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Grand Opening of the April 2025 Global Sources Hong Kong Shows Phase I: Esports Trend, IP Collaborations, and Blind Box Economy Reshape Future of Electronics Trade

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HONG KONG, April 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The April 2025 Global Sources Hong Kong Shows officially opened today. The first of three phases runs from April 11 to 14 at AsiaWorld-Expo, comprising major international trade shows for gaming, consumer electronics and electronic components. The exhibition continues to strengthen its position as the “Global Electronics Supply Chain Hub and Asia-Pacific Launchpad for Innovation”. It aims to deliver a dynamic, efficient trade platform that seamlessly integrates trend insights, product sourcing, and premium supplier connections.

The inaugural Global Sources Gaming Show debuts as an independent exhibition this year. The first phase features more than 2,000 qualified exhibitors from across Asia, showcasing over 100,000 cutting-edge products and comprehensive peripheral ecosystems that will define electronics industry trends for the coming six months. The show is projected to attract more than 60,000 professional B2B visitors globally.

Mr. Hu Wei, CEO of Global Sources, highlighted the forward-looking vision of the Global Sources Hong Kong Show amidst the rapidly changing global trade landscape. The event is pioneering a new era of trade shows by integrating comprehensive online-to-offline (O2O) solutions. The Global Sources Hong Kong Show is transforming the way exhibitors and buyers connect. Through pre-event precision marketing powered by registration data analytics, real-time digital services, cloud-based live-streamed expo experiences, and post-event promotional optimization, the show is setting a new standard for efficiency and innovation. “This comprehensive digital transformation not only creates an efficient, targeted, and all-encompassing platform for exhibitors and buyers but also champions eco-friendly green procurement,” said Mr. Hu. “It marks a milestone in the 30-year evolution of Global Sources Online (GSOL) and positions the show as an industry trend leader and an incubator for groundbreaking innovations.”

Global Sources Gaming Show Debuts as Standalone Exhibition

In its inaugural year as a standalone exhibition, the Global Sources Gaming Show has established itself as one of Asia’s premier esports peripherals events. The show features over 200 prominent brands including DAREU, AULA, PXN, VGN, FL•ESPORTS, and Morphling, showcasing the latest innovations in gaming technology.

A key highlight is the introduction of the new “KOLs and Buyers’ Favorite Gaming Gear Awards,” which features a dual scoring system: 70% from professional KOL judges and 30% from on-site buyers’ votes. The awards cover six categories—gaming mice, keyboards, chairs, monitors, controllers, and headsets—evaluating each based on design, functionality, user experience, material quality, and innovation. The top 18 products will compete in a special testing zone, where the final “Most Popular Products” will be selected.

John Kao, Vice President of Hong Kong Shows & Overseas Shows at Global Sources, emphasized the unique approach of this selection process. “By combining professional expertise with market feedback, we are breaking away from traditional exhibition models. Beyond providing clear direction for the esports hardware market, it helps buyers precisely identify premium products to gain competitive advantages., It has the potential to revolutionize the industry’s product development ecosystem.”

IP Collaborations and Blind Box Economy Spark New Consumer Electronics Trends

As Generation Z emerges as the dominant market force, their preference for IP collaborations and limited-edition products is reshaping market value propositions. Products are evolving from mere utility items to cultural symbols. In the first phase of this year’s exhibition, numerous exhibitors demonstrated innovative pathways in consumer electronics through IP crossover collaborations:

Leveraging Global IPs to Enhance Product Competitiveness
Exhibitors are harnessing internationally recognized IPs to elevate their product competitiveness. For instance, Qishun Innovation (Shenzhen) collaborates with renowned global IPs to launch a series of co-branded and licensed consumer electronics. These partnerships not only enhance product uniqueness but also increase market appeal.

Building Brand Moats Through Original IP Development
Exhibitors are creating proprietary IPs to establish distinct brand identities and strengthen their competitive edge. Exhibitor etechgroups showcases a range of consumer electronics featuring their original character IP “MEOWZART,” introducing a distinctive brand presence in the international market.

Establishing a Comprehensive IP Ecosystem
Industry leaders are adopting an integrated “IP Incubation–Licensing–Customization” model, combining co-branded partnerships with original IP development to drive global brand expansion. Trendy digital peripheral brand AKKO and its sub-brand MonsGeek demonstrate this approach through their diverse portfolio, which includes keyboards featuring popular IPs such as One Piece, Hatsune Miku, and Joy of Life, alongside their proprietary IP creations. Their “Original IP + Brand” strategy shows significant potential for international market growth.

