News related to
Middle East

The deal did not arrive in isolation. It came only weeks after KKR invested $95 million, taking the wider financing linked to that phase of fundraising to about $315 million. Lenskart said the fresh capital would support expansion of its online business and physical store network, reinforcing its strategy of building an omni-channel model rather than relying solely on digital sales. That approach helped distinguish it from many internet-first companies that were still testing how to translate app traffic into durable consumer brands.

Founded in 2010, Lenskart entered physical retail in 2013 and built its business around prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses and sunglasses, using technology tools such as virtual try-on features and a tightly managed supply chain to bring down delivery times and widen consumer choice. The 2021 fundraising gave investors another signal that eye care and vision products could support a scaled consumer business in a market where organised retail had long remained fragmented. It also underlined growing confidence that health-linked discretionary categories could attract repeat spending even outside the big metropolitan centres.

At the time, the broader market backdrop was unusually supportive. India’s start-up sector went through a record funding cycle in 2021, with Reuters later reporting that start-ups in the country raised about $35 billion that year before the market turned more difficult in 2022. Lenskart’s round therefore became part of a larger story: global investors were competing for exposure to domestic consumption, digital adoption and a new generation of companies that blended software, logistics and offline distribution. That enthusiasm also produced a wave of unicorns, richer private valuations and a heavier pipeline for later public listings.

What makes the Lenskart story more durable than a single boom-year headline is what followed. The company continued to attract capital after the 2021 round, raising another $200 million in 2024 from Temasek and Fidelity in a deal that valued it at about $5 billion, according to reports. That step-up suggested investors still saw room for growth despite the post-2021 funding reset that hit many privately held technology firms. It also showed that consumer-facing businesses with large store networks, repeat demand and clearer revenue visibility were being treated differently from cash-burning platforms built around discount-led expansion.

By 2025, Lenskart had moved into the next phase of that journey, filing for an initial public offering and seeking a valuation of nearly $8 billion at the top end of its price band. Reuters reported that the company had 2,067 stores across the country and another 656 overseas, reflecting a business that had grown well beyond its original online-only identity. That proposed public market debut placed Lenskart among a wider group of venture-backed companies testing whether private-market optimism could translate into sustained investor demand on the stock exchange.

Operationally, the business has also shown signs of maturing. Reuters reported in November 2025 that Lenskart had turned profitable in financial year 2025 and posted a 23% rise in revenue to 66.53 billion rupees. Another Reuters report in February 2026 said about 80% of its revenue came from prescription eyeglasses, while international revenue from Southeast Asia, Japan and the Middle East was rising strongly. Those figures matter because they suggest the company’s scale is now being supported not only by funding rounds and valuation jumps, but by a more established earnings and expansion profile.

1. Constituent Review – ixCrypto Index Series

1. 1. ixCrypto Index (“IXCI”)
The number of constituents will remain at 19 with no additions and deletions.

Additions:
No addition

Deletions:
No deletion

The free float adjusted market capitalization coverage is 84.26%* (excluding stablecoins, which represents 10.90% of the total crypto universe), while the 90-day-average volume is 77.36%*. The recapping at 40% will take effect on the effective date.

Since the last review, there has been a decrease in the crypto total market capitalization from USD3.38T to USD2.62T (-22.53%)^#, and a decrease in the daily volume from USD157.69B to USD108.17B (-31.40%)^#. Bitcoin remains the largest crypto in the constituent list, with its price decreased by 24.58% since the last review.

1.2. ixCrypto Portfolio Indexes

1.2.1 ixCrypto 5 Equal Weight Index (“IXEW5”) and ixCrypto 5 Square Root Index (“IXSR5”)

Additions:
No addition

Deletions:
No deletion

1.2.2 ixCrypto 10 Equal Weight Index (“IXEW10”) and ixCrypto 10 Square Root Index (“IXSR10”).

Additions:
No addition

Deletions:
No deletion

1.2.3 ixCrypto Altcoin 10 EW Index (“IXAEW10”) and ixCrypto Altcoin 10 Square Root Index (“IXASR10”).

