Category: Retail & eCommerce

Trintech Named to the 2021 AIFINTECH100 List

  • FinTech Global recognizes Trintech’s leadership in utilizing advanced Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning capabilities to reduce the time and risk across the Record to Report process

Trintech, an industry-leading global provider of Record to Report software solutions for the Office of Finance, today announced that FinTech Global has named the company as one of the world’s most innovative AI solution providers on its inaugural AIFINTECH list for 2021. The list identifies the top 100 companies chosen by a panel of industry experts and analysts who reviewed a study of over 1,000 fintech companies undertaken by FinTech Global. The solution providers making the final list were recognized for their innovative use of technology to solve a significant industry problem, or to generate cost savings or efficiency improvements across the financial services value chain.

Trintech has developed Financial Controls AI within its leading Record to Report platform, Cadency(R) by Trintech, to help customers quantitatively evaluate risk within the Record to Report process. Trintech’s Financial Controls AI allows customers to automate workflows based on their risk profile, all while identifying high-risk items for human review. Trintech’s Financial Controls AI strategy will continue to expand to help the Office of Finance:

– Evaluate and quantify risk across various financial close processes, entities, and functions
– Automate and optimize workflows based on risk
– Leverage insights into compliance controls through data analysis
– Develop best practices for risk evaluation, controls, automation and optimization, based on benchmarking data
– Evaluate and quantify key market trends to determine impact and drive proactive risk prevention measures

“The ability for the Office of Finance to provide real-time business-critical insights to drive confident decision-making has never been more important and we are fortunate to provide leading financial close solutions that not only speed up the Record to Report process but provide that real-time visibility to help drive those key business decisions,” said Michael Ross, Chief Product Officer at Trintech. “Over the past year, Trintech has invested heavily in its Financial Controls AI capabilities to help our customers reduce financial risk from multiple angles, save time and resources, and ultimately transform their operations.”

Cadency has helped financial institutions across the global achieve significant ROI including up to a 99% reduction in preparation time on reconciliations, up to a 90% reduction in the number of accounts needed to be reconciled and up to a 75% reduction in time for rework. Discover the ROI your organization can achieve by automating you Record to Report process.

The full AIFinTech100 2021 list is published online at www.AIFinTech100.com.

About FinTech Global
FinTech Global offers the most comprehensive data, the most valuable insights, and the most powerful analytical tools available for the global FinTech industry. FinTech Global works with market leaders in the FinTech Industry – investors, advisors, innovative companies, and financial institutions – and enables them to get the essential intelligence they need to make superior business decisions.

About Trintech
Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech’s portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency(R) Platform, Adra(R) Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET(TM), T-Recs(R), and UPCS(R), help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company’s cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Kelli Shoevlin
214-957-5009
kelli.shoevlin@trintech.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

ZALL Smart Commerce Group (2098.HK) increased revenue by 40.3% in 1H2021, aims for RMB100 billion on year

ZALL Smart Commerce Group (ZALL; 2098.HK), Asia’s largest B2B e-commerce group, today announced its results for the first half 2021 (January 1 – June 30, 2021). ZALL’s revenue rose by 40.3 per cent year-on-year to RMB 50.16 billion (US$7.76 billion), on the back of stronger Group operating capacity. Gross profit rose to RMB 607 million (US$93.96 million), an increase of 8.1 per cent year-on-year, and profitability remained stable.

Revenues from ZALL’s offline wholesale markets and online Industrial Internet platforms such as Shenzhen Sinoagri, ZALL Steel, and Huasuhui steadily increased, benefitting from the gradual increase of services in ZALL’s ecosystem, spanning wholesale trade markets, agriculture, steel, plastics and chemicals and other industries. Supply chain services such as finance, warehousing, and logistics also continued to empower upstream and downstream customers in the industry value-chain, laying a solid foundation for rapid growth.

Previously, ZALL embarked on a new strategic rebrand and is committed to becoming the world’s largest digital trade platform. The Group looks to incorporate “New Trading Methods” and use advanced digital technologies, such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain to achieve this goal.

Mr Qi Zhiping, CEO of ZALL Smart Commerce Group said: “ZALL will focus on innovation and the development of digital trade, leveraging data as the driving force to build a new B2B digital trade ecosystem and improve the efficiency of the industrial chain.”

