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Distinguished guests attended the conference, including Cloud Zhang, Head of ByteDance’s Game Business and CEO of MOONTON Games; Yaguang Ma, also known as Link Ma, Head of MOONTON Games’ Lighthouse Studio; renowned screenwriter Ran Ping; celebrated author Jiang Nan; acclaimed animation director Shen Youbafang; Wang Shanshan (Film and Television Director of Science Fiction World); as well as leaders from the National Radio and Television Administration; the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; numerous media representatives; and industry peers.

Founded in 2014, MOONTON Games has crafted a portfolio of classic game IPs loved by gamers worldwide. Its debut at Hong Kong FILMART marks the launch of MOONTON Games’ global incubation journey for premium IPs with a brand-new vision, completing a cross-dimensional creative leap from a digital game kingdom to a cinematic light and shadow realm, and empowering Chinese culture-rooted original content to shine on the international stage. MOONTON Games’ Lighthouse Studio, the core vehicle for its film-game IP development, made its official debut at the conference, and its unwavering commitment to long-termist creative philosophy has become the cornerstone of Moonton’s film-game integration layout. The three distinctive original IPs form MOONTON Games’ first film-game IP matrix; all anchored in high-quality content, they pose profound emotional inquiries around What it means to be human, what it means to live, with unique themes and expressive formats.

You Ming Zhi: Rooted in Chinese Folk Customs, Forging a Benchmark for Eastern Fantasy Theatrical Animated Films

As MOONTON Games’ maiden cross-border film and television project, the Eastern fantasy IP You Ming Zhi—deeply rooted in Chinese folk culture—officially kicked off at the conference. The IP builds a distinctive worldview where the world is governed by animal Spirits of Light, and humans embark on a quest to uncover their own history and the meaning of survival. Breaking free from the clichés of traditional immortal and chivalric fantasy, it returns to a narrative core rooted in mortal life and journey experiences. The growth story of protagonist Zhou Chu mirrors the self-discovery and identity exploration of contemporary young people, embodying both profound Chinese cultural heritage and universal emotional resonance.

The IP’s first concept short film made a stunning debut at the conference. Wanzhou Yu, the IP producer, shared that creative inspiration stemmed from personal emotional resonance, aiming to create a humanistic Eastern fantasy work where the protagonist achieves inner growth through witnessing rather than conquering. Cloud stated that this IP was chosen as the starting point of MOONTON Games’ cross-border endeavor for its compelling narrative rooted in Chinese folk customs that transcends media boundaries; it reflectsand MOONTON Games’ aspirations to set an aesthetic and narrative benchmark for it with the ceremonial essence of film. Yaguang Ma highlighted the IP’s pure creative team, original worldview and systematic aesthetic system, believing it to be an IP seed with sustainable growth potential for a decade. A landmark announcement was made: national first-class screenwriter Ran Ping officially joined the project as the animated film’s screenwriter. Ran Ping noted that the IP’s allure lies in exploring profound propositions of civilization, loneliness and coexistence through a fantasy lens, integrating the traditional heritage of ancient supernatural tales with modern narrative consciousness, and a great fantasy work ultimately reflects reality. The MOONTON Games team presented Ran Ping with a framed original art poster of the IP, marking his official joining in a highly ceremonial way.

Cetus: Debut of a Dieselpunk Sci-Fi IP, Launching a Global Co-creation Plan

Following You Ming Zhi, MOONTON Games released the high-concept sci-fi IP Cetus, with the first concept short film of its dieselpunk post-apocalyptic adventure animated series also unveiled at the event. The IP constructs a post-apocalyptic world shrouded in a sea of clouds, where humans have built a unique civilization based on whaling in an isolated island setting, and cling to hope and resolve amid ruins and steel.

