Features >

Deep dives into technology and human behavior

For years, ‘996’ work culture defined China’s booming tech scene. Now layoffs at Alibaba, Tencent, Bytedance mark the end of an era

A government crackdown and economic downturn have led to massive layoffs, but some are relieved to exit the grueling ‘996’ work life.

By Viola Zhou

A viral game, the world’s biggest crypto hack, and the collapse of Web3 hype

Can the marquee crypto game Axie Infinity survive in-game turmoil and a record-breaking hack?

By Darren Loucaides

Meet the fact-checkers decoding Sri Lanka’s meltdown

From protests to power cuts, Watchdog uses open source research to investigate Sri Lanka’s ongoing political and economic crisis.

By Nilesh Christopher

Bangladesh’s edtech startup Shikho wants to democratize quality education for the masses

Shahir Chowdhury's Shikho provides opportunities for Bangladeshi students to learn from the country's top educators.

How workout studios embraced the hybrid model for more money and less effort

Exclusive fitness studios in Peru are trying to sell remote experiences to fans without losing the personal touch.

Integrating Latin America through tech

A self-proclaimed pioneering sector must lead the way to growth in the region.

How a Taiwanese electric two-wheeler startup made its electric battery swapping stations as common as gas stations in Taiwan

Taiwan is “like nowhere else in the world” for tech entrepreneurs, says Gogoro founder Horace Luke.

An Arabic anti-LGBTQ+ campaign is going viral on Twitter

Despite being booted from Facebook, the "Fetrah" campaign continues to grow on Twitter, spurring calls for violence.

Why drivers for Gojek, Grab, and Shopee tried to sew their lips shut in Indonesia

The protest comes amidst dropping wages, rising inflation, and an investment crunch in the region.

Debajyoti Chakraborty/NurPhoto/Getty Images

South Asia Newsletter

India’s online banking revolution is here, but privacy advocates say account aggregators could be another TrueCaller

Privacy advocates raise the alarm over data shared through the system.

By Nilesh Christopher

Reports

“Hundreds of complaints”: India’s edtech startups are failing to regulate themselves

“How can they successfully regulate [themselves] when making money is the prime objective?”

By Adnan Bhat

Reports

Next generation play-to-earn games are here. Gamers are still skeptical

In the wake of Axie Infinity’s decline, a Brazilian gaming powerhouse is trying to build the next generation of play-to-earn.

By Leo Schwartz and Nick Ellis

Reports

Inside the global gig economy of werewolf erotica

Platforms are hiring gig workers around the world to write steamy romance novels for English-speaking readers.

By Viola Zhou and Meaghan Tobin

Reports

The overworked humans behind China’s virtual influencers

Hidden behind the perfect faces of China's $16 billion virtual celebrity industry is an angry, overworked labor force.

By Meaghan Tobin and Viola Zhou

Ideas

Ride-hailing startups bring organized chaos to Uganda’s motorbike culture

startups like SafeBoda and Easy Matatu are changing the semi-informal transport ecosystems. But can the platform effect bring order and healthy profits to a chaotic commuter system?

By Yinka Adegoke

Our South Asia newsletter

The future of global tech will be determined outside the West. Subscribe to our biweekly South Asia newsletter to find out how the region is inventing the future.

Bento 🍱

How football shirts chart the rise and fall of tech giants

Sponsoring a football club is about more than just advertising, it's a status symbol.

By Ravi Hiranand and Leo Schwartz

How To Buy >

From black market baby formula to livestream chicken sandwiches: how e-commerce has evolved worldwide

How To Buy

How workout studios embraced the hybrid model for more money and less effort

Exclusive fitness studios in Peru are trying to sell remote experiences to fans without losing the personal touch.

By Jimena Ledgard

How To Buy

How e-commerce is bringing the sari back in Pakistan

Online marketplaces have revived interest in a garment more commonly associated with India.

