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Cypherpunk Technologies Launches World’s Largest Zcash Mining Fleet

By
Advertorial Desk
-

Equity-based transaction with Winklevoss Capital activates 4.2 GSol/s of live, U.S.-based hashrate; approximately 18% of the Zcash network; Industry veteran Kevin Zhang joins as Head of Mining

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cypherpunk Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: CYPH) (“Cypherpunk”) today announced the launch of Cypherpunk Mining, which is now the largest Zcash mining fleet in the world, through a $33.33 million equity-based transaction with Winklevoss Capital. The fleet is online today, with approximately 4.2 GSol/s of Equihash hashrate deployed across the United States, which currently represents approximately 18% of the total Zcash network.

“Up until now, investors have had limited options for Zcash mining exposure. With the acquisition of this mining fleet, Cypherpunk changes that,” said Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. 

With the launch, Cypherpunk now offers public market investors exposure to both Zcash mining and treasury upside and continues Cypherpunk’s evolution into a diversified privacy technology company.

“Following the expansion of our ZEC treasury and investment in ZODL, Zcash mining is the next piece of the constellation of privacy technologies we’re assembling,” said Will McEvoy, Chief Investment Officer of Cypherpunk. “The Zcash flow from Cypherpunk Mining provides financial and operational flexibility to fund future growth, the acquisition of additional ZEC, and new privacy-preserving technology investments.”

Through this transaction with Winklevoss Capital, Cypherpunk Mining immediately becomes the Zcash network’s largest active fleet, currently deployed across U.S.-based facilities with industry-leading uptimes and hosting rates, accessing an addressable market valued at over $250 million per year at current ZEC prices.

Strengthening Cypherpunk’s Treasury and the Zcash Network

Cypherpunk Mining now stands alongside Cypherpunk’s ZEC treasury and its privacy investment strategy anchored by ZODL, the most widely used Zcash wallet. As approximately 43,800 ZEC are awarded to miners each month, mining meaningfully accelerates the company’s path to its target of holding 5% of ZEC supply, at production costs that are significantly lower than spot price. 

As the largest corporate holder of ZEC, currently with 323,394.38 ZEC representing approximately 1.92% of the circulating supply, Cypherpunk’s incentives are aligned with the network’s. The additional mining hashrate and decentralization strengthens Zcash network security, and a more secure Zcash makes Cypherpunk’s treasury more valuable. Cypherpunk intends to serve as a bridge between Zcash miners, developers, and the broader ecosystem.

Kevin Zhang Joins as Head of Mining

Kevin Zhang joins Cypherpunk as Head of Mining, bringing more than a decade of experience at the front lines of Bitcoin and Zcash. Zhang began mining Bitcoin in 2014 and Zcash in 2016, built several of the largest Bitcoin mining facilities in North America, and in 2019 led the first power plant conversion to Bitcoin mining on the continent. At Foundry, he built the largest Bitcoin mining pool in the world and deployed one of the largest crypto mining operations.

“Approximately 1,440 ZEC is awarded to miners each day, making Zcash mining highly profitable. Even if the Zcash network hashrate increases significantly, Zcash mining still out-earns AI colocation and Bitcoin mining at today’s ZEC prices,” said Kevin Zhang, Head of Mining at Cypherpunk. “The opportunity in Zcash mining shows a striking similarity to Bitcoin mining in 2016 and provides exciting growth potential for Cypherpunk.”

Description of the Transaction

Cypherpunk and Cypherpunk Mining LLC (“Cypherpunk Mining”) entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Moria Mining LLC and Winklevoss Treasury Investments, LLC pursuant to which Cypherpunk Mining acquired the latest generation Z15 Pro machines with an aggregate hashpower of approximately 4.2 GSol/s along with their related hosting agreements. The aggregate purchase price of $33.33 million was paid for by the issuance of a pre-funded warrant to Winklevoss Treasury Investments, LLC to purchase 43,290,042 shares of common stock of Cypherpunk at an exercise price of $0.001 per share, reflecting a Cypherpunk common stock purchase price of $0.77 per share.