Cetus boasts celebrated author, Jiang Nan, as co-creator and acclaimed sci-fi animation director, Shen Youbafang, as director—two core creative forces with profound expertise in building grand worldviews and crafting sci-fi animations. Yaguang Ma commented that Jiang Nan has endowed Cetus with a profound textual foundation and epic grandeur, while Shen Youbafang masterfully captures and presents the distinctive texture of this sea of clouds world to audiences. Jiang Nan explained that the core of Cetus is to depict the essence of humanity in desperate situations: even if only one tower remains in the world, there will still be stories, warmth, and dignity. Shen Youbafang frankly shared that the challenge and joy of creation both lie in building a dieselpunk visual system that blends industrial ruggedness with the warmth of life, making every gear and rust mark an integral part of the narrative. Moonton also announced the official launch of the Cetus Global Co-creation Plan at the conference, opening up the IP’s worldview setting to global sci-fi writers, illustrators, animators and game designers, and inviting creators worldwide to jointly build this magnificent sea of clouds universe. The plan is jointly promoted by MOONTON Games and Science Fiction World, the benchmark platform for Chinese sci-fi literature. Cloud, Wang Shanshan and three other distinguished guests launched the plan with a jigsaw puzzle ceremony, marking Cetus as the first Chinese dieselpunk sci-fi IP nurtured by global creators.

Project: Lovania: A Cozy Game Surprise Debuts, Creating a Spiritual Haven

As a delightful surprise at the conference, MOONTON Games launched the original cozy game, Project: Lovania, whose promotional short film brought a warm and heartfelt experience to the audience. The game builds a fairy-tale wonderland named the Hometown Never Forgotten, where players take on the role of a little puppet and embark on a magical adventure following a long-eared star. In the game, players can build exclusive homes, customize their avatars, and pursue the starlight and the moon hidden in fascinating stories. In an era driven by efficiency, Project: Lovaniacenters on the core of healing, serving as a warm emotional complement to MOONTON Games’ IP matrix and adding greater diversity to the company’s film-game IP layout.

For The Future: MOONTON Games Releases the Core Strategy for Film-Game Integration

At the conference, MOONTON Games showcased the creative aspirations and team spirit of Lighthouse Studio through a corporate short film, with original aspiration and unwavering faith as the studio’s core tenets. On behalf of the studio, Yaguang Ma released MOONTON Games’ core strategy for film-game integration, stating that the establishment of Lighthouse Studio stems from MOONTON Games’s persistent commitment to long-termist content creation. The studio rejects rushed content production, focuses on returning to the essence of creation itself, and builds a tailored creative ecosystem for the sustainable growth of premium IPs.

MOONTON Games’ film-game integration layout is not a simple cross-media expansion, but is centered on building a living, evolving world. Each IP is enabled to naturally evolve into diverse formats including games, films and animations, based on a complete worldview and a profound emotional core. Cloud emphasized that MOONTON Games has always believed that a good story transcends media and time, and the core of film-game integration is to take high-quality original content as the foundation, allowing IPs to realize value amplification and enduring vitality across different media. The three IPs released at the event represent the first implementation of this core strategy, and Moonton will continue to deepen its focus on original content creation, fueling the incubation and growth of more film-game IPs in the future.

Industry Elites Gather at the Forum to Explore the Key to Success for the Future of Film-Game Integration

After the IP release session, MOONTON Games hosted an industry forum themed What is the Decisive Factor for the Future of IP-Based Film-Game Integration, moderated by Li Xingwen, a famous cultural critic and Chief Editor of Film and Television Critic. Cloud, Ran Ping, Jiang Nan, and Huang Haibo, Director of Phoenix TV Movie Channel, engaged in an in-depth discussion from diverse professional perspectives.

The forum delved into core topics including the key factors for translating film-game integration concepts into practical execution, the essential traits of IPs with sustainable cross-media vitality, the creative differences between animation and traditional film and television production, the creative adaptation of literary IPs for film and game cross-border development, the new forces urgently needed in the film and television industry, as well as the opportunities and challenges for game enterprises venturing into the film and television sector. Combining their rich practical experience and insightful industry observations, the guests offered multi-dimensional insights and ideas for the industrial development of film-game integration, helping the on-site audience gain a clearer and more in-depth understanding of its future development trends.

