News related to
Capital

The seed round scales mamun’s capital infrastructure for trade finance along the Greater Bay Area – Oman – UAE corridor — anchored in Muscat, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong SAR.

MUSCAT, ABU DHABI/HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 November 2026 – mamun, the Sharia-compliant platform building capital infrastructure for trade finance, has raised a US$3 million seed round led by Phaze Ventures through its Oman Fund, with participation from Jasoor Ventures.

mamun co-founders, left to right: Ahmed Al-Issaei (Co-Founder & CTO), Saleh Al Tamami (Co-Founder & CEO), Mohammed Al Tamami (Co-Founder & CCO)
mamun co-founders, left to right: Ahmed Al-Issaei (Co-Founder & CTO), Saleh Al Tamami (Co-Founder & CEO), Mohammed Al Tamami (Co-Founder & CCO)

An exporter in Muscat ships today and gets paid in 60 to 90 days. Banks rarely bridge that gap, as they usually rely on a long financial track record that many small exporters find hard to provide. The Asian Development Bank puts the global trade finance gap at US$2.5 trillion, and 41% of SME trade finance applications are turned down.

mamun’s AI-native underwriting assesses the company behind the trade, alongside the shipment itself: the contract, the buyer, the trade documents and the trading history between them. Its origination engine finds and screens that trade as it forms. Then investors on the platform finance the gap.

The hard part is the border. A cross-border transaction spans two regulators, two banking systems and two legal regimes, with settlement that has to land in another jurisdiction on time, and the collateral is in motion, travelling with the goods along the route.

That complexity is why most of the region’s financing platforms have stayed domestic, and it is mamun’s moat. The platform was built across the corridor: an FSA-regulated home and origination base in Muscat; Abu Dhabi for Gulf capital and UAE flows; and Hong Kong SAR, the financing gateway of the Belt and Road Initiative, for the Greater Bay Area and the Gulf–Asia trade routes.

Roughly 40% of the platform’s trade finance settlements already clear through Hong Kong-based financial institutions and businesses.

mamun’s licence sits within the FSA’s crowdfunding framework, which allows the platform to bring in investors from inside and outside the Sultanate, and to finance companies inside and outside the Sultanate, subject to the platform’s eligibility criteria and the laws applicable in each investor’s country.

The corridor is growing. Oman’s non-oil exports ran about 10% higher year-on-year through the first seven months of 2026 and re-exports 13.6% higher, with the UAE its largest non-oil trading partner. New corridors bring new counterparties: businesses trading together for the first time, with no shared history for a lender to underwrite against.

The round brings together capital from Oman and the UAE: Phaze Ventures invests through its Oman Fund, dedicated to homegrown, AI-enabled Omani businesses, and Jasoor Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm backing technology founders across the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey.

The US$3 million will scale that AI-native origination and underwriting, growing the volume of trade the platform can originate, assess and finance along the Greater Bay Area – Oman – UAE corridor. It is where the industry is heading: 84% of banks in the Asian Development Bank’s January 2026 survey already apply AI to trade finance risk. mamun was built that way from origination onward.

“The businesses moving goods between the Gulf and Asia are growing faster than the financing behind them. We built mamun in Muscat, under Omani regulation, to serve trade along the corridor between the Gulf and Asia. This round scales that engine — and the corridor it serves.”
— Saleh Al Tamami · Co-Founder & CEO, mamun

“Our thesis is backing the homegrown companies that turn Oman’s diversification agenda into regional infrastructure. mamun is exactly that — structured across the corridor, and built by a team that has executed quietly and precisely. It is a natural commitment from the Oman Fund.”
— Abdullah Al Shaksy · Co-Founder & CEO, Phaze Ventures

mamun was founded by Saleh Al Tamami, Co-Founder & CEO, Mohammed Al Tamami, Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, and Ahmed Al-Issaei, Co-Founder & CTO, and was named a Rising Star on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Middle East 2025, ranking 26th.

This announcement is for information only and does not constitute an offer or invitation to invest. mamun is not licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC).

Hashtag: #mamun

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

ABOUT mamun

builds capital infrastructure for trade finance. The platform is Sharia-compliant, licensed and regulated by the Financial Services Authority of Oman (FSA Licence CMI051). This licence covers the Omani entity only. The group also has entities in Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong SAR. It connects businesses and investors to finance cross-border trade — exports, imports and the working capital that moves goods between markets.