About Cypherpunk

Cypherpunk Technologies is a privacy technology company. The Company’s mission is to advance technologies that guarantee privacy for humans on the internet. Cypherpunk pursues this mission through two primary strategies: accumulating Zcash (ZEC); and investing in, acquiring, and building technologies that push the frontier of privacy forward. Additionally, through its subsidiary Leap Therapeutics, the Company is developing novel therapies for patients with cancer, continuing the development of sirexatamab and FL-501. For more information about the Company, visit our websites at http://www.cypherpunk.com and http://www.leaptx.com or view our public filings with the SEC that are available via EDGAR at http://www.sec.gov. 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “believe,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “goal,” “project,” and other words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements address various matters including statements relating to the Company’s ZEC mining operations, the hashpower represented by the acquired Z15 Pro machines, the potential Zcash flow or profitability of the Company’s mining operations, the comparative economics or profitability of Zcash mining relative to other digital infrastructure or mining activities, the future hashrate of the Zcash Network, the value of the Company’s ZEC holdings, the Company’s target percentage ownership of the ZEC supply, the expected future market, price, and liquidity of ZEC, the Company’s expected use of Zcash flow or other capital generated by its mining operations, the potential value of the Company’s investment in Zcash Open Development Labs (“ZODL”), the macro and political conditions surrounding Zcash or digital assets, the Company’s plan for value creation and strategic advantages, market size and growth opportunities, regulatory conditions, competitive position and the interest of other corporations in similar business strategies, technological and market trends, and future financial condition and performance. Risks and uncertainties of the Company’s strategy include, among others: (a) risks relating to the Company’s operations and business, including the performance of the Company’s Zcash mining machines and highly volatile nature of the price of ZEC; (b) the risk that material changes in the price of ZEC, such as decreases in price, will result in significant changes to the Company’s financial statements, such as unrealized losses on fair value of ZEC holdings, and reduced net income or increased net loss; (c) the risk that material changes in the hashrate of the Zcash Network, such as increases in hashrate, will result in significant changes to the Company’s financial statements, such as reduced revenue, reduced gross margins, and reduced net income or increased net loss; (d) the risk that the price of the Company’s common stock may be highly correlated to the price of ZEC; (e) the risk that the Company will fail to realize the anticipated benefits of the ZEC mining operation or digital asset treasury strategy; (f) risks related to the custody of our ZEC and our reliance on Gemini Space Station and its affiliates for trading and custody services; (g) changes in business, market, financial, political and regulatory conditions; (h) risks related to increased competition in the industries in which the Company does and will operate; (i) risks relating to significant legal, commercial, regulatory and technical uncertainty regarding digital assets generally; (j) risks relating to the treatment of crypto assets for U.S. and foreign tax purposes; (k) risks related to the Company’s dependence on third-party hosting facilities and service providers for its mining operations; and (l) the Company’s ability to comply with the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Capital Market.

New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. No representations or warranties (expressed or implied) are made about the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. The Company may not actually achieve the forecasts disclosed in such forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties including but not limited to those set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, or as may be included in other reports or information we file with the SEC, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, advisors or representatives, undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.

CONTACT:
Douglas E. Onsi
President & Chief Executive Officer
Cypherpunk Technologies Inc.
617-714-0360

For Investors:
Matthew DeYoung
Investor Relations
Argot Partners
212-600-1902
leap@argotpartners.com

For Media:
Jacqueline Ortiz Ramsay
It Factor Strategies
954-294-3249
jacqueline@itfactorstrategies.com

CANADIAN SOLAR ANNOUNCES RESOLUTION OF MAXEON U.S. PATENT LITIGATION

By
Advertorial Desk
-

KITCHENER, ON, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) (the “Company” or “Canadian Solar”) today announced that the remaining U.S. proceeding related to patent allegations brought by Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd. (“Maxeon”) against Canadian Solar has been resolved in Canadian Solar’s favor. Maxeon’s patent infringement suit in the Federal District Court has now been dismissed with prejudice. Further, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated the relevant portion of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) decision relating to Maxeon’s remaining claim.

The proceedings stemmed from a March 2024 patent infringement lawsuit filed by Maxeon concerning three patents related to TOPCon solar cell technology. In Final Written Decisions issued in January 2026, the PTAB ruled in Canadian Solar’s favor, finding all Maxeon patent claims asserted against the Company in the federal court litigation invalid. Canadian Solar welcomes the dismissal of the lawsuit and the final resolution of these patent claims. The ruling provides important clarity and reinforces Canadian Solar’s claims of non-infringement.

Colin Parkin, Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar Inc., said, “We are very pleased with the resolution of these proceedings, which affirms Canadian Solar’s continued ability to compete through technology and manufacturing leadership. As one of the world’s largest renewable energy companies, Canadian Solar has built a global manufacturing platform and a deep intellectual property portfolio by advancing high-performance solar and energy storage solutions for our global customer base. We respect intellectual property rights and will continue to defend our technology, support our customers, and bring leading innovations to market.”

About Canadian Solar Inc.

