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Thai Rock Star Jailed on Gun, Drugs Charges

Thai rock star arrested of gun and drug charges. (Photo: Flickr)

AFP – Thailand’s Supreme Court has jailed one of the kingdom’s best-known rock stars for more than three years on gun possession and drugs charges.

Seksan Sukpimai, better known by his stage name Sek Loso, was convicted of illegal gun possession, drug use and obstructing a police officer.

The 50-year-old founder and lead singer of Loso, one of Thailand’s most successful rock bands, has long been a staple of Thai gossip columns because of his colorful personal life.

He was originally arrested in 2017 after firing a gun into the sky following a concert in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The Supreme Court ruling ordered Seksan to serve three years and 20 days in jail.


© Agence France-Presse

Wildberries marketplace begins to offer products from UAE sellers

DUBAI, UAE – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 May 2025 – Wildberries, a leading e-commerce platform in Eurasia, has expanded its product offering to include products from sellers based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), bringing the number of countries where the company operates to ten.

It is expected that sellers from the UAE will diversify the platform’s current product range of more than 8 million SKUs, including by offering smartphones and other consumer electronics at attractive prices.

Cross-border e-commerce is one of Wildberries’ fastest-growing business segments and a major draw for sellers on the platform, as it enables small businesses and entrepreneurs from one country to leverage Widlberries’ infrastructure to sell their products in neighboring markets. The platform currently hosts more than 1 million sellers, over 85% of which are small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In line with its commitment to customer convenience, Wildberries has fully automated the customs duty payment process so that it requires no additional actions on the part of the consumer. The amount of duty will be displayed next to the product price for informational purposes. Orders can be collected at any convenient pickup point.

Delivery will take from six days, depending on product availability and the speed of customs clearance. Wildberries plans to expand its product range and reduce delivery times as shipments from the UAE grow.

The UAE will become the tenth country in the company’s geographic footprint. At present, Wildberries operates in Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as working with sellers in China.

Hashtag: #Wildberries

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

About Wildberries

Established in 2004 in Russia, Wildberries is a leading e-commerce platform operating in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, while also partnering with sellers in China and UAE. Wildberries provides a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure to support customers and sellers, along with a developed logistics network spanning more than 130 facilities and 70,000 pick-up points across its markets. As of 2025, Wildberries serves over 79 million customers and processes more than 20 million orders per day.

Fukuoka City Announces Fukuoka Prize 2025 Laureates

-Grand Prize Awarded to TAKARA Kurayoshi, Japanese Historian-

FUKUOKA, Japan, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Fukuoka City (Secretariat of Fukuoka Prize Committee) on Wednesday May 21 announced the laureates for the Fukuoka Prize 2025 designed to honor those who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of Asian studies and arts and culture.

The Grand Prize has been awarded to TAKARA Kurayoshi, a creator in the field of history who has broken ground in Ryukyu Islands studies on multiple fronts. The Academic Prize has been awarded to BAIK Young-seo, a South Korean scholar of contemporary history who considers East Asia from the perspectives of citizens and people. VO Trong Nghia, a Vietnamese architect who advocates environmentally and ecologically friendly architecture, has won the Arts and Culture Prize.

Fukuoka Prize 2025 Laureates:
https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M100886/202505168939/_prw_PI1fl_COMj1g6L.png

Grand Prize
TAKARA Kurayoshi (History)
A creator in the field of history who has broken ground in Ryukyu Islands studies on multiple fronts.

Academic Prize
BAIK Young-seo (History)
A historian who is one of South Korea’s leading scholars of contemporary Chinese history.

Arts and Culture Prize
VO Trong Nghia (Architecture)
An architect who advocates environmentally and ecologically friendly architecture.

The Award Ceremony will be held on September 16, 2025. TAKARA’s and BAIK’s public lectures are scheduled for September 17, and VO’s for September 15. Archived recordings of events will be available online. Bookings for events will open in July. Advance bookings are mandatory & admission free.

About Fukuoka Prize

The prize is awarded by Fukuoka City for the purpose of its international contribution to Asia, honoring those who have made outstanding achievements in preservation and creation of unique and diverse Asian cultures. The prize was established in 1990 by Fukuoka City, which has played a significant role as Japan’s gateway for exchanges with the rest of the Asian region since ancient times. The prize marks its 35th anniversary this year.