ABOUT PHAZE VENTURES

Founded in 2018, is Oman’s oldest private venture capital firm. Headquartered in Oman, with a presence in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, it backs early-stage AI and deeptech companies globally and homegrown technology businesses through the Oman Fund.

ABOUT JASOOR VENTURES

, meaning “courageous” in Arabic, is an ADGM-based venture capital firm, investing across the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 November 2026 – Ondine Capital today announced the successful first close of its third USD-denominated VC fund. Ondine Capital Fund III has secured commitments from top-tier institutional and strategic limited partners, including several leading semiconductor enterprises in Taiwan.

Ondine Capital's newly appointed partner: Brian Yen
Ondine Capital’s newly appointed partner: Brian Yen

Building on the firm’s deep-rooted expertise in semiconductors and deep technology, Ondine Capital Fund III will invest across the full AI value chain—spanning AI foundation models, next-generation semiconductors, AI infrastructure, AI-native software, and physical AI applications.

Ondine Capital Fund III’s early portfolio highlights include:

  • Recursive Superintelligence: Founded by former Salesforce Chief Scientist Richard Socher and built by veteran researchers from OpenAI, Google, and Meta, the startup focuses on recursive self-improving AI systems. It recently raised $650 million at a $4 billion pre-money valuation led by Google Ventures, with participation from Nvidia and AMD.
  • Bot Auto: Founded by Xiaodi Hou (former co-founder and CTO of TuSimple), this Houston-based physical AI startup specializes in autonomous freight transportation. Bot Auto recently partnered with Ryan Transportation to launch driverless freight operations along the Houston-Dallas corridor.
  • Salience Labs: Founded by Vaysh Kewada and Johannes Feldmann, the company develops silicon-photonics optical switching technology for AI data centers. Partnering with Tower Semiconductor, Salience Labs recently closed a $125 million financing round led by Bullhound Capital, with strategic backing from AMD Ventures and Intel Capital.

Partner Appointment to Boost Global Ecosystem

Coinciding with the first close, Ondine Capital announced the appointment of Brian Yen as Partner, reinforcing the firm’s global sourcing and founder network.

Prior to joining Ondine Capital, Brian Yen served as Principal and Head of the Taipei Office at Headline Asia, where he cultivated an extensive network across Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. His investment track record spans consumer technologies, agentic services, and physical AI, with notable investments including respond.io, forest inc., Braid, and iMotorbike. At Ondine Capital, Brian Yen will focus on backing early-stage founders building intelligent software and physical AI platforms.

“The convergence of AI and semiconductors is unleashing unprecedented opportunities across global tech,” said Brian Yen. “As these technologies mature, we anticipate monumental value creation throughout the entire stack. Through Fund III, we look forward to empowering visionary founders who are shaping the future of computing and industry applications.”

Ondine Capital continues to actively deploy capital and evaluate global investment opportunities in breakthrough, category-defining companies across the AI and semiconductor landscape.

Hashtag: #OndineCapital #RSI #BotAuto #SalienceLabs

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

About Ondine Capital

Ondine Capital is a premier venture capital firm focused on frontier technologies, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, enterprise software, clean energy, and emerging technology platforms. The firm backs visionary founders from inception, providing strategic support and access to a robust global network of industrial partners, investors, and entrepreneurs.

A ‘blue wave’ would create clear winners and losers across the US stock market. If Democrats take both chambers, hospitals, defence contractors and clean energy look likely to gain, while drugmakers, data centres and banks stand to come off worst. A sweep now looks more likely than not. Prediction markets give Democrats better than a 90% chance of taking the House. The Senate is tighter, with Republicans […]

By Satyaki Chakraborty As the Americans are going to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, there is a new focus in the intensely contested elections between the ruling Republicans and the Democrats which concern both the President Donald Trump and the Democratic national leadership led by its Chair Ken Martin. Both are interested in seeing […]

The article Can Bernie Sanders Ensure Enough Left Representation In New Congress? appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

  • Mr Drew Chen’s appointment as Co-CEO strengthens BDC’s leadership team as the Company surpasses one gigawatt of capacity in 2026 and accelerates its growth across Asia Pacific.


SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 November 2026 – Bridge Data Centres (BDC) is pleased to announce
the appointment of Mr Drew Chen as Co-Chief Executive Officer (Co-CEO), effective 1 November 2026. He will work alongside Mr Eric Fan, BDC’s Co-CEO, as a key member of the leadership team to accelerate the Company’s growth across Asia Pacific and beyond.

