HANGZHOU, China, Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from china-nengyuan.com
CFE2026
Under the dual carbon goals of peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, the share of renewable energy is set to continue rising, with new types of energy storage being key to the high-quality development of new energy. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee emphasized in a meeting on energy the need to leverage the strengths of the national system and strengthen technological breakthroughs in long-duration energy storage. Zhang Jianhua, Party Secretary and Director of the National Energy Administration, stated in a signed article for Shishi Baogao (Current Affairs Report) that priority should be given to advancing long-duration energy storage technologies such as flow batteries and compressed air energy storage. New and long-duration energy storage have thus been elevated to a national strategic level.
Academician Zhao Tianshou of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dean of the Institute of Carbon Neutrality Energy at Southern University of Science and Technology pointed out that achieving carbon neutrality hinges on energy transition—replacing fossil fuels with new energy. However, the random and intermittent nature of wind and solar power constrains their large-scale grid integration, necessitating energy storage technologies to stabilize fluctuations and balance supply and demand. He stated that new flow batteries combine safety with easy scalability, feature long cycle life, and represent a promising long-duration energy storage technology with the potential to drive the high-quality development of new energy.
With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and increased computing power of data center racks, the global number of data center racks is projected to reach 181.3 million by 2030. Global new energy storage installation capacity for data centers is expected to increase from 16.5 GWh in 2024 to 209.4 GWh by 2030. According to IEA predictions, electricity demand from data centers and 5G networks in China will continue to climb between 2025 and 2027, with their share of electricity consumption potentially rising from the current 3% to 6%. As global data center and AI computing center construction accelerates, driving surging energy and power demand, the synergistic model of “energy storage + renewable energy” is likely to become the “standard” for building green data centers. Beyond traditional application scenarios like generation and grid sides, safer, more stable, and longer-duration AIDC energy storage, represented by flow batteries, will usher in new development opportunities.
Co-organized by the Asia Flow Battery Industry Alliance & Yangtze River Delta Flow Battery Energy Storage Ecosystem Alliance (in preparation), Global Flow Battery Network, Global Flow Battery Energy Storage (WeChat official account), Hangzhou Chuangbo Network Technology Co., Ltd., and others, the globally leading, largest, and flagship event—CFE2026: The 6th China Flow Battery Energy Storage Conference & Exhibition—will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, on March 17–18. Under the theme “Flow Battery Summit of a Thousand, Building Industry Excellence Together,” the conference will delve into trending topics and industry pain points such as flow battery innovation and applications, long-duration energy storage, and breakthroughs in key materials across the entire industrial chain. The event will cover all technical routes including all-vanadium, all-iron, zinc-bromine, iron-chromium, zinc-iron, lead-acid, sulfur-iron, and aqueous organic systems. It will feature 50+ keynote speeches, 100+ premium exhibition booths, 100+ industry leaders and experts, and attract over 1,000 participants. Top industry-academia-research leaders, leading enterprises, and over 600 companies from the entire industrial chain will gather for this first-ever global flow battery summit of its scale, setting the direction for industry development!
China’s flow battery industrial chain has essentially taken shape, and flow battery energy storage projects are accelerating toward commercial application. To comprehensively, rapidly, and systematically advance investment, financing, application, and project deployment in flow battery energy storage, further improve the upstream and downstream industrial chain, optimize and integrate industry resources, and foster exchange, cooperation, and coordinated development among enterprises as well as between R&D, production, and the market, this event is set to be the industry’s first global gathering of a thousand participants. Adopting a conference + exhibition format, it will cover the entire industrial chain from upstream to downstream and across industry, academia, and research, creating an internationally leading integrated platform for business and exchange. Long-duration energy storage using flow batteries may well be one of the most valuable investment sectors for the next two decades!
DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As Consensus 2026 brings together leaders and changemakers in digital asset innovation, Byreal co-founder Emily Bao today unveiled the protocol’s ambitious 2026 strategic roadmap at Solana Accelerate APAC, illustrating three transformative pillars designed to redefine on-chain trading infrastructure.