Additions: Monero

Deletions: Chainlink

1.3. ixCrypto BTC/ETH Indexes
As of the cut-off date on 31^st March 2026, the ixCrypto BTC/ETH 50/50 Index (“IX5050”) maintains a 50%/50% weighting for the ixBitcoin Index “IXBI” and ixEthereum Index “IXEI”. The ixCrypto BTC/ETH Proportional Index (“IXPI”) has a weighting of 83.12% and 16.88% for IXBI and IXEI, respectively.

At the upcoming effective date, IX5050 weightings will remain unchanged at 50%/50%. IXPI weightings will be adjusted to 84.53% and 15.47% for IXBI and IXEI, respectively, reflecting the market capitalization proportions of Bitcoin and Ethereum at the cut-off date.

1.4. ixCrypto Stablecoin Index
The number of constituents will remain at 6 (Appendix 5). Stablecoin comprises 10.90% of the total crypto universe, and ixCrypto Stablecoin Index covers 98.26% of the 90-day average market capitalization in the stablecoin universe.

2. Exchange Review
To ensure the fairest price objective, all indexes are calculated based on average of multiple exchanges. As a result of exchange review, 10 exchanges passed the review process, which are as follows:

1. Binance
2. Pionex (ADDITION)
3. BitMart (ADDITION)
4. MEXC
5. LBank
6. Bybit
7. Gate.io2
8. Kucoin
9. Crypto.com Exchange
10. Coinbase Exchange

Deletion

1. Huobi Global
2. OKEx

The selected 10 exchanges will be used to generate each of the fair average prices for the IX indexes’ constituents. The exchange review covers volume rankings, exchange background checks, founders’ background checks, USD/USDT/USDC/BTC pair coverage, overconcentration rules, exchange API coverage checks, and stability, among other aspects, for an exchange.

For more details about our exchange selection criteria, please email [email protected]. More information on the ixCrypto Indexes, including their constituents and constituents’ weights, is provided in the Appendices, or refer to the website https://ix-index.com/.

*Exclude stable coins and coins that trigger conflict of interest (based on conflict-of-interest rule methodology 3.9, effective on Oct 2, 2020)
#As of 31^th March 2026, based on the past 90 days average
XXXX ^(ADDITION)Newly introduced exchanges as of 2026 Q1

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

As of 31 March 2026

# Weighting (%) after 40% Cap is adjusted according to the cut-off price, the arrangement of order may not the same as 90-day-average-Market Cap

Selection of index constituents is based on the past 90-day-average market capitalization and volume.
For the calculation methodology of the index, please refer to the “ixCrypto Index Methodology Paper” on our website

Appendix 3

As of 31 March 2026

Appendix 4

As of 31 March 2026

Appendix 5

As of 31 March 2026

Appendix 6

Real time indexes are disseminated every 5-second interval for 24×7 since 23 June 2022. The real-time indexes are available for viewing on the IX Crypto Index official webpage and Bloomberg Page IXCI <GO>. For IXCI, IXBI and IXEI, the indexes are also available through Nasdaq Global Index Data Service (GIDS) with the tickers “IXCI”, “IXBI” and “IXEI”, with dissemination interval kept at 15-second unchanged.

The vendor tickers are shown below:

For further information about ixCrypto Index and other available indexes including IX Crypto spot price index series and EOD indexes, please visit company official webpage https://ix-index.com or subscribe to LinkedIn: IX Asia Indexes

For data licensing and product, please contact us at [email protected].

For free API use on academic research or trial, please contact [email protected]



Hashtag: #ixCryptoIndex

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

About IX Asia Indexes and IX Asia Index Advisory Committee

IX Capital International Limited is an award-winning index and investment advisory company. The index business arm- IX Asia Indexes, providing real-time digital asset and innovative indexes, disseminated 24×7 globally and built on robust infrastructure. Since the launch of the first crypto benchmark index (“IXCI”) launched in Hong Kong in December 2018, the ixCrypto index series expand into over 40 indexes designed for exchange futures products, mark-to-market, and fund managers’ portfolio construction purposes. To ensure the professionality and impartiality of the index methodologies and operations, IX Asia Indexes has established its index advisory committee with representation from different industries, including fund management, exchanges, brokerage, financial blockchain experts, crypto service providers, etc. The committee will meet quarterly a year to discuss matters relating to the IX Asia Indexes, including to review and to comment the data sources, methodologies, and operations of IX Asia Indexes, to provide guidance to the future development of new IX Asia Indexes and to handle other issues and decisions on an as-needed basis.

