30 C
Vientiane
Saturday, June 7, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog Page 79

Industry Leaders to Accelerate Tech Adoption including GenAI for more than 6,000 Enterprises

  • Three new partners in Digital Enterprise Blueprint to build SMEs’ capabilities in GenAI, Cloud and Cyber Resilience
  • AWS and Microsoft to work with IMDA to accelerate GenAI adoption and benefit 1,000 Digitally Mature SMEs
  • 800 more local AI practitioner job and training opportunities to be created to support upcoming demand

SINGAPORE, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — New partnerships with industry giants Alibaba Cloud, Prudential and ST Engineering will give more local SMEs access to cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and cyber security. Announced today at the opening of ATxEnterprise by Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, these new collaborations, in support of the nation’s Digital Enterprise Blueprint (DEB), will equip businesses to accelerate the adoption of frontier technologies. Mr Tan also launched two new talent programmes that will provide upskilling opportunities and create AI career pathways for locals. These programmes will train AI Practitioners ahead of demand as Singapore accelerates Generative AI (GenAI) adoption across the enterprise ecosystem, strengthening the nation’s position as a global AI hub. 

Three new partnerships to uplift digital capabilities of SMEs  

2.        IMDA will be working on three new partnerships designed to strengthen AI adoption and boost cyber resilience across the SME landscape.

  • Partnership with Alibaba Cloud to raise cloud and AI capabilities – up to 3,000 SMEs and digital solution providers will receive support to raise cloud and AI capabilities through the Alibaba Cloud Digital Accelerator Programme. This comprehensive initiative equips businesses with practical cloud experience and technical resources, including support through cloud credits, technical training workshops, expert consultations, and trial access to Alibaba’s Cloud AI Model Studio.
  • Partnership with Prudential Singapore to enhance GenAI adoption – under the GenAI Xponential Programme, Prudential in partnership with its Talent Engagement Ecosystem partner, Republic Polytechnic, will produce a series of up to 10 GenAI tech explainer videos tailored for SMEs, and conduct up to four workshops to help SMEs learn more about IMDA’s pre-approved GenAI solutions and promote adoption.
  • Partnership with ST Engineering to launch the SME CyberResilience Programme – this initiative will provide up to 2,000 SMEs with a one-time complimentary cyber threat scanning service through IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service platform, while equipping them with crucial insights into emerging cyber threats and defence strategies through dedicated awareness events.

3.         The new partnerships are part of the efforts under the DEB to power the next bound of digitalisation for enterprises. Since its launch in May 2024, the DEB has benefitted over 10,000 enterprises.

Expanding GenAI support for Digitally Mature SMEs

4.        IMDA’s GenAI x Digital Leaders initiative was launched in 2024 to help DMEs build digital capabilities and overcome key challenges. Together with AWS and Microsoft, over 200 enterprises have been equipped with deeper technical understanding of GenAI and gained greater access to tech expertise and advice on deploying GenAI solutions.

5.        IMDA is currently supporting 50 DMEs with project implementations that deliver concrete business impact – generating an estimated productivity increase of as high as 50% and annual cost savings of up to S$300,000.

6.        IMDA is now strengthening its partnerships with AWS and Microsoft to accelerate frontier technology adoption. The enhanced initiative aims to reach more than 1,000 enterprises and support up to 500 projects in the coming year. The expanded collaboration will deliver twice the number of Tech Discovery Workshops and personalised Tech Deep-Dive sessions, while significantly reducing solution development costs and time by half by tapping on the latest technology development tools with pre-built GenAI modules.

7.        DMEs will gain enhanced access to technical expertise, including subject matter experts and model developers, backed by essential resources such as compute power and cloud credits.

Collaborations with AI Singapore and leading companies to provide 800 AI Practitioner job and training opportunities for locals  

8.        The demand for AI talent continues to increase as leading companies set up AI Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and build up their AI teams and activities in Singapore. To meet this demand, IMDA is boosting efforts to build Singapore’s AI talent pipeline. Through the TechSkills Accelerator’s (TeSA) Company-Led Training programme, IMDA has secured 400 local AI Practitioner roles through collaborations with leading companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, Oracle, and SingTel. 

9.        IMDA is also partnering with AI Singapore (AISG) and the industry to launch two new training programmes, which will provide another 400 AI Practitioner job and training opportunities for locals.  