Mr Drew Chen, Co CEO of Bridge Data Centres
Mr Drew Chen, Co CEO of Bridge Data Centres

Mr Chen brings over 20 years of private equity experience, with a focus on the telecommunications, media, technology, and business services sectors. He previously served as a Senior Partner at Bain Capital and was a founding member of the firm’s Asia Pacific private equity team. Prior to Bain Capital, Mr Chen worked at Bain & Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Mr Eric Fan, Co-CEO of Bridge Data Centres, said, “On behalf of Bridge Data Centres, we would like to welcome Drew. His appointment strengthens our leadership team at an important point in BDC’s growth, as we surpass one gigawatt of capacity in 2026. Drew’s experience and deep domain knowledge of the data centre sector will support our strategy as we scale BDC into a multi-gigawatt digital infrastructure platform in the coming years.”
Mr Drew Chen, Co-CEO of Bridge Data Centres, said, “The Asia Pacific data centre sector is at inflection point for growth, fuelled by surging cloud adoption and the rapid expansion of AI workloads. BDC is well positioned to capture this opportunity, backed by our world class engineering and design team, longstanding partnerships with global clients, and a decade of experience developing and operating next-generation digital infrastructure. I am excited to partner with Eric and the leadership team to scale BDC’s footprint across Asia Pacific and support our customers’ ambitious growth plans.”
Mr Jonathan Zhu, Partner and Chair of China at Bain Capital, said, “Drew possesses deep expertise in the digital infrastructure space and an intimate knowledge of BDC’s business, having played a pivotal role in the buildout of BDC and its sister company ChinData. We are delighted that, as the Co-CEO, Drew will continue to bring strategic foresight and robust business building capabilities to BDC. Together, he and Eric are well positioned to lead BDC through its next chapter of growth.”
Headquartered in Singapore, BDC is one of Asia Pacific’s top three next-generation digital infrastructure platforms by live capacity, with a presence across Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and India.

Hashtag: #BridgeDataCentres


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

About Bridge Data Centres

Bridge Data Centres (BDC) is a Singapore headquartered digital infrastructure platform delivering next-generation data centres across Asia Pacific and beyond.
Backed by Bain Capital, BDC operates in Malaysia, Thailand, India, and other high-growth markets, with an ambition to scale into a multi-gigawatt digital infrastructure platform in the near future.

Austria’s bank99 is expanding into small-business banking with a new range of accounts, savings products and payment cards, using the country’s extensive postal network to reach companies beyond major cities. The Austrian Post-controlled lender announced the business99 offering on Monday, targeting sole traders, partnerships and incorporated companies. Its strategy combines digital account opening with access to banking assistance and cash services at post offices and postal partners […]

Empowering Global Collections and Payments for Foreign Trade Enterprises

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 November 2026 — XTransfer, the world’s leading B2B cross-border trade payment platform, and Bank of China (Hong Kong) (“BOCHK”) are pleased to announce the signing of a cooperation agreement. The two parties will work together to expand their international business, providing one-stop cross-border financial services, including global collections, payments, and foreign exchange, for enterprises engaged in international trade in Hong Kong and around the world.

(Left to Right) Mr Martin Liu, Vice President of XTransfer, Mr Bill Deng, Founder and CEO of XTransfer, Mr Liu Chao, General Manager of the Global Corporate Banking Department of BOCHK, Ms Winnie Fan, Deputy General Manager of the Global Corporate Banking Department of BOCHK.
(Left to Right) Mr Martin Liu, Vice President of XTransfer, Mr Bill Deng, Founder and CEO of XTransfer, Mr Liu Chao, General Manager of the Global Corporate Banking Department of BOCHK, Ms Winnie Fan, Deputy General Manager of the Global Corporate Banking Department of BOCHK.

Coinciding with Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026, Mr Martin Liu, Vice President of XTransfer and Ms Winnie Fan, Deputy General Manager of the Global Corporate Banking Department of BOCHK, officially signed the cooperation agreement at the XTransfer booth, witnessed by Mr Bill Deng, Founder and CEO of XTransfer and Mr Liu Chao, General Manager of the Global Corporate Banking Department of BOCHK, marking a new stage in the partnership between the two parties.