As IP licensing and collaboration models gain momentum, market opportunities continue to expand. IP owners are increasingly exploring B2B channels and blind box business models to diversify their revenue streams. This innovative approach not only creates new monetization opportunities for IP owners but also offers manufacturers more flexible partnership options. For example, Akko introduced wholesale services for IP keycap blind boxes, pioneering B2B applications in the blind box economy. Similarly, IP Happi Class leveraged the Global Sources HK shows to showcase their Happi Town blind box series, featuring virtual community themes. The brand also organized exclusive blind box lottery events to engage buyers and explore new market possibilities.

John Kao, Vice President of Hong Kong Shows & Overseas Shows at Global Sources, remarked, “IP collaboration has evolved beyond single products into diversified experiential innovations. Pairing electronics with blind boxes not only strengthens ties with core customers but also creates new premium value opportunities. This empowers stakeholders across the value chain to tap deeper into IP’s potential and injects fresh momentum into the B2B market.” He also highlighted that, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the globalsources.com (GSOL), Global Sources has transformed its mascot IP “Show Genie” into a blind box product. These will be distributed in limited quantities through on-site user surveys, enhancing the commercial atmosphere at the exhibition.

Global Sources Innovation Awards: Honoring Excellence

The Global Sources Innovation Awards ceremony kicks off during the first day of the show. It brought together top judges from industry associations, tech media, standards organizations, and buyers to spotlight leaders in electronics innovation. The first phase awards are all about consumer electronics. Global Sources has first partnered with the prestigious European Product Design Award (EPDA)™ to launch the “Best Product Design Award,” honoring products that stand out in creativity and design brilliance.

This dual-award format is all about pushing companies to step up their R&D capabilities, gain a stronger edge in the global market, and build top-tier brand identities. It’s driving the electronics industry toward steady growth.

Mr. Hu Wei, CEO of Global Sources emphasized the importance of the award. “This recognition motivates companies to increase R&D investment and explore innovative pathways. It enables them to establish a distinct competitive advantage in the global marketplace. Moreover, award-winning products achieve enhanced market positioning, thereby expanding their global brand influence. This ceremony sets a new industry benchmark, propelling innovation and growth within the electronics sector.”

Esports Summit: Exploring New Industry Opportunities

The Global Sources Summit features a dedicated esports segment, including a themed summit and workshop. Industry leaders including Vincent Wang, Director of APAC Sports & Entertainment and Global Esports Industry at Unilumin, Jennifer Lim, Personal Project and Service-Learning Coordinator, MYP Design and ESports teacher at XCL World Academy, Doug Konopelko, Senior Manager of Education Impact at CDW, and Gerald Solomon, Founder and CEO of NASEF, will convene to explore emerging trends and opportunities in the field.

Mr. Gerald Solomon, Founder and CEO of NASEF, remarked, “The summit will offer a unique opportunity to share NASEF’s globally recognized esports education and training content, to tens of thousands of technology manufacturers and industry leaders. Esports is a billion-dollar industry with millions of players and followers around the world. Along with AI, the esports industry is the future of technology. We are excited to share what this opportunity is, and how the technology industry can take advantage it.”

The April 12 summit, titled “The Next Tech Opportunity,” will examine the evolution of esports technology, marketing strategies, and global education trends. The April 13 workshop, “The Business of Esports: A Guide to Industry Partnerships and Revenue Growth,” will provide actionable insights through case studies, assisting participants in unlocking market potential and enhancing their commercial competitiveness.

About Global Sources

Global Sources is an internationally recognized multichannel Online-to-Offline (O2O) sourcing platform that has been driving global trade for over 50 years. The company connects authentic buyers and verified suppliers worldwide with tailored solutions and trusted market intelligence through its online platform GlobalSources.com, mobile apps, industry-specific trade shows, and tailored business matching. Global Sources’ unique services have successfully provided efficient and convenient commercial services to over 14 million registered international buyers and users.

For Media Enquiry,

Market Hubs Holdings Limited

Lierence Li

Debbie So

+852 3998-4900

+852 3998-4900

lierence@markethubsgroup.com

debbie@markethubsgroup.com

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SOURCE Global Sources

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How President Xi Jinping Has Charted the Course for Boosting China’s Strength in Finance: Nurturing a Financial Culture with Chinese Characteristics

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BEIJING, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from en.qstheory.cn:

Boosting strength in finance requires us to enhance not only China’s hard power but also its soft power. With an outstanding financial culture, we can shape the values that orient the financial sector, create internal incentives and constraints, and provide the moral foundations for the law and supervision. In this regard, President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to operate in an honest and trustworthy way and never cross the line; to prioritize the greater good in the pursuit of interests, rather than placing self-interest above all else; to adopt a steady and prudent approach and resist the urge to recklessly seek quick gains; to uphold fundamental principles while breaking new ground and ensure finance does not become decoupled from the real economy; and to uphold the law, ensure regulatory compliance, and refrain from misconduct. These requirements not only draw on the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also articulate the philosophy underpinning modern finance.