New brands, New directions, New trends

During the first half of 2021, the Group saw a growth in customer loyalty as its industry vertical platforms such as Shenzhen Sinoagri, ZALL Steel, and Huasuhui expanded into subcategories to provide practical, efficient and convenient supply chain services for upstream and downstream customers in the industry value-chain:

– Shenzhen Sinoagri has been enhancing their online trading of cocoon silk, sugar, and expanded to include live pigs, corn, coffee and other product categories.
– ZALL Steel has successfully passed the CMMI3 international certification, and its SaaS cloud service was significantly upgraded.
– ZALL Steel Warehouse (Fengshan Port) was successfully inaugurated, and its supply chain service system was gradually improved.
– Huasuhui’s supply chain financial service “Plastic Loan” celebrated its first anniversary since its launch and has helped nearly a thousand Micro-, Small- and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs), enabling a coordinated development ecosystem of industry and finance.
– Leveraging the service capabilities of ZALL’s intelligent trading ecosystem to interconnect domestic and international resources, Zallgo facilitates commodity trade flow between wholesale markets and commodities, creating a trillion-level market of commercial tools through digital empowerment, and is committed to becoming a super portal for industrial Internet transactions and services.
– ZALL’s offline flagship project, North Hankou International Trade Centre (“North Hankou”) actively promotes the integrated development of traditional commerce and live streaming e-commerce. The industry ecology of the live-streaming trade has started to develop, with orders happening at major specialised trading markets in an orderly manner, and the construction of 12 major projects of Wuhan International Trade City progressing smoothly after its upgrade. North Hankou is overall ranked second among China’s commercial markets, and is China’s largest and the world’s leading commercial and logistics platform.

ZALL has also established integrated online and offline development while contributing to China’s economic circulation. As a leader in global digital trade, ZALL established ZALL International Trade Group to service MSMEs that is committed to becoming a large-scale comprehensive import and export trade group that “buy from the world and sell to the world”. Its principal businesses include operating the national pilot market for foreign trade, comprehensive foreign trade services, and import and export trade. The Group’s commodities marketplace, Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC) uses blockchain technology to provide one-stop cross-border B2B trade to support the entire process of commodity-related transactions, helping companies uncover new business opportunities, reduce transaction costs, and achieve greater trading synergies globally.

ZALL’s robust strategic layout and strong operating capabilities are highlighted in the integration of domestic and foreign trade, both online and offline, and the construction of an efficient supply chain service system. During the first half of 2021, ZALL continues to provide services such as smart warehouse logistics and supply chain finance. Powered by information technology, smart warehouse logistics uses Internet of Things (IoT) to integrate automation, informatization, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies for cargo delivery and storage applications, and has helped companies to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Supply chain financial services such as “factory loans” and “supply-guaranteed E-loans” use real-trading scenarios to promote enterprise innovation through the integration of industry and finance, optimizing the overall capital flow of the industrial supply chain, and improving circulation efficiency.

In addition, ZALL is committed to help companies kickstart their business growth through data technology. During the first half of the year, Wuhan City announced their first batch of 271 digital economy application scenario projects. Two solutions developed by ZALL Research Institute, a subsidiary of ZALL, were selected. They include “Banking Financial Product Data Mutual Trust Project based on Low Code Blockchain Solutions” and “Data Cross-Chain Platform based on Privacy Protection”. This has further enhanced commercial efficiency in the digital realm.

Coupled with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, as well as its extraordinary achievements in promoting the digitalisation of traditional enterprises, ZALL has been growing its influence in the field of digital trade for many years. These accomplishments have been widely recognised by the government, financial and industry leaders, media and the general public. During the first half of 2021, ZALL has consecutively won the best new economy award; the most value-added company award; Top 10 listed China Industrial Internet companies; Top 100 in China Industrial Internet (Industrial Digitalization); Hubei’s Best Hong Kong Stock Listed Company among other awards, and was ranked 155th in the Fortune China 500 list in 2021.

In 2020, ZALL achieved a revenue of RMB 72.769 billion (US$11.27 billion), in line with expectations. With steady growth of 40 per cent in 2021, ZALL is expected to achieve RMB 100 billion (US$15.49 billion) in revenue this year and reach the top echelon of the industrial digital trade industry. Through this process, ZALL intends to emerge as a leader in new trading methods, while maximising the value of digital trade, and becoming the world’s leading digital trade platform.

About ZALL Smart Commerce Group

ZALL Smart Commerce Group is a leading Chinese B2B e-commerce group (ranked 155th of Fortune China 500 companies) with a truly global footprint, and its companies trading worldwide: HKSE, NYSE, SSE and SZSE. ZALL Group develops and operates Asia’s largest B2B offline-to-online trade ecosystem, in China and Southeast Asia, including Singapore, with more than 30 B2B platforms in China, US and Singapore, and a GFA of more than 10 million sqm of wholesale trade centres in China. In 2018, ZALL Group achieved a GMV of more than RMB 600 billion (US$85.2 BN), serving over 1 million SME customers worldwide. ZALL has also obtained a virtual banking licence and currently operates Z-Bank in China since 2017, one of China’s Top 5 digital banks that has supported more than 5.5 million SME and individual customers.

Since 2018, ZALL has invested in five projects in Singapore, including the Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC), Singapore’s first physical commodity eTrading platform (B2B) powered by blockchain technology; ezbuy.sg, Singapore’s leading global online shopping platform; ZMA Smart Capital, an online trade finance company; ZALL Chain Technology, a blockchain solutions company.