MOONTON Games’ film-game IP launch conference at Hong Kong FILMART marks the official launch of the company’s global film-game IP layout, emerging as a pivotal practice for game enterprises in cross-border film-game integration. From deepening its roots in the game industry to incubating film-game IPs, MOONTON Games takes these three original IPs as its starting point, integrating the essence of Chinese culture with modern creative expression. With its long-termist creative philosophy and open co-creation operation model, Moonton sets a new paradigm for the development of the global film-game integration industry. As the conference theme From Spark to Spotlight implies, this launch is not the end of MOONTON Games’ cross-border film and game journey, but the beginning of a new chapter. In the future, Moonton’s Lighthouse Studio will continue to polish high-quality original content, drive the in-depth integration and global development of film-game IPs, and let Chinese original film-game IPs shine brightly on the world stage.

Hashtag: #MOONTONGames

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

About MOONTON Games

Established in 2014, MOONTON Games is a global video game company dedicated to gaming development, publication, and esports. With more than 2,000 employees worldwide, the company operates offices in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Latin America, and China. It has successfully launched several high-profile mobile games globally and has built long-term relationships with governments and esports organizations in more than 30 countries around the world. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is its current star game and the leading mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game worldwide. For more information, visit https://en.moonton.com.

About Lighthouse Studio

Lighthouse Studio is a studio under MOONTON Games that creates original content. It currently owns 3 IPs: You Ming Zhi, Cetus, and Project: Lovania. The studio adheres to the principle of “Innovation as the Core, Content Is King”, deeply exploring the integration of storytelling and artistic expression in its commitment to building an immersive art world that combines emotional resonance and visual tension.

With its relentless pursuit of quality, Lighthouse Studio leverages its cutting-edge aesthetic vision and technical capabilities to continuously push the boundaries of creativity, establish a complete chain from the core settings of IP, aesthetic innovation to multi-form content development, and create benchmark IPs with global recognition and cultural influence—whether it’s games, film and television, or animation.

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Energy consultancy FGE NexantECA indicates that Beijing is nearing a decision to utilise privately held and state-influenced reserves to cushion domestic markets against potential disruptions from escalating conflict in the Middle East. The move reflects growing concern that sustained tensions involving Iran could constrain exports through critical shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a significant share of global oil flows.

China has accumulated vast inventories over the past decade, combining strategic petroleum reserves with commercial storage held by state-owned refiners and independent operators. Analysts estimate that total holdings run into hundreds of millions of barrels, giving authorities a substantial buffer to stabilise supply without immediately increasing imports at elevated prices.

The prospect of tapping these reserves comes as benchmark crude prices show heightened volatility, driven by fears of supply interruptions and insurance risks for tankers navigating Gulf waters. Traders have been pricing in the possibility of reduced Iranian exports, either through direct disruption or tighter enforcement of sanctions amid shifting geopolitical alignments.

Officials in Beijing have not publicly confirmed any imminent release, but market signals suggest preparatory steps are under way. Refining margins in Asia have narrowed, while import patterns indicate a degree of caution, with some buyers delaying cargoes or seeking alternative suppliers outside the Middle East. The strategic calculus appears focused on avoiding panic buying that could exacerbate price spikes.

China’s approach differs from coordinated releases led by the International Energy Agency, which typically involve government-controlled reserves. Instead, the country has increasingly relied on a hybrid system where commercial inventories can be mobilised through administrative guidance. This model allows for flexibility while maintaining a degree of opacity, limiting the market impact of official announcements.

Industry experts note that the scale of China’s stockpiles gives it a unique capacity to influence regional demand dynamics. A measured release could dampen immediate import requirements, easing pressure on global benchmarks. At the same time, sustained withdrawals would need to be balanced against the need to rebuild inventories, particularly if geopolitical risks persist.

The Iran factor remains central to the outlook. Despite sanctions, China has continued to import significant volumes of Iranian crude, often through indirect channels. Any escalation that disrupts these flows would force refiners to seek replacements from other producers, including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, potentially reshaping trade patterns across Asia.

Shipping constraints add another layer of complexity. Insurers have raised premiums for vessels operating in high-risk zones, while some operators are reconsidering routes to minimise exposure. These developments could tighten effective supply even if production levels remain unchanged, reinforcing the rationale for drawing on stored barrels.

Domestic considerations also play a role. China’s economic recovery has been uneven, with industrial activity and transport demand fluctuating. Authorities are keen to prevent energy costs from becoming a drag on growth, particularly as policymakers navigate broader challenges in the property sector and export markets. Using reserves offers a tool to smooth price shocks without resorting to aggressive monetary or fiscal measures.

