Technology

Yalla Group Limited Announces Unaudited Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Published

2 years ago

November 11, 2024

DUBAI, UAE, Nov. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Yalla Group Limited (“Yalla” or the “Company”) (NYSE: YALA), the largest Middle East and North Africa (MENA)-based online social networking and gaming company, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

Third Quarter 2024 Financial and Operating Highlights

Revenues were US$88.9 million in the third quarter of 2024, representing an increase of 4.4% from the third quarter of 2023.Revenues generated from chatting services in the third quarter of 2024 were US$58.5 million.Revenues generated from games services in the third quarter of 2024 were US$30.2 million.Net income was US$39.2 million in the third quarter of 2024, an 11.2% increase from US$35.2 million in the third quarter of 2023. Net margin[1] was 44.1% in the third quarter of 2024.Non-GAAP net income[2] was US$42.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, an 11.3% increase from US$38.3 million in the third quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP net margin[3] was 47.9% in the third quarter of 2024.Average MAUs[4] increased by 14.5% to 40.2 million in the third quarter of 2024 from 35.1 million in the third quarter of 2023.The number of paying users[5] on our platform increased by 12.0% to 12.6 million in the third quarter of 2024 from 11.2 million in the third quarter of 2023.

[1] Net margin is net income as a percentage of revenues.

[2] Non-GAAP net income represents net income excluding share-based compensation. Non-GAAP net income is a non-GAAP financial measure. See the sections entitled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to in this press release.

[3] Non-GAAP net margin is non-GAAP net income as a percentage of revenues.

[4] “Average MAUs” refers to the average monthly active users in a given period calculated by dividing (i) the sum of active users for each month of such period, by (ii) the number of months in such period. “Active users” refers to registered users who accessed any of our main mobile applications at least once during a given period. Yalla, Yalla Ludo, Yalla Parchis, YallaChat, 101 Okey Yalla and WeMuslim have been our main mobile applications for the periods presented herein; and Ludo Royal has been our main mobile application since the third quarter of 2023.

[5] “Paying users” refers to registered users who played a game or purchased our virtual items or upgrade services using virtual currencies on our main mobile applications at least once in a given period, except for users who received all of their virtual currencies directly or indirectly from us for free; YallaChat does not involve the usage of virtual currencies, and the metrics of “paying users” and “ARPPU” do not reflect user activities on YallaChat. “Registered users” refers to users who have registered accounts on our main mobile applications as of a given time; a registered user is not necessarily a unique user, as an individual may register multiple accounts on our main mobile applications.

Key Operating Data

For the three months ended

September 30, 2023

September 30, 2024

Average MAUs (in thousands)

35,096

40,176

Paying users (in thousands)

11,236

12,582

“We are thrilled to report robust third quarter results, marked by record-setting revenues and enhanced profitability,” said Mr. Yang Tao, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Yalla. “Our revenues rose to US$88.9 million, beating the upper end of our guidance, while net income increased by 11.2% year-over-year to US$39.2 million. We also drove a 14.5% year-over-year increase in average MAUs to 40.2 million and a 12% year-over-year increase in our group’s paying users to 12.6 million. This impressive performance was fueled by our dedication to enhancing localization with new gamification features and targeted gaming events, as well as our ongoing efforts to refine operational processes, optimize user acquisition and further develop our product ecosystem.”

“Furthermore, we continued to explore and invest in Yalla Game, with a strategic focus on new game development. We are on track to test our self-developed mid-core games by year-end. We are confident that our experience in casual games and commitment to user experience and product excellence will enable us to deliver high-quality games and grow our presence in this thriving market. As MENA’s leader in online social networking and gaming, we will continue providing high-quality products and services to our users while playing an active role in the region’s digital transformation.” Mr. Yang concluded.