IX Asia Indexes was awarded the Fintech Award (wealth investment and management) 2019 and 2021 organised by ETNet. It as well won an award for Startup of the Year and Basic Technology (Big Data) from Hong Kong Fintech Impetus Awards 2022 by Metro Broadcast and KPMG. It also won Asia Pacific Enterprise Achievement Award 2024 by Echolade. IX Asia Indexes completed its IOSCO compliance statement and obtained ISO/IEC 27001:2022 UKAS certification.

Website: https://ix-index.com/

Advisory Committee: https://ix-index.com/committee.htm

About IX Crypto Indexes

The ixCrypto index (“IXCI”) is the first crypto index launched in Hong Kong. It was launched on 12 December 2018. It is denominated in USD with a base value of 1000 and a base date on 3 December 2018. Designed to be easy to understand while providing a good representation of the crypto market, ixCrypto index aims to cover the top 80% of the cumulative free-float adjusted market capitalization in the crypto universe and, at the same time, the crypto currencies should fall within the top liquid cryptos ranked by trading volume in the 90 days preceding the review date. The index is to be reviewed quarterly and with a fast entry rule. Real time indexes are disseminated every 5-second for 24×7 since 23 June 2022. Real time index data together with ixBitcoin Index and ixEthereum Index can be obtained from IX Asia Indexes Data Services and Bloomberg terminal on IXCI <GO>. For IXCI, IXBI and IXEI, the indexes are also available through Nasdaq Global Index Data Service (GIDS) with the tickers “IXCI”, “IXBI”, “IXEI”, with dissemination interval kept at 15-second unchanged. Wechat: 信昇亞洲指數.

China’s economy expanded faster than expected in the first quarter, giving Beijing a firmer platform as it confronts the fallout from the war involving Iran, but the details beneath the headline number pointed to a recovery still leaning heavily on industry and exports while households remain cautious. Official data released on Thursday showed gross domestic product grew 5.0% from a year earlier in January to March, above the 4.8% forecast in a Reuters poll and up from 4.5% in the final quarter of 2025. Quarterly growth came in at 1.3%, slightly ahead of the previous quarter.

The stronger reading suggested that the first shockwaves from the conflict in the Middle East have not yet knocked China off course. Markets took the figures as a sign of resilience. Mainland share indices rose after the release and the yuan held near its strongest levels in three years, reflecting confidence that the world’s second-largest economy has, for now, absorbed higher energy risks better than some had feared.

Yet the composition of growth was less reassuring. March industrial output rose 5.7% from a year earlier, beating expectations, but retail sales slowed to 1.7%, well below forecasts and down from 2.8% in the first two months of the year. Fixed-asset investment in the first quarter rose 1.7%, also missing expectations, while property investment fell 11.2%. Those figures reinforced a pattern that has defined China’s economy for months: factories, infrastructure and technology manufacturing are carrying more of the load than domestic consumption or housing.

That imbalance matters because Beijing has repeatedly signalled that stronger household demand is essential to putting growth on a steadier footing. Economists cited in the reporting on Thursday said the first-quarter strength was driven largely by momentum built in January and February, especially through exports and industrial activity, while March showed signs of softer conditions. The slowdown in shop spending is particularly sensitive because consumer confidence has remained fragile even as policymakers talk up support for incomes, jobs and services-led demand.

The war has complicated that task without yet derailing it. Since hostilities erupted on 28 February, China has faced a familiar vulnerability: it is the world’s largest energy importer and still relies on stable global shipping and manageable oil prices to protect factory margins and household purchasing power. Reuters reported that economists believe China has so far weathered the shock because of large oil reserves, a diversified energy mix and price controls, but they also warned that persistently higher oil costs are beginning to filter through supply chains and squeeze profits.

Evidence of that pressure is already visible. Reuters noted this week that factory-gate prices in March rose for the first time in more than three years, a signal that energy-driven cost increases are feeding into production. Export growth, which had been one of the brighter spots, also lost momentum in March after a very strong start to the year, raising the possibility that manufacturers will find it harder to sustain their pace if shipping costs stay elevated and overseas demand weakens.