Honesty is the lifeblood of finance. Since its advent, finance has been intrinsically tied to trust. China’s commercial traditions have long placed a premium on honoring one’s commitments. The requirement to operate in an honest and trustworthy way and never cross the line aims to turn the pursuit of honesty into a binding code of conduct that spans all dimensions of financial activity and ensure that financial institutions and practitioners consciously honor their commitments. In this way, the spirit of the contract, market rules, and professional ethics will become conscious norms throughout the financial sector, leaving no room for fraud or breaches of trust.

Properly managing the relationship between principle and profit is the linchpin for balancing the dual nature of finance. While capital is inherently profit-seeking, it must adhere to the baseline requirement of upholding principle. Finance is both functional and profit-driven in nature. The unique wisdom of Chinese culture lies in valuing both principle and profit, while placing greater emphasis on the former. At its core, the requirement to prioritize the greater good in the pursuit of interests aims to ensure that the pursuit of profit gives way to the functional role of finance. Financial activities must remain anchored in the overriding goals of enhancing the efficiency of the real economy and improving public wellbeing. The financial sector must fulfill its social responsibilities and develop symbiotically with the economy, society, and the environment.

Prudence can be thought of as an “immune system” preventing the spread of risk. As finance carries risk in its very DNA and has the effect of amplifying leverage, the reckless pursuit of quick gains must be avoided at all costs in the financial sector. So-called innovation and growth pursued without sufficient prudence will ultimately backfire. A steady and prudent approach must therefore become an innate part of the self-discipline and conscious practice guiding the sector. Institutions must cultivate the correct perspectives on operations, performance, and risk management. They need to strike the right balance between stability and progress, between short-term and long-term development, and between development and security, all aimed at steady and sustainable high-quality development.

*This is an excerpt from an article titled “How President Xi Jinping Has Charted the Course for Boosting China’s Strength in Finance” by Qiushi Editorial Department published in Qiushi Journal, English edition, No. 2, 2026. Full text: https://en.qstheory.cn/2026-05/25/c_1184007.htm 

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SOURCE en.qstheory.cn

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Mashreq launches generative AI capabilities to strengthen fraud risk management with Clari5

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BENGALURU, India, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mashreq, a leading financial institution in the MENA region, has launched new generative AI capabilities within its fraud platform in collaboration with Clari5 – A Perfios Company. The move brings tangible benefits across three priority areas: enhancing fraud detection effectiveness, improving analyst productivity, and supporting stronger investigative decision-making.

Announced at Mashreq’s Innovation Hub in Dubai in the presence of senior leadership from both organizations, the launch demonstrates how generative AI can be applied within a banking environment to complement the expertise and judgement of fraud professionals.

Ahmed Abdelaal, Group Chief Executive Officer at Mashreq, said: “In an increasingly digital financial landscape, fraud is becoming more sophisticated, and the way banks respond must adapt accordingly. At Mashreq, we are committed to implementing AI responsibly in areas where it can have a meaningful impact, strengthening the resilience of our operations and the trust our customers place in us.”

Nitin Chugh, MD and Group CEO, Perfios, said: “Our collaboration with Mashreq demonstrates how generative AI can help banks tackle the growing complexity of financial crime by bringing together disparate information, accelerating investigations and enabling better-informed decisions. The goal is to augment investigators’ expertise, not automate judgement, while ensuring AI operates with the rigour and accountability that financial crime management demands.”

Rivi Varghese, Co-Founder and CEO, Clari5, said: “Banks don’t need AI that acts on its own. They need AI they can govern by their own rules. Clari5 has shown how AI can operate on-premises inside a bank’s own environment, grounded in the bank’s context, and remain auditable, explainable and under human control. We are proud to have gone live with Mashreq and set an example of how enterprise-grade AI should operate in managing financial crime.”

Rania Nerhal, Group Chief Client Experience & Conduct Officer at Mashreq, said: “The value of generative AI lies in its ability to help us interpret relevant information and respond to emerging risks with greater speed, consistency, efficiency, and precision. This launch is part of our continued investment in deploying the latest technology to evolve our fraud risk management framework.”