Under this cooperation, XTransfer and BOCHK will collaborate in depth across business areas including global collections, payments, and foreign exchange. Leveraging BOCHK’s professional capabilities in cross-border settlement and foreign exchange trading, as well as its unique position as the RMB clearing bank in Hong Kong, combined with XTransfer’s self-built globally unified B2B cross-border settlement network and risk management system, the two parties will jointly create an efficient, lower-cost, and compliant fund collection, payment, and currency exchange experience for foreign trade enterprises. Under this cooperation model, XTransfer is the first corporate partner of BOCHK.

As the cooperation progresses, foreign trade enterprises in Hong Kong and around the world will be able to access global cross-border collection, payment, and foreign exchange services more conveniently, meeting their multi-currency transaction and settlement needs across different markets. Both parties expect that by reducing the handover points in cross-border transaction processes, they can enhance the service experience and capital turnover efficiency, helping enterprises seize global trade opportunities more flexibly.

This cooperation also reflects XTransfer’s continuously deepening Financial Institution Partnership Model. Financial institution partners can act as “Co-builders“, providing cross-border collection, payment, and foreign exchange capabilities; at the same time, through XTransfer’s network covering over one million business customers, they can reach more enterprise customer segments with cross-border financial service needs, achieving complementary capabilities and shared strengths.

Mr Bill Deng, Founder and CEO of XTransfer, said, “We are very honored to sign the cooperation agreement with BOCHK during Hong Kong FinTech Week. BOCHK is one of Hong Kong’s most representative banks, with deep expertise in cross-border settlement and foreign exchange services. This cooperation combines the strengths of both parties, enabling SMEs to enjoy cross-border financial services of the same standard as large multinational corporations. Going forward, we will continue to refine our compliance and risk control capabilities and work with more financial institution partners to build trustworthy cross-border financial infrastructure.”
Hashtag: #XTransfer #BOCHK #Partnership #Crossborder #Payment #SMEs


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

About XTransfer

XTransfer is the world’s largest B2B cross-border trade payment platform with over US$60 billion TPV in 2025, according to CIC. Founded in 2017 as one of the first payment platforms worldwide dedicated to B2B cross-border trade, we serve the largest customer base of over 1 million business customers globally.

We connect top-tier financial institutions directly to SMEs, the backbone of global trade, giving businesses of every size access to the same secure, compliant and seamless payment infrastructure once reserved for multinationals. As of March 31, 2026, we provide payment services across more than 200 countries and regions through partnerships with financial institutions, including some of the most established international banks around the world.

XTransfer has obtained required licenses in major hubs, including the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, the Netherlands, Australia and Canada.

For more information, please visit:

Advertisements

Apollo Global Management is expanding its investment relationship with Abu Dhabi through an agreement to acquire a minority holding in Mubadala Capital, alongside commitments to the firm’s investment strategies. The transaction, announced on 26 October, will bring the US alternative asset manager into Mubadala Capital’s shareholder base as the Abu Dhabi investment business seeks additional international investors. Apollo and other incoming strategic shareholders are expected to commit […]

Kerala will approach the Supreme Court to secure implementation of a detailed safety inspection of the Mullaperiyar dam, Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph announced on Monday. Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Joseph said the government would file a special petition before the apex court seeking…

By Nantoo Banerjee At a time when most big business families across the world are fighting the ‘third-generation curse’ to stay afloat, a few Indian big business houses have survived past the third generation by relying on specific longevity drivers, including early focus on preparing heirs, formal governance, and regularly sharing the foundational history, struggles, […]

The article Stake In Third Generation Family Managed Firms Is Always Risky appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By Dr. Gyan Pathak The impressive political success of INDIA bloc’s New Delhi Ramlila ground rally on November 1 has clearly established an important milestone in Indian opposition politics. It indicates that this political movement centred round election irregularities, vote theft, and the demand of removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is most […]

The article INDIA Bloc’s Delhi Ramlila Ground Rally Boosts Congress And Allies Morale appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Greenlogue/AP Cleaner air policies could deliver up to $2.4 trillion in economic benefits by 2040, the World Bank estimates, as governments face mounting pressure to reduce pollution-related deaths and economic losses. The projection, contained in the bank’s report Accelerating Access to Clean Air for a Livable Planet, reflects the estimated value of deaths avoided through coordinated action on pollution and climate emissions. The study, published in March […]

Artificial intelligence developer Anthropic plans to offer shares worth up to 552.9 billion yen ($3.5 billion) to investors in Japan as part of its proposed US stock market debut, according to a regulatory filing released on Monday. The planned allocation represents a significant international component of the company’s initial public offering, potentially giving institutional and other eligible investors in Japan direct access to one of the largest […]

