Why legacy networks are holding innovation back

Enterprise IT leaders face a complex and evolving digital landscape. Traditional networks can be rigid and fragmented, and struggle to support the real-time demands of AI, IoT, and data analytics. Legacy systems can delay the adoption of emerging technologies, creating bottlenecks that stifle innovation. When data flows in multiple systems, borders, and cloud environments without robust security controls, it increases exposure to security and compliance risks. Enterprises operating in the APAC region grapple with a lack of harmonisation in international regulatory requirements. The fragmented landscape makes it important to have a trusted security partner to help navigate compliance obligations without slowing innovation.

The Verizon Deploying AI at Scale research report, produced in partnership with S&P Global, shows that early AI adopters often underestimated infrastructure demands, leading to delays in scaling initiatives. In a region where regulatory complexity compounds infrastructure challenges, organisations need a modern, flexible network approach to stay competitive; one that lets them innovate quickly and at scale while maintaining resilience, performance, and security.

Verizon’s network solutions: Built for AI, edge and automation

Verizon’s enterprise-grade network capabilities are built for the digital-first world. Offering a flexible architecture that supports hybrid environments, Verizon’s network solutions let businesses modernise infrastructure without disrupting operations. Whether integrating legacy systems or deploying next-gen applications, Verizon’s modular design enables phased upgrades that align with business priorities. Deploying AI at Scale finds modular networks are key as AI projects shift from pilots to multi-environment deployments requiring data movement between on-premises, edge, and cloud systems.

Security needs to be embedded from core to edge. Verizon’s networks are built on zero-trust architecture, with features like data loss prevention (DLP) and intrusion detection systems (IDS) providing protection. Deploying AI at Scale [PDF] highlights security gaps in AI setups, where models like RAG may expose more data than intended. Control over network routing and data sovereignty strengthens compliance with regional regulations – an essential feature for APAC enterprises navigating the different legal frameworks.

Performance and reliability are also important. Verizon uses real-time visibility and AI-driven analytics to optimise network performance and enable predictive maintenance. Its high-capacity private IP backbones and fibre connections are capable of handling hundreds of GB per second, and ensure AI workloads run efficiently in distributed environments, tackling the infrastructure concerns flagged in the study.

Scalability for real-time technologies

As AI, machine learning, and automation become central to business operations, networks must scale to support these technologies. Verizon’s infrastructure is designed to handle high-throughput, low-latency workloads, including video analytics, connected devices, and industrial automation. AI projects often fail due to cost issues, the Deploying AI at Scale research report notes, emphasising the need for scalable, efficient networks.

Edge computing is another area where Verizon provides value to the modern enterprise network. By bringing compute power closer to where data is generated, edge solutions reduce latency and enable faster decision-making. This is particularly valuable in sectors like manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare, where real-time insights can drive operational efficiency and innovation. With only 2% of enterprises using edge AI, the report points to strong potential in sectors like healthcare and manufacturing, areas Verizon supports with its real-time, scalable solutions.

Verizon also provides private 5G solutions that give businesses the flexibility to deploy secure, resilient networks and support applications. The private 5G and edge solutions are designed to move large AI workloads locally, enabling rapid model inferencing and retraining without routing traffic through distant cloud environments.

Turning infrastructure into innovation

For enterprises in APAC, Verizon’s solutions help innovation by removing the need to manage disparate systems, so organisations can focus on delivering value to customers. Businesses can launch AI and automation initiatives, confident that Verizon’s network solutions will accommodate the workloads. They can deploy edge computing to enable smarter operations and integrate cloud services securely and efficiently. Verizon’s hybrid-ready architecture simplifies AI workload orchestration in the cloud and on-prem by managing interconnectivity, bandwidth, and latency constraints, identified as key risks in the study.

Verizon’s approach to scaling AI is grounded in strategic, ethical, and sustainable practices. The company outlines three key steps to enterprise AI success: setting high strategic standards, implementing a responsible AI framework, and embedding human oversight into AI systems. The principles align with Deploying AI at Scale‘s call for better communication between leadership and implementers, to reduce risks and enhance project success. The principles help businesses build trust, reduce risk and unlock long-term value from AI investments. For more information, visit 3 steps to scale enterprise AI.

Why APAC enterprises choose Verizon

Verizon’s strength lies in its ability to combine global scale with deep regional experience. With infrastructure and operations in Australia, Singapore, Japan and beyond, Verizon is well-positioned to support organisations navigating the region’s complex and fast-evolving digital landscape. Deploying AI at Scale highlights the fact that APAC’s diverse regulatory environment can present challenges for businesses seeking to implement and scale AI solutions. In such an environment, a trusted partner with proven experience in markets is essential to help enterprises stay compliant and competitive.

“Our customers in APAC need networks that do more than connect – they need networks that are adaptive, secure and intelligent enough to support evolving AI, edge and hybrid environments,” said Rob Le Busque, Regional Vice President, Verizon Asia Pacific. “We work closely with enterprises in the region to deliver future-ready infrastructure that aligns with their digital transformation goals.”

Verizon’s expertise spans highly-regulated sectors like finance, public services, and healthcare, where compliance and security are of paramount importance. It offers co-managed services and support to extend internal IT teams, along with strategic partnerships that accelerate implementation and reduce risk. Verizon’s services support edge AI by providing robust network segmentation, monitoring, and routing strategies that help enterprises deploy and maintain AI workloads in geographically-distributed environments.

Security and compliance are built into every layer of Verizon’s architecture. From governance controls to region-specific data handling, Verizon helps businesses meet evolving APAC regulations with confidence. Its security framework addresses new AI threats like data leaks and prompt attacks – which are part of the expanded threat model outlined in Deploying AI at Scale.

The network behind innovation

In today’s innovation economy, your network isn’t just a utility – it’s your advantage. Verizon’s next-generation solutions lets APAC businesses harness AI and edge computing, providing the flexibility, security, and intelligence required to thrive with a competitive advantage.

To discover how Verizon can help your business remove constraints and realise digital opportunities, visit https://www.verizon.com/business/en-au/solutions/adaptive-networks/

The post The technical edge: How Verizon powers innovation in APAC appeared first on TechWire Asia.

Featuring a lightning-cat mascot, JetBolt is gaining traction thanks to its zero-gas technology and an ongoing presale that has already sold over 361 million tokens.

In this article, we’ll break down why meme coin buyers’ eyes are on JetBolt, MemeCore, Snek, and Pudgy Penguins – and why these meme coins may be the hottest picks now.

Best meme coins to buy now

1. JetBolt (JBOLT): Young, zero-gas coin with a sleek lightning-cat mascot.
2. MemeCore (M): Layer-1 blockchain built for dApp developers and meme creators.
3. Snek (SNEK): Cardano-based, snake-themed meme coin.
4. Pudgy Penguins (PENGU): Meme coin born out of a penguin-themed NFT.

A closer look at the best meme coins

JetBolt (JBOLT)

JetBolt is an exciting cryptocurrency combining meme appeal with state-of-the-art Web3 features. In theme with its futuristic lightning-cat mascot, JetBolt has new tech that address longstanding user pain points.

JetBolt’s zero-gas technology lets users carry out gas-free blockchain on-chain transactions. This feature gives JetBolt a unique edge as both fun and functional.