  • AI Apprenticeship Programme (Industry) (AIAP(I)) – To train more locals to take up job opportunities in AI Practitioner roles. 
  • Pinnacle AI Industry Programme (PAIP) – Uplifting local AI Practitioners in frontier companies into expert model builders. 

10.       Set to launch in June 2025, the AIAP(I), developed in collaboration with AISG, will equip locals with AI, Data, and Machine Learning skills, and the opportunity to hone their skills in real-world projects through a six-month programme. The AIAP(I) aims to train 300 AI Practitioners in batches over two years. Upon completion, trainees will be ready for hiring by AI COEs and leading companies. 

 11.      To build deeper technical expertise such as advanced AI model building and fine-tuning demanded by frontier companies, IMDA has partnered AISG’s SEA-LION team to develop the PAIP. This initiative expected to be launched in the second half of 2025, is an intensive six-month full-time programme that will upskill 100 local AI Practitioners into expert model builders over three years.  

CONTACT: atxsg.imda@archetype.co

Industry Leaders to Accelerate Tech Adoption including GenAI for more than 6,000 Enterprises

  • Three new partners in Digital Enterprise Blueprint to build SMEs’ capabilities in GenAI, Cloud and Cyber Resilience
  • AWS and Microsoft to work with IMDA to accelerate GenAI adoption and benefit 1,000 Digitally Mature SMEs
  • 800 more local AI practitioner job and training opportunities to be created to support upcoming demand

SINGAPORE, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — New partnerships with industry giants Alibaba Cloud, Prudential and ST Engineering will give more local SMEs access to cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and cyber security. Announced today at the opening of ATxEnterprise by Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, these new collaborations, in support of the nation’s Digital Enterprise Blueprint (DEB), will equip businesses to accelerate the adoption of frontier technologies. Mr Tan also launched two new talent programmes that will provide upskilling opportunities and create AI career pathways for locals. These programmes will train AI Practitioners ahead of demand as Singapore accelerates Generative AI (GenAI) adoption across the enterprise ecosystem, strengthening the nation’s position as a global AI hub. 

Three new partnerships to uplift digital capabilities of SMEs  

2.        IMDA will be working on three new partnerships designed to strengthen AI adoption and boost cyber resilience across the SME landscape.

  • Partnership with Alibaba Cloud to raise cloud and AI capabilities – up to 3,000 SMEs and digital solution providers will receive support to raise cloud and AI capabilities through the Alibaba Cloud Digital Accelerator Programme. This comprehensive initiative equips businesses with practical cloud experience and technical resources, including support through cloud credits, technical training workshops, expert consultations, and trial access to Alibaba’s Cloud AI Model Studio.
  • Partnership with Prudential Singapore to enhance GenAI adoption – under the GenAI Xponential Programme, Prudential in partnership with its Talent Engagement Ecosystem partner, Republic Polytechnic, will produce a series of up to 10 GenAI tech explainer videos tailored for SMEs, and conduct up to four workshops to help SMEs learn more about IMDA’s pre-approved GenAI solutions and promote adoption.
  • Partnership with ST Engineering to launch the SME CyberResilience Programme – this initiative will provide up to 2,000 SMEs with a one-time complimentary cyber threat scanning service through IMDA’s CTO-as-a-Service platform, while equipping them with crucial insights into emerging cyber threats and defence strategies through dedicated awareness events.

3.         The new partnerships are part of the efforts under the DEB to power the next bound of digitalisation for enterprises. Since its launch in May 2024, the DEB has benefitted over 10,000 enterprises.

Expanding GenAI support for Digitally Mature SMEs

4.        IMDA’s GenAI x Digital Leaders initiative was launched in 2024 to help DMEs build digital capabilities and overcome key challenges. Together with AWS and Microsoft, over 200 enterprises have been equipped with deeper technical understanding of GenAI and gained greater access to tech expertise and advice on deploying GenAI solutions.

5.        IMDA is currently supporting 50 DMEs with project implementations that deliver concrete business impact – generating an estimated productivity increase of as high as 50% and annual cost savings of up to S$300,000.

6.        IMDA is now strengthening its partnerships with AWS and Microsoft to accelerate frontier technology adoption. The enhanced initiative aims to reach more than 1,000 enterprises and support up to 500 projects in the coming year. The expanded collaboration will deliver twice the number of Tech Discovery Workshops and personalised Tech Deep-Dive sessions, while significantly reducing solution development costs and time by half by tapping on the latest technology development tools with pre-built GenAI modules.

