SINGAPORE, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On August 21, AAC Technologies (2018.HK) released its 2025 interim results report in Singapore. The Group’s revenue for the first half was RMB 13.32 billion, a year-on-year increase of 18.4%, setting a new record high. Net profit surged by 63.1% year-on-year to RMB 876 million.

AAC Technologies CFO Guo Dan said that the Company’s revenue in the second half will continue to maintain a high year-on-year growth rate, which is expected to be no less than the above figure in the first half, and the gross profit margin for the whole year will be no less than 22.1% last year. With the trend of AI upgrades, multiple businesses such as heat dissipation products and MEMS microphones will double in growth, and in-vehicle product revenue and gross profit will achieve stable growth.

In addition, global shipments of proprietary WLG lenses will exceed 10 million units this year, with a projected 50% increase next year. As the mass production scale increases, the gross margin is expected to surpass that of plastic lenses, marking a milestone breakthrough.

The gross profit margin for acoustics for the full year will not be lower than 30.2% last year

Financial reports show that in the first half, the gross profit margin of the acoustics business of AAC Technologies was 27.2%, a year-on-year decrease of 2.7 percentage points. The business achieved revenue of RMB 3.52 billion, a year-on-year increase of 1.8%.

Dan stated that the slight fluctuation in the gross margin of acoustics, one of the Company’s traditional core businesses, was mainly due to the introduction of a large number of new product projects in the first half. As operational efficiency gradually improves in the second half and products enter large-scale mass production, the gross margin for acoustics will steadily increase. The Company’s annual gross margin for acoustics will remain at least as high as 30.2% last year.

In the first half of 2025, AAC Technologies launched a series of innovative acoustic products. The master-level super linear speakers (SLS) and coaxial speakers maintained their leadership in the mid-range to high-end market, with shipments exceeding 17 million units, representing an increase approaching 40% year-on-year. The Group introduced the first master-level coaxial symmetrical dual speaker and the thinnest speaker in the industry featuring a thickness of just 1.4 mm per unit.

WLG product stands to achieve a milestone breakthrough

In the first half of 2025, AAC Technologies’ optics business maintained its rapid growth momentum, with revenue of RMB 2.65 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19.7%. The gross profit margin for plastic lenses improved by more than 10 percentage points, and the gross profit margin for the whole year is expected to exceed 30%. With the rise in both volume and price brought about by the high-end upgrade of smartphones, there will be further room for growth next year.

AAC Technologies’ proprietary WLG technology performed exceptionally well and received positive market feedback. The Company secured orders for 1G6P lenses from several leading Chinese customers for their flagship models and exclusively supplied WLG-based ultra-light micro-prism solutions.

AAC Technologies’ WLG lens shipments will exceed 10 million units this year, with an expected growth of more than 50% next year. Dan said, “The unique performance advantages of WLG technology will bring profound changes to both customers and user experience, and a growth of more than 50% is certain.”

The Company has achieved a yield rate of over 80% in WLG technology and has already made WLG single lenses profitable. With further increases in mass production scale, the gross profit margin of G+P hybrid lenses is expected to reach or even exceed that of plastic lenses.

AI will drive double growth across multiple businesses

AAC Technologies will benefit significantly from the development of the AI industry, with multiple business segments achieving rapid growth. Due to the higher demand for voice interaction functions in AI smartphones, the MEMS microphone business will be the first to benefit, with revenue in 2025 expected to increase more than 50% compared to 2024.

Due to the higher computing power and greater power consumption of AI smartphones, the demand for heat dissipation performance is also increasing, which will directly drive the rapid growth of AAC Technologies’ heat dissipation business. The Company has secured orders from high-end overseas customers and expects to begin mass production smoothly in the second half of the year. The overall revenue scale of the heat dissipation product line in 2025 will exceed RMB 1.2 billion, at least tripling that of 2024.

