Alibaba

ByteDance

CATL

Huawei

Meituan

Tencent

Xiaomi

Most Followed

Market News

Listings (IPO)

Earnings Reports

Venture Roundup

Big Tech

Automotives

Retail and Commerce

Collections

News

Features

Insights

Press Releases

Anta

DeepSeek

Geely

Li Auto

Mixue Bingcheng

Pop Mart

Going Global

Latest

Collaborate

Earnings

Auto

Retail & Commerce

… is to go deeper into Thailand rather than to expand internationally," he said. "We know the Thai market quite well. We will try to optimize our technology and we will localize as we understand each community."
However, Thailand's economic growth has been relatively weak, hurt by high <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/asean-money/thailand-s-household-debt-crisis-acts-as-brake-on-anemic-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">household debt</a> and rising fuel prices brought on by the US-Iran war.
While acknowledging "macroeconomic challenges," Yod said he sees opportunities.
According to Momentum Works' research, Thailand's food delivery growth rate was the highest in the region, expanding 22% in 2025, outpacing Malaysia and Vietnam, both at 19%.
"Food delivery actually continued to grow at a fast pace even though the economy still has some challenges," Yod said, adding that the weak economy encouraged people to eat at home, and food delivery—which tends to be less expensive than dining out in Thailand due to promotion deals—is a solution. "Food delivery remains very frequent and a very economical way to enjoy food compared to dining out."
In the final quarter of 2025, Thailand introduced the "Khon La Khrueng" (half-half) <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/turbulent-thailand/new-thai-pm-plans-revival-of-shopping-stimulus-to-boost-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shopping subsidy program</a>, in which the government covers 50% of consumers' spending for food and daily necessities to spur spending. Line Man joined the project, enabling its users to order food at subsidized prices.
The second phase of the shopping subsidy starts in June, and Yod said Line Man will join again. "We joined the Khon La Khrueng program last year, and we expect to do the same this year," he said, adding that the company expects its revenue to grow "at least 20%" in 2026.
According to the company, its revenue for 2024, the latest year for which figures have been disclosed, was THB 16.7 billion (USD 512.3 million), up 44% from 2023. But it remained unprofitable with a net loss of THB 356 million (USD 10.9 million) that year.
Yod acknowledged that food delivery operators are engaged in an intense price war and that the competition will persist.
"I think we will always be in a price war," he said. "Online food delivery platforms will continue to offer discounts … to give the best prices to users." He added that this kind of "fair competition" can be expected in a growing market.
Kedsuda Inchai, a 38-year-old office worker in Bangkok, told Nikkei Asia she uses Line Man "because it has a lot of food options and its delivery price is quite cheap."
Analysts say that although Thailand's food delivery sector is growing rapidly, profit margins can be expected to remain slim due to intense competition.
"Grab uses promotions to offer discounts on food, while Line Man cuts the delivery price," said Passakorn Wangwiwatcharoen, an analyst at Asia Plus Securities. "Both strategies squeeze profit margins."
Passakorn added that cut-rate strategies are not sustainable.
Yuto Ikeuchi, a Bangkok-based consultant at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, pointed out that Thailand's food delivery operators are currently facing higher consumer prices and delivery costs that could affect demand and squeeze their margins.
"In addition, major players in the sector have been investing heavily in advertising and infrastructure to build their platforms," he said, adding that "when these investments will begin to pay off remains a key concern for investors."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/asean-money/thailand-s-line-man-pushes-beyond-food-delivery-eyes-2027-ipo">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.0722vps.aieehr01.top/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.
Note: THB figures are converted to USD at rates of THB 32.60 = USD 1 based on estimates as of May 29, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Thailand's Line Man pushes beyond food delivery, eyes 2027 IPO