7.        DMEs will gain enhanced access to technical expertise, including subject matter experts and model developers, backed by essential resources such as compute power and cloud credits.

Collaborations with AI Singapore and leading companies to provide 800 AI Practitioner job and training opportunities for locals  

8.        The demand for AI talent continues to increase as leading companies set up AI Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and build up their AI teams and activities in Singapore. To meet this demand, IMDA is boosting efforts to build Singapore’s AI talent pipeline. Through the TechSkills Accelerator’s (TeSA) Company-Led Training programme, IMDA has secured 400 local AI Practitioner roles through collaborations with leading companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, Oracle, and SingTel. 

9.        IMDA is also partnering with AI Singapore (AISG) and the industry to launch two new training programmes, which will provide another 400 AI Practitioner job and training opportunities for locals.  

  • AI Apprenticeship Programme (Industry) (AIAP(I)) – To train more locals to take up job opportunities in AI Practitioner roles. 
  • Pinnacle AI Industry Programme (PAIP) – Uplifting local AI Practitioners in frontier companies into expert model builders. 

10.       Set to launch in June 2025, the AIAP(I), developed in collaboration with AISG, will equip locals with AI, Data, and Machine Learning skills, and the opportunity to hone their skills in real-world projects through a six-month programme. The AIAP(I) aims to train 300 AI Practitioners in batches over two years. Upon completion, trainees will be ready for hiring by AI COEs and leading companies. 

 11.      To build deeper technical expertise such as advanced AI model building and fine-tuning demanded by frontier companies, IMDA has partnered AISG’s SEA-LION team to develop the PAIP. This initiative expected to be launched in the second half of 2025, is an intensive six-month full-time programme that will upskill 100 local AI Practitioners into expert model builders over three years.  

CONTACT: atxsg.imda@archetype.co

Explore Launches to Transform International Undergraduate Student Recruitment

  • New independent brand, Explore, powered by Cialfo and BridgeU, offers universities access to an unparalleled community of K12 students seeking international education.
  • Manifest Global’s portfolio now includes Explore, Cialfo, BridgeU, and Kaaiser.

SAN DIEGO, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A new force in international student recruitment, Explore, has launched today, empowering universities to connect with and recruit high-potential international undergraduate students. Leveraging the combined strength of leading and trusted platforms Cialfo and BridgeU, Explore provides access to the largest community of international K12 students globally.

Explore offers a comprehensive suite of events, in-platform promotion and marketing solutions designed to ensure institutions attract and diverse range of students, actively researching international study options. These solutions include targeted digital campaigns, engaging content creation, impactful events, and more, all aimed at connecting universities with prospective undergraduates and their high school counsellors.

“In today’s competitive global education landscape, finding and engaging the right international undergraduate talent is paramount for universities,” says Rohan Pasari, Explore Board Member and CEO of Manifest Global. “Explore is uniquely positioned to address this challenge. By harnessing the power of our market-leading platforms, expert team, and deep data insights, we equip institutions and the broader education sector with the knowledge needed to make informed, evidence-based decisions and achieve their recruitment goals.”

Explore debuted at NAFSA in San Diego with follow-up events to be held in the UK in June.

About Explore

Explore is part of Manifest Global, a global education investment firm headquartered in Singapore. Manifest’s portfolio of education companies and platforms includes BridgeU, Cialfo, and Kaaiser. These three student-facing brands connect tens of thousands of students with international education opportunities every year through advanced university and careers guidance platforms, used by K12 schools in over 150 countries. The integration of online and offline channels creates both a seamless experience for our students and high schools as well as scalable, targeted and attributable returns for institutions through Explore. For more information, visit explore.study.

About Manifest Global

Manifest Global is a global education investment firm headquartered in Singapore, specializing in building companies that connect the world towards growth, prosperity, and innovation. With a portfolio of brands including Cialfo, Explore, BridgeU, and Kaaiser, Manifest Global is dedicated to enhancing global student mobility and fostering an interconnected education ecosystem. It’s backed by prominent global funds including Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital, Square Peg, Tiger Global, SEEK Growth, DLF Ventures, Cercano Management, Analog Capital, January Capital, and more. For more information, visit manifest.inc.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Jonah Duffin: jonah.duffin@explore.study 

SHEIN’s Science-Based Net-Zero Target is Approved by SBTi

SINGAPORE, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As a global online fashion and lifestyle retailer, we have reached a milestone in our climate journey with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validating our net-zero science-based target by 2050 and approving our near and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets. Our climate targets have been validated to conform with the SBTi Net-Zero Standard, aligning with the latest climate science consensus and the Paris Agreement ambition to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.[1] These targets are as follows:


Overall Net-Zero Target:

  • Reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the value chain by 2050.

