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World’s Largest Van Gogh Pikachu Card Wall Debuts at Hong Kong Grade10 Festival

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  • Record Turnout Signals City’s Rise as Asia’s Trading Card Hub
  • Event Backed by Virtual Asset Venture MemeStrategy, Entertainment Platform 9GAG

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 November 2025 – In a city long synonymous with skyscrapers and stock tickers, an unlikely subculture is staking its claim: trading cards. The just-concluded Grade10 Festival, drawing a record 23,000 attendees to Hong Kong’s bustling convention hall in Wan Chai, underscored the territory’s ascent as Asia’s go-to hub for collectors chasing everything from vintage Pokémon rarities to autographed NBA gems. Amid the frenzy, a towering wall of Pikachu cards — each a PSA10 homage to Vincent van Gogh — stole the show, symbolizing how pop culture nostalgia is blending with high-stakes investment in the world’s fastest-growing collectibles market.

The event’s centerpiece was a world-first installation: over 400 PSA 10-graded “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” cards, stacked into a mosaic valued at around HK$5 million (US$641,000).

The event’s centerpiece was a world-first installation: over 400 PSA 10-graded “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat” cards, stacked into a mosaic valued at around HK$5 million (US$641,000). Originally released in 2023 as part of a special Pokémon collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the card pays homage to Van Gogh’s Self‑Portrait with Grey Felt Hat, reinterpreted with Pikachu wearing the artist’s signature grey felt hat — a cheeky fusion of 19th century genius and 21st century mascot mania. Four such cards, including two flawless PSA 10s, were given out through on-site participation.

The Grade10 Festival drew a record 23,000 attendees, cementing Hong Kong's status as Asia's go-to hub for collectors.
The Grade10 Festival drew a record 23,000 attendees, cementing Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s go-to hub for collectors.

Hong Kong’s trading card scene is fast becoming a barometer for a regional boom. The global market, valued at US$11.4 billion in 2024, is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 5% through 2033, with Asia-Pacific leading the charge thanks to anime fever and esports crossover. Grading volumes in Hong Kong now rival Chinese Mainland’s entire output, per local retailer HobbyX, while tax-free imports and global connectivity make the city a magnet for deal-makers. “I traveled to Hong Kong for the festival because of its strong market growth and unique position as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures,” said James Bui of U.S. exhibitor JayBee Collectibles, one of more than 120 international exhibitors at Grade10 — a new high for the territory. “The city’s diverse selection of collectible cards and increasing number of collectors, along with low taxes and convenient transportation, make it an ideal hub for trading cards in Asia.”

More than just cards. This wall of Van Gogh Pikachu cards represents the fusion of pop culture and high-stakes investment in the booming collectibles world.
More than just cards. This wall of Van Gogh Pikachu cards represents the fusion of pop culture and high-stakes investment in the booming collectibles world.

Overseas participation was notable, with 20% of attendees traveling from outside Hong Kong, among them world‑renowned collector Nick Uliano from the United States. Uliano, celebrated for his extensive Michael Jordan collection, specializes in one‑of‑one rarity cards and autographed Buyback cards reissued by publishers. Commenting on the event, he said: “The ‘Grade10 Festival’ is a rare large-scale card event in Asia, and its scale and card diversity are impressive. It brings together top collectors and exhibitors from around the world, and I am delighted to participate in person in this international-level collecting event.”

That sentiment echoed through the festival’s packed aisles, where 60% of the floor space pulsed with anime icons — Pokémon, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh! — and the rest bowed to sports cards from basketball to soccer.

The festival featured dedicated zones, including areas for grading, gameplay, networking, trading, and the Threads interactive experience. As the first major event jointly supported by publicly listed virtual asset venture MemeStrategy (Stock Code:2440.HK) and online meme platform 9GAG with 200 million users worldwide, the festival introduced the “Threads Wall”, developed by 9GAG in collaboration with Meta’s Threads. The installation proved a major attraction, drawing influencers and generating high levels of on‑site and online engagement.