Adding to JetBolt’s appeal is its social staking platform, which lets stakers earn additional rewards by holding JBOLT tokens and engaging with others on the platform. This simplifies staking for both new and seasoned cryptocurrency enthusiasts. JetBolt is also attracting more early buyers through its perks. Presale buyers can enjoy up to 25% extra tokens when buying Alpha Boxes or JBOLT bundled purchases.

Combining meme-worthy branding with innovation, JetBolt is one of the best meme coins to buy now.

MemeCore (M)

This Layer-1 blockchain connects creators and communities through memes and decentralised applications. It aims to create a “playground” where developers and creators can build blockchain applications and meme-based projects.

MemeCore offers a cross-chain staking mechanism where users can delegate their coins to validators to earn dual-block rewards.

In August 2025, MemeCore became one of the top cryptocurrency gainers alongside major cryptocurrencies like Mantle and Litecoin.

Snek (SNEK)

Snek is a snake-themed meme token built on the Cardano blockchain. Aside from the classic playful approach to cryptocurrency, Snek offers innovative features that meme coin fans might be interested in.

A notable feature is its token-burning mechanism called the Snek Burn Wallet. Running on the Cardano blockchain, Snek benefits from the chain’s affordable and fast transaction capabilities. Snek has gained from Cardano’s growing ecosystem, causing interest in the project to surge, according to a post on social media shared by Santiment. The rising popularity, alongside Snek’s integration with Cardano, reinforces its position as one of today’s most interesting meme coins.

Pudgy Penguins (PENGU)

Pudgy Penguins is a meme coin featuring a quirky penguin mascot. Before becoming a meme coin, Pudgy Penguins originally entered the Web3 space via as a non-fungible token (NFT) brand. Its NFT collection, which includes 8,888 unique penguin images, rose to popularity in 2021 during the NFT market boom.

Driven by the momentum of its upcoming mobile game, Pudgy Party, Pudgy Penguins is quickly becoming one of the meme coins enthusiasts are watching.

Ahead of the game’s launch on August 29, 2025, Pudgy Penguins offered exclusive, non-transferable “Early to the Party” SBTs – a digital badge for early players. With its highly anticipated game release and growing Web3 integrations, it’s no wonder Pudgy Penguins is sliding into the spotlight.

Final thoughts – best meme coins to buy now

All eyes are on these tokens as they go beyond hype and meme appeal. With unique attributes like gas-free functionality, origins in a popular NFT project, and a Layer-1 blockchain, these coins are sparking fresh interest among buyers eager to explore meme coins again.

Learn more about JetBolt at the official JetBolt website today.

This article is a paid promotion. It should not be interpreted as financial or cryptocurrency buying advice. All cryptocurrencies, including meme coins, have significant risks and are highly volatile. Thorough research is essential before purchasing any cryptocurrency asset.

The post Best meme coins to buy now: Eyes on JetBolt, MemeCore, Snek, and Pudgy Penguins appeared first on TechWire Asia.

Yet many organisations are constrained by legacy infrastructure that stifles innovation, introduces risk, and slows response times. Complex architectures, performance bottlenecks and security gaps can turn opportunity into operational burden.

Verizon Business helps enterprises overcome their limitations with a future-ready network approach – flexible, secure, and intelligently adaptive to business needs in near real-time.

Why traditional networks fall short

Conventional network infrastructure was not designed for the complexities of today’s digital environment. As organisations pursue cloud migration, adopt AI tools, and connect distributed teams and devices, legacy systems can struggle to provide the required scalability, visibility and control.

The challenges are technical and commercial. Delayed insights, degraded user experience, and exposure to cyber threats each have bottom-line impact.

“Digital transformation in APAC isn’t just accelerating – it’s diversifying. Businesses are adopting AI, cloud and IoT at different speeds and in different ways, but a common bottleneck is the rigidity of legacy networks,” says Duncan Kenwright, Managing Director, Global Solutions, APAC, Verizon Business.

“Systems were not designed to support dynamic, data-driven ecosystems. That’s where many enterprises are hitting limits – not just in performance, but in their ability to respond to opportunity.”

The adaptive network approach

Verizon’s network solutions reflect a change in philosophy, from static infrastructure to dynamic, intelligent connectivity. At the core is a fully converged, private IP backbone supported by one of the world’s few Tier 1 networks, which gives Verizon control over traffic routing, performance, and resilience.

Key capabilities include:

• Software-defined networking (SDN) for intelligent traffic management and policy enforcement,
• Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) for scalable, use-based consumption,
• Managed Network Services (MNS) that reduce operational overhead for IT teams,
• Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) to protect data and applications in distributed environments,
• Private 5G and edge computing for ultra-low-latency applications in manufacturing, healthcare, logistics and other industries.

With modular components, enterprises can tailor their networks for what they need now and in the future. This could be expanding a secure remote workforce, using AI for quality control in factories, or meeting compliance rules in different regions.

Turning infrastructure into advantage

By aligning network architecture with business objectives, Verizon can help organisations unlock measurable gains in agility, efficiency and customer experience.

• Improved agility: With programmable networks, businesses can respond quickly to changing market conditions, spin up services, or scale capacity with minimal disruption.
• Enhanced security: Verizon’s private backbone and embedded security controls reduce exposure to threats and help support zero-trust frameworks.
• Performance at scale: High-speed, low-latency connectivity supports mission-critical systems, from real-time analytics to robotic process automation.

“We’re helping our customers move from thinking of networks as infrastructure to seeing them as business enablers,” says Kenwright. “The right architecture gives enterprises the agility to pivot quickly, the security to operate confidently and the visibility to make informed decisions. In the AI era, that kind of adaptability is not a nice-to-have – it’s mission-critical.”

Built for APAC complexity

Asia Pacific enterprises face unique network demands, like multi-market operations, complex regulatory environments, and a range of infrastructure maturity. Verizon’s solutions are designed to overcome those challenges.

With operations in Australia, Singapore, Japan and beyond, Verizon provides:

• Regionally distributed infrastructure with global reach,
• Localised support for compliance, data sovereignty, and language,
• Sector-specific expertise in public sector, healthcare, financial services, and industrial operations.

For example, manufacturers deploying machine vision and AI need real-time feedback loops from production line to cloud platform. Verizon’s private 5G and edge solutions ensure data is processed where it’s generated to deliver precision, speed and quality control.

Supporting seamless transformation

Modernisation is usually a process, not a clean break with the past. Many businesses operate hybrid environments where legacy and modern systems need to coexist. Verizon’s network services are built with that reality in mind.

• Phased transformation: Verizon supports incremental upgrades, ensuring operational continuity while new technologies are integrated,
• Co-managed services: Organisations can rely on Verizon to maintain, monitor, and optimise networks while retaining strategic oversight,
• Cloud-native orchestration: Verizon’s platform simplifies network provisioning, scaling, and visibility, giving businesses more control and less complexity.

Flexibility lets enterprises evolve at their own pace, without compromising on performance or security.

Built-in security, end-to-end

Security is central to Verizon’s approach. With its private IP backbone, Verizon can isolate enterprise traffic from the public internet and maintain consistent performance even under pressure.

Core security features include:

• Near real-time threat detection and prevention
• Data loss prevention (DLP) and intrusion detection systems (IDS),
• Support for zero-trust network access and identity-based controls,
• Visibility into cross-border data flows to support compliance and reduce risk. 