Near-Term Targets:

  • Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42% by 2030.
  • Reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions[2] by 25% by 2030.
  • Increase active annual sourcing of renewable electricity to 100% by 2030.

Long-Term Targets:

  • Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 90% by 2050.
  • Reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions by 90% by 2050.

Full details of our net-zero targets can be found at SBTi.

Mustan Lalani, Global Head of Sustainability at SHEIN, said, “SBTi’s validation of our net-zero targets marks an important step in SHEIN’s decarbonisation journey. We are committed to reducing emissions across our value chain and recognise that addressing Scope 3 emissions is a complex but critical part of that effort. As we continue this work, we will build on our momentum and adapt our approach in line with evolving technologies, policies and industry best practices.”

Our decarbonisation roadmap in action

In 2024, with the support of sustainability consultancy Anthesis Group, we developed a decarbonisation roadmap to guide our progress toward meeting our near- and long-term emissions reduction targets. This roadmap outlines priority decarbonisation actions based on their emissions reduction potential, technical and operational feasibility, and alignment with SHEIN’s business strategy and growth plans.

Scope 1 & 2: Reducing Direct Operational Emissions

We are addressing direct emissions from our operations and purchased electricity by prioritising the following actions:

  1. Transition to Renewable Energy: Powering all directly-managed operations with 100% renewable electricity by 2030, through increased on-site electricity production from solar photovoltaic installations across SHEIN-operated facilities, and the purchase of high-integrity Energy Attribute Certificates.
  2. Improve Energy Efficiency: Enhancing energy consumption monitoring and upgrading systems across our directly-managed facilities to improve energy efficiency and reduce consumption.
  3. Phase Out Fossil Fuels and Reduce Fugitive Emissions: Phasing out fossil fuels in our operations by transitioning to electric vehicles, and reducing fugitive emissions, e.g. through the use of fire suppression systems with lower global warming potential.


Scope 3: Addressing Emissions Across the Value Chain

We are focused on reducing emissions in our two highest impact categories, Purchased Goods and Services, and Upstream Transportation and Distribution, which account for approximately 96% of our emissions in 2024.

Making Products More Sustainably:

The following priority actions outline how we are addressing emissions from the production phase of our products:

  1. Minimising the Use of Virgin Materials and Transitioning to Lower Carbon-Impact Alternatives: Reducing the amount of virgin materials used in garment and packaging production, as well as switching to and promoting greater usage of alternatives with lower carbon footprints, for instance, using recycled instead of virgin polyester – scaling textile-to-textile recycling will be an important part of the transition to recycled polyester, and to support this, we have a multi-year research partnership with Donghua University to study how to drive commercially scalable production of recycled polyester fibre made from textiles.
  2. Promoting Lower CarbonImpact Manufacturing Processes: Supporting our suppliers in transitioning to renewable energy and encouraging improvements to their manufacturing processes to reduce their carbon footprint; examples include installing energy-saving equipment and adopting energy-saving practices.

Reducing Transport Emissions:
The following actions are aimed at helping us to reduce emissions from the transportation and distribution of our products:

  1. Reducing Transportation Distances: Optimising our global logistics network and route planning, and to promote the greater use of land, sea, or multimodal routes.
  2. Improving Transport Efficiency: Ensuring smaller carbon footprints through improving load and packaging efficiency, as well as the use of lower-emission transport modes.


Other Decarbonisation Opportunities

We are also strengthening waste management at our directly-managed facilities through updated guidelines that require the classification, recycling and documentation of all industrial waste, and promoting practices to encourage our customers to extend the use of their products, including initiatives such as our peer-to-peer resale platform, SHEIN Exchange, to reduce product-related emissions. By working towards solutions that aim to cut down on waste, we are aiming to cut down on the energy and resources needed across our own operations, with the goal of minimising our Scope 3 emissions.

[1] SHEIN’s 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction targets are with reference to a baseline year of 2023.

[2] From purchased goods and services, fuel- and energy-related activities, upstream transportation and distribution, waste generated in operations and end-of-life treatment of sold products.