The prize has been presented to 127 leaders from 28 countries and areas. Past laureates include Muhammad YUNUS from Bangladesh, who also received the Nobel Peace Prize; and NAKAMURA Tetsu from Japan, who took the lead in medical services, land reclamation and social welfare for the sick and vulnerable in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

https://fukuoka-prize.org/en

Laos Celebrates Its Ancient Tea Legacy on International Tea Day

International Tea Day graphic made by the Laotian Times. (Background Photo: Women on 400-year-old Tea tree by Lao Tea Appreciation Network)

Every year on 21 May, tea lovers across the globe raise their cups in celebration of International Tea Day, a nod to one of the oldest and most loved drinks in the world.

The 12th Animation Support Program Awards Presentation Ceremony cum Premiere

Promising Local Start-ups & Small Animation Enterprises Collaboratively Exploring Business Opportunities & Strengthening the Competitiveness of Hong Kong’s Animation Industry

HONG KONG, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Organized by the Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association (HKDEA) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), the Animation Support Program (ASP) has been dedicated to nurturing local animation start-ups and small animation enterprises for many years. This year marks the program’s 12th edition, continuing its mission by supporting 30 local animation enterprises with funding to create original works.

Group photo of Mr. LAU Chun, Raistlin, JP, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR, Mrs. CHO LAI Suk Ha, Lowell, Assistant Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, Mr. PANG Gabriel, Chairman of the HKDEA and the Animation Enterprises and Winners.
Group photo of Mr. LAU Chun, Raistlin, JP, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR, Mrs. CHO LAI Suk Ha, Lowell, Assistant Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, Mr. PANG Gabriel, Chairman of the HKDEA and the Animation Enterprises and Winners.

The Awards Presentation Ceremony cum Premiere was held on 20 May 2025 (Tuesday) at the Hong Kong Arts Centre. The ceremony celebrated the animators’ dedication and achievements, boosted the morale of creative teams, and provided a platform for industry networking—further advancing the development of Hong Kong’s cultural, creative, and digital entertainment sectors. 

The organizer invited Mr. LAU Chun, Raistlin, JP, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as the Guest-of-Honour and officiating guest. Mr. Lau commended the HKDEA for successfully organizing the 12th ASP and congratulated all the winners. In addition, Mrs. CHO LAI Suk Ha, Lowell, Assistant Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, and Mr. PANG Gabriel, Chairman of the HKDEA also attended the event.

Mr. PANG Gabriel, Chairman of the HKDEA, said, “For the past 12 years, ASP has been dedicated to nurturing local animation talent and promoting original animation works. Today’s ceremony not only recognizes the animators’ dedication but also serves as a key platform for industry exchange, showcasing local animation and inspiring the next generation of creators. Let us witness together the growth and future of Hong Kong’s animation industry—and look forward to another 12 years of success.”

The ASP fosters diversified growth among local animation enterprises; offering three funding categories tailored to different development stages. One category specifically supports Animation Start-ups (16 companies) while the other two support Small Animation Enterprises in Basic Productions and Advance Productions (14 companies). A total of 30 enterprises will receive up to HK$130,000 to HK$600,000 in funding to produce animations of at least 3, 5, or 10 minutes, depending on their category. 

Beyond financial assistance, the ASP provides participating enterprises with holistic support, including mentorship by industry veterans, technical training and business development programs. In addition to today’s awards ceremony and premiere, one of this year’s key initiatives was a curated showcase of the 30 funded animations at the “Hong Kong International Film 2025 (FILMART)” from March 17 to 20, 2025. These efforts empower animators to elevate their brands, expand their networks, and unlock new opportunities.

The premiere of the 12th ASP was held right after the award ceremony to showcase all 30 animations produced under the program. To review these 30 animations and to learn more about the 12th ASP, please visit the official website: www.animation-ssp.com.

List of participating animation enterprises and winners of the 12th ASP are as below.