Ms. Karen Hu, CFO of Yalla, commented, “During the third quarter of 2024, strong execution of our high-quality growth strategies led to record-high revenues. We also continued to boost efficiency and operating leverage. As a result, we enhanced our profitability with expanded net margin of 44.1%, and excluding share-based compensation, non-GAAP net margin of 47.9%. Our fundamentals remain solid, strongly supporting our current business operations as well as our investments in future development. Looking ahead, we will continue to pursue healthy, sustainable growth, creating long-term value for our stakeholders.”

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Revenues

Our revenues were US$88.9 million in the third quarter of 2024, a 4.4% increase from US$85.2 million in the third quarter of 2023. The increase was primarily driven by our broadening user base and enhanced monetization capability. Our average MAUs increased by 14.5% to 40.2 million in the third quarter of 2024 from 35.1 million in the third quarter of 2023. Our solid revenue growth was also partially attributable to the significant increase in the number of paying users, which grew to 12.6 million in the third quarter of 2024 from 11.2 million in the third quarter of 2023.

In the third quarter of 2024, our revenues generated from chatting services were US$58.5 million, and revenues from games services were US$30.2 million.

Costs and expenses

Our total costs and expenses were US$56.4 million in the third quarter of 2024, a 6.9 % increase from US$52.8 million in the third quarter of 2023.

Our cost of revenues was US$31.8 million in the third quarter of 2024, a 14.6 % increase from US$27.8 million in the same period last year, primarily due to higher commission fees paid to third-party payment platforms as a result of increasing revenues generated. Cost of revenues as a percentage of our total revenues increased to 35.8% in the third quarter of 2024 from 32.6% in the third quarter of 2023.

Our selling and marketing expenses were US$7.4 million in the third quarter of 2024, a 34.9% decrease from US$11.3 million in the same period last year, primarily driven by our more disciplined advertising and promotion approach. Selling and marketing expenses as a percentage of our total revenues decreased to 8.3% in the third quarter of 2024 from 13.3% in the third quarter of 2023.

Our general and administrative expenses were US$10.1 million in the third quarter of 2024, a 38.3% increase from US$7.3 million in the same period last year, primarily due to an increase in incentive compensation. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of our total revenues increased to 11.4% in the third quarter of 2024 from 8.6% in the third quarter of 2023.

Our technology and product development expenses were US$7.1 million in the third quarter of 2024, an 11.1% increase from US$6.4 million in the same period of last year, primarily due to an increase in salaries and benefits for our technology and product development staff. Technology and product development expenses as a percentage of our total revenues increased to 8.0% in the third quarter of 2024 from 7.5% in the third quarter of 2023.

Operating income

Operating income remained relatively stable at US$32.5 million in the third quarter of 2024.

Non-GAAP operating income[6]

Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2024 was US$35.9 million, a 1.4% increase from US$35.4 million in the same period last year.

Interest income

Interest income was US$7.8 million in the third quarter of 2024, compared with US$5.6 million in the third quarter of 2023, primarily due to an increase in interest rates applicable to the Company’s bank deposits.

Income tax expense

Income tax expense was US$1.29 million in the third quarter of 2024, compared with US$0.71 million in the third quarter of 2023. The increase was primarily due to the introduction and implementation of the UAE Corporate Tax Law, which is effective for the financial years starting on or after June 1, 2023.

Net income

As a result of the foregoing, our net income was US$39.2 million in the third quarter of 2024, an 11.2% increase from US$35.2 million in the third quarter of 2023.

Non-GAAP net income

Non-GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2024 was US$42.6 million, an 11.3% increase from US$38.3 million in the same period last year.

Earnings per ordinary share

Basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share were US$0.25 and US$0.22, respectively, in the third quarter of 2024, while basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share were US$0.23 and US$0.20, respectively, in the same period of 2023.

Non-GAAP earnings per ordinary share[7]

Non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share were US$0.27 and US$0.24, respectively, in the third quarter of 2024, compared with US$0.24 and US$0.21, respectively, in the same period of 2023.

Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, term deposits and short-term investments

As of September 30, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, term deposits and short-term investments of US$570.1 million, compared with US$535.7 million as of December 31, 2023.

