(AsiaGameHub) - Betting exchange operator Betfair, which is owned by Flutter, has rolled out a new interface for its Betfair Exchange product via a soft launch, featuring a user experience aligned with the familiar prediction markets format.
Named Betfair Predicts, the offering is currently undergoing BETA testing with a small, curated group of customers. Backed by the existing liquidity of the Exchange, it gives users the option to forecast outcomes of events ranging from politics to sports, with the key note that rather than placing a traditional bet, users stake funds on a binary Yes/No result.
Based on feedback from its users, the company believes there is strong demand for products of this kind in the UK. Even so, Betfair has opted not to make firm projections about how the product will develop, as it is “far too early” to share any conclusive statements.
Speaking to SBC News, a Betfair spokesperson added: “We are constantly trialing new innovations, and Betfair Predicts is one example of this ongoing work. This is a BETA product that will evolve in line with customer feedback.”
It is worth noting that Betfair provided technical expertise to another Flutter brand, the US-focused FanDuel, for the launch of FanDuel Predicts last year.
However, even though the two offerings share a similar core foundation, Betfair has avoided drawing parallels between the UK Betfair Predicts and the US FanDuel Predicts platforms, given the drastic differences in how prediction markets are regulated across the two countries.
In the US, prediction markets do not currently fall under gambling regulations, and are instead classified as financial instruments. For this reason, they are overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Kalshi and Polymarket are the two largest prediction market platforms operating in the US, and the sector has also caught the attention of more traditional players in the gambling space, including FanDuel, DraftKings, and a number of other operators.
To date, though, prediction markets have only achieved a major breakthrough in the US, as regulators in most other parts of the world largely categorize them as gambling platforms, meaning they are required to secure relevant operating licenses to enter those jurisdictions.
This is particularly evident in Europe, where countries including France, Belgium, Romania, Germany and others have imposed full outright bans on the products – despite a recent license approval in Gibraltar suggesting that they may eventually overcome the current regulatory barriers.
In the UK, the Gambling Commission has taken a more accommodating approach, stating that prediction markets are permitted to operate as long as they obtain a valid gambling license.
While similar peer-to-peer offerings have been active in the UK for a considerable period of time, with Betfair Exchange being a leading example, the fact that all these services are licensed by the UKGC removes any ambiguity over how they are classified in the market.
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TOKYO, Japan, Apr 9, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - NEC Corporation’s automated negotiation AI initiative has been named as a use case in "Deploy AI Agents in Procurement: A Roadmap to Success" (*1), a research report published by Gartner."This note gives CIOs and other executive leaders a roadmap for deploying machine buyers" "— machine customers that buy on behalf of organizations are an agentic AI capability set to transform internal supply chains and procurement, reducing procurement cycles from months to seconds."Under NEC’s "Client Zero" approach, where it positions itself as the first user of its own solutions, NEC is driving internal digital transformation (DX). As part of these efforts, NEC conducted pilot tests of its automated negotiation AI on the procurement systems of NEC Group companies with the goal of automating delivery schedule adjustments in the procurement of parts from suppliers (*2). Going forward, NEC will continue contributing to business transformation and the creation of new value through advanced AI technologies.Link to Gartner researchhttps://www.gartner.com/reprints/nec---japan---a?id=1-2N10UJ72&ct=260319&st=sb*This research will be available on the website above until June 19, 2026.(*1) Meghna Joshi, Don Scheibenreif. (March 13, 2026). "Deploy AI Agents in Procurement: A Roadmap to Success".Gartner, Inc.GARTNER is a trademark of Gartner, Inc. and its affiliates.Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.(*2) Press release: NEC Launches AI Agent Service in Japan to Automate Procurement Negotiations Using AIhttps://www.nec.com/en/press/202512/global_20251202_01.htmlAbout NECThe NEC Group leverages technology to create social value and promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. NEC Corporation was established in 1899. Today, the NEC Group’s approximately 110,000 employees utilize world-leading AI, security, and communications technologies to solve the most pressing needs of customers and society.For more information, please visit https://www.nec.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube. Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com
HONG KONG, Apr 9, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - In recent years, young consumers’ preferences have evolved rapidly, with demand for personalization and experiential consumption becoming increasingly prominent. Young consumers’ choices are profoundly rewriting the inherent logic of industry competition — what they seek is not only products, but emotional value and cultural resonance. This is particularly evident in the spiritual consumption space represented by pop toys. The market’s appetite for high quality products that combine design aesthetics, emotional depth, and social attributes continues to grow.Among the many emerging brands, TOP TOY targets Gen Z consumers, family customers, and loyal brand fans as its core audience. Backed by a diverse product portfolio, robust IP operation capabilities, and strong financial performance, it is widely recognized in the market as an industry benchmark in the pop toy sector with both high growth potential and significant brand influence. According to Frost & Sullivan, TOP TOY is the largest and fastest-growing