The move aligns with a broader trend among major economies to reassess energy security strategies in an era of heightened geopolitical risk. Strategic stockpiles, once seen primarily as emergency buffers, are increasingly being deployed as active instruments of market management. China’s large-scale storage capacity positions it at the forefront of this shift.

Market participants are closely watching for signs of implementation. A sustained drawdown could influence price expectations, especially if combined with policy signals discouraging speculative buying. Conversely, a limited or symbolic release may have only a modest effect, serving more as a reassurance to domestic consumers than a decisive intervention.

Producers in the Middle East are also monitoring developments. Any reduction in Chinese import demand could affect export volumes and pricing strategies, particularly for grades competing directly with Iranian crude. At the same time, alternative suppliers may see opportunities to capture market share if disruptions intensify.

The award-winning luxury resort is set to bring the ultimate expression of summer to Macau, delighting guests with world-class attractions and thrilling experiences.

MACAU SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 March 2026 – Galaxy Macau, the world-class luxury resort, is proud announces the reopening of the iconic Grand Resort Deck on April 3, unveiling a new Skytop Adventure Rapids experience, to usher in an invigorating Easter season. Exclusively open to hotel guests of Galaxy Macau’s nine award‑winning hotels, the Grand Resort Deck will set the stage for endless summer fun from April onwards, positioning the one-stop paradise as Macau’s ultimate must-visit destination for summer.

Accelerated Skytop Adventure Rapids | The First Wave of Summer Thrills

This year, guests can look forward to enhanced thrills with accelerated Skytop Adventure Rapids for the summer, reinforcing Galaxy Macau’s undisputed title as the one‑stop sun-drenched paradise for guests of all ages.

The Grand Resort Deck stands unrivalled as Macau’s No. 1 water attraction – accredited by Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia as “Macau’s Best Hotel Pool 2025” spanning 75,000 square metres. Guests can immerse themselves in the world’s largest Skytop Wave Pool, covering 8,000 square metres, generating surfable waves up to 1.5 metres high, alongside 150 metres of pristine white‑sand beaches. Families can enjoy a range of child‑friendly aquatic experiences, from gentle zones to imaginative water play areas designed for safe and edutainment-led exploration.

A fun location catering to all age groups, the Grand Resort Deck excites adrenaline seekers with its three enclosed water slides – swirling into a hilly landscape with skylights – adding to the excitement thanks to the newly accelerated Skytop Adventure Rapids experience this summer, transforming the waterways into a thrilling aquatic ride. New for this year’s endless summer, Galaxy Fitness Hour invites guests to warm up together with interactive fitness games and energising weight training. Guests can feel the beat with high‑intensity workouts to build core strength, or dive into the fun of Aqua Zumba at the Skytop Wave Pool – a high‑energy, music‑driven aqua workout where every movement sparkles with fun-filled summer spirit. Admission is free for all in‑house hotel guests, with no reservation required.

To further uplift the electric vibes, world-class DJs will spin the decks every weekend as dusk approaches. Adjacent to Galaxy Macau’s Surf Bar, where guests can order their drinks and snacks to beat the summer heat.

Complimentary Access for Hotel Guests | Book a Galaxy Macau energetic summer stay

Guests seeking an elevated Easter escape can indulge in the Stay & Bloom Spring Offers, presenting exceptional value across two distinct styles of luxury at Andaz Macau and Broadway Hotel. Starting from MOP489++, guests will enjoy an array of curated privileges – including dining credits, complimentary minibar and more. At Andaz Macau, bold contemporary design meets vibrant Macau, creating an immersive stay that is both stylish and soulful. Meanwhile, Broadway Hotel offers cosy, comfortable accommodations ideal for families and travellers seeking a relaxed, carefree holiday stays.

All packages include complimentary access to the iconic Grand Resort Deck, ensuring every stay is enhanced by world‑class water leisure. For guests interested in exploring other award‑winning accommodation options within Galaxy Macau – six of the nine hotels have celebrated coveted Forbes 5-star ratings – further details await on galaxymacau.com.