Canadian Solar is one of the world’s largest solar technology and renewable energy companies. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, the Company is a leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic modules; provider of solar energy and battery energy storage solutions; and developer, owner, and operator of utility-scale solar power and battery energy storage projects. Over the past 25 years, Canadian Solar has successfully delivered nearly 177 GW of premium-quality, solar photovoltaic modules to customers across the world. Through its subsidiary e-STORAGE, Canadian Solar had shipped over 20 GWh of battery energy storage solutions to global markets as of March 31, 2026, and had a $3.5 billion contracted backlog as of May 8, 2026. Since entering the project development business in 2010, Canadian Solar has developed, built, and connected approximately 12.2 GWp of solar power projects and 6.4 GWh of battery energy storage projects globally. Its geographically diversified project development pipeline includes 24 GWp of solar and 81 GWh of battery energy storage capacity in various stages of development. Canadian Solar is one of the most bankable companies in the solar and renewable energy industry, having been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2006. For additional information about the Company, follow Canadian Solar on LinkedIn or visit www.canadiansolar.com.

Safe Harbor/Forward-Looking Statements 

Certain statements in this press release, including those regarding the Company’s expected future shipment volumes, revenues, gross margins, and project sales are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are made under the “Safe Harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by such terms as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “future”, “ongoing”, “continue”, “intend”, “plan”, “potential”, “prospect”, “guidance”, “believe”, “estimate”, “is/are likely to” or similar expressions, the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, our expectations regarding global electricity demand and the adoption of solar and battery energy storage technologies; our growth strategies, future business performance, and financial condition; our transition to a long-term owner and operator of clean energy assets and expansion of project pipelines; our ability to monetize project portfolios, manage supply chain fluctuations, and respond to economic factors such as inflation and interest rates; our outlook on government incentives, trade measures, regulatory developments, and geopolitical risks; our expectations for project timelines, costs, and returns; competitive dynamics in solar and storage markets; our ability to execute supply chain, manufacturing, and operational initiatives; access to capital, debt obligations, and covenant compliance; relationships with key suppliers and customers; technological advancement and product quality; and risks related to intellectual property, litigation, and compliance with environmental and sustainability regulations. Other risks were described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F filed on April 10, 2026. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of today’s date, unless otherwise stated, and Canadian Solar undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

Canadian Solar Inc. Investor Relations Contact
Wina Huang
Investor Relations
Canadian Solar Inc.
investor@canadiansolar.com

Tencent Cloud Deepens Commitment to Malaysia with New Cloud Region and AI Talent Development Initiatives

By
Advertorial Desk
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  • The new Cloud Region will comprise up to three Availability Zones in Johor, connecting Malaysia to Tencent Cloud’s global infrastructure network and strengthening service availability, resilience and performance for enterprises in Malaysia.
  • Tencent Cloud will also collaborate with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to equip more than 1,000 digital and AI talents with industry-relevant skills over the coming years.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of global technology company Tencent, today announced it will establish its first Cloud Region in Malaysia, which will comprise up to three availability zones in Johor. The investment will expand Tencent Cloud’s local infrastructure presence, providing enterprises in Malaysia with the secure, resilient foundation needed for AI-powered workflows, data-heavy applications, and the delivery of digital services at scale.

Bluefin Jiannan Zhao, Vice President of Tencent Cloud and Managing Director of Tencent Cloud International APAC, sharing his opening keynote at Tencent Cloud C-Suite Dialogue 2026 in Malaysia
Bluefin Jiannan Zhao, Vice President of Tencent Cloud and Managing Director of Tencent Cloud International APAC, sharing his opening keynote at Tencent Cloud C-Suite Dialogue 2026 in Malaysia

The new Cloud Region in Malaysia will join Tencent Cloud International’s global infrastructure network, which currently spans 66 Availability Zones across 23 regions.

“Malaysia remains a key market in Tencent Cloud’s growth strategy across Asia,” said Bluefin Jiannan Zhao, Vice President of Tencent Cloud and Managing Director of Tencent Cloud International for Asia Pacific. “The new Cloud Region in Malaysia will serve as a critical node within our global infrastructure, enabling enterprises to scale locally, expand regionally, and accelerate their AI-driven innovation. Through this investment, we aim to deepen our support for Malaysia’s digital transformation journey and contribute to the continued growth of its AI ecosystem.”

The announcement was made at Tencent Cloud C-Suite Dialogue 2026, where Tencent Cloud convened top business and technology leaders to discuss the development and deployment of AI Agent solutions for enterprise use cases.

Supporting practical enterprise AI adoption

Today, with over 50% of Malaysia enterprises adopting AI[1], considerable opportunities remain to deepen and broaden its use across industries. During the event, Tencent Cloud showcased its latest AI-powered solutions, demonstrating how enterprises can move from AI experimentation to production-ready deployment.