On-demand Services

Food Delivery

Consumer Economy

Thailand

Southeast Asia

… Mall.
whereRelatedArticle
Doubao is not the first product to try to complete the AI shopping loop. On May 11, Alibaba’s Qwen officially connected to Taobao and enabled AI-driven shopping features. In September 2025, ChatGPT also <a href="https://openai.com/index/buy-it-in-chatgpt/">launched Instant Checkout</a>, trying to guide users to place orders and complete payments directly within the AI chat interface. But in March, OpenAI canceled the feature.
Doubao and Qwen have an advantage because they are backed by Douyin Mall and Taobao, respectively, two mature e-commerce systems. Product catalogs, merchant ecosystems, payment, and fulfillment capabilities already exist. That makes AI shopping appear more viable in theory.
Even so, AI shopping faces two questions:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">First, is AI shopping a real user need? During the Lunar New Year, Alibaba <a href="https://0722vps.aieehr01.top/alibabas-latest-qwen-subsidies-are-a-bet-on-agentic-commerce">invested RMB 3 billion (USD 442.6 million) in “red packet” subsidies</a> to encourage users to order milk tea through its Qwen app, trying to cultivate the habit of using AI to make consumption decisions. But it remains unclear whether the campaign helped develop long-term user retention. Moreover, compared with ordering food delivery, shopping is a more complex consumption scenario that often relies on comparison and deliberation.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Second, will consumers trust product recommendations from AI? As AI search and recommendation capabilities become more important, some merchants have already started using GEO, or generative engine optimization, to influence how large models crawl and rank information. Once AI recommendations are shaped by paid placement and commercial interests, it remains to be seen whether consumers will view them as objective advice or as another advertising channel.</li>
</ul>
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3834544830721671">article</a> was written by Xiao Sijia, with contributions from Zhou Xinyu, for 36Kr.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.78 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 3, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Doubao prepares paid subscriptions as ByteDance seeks AI returns