In a threat landscape where cyberattacks are automated and targeted, having security embedded in the network is essential, not optional.

Infrastructure that moves with you

Today’s business environment requires networks that are more than just fast. They have to be agile, intelligent and secure. Verizon’s adaptive approach lets enterprises establish a network backbone that evolves with their needs, turning challenges into opportunities, and fostering sustainable growth.

Whether your goals include scaling AI workloads, enabling edge analytics, or securing a hybrid workforce, Verizon provides the infrastructure to make it possible.

In an era when milliseconds are critical, your network should not merely keep pace – it should lead the way.

Learn how Verizon can help your business build an adaptive, future-ready network at: verizon.com/business/en-au/solutions/adaptive-networks.

The post How Verizon helps APAC enterprises build adaptive digital networks appeared first on TechWire Asia.

The answer lies in understanding patterns, managing your emotions as a trader, and zooming out far enough to see the bigger picture. If you’re based in Asia’s rising fintech corridor, the rules of market cycles remain the same, but strategy remains highly individual.

Look at the long game first

Before traders can start timing entries or exits, they need to step back. Market cycles aren’t unique to cryptocurrency; they happen in every financial system from real estate to equities. What makes cryptocurrency different is the speed and scale: A 10% swing in market or currency value in a day is not rare, nor is a 300% rally in six months.

That kind of momentum behind a currency doesn’t happen overnight, and nor do moves up come without pullbacks. If considering Bitcoin price analysis over time, a pattern of steady surges, sharp corrections, and periods of sideways consolidation appear. These phases aren’t problems, but parts of the process.

Understand the cycle you’re in

Every market cycle has four basic stages:

– Accumulation – Smart money enters quietly, prices are low, and sentiment muted.

– Uptrend (markup) – Momentum builds, with retail investors following, and optimism grows.

– Distribution – Early investors take profit, and prices become volatile, plus sentiment can be euphoric.

– Downtrend (markdown) – Panic selling, negativity towards the market builds in the media, and prices fall below fair value.

Most people only recognise the cycle after it’s already played out, so a real edge can come from identifying the cycle phases as they happen. Here, experience, research, and a bit of gut instinct help. If traders are calling for $500k Bitcoin tomorrow, ask yourself: are we in the distribution phase? If no one wants to talk about cryptocurrency at all, is this the accumulation stage?

Following market sentiment can be helpful, but it’s even more important to know when to tune it out.

Zoom in, then out

One mistake newcomers make is placing too much faith in day charts. A 3% dip can feel catastrophic, a 5% rise can cause euphoria; but daily moves don’t always tell the underlying story.

Instead, perspective should be layered. Use short-term charts to spot trends and volume, and compare them to weekly or monthly views. A small dip on the daily price might be a blip in a broader uptrend. Conversely, a short pump could be bait in a longer downtrend.

Visuals can help: The 5-year chart of Bitcoin prices shows a clear arc, consisting of 2021’s spike, 2022’s correction, 2023’s flatline, and the late 2024 resurgence. If a trader had held throughout, then their patience would have paid off. But if we zoom into the 2022 drop, it would have looked like the currency had bottomed-out.

Manage emotions

Emotions are inescapable in cryptocurrency trading, so the trick is to expect them and not act immediately. When prices rise, the human brain will say to buy more. When they crash, instinct dictates that the best course is to sell everything. Yet both instincts can be wrong if they’re merely reactive.

Set rules for yourself:

– Only invest what you can afford to forget for about two to five years.

– Decide your buy and sell zones before the market tests your discipline.

– Use limit orders, not FOMO clicks.

– Have a plan, and stick to it.

Markets move in cycles, as do emotions. By learning your own rhythm and matching it to the market, investments are more likely to pay off.

Diversify, but stay focused

In an ecosystem filled with coins, tokens, and projects, it’s tempting to jump from a hype train to another. But chasing every trend can leave traders overexposed and staying under-informed.

Instead:

– Stick with between two and five solid projects that can be easily understood.

– Keep some allocation in Bitcoin or Ethereum, the backbone of the cryptocurrency space.

– Experiment with cryptocurrencies with smaller caps, but only with money you’re prepared to lose.

The successful mindset isn’t one of just smart investing, it’s also that of people who stay in the game long enough to win. Especially in the fast-growing fintech hubs in Asia, where access to cryptocurrency is now mainstream and mobile-first, the temptation to go all-in is high. But the long-term players move more slowly.

Pay Attention to the Signals

While cryptocurrency may feel chaotic, it still follows cues, like halving cycles, macroeconomic shifts, and geopolitical news, each of which can move the market. In 2024, for instance, Bitcoin’s strong surge aligned with increased institutional interest and macro trends like inflation hedging.

Even if you don’t trade professionally, knowing what’s happening behind the scenes helps you hold your ground. It’s wise to subscribe to a few reliable news sources, and watch key indicators like volume, dominance, and funding rates. The more signals tracked, the clearer the bigger picture becomes.

In some cases, adjacent sectors like the stock market can provide signals. When equities dip and cryptocurrency holds steady, the divergence matters: It might suggest growing independence or just a delayed reaction. Either way, such signals are worth noting and learning from.

Patience beats prediction

Everyone wants to catch the bottom of a price drop or sell the top of a price peak. But here most people don’t manage to do so, and it’s important to remember that a trader doesn’t have to make perfect decisions to do well. What’s necessary is to remain consistent, informed, and emotionally-grounded.

Cryptocurrency is both a technology and an asset, plus, it’s a new kind of financial story that’s still being written. Market cycles can be considered to be the chapters of that longer story. If, as a trader, you learn to read and recognise the chapters, you’ll pass the state of mere survival, and you may even thrive.

The next time trading screen dashboards show red candles or a news feed gives predictions of market apocalypse, it’s important to take a breath, zoom out, remember the cycle, and stay the course.

The post How to navigate cryptocurrency market cycles appeared first on TechWire Asia.

Ahead of the 2025 Asia Pacific Loyalty Conference, we uncover how gamification is becoming a ‘psychological game changer’ in the customer loyalty space, and why it’s time brands in APAC should embrace the innovative new trend.

Key gamification strategies

According to The Australian Loyalty Association (ALA) Founder and Director, Sarah Richardson, there are several strategies being used currently to apply gamification to loyalty programmes:

1. Progress bars and milestones

– Visual progress indicators: Show customers their progress toward earning a reward, like points accumulation or purchase counts. The closer they get to the goal, the more motivated they become to complete the task (Goal Gradient Effect).

– Milestone rewards: Offer smaller rewards at different stages (e.g., after every 5th purchase) to keep customers engaged and incentivised to continue.

“For example, the Boost Juice Programme uses a progress bar on its website to show members how many juices they’ve purchased out of the required ten to earn a free one,” she says. “As members approach the 7th or 8th juice, they tend to accelerate their purchasing behaviour, driven by the Goal Gradient Effect. The principle suggests that people are more motivated to complete a task as they get closer to the reward.”

2. Tiered rewards and status levels

– Status levels: Introduce different status levels (e.g., bronze, silver, gold) that customers can achieve by accumulating points or completing certain actions. Higher levels provide better rewards and exclusive perks.