Speaking at the flagship Solana developer event held during Consensus 2026, Bao outlined how Byreal is expanding on-chain infrastructure to support broader asset participation, including real-world assets and advanced liquidity systems:
1. Automated and AI-Powered LP Infrastructure
Bao teased AI-powered liquidity provider (LP) tools in 2026, including AutoSwap for single-asset entry with atomic execution, AI-assisted strategy engines for optimized position management for LP, and automated rebalancing with yield compounding. The initiative aims to lower participation barriers and simplify liquidity management for on-chain users.
2. Prop AMM
Byreal plans to roll out a Prop AMM model featuring protocol-managed liquidity in its initial phase, combined with dynamic fees that adjust based on order flow quality. The model is designed to improve execution stability and capital efficiency, with plans to gradually open participation to all.
3. Bringing RWA Perpetuals On-Chain
Byreal will introduce 24/7 perpetual futures trading for real-world assets (RWA) and other on-chain assets, with plans to incorporate prediction market data as an on-chain signal layer. The initiative aims to expand on-chain access to global asset markets through a unified execution layer.
Emily Bao Unveils 2026 Strategic Roadmap at Solana Accelerate APAC: 24/7 Perpetual Trading Is Coming to the DEX
Byreal: Building Infrastructure for Internet Capital Markets
Byreal, incubated by Bybit and launched in mid-2025, has rapidly become one of Solana’s most prominent DEX platforms. “We’re building foundational infrastructure for internet capital markets,” Bao emphasized. Byreal stands out in the competitive DEX space with exceptional price discovery, robust liquidity, and seamless access to both crypto-native and real-world assets, she said.
The keynote address comes as Solana emerges as the gateway for institutional capital entering crypto markets, with Solana Accelerate APAC bringing together over 2,000 builders, executives, and policymakers.
Byreal plans to roll out these initiatives throughout 2026. To stay up to date with Byreal’s latest developments, users may visit: www.byreal.io
#Byreal / #Bybit / #TheCryptoArk / #IMakeIt
About Bybit
Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 80 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.
Byreal is the ultimate liquidity layer built for real assets, delivering unmatched liquidity for users. It integrates DEX, Launch into a unified smart routing architecture, forming a full-cycle growth engine that supports asset discovery, trading, and yield generation across multiple ecosystems.
First-Ever Attack-Defence Simulation Aligns with Real Corporate Needs Setting a New Benchmark for Local Cybersecurity Competitions
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 February 2026 – As cyberattacks grow increasingly complex, cybersecurity has become a critical domain of global concern and a talent shortage. According to the latest “Hong Kong Cybersecurity Outlook 2026” released by the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT) under the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), nearly 30% of the 622 surveyed enterprises still lack dedicated cybersecurity staff. Specifically, only 26% of SMEs have a dedicated cybersecurity role, significantly lower than the 59% of large enterprises, reflecting a gap in resource allocation and technology adoption among SMEs.
Now in its sixth year, “HKCERT Capture The Flag Challenge” continues to attract top cybersecurity talents from Hong Kong and beyond, showcasing the capability and vitality of the next generation of local and international cybersecurity professionals.
To cultivate practical talent for the cybersecurity sector, the sixth “HKCERT Capture The Flag Challenge 2025” (HKCERT CTF Challenge) was successfully organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO), HKPC, and HKCERT. This year’s competition was elevated to the first-ever adoption of an attack–defence mode, closely replicating the network setup of real enterprises. Participants experienced first-hand hacking techniques, system vulnerability analysis, threat intelligence gathering, and coordinated response in a simulated real-world environment. Through completing multiple tasks within a limited time, the competition also allowed them to break through the traditional classroom theoretical framework, gain practical experience and build confidence. The event attracted around 1,940 young contestants, an increase of nearly 40% from last year’s 1,385 participants, reaching a record high for the competition. Contestants included teams from Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland, Asia, and Europe, fostering cross-regional exchange and collaboration. In the finals, three local teams and one overseas team were awarded gold prizes in the Secondary School, Tertiary Institution, Open Category, and International Category respectively, while Sing Yin Secondary School received the “Best School Award”. The full list of awardees is available on the event website.