Ideal for Local & Short Stay Guests | Exclusive Poolside Cabana Packages

For the ultimate bespoke private summer retreat, the airy and fully air‑conditioned Cabanas at Galaxy Macau offer an unparalleled escape. From just MOP2,400+, guests can enjoy the ultimate day of indulgence in their own exclusive cabana complete with MOP1,000 dining credits to indulge in a feast of dining options, delivered with Galaxy Macau’s signature world-class Asian heart service. Each Cabana features full dining‑room comforts, separate private shower and powder room facilities for all-day comfort. Also available as an al fresco alternative, is the poolside cabana package by JW Marriott Hotel Macau. From MOP1,688++ for two adults and two children, guests will be pampered with the comfort of their own covered outdoor cabana at the luxury hotel, in addition to dining credits for refreshments at Pool Bar at JW Marriott and the use of the hotel’s steam and sauna facilities to extend the pampering.

Even more enticing, complimentary access to the Grand Resort Deck is also extended to guests to enjoy with either package, presenting the most stylish and secluded way to savour your ultimate summer experience at Galaxy Macau.

Family Fun to the Max | The excitement extends indoors at Galaxy Kidz

Beyond the exhilarating Grand Resort Deck, all hotel guests of Galaxy Macau can enjoy complimentary access to Galaxy Kidz Edutainment Center, the resort’s dedicated fun and learning zone designed especially for young adventurers.

From March 13 to April 5, our little guests can take part in the joyful “Hatching Wavey” welcome activity. Children can collect themed stickers across four Galaxy Macau hotels and also the Edutainment Center, before redeeming a special gift upon completing a designated mission at either the Edutainment Center or JW Kids’ Club. In addition, every Friday to Sunday, Galaxy Macau’s lovable cuddly mascot, Wavey the Peacock, will also make delightful appearances at designated hotel lobbies, as well as parades throughout the resort, offering guests of all ages the chance to capture magical forever moments.

As Galaxy Kidz celebrates its second anniversary in April, families are invited to join the fun with birthday party and limited‑time capsule toys celebrations at the Edutainment Center. On April 19, Wavey the Peacock will host two birthday celebrations for young guests, while from April 3 to 19, guests will earn a token to allow them to draw free gifts from the capsule toy vending machine upon spending a minimum of MOP150 on Galaxy Kidz merchandise.

The Grand Resort Deck reopens on April 3, ready to welcome guests into a thrilling world of sunshine, splashes and unforgettable holiday magic. At Galaxy Macau, summer is an experience to be savoured – where every detail has been curated and the best is always still to come. Make waves in style at Macau’s ultimate summer paradise—begin your story with us and book your stay now.

For more information, please visit www.galaxymacau.com.

Hashtag: #GalaxyMacau

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

About Galaxy Macau Integrated Resort

Galaxy Macau, The World-class Luxury Integrated Resort delivers the “Most Spectacular Entertainment and Leisure Destination in the World”. Developed at an investment of HK$43 billion, the property covers 1.1 million-square-meter of unique entertainment and leisure attractions that are unlike anything else in Macau. Nine award-winning world-class luxury hotels provide close to 5,000 rooms, suites and villas. They include Banyan Tree Macau, Galaxy Hotel™, Hotel Okura Macau, JW Marriott Hotel Macau, The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, Broadway Hotel, Raffles at Galaxy Macau, Andaz Macau and Capella at Galaxy Macau. Unique to Galaxy Macau, the 75,000-square-meter Grand Resort Deck features the world’s longest Skytop Adventure Rapids at 575-meters, the largest Skytop Wave Pool with waves up to 1.5-meters high and 150-meters pristine white sand beach. Two five-star spas from Banyan Tree Spa Macau and The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Macau help guests relax and rejuvenate.