The FBI has attributed the theft of more than $6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance to North Korean hackers, identifying a state-linked cyber operation responsible for one of the largest digital asset heists ever disclosed. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on October 31 that hackers associated with North Korea had stolen virtual assets from the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange on or around October 29. The […]

Crypto. com and OG. com have begun offering cryptocurrency perpetual futures to eligible US traders, introducing round-the-clock contracts with leverage of up to five times through federally regulated derivatives infrastructure. The rollout, announced on 27 October, gives retail customers access through the Crypto. com App, while institutional and advanced traders can use the Crypto. com Exchange. The contracts have no fixed expiry date and allow participants to […]

The capital will be deployed in stages across three new business lines, beginning in Brazil.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2026 – 10 CENTS CAPITAL SDN. BHD. (“10 CENTS CAPITAL”) has completed US$20 million in financing. With the capital, the well-known Malaysian investment holding company is adding three business lines of its own to its investment activities and will deploy the funds in phases, starting in Brazil.

John Lee, Head of International Markets, 10 CENTS CAPITAL.
John Lee, Head of International Markets, 10 CENTS CAPITAL.

How the capital will be deployed
The three new lines are AI business applications, global multilingual marketing and cross-border B2B trade. Part of the capital will build the technology and service base, including AI tools for customer research, marketing content and localisation, and the service model the business will run on. Another part will support cross-border B2B operations: research, information management and enquiry handling.

The remainder is set aside for market development, beginning with market entry in Brazil, the plan’s first market. Local operations there will be handled by its Brazil operating brand, VIVAMOMENTO.

Strategic rationale
Since 2022, 10 CENTS CAPITAL has backed companies across digital technology, e-commerce, consumer services and enterprise services. The three new lines extend that experience into businesses the company builds and runs itself, in areas it already knows well. Funding technology, service and market development together gives each line a complete foundation from the outset, instead of one assembled piece by piece.

“Completing this financing opens a new chapter for our company,” said 10 CENTS CAPITAL Director Peter LIEW. “We will deploy the capital with discipline, one stage at a time, so that each new business stands on a base strong enough to carry the next.”

Outlook
Deployment will proceed in phases, starting in Brazil, with further markets to follow as the new business develops. 10 CENTS CAPITAL will report progress at tencentscapital.com/news, and business and media enquiries are welcome via the contact page.

Hashtag: #10CENTSCAPITAL

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

About 10 CENTS CAPITAL

10 CENTS CAPITAL SDN. BHD. (Registration No. 202201025952 (1471649-V)) is a well-known Malaysian investment holding company incorporated on 18 July 2022. Focused on business growth and long-term value, it works with companies through capital investment, strategic support and resource connections across four areas: digital technology, e-commerce, consumer services and enterprise services. Company news: .

India Blockchain Week 2026 will bring cryptocurrency executives, financial regulators and technology developers to Mumbai on November 1 and 2, with institutional adoption of blockchain and digital assets occupying a prominent place on the conference agenda. The fourth edition, organised by Web3 investment firm Hashed Emergent, will take place at Fairmont Mumbai. It marks the event’s first move to the financial centre after three editions in Bengaluru, […]

By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers WASHINGTON: More than 39 million Americans have already voted. The Democratic candidates are campaigning on the cost of living, and US President Donald Trump is taking his fight into Republican strongholds. The early-voting surge signals intense engagement—but its political meaning remains uncertain. As the United States enters the final stretch of […]

The article US Midterms: Democrats Are Pushing Into Republican Territory appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Nasdaq Dubai marked the listing of a $500 million sukuk from Sharjah Islamic Bank on Thursday, following an offering that attracted $1.3 billion in investor orders, more than twice the amount available. The five-year, senior unsecured Islamic financing instrument, issued through SIB Sukuk Company III Limited, carries a profit rate of 5.850 per cent and matures in September 2031. The securities are listed […]

Ridger Delivers MUX Private AI Deployment to Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors in Hong Kong

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2026 – Ridger, an AI infrastructure company, today announced the official delivery of its MUX private AI solution to Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors in Hong Kong. The solution features MIMO, the world’s first AI-native storage system, making Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors the first law firm in Hong Kong Northern Metropolis to deploy it.