VOOPOO : DRAG X PRO Global Release, TPP X POD Brings Highly Powerful Experience

VOOPOO’s international new product launch came on August 18 as scheduled, during which annual new product DRAG X PRO was officially released.

With VOOPOO constantly pushing the boundaries of performance and design, DRAG X PRO is meeting the diverse needs of its users and bringing innovative experiences to consumers around the world.

The newly developed TPP X POD is the powerful guarantor for the stable operation of DRAG X PRO. On one hand, two atomizing cores, 40W and 80W, not only optimize the stable output of high power but also meet the users’ pursuit of high performance and big clouds. On the other, TPP X POD has achieved “single-hole and dual-mesh” atomization and successfully applied it in both new products. With the support of a large aperture and double heating wires, TPP X POD has greatly improved the atomization efficiency and comprehensive experience compared with the previous generation.

DRAG X PRO atomizer core is highly adaptable, to meet the needs of discerning vapers who focus on taste variability. In addition to the TPP X POD delivered with the product, it is compatible with all TPP/PNP atomizers. Users can also combine atomizers according to their preferences, for they only need to replace the PNP POD when using the PNP atomizer.

Multi-Functional, All-Round Technology Upgrade
DRAG X PRO uses One Button Switch technology, allowing users to experience the professional performance instantly with a single flick of the button. The newly designed GENE.FAN 3.0 Chip has an overall performance improvement of 20% by the previous generation. The 5-80/100W switch fades smoothly while the SMART, RBA, and TC modes can be accessed freely.

Besides a high-power cap and an external replaceable battery, DRAG X PRO also focuses on a highly powerful taste. With more attention paid to detailed design, DRAG X PRO has an exquisite body and a conveniently rechargeable battery. Both versions come with an 8.5V boost mode, which optimizes the performance output even when the battery runs out, making the stable flavour linger on. The air hole and 360-degree infinite airflow system specially designed for the MTL experience vividly epitomize the brand spirit of VOOPOO driven by innovation.

At present, VOOPOO has four major product lines – DRAG, VINCI, ARGUS, and V – which are available in 70 countries and regions across North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. VOOPOO will adhere to atomization technology R&D and high-quality vape as the original aspiration, strengthen the exchanges and cooperation in technology, brand, supply chain, and other fields, and promote the innovative and constructive development of the industry.

WARNING: This product uses e-liquid products containing nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. These products are intended for adult smokers of legal purchase age only.

Contact VOOPOO:
Official Website: https://www.voopoo.com/
Instagram (global): https://www.instagram.com/voopoo_global/
Instagram (tech): https://www.instagram.com/voopootechofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Voopootech/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@voopoo_indonesia?lang=en
Business email: sales@voopoo.com

Omar Choucair, Trintech CFO, Accepted into Forbes Finance Council

  • Forbes Finance Council is an Invitation-Only Community for Executives in Accounting, Financial Planning, Wealth and Asset Management, and Investment Firms

Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the Office of Finance, today announced its CFO, Omar Choucair, has been accepted into Forbes Finance Council, an invitation-only community for executives in accounting, financial planning, wealth and asset management, and investment firms.

Choucair was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors.

“We are honored to welcome Omar into the community,” said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Finance Council. “Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.”

As an accepted member of the Council, Omar has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help him reach peak professional influence. He will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. Omar will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts.

“This is a critical time for CFOs across the business spectrum – our role is evolving at a breakneck pace, and I can’t think of a better community with whom to ideate on what the future can and should look like,” Choucair says. “I’m excited to join the Forbes Finance Council and share insights around industry trends I’m involved in firsthand with our clients, like digital transformation in the Office of Finance, challenges and opportunities around a hybrid workplace and emerging cybersecurity best practices.”

Omar has over 20 years of experience leading both the financial and administrative organizations for public and private software/services companies. He managed several companies who experienced significant revenue and cash flow growth through both organic and acquired assets. Additionally, he has completed numerous M&A transactions as well as managed public and private equity/debt financings.

Prior to joining Trintech, Omar was the CFO of Multiview, a Warburg Pincus-backed B2B software platform providing marketing services to over 17,000 B2B customers in North America. Omar also served as the CFO of DGFastchannel/Sizmek (NASDAQ: SZMK), a B2B software platform delivering mission-critical media content. Additionally, he served as the VP Finance for AMFM, Inc (NASDAQ:AMFM), one of the largest U.S. radio holding companies which was ultimately acquired by Clear Channel Communications. Omar began his career as a CPA at KPMG, where he managed publicly traded large multi-national services and technology company audits over a period of ten years.

About Forbes Councils

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive.

For more information about Forbes Finance Council, visit forbesfinancecouncil.com. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com.

About Trintech

Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech’s portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency(R) Platform, Adra(R) Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET(TM), T-Recs(R), and UPCS(R), help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company’s cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Kristina Pereira Tully
Vested
650-464-0080
trintech@fullyvested.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

Comtel Rebrands to Quess Singapore with Focus on Local Job Creation in the City

Quess Corp, one of the world’s leading Business Service Providers, today announced that Comtel Solutions, the leading tech talent solutions Company in Singapore, and an affiliate of Quess Corp, has now become Quess Singapore and will operate as fully owned Singaore entity.

