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Another significant step towards the success of ICVAX®

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 May 2026 – Immuno Cure Group (“Immuno Cure“), headquartered at Hong Kong Science Park, is pleased to announce the inauguration of the research facility for its HIV therapeutic DNA vaccine (“ICVAX^®“) at the Center of International Innovation for Technology and Science (“CIITS”) located in Hetao, Shenzhen. The facility aims for the development and application of key technologies for the clinical research and commercialization of Immuno Cure’s ICVAX^®. ICVAX^® is developed by Immuno Cure with the aim of achieving antiretroviral therapy (“ART“)-free functional cure for HIV infection. This project is carried out in collaboration with Prof. Zhiwei CHEN, the Founding Director of the AIDS Institute of Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (“HKU AIDS Institute“), and Prof. Hongzhou LU, President of the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, in the capacity as advisors.

CIITS is a national-level achievement transformation platform co-built by Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Municipality, and Tsinghua University, and is located at the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (“Hetao Co-operation Zone“). It is committed to building a world’s leading major technological innovation and industrialization platform with a global perspective. It focuses on key tracks including biomedicine, high-performance materials, and artificial intelligence (AI). It aims to aggregate global innovation resources, connect with leading enterprises, and conduct organized scientific research and achievement transformation to address national major strategic needs.

Since AIDS was first identified in 1981, 40.8 million people have died from HIV infection, with over 44.1 million people living with HIV globally. While antiretroviral therapy can effectively control HIV replication, it cannot cure the disease, highlighting the critical need for immunotherapies. Designed to enhance the host’s immune response, immunotherapies aim to achieve sustained viral control without lifelong ART, ultimately leading to complete viral suppression and functional cure. Immuno Cure’s proprietary innovative HIV therapeutic DNA vaccine, ICVAX^®, induces broad-spectrum, polyfunctional virus-specific T cells to achieve the ultimate goal of ART-free functional cure of HIV infection.

Immuno Cure completed the first-in-human Phase I clinical trial of ICVAX^® in November 2024, demonstrating excellent safety and promising immunogenicity. Two multi-center Phase II clinical trials—randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled—are scheduled to launch in Q2-2026 to evaluate the vaccine’s mechanism of action and efficacy. The trials will be conducted at Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong, as well as eight top-tier hospitals in China, including the Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, Beijing Ditan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Youan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, the Eighth People’s Hospital of Guangzhou, the Second People’s Hospital of Tianjin, the Sixth People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou, Chengdu Public Health Clinical Medical Center, and Chongqing Public Health Medical Center.

Notably, standardized testing systems for evaluating immunological and virological indicators are crucial for HIV vaccine clinical trials. However, the lack of domestic standard operating procedures (SOPs) for infectious samples in clinical trials hinders the clinical development and regulatory approval of novel infectious disease therapies like ICVAX^®. The mission of this research facility at CIITS is to establish an internationally aligned standardized clinical testing system for T-cell immunogenicity and viral reservoirs, as well as identify core biomarkers associated with vaccine efficacy — filling a domestic technical gap. Immuno Cure will offer the ICVAX^® Phase II clinical trial to facilitate the development of this standardized precision testing method for clinical sample analysis.

Dr. Xia JIN, CEO of Immuno Cure, stated, “I am delighted to be appointed to lead this key project of CIITS. I would also like to thank CIITS for the fully fitted modern laboratory space and the RMB10.0m funding support for this 2-year initial phase. My whole scientific team is committed to contributing diligently to the success of this project. I have no doubt that the development of a standardised testing regime would not only enhance the quality of our clinical trials for ICVAX^® but would also eventually be adopted as industry and national standards for the clinical translation of medicine for HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.

Renchen LIU, Executive Deputy Dean of Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen and Director of CIITS, stated, “Warmest congratulations on the inauguration of the research facility for ICVAX^® at the CIITS. In the future, CIITS will continue to leverage its platform resources to implement full-chain incubation services. Project managers will provide service support throughout the entire project period, ensuring the smooth progress of the project through resource integration, talent recruitment and development, clinical collaboration, and achievement transformation. These efforts will safeguard the steady progress of the project.”

