Gratification is just one swipe away

TikTok's low-key push to get people spending at physical shops and the genAI styling tool that India's InMobi spent millions of dollars building.

Read from your browser Sunday Newsletter Welcome to Tech in Asia's Sunday newsletter, your weekend brief on the biggest moves in Asia's tech and startup world. Not on the mailing list? Register here. Got a story tip? Send it to editors@techinasia.com.   IN FOCUS For your weekend reading, we have: Melissa Goh on TikTok's newest recipe driving offline transactions A Google-backed genAI styling tool giving your shopping habits a makeover Singapore's upgraded MERaLiON - the LLM, not the national symbol   Hello Betamax Ecommerce firms are pulling out all the stops to get consumers in Southeast Asia to spend at a time when various economic indicators are sounding alarm. Or perhaps that's precisely why they're pushing hard. If people are tightening their purses around me, I can't really tell. Restaurants remain bustling, a recent launch of a local clothing store's collection sold out within minutes, and a close friend just made a downpayment for a house. This week, we delve into TikTok Go - an affiliate program that's so new, there's no official information on it. Creators in Indonesia, for instance, are only learning about this initiative through word of mouth. It's the typical influencer or "affiliate" playbook: Creators recommend items on their channels and tag the stores.Users can avail of discounts when they make a purchase. Shoppers pay for less, the platforms get more transactions, and creators earn commissions - everyone's happy. Lazada also pledged US$100 million this week to boost its affiliate program. That's a clear sign that the next wave of online spending will come through creators who organically share and recommend products - or at least as organic as social media can get. In India, Glance AI - a commerce platform owned by local unicorn InMobi - is taking a different approach to lure consumers: Its genAI styling tool will recommend outfit ideas based on your uploaded selfie, offering options from the hundreds of brands on the platform. You'll then be routed to product pages directly so you can make your purchases. It's too early to know whether the tool could change the way people shop. But large language models (LLMs) are already changing the way people do online searches, sending brands scrambling to adjust and adapt. Meanwhile, a new ecosystem of services has sprouted around "generative engine optimization."(If you're curious about what this is all about, check out the good read we've linked below.) Do I see myself getting an AI assist to pick clothes? Never say never. Melissa Goh, senior editor     EDITOR'S PICKS  1️⃣ Swipe, click, redeem: TikTok's new formula for offline sales Ecommerce platforms are realizing that it's better for them when influencers on their platforms are faring well. Marketplaces like Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok are giving incentives to online creators to entice their follower bases to spend. There's never been a better time to be a content creator or influencer. Whatever platforms you're on, there are endless ways to share and earn. But whether loyalty among influencers can be built - or sustained - is an entirely different question. 2️⃣ Glance AI wants to style you – and power InMobi's $10b IPO When was the last time you searched for a store on a browser, then navigated a website to find a particular product? The Google-backed firm's newest genAI tool is banking on that behavior becoming obsolete. You can click on style suggestions based on a digital image of yourself, and then be redirected to a product page to cart out. As someone who mainly shops online, I'm certainly intrigued. 3️⃣ Hong Kong replaces Wall Street as China's IPO hotspot For many founders, especially Chinese entrepreneurs dreaming of gaining validation on a global stage, a US public listing is a highly coveted prize. But with that door of possibility rapidly closing, Hong Kong is becoming the next best alternative. Fashion giant Shein, now reportedly weighing an IPO in Hong Kong, is just one such example.     SHORT CUTS 1️⃣ Singapore's MERaLiON, new and improved : Version 2.0 of MERaLiON - short for Multimodal Empathetic Reasoning and Learning in One Network - can handle more regional languages, do code-switching, and detect emotional tones. However, as we explained in our analysis of Sea-Lion, MERaLiON still needs to find product-market fit and buy-in from companies - some of which are concurrently developing their own AI models. 2️⃣ Shein readies for a Hong Kong IPO, according to sources : The decision comes after its plans to go public in the UK failed to get the green light from Chinese regulators, sources told Reuters. Listing in Hong Kong, however, could undercut Shein's positioning as a global firm instead of a Chinese company. 3️⃣ Lazada pledges US$100 million to better affiliate program: It's not just TikTok. Lazada is also sparing no expense in courting influencers - or "affiliates" - to spur consumer spending on its platform.   ONE VISUAL STORY YOU SHOULDN'T MISS Tokyo-based Headline Asia and Singapore's Investigate VC lift funding outlook with new funds Even with the new fund commitments, VC funding for this year so far is trailing 2024's numbers. That said, investors remain eager to fund early-stage companies.     WEEKEND DEEP DIVE AI is rewriting the rules of SEO This article penned by Andreessen Horowitz partners discusses what the future of search and performance marketing tools could look like. The dominance of web-based search engines for over two decades spawned the search engine optimization (SEO) industry. But the formula for visibility is shifting as large language models take over as the main method for online searches. For companies on the hunt for clicks and views, it's no longer about how high you rank on a search result, but whether you show up in an answer to a query on Gemini or GPT-4o. Firms are already cashing in. An economy of generative engine optimization services that help businesses monitor how they're being referenced by LLMs and optimize their content for such platforms is emerging.   INSIDE THE ROOM WHERE ASIA MOVES FORWARD Tickets are selling fast - secure your access before they're gone The Asia Economic Summit is shaping up to be the most strategic event of the year, drawing top C-suite executives, investors, and government leaders from across the region. It's a full-day experience designed for meaningful conversations, high-impact insights, and real opportunities to build relationships that matter. Your ticket includes: Full access to main-stage sessions led by regional decision-makers A seat at executive roundtables for deeper, face-to-face dialogue Entry to our welcome mixer and closing reception for high-level networking Curated meals and coffee breaks to keep conversations going An unmatched onsite experience you can't replicate online - shared moments, candid talks, and lasting connections Secure your access here.     EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out a curated list of trending tech events over here and Tech in Asia's signature events here. AMPED Malaysia | June 11 Southeast Asia's tech landscape is tougher than ever. Discover how startups can reset and rise amid shifting market dynamics in this AMPED 2025 Malaysia session with Khailee Ng, managing partner at 500 Global. Secure your spot now to learn how to thrive in today's evolving tech ecosystem. Less than 30 tickets remain! Bring your team and enjoy 20% off group purchases.! Tech in Asia Conference 2025 | Oct 22–23 – Jakarta Tired of random connections? TIA Conference 2025 connects you directly with founders, investors, product pros, corporates, and government leaders. Build relationships that truly move your business forward. Hundreds are already in! Secure your pass CTO of the Year 2025, powered by AWS | Deadline: Jul 31 We're looking for Southeast Asia's best CTO! Is that you? Nominate or apply by July 31, 2025, to win exclusive perks, gain recognition for your impact, and more. Apply or nominate here! ADVERTISE | SUBSCRIBE | HIRE | FIND JOBS P.S. Don't miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis. Add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. Or simply move us into your inbox. Tech in Asia thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Too many emails? Switch to a different frequency or get new content through our preference center, or unsubscribe. You can also break our hearts and remove yourself from all Tech in Asia emails over here.  Copyright © 2025 Tech in Asia, All rights reserved. 13A Neil Rd, Singapore 088810 A member of The Business Times.