Notes to editors:

List of Participating Animation Enterprises and Winners of the 12th Animation Support Program  (in alphabetical order of company names, except the winners)

Tier 1: Animation Start-ups

Name of Start-up

Name of Animation

Gold Award of The Best Animation (Start-ups) Award

PAPAPAPA Studio

Kagami

2 Punch 6 Studio

My First Doll

Silver Awards of The Best Animation (Start-ups) Award

No Award

Bronze Award of The Best Animation (Start-ups) Award

THOSEHERE STUDIO

LOVER

Merit Awards of The Best Animation (Start-ups) Award

Koi Design and Grocery

Shooting Star & Fireworks

Mountriver Studio

Skull Story

BLACK SEA STUDIO

Fly Train

Other Participating Enterprises

A1 Studio

Softies & Friends

ANILINE

Hello! Mr. Butterfly

BOS CREATE A LIMITED

Modify him!

cna studio

Save Bird

FOUR LEAF CLOVER STUDIO LIMITED

The growth of darkness

GOKATTA STUDIO

Sock and Awe

Lokomotion Limited

Order From the Hell

PROJJECT STUDIO

Run Run Run

Tepukuma Limited

Z Hunter – Prologue

Little. Puzzle

The scene of mind

Tier 2: Small Animation Enterprises with Training in Basic Productions

Name of Start-up

Name of Animation

Gold Award of The Best Animation

(Small Enterprises with Training in Basic Production) Award

Croissant Studio

Buzzing Bees

Silver Award of The Best Animation

(Small Enterprises with Training in Basic Production) Award

MindExit Studio

Silent Tides

Studio Babos

Vietnam Diary (Frogs, Sunshine, Django)

Bronze Awards of The Best Animation

(Small Enterprises with Training in Basic Production) Award

No Award

Merit Awards of The Best Animation

(Small Enterprises with Training in Basic Production) Award

Creative Woodplace

Uncle Babysitter 3

Other Participating Enterprises

Crow’s Garden Entertainment Limited

Golden Swirl

HAND SOLO

N/A

Lost and Found Studio

In-between Crevices

Microwave Studio

Kelly Don’t Go

Moonshiners Studio

Save the last dance for us

Storyhere Studio

Ollie’s Star

Tier 3: Small Animation Enterprises with Training in Advanced Productions

Name of Start-up

Name of Animation

Gold Award of The Best Animation

(Small Animation Enterprises with Training in Advanced Productions) Award

Queenkong Land ACG., Co., Ltd.

The James Show

Silver Award of The Best Animation

(Small Animation Enterprises with Training in Advanced Productions) Award

ClickBoom Limited

Underblue

Bronze Award of The Best Animation

(Small Animation Enterprises with Training in Advanced Productions) Award

TOCAT Creative Limited

Mr.Fun’s Silent Movement

Other Participating Enterprises

diversity creative (hk) limited

N/A

Eligibility of Participants

Participating start-ups and small enterprises should be:

  • local enterprises holding valid business registration certificates;
  • enterprises with primary focus on animation production; and
  • able to meet the requirements in the following table:

Category

Tier 1: Animation
Star-ups

Tier 2: Small Animation Enterprises with Training in Basic Productions

Tier 3: Small Animation Enterprises with Training in Advanced Productions

Eligibility

Enterprise with a history of not more than 6 years and 8 full time staff members or below

Enterprise with a history of not more than 9 years and 15 full time staff members or below

30 full time staff members or less, and with no restriction on years of establishment

Quota

16

10

4

Maximum subsidy amount

HK$130,000

HK$240,000

HK$600,000

Specified length of animation

Not less than 3 minutes

Not less than 5 minutes

Not less than 10 minutes

Vetting Committee Members of the 12th ASP (in no particular order)

Mr. Gabriel Pang, Chairman, Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association
Mr. Anthony Lee, Vice-President, Hong Kong Film Directors’ Guild
Mr. Eddie Leung, Senior Teaching Fellow, School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong
Mr. Neco Lo, General Secretary, Hong Kong Animation and Cultural Association
Mr. Felix Ip, Animation Director / Comic Artist
Mr. Toe Yuen, Animation Movie Director
Mr. Wong Ying, Visual Effects Supervisor / Screenwriter
Mr. Eddy Hui, Honourary Secretary, Hong Kong Designers Association

Judging Panel Members of the 12th  ASP  (in no particular order)

Mr. Gabriel Pang, Chairman, Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association
Mr. Anthony Lee, Vice-President, Hong Kong Film Directors’ Guild
Mr. Eddie Leung, Senior Teaching Fellow, School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong
Mr. Neco Lo, General Secretary, Hong Kong Animation and Cultural Association
Mr. Felix Ip, Animation Director / Comic Artist
Mr. Wong Ying, Visual Effects Supervisor / Screenwriter
Mr. Eddy Hui, Honourary Secretary, Hong Kong Designers Association
Ms. Joycelyn Choi, General Manager, MOViE MOViE
Mr. Lam Kee To, Hong Kong Famous Script Writer
Mr. Kinson Cheung, Senior Lecturer, Caritas Institute of Higher Education
Mr. Naveen Ma, Dean of HK School of Animation & VFX