 

 

 

 

Nearly One in Four Globally Now Own Crypto, According to Gemini’s 2025 State of Crypto Report

Global growth is likely to continue as a result of President Trump’s crypto policies

NEW YORK, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, crypto platform Gemini released its 2025 Global State of Crypto report, which found that in 2025 global adoption of crypto grew in all geographies surveyed. In 2024, one in five (21%) of respondents in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Singapore reported owning crypto. In 2025, that figure grew to nearly one in four (24%).

This global growth may be due in part to the Trump Administration’s treatment of crypto. Since coming into office in January 2025, President Donald J. Trump has established a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for the United States, appointed SEC leadership more favorable to digital assets, and expressed support for bills that will provide stablecoin legislation and a regulatory framework for digital assets.

Survey results suggest these policies are inspiring interest in the industry among non-owners–those who have never invested in crypto. Understanding and winning over this group will drive significant growth for the industry, which has experienced relatively flat adoption over the past few years.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of non-owners in the US said President Trump launching a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve increased their confidence in the value of cryptocurrency. This sentiment was echoed globally by non-owner respondents in the UK and Singapore, where about one in five (21% and 19%, respectively) non-owners said the same. 

Other key findings include:

  • Europe leads the way in growing crypto ownership: In 2025, 24% of respondents in the UK said they were invested in cryptocurrency, up from 18% in 2024. It was the biggest year-over-year jump of any of the nations surveyed. In France, 21% of respondents reported owning crypto, up from 18% in 2024. In the United States, adoption grew from 21% to 22%, and in Singapore from 26% to 28%. 
  • Memecoins drove crypto adoption: In the US, 31% of investors who own both memecoins and traditional cryptocurrencies report that they purchased their memecoins first, followed by 30% in Australia, 28% in the UK, 23% in Singapore, 22% in Italy, and 19% in France. However, globally, 94% of memecoin owners also own other types of crypto, suggesting memecoins are an onramp to crypto for many investors around the globe.
  • France leads the way in memecoin adoption: France’s pro-crypto stance has inspired deeper investment in memecoins in the country. In France, 67% of crypto investors own memecoins, followed by 59% in Singapore, 58% in Italy, 57% in the UK, 55% in the US, and 45% in Australia.
  • Nearly two in five crypto owners in the US are invested in crypto ETFs: Following the approval of spot crypto ETFs in early 2024, adoption has increased, with 39% of crypto investors in the US owning crypto ETFs, up from 37% in 2024.
  • Half of Gen Z and Millennials invest in crypto: Half of Millennial and Gen Z respondents globally (50%) said they either currently own crypto or have in the past, at 52% and 48%, respectively.

The United States has proven itself as a global leader in web3 and blockchain technology with the addition of Trump’s pro-crypto policies, which is a significant change from the previous Administration” said Marshall Beard, Chief Operating Officer at Gemini. “With this pro-innovation approach, the crypto industry is positioned for significant growth in the United States and around the world.”

Gemini has conducted its State of Crypto report annually since 2021. Reports from 2022 and earlier can be found here. The 2024 State of Crypto report can be found here. The countries surveyed in the 2025 State of Crypto report included the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Singapore, and Australia. Year-over-year data is only available for the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Singapore as Italy and Australia were new additions to the 2025 study.

Methodology

The 2025 Global State of Crypto report is based on a survey of 7,205 consumers in the US, UK, France, Italy, Singapore, and Australia (approximately 1,200 consumers per country). The survey was conducted online between March 18, 2025 and April 10, 2025 on behalf of Gemini by Data Driven Consulting Group. The total sample has been balanced and is generally representative of the adult population in each country ages 18 to 75 with household incomes of $14,000 USD or more. Data cited in the report as 2024 is from a survey conducted online between May 23, 2024 and June 28, 2024, also on behalf of Gemini by Data Driven Consulting Group.

This release includes forward-looking statements and interpretations of public sentiment based on survey data. These do not represent definitive outcomes or endorsements by Gemini.

About Gemini

Gemini is a global crypto and Web3 platform founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in 2014. Gemini offers a wide range of crypto products and services for individuals and institutions in over 70 countries. Gemini’s simple, reliable, and secure products are built to unlock the next era of financial, creative, and personal freedom.