Representatives from Ridger, Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors, xFusion, and Richee at the delivery ceremony for the first MUX private AI deployment in Hong Kong Northern Metropolis.
Representatives from Ridger, Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors, xFusion, and Richee at the delivery ceremony for the first MUX private AI deployment in Hong Kong Northern Metropolis.

Representatives from Ridger, Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors, xFusion, and Fadada’s RicheeAI team attended the delivery ceremony. During the event, Ridger presented the firm with the “Global AI Pioneer Law Firm” certificate in recognition of its forward-looking investment in private AI infrastructure.

The solution brings together AI-native storage and compute infrastructure, a dedicated large language model (LLM) environment, and AI applications tailored to legal workflows. Operating entirely within the firm’s own security perimeter, it marks a significant step toward enabling Hong Kong’s legal profession to harness the productivity of generative AI while safeguarding client data and meeting compliance requirements.

About the Deployment

In space-constrained Hong Kong, Ms. Careen H.Y. Wong, Founding Partner of Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors and Vice President of The Law Society of Hong Kong, set aside room in the Firm’s latest office in the Northern Metropolis for a standard equipment rack, ready for on-premise AI. It is more than a space decision: it reflects her view of the future of legal services—that while harnessing AI to improve efficiency, a firm must retain control of its data and technology boundaries, so that sensitive materials are always properly protected.

Under the engagement, Ridger built a privately owned, independently operable AI foundation for Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors, comprising high-performance storage and data infrastructure optimized for AI workloads, together with a dedicated LLM platform over which the client retains full control of model weights and the inference environment. The platform supports use cases including contract review and risk flagging, legal research and case-law retrieval, large-scale document review in due diligence, drafting and multilingual translation of legal documents, and internal Knowledge Base question answering. It also provides role-based access control, tiered permissions, comprehensive audit trails and content provenance to meet enterprise-grade governance requirements.

Called MUX, the private solution lets the firm begin with no barrier and without capital-intensive build-out or a dedicated server room, scaling on demand; it natively supports Hong Kong’s common law system and integrates seamlessly with existing systems such as email, document management and calendar, embedding AI into lawyers’ daily work. MUX can be ordered directly through Ridger’s website (https://ridger.tech), out of the box.

The delivery reflects the collaboration of legal expertise, AI infrastructure, compute platforms and industry applications: Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors defined the requirements for data confidentiality and on-premise deployment from its actual practice; Ridger provided the end-to-end MUX solution and led its design and integration; xFusion supplied the FusionXpark local AI compute platform and technical support; and Fadada provided the Richee Legal AI Agent Platform, leveraging specialized AI agents and skills to support lawyers in their daily work and improve workflow efficiency. Ridger notes that while an AI model determines capability for a moment, AI infrastructure determines long-term competitiveness.

Why Private AI Matters for the Legal Sector

1. Safeguarding client confidentiality and legal professional privilege

Client materials, transaction documents and dispute information handled by law firms are protected by legal professional privilege (LPP) and strict professional duties of confidentiality. Disclosure to third parties—including public cloud services—may be treated as a waiver of privilege, causing it to be lost and the materials to become disclosable in subsequent proceedings. Private deployment keeps storage, processing and inference entirely within the firm’s own environment, with no disclosure to external providers, preserving privilege and confidentiality at source.

2. Embedding data sovereignty and regulatory compliance

The solution aligns with Hong Kong’s Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) and is designed with reference to the Privacy Commissioner’s “Checklist on Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI by Employees” and the “Model Framework on AI: Personal Data Protection,” as well as The Law Society of Hong Kong’s 2024 position paper on the impact of AI on the legal profession and the Manifesto on “Legal Ethical Code of Conduct Regarding the Deployment of AI.” It embeds the principles of lawfulness, transparency, traceability, interpretability, security and appropriate human oversight into a unified AI governance framework.

For a firm handling cross-border work, the same private environment also addresses the requirements of the major jurisdictions: for Mainland China, it aligns with the Personal Information Protection Law, the Data Security Law and data-export mechanisms such as security assessments and standard contracts; for Europe, it maps to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and standard contractual clauses; for the United States, it meets the confidentiality and competence duties under the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Formal Opinion 512 on generative AI. Because data always remains within the firm’s own perimeter, the firm can confidently meet local data-confidentiality and regulatory expectations wherever its clients are based.