Participants Share Practical Experience Integrating AI into Attack and Defence The competition was well received by contestants for its innovative format and realistic offensive and defensive environment, offering a valuable platform for learning and exchange. The winning team in the International Category, W&M, commented, “Our members are from Shanxi, Guangdong and Beijing. This was our first time competing together in the HKCERT CTF Challenge. The atmosphere and experience of the finals were excellent. The tasks were centred on an attack‑defence simulation, requiring us to find all vulnerabilities while patching our own systems and attacking other teams at the same time. Some vulnerabilities were discovered and exploited by other teams first, which kept the scores very close and made the competition incredibly tense and exciting”.
They added, “During the competition, we also applied lots of AI techniques for assistance, such as applying AI to analyse vulnerabilities and refine attack methods. In the future, AI may play a deeper role in areas like vulnerability detection and code analysis, but for now it cannot be fully relied upon—human oversight is still essential”.
HKCERT CTF Challenge has now been held for six consecutive years, with its scale expanding annually and participants showing continuous growth. Many secondary school students gain their first hands‑on exposure to cybersecurity through the competition and connect with university mentors, helping them shape their academic and career paths. Several past participants have gone on to compete in local and international events, committing to a future in the cybersecurity field. Beyond attracting overseas talent to exchange ideas in Hong Kong, HKCERT continues to build connections between cybersecurity professionals in Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland. Top‑performing teams can gain direct entry into equivalent finals in Chinese Mainland. For example, participants from the previous HKCERT CTF Challenge 2024 advanced directly to the finals of the “Greater Bay Area Cup Cybersecurity Challenge”, where they secured the top four places in the Hong Kong and Macao category. This also provided local contestants with access to world‑class cybersecurity techniques, effectively promoting cross‑regional elite collaboration and talent development.
Finals Format Upgraded: Attack-Defence Mode Mirrors Real Enterprise Operations The finals were comprehensively upgraded this year. In addition to increase the overall technical difficulty, the competition introduced an attack‑defence format for the first time that closely mirrors real enterprise cybersecurity operations. Teams played dual roles—both attackers and defenders—in an environment created with reference to the real-world systems. The tasks simulated incident response and live attack-defence scenarios commonly encountered in the cybersecurity field. Within a limited timeframe, participants had to do penetration testing, exploit vulnerabilities and attack, while patching their own systems and monitoring threats in real time against attacks from other teams. This parallel attack‑defence setup reflects actual workflow patterns in the industry, effectively training participants’ analytical abilities and adaptability under pressure. Through hands‑on practice in a likely enterprise environment, contestants developed multifaceted, industry‑aligned capabilities—laying a solid foundation for their future careers in cybersecurity.
Ms Candy CHAN, Assistant Commissioner (Project Governance and Cybersecurity) of the DPO, highlighted the DPO’s commitment to enhancing Hong Kong’s cyber resilience, with one of its key initiatives being the nurturing of the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. She emphasised that the DPO has been collaborating closely with academia and industry partners to foster a robust talent pipeline and build a safer digital environment in Hong Kong. She noted that this year marks the sixth edition of the HKCERT CTF Challenge, which has grown into one of Hong Kong’s most respected and anticipated cybersecurity competitions over the years. Beyond being a contest of technical prowess, the Challenge serves as a dynamic platform for networking, knowledge exchange and community building among the new generation of cybersecurity experts.
Ir Samson SUEN, General Manager of Digital Trust and Transformation Division of HKPC, stated, “HKCERT CTF Challenge has consistently aimed to build an international platform for technical exchange. Through high-intensity simulated contests, we enhance participants’ cyber defence skills and promote cross-regional interaction among emerging cybersecurity talents. This cultivates a new generation of globally competitive professionals in Hong Kong and strengthens the local talent pipeline. This year’s finals first introduced a simulation of real-world cybersecurity operations, enabling teams to experience both offensive and defensive roles in a recent cybersecurity team. This hands-on approach is crucial for developing practical skills and incident response capabilities”.