Beneath the frenzy lies serious economics. Asia’s collectibles surge — from Labubu’s to serialized Pokémon merch — has minted millionaires overnight, with cards like the Illustrator Pikachu fetching six figures. Hong Kong, with its free-port status and proximity to manufacturing powerhouses, is positioning itself as the nexus. As Ray Chan, CEO of event backer MemeStrategy Inc., put it amid the post-festival buzz, “Hong Kong isn’t just hosting; it’s connecting worlds — Japan’s IPs to America’s collectors, culture to capital.”
Hashtag: #MemeStrategy

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About MemeStrategy

(Stock Code: 2440.HK) is Asia’s first publicly listed digital asset venture, managed by the team behind , a globally acclaimed meme platform with over 200 million users. Leveraging its social media and Web3 expertise, MemeStrategy adopts a people-first approach to strategically invest in three key growth pillars: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and Culture, aiming to bridge the new economy with traditional finance and accelerate the development of decentralized technologies.

About Grade10

was founded in 2023 to unite Hong Kong’s trading card industry and collector community. Over the years, it has grown into the city’s premier platform for card enthusiasts and industry professionals. Grade10 is a division of MemeStrategy (Stock Code: 2440.HK), a publicly listed company founded by the team behind 9GAG, a global social platform with over 200 million users worldwide. Since becoming part of MemeStrategy in September 2025, Grade10 has embarked on a new phase of growth, positioning Hong Kong as the festival’s annual home and establishing Grade10 as the leading touring event for collectible trading cards and related cultural treasures across Asia. In the collecting world, “Grade 10” signifies the highest standard of excellence. True to its name, the Grade10 Card Show brings fresh energy and opportunities to Asia’s collectibles market – offering passionate enthusiasts a vibrant platform to connect, exchange, and showcase their prized collections, while exploring new horizons together with fellow collectors.

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Apical Strengthens Women’s Health to Support Stunting Prevention in Cilincing, North Jakarta

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SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 December 2025 – Apical continues to reinforce its commitment to preventing and reducing stunting by prioritising women’s health in Cilincing subdistrict, North Jakarta. Through its business unit, PT Asianagro Agungjaya (PT AAJ), Apical collaborated with the Cilincing Community Health Centre (Puskesmas Cilincing) to implement community-based programmes focused on women’s health and early stunting prevention.

The initiative was launched on 15 December 2025 at the RW 03, RW 09 and RW 10 community offices within the Cilincing public housing complex. Targeting women of reproductive age, the programme was designed as a preventive effort to raise awareness and improve access to essential health services, particularly reproductive health, as a foundation for healthy families and future generations.

Apical’s CSR Manager, Sugiantoro, said the collaboration reflects the company’s long-term, preventive approach to public health. “We believe that healthy women are the pillars of strong families and a key force in shaping healthy communities. Through PT AAJ’s involvement, we aim to create tangible impact by prioritising early prevention, rather than focusing solely on treatment,” he said.

A key focus of the initiative was the early detection of cervical cancer, a serious but largely preventable disease when identified through routine screening and timely intervention. Services provided included IVA screening (visual inspection with acetic acid) and HPV (human papillomavirus) testing.

Dr Kezia Ivana from the Cilincing Community Health Centre explained that IVA and HPV screenings are effective methods for detecting cervical cancer at an early stage.

“Early detection allows us to identify the virus that causes cervical cancer sooner, significantly reducing the risk of disease progression. When detected early, the chances of recovery are very high. However, if left undetected, cervical cancer can lead to severe pain, abnormal bleeding, kidney and urinary tract disorders, swelling of the legs, and fertility problems that may prevent women from having children,” she said.