In addition, the trend toward ultra-thin foldable phones will bring more market opportunities for AAC Technologies’ high-performance, high-density products, potentially driving continuous growth in the average selling price (ASP) of its innovative products, core components, and modules. It is expected that revenue from the acoustics business will continue to grow throughout 2025, with revenue from motor product business achieving double-digit growth.

Regarding the application of the side buttons module in iPhone, Dan stated that it would be inappropriate to comment on specific customers. In terms of its own products, AAC Technologies’ keypad module products began shipping at the end of last year, and the functionality of these products will undergo further refinement and evolution. The Company is capable of providing support to both Chinese and international customers.

In-vehicle product revenue and gross profit will achieve stable growth

In recent years, AAC Technologies has been actively developing its second growth curve. The Company entered the in-vehicle product field in 2021 and has continuously improved its business layout through the acquisitions of Premium Sound Solutions (PSS), and Hebei First Light Auto Parts Co., Ltd. It has developed system-level solution capabilities in areas such as speakers, algorithms and amplifiers.

AAC Technologies has rapidly entered the European, American, and China’s leading new-generation automakers through mergers and acquisitions, becoming a Tier 1 supplier. PSS has obtained a favorable design-win with overseas customers, especially mainstream European customers, and its revenue and gross profit will achieve stable growth. Revenue from the automotive acoustics business has accounted for more than 13% of the Group’s total revenue. The in-vehicle product business will expand from components to branded system products and the Company is expected to become a diverse solution provider integrating audio, video, and lighting.

Financial reports show that in the first half of 2025, AAC Technologies’ in-vehicle product business generated revenue of RMB 1.74 billion, a year-on-year increase of 14.2%, with a gross profit margin of 23.9%. The Group obtained a design-win of a flagship SUV of a Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, and the project features 32 speakers, 40-channel amplifiers, algorithms, and tuning services.

Regarding the hot topics of market concern, Dan said that based on the current situation, AAC Technologies’ growth rate in the second half of the year will be no lower than that in the first half, with annual revenue maintaining double-digit growth year-on-year and gross profit margin steadily improving. While achieving business growth, the Company has kept its research and development, sales, and management expenses at a reasonable level, which is a result of the Company’s transformation in recent years. The Company will actively seize market opportunities, expand its market share, achieve steady performance growth, continue to bring better returns to shareholders, and share the fruits of the Company’s development.

Best practices on leadership, growth and success forum to be headlined by 2025 Asia’s Most Inspirational women and 2025 Global Male Champions 

SINGAPORE, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — House of Rose Professional Pte Ltd.  (HORP), today announced that it would host its 2025 World Edition of Break the ceiling touch the sky®(BTCTTS)- the success and leadership summit for women on Nov 4, 2025 in Singapore. A host of speakers drawn from House of Rose Professional’s 2025 Asia’s Most Inspirational women in leadership and 2025 Global Male Champions for Gender Equality will headline the summit, including Scott Price, Group Chief Executive, DFI Retail Group; Sylvie Gleises, CEO Asia, AXA XL; Jerrica Chooi, Country Holding Officer, Singapore, ABB; Michelle Ho, former President Asia Pacific, UPS; Brian Peters, Former Mr. Universe and Anthony A. Rose, Chairman and CEO, House of Rose Professional Pte and best-selling author of “Break the ceiling touch the sky: success secrets of the world’s most inspirational women”.

The 2025 world edition of Break the ceiling touch the sky® will bring together key executives and participation from over 70 Companies to exchange best practices on leadership, growth, gender balance and success.  The summit will offer leaders and organizations an excellent opportunity to learn and share best practices and sustainable strategies for success in a rapidly changing world; connect and learn alongside successful executives and role models, build new business and networks of support; upskill based on the professional experiences across industries and accelerate the development of their talent. Topics on the agenda include Business trends impacting leadership in the future and key strategies to adopt;  AI and its impact on careers;  success secrets of the most inspirational women; Best practices from the Break the ceiling touch the sky® 2025 most inspirational women and global male champions for gender equality;  career hacks for the world’s highest performing executives and HORP’s unique speed mentoring and interactive segment with 25 senior executives as mentors.