By Zuha Siddiqui

How To Buy

How a Taiwanese electric two-wheeler startup made its electric battery swapping stations as common as gas stations in Taiwan

Taiwan is “like nowhere else in the world” for tech entrepreneurs, says Gogoro founder Horace Luke.

By Meaghan Tobin

For years, ‘996’ work culture defined China’s booming tech scene. Now layoffs at Alibaba, Tencent, Bytedance mark the end of an era

A viral game, the world’s biggest crypto hack, and the collapse of Web3 hype

Meet the fact-checkers decoding Sri Lanka’s meltdown

Bangladesh’s edtech startup Shikho wants to democratize quality education for the masses

How workout studios embraced the hybrid model for more money and less effort

Integrating Latin America through tech

How a Taiwanese electric two-wheeler startup made its electric battery swapping stations as common as gas stations in Taiwan

An Arabic anti-LGBTQ+ campaign is going viral on Twitter

Why drivers for Gojek, Grab, and Shopee tried to sew their lips shut in Indonesia

India’s online banking revolution is here, but privacy advocates say account aggregators could be another TrueCaller

“Hundreds of complaints”: India’s edtech startups are failing to regulate themselves

Next generation play-to-earn games are here. Gamers are still skeptical

Inside the global gig economy of werewolf erotica

The overworked humans behind China’s virtual influencers

Ride-hailing startups bring organized chaos to Uganda’s motorbike culture

Our South Asia newsletter

How football shirts chart the rise and fall of tech giants

How workout studios embraced the hybrid model for more money and less effort

How e-commerce is bringing the sari back in Pakistan

How halal e-commerce became a $160 million business in Indonesia

An Arabic anti-LGBTQ+ campaign is going viral on Twitter

Why drivers for Gojek, Grab, and Shopee tried to sew their lips shut in Indonesia

Overrun by influencers, historic sites are banning TikTok creators in Nepal

“Hundreds of complaints”: India’s edtech startups are failing to regulate themselves

Play-to-earn’s future is being decided in Brazil by Gunstars

Inside the virtual influencer industry: Vox Akuma, A-Soul and the VTubers battling overwork

Bangladesh’s edtech startup Shikho wants to democratize quality education for the masses

How a Taiwanese electric two-wheeler startup made its electric battery swapping stations as common as gas stations in Taiwan

Egyptian startup FreshSource uses data to get food to markets

Ride-hailing startups bring organized chaos to Uganda’s motorbike culture

Nigeria’s Flutterwave faces Kenya fraud allegations

Africa’s tech startup boom still finds investors seeking value

India’s online banking revolution is here, but privacy advocates say account aggregators could be another TrueCaller

Bangladesh’s edtech startup Shikho wants to democratize quality education for the masses

“Hundreds of complaints”: India’s edtech startups are failing to regulate themselves

How workout studios embraced the hybrid model for more money and less effort

Integrating Latin America through tech

Play-to-earn’s future is being decided in Brazil by Gunstars

An Arabic anti-LGBTQ+ campaign is going viral on Twitter

A million-strong troll army is targeting Iran’s #MeToo activists on Instagram

How to buy U.S. dollars in Beirut

Why drivers for Gojek, Grab, and Shopee tried to sew their lips shut in Indonesia

For Japanese Uber delivery drivers, gig work is working

How halal e-commerce became a $160 million business in Indonesia

Fleeing Putin, Russian tech workers find a home in Armenia

OSINT sleuths expose celebrity “volunteer soldier” in Ukraine as fraud

Haggling for taxi prices worked in Siberia, now it’s coming for the world

Inside the virtual influencer industry: Vox Akuma, A-Soul and the VTubers battling overwork

Inside the global gig economy of werewolf erotica on platforms like Dreame, GoodNovel and Amazon Kindle Vella

For years, ‘996’ work culture defined China’s booming tech scene. Now layoffs at Alibaba, Tencent, Bytedance mark the end of an era

Censorship has never been so democratic

Airbnb reshaped Cuba’s tourism economy in its own image

“It’s five times more difficult”: The challenges of operating an Airbnb in Cuba