Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Arrested Hong Kong billionaire's newspaper turns to Bitcoin

Arrested Hong Kong billionaire's newspaper turns to Bitcoin

Popular city tabloid Apple Daily took out a front-page Bitcoin ad after its founder was arrested earlier this month by authorities.

Weeks after Jimmy Lai, the outspoken China critic and founder of Hong Kong tabloid Apple Daily, was arrested (and later released on bail) by authorities in Hong Kong—as part of the ongoing tussle over the controversial security law—his paper delivered a political statement involving Bitcoin.

“Bitcoin will never ditch you,” said the full-page ad on the front page of Apple Daily. It further added in Cantonese, “Banks, it’s not you ditching me today. It’s me ditching you.”


Lai’s arrest earlier this month came as a shock for some political observers. His stance on pro-democracy and his paper, with a daily online readership of 500,000, found massive supporters who vowed to fight on after his arrest.

The ad took aim at the city’s banks which, as per earlier reports, are clamping down on customers supporting Hong Kong’s independence. It wrote, “Nobody can stop you from transacting on the network and it cannot be shut down. Bitcoin is available to anyone regardless of their gender, identity, or beliefs."


Copies of Apple Daily with the full-page Bitcoin ad.


The ad went on, “Bitcoin began with the genesis block in 2009. Now its time is coming.”

Unrest in Hong Kong over the National Security Law, which would see Hong Kong citizens lose their rights and come under the strict legislation of China if imposed, has been ongoing for a year.

Until Lai's arrest earlier this month, only students and protestors had been arrested by local police. His arrest served a new reality for Hong Kongers—that no one, not even the city’s famed billionaires, would be spared if they criticized China publicly. And Lai got caught up in that.

For some, Lai is the posterchild of the Hong Kong success story. Born to a middle-class family in nearby Guangzhou, he came to the city on a rundown boat aged 12, worked as a laborer in a clothing factory, and worked his way to founding international brand Giordano and then influential publication Apple Daily. As of press time, he is worth $1.2 billion.



For a city battling censorship and the ill-effects of government sanctions, it’s not surprising that some are finding respite in Bitcoin.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×