Mentors of the 12th  ASP  (in no particular order)

Mr. Anthony Lee, Vice-President, Hong Kong Film Directors’ Guild
Mr. Neco Lo, General Secretary, Hong Kong Animation and Cultural Association
Mr. Felix Ip, Animation Director / Comic Artist
Mr. Toe Yuen, Animation Movie Director
Mr. Wong Ying, Visual Effects Supervisor / Screenwriter
Mr. Eddy Hui, Honourary Secretary, Hong Kong Designers Association
Mr. Lam Kee To, Hong Kong Famous Script Writer
Ms. Polly Yeung, Movie / Animation Script Writer

About Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association (HKDEA)

Established in 1999, HKDEA is a non-profit organization aiming to promote digital entertainment development in Hong Kong. Its mission points toward the achievement of the following goals – boosting prosperity of the digital entertainment industry by foster cooperation among local developers; opening up and development of digital market; enhancement of local technology as so to raise the competitiveness of Hong Kong production; promoting communication between digital entertainment industry and related ones such as toys, entertainment and visual games; building a favourable image for digital entertainment; and protection of intellectual property right and scrapping counterfeit products. 

For more information, please visit HKDEA’s website at www.hkdea.org

About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)

The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) established in June 2024, formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaboration, promoting the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries under the industry-oriented principle, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community to implement Hong Kong’s positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

CCIDA’s website: www.ccidahk.gov.hk

Wondershare Filmora Partners with Microsoft to Redefine Intelligent Video Editing at Microsoft Build 2025

VANCOUVER, BC, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Wondershare’s flagship video creativity software, Filmora, made its debut at Microsoft Build 2025 as a featured Keynote partner that leverages the new API for semantic search and knowledge retrieval to build a natural language search and RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) scenarios in Filmora with its custom data including effects, filters and music clips. This live demonstration marks a new milestone and a major upgrade to its AI editing assistant, AI Mate, expected to release later this year, where Filmora users will soon be able to learn new features and apply them automatically – completely locally on the Windows Copilot+ PCs even when disconnected from the internet.

Wondershare Filmora made its debut at Microsoft Build 2025 as a featured Keynote partner.
Wondershare Filmora made its debut at Microsoft Build 2025 as a featured Keynote partner.

“By deeply integrating Microsoft’s latest APIs for semantic search and knowledge retrieval, creators will no longer need to memorize complex terms or manually connect editing steps. Instead, they simply enter prompts like ‘make my video look vintage’ and AI Mate would immediately make recommendations such as adding a ‘Vintage 1950′ filter, a ’16mm film shake’ effect, and a ‘jazz piano’ background track. This made editing tasks much simpler for Filmora users in just one click”, said Luyan Zhang, Product Manager at Wondershare.

Another key highlight of the upgrade is the integration of Microsoft’s Phi Silica, a cutting-edge local language model, directly into AI Mate. Supported by on-device NPU acceleration, this enables Filmora to process natural-language instructions in multiple languages with remarkable accuracy—even PC users are offline while traveling on airplanes or to remote locations with no internet. By eliminating dependence on cloud connectivity or AI user credits, creators gain truly borderless freedom to create, anytime and anywhere with enhanced privacy and reduced cost.

In addition, Filmora leverages Windows 11’s NPU+GPU hybrid architecture to optimize performance across diverse hardware configurations. Several advanced AI features, including Video Enhancer, now support local processing. This allows users to enhance low-resolution videos by recovering fine details—such as skin texture and fabric patterns—without compromising speed or relying on cloud services.

“The AI era is reshaping the global video creation landscape across software, hardware, and ecosystems. We are committed to our mission of making the world more creative by partnering with industry leaders like Microsoft to improve video editing workflows through AI-powered app experiences for creators worldwide.” said Felix Lin, Assistant Vice President at Wondershare. “As a global leader in AI-driven creative solutions, Wondershare democratizes video editing, empower users of all skill levels to explore a future of boundless creativity and artistic freedom.”

