Paul Bratby had already drawn up plans for expanding to Hong Kong when war broke out in the Middle East earlier this year.
But the founder of xBratAI, a Dubai-based AI-powered trading signals platform, soon brought that timeline forward as the Iran conflict dragged on and widened in scope.
“Our Hong Kong entity had been scheduled for a few years later, but we established it in early 2026,” he said.
Bratby is not alone in looking east. As missiles continue to target Gulf capitals and shipping lanes, digital businesses and investors are increasingly setting up shop in Hong Kong and Singapore.