An affiliate of Quess Corp Limited, Comtel has been in business for over a decade and has expanded across the Asia Pacific and several industry verticals and sectors such as Banking, Hi-Tech Manufacturing, Telecommunication, Logistics, and Healthcare Industries. The company which partners with global market leaders, including Fortune 100 companies for services, solutions and focussed executive searches for technology staff, has been a part of Quess Group for five years and will continue to maintain its industry leading status in Staff augmentation in Singapore.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Quess Corp has been tirelessly working with a mission to help hire skilled and productive workers who are equipped to meet the dynamic market requirements of their clients across sectors. Quess has made significant investments in technology across the hire to retire cycle to provide manpower services that are already trusted by several customers globally. Its thrust on developing tools to improve productivity of frontline workers and boost employee engagement is helping create a grey collar/semi-skilled workforce that is more efficient and future-ready.

The workforce landscape is going through a massive change as talent and skills become the most important currency for organisations to drive growth and establish value differentiation. Through re-branding Comtel to Quess Singapore, the company aims to better communicate the breadth and scale of expertise that Quess truly represents.

Speaking on the company’s refreshed branding, Vikas Srivastava, Country Manager, Quess Singapore said, “COVID has completely made everyone re-think their talent strategy as companies now move to a more hybrid and asynchronous workforce that will help them make the most of the disruption to the labour economy to best meet their growth ambitions. Over the last few years, our technology-enabled solutions have been making search, selection, and management of contingent workforce easy in Singapore. With this new identity, we are confident of providing associates working for our clients with more career-enhancing opportunities through our ever-growing partnership with leading learning and development providers for their re-skilling and upskilling needs. This apart, we will help our clients manage and increase the productivity of their grey collar/semi-skilled workforce more effectively by introducing metric-driven, technology-led management through integrating our in-house mobile WorQ App into our standard offering.”

As one of the world’s leading Business Services Providers, Quess is known for its many milestones over the last 14 years; one of them being the fastest to become part of the coveted list of top 50 largest Global staffing suppliers ranked by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA).

Commenting on the potential in local market, Quess Corp CEO APAC Mr. Sandeep Sharma said, “We are focussed on “Thinking Global Acting Local”. The focus of Quess Singapore – is to be No-1 workforce solutions partner for clients in Singapore and the most preferred employer for associates and candidates. We will be more agile, technology-enabled, and look forward to boosting local employment. We are at the forefront of providing innovative workforce solutions to our larger customer base in South East Asia and stand by our mission of “Winning Together – In our client’s win lies our win” and bring it to fruition. We aim to transition to our new brand identity with the reassurance of consistent and efficient service delivery with no disruptions while looking forward to continued support from our existing clients.”

About Quess Corp

Established in Bengaluru in 2007, Quess Corp Limited (BSE: 539978, NSE: QUESS) is India’s leading business services provider – leveraging its extensive domain knowledge and future-ready digital platforms to drive client productivity through outsourced solutions. Quess provides a host of technology enabled staffing and managed outsourcing services across processes such as sales & marketing, customer care, after sales service, back office operations, manufacturing, facilities and security management, HR & F&A operations, IT & mobility services etc. Quess has a team of ~369,000 employees, serving ~3,000 clients across India, North America, APAC and the Middle East as on 31st July 2021.

Media contacts:
Namrata Sharma – namrata.sharma@adfactorspr.com
Neha Chaturvedi – neha.chaturvedi@adfactorspr.com

Li Jiaqi – China’s “King of Livestreaming E-commerce” – Goes Global

Li Jiaqi, dubbed China’s “King of Livestreaming E-commerce,” is set to host a pioneering fashion show format at the iconic Shanghai K11 Art Mall on August 19-22.

Li is taking Li Jiaqi WoW, his shopping information and recommendation program, offline for the first time, and will feature the involvement of five prominent Chinese designers, each based around the world. Through livestreaming, the audience will be able to communicate with the different designers as they open virtual “doors.” The Shanghai show represents the beginnings of Li’s grand vision as he looks to extend his influence on a global scale.

Li is China’s most popular key opinion leader (KOL) in the livestreaming e-commerce industry – with nearly 170 million fans – and has driven sales of more than$430 million (RMB2.8 billion) in a single live broadcast. Since 2016, livestreaming e-commerce has grown in popularity in China. Outperforming all other shopping channels, its user scale reached 388 million till December 2020, 66.2% of whom bought products via this channel, China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) says.

Compared to traditional online shopping, livestreaming e-commerce provokes a greater consumer response through lively visual demonstrations, greater convenience, and more affordable price during the nationwide lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Livestreaming e-commerce is especially popular during China’s e-commerce festivals, such as the 618 Festival – a June festival run by many of China’s e-commerce companies -with 14.2 billion views and over 100,000 brands involved in livestreaming influencer marketing in 2021.