As the dining destination in Asia, Galaxy Macau offers a wide variety of gastronomic delights, exquisite experiences and ingredients of the finest quality with over 120 dining options from Michelin dining to authentic delicacies; Galaxy Promenade is the hottest shopping destination featuring the latest in fashion and curated experiences in Macau. Spanning over 100,000-square-meter, luxury flagship stores, lifestyle boutiques and our selection of labels are among the more than 200 world-renowned brands for a world-class shopping journey; Galaxy Cinemas, immersive thrills and luxurious comfort go hand in hand at Galaxy Cinemas. All 10 theatres are equipped with the latest audio-visual technology; CHINA ROUGE, one-of-a-kind deluxe lounge that evokes the glitz and glamor of Shanghai’s golden era with entertainment in luxury and style; and Foot Hub presents the traditional art of reflexology to make you feel more relaxed and revitalized. For Authentic Macau Flavours & Vibrant Asian Experiences, Broadway Macau – just a 90-second walk via a bridge from Galaxy Macau, has over 35 Authentic Macau & Asian Flavours at its Broadway Food Street. The 2,500-seat Broadway Theatre plays host to world-class entertainers and a diverse array of cultural events. Meeting, incentive and banquet groups are also well looked after with a portfolio of unique venues in Galaxy Macau and a professional service staff.

Galaxy International Convention Center (GICC) is the latest addition to the Group’s ever-expanding integrated resort precinct and will usher in a new era for the MICE industry in Macau. GICC is a world-class event venue featuring 40,000-square-meter of total flexible MICE, and a 16,000-seat Galaxy Arena – the largest indoor arena in Macau.

For more details, please visit www.galaxymacau.com, www.broadwaymacau.com.mo and www.galaxyicc.com.

This investment and partnership reflect a shared ambition to strengthen connections between Southeast Asia and Greater China, leveraging Hong Kong’s role as a regional gateway for advanced automotive capabilities, technology development, and global talent. With the support from the HKIC, CARSOME will drive initiatives across areas such as supply chain sourcing and technology collaboration, accelerating the application of data and artificial intelligence (AI) in the automotive sector, which further empowers CARSOME for its regional expansion.

“CARSOME has spent the last several years focused on building a resilient, profitable business with strong fundamentals,” said Eric Cheng, CARSOME Group Co-founder and CEO. “This strategic collaboration and fundraise is a vote of confidence in our continued momentum and long-term vision. This partnership gives us crucial access to innovation capabilities, cross-border networks, and world-class talent that will support our work in AI, data, and next-generation mobility services across Southeast Asia.”

Clara Chan, Chief Executive Officer of the HKIC, said, “We are pleased to support CARSOME as part of our continued effort to harness technology to drive industry transformation, contributing to Hong Kong’s long-term economic development and resilience. With Hong Kong’s unique position as a gateway connecting global innovation and investment opportunities, CARSOME exemplifies the type of high-conviction, technology-driven enterprise that aligns with the HKIC’s mandate to foster scalable innovation across our strategic sectors. We look forward to supporting forward-thinking companies like CARSOME in creating tangible value for the future of Hong Kong.”

Chibo Tang, Managing Partner of Gobi Partners, said, “CARSOME is a leading example of how Southeast Asian startups are well-positioned to create close ties with partners in Greater China, leveraging each region’s unique strengths. We are pleased to be a returning investor in CARSOME, having supported them for almost a decade. Gobi was an early believer in CARSOME’s ability to scale across international borders, and we are happy to see their early potential come to fruition as they reimagine the way consumers across Asia purchase vehicles.”

Hashtag: #CARSOME

http://www.carsome.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/carsome/

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

About CARSOME

CARSOME is Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platform. With operations across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore, CARSOME aims to digitize the region’s used car industry by reshaping and elevating the car transaction and ownership experience.

Together with subsidiary brands iCar Asia, WapCar, and CarTimes, CARSOME Academy, and CARSOME Capital, CARSOME provides end-to-end solutions to consumers and used car dealers across the decision funnel, from car content consumption, car inspection, and ownership transfer to financing and other ancillary services, as well as an automotive training institution, promising to bring trust, transparency, and choice to our customers. For more information, please visit www.carsome.com.

About Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC)

The HKIC was established in 2022 as the Patient Capital institution wholly owned by and representing the HKSAR Government. It adopts an “Investment +” approach, seeking reasonable financial return in the medium to long term and at the same time creating and supporting growth impetus with a view to contributing to Hong Kong’s economy and society.

The HKIC currently manages the “Hong Kong Growth Portfolio”, “Greater Bay Area Investment Fund”, “Strategic Tech Fund”, and “Co-Investment Fund”. At this stage, it is focusing on three key sectors, namely Hard and Core Technology, Biotech, and New Energy and Green Technology, as well as the relevant applications.