3. Eliminating the hidden risk of “shadow AI”

Where a firm offers no convenient, approved AI tool, individual lawyers may turn to consumer-grade public chatbots for work, creating “shadow AI” that sits outside IT and compliance visibility—unapproved, unlogged and unaudited, with unknown data flows and no clear accountability. MUX channels that demand into a single, visible, auditable controlled environment, giving lawyers the efficiency they want while bringing every use under the institution’s governance and oversight.

4. Keeping institutional knowledge within the firm

The case law, templates and practical know-how accumulated by a firm are core competitive assets. A private platform continuously refined on the firm’s own corpus keeps these assets within the institution and compounds their value over time, rather than depositing them with an external vendor.

5. Ensuring control and business continuity

Private deployment insulates the firm from external API changes, model versioning, service outages or shifts in vendor strategy, giving it full control over capabilities, upgrade timing, cost and availability — a foundation for durable, long-term AI adoption.

Executive Quotes

“For industries built on trust and confidentiality, such as the law, the value of AI should never come at the price of data sovereignty,” said Ray Hu, General Manager Asia-Pacific Region of Ridger. “Private deployment lets a firm turn generative AI into auditable, governable and sustainable productivity without crossing confidentiality lines. We are proud to set this benchmark with Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors”

Ray Hu, General Manager Asia-Pacific Region, Ridger

“In Hong Kong, office space is scarce and precious, but data sovereignty is worth setting aside a place for. Building our own AI infrastructure lets us embrace AI while always safeguarding our clients’ trust and the boundaries of our profession.”

Careen H.Y. Wong, Founding Partner, Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors, Solicitors

Hashtag: #Ridger #MIMO #MUX #PrivateAI #LegalAI #AIInfrastructure #HongKong


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

Ridger Company Limited

Ridger is a technology company focused on data and storage infrastructure for the AI era. The company provides private, high-performance AI infrastructure and solutions that enable enterprises to deploy and run large models and AI applications within their own security perimeter. Through its proprietary storage and data management technologies, Ridger helps clients safeguard data sovereignty, security and compliance while fully realizing the business value of artificial intelligence.

Unveiling Three Innovative Products Integrating Local Hong Kong Culture and Consumption Scenarios, Demonstrating Deep Synergy Between Chinese Baijiu and Modern Leisure Lifestyles

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2026 – The “Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2026,” a premier global culinary extravaganza organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, officially opened today, 29 October. Kweichow Zhen (also known as Zhenjiu), the flagship brand of ZJLD Group Inc. (6979.HK), a leading Chinese baijiu enterprise listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, makes a powerful return to the event. Against the backdrop of accelerating its global expansion and developing innovative products following its IPO, Kweichow Zhen centres its participation on the core theme of “Zhenjiu Encounters Hong Kong“. By seamlessly blending rich sauce-aroma baijiu with Hong Kong’s vibrant contemporary urban culture, the brand creates an immersive tasting experience that highlights its latest breakthroughs in product innovation and integration with lifestyle scenarios.

As a pioneer championing Chinese baijiu culture on the global stage, ZJLD Group is dedicated to breaking traditional stereotypes and continuously expanding the horizons of baijiu within modern casual living. Catering to the preferences of young urbanites and international consumers for versatile and rich flavor profiles, the Group presents three flagship innovative products. These offerings fully showcase an innovative interpretation of time-honoured craftsmanship and a profound resonance with modern Hong Kong aesthetics.

Three Highlighted Innovative Products: Local Flavors, Cross-Industry Collaboration, and Multi-Category Breakthroughs

Local Flavor Inspiration: ZESS(Zhenjiu Cocktail with Local Ginger and Lemon)

To broaden the daily appeal of traditional baijiu and capture younger demographics, Kweichow Zhen introduces an innovative low-ABV, light-sip concept. Crafted with Zhenjiu’s premium sauce-aroma baijiu as its base, the cocktail is specially infused with carefully selected local Hong Kong ginger and fresh lemon. Featuring a light 5% ABV sparkling profile, it harmoniously balances spicy nuances with crisp citrus notes, offering an approachable, low-alcohol alternative that revitalizes traditional sauce-aroma baijiu with a distinctly local Hong Kong touch.

Cross-Brand Innovation: Exclusive Launch of Chocolate Baijiu Ice Cream with The Ice Cream & Cookie Co.