pop toy multi-brand store chain in China, with GMV reaching RMB4.2 billion in mainland China in 2025.Financially, TOP TOY has achieved rapid revenue growth in recent years. Revenue rose from RMB1.461 billion in 2023 to RMB3.587 billion in 2025, representing a CAGR of 56.7%, marking a leap forward in scale. Gross margin improved steadily from 31.4% in 2023 to 32.1% in 2025, reflecting a gradual uplift in overall profitability. Affected by one-off non-cash items such as equity-settled share-based payment expenses and fair value changes on redemption liabilities liabilities, the Company posted a net profit of RMB101 million in 2025. Adjusted net profit reached RMB523 million, up 77.5% year-on-year, demonstrating strong growth momentum.Full Value Chain Layout: Building Competitive Moats in the Pop Toy IndustryThe core competitiveness of the pop toy industry lies not only in IP creation, but also in the ability to turn content into a sustainable business system that maximizes IP value. What makes TOP TOY unique is that it has built an integrated platform covering all key links of the industry value chain. TOP TOY is one of only two brands in the industry that have achieved full coverage of the pop toy full industry chain, from IP incubation and operation to direct consumer interaction, while holding a leading position across the entire chain. This allows the Company to build a distinctive competitive moat.In the IP incubation and product R&D stage, TOP TOY focuses on self-developed products and adopts a parallel strategy of “proprietary + licensed + third-party” IPs, forming a diverse IP resource pool. As of the end of March 2026, TOP TOY has built an IP matrix comprising 24 proprietary IPs, 42 licensed IPs, and over 660 third-party IPs. Among these, its self-developed products accounted for over 55% of revenue, establishing it as a highly competitive trendy toy brand in the industry.In terms of product R&D, TOP TOY focuses on three core categories — model figures, 3D building blocks, and vinyl plush toys. Among these, vinyl plush toys have emerged as the most prominent growth category, with its revenue share increasing significantly from 3.5% in 2024 to 31.6% in 2025, generating RMB1.102 billion for the full year. Meanwhile, through its “X-category” mechanism, it develops products across diverse categories to flexibly seize market opportunities.In the channel sales stage, TOP TOY has constructed an omni-channel network with both depth and breadth, enabling in-depth access to global trendy culture consumers. Offline, it adopts a hierarchical layout of “flagship + mainstream + pop-up”, with the number of stores reaching 334 as of December 31, 2025. By providing immersive interactive experiences, it achieves effective brand exposure and enables the Company to promptly collect first-hand user feedback, providing information for the Company’s product design and channel selection strategies. Online, it covers major e-commerce platforms and distributes products through large retailers such as Sam’s Club and Don Don Donki, as well as other diversified retail channels. This omni-channel layout not only expands the scope of consumer reach but also forms a consumption closed loop of “offline experience - online repurchase”. As of December 31, 2025, the Company had 12 million registered members, making it one of the companies with the largest member base in the trendy toy industry.Leveraging the integrated operation of full value chain, TOP TOY has achieved synergy across all links — the richness of its IP portfolio ensures product appeal, the extensiveness of its channels expands market coverage and establishes emotional connections with consumers, and the Company has also built strong ecosystem partnerships. The linkage of these three elements drives the maximization of IP value, forming a rare full-industry-chain competitiveness among domestic trendy play enterprises.Taking the Proprietary IP Matrix as the Core: Building a Core Engine for Long-term GrowthThrough its in-house original IP incubation team, TOP TOY has created many popular proprietary IP characters. The Company is dedicated to promoting these proprietary IPs to expand their reach across diverse markets, foster deeper audience engagement, and drive sustained growth. On the other hand, through the acquisition of multiple IP design studios such as Sure Fun and Sugar Pocket, TOP TOY has integrated IPs like “Nommi” and “Ninimo ” into its proprietary IP matrix, accelerating its IP layout process.As of the end of March 2026, TOP TOY had 24 proprietary IPs. Among them, the “Nommi” IP delivered an outstanding performance, with its 2025 GMV exceeding RMB200 million. Proprietary IPs not only attract consumers through unique designs and cultural connotations but also extend their life cycles and amplify their value through diversified operational strategies, such as the continuous release of new product series, the creation of offline experiential scenarios, and cross-over IP collaborations.Furthermore, TOP TOY continues to consolidate long-term, stable cooperative relationships with top global IPs such as Sanrio, Disney and Crayon Shin-chan. By creating hit products through IP reinvention, the Company not only rapidly broadens market awareness but also accumulates mature IP operation experience and consumer insights, laying a solid foundation for the development of its self-developed products.Leveraging the continuous expansion of its proprietary IP matrix and stable licensing cooperation with major IPs, the Company continues to intensify its layout of self-developed products. As the proportion of self-developed products steadily increases, its scale effect continues to be unleashed, driving a continuous improvement in the overall gross margin. Looking ahead, with an increasing revenue contribution from self-developed products and the impact of economies of scale, the Company’s gross margin is expected to rise further, unlocking greater profit elasticity.Accelerating Global Expansion to Open Up New Growth SpaceNotably, while consolidating its advantages in the Chinese market, TOP TOY is extending its business reach to overseas markets. To date, the Company has entered markets such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan, with the number of overseas stores