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In focus
- Terence Lee on Grab reviving “Greater Southeast Asia”
- An ecommerce logistics duopoly emerging in Vietnam
- Healthcare becoming a big theme among US VCs
Hello reader,
I’m old enough to remember when Sea Group was promoting the idea of a “Greater Southeast Asia” – consisting of Southeast Asia and Taiwan – as part of its IPO.
The coinage didn’t take off, but the business logic seemed sound. Shopee – the ecommerce arm of Sea Group – currently dominates Taiwan.
Now, Grab is adopting a similar playbook. It has announced buying food delivery platform Foodpanda to mark its entry into the country. Our analysis piece explores the thinking behind such a move.
Image credit: Timmy Loen
We’ve suspected that Grab may be expanding beyond home since it bought Stash Financial, a US-based digital investing platform.
Some believe this was purely a tech or talent acquisition. But what stands out with Stash is that it’s a registered investment advisor with over US$5 billion in assets serving more than 1.2 million users.
Sure, the platform could wind down. That said, its recent acquisition of user accounts from a fintech company that’s closing up shop suggests no such move is imminent.
Whatever the case, 2026 looks to be a milestone year for Grab, thanks to its well-honed M&A playbook.
Terence Lee, editor-in-chief
Editor’s picks
1️⃣ Grab’s $600m Taiwan bet: strategy or stretch?
The acquisition seems well-priced and could mark a first step into rebranding the super app as a global player. We further digest why it may have made such a move.Short cuts
One data story you shouldn’t miss
TL;DL
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