 

Oi Wah Achieves Net Profit of 55.9 million with Improved Net Interest Margin in FY2025

Demonstrating Financial Stability, Proposed Final Dividend of HK$0.81 cents per share, Exploring Overseas Market to Diversify Income Source


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 May 2025 – The board of directors of Oi Wah Pawnshop Credit Holdings Limited (HKEx stock code: 1319.HK, the “Group” or “Oi Wah”) announced its annual results and its financial position. For the year ended 28 February 2025 (“FY2025”), the Group recorded revenue of approximately HK$164.3 million and profit attributable to shareholders of the Company of approximately HK$55.9 million. During the year, net interest margin slightly improved to 16.5%.

Leveraging the strategic partnership fund established in collaboration with PACM Group (Holdings) Limited (“PACM Group”), the Group is committed to proactively expanding its presence in overseas markets, diversifying its business revenue streams, while effectively mitigating risks from geographical market volatility.

For the year ended 28 February 2025, the cash and cash equivalents (net of bank overdraft) amounted to approximately HK$215.7 million, representing a net increase of approximately HK$45.1 million compared to 29 February 2024. The net assets increased to approximately HK$1,108.0 million. Meanwhile, the gearing ratio decreased from 7.7% to 4.3%, reflecting the Group maintained a healthy financial position during FY2025.

During the year, the earnings per share was HK 2.9 cents. The Board of Directors recommends a final dividend of HK 0.81 cents.

Business Review

Mortgage loan business

In FY2025, the Group recorded interest income of the mortgage loan business of approximately HK$77.0 million. The amount of gross mortgage loan receivables was approximately HK$670.7 million as at 28 February 2025. During the year, net interest margin of the mortgage loan business is about 10.3%.

During FY2025, the Group has maintained a prudent approach when granting loans, underpinned by a focus on building a resilient loan portfolio amid the uncertain environment brought about by the pandemic. We are of the view that maintaining a cautious underwriting stance and healthy loan portfolio will position the Group well for the economic recovery and eventual normalization ahead. During FY2025, the average loan-to-value ratio for first mortgage was approximately 58.2%, while average overall loan-to-value ratio for subordinate mortgage was approximately 52.8%, of which, average loan-to-value ratio of subordinate mortgage that the Group participate in was approximately 15.7%.

Pawn Loan Business

During FY2025, the revenue from the pawn loan business increased by 9.7% to approximately HK$87.3 million, which accounted for approximately 53.1% of the Group’s total revenue. The interest income of the pawn loan receivables increased by approximately 4.5% to approximately HK$76.2 million, which was mainly attributed to the increase in gold price and an active second-hand luxury market, especially for luxury watches. During FY2025, the Group continued to channel resources to advertising and promotion to enhance the Group’s brand exposure. Such effort has generated demand for one-to-one pawn loan appointment services for pawn loans exceeding HK$0.1 million.

Prospects

Looking ahead, the global economy is anticipated to continue its moderate recovery, while macroeconomic policy uncertainties are expected to persist. The Directors believe that the Hong Kong property market will experience cautious trajectory. To inject impetus into the profit growth, the Group strategically partnered with PACM Group to establish a fund which marked our entry into the real estate private credit institutional investment management sector. We will proactively explore expansion opportunities in developed markets and maintain prudent investment oversight to mitigate market risks and maximize returns for investors and shareholders.

In order to further enhance customer experience and maintain robust operational profitability, the Group will continue to review strategic shop locations and explore potential acquisition opportunities within the established pawn businesses. These initiatives aim to strengthen our market-leading position and ensure sustainable long-term growth amid evolving industry dynamics.

Mr. Edward Chan, Chairman and CEO of the Company, said, “Along with the ongoing tensions in US-China trade relations, the global economy is confronted with heightened uncertainties, exerting additional pressure on economic rebound. Consequently, the Hong Kong property market outlook remains challenging.

The Group remains steadfast in its commitment to seeking strategic breakthroughs amidst these adverse circumstances. In addition to focusing on the local market, we are proactively exploring overseas market development opportunities through our strategic partnership fund with PACM Group. We are committed to diversify our revenue streams and expand our customer base, with a dedicated effort to generate enhanced long-term value and returns for our shareholders.”

Hashtag: #OiWah #靄華 #AnnualResults #全年業績

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

Oi Wah Pawnshop Credit Holdings Limited

Oi Wah is a financing service provider in Hong Kong, mainly providing short-term secured financing, including pawn loans and mortgage loans. The Group established its first pawnshop in 1975 and currently owns 10 pawnshops and one premium service center in various locations in Hong Kong. Oi Wah diversified into mortgage loan business in 2009. The Group is the first local pawn shop which successfully listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on 12 March 2013.