Share Repurchase Program

Pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase program beginning on May 21, 2021, with an extended expiration date of May 21, 2025, in the third quarter of 2024, the Company repurchased 1,736,383 American depositary shares (“ADSs”), representing 1,736,383 Class A ordinary shares from the open market with cash for an aggregate amount of approximately US$7.0 million. Cumulatively, the Company had completed cash repurchases in the open market of 5,709,259 ADSs, representing 5,709,259 Class A ordinary shares, for an aggregate amount of approximately US$42.5 million, as of September 30, 2024. The aggregate value of ADSs and/or Class A ordinary shares that remain available for purchase under the current share repurchase program was US$107.5 million as of September 30, 2024.

Outlook

For the fourth quarter of 2024, Yalla currently expects revenues to be between US$77.0 million and US$84.0 million.

The above outlook is based on current market conditions and reflects the Company management’s current and preliminary estimates of market and operating conditions and customer demand, which are all subject to change.

[6] Non-GAAP operating income represents operating income excluding share-based compensation. Non-GAAP operating income is a non-GAAP financial measure. See the sections entitled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to in this press release.

[7] Non-GAAP earnings per ordinary share is non-GAAP net income attributable to Yalla Group Limited’s shareholders, divided by weighted average number of basic and diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP net income attributable to Yalla Group Limited’s shareholders represents net income attributable to Yalla Group Limited’s shareholders, excluding share-based compensation. Non-GAAP earnings per ordinary share and non-GAAP net income attributable to Yalla Group Limited’s shareholders are non-GAAP financial measures. See the sections entitled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to in this press release.

Conference Call

The Company’s management will host an earnings conference call on Monday, November 11, 2024, at 8:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time, Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 5:00 AM Dubai Time, or Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 9:00 AM Beijing/Hong Kong time.

Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:

United States Toll Free:

+1-888-317-6003

International:

+1-412-317-6061

United Arab Emirates Toll Free:

80-003-570-3589

Mainland China Toll Free:

400-120-6115

Hong Kong, China Toll Free:

800-963-976

Access Code:

5810867

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at https://ir.yalla.com.

A replay of the conference call will be accessible until November 18, 2024, by dialing the following telephone numbers:

United States Toll Free:

+1-877-344-7529

International:

+1-412-317-0088

Access Code:

5806791

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the financial measures prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP, this press release presents non-GAAP financial measures, namely non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net margin and non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share, as supplemental measures to review and assess the Company’s operating performance. The presentation of the non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We define non-GAAP operating income as operating income excluding share-based compensation. We define non-GAAP net income as net income excluding share-based compensation. We define non-GAAP net margin as non-GAAP net income as a percentage of revenues. We define non-GAAP net income attributable to Yalla Group Limited’s shareholders as net income attributable to Yalla Group Limited’s shareholders, excluding share-based compensation. We define non-GAAP earnings per ordinary share as non-GAAP net income attributable to Yalla Group Limited’s shareholders, divided by the weighted average number of basic and diluted shares outstanding.

By excluding the impact of share-based compensation expenses, which are non-cash charges, the Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures help identify underlying trends in its business and enhance the overall understanding of the Company’s past performance and future prospects. Investors can better understand the Company’s operating and financial performance, compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis and assess its core operating results, as they exclude share-based compensation expenses, which are not expected to result in cash payments. The Company also believes that the non-GAAP financial measures allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company’s management in its financial and operational decision-making.

The non-GAAP financial measure is not defined under U.S. GAAP and is not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measure has limitations as analytical tools. One of the key limitations of using the non-GAAP financial measures is that they do not reflect all items of income and expense that affect the Company’s operations. Share-based compensation has been and may continue to be incurred in the Company’s business and is not reflected in the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures. Further, the non-GAAP financial measure may differ from the non-GAAP information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore their comparability may be limited.