Apical’s participation in this initiative aligns with the company’s 5Cs philosophy that whatever it does must be good for the Community, Country, Climate and Customer, and only then will it be good for the Company, which underpins its commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth. Through partnerships with local stakeholders, Apical, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, continues to support government efforts to address stunting while contributing to improved social and women’s health outcomes, particularly in communities surrounding its operational areas.
Hashtag: #RGE #Apical #CSR #Stunting #Indonesia #Women #Health #Communities

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Apical

Apical is a leading vegetable oil processor with an expanding global footprint. Our vertically integrated mid-stream refining and value-added downstream processing makes us an integral supplier that supports the needs of various industries namely food, feed, oleochemicals and renewable fuel, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) which enables a great reduction of CO2 emissions.

With integrated assets in strategic locations spanning Indonesia, China and Spain, Apical operates numerous refineries, oleochemical plants, renewable fuel plants and kernel crushing plants. Through joint ventures and strategic partnerships, Apical also has processing and distribution operations in Brazil, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Middle East, Africa, USA and Vietnam.

Apical’s growth is built on the foundations of sustainability and transparency, and motivated by our strong belief that we can contribute to a circular economy for a more meaningful impact, even as we continue to grow our business and deliver innovative solutions to our customers.

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Vingroup Signs Strategic Cooperation with The Government of Uzbekistan, Opening Large-Scale Investment Opportunities in Central Asia

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HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 December 2025 – Vingroup announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan to promote cooperation and implement multi-sector projects in Uzbekistan. The agreement marks the beginning of a long-term cooperation plan between the two sides across multiple key sectors, while opening large-scale investment opportunities for the Vietnamese corporation in Central Asia, contributing to the strengthening of economic and investment ties between Vietnam and Uzbekistan.

Mr. Kasimov Ilzat Ablaxatovich, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan (left), and Mr. Nguyen Viet Quang, Vice Chairman and CEO of Vingroup (right), at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Under the MOU, the two parties agreed to jointly study and develop strategic cooperation opportunities in areas such as urban development, sustainable transportation, tourism and leisure infrastructure, as well as other investment projects aligned with Uzbekistan’s development orientation, affirming the scale and capabilities of Vietnamese enterprises on the global economic map.

Specifically, in the area of urban development, Uzbekistan is ready to allocate approximately 1,000 hectares of land in a prime location of the capital Tashkent for Vingroup to study, propose, and invest in the development of a large-scale, integrated urban complex. The project would include residential areas, living infrastructure, commercial and cultural facilities, and public infrastructure facilities. The development is envisioned to form a “Vietnam Town”, creating a modern and sustainable urban landmark while enhancing cultural exchange and economic cooperation between the two countries.

In the field of sustainable transportation, Vingroup has proposed studying the deployment of electric taxi and urban mobility services using VinFast electric vehicles in Uzbekistan, together with a charging infrastructure system and support services. The project is expected to contribute to the green transition, reduce emissions, and improve the quality of urban transportation services in major Uzbek cities.

In tourism and leisure infrastructure, the two sides will explore the potential development of integrated tourism and recreational center, including entertainment facilities, hotels, golf courses and related tourism infrastructure, aiming to unlock tourism potential and enhance Uzbekistan’s attractiveness to international visitors.

In addition, this strategic cooperation also establishes a framework for the two parties to identify, assess, and select other potential investment projects that align with the development strategies and long-term priorities of each side.

On the Uzbek government’s side, the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade committed to supporting Vingroup by providing information on the investment environment, legal framework, and incentive policies, as well as coordinating with relevant authorities and local governments in project preparation, including land allocation, licensing, and access to investment support mechanisms in accordance with legislation.

On Vingroup’s side, the Group will propose conceptual proposals, technical expertise and investment plans, participate in feasibility studies and project structuring, and mobilize member companies within the Vingroup ecosystem to implement suitable projects in Uzbekistan.

Mr. Kasimov Ilzat Ablaxatovich, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, stated: “We welcome Vingroup’s interest and commitment to cooperation in Uzbekistan. With its experience in urban development, sustainable transportation, and infrastructure projects, Vingroup is considered a strategic partner to jointly explore and implement investment initiatives aligned with Uzbekistan’s socio-economic development priorities in the coming period.”