As the project advances, Immuno Cure’s ICVAX^® is positioned to become the world’s first therapeutic DNA vaccine to deliver an ART-free functional cure for HIV infection, bringing new hope to people currently living with HIV. In parallel, the standardized testing platform and collaborative innovation model developed through this effort will provide a scalable, replicable blueprint for R&D of novel therapies targeting other major infectious diseases. Together, these outcomes will strengthen the global competitiveness of biomedicine development in GBA and contribute to the development of national biosecurity capabilities and a more resilient public health system.

Hashtag: #ImmunoCure

https://immunocure.hk
https://www.linkedin.com/company/immuno-cure

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About the Center of International Innovation for Technology and Science (“CIITS”)

Center of International Innovation for Technology and Science (CIITS), as the international headquarter of the Greater Bay Area National Center of Technology Innovation (GBA NCTI), is operated by Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen (RITS). CIITS actively promotes the commercialization of technology and scientific advances with overseas and domestic innovation institutions and teams, as well as industry partners, focusing on areas such as biomedicine, advanced materials and artificial intelligence.

To learn more about CIITS, please follow the WeChat official account: gh_425f503135d5

About Immuno Cure

Immuno Cure is a clinical-stage biotechnology group headquartered at Hong Kong Science Park. Immuno Cure is committed to the R&D of innovative DNA vaccines and antibody immunotherapies for infectious diseases, inflammations, and cancers. Immuno Cure possesses two technologies: the “PD-1 Enhanced DNA Vaccine Platform” and the “Anti-Δ42PD1 Antibody”.

To learn more about Immuno Cure, please visit: www.immunocure.hk

The arrangement makes BlockShoals the approved local intermediary under the SEC’s StratBox framework, while Binance supplies technology, security systems, operational support and compliance expertise developed across regulated markets. The sandbox phase is expected to begin in the second half of 2026 and run for at least two years, giving regulators direct oversight of product testing before any wider rollout to users.

The move marks a notable shift in Binance’s strategy in the Philippines. Rather than seeking to restore access through an offshore model, the exchange is now pursuing market participation through a domestic company operating under SEC supervision. BlockShoals, a Philippine-incorporated fintech firm, secured approval under the crypto asset intermediary framework after a multi-year process involving regulatory conditions, compliance checks and investor-protection requirements.

Binance’s online presence in the Philippines was blocked in 2024 after the SEC said the platform had offered investment and trading services without the necessary licence. The regulator had warned the public about the exchange in November 2023, then moved to restrict website access through telecommunications authorities the following year. The action became one of the clearest signals that Manila intended to bring offshore digital-asset platforms under local rules.

That enforcement drive has since widened. The SEC’s crypto-asset service provider rules, issued in 2025, require firms serving Philippine users to register, maintain sufficient capital, observe marketing standards, and meet operational and reporting obligations. The framework is intended to protect retail investors while allowing controlled innovation in a market where crypto use remains high by regional and global standards.

The Philippines ranked ninth in the 2025 global crypto adoption index, reflecting strong activity across retail centralised services and digital-asset platforms. Usage has been driven by a young, mobile-first population, remittance demand, online work, gaming-linked crypto activity and a broad appetite for alternative financial products. That adoption has also heightened regulatory concern over fraud, weak disclosures, market volatility and the risks of foreign platforms serving users without domestic accountability.

Seker, Binance’s head of Asia-Pacific, described the Philippines as one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic digital economies, saying frameworks such as StratBox create a channel for regulators and industry participants to work together while maintaining user protection and market integrity. The company has presented the BlockShoals partnership as part of a compliance-first approach rather than a conventional market relaunch.

BlockShoals has framed its role around local accountability. A company representative said the partnership was an opportunity to show that global digital-asset platforms and domestic regulatory frameworks could operate constructively together, adding that the firm would work under direct SEC supervision while building a secure platform for users.