These include Tencent WorkBuddy, an agentic AI workspace solution that turns a single prompt into a ready-to-use deliverable, handling market research, data analysis, project planning, document creation, and more by drawing on over 100 built-in skills.

Also showcased were Tencent Cloud’s Agent Development Platform (ADP), which enables enterprises to design, test, and scale custom AI agents for industry-specific use cases with multi-agent collaboration and enterprise-grade security, and TokenHub, a Model-as-a-Service platform that lets enterprises access, manage, and integrate multiple large language models via a single API for greater cost and performance optimization.

Earlier this month, Tencent announced the global availability of Tencent Hy3 (Tencent Hy, formerly known as Tencent Hunyuan), its latest large model which delivers performance comparable to flagship models two to five times its size, while maintaining a practical and cost-efficient profile. Hy3 is available free worldwide through Tencent WorkBuddy until 31 August 2026 (Pacific Time), and can also be accessed via Tencent Cloud TokenHub and Tencent Design Miora, with further integrations planned across Tencent Cloud’s AI-native product portfolio.

New collaborations were also announced with Boost and Genting Plantations Group to explore the integration of AI agent solutions with their workflows and service offerings.

This builds on Tencent Cloud’s existing partnerships across Malaysia’s financial services, telecom, payments, and enterprise sectors. For example, Ryt Bank uses Tencent Cloud Chat to power AI-driven conversational banking for over 1.5 million users, while Aye Solutions and YTL Communications use Tencent Cloud’s eKYC solutions for customer verification workflows. Tencent Cloud has also brought its palm-based biometric technology to Malaysia through partners including OpenSys Technologies and SOCOE, and continues to extend its AI capabilities to more enterprises through local ecosystem partners such as Webby Group and Ramssol Group.

“As Malaysian enterprises accelerate their digital transformation, they increasingly want to deploy AI to address real business needs and create measurable value,” said Nucky Fang, General Manager of Tencent Cloud International & Tencent Cloud Malaysia. “By combining local cloud infrastructure with Tencent Cloud’s AI capabilities and industry expertise, we will be able to work more closely with customers and partners to develop secure, reliable and scalable solutions tailored to their evolving needs.”

Developing Malaysia’s digital and AI talent pipeline

Tencent Cloud also announced a collaboration with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to support AI and cloud talent development, industry certification and innovation programmes aimed at training more than 1,000 digital and AI talents in Malaysia. These include an AI and Cloud Innovation Hackathon, a Train-the-Trainer AI and Cloud Programme and the Tencent Cloud Certification Programme to  provide students and educators with practical experience using industry-relevant AI technologies, to prepare them for an increasingly AI-enabled workplace.

“Malaysia’s continued progress in AI will depend on our ability to connect academic learning with the skills and tools used by industry,” said Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Shafry bin Mohd Rahim, Vice-Chancellor of UTM. “Through this collaboration, we look forward to giving students and educators more opportunities to build practical capabilities in cloud and AI, while contributing to a stronger national talent pipeline.”

The collaboration goes beyond introducing students and educators to AI tools. It aims to equip them with the skills to use Tencent’s AI Agent solutions, including WorkBuddy and Tencent Design Miora, to create AI-enabled applications and services that address real-world needs and locally relevant scenarios in Malaysia.

Together, the new Malaysia Cloud Region and Tencent Cloud’s collaboration with UTM reflect its broader commitment to supporting Malaysia’s AI development, from providing the infrastructure enterprises need to deploy AI securely and at scale to developing the talent required to sustain long-term innovation. Tencent Cloud will continue working with customers, partners and academic institutions to translate advances in cloud and AI into practical value for enterprises and communities across Malaysia.

About Tencent Cloud

Tencent Cloud, one of the world’s leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT, and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel, and transportation.

 

allnex Announces the Next SCA Capacity Investment In APAC

By
Advertorial Desk
-
  • allnex is the global market and technology leader for Sag Control Agent (SCA) resin, a unique technology enabling excellent appearance of Automotive OEM coatings.
  • Today allnex announced to build its first SCA production facility in APAC, the largest global Automotive market.
  • This investment will significantly improve regional supply resilience, reduce lead times, and enhance service for our customers based in the APAC region
  • And it will support faster adaptation of the next-generation of SCA’s including high-solid, low-bake, and sustainable “green SCA” solutions.

FRANKFURT, GERMANY – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 August 2026 – allnex, a leading global manufacturer and solution provider of coating resins and additives, today announced plans to expand its manufacturing footprint in Asia-Pacific with a strategic investment in Sag Control Agent (SCA) capacity at its Rayong site in Thailand.