Mr. Nguyen Viet Quang, Vice Chairman and CEO of Vingroup, shared: “Uzbekistan is a market with strong potential, supported by a clear development direction and an improving investment environment. Through this Memorandum of Understanding, Vingroup aims to gradually explore suitable cooperation opportunities and work alongside the Government of Uzbekistan in developing urban areas, sustainable transportation, and sectors that bring positive contributions to local communities.”

Uzbekistan holds a strategic position in Central Asia, with a growing economy and strong potential in urban development, infrastructure, tourism, and services. The Government of Uzbekistan is actively promoting reforms and attracting foreign investment to drive sustainable economic growth and international integration.

Vingroup is Vietnam’s leading private multi-sector corporation, operating across six core pillars: Industrials & Technology, Real Estate & Services, Infrastructure, Green Energy, Culture, and Social Enterprises, with the vision “To create a better life for people”. With its proven reputation, scale and capabilities, Vingroup is steadily expanding globally, contributing to elevate the global standing of Vietnamese enterprises.

Hashtag: #Vingroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Vietnam Is Shining, and Can Gio Is the Hidden Jewel Awaiting Its Moment

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CAN GIO, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 December 2025 – In 2024, when Hines released its seminal report Why Asia Now, the message was simple yet profound: The world’s most compelling growth story was shifting eastward. At that time, global markets were turbulent but still predictable.

Vinhomes Green Paradise: A Hidden Gem Poised to Shine in Vietnam’s Real Estate Market.

A year later, the landscape has morphed into something far more complex, rippling with tariff shocks, persistent inflation, rising bond yields, and growth downgrades across traditional economic powerhouses. The world feels as if it is moving through a narrow channel, buffeted by waves from every direction. And yet, amid all the noise, Asia has not only held its ground but stepped forward with a clarity and confidence that few regions can match.

Why Asia Now: A New Era of Resilience, Growth, and Opportunity

The forces shaping Asia’s rise have been gathering momentum for decades. What we are witnessing now is their convergence. Asia is not simply adapting to global volatility, it is redefining the foundations of resilience and growth. Its economies are becoming wealthier, stronger, and more self-reliant, and its real estate markets are revealing layers of opportunity that long-term investors have waited years to see.

The near-term picture, though challenged, underscores this resilience. Tariffs have uneven effects, and countries with strong domestic engines such as Australia are absorbing shocks with surprising ease.

But it is the longer horizon that illuminates Asia’s true arc. The region’s working-age population and middle class have expanded at a breathtaking pace, setting the stage for decades of consumption-led dynamism. Education levels are rising, service sectors are flourishing, and manufacturing capabilities are climbing the value chain.

Meanwhile, intra-Asia trade has quietly become the backbone of global commerce, with Asia-to-Asia routes now forming the largest share of world trade. As the region turns inward, not in isolation, but in self-reinforcing collaboration, Asia ex-China is projected to contribute more to global growth than the United States and Europe combined.

Real estate, often seen as a mirror for economic sentiment, is telling a similar story. Transaction volumes across Asia have been less volatile than those in Western markets, and pricing has remained more stable, offering a predictable return profile. Supply constraints, elevated construction costs, and a decade-low pricing position relative to long-term trends are creating what can only be described as an extraordinary entry window.

Why Capital is Flowing into Vietnam

If Asia’s trajectory could be captured in a single idea, it would be the beginning of a Value Uprising, a structural rise in long-term asset worth, powered by demographics, policy, and economic integration, rather than speculation.

From this continental narrative emerges Vietnam, a nation whose ascent is increasingly impossible to ignore. Over the past decade, Vietnam has transformed from a rising star into a gravitational force for global investors. Supply chain diversification has accelerated its role as a manufacturing and logistics nexus. Even with global tariffs shifting, Vietnam’s logistics sector continues to expand in sophistication, efficiency, and international relevance. Its demographic profile, marked by a median age years younger than China, offers a demographic dividend that many Asian economies have already spent. And as Southeast Asia’s digital backbone grows, Vietnam is stepping into the spotlight as one of the region’s next major data-center markets, a signifier of future industrial depth.

