☕️ Good morning, friends,

Looking at her photo, you wouldn’t immediately guess the nickname of this 47-year-old Chinese woman: the “Goddess of Wealth.”

With 61,000 Bitcoins she truly was one. The only catch: it was black money from a scam that she then tried to launder in England.

The British authorities (and 128,000 scammed Chinese victims) were not amused and arrested her.

We’re left wondering: if freely available British food is already this bad, how will she cope with prison meals? 👀

P.S. You get 10% off all travel guides from our partner China Insider with the code asiabitsfriends.

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MARKETS

Highlights

💰 Gold Rush in Hong Kong, IPO Fever in Singapore

Asian stocks advanced on Tuesday. Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore gained, while Tokyo and Seoul ended slightly lower. Sentiment was lifted by hopes of further U.S. rate cuts, even as a looming government shutdown in Washington added nerves.

In Hong Kong, the market debut of Zijin Gold International made waves, with shares surging as much as 66 percent after trading began.

Singapore is experiencing an IPO boom. The upswing is driving not only the Straits Times Index but also demand for investor relations agencies. Specialists in capital markets communication have rarely been more sought after.

TOP BIT

🛒 Aldi effect in China: private labels boom

What has long been standard in Germany is now catching on in China: supermarkets from Walmart to Freshippo are betting on smaller formats and low-cost private labels to win back price-conscious shoppers.

The Details

🥐 Aldi made in China: Rock-bottom croissants and no-name detergents fill the shelves. At Freshippo, 60% of …