Fostering Cybersecurity Awareness Across All Sectors of Society To further enhance cybersecurity awareness across the community, HKCERT has partnered with the DPO and the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of The Hong Kong Police Force, to launch the “Building a Secure Cyberspace 2026” campaign to promote cybersecurity awareness. The initiative includes various educational activities, such as an “AI-Generated Four-Panel Comic”contest, which encourages the public to make good use of AI tools while strengthening their understanding of cybersecurity. At the corporate governance level, HKCERT will publish a series of practical guidelines addressing emerging risks —such as AI applications and supply chain security—highlighted in the “Hong Kong Cybersecurity Outlook 2026”, to support business in establishing a robust protection framework. In particular for AI governance, the guidelines will offer actionable recommendations covering AI system security assessments, compliance rules for employees using public AI platforms, controls over sensitive data input, and methods for monitoring and defending against AI‑assisted attacks. These resources aim to help enterprises systematically enhance their cyber resilience across governance, technology, and awareness.
As Hong Kong accelerates the development of innovation and technology and advances its digital economy, strengthening cyber defence capabilities has become a key talent need. HKCERT will continue to support businesses and the public through incident response, security guidance, and cybersecurity awareness programmes. The HKCERT CTF Challenge continues to play a vital role in nurturing local talent, fostering cross-regional collaboration, and advancing public education. By enhancing the overall level of protection, the competition contributes to the sustainable development of the digital economy and reinforces Hong Kong’s long‑term competitiveness.
The seventh edition of HKCERT CTF Challenge will be held in November 2026, featuring more innovative attack-defence challenges and continuing to set up an international category to provide local contestants with a platform for technical exchange with top teams from Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland, and overseas. Registration opens in September 2026, with finalists competing in the live finals in February 2027.
Hashtag: #HKCERT
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Hong Kong Productivity Council
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a statutory body established in 1967, dedicated to enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of Hong Kong enterprises through world-class applied R&D, innovative technology services, and integrated manufacturing solutions. As a market-oriented, international R&D organisation, HKPC leverages its deep expertise and extensive industry experience in key areas such as AI, advanced manufacturing, life and health technology, green technology and new energy to drive new industrialisation and support the growth of emerging and future industries.
HKPC focuses on addressing businesses challenges and industrial technology needs, promoting the full integration between technological and industrial innovation. Through technology transfer, product innovation, intellectual property protection and commercialisation of R&D outcomes, the Council fosters collaboration with the local business community as well as top global R&D institutions, delivering added value to industries and advancing the development of new productive forces. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been widely recognised over the years, winning an array of local and overseas accolades, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as an international innovation and technology centre and a smart city.
To help enterprises capitalise on Hong Kong’s strengths in international connectivity to expand into global markets, HKPC offers comprehensive overseas expansion services tailored to critical areas including product development, technology, manufacturing, and management, enabling businesses to successfully go global from Hong Kong.
HKPC is also committed to providing timely and practical support to SMEs and startups with timely and practical , assisting them in accessing Government funding programmes. Through its FutureSkills training initiatives, HKPC helps both industry and academia stay ahead in latest digital and STEM technologies, nurturing a future-ready talent pool for Hong Kong.
For more information, please visit HKPC’s website: www.hkpc.org/en.
BEIJING, Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the Chinese New Year of the Horse approaches, sister cities from multiple countries, including Penza in Russia, Le Mans in France and Merri-bek (formerly known as Moreland) in Australia, have extended their festive greetings to Xianyang, a historical city in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.
BEIJING, Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hello Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MOMO) (the “Company”), a leading player in Asia’s online social networking space, today announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 before U.S. markets open on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
Hello Group’s management will host an earnings conference call on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 p.m. Beijing / Hong Kong Time on the same day).
Preregistration Information
Participants can register for the conference call by navigating to https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10053257-1s7egv.html. Upon registration, each participant will receive details for the conference call, including dial-in numbers, conference call passcode and a unique access PIN. Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin.
A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference call through March 27, 2026. The dial-in details for the replay are as follows:
U.S. / Canada:
1-855-883-1031
Hong Kong:
800-930-639
Passcode:
10053257
Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of Hello Group’s website at https://ir.hellogroup.com.
About Hello Group Inc.
We are a leading player in Asia’s online social networking space. Through Momo, Tantan and other properties within our product portfolio, we enable users to discover new relationships, expand their social connections and build meaningful interactions. Momo is a mobile application that connects people and facilitates social interactions based on location, interests and a variety of online recreational activities. Tantan, which was added into our family of applications through acquisition in May 2018, is a leading social and dating application. Tantan is designed to help its users find and establish romantic connections as well as meet interesting people. Starting from 2019, we have incubated a number of other new apps, such as Hertz, Soulchill, Duidui, which target more niche markets and more selective demographics.