This will be the 11^th annual edition of Break the ceiling touch the sky® to be held by HORP in Singapore and the 41^st international edition of the summit overall since 2015.

Gender balanced-led Companies deliver better business results and are more attractive as employers to top talent. With over 70% of Retail purchases being made by women, the world’s largest Companies  and most successful Companies are accelerating gender equality at leadership levels to match their customer profiles.

Scott Price, Group Chief Executive, DFI Retail Group commented, “A majority of our customers are female. We are a leading Asian retailer delivering quality, value and exceptional service through leading brands, a compelling retail experience and a commitment to sustainability. We are focused on helping our customers make the most of every dollar they spend with us. Unleashing a diverse and inclusive workforce is critical to this mission. We look forward to sharing our leadership best practices and also learning from the best practices of other great companies participating at Break the ceiling touch the sky.” 

Vijayanand Sinha, SVP ASEAN, Reckitt shared, “Reckitt’s workforce represents people of all ages, backgrounds, identities and beliefs. We continue to strive to make our company and wider society an inclusive environment, where every voice is heard and every individual matters. We are pleased to partner with Break the ceiling touch the sky® as we pursue a cleaner, healthier world.”

Commented Anthony A. Rose, Chairman and CEO of House of Rose Professional Pte. Ltd. Ltd and author of the book Break the Ceiling Touch the Sky: success secrets of the world’s most inspirational women which inspired the summit, “Gender diverse & inclusive companies are financially more successful, better employers, greater innovators, and better corporate citizens. The Break the ceiling touch the sky® summit enables companies to learn rapidly across industries amongst the world’s most successful companies (versus reinventing the wheel internally),  develop their leaders and accelerate business growth via gender-balanced leadership.”  

The 2025 world edition of Break the Ceiling Touch the Sky®  is supported by several major Chambers of Commerce as Industry Partners including Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC), AMCHAM Singapore, BRITCHAM Singapore, French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (FCCS), EU-ASEAN Business Council, Eurocham, etc.  Members of all Industry Partners can register at Preferential Industry Partner Rates at https://houseofroseprofessional.com/world-edition-2025/. 

The 2025 world edition of Break the ceiling touch the sky® is a part of the 2025-2026 world tour of Break the ceiling touch the sky® which includes editions of the summit for the Middle East & Africa (Dubai, Sept 8, 2025), India (Mumbai, Sept 30, 2025), the World Edition (Singapore, Nov 4, 2025), the Europe edition (Q1 2026) and the Americas Edition (New York, Q2, 2026).   To explore a partnership for the 2025 World Edition/2025-2026 world tour please email anthony@houseofroseprofessional.com. The full calendar for the 2025 world tour and sign up is at https://houseofroseprofessional.com/training/.

Delegate bookings can be made at www.houseofroseprofessional.com. 

Since 2014, House of Rose Professional has enabled the success of over  50,000 leaders across over 600 companies globally via 38 international editions of Break the Ceiling Touch the Sky®,  and HORP’s  other verticals – CEOSmith®- the executive excellence program for senior leaders;   and BeliEVE® – HORP’s bespoke executive search vertical.  The three verticals together support HORP’S Mission 2029 for a Better World – a global initiative focused on unleashing the highest performing talent – both female and male to lead at the top of the world’s largest companies and shape a better, more equal world.  