About Filmora

Launched in 2015, Filmora is designed with its user in mind, featuring smoother performance and an intuitive user interface, and has attracted a cumulative global user base of nearly 300 million across 150+ countries and regions. With advanced AI features boosting content generation and editing and over 2.3 million creative assets, Filmora stands out as a leader in video editing software. Consistently introducing innovative tools, it enhances video creation and makes the process more efficient and accessible for all skill levels.

About Wondershare Technology

Wondershare is a globally recognized software company founded in 2003, known for its innovative solutions in creativity and productivity. Driven by the mission “Creativity Simplified”, Wondershare offers a range of tools, including Filmora, Virbo, and DemoCreator for video editing; PDFelement for document management; EdrawMax, EdrawMind for diagramming; and SelfyzAI, Pixpic for image recovery and editing. With over 1.5 billion users across 200+ countries and regions, Wondershare empowers the next generation of creators with intuitive software and trendy creative resources, continually expanding the possibilities of creativity worldwide.

TCL Solar Shines at SOLAR & STORAGE LIVE PHILIPPINES 2025, Showcasing Cutting-Edge Solar Solutions

MANILA, Philippines, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TCL Solar made a powerful debut at SOLAR & STORAGE LIVE PHILIPPINES 2025, held at the SMX Convention Center in Manila. As a leading innovator in solar technology, TCL Solar attracted significant attention at Booth 1-NO3, Hall 3, where it presented its latest high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) solutions. Many industry professionals and energy stakeholders visited the booth to explore TCL Solar’s advanced products and discuss collaboration opportunities to accelerate the Philippines’ renewable energy transition.

The Philippines’ Solar Market: A Rising Region in Southeast Asia
As one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic renewable energy markets, the Philippines has seen consistent growth in solar PV installations in recent years. Driven by robust electricity demand, high power costs, and strong government policy support, solar energy has become a cornerstone of the country’s energy transition. According to the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE), renewables are expected to account for 35% of the power mix by 2030, with solar PV emerging as one of the fastest-growing clean energy sources. This strategic focus positions the Philippines as a key market for solar innovation and investment, creating significant opportunities for global leaders like TCL Solar to contribute to its sustainable energy future.

TCL Solar’s N-Type High-Efficiency Modules: Powering the Philippines’ Green Future
At the heart of TCL Solar’s exhibition were its N-type TOPCon solar modules, which offer higher efficiency, lower degradation, and superior performance in high-temperature environments—making them ideal for the Philippines’ tropical climate. TCL Solar’s N-type technology delivers up to 24.6% more power output over its lifespan, significantly reducing LCOE for C&I and utility-scale projects. And as a strategic pillar of TCL’s green energy business, TCL Solar harnesses the TCL’s global competitive advantages to deliver superior solar solutions worldwide. With these advantages, TCL Solar is well-positioned to support the Philippines in achieving its renewable energy goals while ensuring long-term reliability and sustainability.

A Bright Future Ahead
In the future, leveraging cutting-edge technology and extensive project experience, TCL Solar will continue to strengthen local presence, delivering products and services that better meet market demands. Together with our partners, we are committed to driving the green energy transition in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia.

CONTACT: Lydia Tang, lixia.tang@tzeco.com 

BBH Greater China ETF Investor Survey reveals that the region continues to outpace global ETF growth as investors manage market risk and volatility

Demand grows for active ETFs as well as for ETFs offering downside protection

HONG KONG, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) continue to grow in Greater China in 2025, with the region accounting for 71% of the overall record-breaking inflows of $347 billion in Asia-Pacific in 2024[1]. The findings of the 8th Annual Greater China ETF Investor Survey from Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (BBH), a global leading ETF custodian and administrator, show that during a time of unprecedented market dislocation and uncertainty, investor appetite for ETFs offering downside protection, such as buffered ETFs, is trending upwards. The region’s allocators are also registering increased demand for active ETFs.

The Annual Greater China ETF Investor Survey, which is a subset of its Global ETF Investor Survey, represents the opinions of 100 ETF investors from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, where 53% of respondents manage over USD$1 billion in assets and of which, 29% have more than 50% of their portfolio invested in ETFs (compared with 24% globally).

“The outsized growth in Greater China demonstrates the strength and depth of the market. As the regional ETF markets have matured and developed, investors are deploying an increasing amount of capital to ETFs. While local ETF issuers have a strong position across Greater China, there are opportunities for international ETF issuers too. To thrive in Greater China, international ETF issuers need to understand the local market nuances,” said Chris Pigott, Asia Head of ETF Services at BBH.

