Amazon is ramping up its global e-commerce ambitions with a broader rollout of its budget-focused app, Amazon Bazaar, to 14 new markets across Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
The expansion marks the tech giant’s latest bid to challenge Chinese fast-fashion players Temu and Shein, who have rapidly gained ground with their low-cost, direct-to-consumer models.
The app, designed to cater to price-sensitive shoppers, offers fashion, home, and lifestyle products, many priced below US$10, with some listings as low as US$2. The Bazaar platform aims to combine affordability with Amazon’s reputation for reliability and reach, providing a simpler, mobile-first shopping experience that appeals to emerging market consumers.
Previously, Amazon’s budget shopping initiative, known under the Amazon Haul model, was available in regions such as the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. With this new rollout, Bazaar now extends to Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Nigeria.
Amazon’s move appears directly aimed at Temu and Shein, two e-commerce disruptors that have captured massive market share by offering ultra-cheap items shipped directly from China. Both platforms have leveraged cross-border supply chains and viral marketing to dominate the global low-cost retail segment.
However, Amazon’s Bazaar strategy remains somewhat opaque. The company has not disclosed whether its logistics rely on local warehousing or international fulfillment, two factors that heavily influence shipping times and costs. Cross-border shipping enables lower prices but often results in long delivery windows. By contrast, local storage improves delivery speed but raises operational expenses.
Analysts suggest that Amazon’s lack of clarity on fulfillment could be strategic. The platform may be testing different models per region, optimizing between cost efficiency and customer satisfaction. Some speculate that Bazaar could initially operate as a subsidized user acquisition play, luring consumers away from Temu and Shein before tightening margins later.
Bazaar supports Visa, Mastercard, and American Express payments, but currently lacks local wallet integrations or cash-on-delivery options, a notable gap in markets where mobile money dominates.
In the Philippines, for example, digital wallet GCash is a preferred method for millions of users, while in Nigeria, consumers frequently rely on bank transfers or regional wallets for online transactions. Without these options, Amazon may face conversion challenges at checkout in the very markets it seeks to win.
Payment processors and fintech firms see this as an opportunity. Companies capable of bridging local payment preferences could become vital partners as Amazon seeks to deepen its presence in these diverse, high-growth economies.
The post Amazon Challenges Temu and Shein with Wider Rollout of ‘Bazaar’ App appeared first on CoinCentral.

Highlights: Flora Growth announces $401M PIPE financing round aimed at establishing an AI Zero Gravity (0G) coin treasury. DeFi Development Corp. led the fundraising exercise with strong support from other companies. Flora Growth will rebrand to ZeroStack following the successful completion of the PIPE financing round. One of the world’s leading decentralised artificial intelligence (AI) treasury companies, Flora Growth, has announced the pricing of a $401 million private investment in public equity (PIPE) round. According to a September 19 press release, the move aims to fund the firm’s treasury strategy centred on AI Zero Gravity (0G) tokens. Upon completion of the PIPE round, Flora Growth will rebrand to ZeroStack, while still maintaining its current market ticker symbol, FLGC. Notably, the financing round is expected to close on or before September 26, 2025, pending customary approvals. Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) announced a $401 million PIPE financing led by Defi Development Corp., Hexstone Capital, and CSAPL. 0G Co-Founder Michael Heinrich will become Executive Chairman. The deal is expected to close on September 26. The company will adopt $0G as its… — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) September 19, 2025 Flora Growth Announces $401M PIPE with Strong Backing from Leading Crypto Firms DeFi Development Corp. (DFDV), the first treasury firm focused on Solana (SOL), led the financing round with a $22.88 million investment. Other partners included Hexstone Capital, Dispersion Capital, Blockchain Builders Fund, Carlsberg SE Asia PTE Ltd (CSAPL), Abstract Ventures, Salt, and Dao5. The fundraising exercise has already generated $35 million in cash commitments and $366 million worth of in-kind digital assets. Flora Growth sold its common shares and pre-funded warrants to investors at $25.19 per share. The company also pegged 0G tokens contribution at $3 per coin, adding that investors paying either cash or 0G tokens will also receive pre-funded warrants, exercisable once shareholder approval is granted. A big NASDAQ company (Flora Growth) just announced they’re raising $401 million. ︎ They plan to buy and hold $0G tokens as part of their company’s savings/treasury. Flora’s deal values $0G at around $3 per token for their planned purchase. Right now $0G is trading below… pic.twitter.com/qhOa3uT5ii — Jimmywontgiveup(Ø,G) (@jimmywontgiveup) September 20, 2025 Flora Growth Plans to Hold SOL in Its Treasury Flora Growth noted that it plans to hold part of its treasury in SOL. Joseph Onorati, the CEO of DeFi Development Corp., spoke on the partnership.