HONG KONG, Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The “2026 Hong Kong International Talents Conference” will be held in Hong Kong on Friday, March 20th. As a satellite event of the “Global Talent Summit Week” held by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the conference is themed “Gather Global Talents, Strengthen Regional Cooperation, Serve National Development”. It aims to actively align with China’s national talent strategy, and implement the policy of HKSAR Government – “strengthening cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland to jointly attract global talent” – to better integrate and serve the national development.
The HKSAR Government attaches great importance to the conference. With the Labour and Welfare Bureau of the HKSAR Government and Hong Kong Talent Engage as Official Strategic Partners, the conference is organized by Hong Kong Quality And Talent Migrants Association, hosted by Hong Kong Talents Group, and co-organized with partners from Hong Kong, Macao, the Mainland, and overseas. It will feature six highlights: keynote speech, roundtable seminar, talent opportunity exhibition, PhD projects exhibition, business visit, and signing ceremony. It will bring together government officials, experts, entrepreneurs, and talent from home and abroad to build an international talent exchange platform.
2026 Hong Kong International Talents Conference
Event Details Date: March 20, 2026 Time: 9:30 am – 4:00 pm Venue: Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, Tsim Sha Tsui Official Website and Registration: https://www.hktalents.com/2026hkitc
Six Highlights of the Conference
Highlight 1: Keynote Speech Distinguished speakers will analyze the value and opportunities of Hong Kong-Mainland cooperation, sharing their insights on the deep integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the construction of an international high-end talent ecosystem, and how cross-border talent collaboration can empower industrial upgrading.
Highlight 2: Roundtable Seminar Representatives from Hong Kong and the Mainland, as well as experts from the industry, academia, and research fields, will be invited to engage in in-depth discussions. Topics will include Hong Kong’s advantages as an international hub for high-end talent; strengthening regional synergy and complementarity to jointly attract talent and serve national development; promoting effective talent mobility and creating an open and inclusive innovation talent ecosystem; and driving industry upgrading through cross-border professional collaboration.
Highlight 3: Talent Opportunity Exhibition The talent opportunity exhibition will feature more than 30 booths. Governments, institutions, and enterprises from different cities are welcome to participate, showcasing city development, advantageous industries, preferential policies, overseas companies, and job opportunities, etc. Within the talent service area, professional organizations in career development, innovation and entrepreneurship, children’s education, and life services will provide comprehensive support for the talent.
Highlight 4: PhD Projects Exhibition PhD projects exhibition will feature a selection of innovation and entrepreneurship projects by PhD, with high technological content and strong market potential. A professional platform integrating achievement displays, resource matching and cooperation will be set up on-site to accelerate the commercialization of high-quality projects.
Highlight 5: Business Visit The committee will also organize two business visits, aiming to strengthen exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland cities, and effectively promote cross-regional, multi-sector collaboration and development. The “International Talent GBA Tour” will guide international talent to visit the technology and innovation hubs in GBA, allowing them to experience the extraordinary charm and boundless opportunities of the global leading technology and innovation cluster. The “City Partner Hong Kong Visit” will invite partners to visit representative enterprises, institutions, universities and innovation parks of Hong Kong and gain an in-depth understanding of the city.
Highlight 6: Signing Ceremony Cooperation agreements will be signed on the conference to facilitate the establishment of a “Hong Kong + Mainland + Overseas” talent service ecosystem, build a collaboration mechanism for joint talent attraction and service, and achieve sustainable development.
Adhering to the principle of “Openness, Cooperation and Sharing,” the organizing committee of the conference sincerely invites global talent to gather in Hong Kong, igniting innovative momentum through the fusion of wisdom, and charting a new chapter of international talent exchange and regional collaborative development.
CONTACT: Hong Kong Talents Group Email: event@hktalents.com Tel: +852 2468 0858
HONG KONG SAR/DUBAI, UAE – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 February 2026 – Asia Business Centre (AsiaBC), a Hong Kong-based leader in corporate services and cross-border startup consultancy, has been named “Outstanding Company Formation Services of the Year“ at the HKCT Business Awards 2025.