Scheduled to begin operations in January 2028, this new SCA capacity investment, signifies allnex’s commitment to support its customers in the world’s fastest-growing automotive coatings markets.

By bringing SCA production into the APAC region, and importantly closer to customers, allnex will strengthen supply reliability, shorten lead times, and provide greater responsiveness to evolving market needs.

SCAs are a unique and cornerstone technology of allnex’s Automotive OEM product portfolio and they define its market leadership position in this application. allnex SCA resins have superior sag control functionality, enabling exceptional appearance in premium high-gloss clearcoats. These specialty resins ensure that coating manufacturers are able to meet the ever increasing demands of car producers for performance, efficiency, and sustainability.

Since allnex invented SCA resins four decades ago, all allnex SCA production was concentrated in its Bergen op Zoom facility in The Netherlands. In the last few years, APAC has become the largest SCA market globally with strong future growth projections driven by increased car production and requirements for better appearance. By making this investment in APAC, allnex will not only provide customers with proximity of supply and greater assurance, it will also ensure to have enough capacity available in time, to meet future growth.

“This strategic capacity investment for a unique technology, is driven by our commitment to our customers and their growth ambitions in Asia-Pacific. By localizing SCA production in Thailand, we are responding directly to customer needs for greater supply security, shorter lead times, and faster access to innovation. The new facility will strengthen our ability and agility to support both global and regional customers in APAC and allows us to meet future market demand.” said Ruben Mannien, Senior Executive Vice President APAC.

The Rayong site was selected following a comprehensive evaluation of multiple locations across the region. The site offers existing infrastructure, strong technical capabilities, and strategic proximity to key automotive manufacturing hubs, including China, India, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

The investment will include dedicated reactors for the production of SCA resins for plastic automotive parts and metal car bodies.

Beyond improving supply resilience, the new facility will support allnex’s latest SCA innovations designed for next-generation clearcoat systems, including high-solid, low-bake, and more sustainable coating technologies. These solutions help customers improve productivity, reduce energy consumption, and differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, ensuring production readiness ahead of anticipated market growth.

Hashtag: #allnex

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

China Unicom’s Interim Net Profit Showed Short-Term Volatility. Full-Year Contraction Expected to Narrow Significantly

By
Advertorial Desk
-

Highlights:

  • Revenue performance was stable in the first half of the year. Against a backdrop where the overall industry growth was facing challenges, operating revenue was RMB 201.4 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 0.6%. Service revenue was RMB 178.0 billion, representing a year-on-year decrease of 0.2%.
  • Due to value-added tax and the change in timing of employee benefit expenses spending, net profit decreased by 34.6% year-on-year to RMB 9.5 billion. The Company expects the full-year contraction in net profit to narrow significantly.
  • Cash flow was healthy and improving, with operating cash flow at RMB 32.9 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.6% and reaching a new high in recent years.
  • Computing power revenue was RMB 41.9 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 13%.Within this, IDC revenue increased by 11% year-on-year, and computing service revenue increased by 9% year-on-year.
  • Capital expenditure for the first half of the year was RMB 24.1 billion. Computing power investment mix increased to 37%, and the absolute investment amount increased by over 80% year-on-year.

Financial summary (RMB million)

1H 2025

1H 2026

YoY change

Operating revenue

200,202

201,364

0.6 %

Service revenue

178,356

177,956

-0.2 %

Net profit[1]

14,484

9,468

-34.6 %

Basic earnings per share

(RMB)

0.473

0.309

-34.6 %

Operating cash flow

29,002

32,943

13.6 %

HONG KONG, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited and its subsidiaries (“China Unicom” or the “Company”) (HKEx: 0762) today announced its 2026 interim results.

In the first half of the year, China Unicom faced new opportunities and challenges, adhered to “Preserve and Innovate, Steady and Far-reaching”, focusing on the four major arenas of “connectivity”, “computing power”, “service”, and “security”. The Company strived to promote high-quality development, leading to a more solid operational foundation, stronger growth momentum, accelerated release of reform vitality, and continuous improvement in development quality and efficiency.

Operating revenue bucked the trend and increased by 0.6% in the first half of the year

In the first half of the year, against a backdrop where the overall industry growth was facing challenges, the Company’s operating revenue was RMB 201.4 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 0.6%. Service revenue was RMB 178.0 billion, representing a year-on-year decrease of 0.2%. Profitability faced short-term pressure, with net profit at RMB 9.5 billion, representing a year-on-year decrease of 34.6%. The temporary profit volatility stemmed from multiple factors.  In addition to value-added tax, the change in the timing of employee benefit expenses spending was an important reason. For the full year, employee benefit expenses are expected to remain stable, with profit contraction narrowing significantly[2]. Cash flow was healthy and improving, with net operating cash reaching RMB 32.9 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.6%, setting a new record in recent years. The growth rate of accounts receivable slowed significantly compared to the same period last year.