As of January 2026, the HKIC has invested in over 170 projects. Every Hong Kong dollar invested by the HKIC has attracted over 6 Hong Kong dollars from long-term capital for investment. Visit the website for more information: https://www.hkic.org.hk/

About Gobi Partners

Founded in 2002, Gobi Partners is a leading pan-Asian investment firm specialising in bespoke capital solutions for family offices, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions and corporate investors. Headquartered in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, Gobi manages US$1.7 billion across 20 funds, investing in early to growth-stage companies with the potential for generational and global impact.

The firm’s team of over 90 investment professionals operates from 17 locations, curating a diversified portfolio of more than 400 companies, with 75 exits achieved to date. Gobi is recognised for its long-term, values-aligned approach, building ecosystems at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and inclusion. From pioneering TaqwaTech for two billion Muslims, to advancing the circular economy, to promoting gender-diverse leadership, Gobi backs the trends that are reshaping societies.

Gobi’s edge lies in identifying structural and demographic shifts, forging partnerships with universities and institutions of higher education; bridging world-class research with private capital and bringing deep technology breakthroughs to commercialisation.

For more information, please visit: https://gobi.vc/

About Asia Partners

Asia Partners is a growth equity firm focused on the next generation of high-growth technology and technology-enabled companies that will transform the Southeast Asia economy. Its mission is to empower founders to build a new generation of tech giants, through deploying capital that directly addresses the region’s ‘Series C/D Gap’, and expertise in operating skills, drawing upon its collective experience of growing eight multi-billion dollar companies, including three in Southeast Asia.

Visit the website for more information: https://www.asiapartners.com/

• Through the partnership, Ant International secures comprehensive marketing rights of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and world-class players of the Argentine National Football Team to launch strategic activations across its brand portfolio, including Alipay+, Antom, Bettr and WorldFirst

BUENOS AIRES and SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 March 2026 – Ant International, a leading global payment, digitisation, and fintech solutions provider for merchants and financial institutions, today announced a partnership with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), becoming an Official Sponsor of the Argentine National Football Team for the Asia region (excluding the Middle East).

With over 30 offices around the world, Ant International provides AI- and blockchain-empowered cross-border digital payment, treasury and digitalisation solutions for global merchants and financial institutions. Building on broad regional collaborations, its digital payment and account services connects 150 million+ merchants to 1.8 billion consumer accounts in the Asia Pacific by integrating 300+ of mainstream and alternative payment methods.

This agreement unites the reigning FIFA World Cup Champions with one of the world’s most innovative financial technology providers. Through this partnership, Ant International secures comprehensive marketing rights to launch strategic activations across its brand portfolio, including Alipay+, Antom, Bettr and WorldFirst, by leveraging the intellectual property of the AFA and the world-class players of the Argentine National Football Team.

“We are incredibly proud to support the Argentine national team, a beacon of excellence, teamwork, and global inspiration,” said Peng Yang, Chief Executive Officer of Ant International. “Sports and tech are two critical bonds for communities and markets that break barriers and connect people. Together we will bring more extensive and enriched football experience and community impact through our Asia fintech and digital services network.”

With three FIFA World Cup triumphs in 1978, 1986, and 2022, and having reached the global final on six historic occasions, the Argentine National Team occupies a hallowed place in the pantheon of sporting legends. As the standard-bearers of the “Albiceleste” spirit, the team is defined by a century-old lineage of virtuosity and an unwavering commitment to the pursuit of glory.

“Football is the ultimate universal language. It serves as a powerful bridge that transcends borders and connects the entire world,” said Claudio Fabian Tapia, President of AFA. “Through this partnership, we are excited to bring that connection to an even wider audience in Asia.”

“This partnership is a commitment to long-term success and a strategic union of two global leaders,” said Leandro Petersen, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer of AFA. “By joining forces, we aim to deepen our presence in Asia and achieve new heights in both sports and fin-tech.”

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

About Ant International

Ant International is a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider. Through collaboration across the private and public sectors, our unified techfin platform supports financial institutions and merchants of all sizes to achieve inclusive growth through a comprehensive range of cutting-edge digital payment and financial services solutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.ant-intl.com/