The Company compensates for these limitations by providing the relevant disclosure of its non-GAAP financial measures in the reconciliations to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measures, all of which should be considered when evaluating its performance. The Company encourages investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results are set forth at the end of this press release.

About Yalla Group Limited

Yalla Group Limited is the largest MENA-based online social networking and gaming company, in terms of revenues in 2022. The Company operates two flagship mobile applications, Yalla, a voice-centric group chat platform, and Yalla Ludo, a casual gaming application featuring online versions of board games, popular in MENA, with in-game voice chat and localized Majlis functionality. Building on the success of Yalla and Yalla Ludo, the Company continues to add engaging new content, creating a regionally-focused, integrated ecosystem dedicated to fulfilling MENA users’ evolving online social networking and gaming needs. Through its holding subsidiary, Yalla Game Limited, the Company has expanded its capabilities in mid-core and hard-core games in the MENA region, leveraging its local expertise to bring innovative gaming content to its users. In addition, the growing Yalla ecosystem includes YallaChat, an IM product tailored for Arabic users, WeMuslim, a product that supports Arabic users in observing their customs, and casual games such as Yalla Baloot and 101 Okey Yalla, developed to sustain vibrant local gaming communities in MENA. Yalla is also actively exploring outside of MENA with Yalla Parchis, a Ludo game designed for the South American markets. Yalla’s mobile applications deliver a seamless experience that fosters a sense of loyalty and belonging, establishing highly devoted and engaged user communities through close attention to detail and localized appeal that profoundly resonates with users.

For more information, please visit: https://ir.yalla.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Yalla Group Limited’s beliefs, plans and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Yalla Group Limited’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Yalla Group Limited does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Yalla Group Limited
Investor Relations
Kerry Gao – IR Director
Tel: +86-571-8980-7962
Email: ir@yalla.com

Piacente Financial Communications
Jenny Cai
Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
Email: yalla@tpg-ir.com

In the United States:

Piacente Financial Communications
Brandi Piacente
Tel: +1-212-481-2050
Email: yalla@tpg-ir.com

YALLA GROUP LIMITED

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As of

December 31,
2023

September 30,
2024

US$

ASSETS

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

311,883,463

349,117,329

Restricted cash

423,567

428,119

Term deposits

213,105,501

212,514,896

Short-term investments

10,282,329

8,000,000

Amounts due from a related party

109,507

—

Prepayments and other current assets

33,340,602

41,563,630

Total current assets

569,144,969

611,623,974

Non-current assets

Property and equipment, net

1,583,604

1,290,519

Intangible asset, net

1,133,715

956,191

Operating lease right-of-use assets

2,382,026

1,595,166

Long-term investments

51,692,218

135,684,579

Other assets

13,015,729

13,155,593

Total non-current assets

69,807,292

152,682,048

Total assets

638,952,261

764,306,022

LIABILITIES

Current liabilities

Accounts payable

928,055

789,509

Deferred revenue

46,558,571

58,839,261

Operating lease liabilities, current

1,153,691

1,034,753

Amounts due to a related party

—

98,113

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

26,694,999

33,737,519

Total current liabilities

75,335,316

94,499,155

Non-current liabilities

Operating lease liabilities, non-current

949,970

—

Total non-current liabilities

949,970

—

Total liabilities

76,285,286

94,499,155

EQUITY

Shareholders’ equity of Yalla Group Limited

Class A Ordinary Shares

13,778

13,970

Class B Ordinary Shares

2,473

Additional paid-in capital

313,306,523

325,394,525

Treasury stock

(35,527,305)

(42,517,154)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(2,341,740)

(1,922,789)

Retained earnings

292,223,525

395,316,281

Total shareholders’ equity of Yalla Group Limited

567,677,254

676,287,306

Non-controlling interests

(5,010,279)

(6,480,439)