MEDIA AND CUSTOMER  INQUIRIES:

Anthony A. Rose at anthony@houseofroseprofessional.com

• Hyundai Motor Group highlighted hydrogen’s role in decarbonization and energy resilience during two high-level dialogues at the 16^th Clean Energy Ministerial
• The Group presented its comprehensive hydrogen business strategy, emphasizing the need for public-private collaboration to accelerate the energy transition
• At CEM16 and the APEC Clean Energy Summit, the Group provided a fleet of 32 units of the all-new NEXO FCEV as official vehicles for ministerial-level officials

BUSAN, South Korea, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) demonstrated its global hydrogen leadership at the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM16), reinforcing the Group’s commitment to advancing hydrogen innovation on an international stage.

During CEM16, the Group actively participated in two high-level dialogues, sharing perspectives on industrial decarbonization, energy efficiency and the role of hydrogen as a future energy source. By engaging with global leaders, the Group showcased its expanding hydrogen business and encouraged meaningful policy and industry collaboration.

Ken Ramirez, Head of Energy & Hydrogen Business Division at Hyundai Motor Group, presented the Group’s comprehensive hydrogen business strategy, emphasizing the need for public-private collaboration to accelerate the energy transition.

In particular, Ramirez outlined the Group’s initiatives to:

• Advance industrial decarbonization through hydrogen-powered mobility and industrial applications.
• Promote energy efficiency across the entire value chain.
• Highlight hydrogen’s critical role in reshaping the global energy mix and enabling a sustainable future.

“As an efficient energy carrier, hydrogen plays a central role in enhancing energy resilience and driving industrial innovation,” said Ramirez. “Hyundai Motor Group is capitalizing on our broad expertise and proven heritage in hydrogen of nearly three decades to deliver real-world hydrogen-powered solutions at scale through our HTWO brand and platform. We are committed to a decarbonized society and to building a hydrogen ecosystem that drives sustainability and competitiveness.”

At the ‘High-Level Dialogue on Industry Decarbonization and Energy Efficiency,’ the Group highlighted the advancement of low-carbon industries through international cooperation. The dialogue underlined the need for practical, scalable public-private initiatives and comprehensive value chain engagement to build a robust hydrogen ecosystem and enhance industrial competitiveness.

In the next session, ‘High-Level Dialogue on Future Fuel,’ the Group focused on advancing hydrogen as a key energy carrier and strengthening the ecosystem through infrastructure and upstream innovation. The Group also stressed the need for hydrogen certification and standardization frameworks, urging greater international cooperation in infrastructure, investment and policy.

Supporting both CEM16 and the APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting on August 27–28, the Group provided a fleet of 32 all-new NEXO SUVs as official transport for ministerial-level officials—the first time FCEVs have served as state vehicles at a major international event. The fleet featured custom branding and included English-language brochures on the NEXO vehicle, HTWO hydrogen brand and hydrogen fuel cell business solutions.

– End –

About Hyundai Motor Group

More information about Hyundai Motor Group can be found at: http://www.hyundaimotorgroup.com or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai, Kia Global Media Center (kianewscenter.com), Genesis Newsroom

Indonesia’s Amartha rebrands as Amartha Financial Group, launching digital financial services to transform the rural economy in 50,000 villages and beyond with the backing of global investors.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Amartha, Indonesia’s pioneering platform for grassroots entrepreneurs, today announced its transformation into Amartha Financial Group after securing a digital wallet license from Bank Indonesia. This milestone marks a new chapter in Amartha’s mission to unlock the potential of Indonesia’s grassroots economy through digital technology.

Now, as Amartha Financial, the company is expanding beyond microloans into digital payments, micro-investments, and other tech-enabled financial services, delivering a complete suite of services, effectively delivering financial infrastructure for Indonesia’s rural economy, which employs over 40 million informal workers according to Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency.

“Our vision is to catalyze the sleeping potential of Indonesia’s rural economy,” said Andi Taufan Garuda Putra, Founder & CEO of Amartha. “By combining digital technology with deep human understanding, we are committed to scale impact for the grassroots, supporting millions of grassroots users to grow income, build assets, and take charge of their future.”