East Asia

Doubao

China

Artificial Intelligence

Deep Tech

Wuxi-based Autolink Intelligence Tech updated its <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/app/sehk/2026/108596/documents/sehk26052902439.pdf">prospectus</a> on May 29, as it continues to pursue a main board listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. CICC and Guotai Haitong Securities are serving as joint sponsors.
Founded in 2014, Autolink’s portfolio now spans in-vehicle computing solutions and zonal controller solutions. The company has established partnerships with China’s five largest domestic-brand automakers, according to its prospectus. As of May 22, its products covered 45 brands under those automakers. By the same date, its cumulative number of vehicle model design wins, an industry term for being selected to supply technology for specific models, had increased to 164.
At the product level, Autolink said it became the first company in the world in 2021 to launch and mass produce an intelligent cockpit domain controller based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon SA8155P platform. According to Frost &amp; Sullivan data cited in the prospectus, cumulative shipments of cockpit domain controllers based on Qualcomm’s SA8155P platform had exceeded 2.3 million units as of May 22, ranking first globally.
In cockpit-driving integration, Frost &amp; Sullivan data shows that Autolink’s AL-A1 series, built on Qualcomm’s SA8775P platform, was the world’s first single-chip cockpit-driving integrated product to debut and enter mass production. The product was installed in both the battery-powered and range-extended versions of BAIC’s Arcfox Alpha T5, which entered mass production in the third quarter of 2025. As of December 31, 2025, products based on the SA8775P platform had secured design wins for ten vehicle models. As these projects move from design wins to mass production, cockpit-driving integration could become an important source of revenue growth for Autolink.
<figure id="attachment_162419" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-162419" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-162419" src="https://console.0722vps.aieehr01.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Autolink-Intelligence-Tech-AL-A1-Auto-Shanghai-2025.jpg" alt="Photo of the AL-A1 integrated domain controller, on display at Auto Shanghai 2025." width="1920" height="1280" srcset="https://console.0722vps.aieehr01.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Autolink-Intelligence-Tech-AL-A1-Auto-Shanghai-2025.jpg 1920w, https://console.0722vps.aieehr01.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Autolink-Intelligence-Tech-AL-A1-Auto-Shanghai-2025-720x480.jpg 720w, https://console.0722vps.aieehr01.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Autolink-Intelligence-Tech-AL-A1-Auto-Shanghai-2025-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://console.0722vps.aieehr01.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Autolink-Intelligence-Tech-AL-A1-Auto-Shanghai-2025-768x512.jpg 768w, https://console.0722vps.aieehr01.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Autolink-Intelligence-Tech-AL-A1-Auto-Shanghai-2025-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-162419" class="wp-caption-text">The AL-A1 integrated domain controller on display at Auto Shanghai 2025. Photo source: Autolink.</figcaption></figure>
For next-generation central computing products, Autolink released its Deep Fusion electronic and electrical architecture (EEA) in January. The architecture integrates a central computing platform, zonal controllers, and high-speed optical communication. It is designed to support advanced driving assistance, on-device large models, in-vehicle <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> agents, ultra-high-definition video perception, and full-scenario intelligent interactions.
As large model capabilities move from the cloud into vehicles, intelligent cockpits are evolving from collections of functions into in-vehicle AI interaction gateways. Autolink has positioned itself around this trend through two product paths, AI box and AI cockpit:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Its AI box connects independently with a vehicle’s existing cockpit and driving systems, adding on-device AI capabilities to current vehicle models. It is designed to help automakers meet demand for AI upgrades from existing users more quickly and with lower modification costs.</li>
<li aria-level="1">AI cockpit, by contrast, is aimed at mid- to high-end and premium models. It emphasizes the ability to run on-device large models and deliver low-latency responses for products built on newly developed vehicle architectures.</li>
</ul>
In in-vehicle optical communication, Autolink has begun joint R&amp;D and validation of in-vehicle optical communication modules with a leading domestic optical communication company. The work focuses on applying PCIe 4.0 optical communication technology to vehicle products. Although the initiative remains in an early incubation stage, it could give Autolink a differentiated position as automakers move toward the next generation of vehicle EEA.
Autolink’s early position in cockpit domain controllers and cockpit-driving products, along with its record of scaled mass production, suggests it has built platform-level capabilities. Its early work in AI products and optical communication also gives it a longer-term reserve for intelligent in-vehicle experiences and the communication systems that support them. The company is seeking to move deeper into higher-value vehicle architecture layers and become a long-term technology partner for automakers as they develop more intelligent vehicles.
A key reason Autolink has been able to expand its product portfolio is its in-house R&amp;D and platform-based architecture. As of December 31, 2025, the company had more than 500 R&amp;D employees, with experience across system architecture, middleware, functional algorithms, testing and validation models, and other areas of the automotive electronics value chain. This has given it full-stack in-house software and hardware capabilities:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">On the software side, Autolink has development capabilities covering base software platforms, middleware, and upper-layer applications.</li>
<li aria-level="1">On the hardware side, it independently designs, integrates, and debugs domain controller hardware platforms, supporting faster adaptation for different customers’ projects.</li>
</ul>
Autolink said in its prospectus that it plans to use the net proceeds from its IPO mainly for R&amp;D of connected vehicle solutions, strengthening its international capabilities, expanding production capacity, working capital, and other general corporate purposes.
This <a href="https://xueqiu.com/2854806290/391899467">article</a> was adapted based on a feature originally written by Stone Jin and published on IPO Zaozhidao. KrASIA is authorized to translate, adapt, and publish its contents.