ASC Earns Frost & Sullivan’s 2025 Global Competitive Strategy Leadership Award for Revolutionizing Enterprise Compliance with Cutting-Edge, Omnichannel Recording and AI-Powered Analytics

ASC’s groundbreaking Recording Insights solution bridges the compliance gap across communication channels, offering deep business insights and seamless integration for regulated industries.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan recently researched the compliance recording and analytics industry and, based on its findings, recognizes ASC Technologies with the 2025 Global Competitive Strategy Leadership Award. ASC is a leading provider of sophisticated compliance recording, AI-based analytics, and quality management solutions that help organizations close compliance gaps, enhance the customer experience, and gain valuable insights through AI-powered analysis – all while meeting stringent regulatory standards.

With Recording Insights ASC delivers a powerful, AI-enabled approach to enterprise-grade compliance. It captures voice, video, chat, and screen sharing across communication platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco, Genesys, and RingCentral. With built-in transcription, translation, and AI capabilities like Azure OpenAI, the solution turns communication data into actionable insights—enabling greater efficiency, lower risk, and smarter decisions.

Recording Insights is among the most advanced compliance solutions for Microsoft Teams, offering native integration, strong security, and trusted deployment in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. The integrated AI Policy Engine detects regulatory violations, enforces compliance templates, and adapts to changing legal standards, delivering clear value for industries such as finance, healthcare, and the public sector.

“ASC’s Recording Insights solution bridges the compliance gap for organizations in regulated industries while also delivering deep conversational insights that help organizations drive operational efficiencies and growth. Recording Insights supports legal recording in full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation, capturing data across voice, video meetings, screen sharing, and chat communication sessions,” said Elka Popova, VP of Connected Work at Frost & Sullivan.

ASC’s success is rooted in its ability to simplify the complexities of compliance recording with a flexible, cloud-first architecture that is easy to deploy, manage, and scale. This architecture enables secure, encrypted, and geo-redundant data storage with configurable retention policies tailored to industry regulations. The platform’s user-friendly design minimizes IT overhead and accelerates onboarding, allowing organizations to be fully operational in just a few hours.

“ASC stands out among compliance recording and analytics providers because of its ease of use, the flexibility of its fully cloud-based approach, and its robust, enterprise-grade platform. With integrated compliance recording and secure storage, ASC enables organizations to effectively manage communications, particularly in regulated industries,” noted Popova.

ASC’s platform is also used by strategic partners such as Mitel. Their solutions MIR and MIR Insight AI are built on ASC’s technology, offering the full feature set of Recording Insights – including the AI Policy Engine, risk detection, advanced analytics, and seamless integration capabilities.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has leveraged competitive intelligence to successfully execute a strategy that results in stronger market share, competitive brand positioning, and customer satisfaction.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About ASC

ASC is a global leader in compliance recording, quality management and AI-based analytics. Our solutions help organizations evaluate their communications-based data, securely meet regulatory requirements, and optimize customer service.

Using AI, conversations are analyzed in real-time to detect compliance violations and assess the quality of customer interactions. Financial services, contact center, and public safety organizations rely on ASC to ensure their communication is legally compliant and customer-centric.

Our solutions are scalable and flexible – available as cloud services, on-premise, or in hybrid environments. Headquartered in Germany, with subsidiaries in 15 locations and a global partner network in over 60 countries, ASC is the #1 in Europe and sets standards for AI-based communication technology worldwide.

About Frost & Sullivan

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, megatrends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Ashley Shreve
Marketing Coordinator – Best Practices Recognition
Ashley.Weinkauf@frost.com
Phone: +1.210.844.2505

Digital Supply Chain Transformation Accelerates in Life Sciences as New Partners Join the TraceLink OPUS Partner Program

BOSTON, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TraceLink, the largest end-to-end digital network platform for intelligent orchestration of the supply chain, announced significant momentum in its OPUS Partner Program, which has grown by 35% since April 2024. This growth reflects surging demand across life sciences for digital supply chain transformation—and trusted partners who can operationalize these advanced solutions to maximize ROI and drive long-term value.

