☕️ Good morning friends, 

A perfect story to go with today's Top Bit—one that'll have you laughing and crying at the same time:

Chinese parents are now sending AI videos of supposedly miserable, childless women to pressure their own kids into getting married.

Let's hope this trend doesn't catch on with our moms in Germany... 👀

Xiaomi under pressure: The shares slid by more than 3% at one point after co-founder Lin Bin announced plans to sell up to USD 2 billion worth of stock. While the proceeds are set to go into an investment fund and Lin remains with the company, investors are wary of additional share overhang.

TOP BIT

❤️ AI Love: China stops emotional manipulation

China's internet regulator CAC is drawing a red line for AI chatbots that simulate human intimacy.

These world-first regulations aim to prevent users—especially young people—from developing psychological dependencies on "virtual partners."

Details 

⏰ Mandatory breaks: Providers must clearly state that users are not communicating with a real person. After two hours of continuous use, a mandatory pop-up must remind users to take a break.

🚨 Human takeover for suicidal thoughts: As soon as a user expresses suicidal intent, a human must immediately take over the conversation and notify a guardian or emergency contact.

🔞 Strict youth protection: Parents must give consent before children can use AI companions. Systems must also be able to estimate users' age without explicit disclosure.

🎰 Banned content: AI chatbots may not generate content related to suicide, self-harm, gambling, violence, or obscenity. "Emotional traps" and false promises are also prohibited.

🔍 Security audits for major players: Services with over 1 million registered users or 100,000 monthly active users must undergo mandatory security reviews.

What does this mean for the AI hype?

• The rules hit the sector at a critical moment, as chatbot startups Minimax and Z.ai are preparing their Hong Kong IPOs.

• Investors must now assess how severely the new requirements will slow user growth and monetization.

📊 All details & data: CNBC, Asia Financial, Ars Technica

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NUMBER OF THE DAY

That’s how many EVs BYD has sold at the end of November 2025, overtaking Tesla in the race to become the world’s largest electric vehicle maker.

🚗 New No. 1 in EV sales: BYD now clearly leads in sales. Tesla is expected to reach around 1.65 million vehicles in 2025, a decline of nearly 8% year on year.

🌍 Exports over home-market focus: BYD is pushing growth outside China by building its own overseas production capacity and supply chains. This opens new markets, helps bypass trade barriers, and unlocks scale advantages.

Watch: After the USD 7,500 EV tax credit ended in September, the US market is being reshuffled. Tesla is betting big on autonomy. With the Cybercab planned for 2026, Musk aims to shift the race toward software.

MARKET BIT

🔌 SoftBank’s $4B takeover sends DigitalBridge shares up 50% premarket

🔌 AI needs concrete: SoftBank is acquiring US infrastructure investor DigitalBridge for around USD 4 billion. The goal is to secure data centers, fiber, towers, and power for the next wave of AI.

📈 Premarket surge with a premium: DigitalBridge shares jumped as much as 50% in premarket trading. SoftBank is paying USD 16 per share, about a 15% premium to the last close and roughly 50% above the 52-week average.

🏗️ USD 108B under management: DigitalBridge runs global AI backbone infrastructure, from data centers to edge networks—exactly where the bottlenecks of the AI boom are emerging.

♟️ Son thinks vertically: After exiting Nvidia (USD 5.8B) and backing OpenAI, SoftBank is shifting focus from models to compute, power, and connectivity. Son is building the physical foundation for his “Artificial Super Intelligence.”

⏳ A long-term bet: DigitalBridge will remain independent and continue operating under CEO Marc Ganzi. Closing is expected in H2 2026.

Background

Masayoshi Son is known for aggressive investment moves and is now leaning into “patient capital,” long-term infrastructure contracts, and predictable cash flows to secure the physical base for global AI scaling.

Despite jittery markets, the deal shows that strategic M&A can still move stocks—and may prompt other investors to rethink their positioning in the tech sector.

👉🏻 Full Story: The Guardian, DigitalBridge, CNBC

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HEAD OF THE DAY

🇯🇵 Maya Kawana 川名 麻耶

Maya Kawana (43) is making waves in Japan—not because she's the daughter of SoftBank founder (see Market Bit) Masayoshi Son, but precisely because she's not the one taking over the family empire.

Her path: After Goldman Sachs, she became a housewife, then founded her own consulting firm for fashion brands. Now she advises biotech startup Spiber, which produces sustainable fibers from spider proteins.

What she's planning at Spiber: "I'm not chasing an IPO. I want to help build a genuine global biotech player." The company is technically brilliant but weak in marketing—that's exactly where she comes in.

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HIGHLIGHTS 

🕊️ Border truce after deadly clashes: Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire after fighting killed dozens and displaced more than half a million people. It’s the second truce in six months, banning all weapons and attacks on civilians and infrastructure, with Thailand set to return 18 Cambodian soldiers once the ceasefire holds for 72 hours. The US welcomed the deal, urging both sides to fully honour the agreement and avoid further escalation.

⚠️ China ramps up pressure on Taiwan: Beijing has launched its largest-ever military drills around Taiwan. Warships, fighter jets, artillery, and live-fire exercises are being deployed to simulate a blockade and test Taiwan’s defenses. The maneuvers come just days after a major US arms sale to Taipei, underlining the rising cross-strait tensions. Analysts say China is blurring the line between military routine exercises and potential real-world conflict.

🇰🇷 S. Korea’s ex-first lady accused of bribery and meddling: Kim Keon-hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, is facing allegations of accepting bribes and interfering in state affairs. A special prosecutor said Kim used her status to receive money and luxury gifts while influencing personnel appointments. The prosecution has sought a 15-year sentence, while Kim denies wrongdoing. A court ruling is expected on January 28.

COUNTRY READS

🇮🇩 Indonesia cancels New Year fireworks in Jakarta, Bali, and other regions to honour Sumatra flood victims. More on this.

🇨🇳 Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia are pushing ahead with electrifying their bus fleets with China's help. More on this.

🇮🇳 Indian quick-commerce startup Zepto files IPO to raise $1.22B, entering a market dominated by Amazon, Flipkart, and Swiggy. More on this.

BITS TO DO

✅ Take 20min and cook a high-protein chicken and egg rice bowl.
✅ Fly to China, just to visit a dentist.
✅ Become the most popular person in your office with a box of Japanese snacks.
✅ Look back on the Sports highlights of 2025.
✅ Turn your New Year’s Eve moments into a memorable video with CapCut.*

_{* Yes, it’s an affiliate link. No, you won’t pay more. But it helps support asiabits. Thanks ;)}

FORTUNE COOKIE

Chase your dreams at full speed in the New Year. 💪🏻

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