– Upward mobility: Encourage customers to reach the next tier by showing them how close they are and the benefits of the higher status. This leverages the desire for achievement and recognition.

“Velocity is an interesting programme, as it uses visuals to show members their current status tier and what’s required to maintain it before the renewal period ends,” she says. “This taps into the ‘Loss Effect’, where the fear of losing a status tier, which members have worked hard to achieve, is a powerful motivator. It’s nearly twice as effective as the desire to gain a new status, encouraging members to fly more frequently to maintain their current level.”

Adore Beauty adds a touch of celebration when customers achieve a goal on their app by using digital fireworks or confetti.

“This creates a sense of accomplishment and triggers positive reinforcement, making customers feel rewarded beyond just the tangible benefits, which encourages continued engagement and loyalty,” she says.

3. Challenges and missions

– Weekly/monthly challenges: Offer specific tasks or challenges that customers can complete to earn extra points or rewards. For example, making a purchase on specific days, trying new products, or referring friends.

The ‘psychology’ of gamification

Experts agree there’s a deep psychological element behind the gamification of customer loyalty. According to gamification expert Yu-Kai Chou, author of “Actionable Gamification”, the reason gamification is so attractive to the human mind is that fundamentally, games have no other purpose than to please the individual playing them.

“Yes, there are often ‘objectives’ in games, like killing a dragon or saving the princess, and sometimes saving a dragon, but those are all excuses to simply keep the player happily entertained,” he says.

Chou, who is renowned for this ‘Octalysis framework’ of gamification, explains that the allure of games is that when something is engaging because it lets you express your creativity, makes you feel successful through skill mastery, and gives you a higher sense of meaning, making users feel good and more powerful. This is particularly true when translating the gamification mentality to loyalty, he explains in a recent loyalty podcast.

“But creating a rich gamified experience is much more than simply slapping on various game mechanics to existing products,” he says. “It’s a craft that requires a lot of analysis, thinking, testing, and adjusting.”

Another author on this topic, Jonathan Reeve, VP of APAC at Eagle Eye, agrees. “The rise of challenge offers and gamification represents a major advancement in loyalty programmes,” Reeve says. “This is a significant shift from traditional discount-based engagement to sophisticated, psychologically-driven customer engagement.”

He highlights how challenge offers in particular are powerful as they use the ‘goal gradient effect’, a psychological principle where motivation increases as people get closer to achieving a goal.

“Gamification in the form of challenge offers is an emergent addition to the digital customer loyalty experience. ‘Challenge offers’ increase engagement and extend consumer interactions by providing customers with compelling goals, stakes and rewards,” he says.

“By encouraging consumers to reach specific targets – like spending a certain amount over a set period – challenge offers turn shopping into a game, making it more interactive and engaging. As consumers progress towards completing their challenges, the chase itself becomes more enjoyable, further motivating them to continue engaging with the offer.”

Earlier this year, UK-based supermarket brand Tesco launched ‘Clubcard Challenges’, a campaign that provided each customer with a personalised challenge, which when completed would reward them with Clubcard points.

Customers could complete up to ten challenges, and redeem a total of £50 (AUS$98) during a six-week campaign.

Although each offer is tailored to individual preferences, the overarching message, like Tesco’s “Collect up to £50 worth of Clubcard points,” can be communicated at scale via digital channels, in-store promotions, and traditional advertising.

“The wide visibility leads to impressive participation rates – often five to ten times higher than traditional coupons,” Reeve reveals. “Despite the broad reach, each challenge feels personal and relevant to consumers, thereby balancing reach and individual relevance.”

Time for the APAC region to seize the gamification trend

But while challenge offers are already making a measurable impact at leading global retailers, experts note they are yet to have significant top-tier adoption in the wider APAC region.

“Forward-thinking retailers in Australia, New Zealand, and the wider Asia-Pacific region that seize the opportunity as early adopters stand to capture the proven benefits of higher participation rates, engagement, loyalty and revenue,” Reeve says.

Recognising the need for more brands to embrace gamification and loyalty, The Australian Loyalty Association (ALA) has announced that the future of retail AI, personalisation and customer loyalty will be the major topics of industry discussion and debate at the upcoming 2025 Asia Pacific Loyalty Conference.

One of the topics up for discussion will be how gamification can boost interaction and loyalty, presented by Hanes Brands’ Head of Loyalty, Jaimi Farrey. Speaking at the 2025 Asia Pacific Loyalty Conference, held on 29 – 31 July 2025 at QT Resort, Gold Coast, Farrey will unpack how combining elements like gamification and personalisation can unlock new growth opportunities and create memorable shopping journeys that resonate with today’s tech-savvy consumers.

“Gamification is a powerful way to drive customer behaviour by using human psychology, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of loyalty programmes,” Richardson says.

(Image source: Unsplash)

The post Gamification and customer loyalty: What’s new? appeared first on TechWire Asia.

While retail has taken the lead in terms of its adoption and innovation in loyalty, other industries lag behind their potential in this area. This article will explore challenges in maturity with loyalty programmes in three industries: airlines, fuel and convenience, and quick service restaurants.

Legacy systems keep airline loyalty stuck on runway

One might think of airlines when considering industries where loyalty seems to play a significant role: loyalty has become a well-known aspect of air travel.

Whether you’re a member of Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer or earning Lotusmiles with Vietnam Airlines, the basic model is that customers collect points that can be redeemed for reward flights or flight discounts.

There are however challenges in the airline loyalty space that are limiting its true potential. The first issue is delayed rewards due to legacy technology systems. It is very common for flight miles in airlines to be awarded days or even weeks after travel. Possibly the result of legacy technology, these delays create gaps in customer engagement and reduce the perceived immediacy of rewards.

Research suggests that real-time loyalty rewards are associated with higher customer satisfaction. By contrast, the lag in mile crediting has been linked to frustration and reduced programme participation.

As noted in a recent publication by Deloitte, airline technology infrastructure was built decades ago. There is pressure to modernise systems, but there are also many challenges tied to such major transformations.

Airlines that modernise core infrastructure will be better placed to add innovation to their loyalty programmes, unlocking a path to greater engagement, real-time issuance, and AI-powered personalisation.

Disconnected at the pump: Failures in fuel and convenience loyalty integration

Unfortunately, many fuel and convenience businesses’ loyalty programs suffer from limited earn-and-burn models. In these cases, loyalty points are accrued in one system and often redeemed via third-party partners.

In some cases points are only redeemable for fuel discounts, which limits their versatility in the brand. More concerning is when points are only redeemable with a third partner, like a supermarket or an airline. The customers earn points in one ecosystem but must leave that ecosystem to find meaningful redemption value.

In these scenarios the fuel station essentially becomes just a points collection mechanism rather than building deeper engagement in its own brand environment.

A lack of integration combined with non-intuitive reward systems will lead to low participation rates. More sophisticated programmes would offer diverse internal redemption.

It can be done, as one provider from New Zealand has demonstrated. Fuel and convenience chain, Z Energy, recently overhauled its loyalty programme so that it now rewards customers for almost all items purchased by the customer, not just fuel, and points are issued in real time.

The technology backend of the Z Rewards programme was built with the help of Eagle Eye, which powers the instant point transactions with cloud adjudication. The loyalty system is embedded in the digital Z App, which is the stage for more loyalty features to come.

