server and consumer markets,” said Arisa Liu, chief director and research fellow... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349266/chinese-memory-giants-gain-market-share-lower-prices-expanded-capacity-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3349266/chinese-memory-giants-gain-market-share-lower-prices-expanded-capacity-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:30:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Rokid, a Hangzhou-based maker of smart glasses, is preparing to file for a Hong Kong listing as early as the end of April, according to sources familiar with the matter, as artificial intelligence-powered eyewear gains traction in the mainstream market. The planned listing comes as global and domestic technology groups including Meta Platforms and Apple, as well as China’s Alibaba Group Holding – through the brand name Quark – Baidu, Xiaomi and Huawei Technologies, all rush into the market.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349267/chinese-ai-glasses-maker-rokid-planning-hong-kong-ipo-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349267/chinese-ai-glasses-maker-rokid-planning-hong-kong-ipo-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US dollar-denominated funds could face more hurdles when investing in Chinese tech and biotech companies as Beijing adopts a stricter approach to companies seeking listings via offshore incorporated vehicles. Indicative of Chinese regulators’ caution in overseeing sensitive industries, industry sources say the move ensures that any sale of assets does not escape regulatory scrutiny. And for any offshore incorporated structures that are approved, the stock regulator requires listing applicants to... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349166/stricter-chinese-scrutiny-offshore-vehicles-blow-tech-and-biotech-ipo-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349166/stricter-chinese-scrutiny-offshore-vehicles-blow-tech-and-biotech-ipo-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Chinese tech companies are engaged in a public war of words as they compete to capitalise on US start-up Anthropic’s decision to pull its industry-leading Claude models from open-source AI agent tool OpenClaw. The development comes as AI agents have triggered a huge increase in demand for AI tokens – the core metric of AI usage – raising questions about the long-term ability of industry players to meet this demand amid a growing global crunch in computational power. On Sunday, Anthropic... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349146/chinese-ai-rivals-clash-over-anthropics-openclaw-exit-amid-global-token-crunch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3349146/chinese-ai-rivals-clash-over-anthropics-openclaw-exit-amid-global-token-crunch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:58:08 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s hunt for semiconductor talent has intensified as Beijing aims to achieve artificial intelligence breakthroughs amid deepening tech rivalry with the US, but the plans have triggered fresh probes by Taiwanese authorities into talent poaching by mainland Chinese firms in what analysts describe as a “quiet tech war” over the human capital. A total of 11 new mainland Chinese firms were put under investigation for allegedly poaching semiconductor and other hi-tech talent, according to Taiwan’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3349072/semiconductor-ai-talent-race-heats-taiwan-tightens-crackdown-alleged-poaching?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3349072/semiconductor-ai-talent-race-heats-taiwan-tightens-crackdown-alleged-poaching?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:00:12 +0000