Total equity

562,666,975

669,806,867

Total liabilities and equity

638,952,261

764,306,022

YALLA GROUP LIMITED

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS

OF OPERATIONS

Three Months Ended

Nine Months Ended

September 30,
2023

June 30,
2024

September 30,
2024

September 30,
2023

September 30,
2024

US$

Revenues

85,187,360

81,197,482

88,922,031

237,952,336

248,848,091

Costs and expenses

Cost of revenues

(27,772,226)

(29,025,673)

(31,830,126)

(83,955,518)

(89,427,060)

Selling and marketing expenses

(11,292,732)

(8,491,520)

(7,352,820)

(35,026,197)

(23,944,276)

General and administrative expenses

(7,325,451)

(7,576,904)

(10,133,394)

(25,508,418)

(24,358,190)

Technology and product development expenses

(6,396,426)

(6,481,616)

(7,108,024)

(20,393,692)

(19,851,894)

Total costs and expenses

(52,786,835)

(51,575,713)

(56,424,364)

(164,883,825)

(157,581,420)

Operating income

32,400,525

29,621,769

32,497,667

73,068,511

91,266,671

Interest income

5,612,861

7,097,975

7,829,223

13,354,425

21,572,082

Government grants

228

365,031

7,603

182,447

439,966

Investment income (loss)

435,545

60,233

133,606

1,456,742

(1,094,288)

Impairment loss of investments

(2,509,480)

—

(2,509,480)

—

Income before income taxes

35,939,679

37,145,008

40,468,099

85,552,645

112,184,431

Income tax expense

(708,673)

(5,793,582)

(1,287,156)

(2,146,180)

(10,563,946)

Net income

35,231,006

31,351,426

39,180,943

83,406,465

101,620,485

Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests

994,099

292,428

673,856

2,750,850

1,472,271

Net income attributable to Yalla Group
Limited’s shareholders

36,225,105

31,643,854

39,854,799

86,157,315

103,092,756

Earnings per ordinary share

——Basic

0.23

0.20

0.25

0.54

0.64

——Diluted

0.20

0.17

0.22

0.47

0.56

Weighted average number of shares
outstanding used in computing earnings
per ordinary share

——Basic

160,554,831

160,721,827

160,944,036

159,134,347

160,681,773

——Diluted

183,111,650

183,535,654

183,354,110

181,460,639

183,383,311

Share-based compensation was allocated in cost of revenues, selling and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses and

technology and product development expenses as follows:

Three Months Ended

Nine Months Ended

September 30,
2023

June 30,
2024

September 30,
2024

September 30,
2023

September 30,
2024

US$

Cost of revenues

627,760

1,867,863

1,867,294

2,581,522

5,637,874

Selling and marketing expenses

532,001

681,035

261,825

2,517,707

1,642,975

General and administrative expenses

1,633,262

1,321,200

1,114,753

8,121,521

3,769,267

Technology and product development expenses

255,677

19,198

187,205

920,127

469,134

Total share-based compensation expenses

3,048,700

3,889,296

3,431,077

14,140,877

11,519,250

YALLA GROUP LIMITED

RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS

Three Months Ended

Nine Months Ended

September 30,
2023

June 30,
2024

September 30,
2024

September 30,
2023

September 30,
2024

US$

Operating income

32,400,525

29,621,769

32,497,667

73,068,511

91,266,671

Share-based compensation expenses

3,048,700

3,889,296

3,431,077

14,140,877

11,519,250

Non-GAAP operating income

35,449,225

33,511,065

35,928,744

87,209,388

102,785,921

Net income

35,231,006

31,351,426

39,180,943

83,406,465

101,620,485

Share-based compensation expenses,
net of tax effect of nil

3,048,700

3,889,296

3,431,077

14,140,877

11,519,250

Non-GAAP net income

38,279,706

35,240,722

42,612,020

97,547,342

113,139,735

Net income attributable to Yalla
Group Limited’s shareholders

36,225,105

31,643,854

39,854,799

86,157,315

103,092,756

Share-based compensation expenses,
net of tax effect of nil

3,048,700

3,889,296

3,431,077

14,140,877

11,519,250

Non-GAAP net income attributable to
Yalla Group Limited’s shareholders

39,273,805

35,533,150

43,285,876

100,298,192

114,612,006

Non-GAAP earnings per ordinary share

——Basic

0.24

0.22

0.27

0.63

0.71

——Diluted

0.21

0.19

0.24

0.55

0.62

Weighted average number of shares
outstanding used in computing earnings
per ordinary share