Building on the enthusiastic response to past collaborations, Zhenjiu deepens its partnership with The Ice Cream & Cookie Co., an artisanal dessert brand from Singapore that has gained widespread popularity in Hong Kong. Making its exclusive debut at the festival, the “Chocolate-Flavored Baijiu Ice Cream” features a rich 60% dark chocolate base infused with premium apricots deeply soaked in Zhenjiu. The bright acidity and fermented complexity of the apricots blend perfectly with the smooth cocoa notes, delivering a luxurious triple-layered flavor experience of fruit, baijiu, and dark chocolate.

Major Category Expansion: “NEWS Oak-Aged Craft Beer” Makes Its Wine & Dine Debut

Marking a significant milestone in ZJLD’s multi-category beverage ecosystem, “NEWS Oak-Aged Craft Beer“, hailed as a “Super Beer”, makes its premiere at this year’s Wine & Dine. Developed over three years by Kweichow Zhen’s R&D team, it is crafted from imported Canadian and Australian two-row barley malt, top-grade German and Belgian yeast, Yakima Valley aroma hops from the US, and pristine water from Mount Mogan. Brewed using top-fermented Ale techniques with an ABV of 5.9%, it delivers elegant fruity, malty, and subtle woody notes. The brand incorporates the Eastern cultural ethos of “good fortune and prosperity” into its marketing narrative, accompanied by a sleek, modern, minimalist packaging design that embodies continuous progress and infinite possibilities.

Deepening the Baijiu Globalization Strategy: Partnering with Hong Kong to Enhance Its Charm as a Global Culinary Capital

Mr. Paul Ng, Vice President of International Operations at ZJLD Group Inc., stated:

“The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival is a world-class event of immense global influence. Kweichow Zhen has participated for consecutive years, and this year, we are placing even greater emphasis on the deep integration and scenario innovation between baijiu and local Hong Kong culture. From ZESS, our local flavor-inspired cocktail, to our co-created baijiu ice cream with a renowned artisanal dessert brand, and the premiere of NEWS Oak-Aged Craft Beer, we aim to present a fresh international calling card for Chinese baijiu. We want to demonstrate that baijiu is not only a traditional cultural symbol, but a dynamic, stylish lifestyle choice that seamlessly fits into modern urban leisure and daily living.”

Hashtag: #ZJLDGroup

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

About ZJLD Group Inc.

Zhenjiu was established in 1975 in Zunyi, Guizhou, China’s primary production area for sauce-aroma baijiu. In 1988, it was honored with the National Quality Award at the 5th National Wine Appreciation Conference. In the same year, it was selected by the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Communication Department of the Ministry of Economy and Trade, and the Great Hall of the People Management Bureau to become one of the two sauce-aroma baijiu served at state banquets. It is also recognized as one of the “Three RepresentativeBaijiu Brands in Guizhou“.

ZJLD Group Inc. is a leading baijiu group in China devoted to offering premium baijiu products, including sauce-aroma, mixed-aroma, and strong-aroma varieties. The Company operates four renowned baijiu brands in China, including two national baijiu brands (Zhenjiu and Li Du) and two regional brands (Xiangjiao and Kaikouxiao). ZJLD prides itself on inheriting the time-honored baijiu-distilling techniques and reinvigorating them to develop iconic products, striving to create a diverse portfolio that meets modern consumer preferences, captures broader market opportunities, and promotes traditional Chinese baijiu culture worldwide.

Publicly listed companies now hold approximately 1.3 million Bitcoin, an increase of 31% over 14 months, although most of the expansion came from a single company, according to new figures released by blockchain analytics firm CryptoQuant. Strategy, the Bitcoin investment company chaired by Michael Saylor, accounted for 71% of the increase in corporate holdings, highlighting the growing concentration of digital assets among listed businesses despite wider adoption […]

LiveWire Group, the electric motorcycle manufacturer controlled by Harley-Davidson, has warned that it may be unable to continue operating over the next year, citing mounting financial pressures and insufficient liquidity. The company disclosed the warning on Thursday alongside third-quarter results, saying recurring operating losses, negative operating cash flows and anticipated funding requirements raised substantial doubt about its ability to remain a going concern. It is examining financing […]

Kerala’s Legislative Assembly unanimously passed legislation on Thursday increasing the salaries and allowances of ministers and MLAs, while also approving higher pensions for former legislators. The measure raises the monthly remuneration package for an MLA to Rs 98,000. The legislation secured support from both the…
VISHNU RAJA
RYO YAMADA
HITORI GOTOH
IKUYO KITA