Quick service restaurants: Picking at loyalty fragments

The quick service restaurant (QSR) industry faces an interesting challenge with loyalty programmes. While QSRs serve millions of customers daily and have obvious opportunities for repeat business, many operators remain hesitant to implement advanced loyalty systems.

The primary concern is operational efficiency. QSR businesses are built on speed; customers expect fast service, and any system that might slow down the checkout process faces immediate resistance. This creates tension between building customer loyalty and maintaining rapid service delivery.

The QSR market is also fragmented, particularly in Southeast Asia. Often, each brand develops its own loyalty system, resulting in inconsistent customer experiences and a limited ability to scale technological innovations in the industry. Customers might have multiple QSR apps on their phones, each with different interfaces, earning structures, and redemption processes.

Simplicity and efficiency should be at the heart of loyalty initiatives in this industry. This means easy slick and easy-to-use digital apps, high-speed real-time adjudication and point resolution, and straightforward offers.

Breaking down loyalty tech barriers to drive value

While loyalty programmes in the above industries face distinct challenges, they demonstrate potential.

Airlines struggling with legacy systems, fuel and convenience stores limited by basic earn-and-burn models, and QSRs concerned about operational efficiency all share common ground; they need modern technology that addresses their specific constraints while opening new possibilities.

These are the pain points that Eagle Eye, as a provider of a cloud-native, AI-powered, highly scalable platform for loyalty and customer engagement, is determined to address.

Real-time processing eliminates delays that frustrate customers, flexible architecture enables diverse redemption options, and streamlined integration ensures that operational efficiency isn’t compromised. This modern approach creates opportunities for businesses to build sophisticated loyalty programmes that deliver genuine value.

The retail sector’s progress with loyalty programmes demonstrates what’s possible when technology evolves alongside customer expectations. As other industries embrace modern loyalty platforms, they can move beyond basic point collection to create meaningful, real-time customer relationships that drive satisfaction and business growth.

Author: Aaron Crowe, Regional Director, Eagle Eye, Asia.

About Eagle Eye

Eagle Eye is a SaaS technology company enabling retail, travel, and hospitality brands to earn the loyalty of their end customers by powering their real-time, omnichannel, and personalised consumer marketing activities.

About Aaron Crowe

Aaron Crowe is a professional with more than a decade of experience in strategic consulting and consultative sales. He has led multinational teams and managed diverse projects in various disciplines and businesses.

(Image source: Unsplash)

The post Lagging on loyalty innovation: Unpacking which sectors struggle appeared first on TechWire Asia.

Asia Momentum Spark’s Accelerator programme highlights the fact that Asia is, increasingly, the place where new blockchain technologies can be validated. Because of its highly-skilled developers, modern digital infrastructure, and a Web3-conversant young workforce, Asia offers a fertile area for testing out new projects. The Solana price is reflective of Asia’s growing influence on the decentralised web.

Solana shifts strategy towards Asia

Most Western blockchain companies focus on corporate partnerships or retail trading, but Solana is taking a different approach with its Asian expansion. Nations like South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia serve as excellent testing grounds for Web3 applications that strive for high scalability, good user experience, and practicality.

In South Korea, both gaming and fintech are sectors that use Solana’s cost-effective blockchain. With its new presence in Seoul, Solana is partnering with a group that uses and helps shape digital experiences.

The accelerator offers benefits beyond the amounts investors commit. It allows businesses to partner regionally and gain cultural knowledge. Because of Web3, startups in Asia can transform from prototype to viable products, ready to grow.

An accelerator with many services

The AMS Accelerator brings together money, guidance, tools, and infrastructure from across the region to help Web3 innovations grow. The $100 million fund will allow it to develop promising startups that use Solana for DePIN (Decentralised Physical Infrastructure Networks), PayFi (Payment Finance), and gaming.

Since mobile payments are popular in Asia and many people lack access to banking services, PayFi – a new concept that uses blockchain for easy, instant payments and financial services – has become especially valuable. PayFi on the Solana blockchain could help advance sectors the traditional financial sector doesn’t reach.

Adding gaming to the accelerator’s strategic priorities makes sense. Online gaming in Asia is highly popular and bringing blockchain into games allows more people to get started with cryptocurrencies.

Creating the basis for Asia’s Web3 growth

Solana believes Web3 can flourish for years to come if the necessary infrastructure is in place – technical, financial, and social. In short, Astra and MixMarvel pair with capital, and a collective history of making products users love.

Solana is giving software developers access to powerful tools, ways to interact with other apps, and a supportive, worldwide community. Asian devs can utilise local support from AMS to optimise the platform for their specific needs.

Because Asia is a diverse region, it’s essential to know local users, rules, and culture. Thanks to the accelerator’s inherent knowledge of the region, teams can ensure their products are a good fit at a local as well as international level.

New phase of blockchain technology

The AMS Accelerator could usher in a new era of competition in the blockchain sector. The high-performance blockchain from Solana is pushing Ethereum, formerly the leading choice for decentralised applications (DApps), to take on stronger competition. The tools are helping Solana bridge the technology gap and build a stronger presence as the top blockchain for new applications in emerging industries.

While other blockchains can suffer from slow and costly transactions, Solana offers users swift access to decentralised services. So, if developing fintech tools, social apps, or games, the necessary performance is a given, not a luxury. AMS is helping Solana become the default choice for blockchain innovation.

The game over the coming years

Solana invests in Asia because it believes the region will lead the Web3 industry and strengthen its position on the world stage. Asian markets already lead in innovations like mobile, finance, and entertainment, and sound blockchain foundation will help further the region’s reputation and shape global regulation of the Web3 industry.

Solana’s accelerator represents innovative technology for enthusiastic Asian entrepreneurs. By encouraging a new generation of Web3 developers, Solana is helping to spark a digital renaissance that could reshape global technology interactions.

As its roadmap is revealed over the next few months, the AMS Accelerator looks set to be among the industry’s most forward-looking initiatives. Whether you’re a developer, investor, or user, Solana is committed to the future of Web3 in Asia, and the company intends to play a key role.

(Image source: Unsplash)

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The power of data in a go-to-market strategy can’t be understated. However, several roadblocks continue to prevent organisations from deriving ROI from customer data investments. It’s the usual suspects: data silos, poor data quality, and regulatory challenges.

Such challenges and how marketing and data executives from large organisations are managing them were discussed at a recent webinar hosted by customer data cloud platform provider Amperity and featuring research and advisory firm Forrester.

Amperity’s Jason Perocho, Senior Vice President, Head of Marketing was joined by guest speaker, Forrester Vice President and Principal Analyst, Joe Stanhope, Jeanne Jones, Vice President of Digital Marketing at BECU, a not-for-profit credit union with over 1.3 million members and $32 billion in assets, and Ranajay Nandy, Vice President of Analytics at luxury retail goods brand Citizen Watch.

With a great breadth of experience in organisations and industries, the panel brought their insights to the topics of deriving value from data investments, aligning technical teams, measuring success and more.

Customer data roadblocks

While there are several roadblocks that organisations still face when trying to achieve ROI with their customer data investments, Forrester’s Joe Stanhope highlighted that firms now widely recognise the criticality of data to their success, especially in relation to customer engagement.