Deepening institutional reform to stimulate vitality

China Unicom promoted institutional reform across the entire group, adhering to the principle of “One China Unicom” and focusing on “lean management and strong operations”. The Company focused on product innovation and brand building, aimed to resolve customers’ full-scenario and full-chain problems, regarded computing-network development as a key to technological innovation, strengthened the commercialisation and application of innovation achievements, and emphasised ecological cooperation and capital empowerment, building an organisational system with more scientific institutional settings, optimised functional responsibilities, enhanced systems and mechanisms, and more efficient operational management. Following this reform, the number of management departments at the headquarters has been reduced by nearly 40%, conducive to clearing bottlenecks, streamlining hierarchies, improving efficiency, and further unleashing development vitality.

Computing power revenue increased by 13% year-on-year

The momentum of computing power accelerated its release, with revenue[3] at RMB 41.9 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 13%. Computing power revenue accounted for 23.6% of service revenue, up by 2.7 pp year-on-year. Within this, IDC revenue increased by 11% year-on-year, and computing service revenue increased by 9% year-on-year.

Riding on the AI boom, China Unicom actively innovated on token operations. It established token pricing rules that are compatible with different models, manage data elements, and integrate connectivity and security capabilities. It enhanced the full-process operational model for token creation, transmission, cleansing, storage and application. It upgraded the UniAI MaaS platform, which has integrated over 200 mainstream LLMs, accumulated more than 500 TB of high-quality datasets, and established a “Token Supermarket” with scale, in order to enhance token value density. It launched token plans for individuals and enterprises. Focusing on key industries including manufacturing, government affairs, healthcare and education, it developed a series of AI agents with considerable application value and mature business models, tapping into new potential of subscriber value growth.

Creating differentiated advantages through product innovation

China Unicom has always taken connectivity as its greatest asset, expanding its scale, enriching its variety, and enhancing its value, with the total connectivity scale[4] exceeding 1.3 billion. The Company comprehensively promoted the new “drag-and-drop” product format, breaking through the traditional packages. Through formats like “buffet” and “à la carte”, it returned the choice to subscribers, overcoming commoditised competition with differentiated products. Since the launch of the Unicom Magic Cube product over three months ago, it has been sold to more than 1.5 million subscribers, bringing to them a brand new service experience. Connectivity value has stabilised and improved, with the value of new subscribers higher than that of existing subscribers. The integrated penetration rate exceeded 78%, and the integrated package ARPU remained above RMB 100.

Building robust computing power network and next-generation telecommunication network with precise and efficient resource investment

Adhering to lean management, China Unicom implemented the “Six Networks” deployment, strengthened the computing power network and next-generation telecommunication network, and continuously improved return efficiency. Its capital expenditure for the first half of the year was RMB 24.1 billion.

The Company regards computing power as an engine for innovation, with the computing power investment mix rising to 37% and the absolute investment amount increasing by over 80% year-on-year. It strengthened deployment for “Eastern Data, Western Computing”, deepened the integration of computing power and green electricity, built 10,000-chip intelligent computing centres, integrated into the national integrated computing power network, seizing new opportunities in the industry with new technological capabilities. Currently, over 1.15 million standard cabinets[5] have been deployed across the entire network, and the utilisation rate exceeded 74%. The “Unicom Xingluo” advanced computing power allocation platform has been given a full-stack upgrade, achieving full-domain perception, intelligent allocation and efficient collaboration of computing power across the entire network. The Company implemented industry-leading cross-region mixed training and inference on heterogeneous GPUs in large-scale production scenarios.

For mobile network, the Company have formed a coverage system with ground-space synergy and air-ground integration. A total of 4.8 million 4G/5G base stations have been built, with population coverage exceeding 99%, and 5G-A base stations covering over 330 cities. Satellite communication services such as Tiantong direct-to-device and Beidou SMS have been launched nationwide. 10G-PON broadband port ratio reached 87%, and commercial pilots of 10-gigabit optical networks have been launched in over 100 cities. A 400G all-optical intelligent computing network was built between hub nodes.

Certain statements contained in this press release may be viewed as “forward-looking statements”. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual performance, financial condition or results of operations of the Company to be materially different from any future performance, financial condition or results of operations implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, the Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. Neither the Company nor the directors, employees or agents of the Company assume any liabilities in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialise or turns out to be incorrect.