Bank Indonesia Head of Financial Inclusion and Green Economy Department, Anastuty Kusumowardhani, said, “Bank Indonesia will continuously support efforts toward nationwide financial inclusion through policy measures and the implementation of financial inclusion education programs targeting strategic groups, including women.”

Founded in 2010, Amartha has consistently explored how technology can drive rural financial inclusion. Over the past 15 years, it has successfully channeled loans to more than 3.3 million women-led microbusinesses across 50,000 villages, building long-lasting trust.

Amartha Financial’s new services are designed to create a virtuous cycle: entrepreneurs can borrow to start small businesses and generate income, conduct micro-investments to accumulate personal assets, and make digital payments to reduce expenses. This integrated model improves productivity, lowers transaction costs, and strengthens resilience at both household and community levels.

Nailul Huda, Director of Digital Economy at the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), said, “Data shows that around 81% of Indonesians still lack full access to formal financial services. This indicates that financial inclusion remains very low, particularly in rural areas. According to OJK, financial inclusion in rural communities continues to lag behind their urban counterparts. Leveraging a deep understanding of rural behavior and needs, there is a pressing need for innovation in rural financial services, including Amartha’s initiatives. Amartha’s transformation can help advance financial inclusion in rural areas, particularly at the grassroots level, thereby significantly boosting regional economic growth.”

At the heart of Amartha’s evolution is its AI-powered credit scoring system, tailored for rural borrowers but built on over a decade of community-level data. This combination of high-tech and high-touch underscores Amartha’s commitment to pioneering a path that few others have attempted: transforming rural economies through technology designed with and for the grassroots.

By contrast, the Indonesian Fintech Association (AFTECH) 2024 survey reported that the majority of its members, at 96%, focused only on big cities in Java, overlooking Indonesia’s more than 100-million strong rural population.

This approach has proved highly attractive to global funders, ranging from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Accion Digital Transformation Fund, Women’s World Banking, and multiple European sovereign funds.

“Global investors are drawn not only to our unique approach, but also to our governance standards, including internationally certified borrower protection practices,” said Amartha CFO Ramdhan Anggakaradibrata. He further noted that the company has been profitable since 2021.

Njord Andrewes, Managing Partner at Accion Digital Transformation, said, “We are proud to support Amartha’s expansion of responsible financial services for grassroots entrepreneurs. This represents a valuable model of how technology can help drive rural economic growth: creating shared prosperity through digital financial tools that are accessible, trusted, and transformative.”

About Amartha Financial

Amartha Financial (PT Amartha Financial Group and subsidiaries) provides full service financial digital services tailored for rural grassroots users in Indonesia, including payments, micro-investments, working capital, and AI-powered credit scoring designed for bottom-of-the-pyramid borrowers.

Since 2010, Amartha Financial has served more than 3.3 million women-led entrepreneurs across 50,000 villages. Its mission is to create inclusive and sustainable prosperity for the grassroots.

For more information, visit www.amartha.com.

SINGAPORE, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Tazapay, a leading global cross-border payments infrastructure platform, today announced the successful close of its Series B funding round with investment from Peak XV Partners, Ripple (US), Circle Ventures, Norinchukin Capital (Japan), and GMO VenturePartners (Japan). Existing investor Peak XV Partners led the round and 2 other existing investors January Capital and ARC180 joined the round.

The founding team at Tazapay, which has raised Series B funding to build the next generation of cross-border payments infrastructure.

Tazapay provides seamless local collection and payout capabilities in over 70 markets, supporting a growing base of global enterprises and platforms across industries. Tazapay processes more than $10 billion in annualized payment volume, has reached operational breakeven, and is growing at 300% year-over-year.

Tazapay has a differentiated and cutting-edge product offering that our clients value for its breadth and depth. The platform delivers comprehensive coverage across alternative payment methods, cards, virtual bank accounts ,payouts and stablecoins. Combined with institutional-grade security and compliance across multiple jurisdictions, and a robust fiat bridge for stablecoin settlements in emerging markets, Tazapay offers an unparalleled solution for global businesses.

