The tech layoffs of 2025 did more than shrink payrolls; they exposed how fragile the world’s most celebrated innovation hubs have become. Rather than a global downturn shared evenly, job losses clustered tightly around a handful of geographies, revealing a new and uncomfortable map of economic risk.
Nowhere was this clearer than the US. Nearly 70% of global tech layoffs came from US-headquartered firms, with California and Washington State absorbing the shock. Silicon Valley’s dominance has turned into a liability: when giants like When tech titans blink: 2025 exposed the Old Guard’s fragility, entire regional economies feel the tremor. Washington’s dependence on just two corporate titans — Microsoft and Amazon — underscores how concentrated power amplifies vulnerability.
New York’s late surge in layoffs adds another layer to the story. As tech, consulting, and enterprise software embed deeper into traditional business centres, disruption is no longer confined to the West Coast.
Europe’s experience was equally sobering. Accenture’s cuts in Ireland and Northvolt’s collapse in Sweden highlighted how Western ambitions in AI and clean tech still struggle against Asia’s entrenched manufacturing and supply chain advantage.
The bigger shift, however, is geopolitical. While the West retrenched, Asia quietly consolidated its grip on hardware, batteries, and advanced manufacturing. As 2026 approaches, the lesson is stark: the places once seen as safest bets in tech may now be the most exposed, and the global workforce is adjusting accordingly.
REGIONAL
SPUN raises US$1.8M to fix SEA’s broken visa infrastructure: Investors include Genesia Ventures, Antler, Iterative, and Kopital Ventures.
The Indonesia startup digitises visa processing for governments, slashing approval times and positioning itself at the heart of Southeast Asia’s mobility boom.
Qubitra wants to be the AWS of quantum computing: Fujitsu and Standard Chartered’s innovation arm build a marketplace making quantum resources accessible without massive infrastructure investment. Qubitra functions as a digital marketplace and collaboration hub for quantum computing.
Salesforce launches startup program in Malaysia, Philippines: The program offers startups access to Salesforce’s ecosystem, AI-powered products, mentorship, and joint go-to-market opportunities. This marks the company’s presence in five markets across South and Southeast Asia, including India, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.
Alibaba, Instapay partner to accelerate financial inclusion in Malaysia: The deal uses Alibaba Cloud’s local infrastructure to support Instapay’s digital payment platform, including its e-wallet and prepaid Mastercard, with a focus on scalability, resilience, and regulatory compliance.
Osome revenue surges, names Eugenio Ferrante as new CEO: New customer revenue doubled year on year in November and rose 85% in December. Key metrics also improved, with ARR up 22% and ARPU increasing 25%. Ferrante, who joined Osome 16 months ago as an advisor, will focus on predictable revenue and market-specific services.
FEATURES & INTERVIEWS
As the West cuts jobs, Asia tightens its grip on hardware: The RationalFX report highlights a stark geopolitical reality: while Europe and the US are shedding roles, battery production and high-end hardware manufacturing remain firmly centred in Asia.
When tech titans blink: 2025 exposed the Old Guard’s fragility: The latest figures from UK-based forex company RationalFX paint a grim picture: Intel alone accounted for nearly 34,000 layoffs in 2025, the most significant single contribution to the global total of 244,851.
INTERNATIONAL
WeLab’s US$220M Series D signals fintech capital’s Hong Kong comeback: Hong Kong’s fintech funding landscape has seen substantial activity, with WeLab’s raise topping the charts for 2025. These deals highlight a concentration in lending and payments, with total fintech funding in Hong Kong exceeding US$1.2B since 2020.
AI boom to support Taiwan’s 2026 growth at 4.1%: CIER report: The forecast does not include potential impacts from recent US-Taiwan trade agreements, which could further boost growth. For 2025, CIER estimates Taiwan’s GDP will increase by 7.4%, slightly above the government forecast of 7.14%.
India needs faster AI upskilling, Coursera co-founder says: Andrew Ng said AI is transforming the skills required across sectors. He warned that without rapid upskilling, significant job displacement could occur as AI tools make many roles more efficient.
S Korea charges three Chinese nationals in US$102M crypto case: The suspects are accused of transferring ~US$101.7M from 2021 to 2023 through an illegal foreign exchange operation. Authorities said the suspects used domestic and overseas cryptocurrency accounts to move funds under the pretence of legitimate expenses.