Stanhope noted that when investigating challenges and opportunities related to marketing technology, it is almost always an issue related to data, and that data is becoming increasingly complex and challenging to manage as more of it is sought.

“If you want to understand your customers, target interactions, personalise, get reach on the touch points and devices, that’s pretty fundamentally dependent on the data today,” he said.

“And what you’ve seen is really an explosion in the scale and complexity of that data, because it’s turned into this flywheel, where we do more engagement, it becomes more specific and granular, then that generates yet more data, which we then have to use to generate more interactions.”

The growth cycle, Stanhope points out, combined with factors like privacy and regulatory mandates, changing consumer behaviours and expectations, and economic pressures in enterprises around efficiency, make it difficult to manage and apply the data.

Drawing from insights from Forrester’s own research, Stanhope said users reported that it takes too long to deliver value with data, they have foundational data management challenges, they experience poor data quality, and the data is still fragmented and siloed.

Customer data investments – value uncovered

BECU’s Jeanne Jones explained that around 2018 and 2019 the organisation was primarily focused on accessing data for its marketing team. Silos and fragmented data were the key issues. The organisation set about an exercise of improving its access to data, working with Amperity to onboard the data into one system and stitch it all together.

This solved one challenge for the marketing team, but the next challenge was sharing the benefits of the growing customer 360 platform they had created beyond just the marketing team into other parts of the organisation as they scaled up and expanded.

“We’re now looking at using cloud infrastructure and expanding our use so that we can democratise that data in the entire organisation,” Jones said.

“The challenges can seem daunting, but you just need to face them one at a time. It’s really hard when you look at the whole picture. It’s a journey, not a project with a start and end date. It’s something you’re always going to be working on.”

At Citizen Watch, Ranajay Nandy experienced similar challenges, highlighting that there was lots of valuable customer data, but it was scattered and siloed.

“We started a mission of creating a source of data for customers, and that’s where we came in contact with Amperity to build our [customer data platform],” he said.

“As we are going through the process of building this centralised consumer data, we are seeing that our internal data has a lot of issues as well. It’s not really super clean, there’s a lot of garbage data.

“So, we started with an internal process of cleansing that data as well as we are building the CDP along with Amperity, so it’s kind of a parallel process going on.”

Nandy mentioned the other challenge they encountered was that despite the customer data platform in place, some users were still getting insights from their own local servers. To tackle this, the team implemented governance, processes, and training to ensure new consumer data flowed to the customer data platform (CDP).

Stakeholder management challenges

Data silos, data quality issues, a lack of governance, and growing pains aren’t the only challenges associated with a customer data transformation journey.

While many customer data projects are initiated with marketing in mind, the technical implications of such projects demand involvement from IT or data teams to ensure success.

Jeanne Jones from BECU emphasised getting multiple perspectives and subject matter experts into the room during planning and talking about specific use cases.

“We first start with the business problem we’re trying to solve and we specify a use case, whether we want to personalise content on the website, or we need to answer a business question with our analytics, or we want to create a certain segmentation for a mailing list,” she said.

“Once you identify your use case, you start to identify what you need to bring your use case to life. And there are much smarter people than me that can then solve that technical problem.

“The other thing that we try and do with each use case is attach a business outcome that we’re trying to drive with that.”

Measuring success in customer data investments

While the strategic planning and technology deployment of customer data infrastructure constitutes the initial phase, measuring and demonstrating tangible outcomes forms a critical next phase in the journey.

BECU’s Jeanne Jones noted that even as a not-for-profit, business outcomes also matter. The company cares a lot about revenues and profits along with member satisfaction and retention. This means when measuring a project’s success, efficiency, time savings, and revenue are important metrics to look at.

“If we have a use case that’s driving a conversion, we try to tie that to a revenue gain and measure it. We often will use test and control groups so that we can prove lift in the holdout,” Jones said.

“We also look at [net promoter score (NPS)], so if we enable a new experience that is tied to satisfaction, whether it’s overall NPS or even we have something called transactional NPS, we’ll tie it to that. Even with our insights, we will tie it back to data value.”

Jones also referenced two real-world examples of measuring success, including an example during the early pandemic period when economic uncertainty disrupted traditional forecasting models.

She said her team responded by implementing customised data collection forms that captured members’ changing financial circumstances.

“We actually set up forms to allow members to let us know what their situation was, and we gathered that data so we could customise how we could help them,” she said. “It allowed us to stabilise our forecast so we knew these folks were going to have trouble making their bills.”

Ranajay Nandy said Citizen Watch’s approach divided metrics into two categories: marketing activation metrics – including things like conversion rates, click through rates, as well as brand health – and consumer insights use, which are tracked on a plethora of dashboards.

“Everybody has their [dashboard],” Nandy said. “They look at the regions, they look at the demography, they look at what they’re purchasing, what is the right fit for what kind of customers, … where are they in their journey, and things like that.”

Nandy added that the company also tracks dashboard use metrics while gathering evidence that teams are applying these insights to improve sales and product development outcomes.

The journey ahead

Customer data journeys invariably bring challenges, but organisations implementing clear strategies and appropriate technologies can successfully navigate these complexities. Future-proofing strategies, including evaluating which technologies truly differentiate versus those that are merely tactical were also highlighted. To learn more about all the topics discussed in this article and more, check out the full recording, available here.

Author: Billy Loizou, APAC Area Vice President, Amperity

(Image source: Unsplash)

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These days, it’s not just about what you invest in, it’s about how long you’re willing to sit still.

What the BTC to USD number doesn’t tell you

It’s tempting to focus on numbers. Bitcoin hits US$95k, then potentially dips or bounces. Everyone tracks that BTC to USD price like it’s the heartbeat of the market – and in a way, it is. Whether you’re a trader in Manilla or a part-time investor in Kuala Lumpur, that number shows up in your newsfeed, your wallet, your group chats. It’s shorthand for sentiment.

But if you zoom out, you’ll notice something else: people aren’t just reacting to the number anymore. They’re choosing how to relate to it. Do you refresh it every 30 minutes and tweak your position accordingly? Or do you treat it like background noise – something you check once a quarter, just to confirm your conviction? That’s the real divide. Not between bullish and bearish, but between people who think in days and people who think in decades.

The trader mindset: All in, all the time

Let’s start with the day watchers. Across Southeast Asia, short-term trading has the potential to thrive – especially in younger markets like Vietnam and the Philippines. Mobile-first apps, easy on-ramps, and Telegram groups have made it possible to wake up, check a chart, and make three trades before breakfast.

In these ecosystems, Bitcoin isn’t a belief, it’s a tool, something you can move fast, flip quick, and maybe use to buy a new scooter if the trade hits right. The logic is clear: high volatility, high opportunity. Some call it risky, others call it efficient.

It’s not just individuals, either. Local platforms are starting to double down on this behaviour, with features like one-tap limit orders, built-in charting tools, and auto alerts now standard in many Southeast Asian exchanges. The goal isn’t to slow users down, it’s to help them move faster – because speed is part of the game.

But speed comes at a cost. One wrong call, one rug pull, one badly timed tweet, and things unravel. The trader’s mindset is thrilling, but it’s not for everyone.

The long game: Patience is a feature

In Singapore and Japan, a quieter group is growing. The users aren’t checking BTC to USD ten times a day, but buying Bitcoin like they’d buy an ETF and tuck it away for later. They’re not chasing trends, they’re building positions.