The sandbox structure gives the SEC room to monitor how products are configured, how customer onboarding is handled, how risks are disclosed, and how safeguards such as know-your-customer checks, anti-money-laundering controls and transaction monitoring are applied. It also gives Binance a pathway to rebuild trust after a period in which its Philippine operations were defined by access restrictions and licensing concerns.

The Philippine approach mirrors a broader shift across Asia, where regulators are moving away from informal tolerance of offshore crypto activity and towards domestic licensing regimes. Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan have tightened rules for exchanges, stablecoin activity, custody, marketing and investor suitability. The result is a more fragmented operating environment for global platforms, with access increasingly dependent on local registration, capital commitments and regulator-facing governance.

For Binance, the Philippine partnership carries strategic value beyond one market. The exchange has spent the past several years seeking to repair relations with regulators after facing scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions. A successful sandbox test in Manila would support its argument that global crypto platforms can adapt to local rules through partnerships, product controls and supervised deployment.

48% of job seekers now expect upfront salary disclosure before applying

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 May 2026 – As the European Union prepares to transpose the EU Pay Transparency Directive into law by June 2026, employers will soon be required not only to disclose pay scales but to provide unprecedented clarity on how pay decisions are made.

This movement is not confined to Europe. Across the US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Japan, a combination of strict regulation and rising employee expectations is pushing organisations toward a new standard of openness.

According to the latest Pay Transparency E-guide from the world’s most trusted talent solutions company Robert Walters, 48% of job seekers say they only apply for roles where salary ranges are disclosed upfront, which reflects salary transparency is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but prerequisite for even engaging in the hiring process.

In Hong Kong, where salary disclosure has traditionally remained limited and highly individualised, these global developments are beginning to prompt new conversations around how pay is determined and benchmarked in the hiring process.

Growing public debate over current hiring practice to benchmark offers in Hong Kong

The common practice of requesting candidates’ current or previous salary is beginning to attract more discussion in Hong Kong. While employers have traditionally used this information to benchmark offers, some professionals question whether it places too much emphasis on past earnings rather than the value of the role or prevailing market rates.

“Candidates are increasingly asking how compensation is determined, not just what is being offered,” said John Mullally, managing director at Robert Walters Hong Kong. “Where decisions appear to be anchored to previous salary rather than the scope of the role, it can shape perceptions of fairness during the hiring process.”

At the same time, candidates are also paying closer attention to the amount of personal information requested during recruitment, reflecting broader expectations for transparency and consistency.

Wage secrecy culture under reassessment as Gen Z shows greater openness toward salary disclosure

Traditionally, salary has been a deeply private matter in Hong Kong, often viewed as a “confined personal message” that is rarely shared even with family members, which can make it difficult for employees to understand how pay decisions are made or how they compare with peers in similar roles.

However, data from the Robert Walters Salary Survey suggests that Gen Z is beginning to dismantle these long-standing cultural roots.

While only 5.5% of Hong Kong professionals overall are comfortable discussing their compensation with colleagues, that openness jumps to 24% among Gen Z. This stands in stark contrast to the 4% of Millennials and 2% of Gen X who are willing to share such information. This shift indicates that as the younger workforce grows, the cultural resistance to pay transparency is starting to fade.

“For Gen Z, transparency is a marker of fairness, equity, and social responsibility,” says John Mullally. “Candidates today have more access to market information and are making more informed decisions. Greater transparency can help build trust earlier in the process and support more constructive conversations around expectations.”

Global standards, local implications

With stricter requirements emerging in regions such as Europe, practices in one location are increasingly shaping expectations in others. Companies that operate across borders may find that consistency in how compensation is communicated becomes more important in attracting and retaining talent.

“For multinationals, this is more than just a compliance task. Operating transparently in one market while remaining opaque in another creates an ‘information asymmetry’ that erodes internal trust. We are seeing forward-thinking firms ‘level up’ by adopting a consistent, global standard of transparency, even before local legislation mandates it.” comments John Mullally.