Autolink makes its Hong Kong IPO case with smart vehicle architecture

Hong Kong

… that after succeeding in one category, they can succeed in any category. That is wrong. It shows a lack of respect for the market.
When we first contacted Mak Kee, friends around me said that with our experience and resources, we could simply copy it. But if copying could build a brand, F&amp;B entrepreneurship would be too easy. Brands have underlying genes. Our choice is to invest in high-quality early-stage brands, then use our post-investment operating capabilities to empower and amplify them, rather than blindly creating something ourselves.
<h3>36Kr: After exceeding 1,000 stores, what’s next for Mak Kee?</h3>
XY: Store count is no longer the primary target. We are already first in the industry and do not need to keep chasing scale. Next, our focus is refined operations and better empowering franchisees to make money. This year, we will also continue optimizing the department structure and bringing in talent.
There are also new overseas plans. This year, Mak Kee is establishing an overseas business unit and laying out operations in multiple countries. Eight stores in the US are already under renovation. Its first store in Sydney, Australia, is being renovated, and its first store in Canada has also been confirmed.
<h3>36Kr: Mak Kee went from 53 stores to 1,000 stores in one year, and now plans to expand overseas. Is that not too fast?</h3>
XY: Every step we take is planned, not driven by impulse. Overseas expansion is not simply about doing overseas business. It is about establishing Mak Kee as an international brand. Even if we open only a few stores overseas, our brand and identity changes.
Mak Kee’s first overseas store is in Los Angeles. It took half a year to prepare. From a pure profitability perspective, the cost and return are not proportional. But from the perspective of brand positioning and top-level strategy, it is very worthwhile.
<div style="display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; margin: 24px 0;">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #fff; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px rgba(0,0,0,.5),0 1px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.15); margin: 0 auto; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSOP2elkp6D/" data-instgrm-version="14"><a style="display: block; padding: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSOP2elkp6D/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">View this post on Instagram</a></blockquote>
</div>
<script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<h3>36Kr: Were there internal disagreements over the pace of expansion?</h3>
XY: At the time, the founding team wanted to first deepen its presence in the Yangtze River Delta, slow national expansion, and take a conservative route. I understood that thinking, but I directly rejected it. Mak Kee should not be just a regional brand.
<h3>36Kr: You have repeatedly expressed recognition of GoodMe on many occasions. GoodMe has been very restrained in expansion. Why did Mak Kee not follow GoodMe’s regional approach?</h3>
XY: GoodMe makes fresh fruit tea, so it must rely on a heavy supply chain and must be restrained. But Mak Kee is in the Chinese dessert soup category. It does not require such a heavy cold supply chain. The business formats are fundamentally different.
<h3>36Kr: Why do you predict a major shakeout this year?</h3>
XY: In March 2025, I said at a shareholders’ meeting that 2025 would mark both the start of intense competition and a decisive phase for Mak Kee. Many people thought competition in the category might last ten years, but I believed one year would be enough to decide the winner.
The industry has become too transparent. Once a playbook works, peers can copy it within three months. In 2026, Chinese dessert soups will enter a shakeout phase, and there will not be many opportunities left for new brands. 2025 is Mak Kee’s only window. We have to secure the number one position quickly. As I said, we cannot take a regional approach. Time does not allow it.
<h3>36Kr: Does Mak Kee have financing plans?</h3>
XY: Yes. We have never raised financing before. The company’s profitability and cash flow are both very good. Last year, dozens of institutions approached me, but I politely declined them because we did not know what we would use the money for. This year, however, we plan to bring in one or two investors. It is not for the money, but from the perspective of strategic resources and high-end talent introduction.
<h3>36Kr: Where does that stand now?</h3>
XY: We have already confirmed two interested institutions. What we value are the strategic resources, industry endorsement, and team support they can provide. Those are much more important than valuation and capital.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3809931035844359">article</a> was written by Zhong Yixuan for 36Kr.
Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.78 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 3, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Chinese dessert soups are getting a modern makeover, and Mak Kee wants to lead it