Part of the reason why is cultural. In markets with strong financial literacy and regulatory frameworks, users are more likely to approach cryptocurrency as a long-term asset class.

Another reason is infrastructure. Singaporean users can buy Bitcoin through regulated exchanges and store it in MAS-approved custodial solutions. In Japan, tax treatment is well understood, and consumer protection laws are strong. That trust builds a very different kind of user: one who isn’t afraid to HODL.

And while the returns aren’t instant, the data tells a compelling story. Someone who bought Bitcoin in 2017 and held it through the noise are probably still up, even after multiple crashes. The volatility didn’t disappear – but over time, the slope has remained positive.

Asia’s hybrid approach: Why the binary is breaking down

The twist in the tail is that it’s not really a trader vs. investor ‘thing’ anymore. In Asia, especially in markets like India and Indonesia, we’re starting to see hybrid behaviours.

Take India, with its 30% cryptocurrency gains tax and 1% TDS on trades. Here, active trading took a hit and users shifted so people start using Bitcoin like digital gold – accumulating it slowly, using savings features, or staking when possible.

Meanwhile in Indonesia, cryptocurrency wallets are tying directly into local banks. That makes it easier to treat cryptocurrency like part of everyday finances – not just a speculative side hustle. You can move in and out of IDR without needing to detour through USD, and that’s a big deal.

Even in South Korea, where trading culture runs deep, a new generation of Web3 users is emerging – players who earn Bitcoin or tokens through games, then let them sit, not because they’ve studied the halving cycles, but because it’s easier to HODL than to figure out when to exit.

In other words, people are mixing timelines. Trading short-term while holding some assets long-term, and using one wallet for flips and another for savings. The cryptocurrency experience in Asia is getting more layered and personal.

It’s not just strategy, it’s personality.

Ultimately, your investment horizon isn’t just a financial choice, it’s a reflection of how you think, how you feel, and how much uncertainty you’re willing to ride out. Some people want to act, while others want to wait. And some just want to know they’ve got options.

Asia’s cryptocurrency scene is starting to accommodate all styles. Users can trade on fast-moving apps, store assets in institutional-grade wallets, or use a middle-ground product like a DeFi yield vault. The point isn’t to pick a side, it’s to find a comfortable speed.

So, what time is it?

If Asia is teaching the cryptocurrency world anything, it’s that there’s no single timeline for success. Some users trade by the minute, while others build quietly over years. It’s not about speed, it’s about staying power. Whether you’re making moves in Cebu or keeping an eye on the market from Bangkok, one thing is clear: cryptocurrency is still in its early days. And in this region, the story is just beginning.

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But in 2025, that story is shifting – especially in the mobile-first economies of the Asia-Pacific region. Tools are finally starting to match the pace, creativity, and expectations of the people using them.

Whether you’re a student in Jakarta trading for side income, a freelancer in Manila getting paid in stablecoins, or a gamer in Seoul stacking Web3 rewards, cryptocurrency is steadily weaving itself into everyday financial life. And now that access is no longer the biggest hurdle, attention is turning to something else: experience. Wallets – the gateways to this ecosystem – are beginning to feel like they were built for humans.

The usability revolution

It’s tempting to credit the shift to improved design thinking or Silicon Valley influence. But in Asia, the pressure for better UX comes from the ground up. A new generation of users is arriving online not via desktops, but on low-cost smartphones with patchy internet and limited data. Users expect apps to be fast, simple, and localised – not just in language, but in cultural tone.

They also expect them to work, and expectation is driving innovation. In places like Vietnam and the Philippines, cryptocurrency wallets are ditching cryptic seed phrases in favour of social logins or device-based recovery. QR-based transactions, already popular via apps like WeChat and GCash, are now standard features in blockchain wallets. And smart defaults – like network auto-selection and pre-filled gas fees – are making early mis-steps far less common.

Usability improvements are happening alongside increased regional curiosity in token valuation – particularly among users who began their journey not as traders, but as participants in games, creator platforms, or DeFi experiments. Communities track Solana price trends not in isolation, but as part of broader conversations around on-chain activity, wallet engagement, and ecosystem growth. The question isn’t just “how much is it worth?” but, “why are more people using it this week?”

That’s where UX meets traction. And in APAC, traction is everything.

Welcome to Wallet 2.0

Across Asia, a handful of regional players are leading the charge into what might be called Wallet 2.0. These are multifunctional dashboards that let users explore everything from staking and NFTs to borrowing and bridging, often in users’ native language, with region-specific on-ramps.

In Indonesia, startups are building cryptocurrency wallets that integrate directly with local banks, letting users move rupiah in and out without needing to first convert to USD. In South Korea, gaming wallets are gaining traction by making Web3 rewards seamless in existing game interfaces. And in India, rural fintech partnerships are exploring wallets that work offline first – syncing once the user re-enters a coverage zone.

Why the wallet experience matters

Wallets used to scare people off. Seed phrases, gas fees, chains and bridges – the terminology alone was a minefield. The wrong click could mean lost funds and lost trust. In regions where people are already sceptical of digital finance, that’s a dealbreaker.

But wallets are catching on to a lesson fintech learned long ago: the best interface is one that doesn’t look unusual. When a cryptocurrency wallet starts behaving like a mobile bank – clear balances, fast transactions, useful notifications – users engage more confidently. They experiment more. And crucially, they keep coming back.

This isn’t about dumbing cryptocurrency down, it’s about making the wallet usable. Most people aren’t trying to master blockchain; they’re just trying to move money, earn yield, or buy a digital collectible. Good wallets meet them where they are.

Regional realities, global lessons

While much of the UX innovation is local, the impact is global. Asia is home to some of the fastest-growing cryptocurrency markets in the world. If wallets can thrive in the region’s diverse environments – from high-speed, urban tech hubs to low-connectivity rural areas – they can thrive anywhere. In APAC, language support is non-negotiable. But beyond translation, successful wallets also localise tone, graphics, and transaction terminology.

Trust also plays differently in each market. In Japan and Singapore, regulatory approval boosts credibility. In Indonesia or India, trust often travels peer-to-peer – through family, chat groups, or social media influencers. Wallets designed for Asia often embed support directly in the app: local-language chat, human agents, and video tutorials.

The choices aren’t just nice-to-haves. Once a user feels safe enough to send their first transaction, everything else opens up.

The road ahead

The next wave of wallet design in Asia will likely be invisible. AI-driven suggestions, seamless integration with identity systems, automatic scam detection – features that work in the background, but shape the journey. It won’t be about wowing users, it’ll be about not confusing them.

As blockchain infrastructure evolves, the wallet will remain the most important touchpoint between user and protocol. If cryptocurrency is to onboard the next billion people, especially in Asia, that touchpoint needs to feel intuitive, human, and trustworthy.

In 2025, cryptocurrency no longer has the luxury of being difficult. The people coming online today don’t want to read whitepapers. They want to know where their money is, what they can do with it, and how to get help if something goes wrong. Wallets, finally, are starting to answer.

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The summit was hosted by UAE-based Polynome Group under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Strategic backers included Digital Dubai, Dubai Police, Emirates, Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, IBM, SAP, HUAWEI, MBZUAI among others.