——Basic

160,554,831

160,721,827

160,944,036

159,134,347

160,681,773

——Diluted

183,111,650

183,535,654

183,354,110

181,460,639

183,383,311

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yalla-group-limited-announces-unaudited-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-302301100.html

SOURCE Yalla Group Limited

Technology

Northern Hemisphere Heat Drives Demand for Cooling and Sun-Protection Products on Yiwugo

Published

48 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

YIWU, China, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Yiwugo.com, the official website of the Yiwu Commodity Market, is the largest commodity wholesale market in the world. The final whistle may have blown on the World Cup, but the intense heat gripping the Northern Hemisphere shows no sign of letting up. Europe has experienced unusually hot weather this year, sparking not only a surge in demand for air conditioners but also a boom in portable handheld fans. Merchants on Yiwugo say that in previous years, European customers would begin placing orders in March or April and take their time completing their annual procurement. This year, however, the purchasing season has stretched well into summer, with a flood of new buyers coming in, most of them looking for small handheld fans. With customers eager to capitalize on the peak summer season, delivery timelines have also become significantly tighter. Whereas orders in previous years could generally be fulfilled within a month, merchants are now frequently being asked to deliver within about a week, leaving manufacturers scrambling to keep pace with demand.

Lingpan Official Flagship Store has specialized in the production and sales of small fans, insulated cups, and related products for 15 years. This summer, demand from European customers for high-speed small fans has risen sharply, accompanied by urgent delivery requirements. Many customers began requesting shipment just one week after placing their orders, hoping the products would arrive in time for the World Cup and the ongoing heatwave across Europe. One long-standing European customer purchased only five models of small fans from Lingpan last year. Anticipating stronger demand ahead of this summer, the customer expanded the order to 10 models. The first shipment sold out soon after arriving at port, prompting several subsequent repeat orders. European buyers have shown particular interest in high-speed cooling fans and placed great requirements on product quality. So far this year, Lingpan’s fan sales have more than doubled compared with the same period last year, with total purchases reaching approximately RMB 1 million.

Beyond Europe, the owner of Lingpan, Ling Pan pointed out that the Indian market has also undergone significant changes over the past two years. Indian customers are showing great interest in panda-shaped fans, drinking cups, and related products. Procurement volumes among many Indian buyers have increased substantially, with average annual purchases now reaching several hundred thousand yuan.

Unlike European countries grappling with sudden heat waves, Asian markets such as Japan and South Korea, where summers are consistently hot and air conditioners and fans are already everyday essentials, have shown much stronger demand for sun-protection products. From April 1, 2026 to date, sales of sun-protection masks on Yiwugo have increased by 31.6% YoY, while sales of sun-protection face shields surged by 72.42% and sun hats rose by 8.1%.

Chen Jia, a Yiwugo merchant, has engaged in the production and sales of sun-protection masks and sun-protection face shields for eight years. Chen operates the Xiao Zhen and Xiao Mian Sun-Protection Products Workshop in District 4 of the Yiwu International Trade Market. In recent years, the company has customized cooling nylon fabrics for customers in Japan and South Korea. Sun-protection masks and sun-protection face shields made from this material not only offer UPF 50+ protection, but also maintain a more structured shape and are less susceptible to snagging or deformation. Their protective performance remains effective after routine washing, and the products can last for more than five years under normal use.