The company is already licensed in Singapore, Canada, and the EU, and will use the new funding to accelerate its licensing roadmap across key global markets. Applications are underway for licenses in the UAE, US, Hong Kong, Australia, and for a Digital Payment Token (DPT) license in Singapore.

“We’re entering the next chapter of our journey — one where modern payment technologies, regulatory compliance, and partnerships with global leaders will enable the future of cross-border commerce,” said Rahul Shinghal, Co-founder and CEO of Tazapay. “With this round, we are not just capitalizing the business; we are investing in our long-term vision to become the builder of a global payment collection and payout infrastructure built on modern rails. One of the key use cases this infrastructure serves is being the Fiat bridge for stablecoins in emerging markets.”

The investments from Ripple and Circle, two of the world’s most prominent players in blockchain-based and stablecoin-powered payments infrastructure, reinforce Tazapay’s role in connecting traditional finance with the evolving world of digital currencies. Tazapay today has one of the widest Fiat collections network in emerging markets and these partnerships help it supercharge the network.

The future of global payments depends on the seamless convergence of traditional and digital finance. Tazapay is a clear leader in building these essential, compliant last-mile connections, especially in emerging markets,” said Eric Jeck, SVP Corporate and Business Development at Ripple. “We’re proud to invest in Tazapay in this next phase of their growth, and together provide best-in-class payment solutions in key regions such as APAC.

The investments from GMO VenturePartners and Norinchukin Capital will accelerate Tazapay’s expansion into Japan. Leveraging these partnerships, Tazapay will enable local Japanese payment methods for its global customer base and establish a dedicated sales team in Japan to help Japanese enterprises scale internationally.

Tazapay’s infrastructure supports high-trust, regulated cross-border payment solutions for B2B marketplaces, platforms, and fintechs. The company plans to further invest in modern payment rails such as real-time payments (RTP), ACH, and stablecoins, delivering a future-ready payment experience for global businesses.

With strong institutional backing, deep fintech expertise, and a clear regulatory path, Tazapay is set to lead the transformation of cross-border payments — bridging the gap between traditional banking and the next era of compliant, borderless digital finance.

Company to present MediAI solution suite and strengthen partnerships for expansion across Southeast and East Asia

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Crescom, a leader in AI-powered musculoskeletal (MSK) image analysis software, announced its participation in the 26th Asian Musculoskeletal Society (AMS) Annual Meeting which takes place from August 29 through 31 at Singapore EXPO.

At the event, Crescom will host an exhibition booth to showcase its AI solution suite and engage directly with healthcare professionals across the region. The company aims to leverage the conference to expand its global network and accelerate entry into Southeast Asian and East Asian markets.

Crescom’s solutions already in clinical use include:

• MediAI-BA, an AI-based bone age and growth prediction solution, currently being utilized by over 400 hospitals and clinics
• MediAI-OA, a quantitative knee osteoarthritis assessment solution that improves diagnostic accuracy, adopted by South Korea’s Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA).
• MediAI-FX, the world’s first AI solution capable of detecting scaphoid fractures on plain radiographs, setting a new benchmark in fracture detection.

The company is also expanding its portfolio with other AI solutions in the pipeline including ankylosing spondylitis, skeletal geometry, and scoliosis, with an aim to solidify its standing as a global leader in musculoskeletal AI.

The AMS Annual Meeting, held jointly with SGCR-WIRES 2025, is one of Asia’s largest international conferences, spotlighting the latest advancements in musculoskeletal imaging and medical AI.

“AMS is a key gathering for the global MSK community,” said Lee Jae Joon, CEO of Crescom. “We see this as an opportunity to strengthen partnerships with hospitals and explore collaborations that will drive our growth across Southeast and East Asia.”