Temu owner PDD faces China probe after regulator altercation: Chinese authorities widened a probe into PDD Holdings after clashes at its Shanghai headquarters, deploying 100 investigators to examine fraud and tax allegations, sending shares down over 12% since January.
Saudi Arabia tops MENA VC with a record US$1.7B in 2025: The country accounted for 45% of all VC funding in the region, with international investors representing 58% of total participation.
More young South Koreans exit labor market as AI reshapes jobs: The central bank reported a rise in young adults aged 20-34 who are neither working nor seeking employment, increasing from 14.6% in 2019 to 22.3% in 2025. The number of individuals in this group who do not want to work at all grew to around 450K last year, up from 287K in 2019.
CYBERSECURITY
AI vs AI: Inside Southeast Asia’s new cybersecurity war: For founders and executives, the mantra is clear: invest in AI defences, embrace zero-trust, and align with regional regs. As digital transformation accelerates, those who fortify now will thrive in tomorrow’s connected frontier.
How AI and automation can shape the future of farms: Global food shocks exposed supply vulnerabilities, pushing Singapore toward food resilience. Artisan Green leverages vertical farming, automation, and AI to scale local, sustainable production and strengthen long-term food security.
Coupang market cap drops US$14B after user data breach: The company’s market capitalisation has decreased by over US$14B since late November, dropping from around US$51.4B to US$38.6B. The company has disclosed its investigation results into the data breach to the US SEC, prompting concerns over potential sanctions and legal risks.
SEMICONDUCTOR
Khazanah to support local chip firms, boost power grid: Khazanah will boost power grid and renewable investments, back Malaysian semiconductor firms into advanced packaging, support US$123.4 billion chip ambitions, and sees ringgit upside tied to dollar and rates globally.
Chinese AI chipmakers top 2025 global ranking: As per 2025 Hurun China AI Top 50 ranking, China’s AI chip companies occupied seven of the top ten spots, with Cambricon, Moore Threads, and MetaX leading the list. Ten of the 18 newly added companies focus on AI chips, reflecting China’s push for self-reliance amid the US restrictions.
Korean chipmaker FuriosaAI targets up to US$500M funding: The funds are intended to support mass production of its second-generation RNGD chips, expand its global operations, and develop a third-generation chip. FuriosaAI, founded in 2017 by ex-Samsung and AMD engineer June Paik, focuses on high-efficiency AI inference chips.
AI
Gen Z most concerned about AI’s impact on jobs: survey: According to Randstad survey, 80% of employees believe AI will influence their daily tasks, with job postings requiring AI agent skills increasing by over 1,500%. Nearly half of workers fear AI will benefit corporations more than the workforce.
AI’s tipping point: Why 2026 will separate the leaders from the laggards in financial services: Enterprise AI’s bottleneck isn’t technology but execution: organisations must move from pilots to autonomous, production-scale deployment, led by strong governance, data readiness, and C-suite commitment to unlock real ROI.
From deepfake porn to deadly advice: In Singapore and Malaysia, deepfake audio scams surged, with fraudsters impersonating bank officials to siphon US$25K from victims in one notorious case. Globally, 18%of deepfake incidents involved non-consensual porn.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Greentech revolution: Catalysing software’s success to drive a sustainable future: Software became intrinsic, measurable, and participatory across business; the same forces will drive greentech adoption, valuation, and category creation, reshaping operations, investment decisions, and competitive advantage worldwide.
How China is winning the global gaming industry: China’s global gaming dominance stems from structural advantages: mobile-first design, service-oriented development, data-driven iteration, integrated ecosystems, and long-term retention-focused monetisation, not population size or short-term hype.
China’s rerouting boom: How major firms are bypassing the impact of US tariffs: Despite a US-China trade deal, high effective tariffs are pushing Chinese exporters to reroute goods via Southeast Asia and North America, reshaping global supply chains and sustaining China’s export dominance.
Time is the new currency: Why APAC’s SMEs can’t afford slow financing anymore: APAC SMEs don’t lack funding options; they lack speed. Fintech’s next edge lies in collapsing time-to-capital, enabling founders to seize fleeting growth moments instantly.
Bitcoin pulls back to US$92,500 as market sentiment turns cautious: Trade tensions over US tariff threats triggered global market volatility, pressuring equities and crypto as investors shifted toward defensive assets.
From clicks to conversations: Why your next customer in Southeast Asia is an AI agent: By 2026, commerce shifts from human browsing to AI agents deciding purchases, forcing brands—especially in Southeast Asia—to optimise for machine buyers and “share of model,” not human attention.
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