Key findings:

Greater China – The region leads the overall Asia-Pacific ETF growth

  • Outsized growth of ETFs in Greater China vs global growth: Appetite for ETFs is particularly pronounced in Taiwan and Hong Kong, where 27% and 23% of allocators respectively have ramped up their ETF holdings by more than 25% in the last five years.
  • Active ETFs gaining traction: All respondents plan to increase their exposures to active ETFs in the next 12 months, 40% of investors in both Hong Kong and Taiwan are planning to bolster their active ETF holdings by more than 25%.
  • Reallocations to fund active ETFs: 22% of ETF investors said they would reduce their exposures to index-based ETFs, followed by actively managed mutual funds (19%) and actively managed SMAs (15%).
  • Reasons for adopting ETFs: 35% of ETF investors are looking for long-term portfolio growth through core exposures. 32% want to provide portfolio outperformance through tactical, niche or narrow/sectors of the market. 20% are looking to manage risks, volatility, and downside protection. Just 13% are buying ETFs in order to generate income.
  • Defined outcome leads the way: 29% of Greater China ETF investors plan to invest in defined outcome – or buffered ETFs – over the next 12 months, rising to 34% in mainland China. 27% plan to invest in fixed income.
  • Increased focus on cryptocurrency ETFs: 26% of investors intend to buy cryptocurrency focused ETFs in 2025, with Taiwan (40%) and Hong Kong (23%) leading the way.

Mainland China – Investors are positive on increasing exposure to ETFs

  • Demand for offshore assets remains strong, with mainland China investors being net buyers of Hong Kong listed ETFs through the Southbound channel in 2024 [2].
  • Mainland investors are most interested in buffered ETFs (34%) and ESG products (20%) if they are going to buy ETFs listed on HKEX in the next 12 months.
  • 40% of investors plan to fund new ETF purchases by redeploying capital from other ETFs.

Hong Kong – Tax efficiency is an important component of the total cost of ownership that investors are increasingly evaluating

  • Hong Kong is one of the most diverse ETF markets in Asia, with flows driven by product innovation, both from the local regulator and the stock exchange.
  • While demand for fixed income is on the rise, it is much more sought after in Hong Kong, where 34% of allocators plan to invest in the strategy.
  • 34% of investors expect the dominance of the Magnificent Seven stocks to continue – this is above the overall response of 26% for Greater China.
  • Tax efficiency is the most important consideration for ETF investors (26%) in Hong Kong.

Taiwan – One of the fastest growing ETF markets in the world, the launch of active ETFs paves opportunities to asset managers

  • 23% of ETF investors in Taiwan are reallocating from active mutual funds in order to grow their ETF allocations.
  • Demand for the launch of active ETFs is high, with 37% and 27% of investors planning to allocate to equity and liquid alternative active ETFs respectively.
  • Structured products, i.e. Collateralised Loan Obligations (CLOs) are popular, with 23% of allocators planning to gain exposure to the asset class in 2025.
  • Taiwan leads the way for cryptocurrency, with 40% of ETF investors intending to buy cryptocurrency focused ETFs in 2025.
  • Greater China allocators are incredibly bullish on Artificial Intelligence (AI), with 31% saying it will be major investment trend for 2025. This rises to a staggering 60% in Taiwan.

Read the full report here: 2025 Greater China ETF Investor Survey.

 

About Brown Brothers Harriman

Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) is a global financial services firm known for premium service and specialist expertise. We have a 200-year track record helping clients innovate and navigate complex financial markets. Our 6,000 employees serve clients and their investments in over 90 markets across BBH’s 18 offices. As a private partnership, we are uniquely built to put clients first and create success that lasts.

BBH Investor Services is a leading provider of asset servicing and operating model solutions to global asset managers and financial institutions. Our asset servicing solutions include custody, global tax services, depositary and trustee, accounting, administration, transfer agency, and foreign exchange. Our operating model solutions solve platform, data, and connectivity challenges across open-architecture operating models. We support our clients’ growth, enhance operational efficiency and resiliency, and streamline reporting and oversight. For more information, please visit www.bbh.com.

References to specific types of securities and asset classes are for informative purposes only and are not intended to be and should not be interpreted as recommendations.

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