“In just three years, MCS has evolved from a specialist meet‑up into a true crossroads for the world’s top minds in science, business and public policy. The week proved that when researchers, entrepreneurs and governments share one stage, we move a step closer to transparent, human‑centred AI that delivers real value for society,” said Alexander Khanin, founder & CEO of Polynome Group

Landmark agreements announced live on stage

During the two‑day programme, several high‑profile agreements were signed at the summit, including:

– A trilateral Memorandum of Understanding between Astana Hub (Kazakhstan), IT‑Park Uzbekistan and Al‑Farabi Innovation Hub (UAE), creating a Central‑Asia‑to‑MENA soft‑landing platform for high‑growth start‑ups.

– A Google Cloud initiative offering no‑cost “Gen‑AI Leader” learning paths and discounted certification vouchers to accelerate responsible AI adoption across the region.

Polynome Group officially launched AI Academy, an educational initiative developed in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi School of Management and supported by NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Institute. The Academy will offer short executive seminars and a specialised four‑month Mini‑MBA in AI, aimed at equipping leaders and innovators with practical AI knowledge to bridge the gap between technology research and commercial application.

Policy & talent

Day one opened with a ministerial round‑table – “Wanted: AI to Retain and Attract Talent to the Country.” Ministers Omar Sultan Al Olama (UAE), Amr Talaat (Egypt), Gobind Singh Deo (Malaysia), Zhaslan Madiyev (Kazakhstan) and Meutya Hafid (Indonesia) detailed visa‑fast‑track programmes, national GPU clouds and cross‑border sandboxes designed to reverse brain‑drain and accelerate R&D.

Breakthrough research

– Prof. Michael Bronstein (University of Oxford/Google DeepMind) demonstrated Geometric Deep Learning applications that shorten drug‑discovery timelines and model subatomic physics.

– Marco Tempest (NASA JPL/MagicLab.nyc) blended GPT‑4o dialogue with mixed‑reality holograms, turning the stage into an interactive mind‑map.

– Prof. Michal Irani (Weizmann Institute) showed perception‑to‑cognition systems capable of reconstructing scenes from a single gaze sequence.

– Andrea Vedaldi (Oxford) premiered a 3‑D generative‑AI pipeline for instant city‑scale digital twins, while Marc Pollefeys (ETH Zurich/Microsoft) demonstrated real‑time spatial mapping at sub‑10 ms latency.

Industry workshops & panels

AWS ran a hands‑on clinic – “Building Enterprise Gen‑AI Applications” – covering RAG, agentic orchestration and secure deployment. NVIDIA’s workshop unveiled its platform approach to production generative‑AI on Hopper‑class GPUs, complementing its newly announced Service Delivery Partnership with Polynome Group’s legal entity, Intelligent Machines Consultancies. Dubai Police hosted a closed‑door DFA session on predictive policing, while X and AI workshops explored social‑data pipelines on GPU clusters.

The parallel Machines Can Create forum examined AI’s role in luxury, digital art and media, with speakers from HEC Paris, The Sandbox, IBM Research and BBC, culminating in the panel “Pixels and Palettes: The Canvas of Tomorrow.”

Prof. Marc Pollefeys, Director of the Mixed Reality and AI Lab at ETH Zurich and Microsoft, highlighted the role of cutting-edge technology in daily life: “We are at a turning point where technologies like spatial AI and real-time 3D mapping are moving from laboratories into everyday life, transforming cities, workplaces, and how we interact with the digital world. The Machines Can See Summit underscores how collaboration between researchers, industry, and policymakers accelerates this transition, bringing innovative solutions closer to everyone,” he said.

Ethical & security focus

Panels “Good AI: Between Hype and Mediocrity” and “Defending Intelligence: Navigating Adversarial Machine Learning” stressed the need for continuous audits, red‑teaming and transparent supply chains. Dubai Police, TII UAE and IBM urged adoption of ISO‑aligned governance tool‑kits to safeguard public‑sector deployments.

High‑profile awards

On Day Two, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented trophies for the Global Prompt Engineering Championship, for breakthroughs in multilingual, safety-aligned LLM prompting.

Key takeaways

The summit underscored three strategic imperatives for the decade ahead. Talent aviation – backed by unified tech visas, national GPU clouds and government‑funded sandbox clusters – is emerging as the most effective antidote to AI brain‑drain. Spatial computing is moving from laboratory to street level as sub‑10‑millisecond mapping unlocks safe humanoid robotics and city‑scale augmented‑reality services. Finally, secure generative AI must couple adversarial robustness with transparent, explainable pipelines before the technology can achieve mass‑market adoption in regulated industries.

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Machines Can See is staged by the Polynome Group, a machine vision, AI, robotic, and industrial design company based in the city.

This is the third year of the event, and will bring investors, business leaders, and policymakers together to explore AI-centric expansion opportunities. Machines Can See, as the name suggests, will have a particular focus on computer vision.

Each discussion and keynote is designed to be firmly rooted in practical applications of AI technology, but organisers hope that the show will be permeated with a sense of discovery and that attendees will be able to explore the possibilities of the tech on show. “We are not just shaping the future of AI, we are defining how AI shapes the world,” said Alexander Khanin, head of the Polynome Group.

UAE Government officials attending the event include H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, the Director General of Digital Dubai.

As part of the summit, X hosted two exclusive workshops — “X and AI” — highlighting next-generation solutions that merge AI-driven insights with high-quality streaming. Central to these sessions was GRok, X’s cutting-edge platform designed to enhance real-time analytics, predictive capabilities, and user engagement. Through interactive demonstrations, attendees gained firsthand experience with GRok’s potential to transform how content is delivered, analyzed, and optimized in the streaming landscape.

Investment and business opportunities

UAE’s AI market is projected to grow by $8.4 billion in the next two years, and the summit is designed to serve as a venue for investors to engage with AI startups, existing enterprises, and government decision-makers. Attendees at Machines Can See will get to meet with investors and venture capital firms, be given the opportunity to meet executives from AI companies (including IBM and Amazon), and connect with startups seeking investment.

The summit is supported by Amazon Prime Video & Studios, Amazon Web Services, Dubai Police, MBZUAI, IBM, SAP, HUAWEI, Adia Lab, QuantumBlack and Yango. The involvement of many organisations and large-scale enterprises should provide many opportunities for funding and collaborations that extend the commercial use of AI.

Local and international investors include Eddy Farhat, Executive Director at e& capital, Faris Al Mazrui, Head of Growth Investments at Mubadala, Major General Khalid Nasser Alrazooqi General Director of Artificial Intelligence, Dubai Police UEA, and Dr. Najwa Aaraj, the CEO of TII.  

Speakers and insights

The summit will feature several US-based AI professionals, including Namik Hrle, IBM Fellow and Vice President of Development at the IBM Software Group, Michael Bronstein, DeepMind Professor of AI at Oxford University, Marc Pollefeys, Professor of Computer Science at ETH Zurich, Gerard Medioni, VP and Distinguished Scientist at Amazon Prime Video & Studio, and Deva Ramanan, Professor at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University.

The event will feature a ministerial session composed of international government representatives to discuss the role of national IT development.

Among speakers already confirmed for the event are Gobind Singh Deo, Malaysia’s Minister of Digital, H.E. Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, and H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.

Event organisers expect to announce more representatives from overseas in the coming days. Read more here.

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