Ho Chi Minh City, in particular, has entered a new chapter. Its standing among Asia-Pacific cities for investment and development has climbed steadily, reflecting not only macroeconomic resilience but the confidence of global capital. It has become a symbolic frontier, an emerging metropolis where the contours of modern Asia are being redrawn.

At the heart of Vietnam’s momentum lies another extraordinary phenomenon: The consistent and rising flow of remittances. Vietnam ranks among the world’s top recipients, and Ho Chi Minh City alone welcomed over USD 9.46 billion in 2023, USD 9.6 billion in 2024, and more than USD 5.3 billion in the second quarter of 2025.

A remarkable portion of these funds, around one-fifth, finds its way into real estate. But this is not passive investment. It is a gesture of return, of building a future homeland, of preparing for business, family, and retirement. It is long-term capital with long-term intent.

Vinhomes Green Paradise: A Hidden Gem Poised to Shine in Vietnam’s Real Estate Market

Regulatory reform is reinforcing this trust. The revised Land Law and Real Estate Business Law offer stronger protections and broader rights for Vietnamese citizens, including those living abroad. In a period where global currencies fluctuate and deposit rates decline, investors are increasingly confronting a hard truth: Holding cash is, in many cases, a slow erosion of value. As economist Can Van Luc notes, the VND has lost 3.4 percent of its value in two years, even as the USD depreciated. Real estate, therefore, is not merely an alternative, it has become one of the few asset classes capable of preserving and multiplying value in real terms.

Against this backdrop, regions entering new cycles of infrastructure development are drawing accelerated capital inflows. And among them, one name rises above all others: Can Gio.

For decades, Can Gio stood quietly at the edge of Ho Chi Minh City, an ecological jewel, admired but distant. Today, it has become the most powerful symbol of Vietnam’s coastal urban future. Massive infrastructure investment is reshaping its accessibility, and yet its real estate prices remain a fraction of central districts. Compared to Phu My Hung, Can Gio’s price base is nearly half; compared to Districts 1 and 3, just one-fifth. The gap is not a discount, it is untapped potential waiting to be realized.

The emergence of Vinhomes Green Paradise has pushed this transformation into global consciousness. As the first official participant in the New7Wonders “7 Wonders of Future Cities” campaign, the project is channeling the same catalytic energy once witnessed in iconic developments. Internationally, such recognitions do not merely elevate prestige, they accelerate valuation cycles, attract global capital, and redefine a city’s future skyline.

With its one-of-a-kind geographic formation and proximity to Can Gio’s million-year-old biosphere reserve, Vinhomes Green Paradise stands as a once-in-a-century asset. It embodies scarcity in its purest form, an asset class that cannot be replicated, reshaped, or reborn elsewhere.

And that is where the narrative converges. Asia’s rise, Vietnam’s momentum, Ho Chi Minh City’s evolution, and Can Gio’s emergence are not isolated stories. Together, they form a new investment epoch characterized by structural uplift, demographic acceleration, and a rapidly expanding middle class. It is the era of the Value Uprising, a phase in which the forces of economics, policy, population, and global capital align to propel real estate into a new price horizon.

In moments like this, markets rarely wait. History shows that investors who move early define the benchmark for everyone who follows. The question is no longer whether Asia will rise, or whether Vietnam will lead, or whether Can Gio will transform. The question, now, is whether investors will seize a moment that may not return for another generation.

Sources:

https://www.hines.com/asia-real-estate-opportunity-in-the-midst-of-uncertainty

https://knowledge.uli.org/-/media/files/emerging-trends/2026/emerging-trends-in-real-estate-2026-asia-pacific-report.pdf?rev=2036660434a44fa982b1ba913ffc2a2a&hash=87D5584C38EA219C1F1A50DC8E04FC7B

Hashtag: #Vinhomes

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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