June 12, 2025

BILIBILI INVESTS HK$960M IN X.D. NETWORK, WHICH RUNS CHINESE GAME DISTRIBUTION PLATFORM TAPTAP; MOBILE GAMES ACCOUNTED FOR 40% OF BILIBILI’S 2020 REVENUES (RITA LIAO/TECHCRUNCH)

Bilibili invests HK$960M in X.D. Network, which runs Chinese game distribution platform TapTap; mobile games accounted for 40% of Bilibili’s...

DIVVY, WHICH BUYS AND RENTS HOMES WHILE SETTING ASIDE ~25% OF MONTHLY PAYMENTS TOWARD THE RENTER’S FUTURE DOWN PAYMENT ON THE HOUSE, RAISES $110M SERIES C (MARY ANN AZEVEDO/TECHCRUNCH)

SPOTIFY DEBUTS FEATURES FOR CREATORS LIKE POLLS AND Q&A TOOLS TO MAKE PODCASTS INTERACTIVE, PARTNERS WITH WORDPRESS TO TURN TEXT INTO PODCASTS USING ANCHOR (SARA FISCHER/AXIOS)

Spotify debuts features for creators like polls and Q&A tools to make podcasts interactive, partners with WordPress to turn text...

ESCORT SEX WORKERS, FROM COUNTRIES WHERE THEIR PROFESSION IS LEGAL, SAY THEY ARE BEING BANNED FROM SITES LIKE ONLYFANS THAT ARE BOUND BY THE US FOSTA-SESTA LAW (MARK SERRELS/CNET)

SOURCES: STIR MONEY, WHOSE SOFTWARE HELPS VIDEO AND AUDIO PRODUCERS, WRITERS, AND PERFORMERS MANAGE THEIR INCOME, RAISES SERIES A LED BY A16Z AT $100M VALUATION (THE INFORMATION)

Sources: Stir Money, whose software helps video and audio producers, writers, and performers manage their income, raises Series A led...

TRILLER DIDN’T DENY THE CLAIM FROM A SOURCE THAT IT INFLATES MAUS TO THE PUBLIC AND SAYS THERE’S “NO LEGAL DEFINITION OF MAU/DAU”, AHEAD OF EXPECTED SPAC MERGER (MICAH SINGLETON/BILLBOARD)

APPLE’S CONCESSION TO RUSSIA TO PROMPT USERS TO INSTALL STATE-APPROVED APPS SETS A PRECEDENT THAT OTHER AUTHORITARIAN COUNTRIES MAY SEEK TO FOLLOW (LILY HAY NEWMAN/WIRED)

Apple’s concession to Russia to prompt users to install state-approved apps sets a precedent that other authoritarian countries may seek...

HOPIN, WHICH DEVELOPS SOFTWARE FOR HOSTING DIGITAL EVENTS, ACQUIRES LIVESTREAMING STARTUP STREAMYARD FOR $250M (ALEX WILHELM/TECHCRUNCH)

Hopin, which develops software for hosting digital events, acquires livestreaming startup StreamYard for $250M (Alex Wilhelm/TechCrunch) Alex Wilhelm / TechCrunch: Hopin,...