While standardisation is difficult in industries like sales or professional services, where pay is often tied to commissions and individual portfolios, companies may need to balance flexibility with clearer communication. As expectations evolve, greater openness may become an important factor in securing and retaining talent.

Navigating complexity: how organisations can prepare

To prepare for this shift, Robert Walters advises Hong Kong organisations to move beyond simple disclosure toward building a robust job architecture. This framework must clearly explain the logic behind pay decisions, ensuring that transparency provides clarity rather than confusion when employees compare compensation.

Businesses should also prioritise internal equity audits to resolve any unjustified pay gaps before they lead to friction. Ultimately, the success of this transition depends on communication; managers must be trained to lead data-driven, honest conversations about pay to ensure transparency becomes a foundation for trust and a stronger employer brand.

“While full transparency on pay is still some way off in Hong Kong, expectations are clearly evolving,” Mullally said. “Organisations do not need to replicate other markets overnight but taking steps towards clearer and more consistent communication around pay will become increasingly important in staying competitive.”
Hashtag: #RobertWaltersHongKong #HongKongHiringMarket #HiringTrends #Benefits #Salary #Hiring #2026 #PayTransparency

https://www.robertwalters.com.hk/
http://www.linkedin.com/company/robert-walters

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Robert Walters Hong Kong

About Robert Walters – Robert Walters is the world’s most trusted talent solutions business. Across the globe, we deliver recruitment, recruitment process outsourcing and advisory services for businesses of all shapes and sizes, opening doors for people with diverse skills, ambitions, and backgrounds. We help organisations find the skills and solutions to reach their goals and assist talented professionals to power their unique potential.

The Hong Kong office specialises in placing high-calibre professionals on a permanent or contract basis in the following specialities: accounting & finance, construction, property & engineering, financial services, HR & business support, legal & compliance, sales & marketing, supply chain, logistics & procurement, and tech & transformation.

About the Robert Walters Pay Transparency E-guide

With landmark legislation going live in Europe this June and conversations around salary openness gaining momentum worldwide, the era of “confidential” compensation is rapidly coming to an end. In its place is a new corporate landscape defined by transparency, clarity, and open dialogue around pay. This comprehensive e-guide explores the practical realities of this global shift, defining what pay transparency actually looks like in practice and examining why open compensation structures matter now more than ever in the modern workplace.

The guide also provides deep insights into how employee and job applicant expectations are shifting on a global scale, highlighting the direct link between pay transparency and a company’s Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Ultimately, it offers actionable, strategic advice for businesses and hiring managers on how to successfully navigate the cultural and structural transitions within their own organisations.

To download the full Robert Walters Pay Transparency E-guide, please contact us or visit: https://www.robertwalters.com.hk/insights/hiring-advice/e-guide/global-pay-transparency.html

Regulators have moved against Futu Securities International, Tiger Brokers and Longbridge Securities, accusing them of operating securities businesses on the mainland without approval, soliciting domestic clients and processing offshore trading orders in breach of securities, fund and futures rules. The action has disrupted a once-popular route for mainland investors seeking exposure to global technology stocks, Hong Kong initial public offerings and US-listed Chinese companies.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission and other agencies have ordered a two-year rectification programme aimed at closing unauthorised cross-border securities, futures and fund businesses. During the wind-down period, affected mainland clients will be allowed to sell existing holdings and withdraw money, but will not be permitted to make new purchases through the targeted channels.

The clampdown marks a sharp escalation from the regulatory warning issued in late 2022, when online brokers were told to stop opening new accounts for mainland investors and remove trading apps from domestic app stores. Existing clients had largely been allowed to continue trading, preserving a grey-zone channel that gave better-off retail investors access to overseas markets despite China’s capital controls.