At the heart of China’s livestreaming e-commerce world as well as a contributor of such accomplishment, Li Jiaqi is a force of nature. Ever since entering the industry, Li has been a trendsetter, his opinions delivered with iconic style. A “Recommended by Li Jiaqi” endorsement can truly change a company’s fortunes. Florasis, a Chinese makeup brand, was one such company, quadrupling its sales year-on-year to RMB 2.75 billion after partnering with Li, rocketing them the top of Chinese makeup brands for 2020. Leveraging his powerful influence, Li has led dozens of Chinese brands to nationwide popularity, leading to him being dubbed China’s “top domestic product promoter.”

Behind Li’s to rise to fame are tags such as “Made in China,” “makeup,” and “lipstick,” but deep down, Li has always had a greater ambition. In August last year, Li Jiaqi’s team launched China’s first livestreaming shopping information and recommendation program, Li Jiaqi WoW, a confluence of information on new products, available globally, across a number of categories. This shift to a more global focus is all part of Li’s efforts to import designer brands around the world into China’s market. Since then, Li Jiaqi WoW has aired nearly 50 episodes, eliciting a strong response across China’s social platforms, such as Weibo, TikTok (Douyin), and Xiaohongshu (RED). The program is expected to further integrate offline channels as it looks to provide designers and brands with better opportunities for promotion.

Li’s move of promoting international brands nationwide via his livestreaming channel has worked out favorably for most featured brands. In a Salvatore Ferragamo live broadcast, for example, two hundred Salvatore Ferragamo Creation handbags, priced at RMB 17,000 each, quickly sold out.

Li Jiaqi’s story is not simply one of commerce and consumption, but also one that reveals the ongoing change in brand marketing and promotion in China followed by technological development and changes in Chinese people’s consumption behavior.

As the “door” metaphorically implies in Li Jiaqi’s new product launch, live streaming e-commerce breaks borders and boundaries of space via online and offline channels, and presents brands to the market at a minimum cost, maximizing benefits for both brands and consumers. The CNNIC stated in its report that livestreaming e-commerce users made up a mere 39% of China’s netizen population as of December 2020. Given the country’s total internet user population of 989 million, as well as its internet penetration rate of 70%, livestreaming e-commerce is certain to grow its market share in the coming years, with data analytics company iiMedia Research predicting that by 2025, China’s livestreaming influencer-led e-commerce transaction volume will reach$1 trillion (RMB 6.4 trillion).

Livestreaming Mogul Li Jiaqi, International Brands Partner to Showcase New Products in Chinese Market

The arrival and subsequent evolution of livestreaming technology, and its integration with e-commerce, has radically changed China’s consumer market. Different from traditional online shopping, livestreaming e-commerce features better experience and more interaction that increasingly more consumers are gravitating toward. Amid this fast-growing medium, one man stands king: Li Jiaqi.

Li, China’s leading influencer in the livestreaming e-commerce space, has signaled his intentions for the future – the integration of online and offline elements. From August 19-22, Li will host a pioneering fashion show at the city’s iconic Shanghai K11 Art Mall. The show, where Li Jiaqi WoW will be taken offline for the first time, will see Li invite five up-and-coming Chinese designers to interact with viewers. Aside from watching all the latest deals and products, viewers can also communicate with the participating designers via livestreaming screens, set behind interactive “doors.”

Li is China’s most popular key opinion leader (KOL) in the livestreaming e-commerce industry – with nearly 170 million fans – and has driven sales of more than$430 million (RMB2.8 billion) in a single live broadcast. Since 2016, livestreaming e-commerce has grown in popularity in China. Outperforming all other shopping channels, its user scale reached 388 million till December 2020, 66.2% of whom bought products via this channel, China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) says.

Compared to traditional online shopping, livestreaming e-commerce provokes a greater consumer response through lively visual demonstrations, greater convenience, and more affordable price during the nationwide lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Livestreaming e-commerce is especially popular during China’s e-commerce festivals, such as the 618 Festival – a June festival run by many of China’s e-commerce companies -with 14.2 billion views and over 100,000 brands involved in livestreaming influencer marketing in 2021.

At the heart of China’s livestreaming e-commerce world as well as a contributor of such accomplishment, Li Jiaqi is a force of nature. Ever since entering the industry, Li has been a trendsetter, his opinions delivered with iconic style. A “Recommended by Li Jiaqi” endorsement can truly change a company’s fortunes. Florasis, a Chinese makeup brand, was one such company, quadrupling its sales year-on-year to RMB 2.75 billion after partnering with Li, rocketing them the top of Chinese makeup brands for 2020. Leveraging his powerful influence, Li has led dozens of Chinese brands to nationwide popularity, leading to him being dubbed China’s “top domestic product promoter.”