In 2024, a TV shopping operator from South Korea contacted Xiao Zheng and Xiao Mian through Yiwugo and began placing orders after inspecting the products in person. Over the following two years, the company continued to improve the fitness and design of its sun-protection products. It introduced sun-protection face shields with breathable mesh panels and incorporated soft supports around the nose area to prevent the masks from rubbing against lipstick. These product upgrades have steadily driven up customer ratings on the client’s store. Annual procurement, initially valued at around RMB 300,000, has risen year by year, and the company has since developed into a recognized brand in the local market.

Persistent heat across the Northern Hemisphere has been creating new forms of cross-border consumer demand while enabling Yiwugo merchants to keenly capture shifts in overseas markets. From the strong sales of small portable fans in Europe to the rising demand for functional sun-protection products in Japan and South Korea, the diversity of orders reflects both consumers’ need for relief from extreme heat and the ability of Yiwu manufacturers to strengthen their presence in global markets through product innovation and rapid fulfillment. Faced with a rapidly changing international market, many merchants are continuing to refine product designs, upgrade fabric techniques, and enhance supply efficiency. By leveraging Yiwugo to broaden their export channels, they are keeping pace with overseas consumption trends and capitalizing on the expanding market for cooling and sun-protection products, turning the summer heat into new momentum for cross-border trade.

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SOURCE Yiwugo.com

Technology

Snorkel AI Highlights First Wave of Open Benchmarks Grants Projects

Published

48 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

SAN FRANCISCO, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Snorkel AI today highlighted the first group of projects supported through Open Benchmarks Grants, a $3 million commitment to support open-source datasets, benchmarks, and evaluation research.

Launched in February 2026, Open Benchmarks Grants has received hundreds of applications from researchers, labs, and engineers working to address a growing challenge: AI systems are advancing faster than the field’s ability to rigorously measure their performance on realistic, consequential work.

“From complex environments and huge autonomy horizons to rich, sophisticated outputs, these projects tackle some of the field’s hardest evaluation challenges,” said Fred Sala, a member of the Open Benchmarks Grants steering committee and assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “I’m excited to see the broader research community use, validate, and build on them.”

Open Benchmarks Grants provides selected teams with funding, expert data development support, research and engineering collaboration, and platform resources. Supported projects include:

Frontier-Bench (formerly Terminal-Bench 3.0), developed with Laude Institute and the Harbor community, is a harder, more domain-diverse successor to Terminal-Bench 2.1 — built in the open, task by task, under continuous adversarial review.Agents’ Last Exam, developed with UC Berkeley RDI and the RDI Foundation, evaluates agents on long-horizon, economically valuable professional workflows. It spans 55 sub-industries and includes more than 1,500 tasks toward a 5,000-task target, sourced and validated by more than 300 industry experts.OSWorld 2.0, developed with XLANG Lab, evaluates computer-use agents on 108 long-horizon workflows across 31 self-hosted web environments and professional desktop applications.Continual Learning Bench, developed with UC Berkeley SkyLab and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, measures whether agents genuinely improve across sequential, stateful tasks.SlopCode Bench, developed with the University of Wisconsin–Madison, measures how code quality degrades as coding agents repeatedly modify and extend their own solutions.Terminal-Bench 2.1, developed with Stanford University, Laude Institute and the Harbor community, evaluates agents on challenging work in terminal environments. The release corrected 28 tasks and introduced continuous validation.

With support from Open Benchmarks Grants, Terminal-Bench Science is also now in development, extending the Terminal-Bench framework to computational research workflows across the life, physical, earth, and mathematical sciences.

Beyond the grants program, Snorkel led the development of Senior SWE-Bench with the research teams at Princeton University and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The benchmark evaluates coding agents on senior-level engineering work, including implementing features from realistic instructions, investigating bugs that require runtime analysis, and producing code that follows existing codebase conventions.

Open Benchmarks Grants was established with support from Hugging Face, Prime Intellect, Together AI, Factory, Harbor, and PyTorch. Applications remain open and are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Learn more and apply for a grant at benchmarks.snorkel.ai.