reaching 39. In terms of revenue, the proportion of TOP TOY’s overseas business rapidly increased from 0.6% to 8.2%, fully demonstrating strong overseas growth momentum.In terms of market potential, the overseas global pop toy market still has significant growth space. Taking mature consumer markets such as North America and Europe as examples, local consumers have a relatively high per capita consumption amount on pop toy, and their willingness to pay for original IP and cultural recognition are also prominent. However, the layout of emerging pop toy categories in local markets is still relatively limited, and the overall market penetration rate is at a low level, with broad incremental space and potential for exploration in the future. The above market advantages and development opportunities together constitute the core logic and realistic basis for TOP TOY to focus on laying out the above developed country markets. In the future, relying on the advantages of the full value chain synergy and mature IP operation experience, the overseas market is expected to become an important incremental engine for the Company.The market’s attention to pop toy companies is essentially a consideration of their IP operation capabilities and sustainability. TOP TOY has demonstrated a clear development logic by virtue of its two core advantages: the fully integrated platform and a diversified IP matrix. Amid accelerating consolidation in the pop toy industry and rising consumer demand, if TOP TOY can continue to deepen the synergy effect of the full value chain, strengthen the influence of its proprietary IP, and superimpose the gradual growth of the overseas incremental market, it is expected to seize opportunities in the fragmented market pattern, further solidifying its industry leadership and unlocking long-term potential. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
HONG KONG, Apr 9, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The luxury NEV maker has now been profitable for two consecutive years, signaling more stable footing in a competitive market.Caption: Image courtesy of Seres Group.Driven by policy support, shifting consumer demand, and advances in technology, China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) industry is entering a new phase of development, with Seres Group positioning itself at its center. On April 8, the Hong Kong-listed NEV maker (ticker code: 9927.HK) reported results that reflect its technology capabilities, product lineup, and international expansion strategy.In 2025, Seres recorded operating revenue of RMB 164.89 billion (USD 24 billion), up 13.63% year-on-year. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 5.96 billion (USD 867.3 million). Revenue hit a record high, and the company said it has now reported profitability for two consecutive years, achieving a notable milestone in an industry where many players remain loss-making.Aito builds position in luxury NEV segmentSeres attributed its latest performance to ongoing product development and brand positioning. It said it continues to align its strategy with user demand while refining its product mix and market focus.As an early entrant into China’s premium NEV segment, the company has sought to differentiate through what it describes as “technology luxury,” a term it uses to position its vehicles.Its premium brand, Aito, reported strong delivery figures for 2025. The Aito M9 exceeded 110,000 units in annual deliveries and was described by the company as the bestselling model in the RMB 500,000 (USD 72,757) segment for two consecutive years, 2024 and 2025. Meanwhile, the Aito M8 delivered more than 150,000 units during the year, maintaining its position as the top-selling model in the RMB 400,000 (USD 58,206) segment since launch. The Aito M7 also surpassed 110,000 units.Combined, these three models pushed Aito’s total annual deliveries above 420,000 units. Seres said this made Aito the leading high-end automotive brand in China by sales and set a new delivery pace in the segment.Beyond product performance, the figures point to the broader rise of Chinese brands in the premium global automotive market.In assisted driving, Seres said it increased R&D investment and made technical progress. In 2025, Aito vehicles accumulated 3.8 billion kilometers of assisted driving mileage. During the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, 51.9% of mileage driven by Aito M9 vehicles was generated using assisted driving functions, according to the company. These figures indicate growing adoption and suggest increasing maturity of the company’s assisted driving system.Seres added that the data and expertise accumulated to date will support further development and iteration of its assisted driving systems.Strong cash flow and ESG positioningThe company’s financial position also strengthened. As of December 31, 2025, net cash flow from operating activities reached RMB 28.12 billion (USD 4.1 billion), nearly five times its net profit. Seres attributed this to its robust cash flow management and revenue generation, which it said provide resilience against industry cycles and support continued investment in R&D, product development, and international expansion.Seres also emphasized its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts. It said it has sought to integrate ESG principles across R&D and supply chain operations, with a focus on achieving long-term sustainability and alignment with broader societal and environmental goals.Its endeavors have earned it an AAA ESG rating from MSCI, its highest tier, according to the company. The rating reflects its governance framework and ESG management, and may influence its appeal to both retail and institutional investors.Looking ahead, Seres plans to focus on expanding production capacity, investing further in core technologies, and broadening its distribution network.Often compared with Western luxury automotive brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Seres has had to manage high expectations around product quality and brand positioning. Its latest results, if anything, suggest it is not only making progress toward meeting those expectations, but also hint at its potential to eventually surpass them. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
