Fashion
Tencent-backed fintech Airwallex to invest in the Netherlands
By
Reuters
Published
January 5, 2026
Australian payment firm Airwallex said on Monday it will invest around 200 million euros ($233.64 million) over the next five years in its Netherlands operations, marking a major European expansion as it shifts from its Asia-Pacific base.
The Melbourne-founded fintech plans to increase its Amsterdam headcount by 60% to around 70 full-time employees by the end of 2026. Airwallex operates a global payments platform that enables businesses to send and receive international payments, hold multi-currency accounts, and process online transactions.
Founded in 2015, Airwallex secured a $13 million Series A round led by Chinese internet giant Tencent in 2017. The company recently raised $330 million in a Series G round, bringing its valuation to over $6 billion, and surpassed $1 billion in annual recurring revenue.
The investment comes as Airwallex says it will prioritise growth in Europe and the Americas after a decade focused on Australia and Asia-Pacific markets. The company received a licence in the Netherlands in May 2021, giving it access to the European Economic Area.
Airwallex served more than 150,000 customers as of October 2025, including Shein, Bolt, TikTok and Canva. The company now competes with established European payment processors including Netherlands-based Adyen and Mollie, as well as Dutch digital bank Bunq.
© Thomson Reuters 2026 All rights reserved.
Fashion
Policy easing drives Argentina’s garment import surge in 2025
Argentina’s apparel imports surged 97.35 per cent YoY to $681.19 million in 2025, driven by import policy easing, improved access to foreign exchange and inventory restocking.
Volumes rose to 38.07 million kg, while average prices fell to $17.89 per kg.
Asia-Pacific dominated sourcing with an 84.16 per cent share, led by China, as retailers rebuilt stocks amid limited domestic manufacturing capacity.
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Fashion
Reebok India signs Olympian Manu Bhaker as brand ambassador
At just 24, Manu has established herself as one of India’s most accomplished sport shooters and a symbol of resilience and mental strength. She made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning two bronze medals in the women’s 10m air pistol and the 10m air pistol mixed team events, becoming the first Indian athlete to win two medals at a single Olympic Games and the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal. Her journey has been shaped as much by training and discipline as by results, making her a natural fit for Reebok, a brand that has long championed training, fitness and high-performance sport. Manu embodies a new generation of Indian athletes who are confident, self-aware, and deeply invested in the process. From refining technique to building mental strength, her career reflects the realities of elite sport, where progress is earned through consistency and intent.
Reebok has named Olympic shooter Manu Bhaker as its brand ambassador in India.
The partnership aligns the brand’s training-first philosophy with Bhaker’s discipline and mental strength.
The two-time Paris 2024 bronze medallist embodies resilience and preparation, reinforcing Reebok’s renewed focus on performance sport, training culture and distribution-led growth across India.
Commenting on the collaboration, Manu Bhaker said, “Every result begins long before competition day. Training, focus, and belief shape everything I do, and that’s what connects me with Reebok. I’m proud to represent a brand that stands for preparation and backs athletes through every phase of the journey.”
Speaking on the association, Arjun Ramamoorthy, Brand Head, Reebok India, added, “Manu Bhaker represents the future of Indian sport – focused, fearless, and deeply committed to the work behind performance. As Reebok sharpens its focus on training and high-performance sport in India, this partnership reflects our belief in athletes who don’t chase shortcuts, but show up prepared. It’s about empowering people to push further through training and self-belief.”
This strategic collaboration underscores Reebok’s renewed commitment to sport and distribution growth across India, strengthening its presence in performance categories and engaging communities that value the discipline of daily training as the foundation of performance. Together, Reebok and Manu Bhaker will encourage athletes and fitness enthusiasts to shift focus from podium moments to the preparation that earns them.
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
Fashion
Uzbekistan to raise 2026 share of automated cotton harvesting to 70%
Around 10,000 units of agricultural machinery will be purchased in all this year, raising the fleet to 292,000 machines, the president’s official website said in a release.
Uzbekistan plans to raise the share of automated cotton harvesting to 70 per cent this year, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.
The proportion of machine-harvested cotton is 52 per cent now.
It plans to acquire 800 cotton-picking machines, as well as 6,000 seeders, tractors and combines.
The country will seek $400 million from global financial institutions to back farmers in acquiring new equipment.
The level of mechanisation in agriculture now stands at 81 per cent.
Uzbekistan has purchased 1,756 cotton-picking machines in the last few years, raising the proportion of machine-harvested cotton to 52 per cent.
Last year, 2.1 million tonnes of cotton were harvested using automated machines.
Uzbekistan will seek $400 million from international financial institutions to back farmers in acquiring new equipment. Tractors and combines will be available on a 10-year lease at 18-per cent interest in local currency, with the first two years interest-free. The government will subsidise 8 per cent of the interest rate.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
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