Retail

China's <a href="/company/chery">Chery Automobile</a> looks to offer an all-electric minicar in Japan next spring, joining a market made increasingly competitive by Japanese rivals and Chinese <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a> leader <a href="/company/byd">BYD</a>.
Chery and four partners will launch the EV brand Emta. The operating company, EMT, has been established in Yokohama to handle development and sales.
"This is a new brand aimed at Japanese consumers," EMT CEO He Xiaoqing told reporters on May 27. "It will make life easier and more comfortable."
EMT is a subsidiary of a Singaporean joint venture established by Chery and its four partners including Jiangsu Yueda Automobile Group and battery supplier Gotion High-tech, both from China. Japan's Autobacs Seven, the automotive parts retailer, and Anest Iwata, which supplies coating equipment, are the other two investors.
The kei car will be developed in China and Japan, with production initially in China. Chery technology will be used for driver assistance and other features.
EMT aims for a price "comparable to gasoline-powered kei cars," said Susumu Uchikoshi, the company's chief marketing officer. Honda Motor's N-Box, Japan's best-selling kei car, ranges in price from JPY 1.74–2.48 million (USD 10,922.1–15,567.2)
EMT will debut four electric models in Japan by 2029, starting with the kei car. Autobacs Seven will contribute its network of outlets toward sales.
The operating company looks to establish 100 locations for sales and service combined when the kei EV is launched. EMT also will add new locations, expanding the business to hundreds of locations in fiscal 2027.
The market for kei cars, a category unique to Japan, has grown to become a battleground in the EV space, especially with the entry of Chinese rivals. Kei cars, often used for short-distance errands, fit as all-electric vehicles, given the limited driving ranges.
Honda launched the <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/electric-vehicles/honda-debuts-electric-minicar-with-longest-range-to-jolt-slow-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">N-One e:</a> last September, and BYD rolls out the <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/electric-vehicles/byd-unveils-first-kei-minicar-to-break-open-the-japanese-ev-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Racco mini-EV</a> this summer. Suzuki Motor also plans to start sales of a kei EV this fiscal year. In 2028, Honda will release the <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/electric-vehicles/honda-plans-ev-version-of-top-selling-japan-minicar-as-byd-looms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all-electric version</a> of the N-Box.
"Kei cars don't need the same driving range as regular vehicles," said Seiji Sugiura, senior analyst at Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory. "Depending on the price, kei EVs have the potential to gain prominence."
EVs still account for only about 2% of new cars sold in Japan, the lowest share among developed countries. Limiting factors include an insufficient number of charging stations and the high price tags. Affordable mini EVs could boost the adoption rate.
Elsewhere, the European Union is establishing a new class of compact, affordable EVs called the <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/eu-to-launch-compact-ev-class-to-cut-costs-and-counter-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"E car,"</a> based on Japan's kei car. EMT is considering overseas expansion.
"Japan will be the most important market," said He. "The newly established small EV standard in Europe presents an opportunity for global expansion."
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/electric-vehicles/china-s-chery-to-debut-ev-minicar-in-japan-following-byd-s-lead">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.0722vps.aieehr01.top/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.
Note: JPY figures are converted to USD at rates of JPY 159.31 = USD 1 based on estimates as of May 29, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

China's Chery to debut EV minicar in Japan, following BYD's lead

Chery

Transportation

Electric Vehicles

Mobility

Japan

Just months after listing in Hong Kong, <a href="/company/minimax">MiniMax</a> is considering a second move in the public market, this time in mainland China.
The <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> company said its board has approved a preliminary proposal to explore the issuance of RMB-denominated shares and a potential listing on Shanghai’s STAR Market. The process may involve appointing professional advisors and consulting securities regulators, MiniMax said in a May 31 filing.
The company has already hired advisers to assess whether it meets the requirements for a Star Market listing and has signed a listing guidance agreement, according to the filing.
MiniMax cautioned that the plan remains at an early stage. Any concrete proposal, if made, would require further board and shareholder approvals where applicable, as well as clearance from mainland and local regulators.
The move follows MiniMax’s Hong Kong listing, for which the company had indicated plans to use IPO proceeds for R&amp;D and global expansion. That plan aligned with MiniMax’s positioning as one of China’s major generative AI companies, backed by investors including <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba</a> and <a href="/company/tencent">Tencent</a>.
The company has been refining and releasing large models to keep pace with developments across the sector. On June 1, a day after the announcement, MiniMax launched M3, describing it as an open-weight model built for coding, agentic work, long-context use, and native multimodality.
Beyond AI model development, MiniMax’s monetization is tied partly to products such as video generator Hailuo AI and conversational AI platform Talkie.
The announcement follows other recent milestones beyond the Hong Kong IPO. In March, when MiniMax disclosed its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2025, the company said revenue more than doubled year-on-year to around USD 79 million, with international markets accounting for 70% of the total. Gross profit was reported at USD 20.1 million, up 437.2% from the previous year, while gross margin expanded by 13.2 percentage points to 25.4%. Adjusted net loss totaled about USD 250 million, with the loss ratio narrowing substantially.
MiniMax’s management had also said during an earlier earnings call that <a href="https://0722vps.aieehr01.top/minimaxs-arr-tops-usd-150-million-as-it-pivots-toward-an-ai-platform-model">annual recurring revenue surpassed USD 150 million</a> in February.
Analysts tracked by Visible Alpha, part of S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence, expect MiniMax’s revenue to reach USD 219 million in 2026, before climbing to USD 5.8 billion by 2030. Its AI-native products are expected to contribute around USD 123 million in 2026 revenue, while its open platform and enterprise AI services are forecast to add another USD 96 million, or about 44% of total revenue.