Digital Transformation, Powered by Partners

Partners now account for more than 50% of all new business, up from 25% in 2024. The majority of new MINT (Multienterprise Information Network Tower) engagements will include a designated partner, reflecting TraceLink’s commitment to delivering deeper, faster value to customers. This partner-first approach ensures that customers are supported by specialized experts who guide strategic supply chain design, operationalize change management, and help rearchitect and support supply chain IT landscapes to meet evolving demands.

Underpinning this growth is TraceLink’s Orchestration Platform for Universal Solutions (OPUS), which equips partners with no-code configuration capabilities to rapidly create and deploy tailored solutions. Combined with TraceLink’s global B2N Integrate-Once™ network of 291,000+ verified entities, partners can expand services, accelerate implementations, and empower customers with greater supply chain agility and resilience.

“Partnering with TraceLink has been instrumental in helping us deliver cutting-edge supply chain solutions to our customers,” said Peter Bigelow, CEO, SCmple. “This partnership not only improves our ability to drive digital transformation but also empowers our customers with the agility and operational excellence needed to navigate today’s complex supply chain landscape.”

New Solution and Technology Partners Strengthen TraceLink’s Growing Ecosystem

TraceLink continues to build a robust, global ecosystem by welcoming new Solution Partners and Technology Partners who share a common goal—delivering measurable outcomes for customers and accelerating digital transformation.

Solution Partners provide implementation, optimization, and change management expertise, helping customers fully realize the value of their TraceLink investment. New partners include Arcolab, Clarkston Consulting, Sikich, and ZS.

Technology Partners integrate their platforms with TraceLink’s multienterprise supply chain network to enable seamless interoperability across ERP, WMS, IMS, and supply planning systems. New additions such as Kinaxis, SCmple, SCW.AI, Softeon, and Slingshot Pharma strengthen the platform’s orchestration capabilities.

“The rapid expansion of the TraceLink OPUS Partner Program reflects the growing demand for intelligent, end-to-end supply chains,” said Shabbir Dahod, President and CEO of TraceLink. “Our partners are not just supporting implementations—they’re enabling innovation, driving revenue growth, synchronizing supply and demand, and helping customers rethink the architecture of their supply chains.”

Delivering Impact: 159 Partner-Led Deals and a 4.5x+ Services Multiplier

TraceLink partners have led 159 customer engagements across MINT and track-and-trace/serialization deals, with 57 projects in the last six months alone. These engagements demonstrate the program’s reach and its value creation potential.

The service opportunity for partners is substantial, with the majority of customers seeking a Solution Partner, and the services multiplier averages 4.5x, with many engagements reaching 10x or higher. Partners help customers move beyond the foundational digitalization capabilities to unlock sustained value through orchestration and data-driven supply chain operations.

Introducing OPUS Link Lab: Accelerating Partner Innovation

To accelerate partner-led innovation, TraceLink is launching OPUS Link Lab (OLL), a secure, pre-production sandbox environment where Solution and Technology Partners can use no-code tools to design, test, and validate new multienterprise solutions, reports, dashboards, and integrations. With preloaded access to base solutions like MINT, OLL enables rapid prototyping, system interoperability testing, and hands-on platform training. Launching in June 2025 through a phased early access program, OLL will also serve as the launchpad to the upcoming OPUS Marketplace, where validated partner solutions can be listed and commercialized across TraceLink’s global customer and partner network. Sign up for early access to OLL.

Unlocking Opportunities at FutureLink Barcelona

At FutureLink Barcelona 2025, TraceLink’s premier industry event, partners and customers alike will explore how to harness the power of OPUS and MINT to orchestrate next-generation supply chains. With 60+ sessions, workshops, and immersive experiences, Solution and Technology Partners will gain first-hand insight into the platform’s newest capabilities—and how to help their clients accelerate transformation, improve compliance, and build more resilient supply networks.

Join the Future of the Global, Digital Life Sciences Supply Chain

The TraceLink OPUS Partner Program empowers partners with industry-leading tools, training, and business opportunities. For customers, it ensures that every implementation is supported by a knowledgeable ecosystem of experts who help deliver faster time to value.

Learn more about the TraceLink OPUS Partner Program and register for FutureLink Barcelona today.

About TraceLink

TraceLink Inc. is the largest end-to-end intelligent supply chain platform for life sciences and healthcare, enabling orchestration through a globally connected digital network of more than 291,000 entities. Businesses rely on TraceLink to ensure complete supply chain visibility, product traceability, and secure medicine delivery—driving better health outcomes for every patient, everywhere.