Futu has disclosed a proposed penalty of about 1.85 billion yuan, while Tiger Brokers’ parent, UP Fintech Holding, faces penalties and confiscation of illegal income totalling more than 400 million yuan. Longbridge has said it will comply with rectification requirements and that client fund safety is not affected. Regulators have also indicated that illegal gains from related onshore and offshore entities will be confiscated, with final administrative decisions subject to formal procedures.

Market reaction was swift. Shares of Futu and UP Fintech fell sharply in US trading after the enforcement announcement, while pressure spread to parts of the Chinese ADR universe as investors assessed whether reduced mainland retail participation could weigh on offshore-listed stocks. Hong Kong market participants also began reassessing the impact on brokerage flows, custody transfers and IPO distribution.

Citic Securities has estimated that as much as HK$250 billion in assets in Hong Kong could be affected by the crackdown, with Futu accounting for a large portion. The figure underlines the scale of wealth that had moved through offshore brokerage platforms even after Beijing tightened scrutiny of capital outflows and online financial services.

Investors are now exploring alternatives, including moving positions by custodian transfer to licensed Hong Kong banking channels, using accounts with international banks, or relying on approved schemes such as Stock Connect, the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor programme and Wealth Management Connect. Those channels, however, have limits on eligibility, investment scope, quotas and product access, making them less flexible than the digital brokerage platforms that gained popularity during the pandemic-era boom in US and Hong Kong equities.

Beijing’s concern is not only securities law compliance. The wider policy objective is to control capital outflows, strengthen oversight of retail investment activity and prevent unlicensed overseas institutions from marketing financial products inside the mainland. The campaign also aligns with efforts to support domestic capital markets, where authorities have been trying to stabilise sentiment and encourage household savings to flow into regulated local investment products.

For the brokers, the enforcement action threatens an important part of their client base. Futu and Tiger expanded rapidly by offering low-cost, mobile-first access to overseas securities, appealing to younger and wealthier mainland clients who wanted exposure beyond A-shares. Both companies have been diversifying into Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Australia and the United States, but mainland-linked business remains material to investor perceptions of their growth prospects.

The crackdown may also reshape Hong Kong’s role as a financial gateway. Licensed institutions could benefit from account transfers and higher compliance-driven demand, but regulators in the city are expected to scrutinise whether account-opening documents, residency claims and fund-transfer routes meet legal requirements. That could raise operational costs and slow onboarding for brokers and banks serving mainland-related clients.

Revenue Up 35.4% Year-on-Year API Token Call Volume Surges Nearly 6 Times

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Phancy Group Co., Ltd. (“Phancy” or “The Company”, stock code: 6682.HK), a leading general artificial intelligence company, today announced its unaudited consolidated results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2026.

During the period, Phancy achieved revenue of approximately RMB1.458 billion, representing a 35.4% year-on-year increase. Gross profit margin remained at 35.1%. Phancy leveraged its deep expertise in full-stack AI cloud services, to capitalize on the accelerating adoption of localized computing power and strong enterprise demand for AI solutions. The Company achieved robust growth in its core businesses, accelerated product innovation, and secured several major partnerships, sustaining strong operational momentum.

2026 First Quarter Business Highlights:

Unified Enterprise AI Platform Drives Explosive Core Business Growth

Global computing resources remain constrained, while demand for both private enterprise AI deployments and API-based model calls continues to grow rapidly. Phancy’s enterprise-grade AI platform is built on a unified core architecture that seamlessly supports both API calling scenarios and dedicated private deployments. This significantly boosts AI application efficiency and resource utilization. Supported by a mature computing power supply chain developed over many years, Phancy’s deployable computing power resources have increased by over 200%. This enables the Company to effectively meet surging Token demand and consistently deliver stable, high-quality AI services to its customers.

In the first quarter of 2026, API Token call volume surged nearly 6 times compared to the same period in 2025, and already accounted for nearly 40% of the full-year 2025 total. Meanwhile, the Agentic AI business expanded rapidly, with deepening commercial adoption. Orders on hand grew nearly 100% compared to the end of 2025, emerging as a major growth driver for the Company.

