TROOPS, Inc. (Nasdaq: TROO), a Hong Kong-based financial services and property group, is allocating US$12 million to create a new business unit focused on artificial intelligence infrastructure in Southeast Asia, according to a company announcement. The move targets a market that has attracted over US$55 billion in investment in the past year, as reported by NEWMEDIAWIRE.
The new unit plans to offer GPU-as-a-Service, AI inference, edge computing, decentralized compute, cloud orchestration, and other AI developer services. TROOPS has sought a future partnership with Bfarms365 LLC, a Texas-based company, to deliver these offerings. The unit is currently evaluating sites, partnerships, and assets across Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia, with an initial allocation of US$6 million expected by the end of 2026.
The initiative responds to what TROOPS describes as unprecedented growth in Southeast Asia as an AI hub for Asia Pacific and beyond. Data center capacity in Malaysia’s Johor state doubled over the past twelve months, according to figures presented at the China-ASEAN Business Leaders Summit in September. Telecom operators are also investing heavily: Singtel is expanding its Nxera platform across the region, SK Telecom raised US$2.2 billion from KKR and an IMM-Stonebridge consortium for its new AI data center vehicle in August, and Reliance Jio is developing its own campuses.
“Southeast Asia has become the place where Asia’s compute is actually being built, and the capital going in is no longer only American,” said Damian Thurnheer, President and CEO of TROOPS, Inc. “Moving into this layer is a natural extension of our business, which has pioneered disruptive technologies including fintech.”
TROOPS’ existing portfolio includes two licensed money lenders in Hong Kong, commercial property for rental income, an insurance consultancy, and an online financial technology marketplace that delivers credit and insurance products through application programming interfaces. The group reported revenue growth of 70% to US$17.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2025. It also holds a 19.9% stake in HK Golden, Inc., which operates one of Hong Kong’s largest online forums.
“This new venture provides strong unity with our existing business interests,” said Tommy Wing Ling Lui, CTO of TROOPS, Inc. “We already run machine learning inside underwriting and servicing, on infrastructure we rent. Owning capacity in the region changes what we can build, and it puts us on the right side of a market where operators, banks, and sovereign funds are all moving at once.”
The company stated it will report progress as definitive terms are reached and will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission where required. For more information, visit http://www.troops.co.
The expansion underscores the strategic importance of AI infrastructure in Southeast Asia, where demand for compute power is surging. By entering this space, TROOPS aims to diversify its revenue streams and position itself alongside major telecom and technology players investing in the region. The success of this venture could hinge on execution and partnerships, but it signals a growing trend of financial services firms moving into AI-driven infrastructure to capture value in the digital economy.