MiniMax explores Star Market listing after Hong Kong debut

MiniMax

Foundation and Large Models

… solid #e8e8e8;" data-tmfx-note="1">Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.78 = USD 1 based on estimates as of June 2, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

Deals in brief: SG Enviro completes Series A round, Return Helper raises USD 4 million, 14 new China investments, and more

Venture Capital

Private Equity

Investment

Merger &amp; Acquisition

Singapore

<a href="/company/huawei">Huawei Technologies</a> said on May 25 it has found a new way to design chips to bring its semiconductor capabilities close to those of global chipmakers Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Intel, as China's tech champion continues working to overcome US sanctions that have cut it off from top-tier global suppliers.
Huawei said that over the past six years, it has developed a new principle, known as the Tau scaling law, to break through the limits of Moore's Law and keep pursuing advanced semiconductor manufacturing technologies, He Tingbo, Huawei's semiconductor chief, said at the 2026 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, or ISCAS, in Shanghai.
The Tau scaling law is also called "Her's law" by Huawei, in recognition of He, who joined the company in 1996 and has been leading Huawei's efforts to develop alternative ways to design chips amid Washington's persistent crackdown. As president of its semiconductor business department, she has overseen the transformation of chip arm HiSilicon Technologies from a small design team into a globally recognized designer of chips for smartphones, PCs, <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> computing, and more.
Based on this new principle, He said, engineers can reduce signal delay and steadily improve transistor density to keep advancing chip computing power beyond the limits of Moore's law, which relies on shrinking transistors ever smaller to increase computing power.
Speaking at the conference, He described how Her's law led to the development of Huawei's new LogicFolding chip architecture, which sharply increases chip performance. She cited the Kirin system-on-chip chipset for phones, due out later this year, as an example, saying it delivers a 55% increase in transistor density and a 41% power-efficiency compared with traditional designs.
These gains were "obtained not through a new lithography step but through a topological reorganization of the spatial distribution of logic in three dimensions," according to He.
Huawei believes its new approach to chip development will become an industry standard. "Six years ago, the geometric roadmap [based on Moore's law] plateaued, forcing a more fundamental question—one that, in retrospect, the entire industry will eventually have to confront," the company said in a paper released on May 25.
Huawei's Kirin chipset line will be the first to fully adopt the new law, and will be used in its flagship smartphone to be released this year. Huawei said it will use the law to improve the computing performance of its other AI chip products as well.
Before the US hit Huawei with strict export controls to block its use of advanced foreign technologies, the Chinese tech giant briefly became the world's second largest smartphone maker by shipments, surpassing Apple and trailing only Samsung. Huawei's smartphone business was hit particularly hard by the US crackdown. Whether the revamped Kirin chipset can meaningfully revive the company's handset business remains to be seen.
Huawei said that with the latest chip design approach, it could match the 1.4-nanometer, also known as 14 angstrom, chip technologies of global chip leaders by 2031. This timeline would put the company just a few years behind TSMC and Intel, which are each planning for their own 1.4-nm chip production to <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/tech/semiconductors/tsmc-aims-to-produce-next-generation-1.4-nm-chips-by-2028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">start around 2028</a> and 2029.
Generally, the smaller the nanometer size, the more advanced the chips. However, it has become extremely challenging to pack more transistors into the same size of chip area and the semiconductor sector is exploring ways to <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/the-big-story/the-great-nanometer-chip-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go beyond Moore's law</a>.
While the upcoming Kirin chips are the first to fully adopt Her's law, Huawei said it has already designed the new approach to varying degrees in designing 381 types of chips across consumer electronics, networking, and computing products over the past six years.
He said the company looks forward to working closely with scientists, engineers and industry partners around the world on the new law to keep driving the advancement of the chip and electronics industries.
"No single company can independently find all the answers along the path of semiconductor evolution," she said.
With the chip industry as a whole wrestling with the slowing of Moore's law, global chipmakers are stepping up efforts to expand and develop new chip packaging technologies by connecting and stacking different chips together to boost computing performance. AI chip leaders such as Nvidia, Google, and Amazon are exploring advanced packaging methods to more tightly connect and integrate GPUs (graphics processing units), CPUs (central processing units), and memory chips for faster and more efficient computing.
Huawei's announcement comes as Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, which is Huawei's biggest rival in AI computing, recently said his company has basically <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/tech/semiconductors/nvidia-reports-85-revenue-jump-but-still-excludes-china-in-outlook" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conceded the Chinese market to Huawei</a> amid the US export controls on AI chips to the country. <a title="" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/tech/semiconductors/amd-ceo-says-unexpected-cpu-demand-surge-to-last-5-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMD's CEO Lisa Su</a> also acknowledged that her company's high-end AI chipset is unlikely to see meaningful sales in China.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/huawei-crackdown/huawei-says-new-kirin-chip-for-phones-overcomes-us-clampdown">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.0722vps.aieehr01.top/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