AI Technology Iteration Accelerates, Commercialization Beats Expectations

Building on its continued push into digital employee applications and AI empowerment across business units, Phancy has significantly shortened the product development cycle from R&D to commercialization, enhancing overall operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

As of mid-May 2026, ModelHub XC has completed adaptation and optimization for over 70,000 AI models on domestic chips, achieving more than 70% of its full-year target – well ahead of schedule.

In May, Phancy launched PhanthyMovie, a professional-grade AI video generation platform designed to enhance creativity, control, and stability in video production, enabling standardized and large-scale content creation for the industry.

Leveraging its advanced technology and proven execution capabilities, PhanthyMovie achieved rapid commercial traction. Just days after launch, the Company entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Huanxi Media, covering approximately US$200 million in AI Token usage. The two parties will also collaborate on the development of a next-generation AI-powered film and television content production platform, further strengthening Phancy’s position in the AI-driven cultural and creative sector.

Core Products Align Closely with Policy Trends, Strengthening Compute-Model Integration

Since May 2026, China’s AI sector has seen a series of positive policy developments focused on computing infrastructure, data element circulation, and open-source compliance governance. Phancy’s core products, including HAMi vGPU and ModelHub XC, are well-aligned with national policy directions and mainstream industry trends.

In terms of computing resource allocation, policies emphasize cross-regional collaboration and broader access to computing power. Phancy’s HAMi vGPU offers unified scheduling and fine-grained resource partitioning, effectively improving utilization rates, optimizing data center energy efficiency, and supporting unified management across multiple chips to boost single-card efficiency.

In data and model governance, the government continues to promote high-quality dataset development and compliance management. ModelHub XC supports multi-model adaptation and optimization, incorporates data traceability and security certification features to help enterprises reduce compliance risks, and uses the EngineX engine for batch adaptation of domestic chips and models. This significantly improves compatibility while enhancing Token output efficiency through targeted model tuning.

Through deep integration of its computing and model layers, Phancy has built a comprehensive “Compute–Model” integrated solution. This addresses key industry needs such as efficient computing utilization, secure data supply, enterprise compliance, and domestic substitution, while strengthening its technological moat. The Company is well positioned to capture policy dividends and industry opportunities, supporting enterprises in their digital and intelligent transformation.

Hashtag: #PhancyGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Phancy Group

Phancy Group (6682.HK) is a leading full-stack AI cloud services platform, providing comprehensive solutions for the AI 2.0 era. Our offerings include SageAIOS, HAMi vGPU and ModelHub XC, delivering efficient and scalable AI infrastructure with end-to-end capabilities. We provide a complete solution from heterogeneous compute resource management and optimization to the deployment of intelligent agent models. These solutions empower digital transformation across a wide range of industries, supporting our vision of building a large-scale and efficient “Token Factory.”

Guided by the mission of “AI for Everyone” and positioned as the “Navigator of AI,” Phancy Group is committed to becoming a global leader in Artificial General Intelligence.

The forum, themed “Developing the International Maritime Financial Ecosystem within the Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City,” took place at the VIFC-HCMC Building, 08 Nguyen Hue Street, District 1, and drew more than 100 senior delegates. Attendees included leaders from central ministries and agencies, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, representatives from coastal provinces (Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang), domestic and international financial institutions, port and logistics enterprises, and international organisations.

The day’s agenda focused on three headline moments: a strategic industry report by Roland Berger, titled “Vietnam Maritime Industry: A Strategic Opportunity for Breakthrough Growth,” which benchmarked leading global maritime financial hubs and mapped a roadmap to raise Vietnam’s domestic value retention from the current 4–5% to 15% by 2035; the official launch ceremony of the IMFE initiative within VIFC-HCMC; and a memorandum of understanding signed between VIFC-HCMC and Gemadept Corporation, owner and operator of Gemalink International Port in Cai Mep – Thi Vai, formalising Gemadept’s role as a founding lead of the initiative. The forum also saw the introduction of the first maritime financial products and initiatives to be developed within the VIFC-HCMC framework.