Behind Li’s to rise to fame are tags such as “Made in China,” “makeup,” and “lipstick,” but deep down, Li has always had a greater ambition. In August last year, Li Jiaqi’s team launched China’s first livestreaming shopping information and recommendation program, Li Jiaqi WoW, a confluence of information on new products, available globally, across a number of categories. This shift to a more global focus is all part of Li’s efforts to import designer brands around the world into China’s market. Since then, Li Jiaqi WoW has aired nearly 50 episodes, eliciting a strong response across China’s social platforms, such as Weibo, TikTok (Douyin), and Xiaohongshu (RED). The program is expected to further integrate offline channels as it looks to provide designers and brands with better opportunities for promotion.

Li’s move of promoting international brands nationwide via his livestreaming channel has worked out favorably for most featured brands. In a Salvatore Ferragamo live broadcast, for example, two hundred Salvatore Ferragamo Creation handbags, priced at RMB 17,000 each, quickly sold out.

Li Jiaqi’s story is not simply one of commerce and consumption, but also one that reveals the ongoing change in brand marketing and promotion in China followed by technological development and changes in Chinese people’s consumption behavior.

As the “door” metaphorically implies in Li Jiaqi’s new product launch, live streaming e-commerce breaks borders and boundaries of space via online and offline channels, and presents brands to the market at a minimum cost, maximizing benefits for both brands and consumers. The CNNIC stated in its report that livestreaming e-commerce users made up a mere 39% of China’s netizen population as of December 2020. Given the country’s total internet user population of 989 million, as well as its internet penetration rate of 70%, livestreaming e-commerce is certain to grow its market share in the coming years, with data analytics company iiMedia Research predicting that by 2025, China’s livestreaming influencer-led e-commerce transaction volume will reach$1 trillion (RMB 6.4 trillion).

Li Jiaqi and Livestreaming, Unbound by Time or Space

Li Jiaqi, the most influential figure in China’s livestreaming e-commerce space, recently announced his latest move – his hosting of a new fashion show at the iconic Shanghai K11 Art Mall, to be held between August 19-22.

The show will feature five up-and-coming Chinese designers, based throughout the world, who will interact with visitors on the scene. It may sound like fantasy, but such reality is made possible through the implementation of livestreaming technology.

At the show, visitors can check out the 2021 autumn and winter collections, while at the same time interacting with the participating designers through opening relevant “doors.” As an extension of Li Jiaqi WoW, Li Jiaqi’s online live shopping information & recommendation program, the show promises an immersive experience unbound by time or space and different from the conventional live streaming studio partitioned by screens.

Li is China’s most popular key opinion leader (KOL) in the livestreaming e-commerce industry – with nearly 170 million fans – and has driven sales of more than$430 million (RMB2.8 billion) in a single live broadcast. Since 2016, livestreaming e-commerce has grown in popularity in China. Outperforming all other shopping channels, its user scale reached 388 million till December 2020, 66.2% of whom bought products via this channel, China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) says.

Compared to traditional online shopping, livestreaming e-commerce provokes a greater consumer response through lively visual demonstrations, greater convenience, and more affordable price during the nationwide lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Livestreaming e-commerce is especially popular during China’s e-commerce festivals, such as the 618 Festival – a June festival run by many of China’s e-commerce companies -with 14.2 billion views and over 100,000 brands involved in livestreaming influencer marketing in 2021.

At the heart of China’s livestreaming e-commerce world as well as a contributor of such accomplishment, Li Jiaqi is a force of nature. Ever since entering the industry, Li has been a trendsetter, his opinions delivered with iconic style. A “Recommended by Li Jiaqi” endorsement can truly change a company’s fortunes. Florasis, a Chinese makeup brand, was one such company, quadrupling its sales year-on-year to RMB 2.75 billion after partnering with Li, rocketing them the top of Chinese makeup brands for 2020. Leveraging his powerful influence, Li has led dozens of Chinese brands to nationwide popularity, leading to him being dubbed China’s “top domestic product promoter.”

Behind Li’s to rise to fame are tags such as “Made in China,” “makeup,” and “lipstick,” but deep down, Li has always had a greater ambition. In August last year, Li Jiaqi’s team launched China’s first livestreaming shopping information and recommendation program, Li Jiaqi WoW, a confluence of information on new products, available globally, across a number of categories. This shift to a more global focus is all part of Li’s efforts to import designer brands around the world into China’s market. Since then, Li Jiaqi WoW has aired nearly 50 episodes, eliciting a strong response across China’s social platforms, such as Weibo, TikTok (Douyin), and Xiaohongshu (RED). The program is expected to further integrate offline channels as it looks to provide designers and brands with better opportunities for promotion.

Li’s move of promoting international brands nationwide via his livestreaming channel has worked out favorably for most featured brands. In a Salvatore Ferragamo live broadcast, for example, two hundred Salvatore Ferragamo Creation handbags, priced at RMB 17,000 each, quickly sold out.