[1] Profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company

[2] This forecast is made by the Company based on the current external environment and actual operational circumstances, and does not constitute a substantive commitment by the Company to investors.

[3] Computing power revenue = computing service revenue + data centre revenue + digital smart applications revenue + cloud-AI services revenue.

[4] Total connectivity subscriber scale = aggregate number of mobile billing subscribers + aggregate number of fixed-line broadband subscribers + aggregate number of fixed-line local access subscribers + aggregate number of Internet-of-things terminal connections + aggregate number of networking leased line subscribers.

[5] Number of standard cabinets is calculated based on 2.5 kW per cabinet.

 

Van Crash in Thailand Kills Two Lao Nationals, Injuries 12

By
Phoudasack Vongsay
-
van crash in Thailand kills two Lao nationals and injuries 12
A picture of van crash in Thailand kills two Lao nationals and injuries 12 (Photo by Thai local)

A passenger van carrying 14 Lao nationals crashed and caught fire in Thailand’s Roi Et province early Tuesday, killing two women and injuring 12 others, Thai media reported.

The van left Bangkok around 9:00 PM on 17 August, carrying all 14 passengers toward Mukdahan, the Thai border town opposite Laos’ Savannakhet province. At approximately 5:20 AM on 18 August, the driver lost control on the Kalasin-Mukdahan road in Phonthong district. The van veered off the road, overturned, and caught fire, which destroyed the vehicle.

The crash killed two women, aged 30 and 60. 

Rescue teams transported the 12 injured passengers to nearby hospitals for treatment.

One injured passenger told Thai media that the van had been travelling at roughly 140 kilometers per hour and that the driver appeared to be falling asleep at the wheel. Passengers asked the driver to slow down; he complied briefly, then sped up again, the passenger said.

Thai police have not yet confirmed the cause of the crash. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and other evidence and are coordinating with relevant agencies regarding the Lao nationals involved.

Laos Identifies Two New Rare Earth Target Areas Across Four Provinces

By
Thongsavanh Souvannasane
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This photo is used for representational purpose only.

Laos has completed field surveys and identified two major potential rare earth target areas spanning four provinces, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) reported. 

The two zones are the Bolikhamxay-Khammuane border region in central Laos and the Sekong-Attapeu area in southern Laos. MoIC disclosed the findings following Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandon’s visit to the Institute of Industry, Commerce, and Energy on 14 August.

Authorities have not yet disclosed full details about the sites.

Rare earths form a group of specialized metals that power many modern technologies. The semiconductor industry uses them to manufacture advanced chips, electronic components, lasers, and other materials essential to high-tech production.

Laos has already built rare earth infrastructure to support the sector. 

In 2023, Laos opened the Rare Earth Quality Supervision and Testing Laboratory, a joint research facility built with Chinese support to inspect rare earth quality, in Dongmakkai village, Xaythany district, Vientiane.

The country holds significant heavy rare earth deposits in the northern provinces of Xieng Khouang and Houaphanh. 

In late 2022, the Lao government granted Chinese companies a concession to develop the province’s first rare earth mining site in Xieng Khouang, covering 50 square kilometers across Khoun and Phaxay districts. Earlier in June that year, Laos launched a 50-square-kilometer rare earth project in Houaphanh,  a 5-square-kilometer mining site plus a 45-square-kilometer exploration area, spanning Huamueang and Xam Neua districts, which Lao-China Northern Rare Earth Development now operates.

State media reported in 2023 that Laos runs roughly 15 rare earth mining projects nationwide.

In late 2025, the Lao government submitted a proposal to the National Assembly to convert protected forest land in the Nam Ngiep area of Khoun district, Xieng Khouang, into a rare earth mining investment site.

The government also put forward a second proposal for Houaphanh Province, seeking to convert forest land within the Yod Ngeung-Pha Daeng National Production Forest and the Sop Paen-Houay Ko National Protected Forest, in Kuan district, for rare earth mining and processing.

Focus Graphite Chairman Converts Final C$835,000 Loan to Equity at a Premium to Market

By
Advertorial Desk
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C$0.50-per-share conversion completes longstanding Chairman loan as Focus strengthens its financial position amid growing government and industry support


Ottawa, Ontario – Newsfile Corp. – August 18, 2026 – Focus Graphite Inc. (TSXV: FMS) (OTCQB: FCSMF) (FSE: FKC0) (“Focus” or the “Company“), a Canadian developer of high-grade flake graphite deposits and advanced graphite materials for battery, defence and industrial applications, is pleased to announce that Chairman Jeff York, through his holding company JJJY Holdings Inc. (“JJJY Holdings“), has agreed to convert the final C$835,000 outstanding balance of his longstanding loan to the Company into equity at C$0.50 per share.