A seaport system of growing global weight

The ambition behind IMFE is grounded in the rapid rise of southern Vietnam’s port infrastructure. Ho Chi Minh City is home to Cat Lai Port — ranked among the world’s top 21, handling approximately 7.5 million TEUs annually — and Gemalink International Port in Cai Mep – Thi Vai, capable of receiving ultra-large container vessels. These existing assets are set to be joined by the Can Gio International Transshipment Port, a 571-hectare project with a projected capacity of 17 million TEUs per year, further deepening the city’s integration into global logistics and trade networks.

In 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City port system handled over 24 million TEUs, ranking 8th globally according to Lloyd’s List, and was associated with approximately USD 200 billion in import-export turnover, accounting for around 20% of Vietnam’s total trade value. Surrounding this physical infrastructure, a broad ecosystem of supporting services has expanded significantly, spanning cargo handling, warehousing, freight forwarding, customs clearance, and supply chain management. The total annual trade transaction value flowing through the region — encompassing goods, logistics services, and related financial demand – is estimated at over USD 1 trillion.

The financial gap: billions flowing through offshore centers

However, the scale of this physical activity stands in sharp contrast to the financial value Vietnam currently retains. Despite enormous cargo volumes, most high-value maritime financial services generating the largest profit margin including trade finance, ship financing, marine insurance and reinsurance, international payments, and logistics risk management continue to flow through developed offshore maritime financial centers. Vietnam currently captures only around 4–5% of these financial transaction values domestically, leaving an estimated USD 6–8 billion in potential value accessible but unrealised. To complete the maritime value chain and retain these economic benefits onshore, Vietnam must evolve beyond purely physical cargo transshipment. The gradual development of a comprehensive maritime financial ecosystem is an essential and inevitable strategic step.

IMFE: from vision to institutional launch

Against this backdrop, the IMFE initiative took shape as a core component of VIFC-HCMC, with Gemadept Corporation serving as a founding lead. The initiative was first introduced on September 12, 2025, during the symposium “Ho Chi Minh City – A Modern, High-End, High-Value Service Hub,” where Gemadept presented a strategic vision of integrating Vietnam’s deep-sea port infrastructure with a dedicated maritime financial ecosystem. To materialise that vision, the corporation cooperates with the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, leading to its official designation as a Strategic Member of VIFC-HCMC on February 11, 2026, at the Center’s Launching Ceremony. Today, as the operator of Gemalink — a major deep-sea gateway at Cai Mep – Thi Vai — Gemadept is focused on channeling high-value capital flows and advanced financial services directly into Ho Chi Minh City’s real maritime economy.

With this foundation in place, today’s forum pursues three concrete objectives: to officially launch the IMFE as a strategic platform designed to localise maritime financial capital and services, laying the groundwork for Ho Chi Minh City to emerge as one of the region’s leading maritime hubs; to connect financial institutions, banks, insurance companies, shipping lines, logistics enterprises, and international organisations within an integrated ecosystem, bringing the port-to-finance model to life in Vietnam; and to introduce the first maritime financial products and initiatives, creating mechanisms for Vietnamese enterprises to access financing, insurance, and risk management tools domestically rather than through foreign intermediaries.

“Ports such as Can Gio and Cai Mep-Thi Vai are transshipment hubs for cargo flows — VIFC-HCMC must become the transshipment hub for capital flows serving Vietnam’s maritime economy,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Huan, Vice Chairman of VIFC-HCMC.

Hashtag: #VIFC

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

By Nitya Chakraborty This is the season of high level summits. On May 14 and 15, U.S President Donald Trump visited Beijing and had ‘ fantastic’ talks, according to the U.S. President, Chinese media also went overboard explaining the great possibilities of China-US cooperation in political and economic spheres and also how important this was […]

The article Cuba Is Under Siege By USA, But Neither Xi Jinping Nor Putin Taking It With Trump appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).