Huawei says new Kirin chip for phones overcomes US clampdown

Semiconductors

… shares.
The HKD 200–250 billion (USD 25.5–31.9 billion) in question is in the ballpark of market turnover in a single day.
Before the crackdown in 2022, some Hong Kong-listed Chinese tech giants such as <a href="/company/tencent">Tencent Holdings</a> could credit employee incentive shares to Futu accounts. But when Futu stopped bringing on new mainland users, Tencent shifted the program to a system provided by Bank of China International, which allowed employees to sell their shares but not purchase additional ones, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Under the current setup, sale proceeds are credited directly to mainland Chinese bank accounts in Hong Kong dollars. Afterward, employees may choose to convert the funds into yuan. This arrangement creates a closed-loop system, the person said.
<h3>What are investors and analysts watching for next?</h3>
Since the warnings a few years ago, Futu and Tiger Brokers have been diversifying away from mainland Chinese clientele.
According to Futu's financial report, mainland clients accounted for around 13% of asset holders at the end of March 2026. For Tiger Brokers, mainland retail clients' assets made up around 10% of the total at the end of 2025.
An S&amp;P Global report released on May 26 said that despite the inevitable strain on earnings, Futu's other operations should help the company cope.
"We expect Futu's non-mainland business to continue to grow over the next two years," S&amp;P Global said. "The company saw strong growth in its client base in Hong Kong and overseas, which boosted its revenue by over 65% in 2025."
The brokers' own market performance has been resilient so far. After plunging on last week's news, Futu's Nasdaq-listed shares rebounded 20% on Tuesday, while Tiger Brokers' jumped around 15%.
Goldman Sachs expects the regulatory impact on Futu and Tiger to be felt mainly in the second half of 2026, as authorities move forward with fines and demand remediation of noncompliant mainland accounts. The investment bank cut its 2026 net profit forecasts for Futu by 25% and for Tiger by 60%.
It added that profit growth could slow further as the brokers pursue expansion overseas, where customer acquisition costs are higher and average assets are lower.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/finance/china-drops-hammer-on-cross-border-stock-trading-5-things-to-know2">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.0722vps.aieehr01.top/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.
Note: HKD, RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of HKD 7.83 (USD 1) = USD 1 and RMB 6.79 (USD 1) = USD 1 based on estimates as of May 29, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

China drops hammer on cross-border stock trading: 5 things to know