Li Jiaqi’s story is not simply one of commerce and consumption, but also one that reveals the ongoing change in brand marketing and promotion in China followed by technological development and changes in Chinese people’s consumption behavior.

As the “door” metaphorically implies in Li Jiaqi’s new product launch, live streaming e-commerce breaks borders and boundaries of space via online and offline channels, and presents brands to the market at a minimum cost, maximizing benefits for both brands and consumers. The CNNIC stated in its report that livestreaming e-commerce users made up a mere 39% of China’s netizen population as of December 2020. Given the country’s total internet user population of 989 million, as well as its internet penetration rate of 70%, livestreaming e-commerce is certain to grow its market share in the coming years, with data analytics company iiMedia Research predicting that by 2025, China’s livestreaming influencer-led e-commerce transaction volume will reach$1 trillion (RMB 6.4 trillion).

Li Jiaqi, China’s “King of E-commerce Livestreaming,” to Host Interactive Fashion Show

Li Jiaqi, known for his successes as a livestreaming e-commerce influencer, is set to host a fashion show at the iconic Shanghai K11 Art Mallon August 19-22. The show will feature both online and offline elements, in line with recent shopping trends in China.

By taking Li Jiaqi WoW, his personal shopping information and recommendation channel, offline for the first time ever, Li will encourage viewers to interact with the five participating up-and-coming Chinese designers, based around the world, via livestreaming behind the “door” (in Li Jiaqi’s new product launch, the word “door” metaphorically implies the bridge between online and offline channels). Different from conventional livestreaming shows, Li Jiaqi’s team has created an immersive showcase of interconnected livestreaming and e-commerce elements.

Li is China’s most popular key opinion leader (KOL) in the livestreaming e-commerce industry – with nearly 170 million fans – and has driven sales of more than$430 million (RMB2.8 billion) in a single live broadcast. Since 2016, livestreaming e-commerce has grown in popularity in China. Outperforming all other shopping channels, its user scale reached 388 million till December 2020, 66.2% of whom bought products via this channel, China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) says.

Compared to traditional online shopping, livestreaming e-commerce provokes a greater consumer response through lively visual demonstrations, greater convenience, and more affordable price during the nationwide lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Livestreaming e-commerce is especially popular during China’s e-commerce festivals, such as the 618 Festival – a June festival run by many of China’s e-commerce companies -with 14.2 billion views and over 100,000 brands involved in livestreaming influencer marketing in 2021.

At the heart of China’s livestreaming e-commerce world as well as a contributor of such accomplishment, Li Jiaqi is a force of nature. Ever since entering the industry, Li has been a trendsetter, his opinions delivered with iconic style. A “Recommended by Li Jiaqi” endorsement can truly change a company’s fortunes. Florasis, a Chinese makeup brand, was one such company, quadrupling its sales year-on-year to RMB 2.75 billion after partnering with Li, rocketing them the top of Chinese makeup brands for 2020. Leveraging his powerful influence, Li has led dozens of Chinese brands to nationwide popularity, leading to him being dubbed China’s “top domestic product promoter.”

Behind Li’s to rise to fame are tags such as “Made in China,” “makeup,” and “lipstick,” but deep down, Li has always had a greater ambition. In August last year, Li Jiaqi’s team launched China’s first livestreaming shopping information and recommendation program, Li Jiaqi WoW, a confluence of information on new products, available globally, across a number of categories. This shift to a more global focus is all part of Li’s efforts to import designer brands around the world into China’s market. Since then, Li Jiaqi WoW has aired nearly 50 episodes, eliciting a strong response across China’s social platforms, such as Weibo, TikTok (Douyin), and Xiaohongshu (RED). The program is expected to further integrate offline channels as it looks to provide designers and brands with better opportunities for promotion.

Li’s move of promoting international brands nationwide via his livestreaming channel has worked out favorably for most featured brands. In a Salvatore Ferragamo live broadcast, for example, two hundred Salvatore Ferragamo Creation handbags, priced at RMB 17,000 each, quickly sold out.

Li Jiaqi’s story is not simply one of commerce and consumption, but also one that reveals the ongoing change in brand marketing and promotion in China followed by technological development and changes in Chinese people’s consumption behavior.

As the “door” metaphorically implies in Li Jiaqi’s new product launch, live streaming e-commerce breaks borders and boundaries of space via online and offline channels, and presents brands to the market at a minimum cost, maximizing benefits for both brands and consumers. The CNNIC stated in its report that livestreaming e-commerce users made up a mere 39% of China’s netizen population as of December 2020. Given the country’s total internet user population of 989 million, as well as its internet penetration rate of 70%, livestreaming e-commerce is certain to grow its market share in the coming years, with data analytics company iiMedia Research predicting that by 2025, China’s livestreaming influencer-led e-commerce transaction volume will reach$1 trillion (RMB 6.4 trillion).