About Snorkel AI
Snorkel AI is the frontier AI data lab, helping teams build the data and environments behind high-performing frontier and agentic AI. We combine technology with research-driven AI data development to create datasets, benchmarks, evals, and custom solutions for real-world AI systems. Founded out of the Stanford AI Lab in 2019, Snorkel works with leading AI labs and enterprises to move from better data to better outcomes.

media@snorkel.ai

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SOURCE Snorkel AI

Technology

Payzli Vaults to No. 3 on Tampa Bay’s Fast 50, Up From No. 22 in One Year

Published

48 minutes ago

July 24, 2026

Payments technology company, Payzli earns a second consecutive Fast 50 ranking, crediting the climb to accelerating partner and merchant growth on its proprietary technology stack.

TAMPA, Fla., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Payzli, the partner-first payments technology company, has been named the No. 3 fastest-growing company in the region on the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2026 Fast 50 – a 19-spot climb from its No. 22 debut last year, and the company’s second consecutive year on the list.

The ranking was announced July 23 at the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Fast 50 event in Tampa, where Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer Naim Hamdar accepted the award alongside members of the Payzli team.

Payzli attributed its growth to a compounding effect: a national network of ISOs, agents and ISVs bringing merchants onto a technology platform Payzli built and operated in-house.

That platform rests on three proprietary pillars:

Payzli Connect: the company’s payment CRM and merchant-and-partner dashboard, giving agents and ISOs daily residuals visibility and giving merchants a single place to run their account.Payzli POS: AI-powered point-of-sale and business software purpose-built for service businesses, including salons, med spas, wellness studios, and independent operators.Payzli Transact: an online payment gateway built on Visa Platform Connect through Payzli’s partnership with Visa Acceptance Solutions.

The Visa Acceptance Solutions partnership is central to how Payzli frames its credibility: rather than assembling a growth story on top of borrowed infrastructure, the company processes on rails backed by one of the most established networks in the industry alongside Fiserv and TSYS – a point that matters to the partners and merchants deciding where to place their volume.

“A second year on this list, and a jump to No. 3, isn’t about one good quarter. It’s about a network deciding to build with us and stay,” said Naim Hamdar, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Payzli. “Every rank on this list represents partners we’ve earned and merchants who trust us to run their payments. We built the technology in-house so we could keep the promises the industry usually breaks: nothing hidden, a real person in reach, and daily residual visibility our agents can actually count on. That’s what this ranking measures and it’s why we’re doing it all, for the joy of business.”

“They say nothing in Tampa moves fast except the afternoon thunderstorms, so making the Fast 50 two years running feels pretty good,” said Kapil Pershad, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Payzli. “In all seriousness, this is a credit to our team and the businesses that trust us to power their growth.”

The Fast 50, produced by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, recognizes the fastest-growing private companies in the Tampa Bay region. Payzli’s return to the list and its move into the top three reflects a merchant-first product suite and a rapidly expanding national partner network across the payments and embedded-finance landscape.

About Payzli

Payzli is an end-to-end payments technology partner that makes accepting payments simpler and affordable for businesses of all sizes and risk levels. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Payzli brings together in-person processing, an advanced online gateway, AI-powered point of sale, and mobile and contactless payments – backed by its own technology, honest pricing, and dedicated human support. Built partner-first, Payzli equips ISOs, agents, developers, and independent software vendors to grow, with direct integrations to major processing platforms, in-house underwriting, a flexible credit policy, a Visa Acceptance Solutions foundation partnership, and sponsor-bank backing from Esquire Bank, a NASDAQ-listed strategic investor in Payzli. For more information, email partners@payzli.com or visit payzli.com.

Payzli is a registered trademark of United Payment Systems LLC. United Payment Systems LLC is a registered ISO of Esquire Bank (Jericho, NY), Commercial Bank of California (Irvine, CA), and KeyBank, National Association (Cleveland, OH).

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SOURCE Payzli