Developed through the ongoing collaboration between Mashreq and Clari5, the new capabilities further strengthen the bank’s fraud detection platform. They are designed to deliver two key benefits:

Seamless customer experience: Supporting faster, more consistent, and more effective fraud detection.Greater consumer trust: Reinforcing confidence in the bank’s ability to protect customers and respond to emerging risks.

About Mashreq:

Mashreq is a leading financial institution headquartered in Dubai, serving individuals, entrepreneurs, corporates, and institutions across the UAE and key regional and international markets. With a heritage spanning nearly six decades, Mashreq combines digital-first innovation with deep relationship banking across retail banking, corporate and investment banking, global markets, transaction banking, Islamic banking, wealth management, and treasury. The bank delivers secure, advanced, and customer-centric experiences while actively driving the transition toward a sustainable economy. Through a robust Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework, Mashreq is committed to facilitating sustainable finance, fostering responsible operations, and delivering positive societal impact.

With an extensive international footprint spanning the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Pakistan, Türkiye, India, the UK, the US, and Hong Kong, Mashreq seamlessly connects regional businesses with global markets while maintaining deep local expertise.

Guided by its core purpose to help customers Rise Every Day, Mashreq partners with clients to navigate change, unlock sustainable growth opportunities, and achieve long-term success.

For more information, please visit: www.mashreq.com

About Clari5:

Clari5 – A Perfios Company, is the leading provider of real-time financial crime management platforms for banks, insurance companies, telcos and other financial institutions worldwide. Powered by AI-native capabilities, Clari5 helps detect, prevent, report and investigate financial crime in real time. Trusted by 80+ banks across 30+ countries for over two decades, Clari5 unifies fraud and AML on a single platform. It processes 12+ billion transactions every month and protects more than 1 billion accounts. Clari5 is part of the Perfios group, India’s largest B2B SaaS TechFin, serving over 1,000 financial institutions across 18 countries. To know more, visit www.clari5.com.

 

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RedotPay Deepens Hong Kong Investment as OASES Strategic Enterprise Partner

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RedotPay is investing in global talent in Hong Kong to scale the city’s stablecoin payments industry and entrepreneurial ecosystem

HONG KONG, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — RedotPay, a global stablecoin-based payments fintech company, has expanded its hiring and infrastructure presence in Hong Kong. The company is part of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) program and has received OASES support since being included in its strategic enterprise cohort in April 2026.

RedotPay, which serves over nine million users across more than 100 countries, has worked alongside OASES to strengthen Hong Kong’s stablecoin payments industry and entrepreneurial landscape, directing significant investment toward local infrastructure and talent.

RedotPay has added more than 125 employees in Hong Kong since 2025, recently expanding its office in Central and establishing a research and development (R&D) center in Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park with the support of OASES.

RedotPay is one of the OASES strategic enterprises exhibiting at Hong Kong FinTech Week, where it is engaging with public and private sector stakeholders and showcasing its future investment plans in Hong Kong.

Established by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2022, OASES supports the growth of high-potential companies like RedotPay to cement the city’s position as a leader in financial technology and digital assets. To date, OASES has attracted 142 strategic enterprises, which are expected to invest HK$84 billion and create around 27,000 jobs in the coming years.

“Hong Kong has become one of the world’s foremost centers of financial innovation, and we are committed to working with OASES to strengthen its position as a leading hub for the stablecoin payments industry,” said Michael Gao, co-founder and CEO of RedotPay. “Going forward, we plan to invest further in talent and infrastructure here in Hong Kong to better serve our users around the world.”

“We are pleased that RedotPay has joined the OASES cohort, with Hong Kong serving as its headquarters and R&D center. We look forward to continuing our support for RedotPay’s development and to working with partners across the ecosystem,” said Bryan Peng, Executive Director of OASES. “Its investment in local R&D and talent strengthens the digital asset ecosystem here and shows how Hong Kong can serve as a launchpad for companies with global ambitions. We look forward to continuing to support the company’s growth.”

About RedotPay

RedotPay is a global stablecoin-based payment fintech that integrates blockchain solutions with traditional banking and finance infrastructures. Its intuitive platform empowers millions around the world to spend and send digital assets, ensuring faster, more accessible, and inclusive financial services. RedotPay advances financial inclusion for the unbanked and supports crypto enthusiasts, driving global adoption of secure and flexible stablecoin-powered financial solutions to bring crypto to real life. For more information, visit www.redotpay.com.

About OASES

The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) is a dedicated HKSAR Government agency—operating directly under the Financial Secretary—established to attract high-potential and representative strategic enterprises from around the globe to set up or expand operations in Hong Kong.

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