Boku launches M1ST, the world’s largest mobile payments network, connecting Southeast Asia Digital Consumers to global merchants

Boku Inc. (AIM: BOKU) today announced the launch of the M1ST (aka Mobile First), the world’s largest mobile payments network. The M1ST Payments Network features an unrivalled 330+ mobile payment methods, including mobile wallets, direct carrier billing, and real-time payments schemes, reaching 5.7 billion mobile payment accounts in 90 countries – all through a single integration.

By 2022, middle class in Southeast Asia is expected to wield over US$300 billion in disposable income. The region’s middle class is expected to double to 51 per cent in 2030 from 24 per cent in 2020 – or from 135 million people to 334 million people. According to the World Bank, 45% of consumers globally use mobile wallets vs. just 18% that use credit cards for payments. In Boku’s 2021 Mobile Wallets Report showed that Southeast Asia will become the fastest growing mobile wallet region in the world: the number of mobile wallets in use by SEA consumers is projected to increase by nearly 25.5% to reach 439.7 million mobile wallets in use by the end of 2025.

“In a Confidence Index survey, 52 per cent of the merchants in SEA experienced a high level of growth during H1 2021 and 70 per cent of these merchants are expecting additional growth of more than 10 per cent in Q3 2021. This shows that despite the challenging times, digital consumers continue to make purchases digitally. The launch of M1ST will not only allow SEA merchants and digital consumers to connect within the region, but also to global markets seamlessly, with a payment method that is useful and convenient to them,” said Loke Hwee Wong, Vice President and General Manager, APAC at Boku.

However, mobile payment acceptance for global merchants is highly complex, especially due to the extreme fragmentation of mobile payment methods. M1ST solves a number of these challenges so that merchants can easily accept mobile payments, globally, and at scale, including:

– Standardization – M1ST removes the complexity of disparate technical, legal and contractual considerations, simplifying 330+ payment methods into a single, scheme-like network.
– Digitally Native – M1ST enabled payments are built to support the 0-tap subscriptions and 1-tap checkout transactions that enable new, online business models.
– Future-Proofed – By 2025, nearly 60% of consumers globally are projected to be using mobile wallets; the M1ST Network follows market demand to maximize merchant acceptance.
– Global Settlement – M1ST delivers merchants a single, global settlement, eliminating the complexity of local taxes, foreign exchange, and cash repatriation.
– Local Legal Infrastructure – Through payment licenses and local entities, M1ST is capable of accepting regulated payments in nearly 50 countries.

M1ST is designed to eliminate the difficulty of mobile payment acceptance so that merchants can accept mobile payments more quickly, at lower cost, and focus on building world-class user experiences that drive long-term, valuable relationships with their customers.

“We’ve seen a fundamental shift of consumer purchasing power from west to east, from established to emerging markets, and from credit cards to mobile payments. Today, we’re launching the M1ST Network to enable global merchants to acquire, monetize, and retain mobile-first consumers,” said Jon Prideaux, CEO of Boku. “For merchants to capitalize on the massive potential of mobile-first consumers, they need to accept the payment methods they have and prefer, which are increasingly behind glass screens, not rectangular pieces of plastic. We’ve spent the past decade delivering new customers to our merchants through mobile payments. Now that mobile payments have overtaken credit cards globally, merchant acceptance has moved from a competitive advantage to a strategic imperative.”

About Boku

Boku Inc. (AIM: BOKU) is the fintech powering the world’s largest mobile payments network, M1ST (Mobile First). With 45% of global consumers using mobile payment methods to buy goods online, compared to 18% using credit cards, the future of commerce is mobile-first. Boku’s technology platform helps the world’s most demanding merchants attract, convert, and retain customers using mobile payments. By turning payments infrastructure into a source of sustainable competitive advantage, Boku safely activates a range of new merchant business models – from bundling to subscriptions.

Boku’s platform is used in 90 countries with more than a billion verified transactions in 2020, contributing more than $8 billion to the digital economy. Customers that trust Boku to simplify sign-up, acquire new paying users and prevent fraud include global leaders such as Apple, DAZN, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Sony, Spotify and Tencent.

Boku Inc. was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in London, UK, with offices in Brazil, China, Estonia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the US. To learn more about Boku please visit: https://www.boku.com

Boku in Asia

In Asia, Boku’s payment partners for Mobile Wallets include: AliPay, Dana, GCash, GoPay, GrabPay, KakaoPay, LINE Pay, Ovo, PayMaya, PayPay, Toss, Touch ‘n Go, Truemoney
Boku also partners with payment partners to offer Direct Carrier Billing: AIS, BSNL, Celcom, Digi, dtac, Globe, Indosat Ooredoo, Jio, Korea Telecom, KDDI, LG U+, Maxis, M1, NTT Docomo, StarHub, Singtel, Softbank, SK Telecom, Smart, Smartfren, Tata Docomo, Telkomsel, Three, TrueMove, Vodafone, XL (amongst others)

Enquiries:
PRecious Communications for Boku, Inc.
Singapore/Asia Pacific: Clarence Lim, boku@preciouscomms.com