Presented by the Hong Kong Commercial Times (HKCT), the award recognises AsiaBC’s excellence in helping global founders establish, scale, and succeed in business hubs across Asia and the Middle East. With deep expertise in regulatory frameworks and banking ecosystems, AsiaBC helps entrepreneurs overcome market-entry challenges faced by SMEs and new ventures.
AsiaBC plays a key role in simplifying and accelerating incorporation, bank account setup, and international compliance in Hong Kong, Singapore, and offshore centres. AsiaBC’s Expertise Solves Hong Kong Setup Challenges
Since 2009, AsiaBC has turned entrepreneurial vision into operational businesses through end-to-end support. Beyond company registration, the team guides clients through structuring, documentation, bank onboarding, tax planning, and accounting, ensuring that each step fits the business model.
AsiaBC demystifies cross-border operations by leveraging market insight and ties with over 100 banks and FinTech providers. The firm delivers reduced setup time, guaranteed bank account results under its “No Win, No Fee” programme, and proven legal readiness. One recent case saw a client complete company formation and bank account opening in Hong Kong on the same day, just before flying home. Another client, a tech startup, secured banking approval within 48 hours, enabling rapid launch into the APAC market. AI-Powered Compliance & UAE Hub to Serve Global Founders
To better serve international entrepreneurs, AsiaBC is broadening its presence and technology.
In 2026, AsiaBC will open its first advisory hub in Dubai to support UAE entrepreneurs entering Asia. Services will include offshore company planning, tax coordination, risk assessment, and compliance across jurisdictions.
AsiaBC is also launching AI-enabled tools to make bank onboarding more predictable. A smart matching engine will analyse each client’s profile – including business model and risk category – and map it to onboarding preferences across AsiaBC’s banking network. Drawing on 6,000+ cases, this tool aims to shorten approval time and improve success rates, especially for founders under scrutiny.
“For 16 years, we’ve followed one principle: ‘Professionalism is the foundation, but solving problems is the core,’” said Raymond Wong, Managing Director. “This award affirms our commitment to outcome-driven solutions that help clients expand smoothly and sustainably.” Championing the Entrepreneurial Spirit AsiaBC’s client-first strategy includes:
Tailored support from incorporation to compliance
Guaranteed banking results
Strong ecosystem relationships
Multilingual support in English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Mandarin
Hashtag: #AsiaBC
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About AsiaBC
Founded in 2009, AsiaBC supports entrepreneurs through offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Dubai, the UK, Estonia, Turkey, and Brazil. Awarded HKCT’s “Outstanding Company Formation Services of the Year”, its services span bank account opening, incorporation, accounting, tax optimisation, and compliance.
AsiaBC has served 6,000+ corporate clients and successfully opened 3,000+ corporate bank accounts worldwide.
This photo is used for representational purpose only.
Thailand is considering reducing its visa-free stay period from 60 days to 30 days, following reports that the extended entry scheme has been misused for illegal work and criminal activities.
On 10 February, the Thai Cabinet acknowledged a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighting concerns linked to the current 60-day visa exemption policy, according to Airin Phanrit, deputy spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister. A newly-established committee will now review the program and recommend changes.
Authorities have identified several critical issues driving this proposed change.
Reports indicate foreigners are taking advantage of the 60-day visa exemption rule or using Thailand as a transit route for criminal activities in neighbouring countries, affecting national security and the country’s reputation.
Additionally, the Thai Hotels Association and travel agencies have raised concerns about the surge in illegal short-term apartment rentals and foreign-owned businesses operating through Thai nominees during the 60-day window.
Moreover, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports revealed that most tourists don’t actually require 60 days, noting that average stays are only 21 days or less, with short-haul visitors typically staying around one week. This suggests the extended period is largely unnecessary for genuine tourists.
Despite the proposed reduction, officials emphasized that visitors requiring longer stays will still be able to apply for extensions. Various agencies, including the Immigration Bureau, have agreed in principle to tighten the rules to prevent further abuse.
In July 2024, Thailand expanded its Visa Exemption Scheme from 57 to 93 countries under former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, including the United States, Canada, Vietnam, and Laos. The scheme currently grants 60 days visa-free stay with an option to extend for an additional 30 days.
www.hkpc.org/en
https://asiabc.co/
