Gulf tech firms turn to Hong Kong and Singapore as Iran war grind

Digital businesses and investors in the Gulf are increasingly establishing bases in Hong Kong and Singapore as the Iran conflict drags on and widens in scope.

Expansion plans brought forward

Paul Bratby, founder of xBratAI, had already drawn up plans to expand to Hong Kong before war broke out in the Middle East earlier this year.

xBratAI is a Dubai-based AI-powered trading signals platform.

Bratby said the company accelerated its plan after the conflict continued and expanded.

“Our Hong Kong entity had been scheduled for a few years later, but we established it in early 2026,” he said.

Asian hubs as a hedge

Analysts point to growing adoption of a “dual-hub” model, in which companies use secondary Asian bases to hedge against geopolitical risk.

Hong Kong and Singapore are emerging as key destinations in that shift, with Gulf-linked digital businesses and investors increasingly setting up shop there.

The move comes as missiles continue to target Gulf capitals and shipping lanes, adding to the risks facing companies operating from the region.

Bratby is not alone in looking east, according to the source account.

Source: South China Morning Post