Under the proposed transaction, Mr. York will convert C$835,000 into 1,670,000 common shares of Focus at a deemed price of C$0.50 per share, representing an approximately 11% premium to the Company’s C$0.45 closing share price on August 17, 2026.

The financing relationship dates back to 2019 and 2020, when Mr. York, through JJJY Holdings, provided significant capital to support Focus and its ongoing activities. By September 30, 2020, amounts due to JJJY Holdings had reached approximately C$3.05 million. Since that time, the balance has been progressively reduced through a series of previously disclosed settlements and equity conversions. The C$835,000 conversion announced today represents the final outstanding balance of Mr. York’s longstanding shareholder loan to the Company.

The transaction removes the Company’s remaining obligation under the longstanding shareholder loan without requiring a cash repayment, preserving capital for its development priorities and further strengthening its financial position.

“My decision to convert the remaining balance of my loan into equity reflects my continued confidence in Focus Graphite and the progress we are making across the business,” said Jeff York, Chairman of Focus Graphite. “With the loan now fully converted into equity, I am further aligning my interests with our shareholders while strengthening the Company’s financial position. Focus has made significant progress across its projects, technology and strategic partnerships, supported by growing government investment, and I remain committed to supporting the Company as we move into the next stage of development.”

The conversion also follows new federal support for the Lac Knife Graphite Project (“Lac Knife” or the “Project“). On August 17, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced major clean-energy and critical-minerals investments and specifically identified Focus Graphite’s Lac Knife infrastructure project among the strategic pre-development projects being supported through Natural Resources Canada’s (“NRCan“) First and Last Mile Fund (“FLMF“) 1. The federal announcement highlighted pre-construction work for a new transmission line and road connecting Lac Knife to Hydro-Québec’s power grid, supporting the development of graphite supply for battery and energy-storage technologies.

The final conversion further strengthens Focus’s financial profile and preserves capital for its development priorities as the Company advances its Quebec graphite assets, downstream technology and broader commercial strategy.

Focus continues to advance Lac Knife, its downstream advanced-materials initiatives and broader commercial strategy amid growing government and industry support for secure, resilient North American critical-mineral supply chains.

The shares-for-debt transaction remains subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Focus Graphite Advanced Materials Inc.
Focus Graphite is building an integrated graphite platform to supply the industries shaping the future. Through the development of world-class graphite resources, advanced processing technologies and higher-value advanced materials, the Company is positioning itself to support battery, defence, advanced manufacturing and other strategic industries across North America and allied markets.

The platform is anchored by the Company’s two 100%-owned graphite assets in Quebec. Lac Knife is one of North America’s highest-grade feasibility-stage graphite deposits, while Lac Tetepisca is one of the largest identified graphite resources globally. Together with strategic technology partnerships and government-supported innovation initiatives, these assets provide the foundation for a secure, scalable and increasingly integrated graphite supply chain.

For more information on Focus Graphite Inc. please visit http://www.focusgraphite.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-graphite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusgraphite
X: https://x.com/focusgraphite

Investors Contact:
Dean Hanisch
CEO, Focus Graphite Inc.
dhanisch@focusgraphite.com
+1 (613) 612-6060

Jason Latkowcer
VP Corporate Development
jlatkowcer@focusgraphite.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “could,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “will,” “projected,” “estimated,” and similar expressions, as well as statements relating to matters that are not historical facts, are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company’s current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events.

In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information regarding, among other things, the proposed shares-for-debt transaction involving the conversion of the remaining C$835,000 balance of the longstanding shareholder loan into 1,670,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of C$0.50 per share; the anticipated completion of the transaction and receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval; the expected impact of the transaction on the Company’s financial position, capital structure and financial flexibility; the anticipated preservation of capital for the Company’s development priorities; the continued advancement and future development of the Lac Knife Graphite Project and the Company’s other Quebec graphite assets; the advancement of the Company’s downstream processing, purification and advanced-materials initiatives; the Company’s broader commercial strategy and potential future commercial opportunities; the continued development of strategic partnerships and government and industry collaboration; the potential benefits of government-supported infrastructure initiatives for the Lac Knife Graphite Project; and the Company’s strategy to contribute to the development of secure and resilient North American critical-mineral and advanced graphite supply chains.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to market conditions, regulatory approvals, changes in economic conditions, the ability to raise sufficient funds on acceptable terms or at all, operational risks associated with mineral exploration and development, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s public disclosure documents available under its profile on SEDAR+.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

1 https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2026/08/17/prime-minister-carney-announces-largest-clean-energy-investment-north

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

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