Beijing’s response is likely to stay measured unless the conflict worsens. Policymakers have already set a budget deficit of about 4% of GDP for 2026 and planned heavy bond issuance to support activity. Analysts polled by Reuters expect the central bank to keep the one-year loan prime rate steady through the year, with only a modest cut to reserve requirements anticipated later on. A stronger first quarter gives officials more room to avoid large-scale stimulus at this month’s Politburo meeting, though that calculus could change if oil prices climb further or exports weaken more sharply.

The broader international backdrop is not especially forgiving. The IMF said in its April World Economic Outlook material that the Middle East conflict is lowering growth expectations for advanced economies in 2026, even if the aggregate effect is described as modest. For China, that matters less through direct battlefield exposure than through energy costs, shipping uncertainty and the health of major overseas markets. A prolonged conflict would test the durability of China’s export-led strength at the same time as its consumer recovery remains incomplete.

Malaysia is positioning itself as a discreet diplomatic channel between Gulf capitals and Tehran, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim saying leaders from the Arab world have asked Kuala Lumpur to convey their concerns to Iran’s leadership as governments search for ways to contain the Middle East conflict. Anwar made the remarks in Putrajaya on 16 April during a joint appearance with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, adding a new dimension to Malaysia’s response after it had already secured passage for its vessels through the Strait of Hormuz through direct engagement with Tehran.

The comments suggest Malaysia sees room to act beyond its traditional Southeast Asian brief at a moment when the war-linked shock in the Gulf is reverberating through energy markets, shipping lanes and food supply chains far beyond the region. Anwar’s statement also points to how some Gulf states may be looking for intermediaries that maintain workable ties with Iran while still being able to speak with a broader range of governments. Malaysia has presented itself as a neutral actor, and Anwar has argued that any contact with Tehran should be aimed at de-escalation rather than tactical positioning inside the conflict.

His remarks fit into a chronology that has been building for weeks. On 26 March, Anwar said Iran had agreed to allow Malaysian-flagged vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after he held talks with leaders from Iran, Egypt, Turkey and other regional states. He thanked Iran’s president for facilitating the release of Malaysian oil tankers and their crews, while also acknowledging that Tehran remained wary because of what he described as broken assurances and the lack of firm security guarantees.

That earlier intervention mattered because the Strait has become one of the most sensitive pressure points in the wider confrontation. Iran’s restrictions and the broader conflict have disrupted oil and gas shipments, pushed governments to seek alternative supply arrangements and revived fears over the security of one of the world’s most important maritime corridors. ASEAN foreign ministers, in a virtual meeting on 13 April, urged the United States and Iran to sustain negotiations toward a permanent resolution and called for the restoration of safe and continuous navigation for vessels and aircraft through the Hormuz corridor.

Malaysia’s diplomatic posture is being shaped as much by economic exposure as by political calculation. Reuters reported this week that Kuala Lumpur and Canberra agreed to strengthen energy and trade ties in response to disruption caused by the Middle East conflict, with Anwar saying Petronas would prioritise supplying Australia with excess fuel. That followed reporting on Albanese’s 14-17 April visit to Brunei and Malaysia, where fuel security and fertiliser supply were central themes as Canberra sought to cushion the impact of the Hormuz disruption.

For Malaysia, that means diplomacy cannot be separated from domestic cost pressures. The government has already had to manage the implications of tighter oil and gas supplies, and Anwar said in March that while fuel subsidies would stay, Putrajaya would move to reduce subsidised fuel allocations to contain the fiscal strain. The message was that Malaysia’s outreach to Tehran is not only about foreign policy profile; it is also about protecting shipping, energy flows and household stability at home.

The broader regional setting helps explain why Gulf states might see value in using a country such as Malaysia as a messenger. Several governments in the Gulf are recalibrating how they deal with Tehran after the conflict exposed both their vulnerability to retaliation and the limits of outside security guarantees. At the same time, alternative mediators are emerging. Pakistan’s army chief was in Tehran on 16 April for talks linked to possible new US-Iran negotiations, underscoring how middle powers across Asia are trying to create off-ramps before the ceasefire window narrows further.

Malaysia is unlikely to become a formal broker on its own, and Anwar has not claimed such a mandate. What he has done is signal that Kuala Lumpur is already part of a live diplomatic relay, trusted by some Arab leaders to transmit messages to Tehran and willing to use that access in support of a political settlement. That role may suit all sides precisely because it is informal, low-key and tied to a country that has avoided the sharper alignments defining the conflict.