Paul Bratby had already mapped out plans to expand into Hong Kong when conflict erupted in the Middle East earlier this year. However, the founder of xBratAI, a Dubai-based AI-powered trading signals platform, moved up the timeline significantly as the Iran conflict escalated and broadened in scope.
“Our Hong Kong entity had been planned for a future date, but we moved ahead and established it in early 2026,” he said.
Bratby is far from alone in shifting focus eastward. As missiles continue to target Gulf capitals and critical shipping lanes, an growing number of digital enterprises and investors are establishing operations in Hong Kong and Singapore.