“We’re thrilled to partner with FLGC on this fundraiser and look forward to driving a deep collaboration between 0G and Solana,” the CEO stated. Daniel Reis-Faria, Flora Growth’s incoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO), also spoke on the company’s latest initiative. He explained that the move encompasses financial restructuring and support for adopting AI infrastructures. The CEO commented: “This treasury strategy offers institutional investors equity-based exposure, enabling transparent, verifiable, large-scale, cost-efficient, and privacy-first AI development.” A Brief 0G Token Overview, Highlighting Reasons for Flora Growth’s Interest 0G is gaining significant traction, which has made experts describe the token as a breakthrough in decentralised AI. 0G’s model trained a 107 billion AI parameter model, representing a 357x improvement over Google’s DiLoCo research, challenging the idea that huge centralised data centres are needed for such projects. The 0G network proved that a decentralised network is highly effective for cost-effective computations, with transparent and privacy-first solutions. Unlike other AI blockchains, 0G integrated its computation, storage, and training marketplace into one platform, attracting Web2 and Web3 developers. In related news, Crypto2Community reported that Brera Holdings, an Ireland-based company, completed a $300 million PIPE financing round for a Solana-focused treasury on September 19. The fundraising program was led by Pulsar Group, a blockchain advisory firm based in the UAE. It received strong backing from the Solana Foundation, RockawayX, and ARK Invest. Like Flora Growth, Brera Holdings also rebranded to Solmate. eToro Platform Best Crypto Exchange Over 90 top cryptos to trade Regulated by top-tier entities User-friendly trading app 30+ million users 9.9 Visit eToro eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.

Highlights: Pakistan is considering a digital rupee and CBDC to cut remittance costs. The crypto market in Pakistan could unlock $25B in new economic growth. The CBDC pilot phase is in development with World Bank and IMF support. Pakistan is moving forward with plans to integrate blockchain technology into its financial system. The nation is considering introducing a rupee-backed stablecoin and central bank digital currency (CBDC). The objectives of these efforts are to reduce remittance costs, modernize access to finances, and promote economic growth. At the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Conference, leading financial authorities outlined the massive growth potential of crypto. They estimate Pakistanis holding up to $30 billion in crypto holdings. The annual crypto trading might soon reach $300 billion, which is nearly equivalent to the total GDP of the country. Zafar Masud, the president of the Pakistan Banks Association, pointed out the booming global stablecoin market. According to him, the nation is capable of exploiting $20-25 billion in the adoption of digital assets. He confirmed that Pakistan is “actively exploring a rupee-backed stablecoin” to increase access and efficiency. A digital rupee would enhance secure cross-border payment and financial inclusion. More than 100 million Pakistani adults are still unbanked, and the innovation is a pressing case. Pakistan Considers Rupee-Backed Stablecoin Amid $25B Loss Warnings Pakistani regulators are actively exploring the development of a sovereign-backed digital currency amid growing recognition of the transformative potential of cryptocurrencies and bloc…https://t.co/CVr2s8UeoU pic.twitter.com/Fma8WTIGP3 — Crypto Breaking News (@CryptoBreakNews) November 8, 2025 CBDC Prototype Underway The State Bank of Pakistan is proceeding with the development of its digital currency. Faisal Mazhar, the Deputy Director of Payments, revealed that a prototype of CBDC is underway. Additionally, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are assisting this initiative. He further added that there would be a pilot phase before the full rollout of the currency. The CBDC is expected to make remittances cheaper and financial services more accessible across the country. According to the global specialist Yara Wu, such technology would make remittances faster, secure, and cheaper. Sajid Amin of SDPI emphasized the necessity of having proper regulation. He noted the relevance of cybersecurity, digital literacy, and risk management to safeguard consumers and investors. Fintech Innovation Fuels Growth The fintech industry in Pakistan is also on the rise. ZAR, a start-up that provides dollar-backed stablecoins, recently raised $12.9 million. Top investors, such as Andreessen Horowitz, Coinbase Ventures, and Dragonfly Capital, were the source of funding. ZAR has raised $12.9 million to bring ROCK. SOLID. DOLLARS. to the Global South Led by @a16zcrypto, with @dragonfly_xyz, @vaneck_us, @cbVentures, and Endeavor Catalyst. pic.twitter.com/0DKOlWMwSO — ZAR (@zardotapp) October 28, 2025 ZAR is dedicated to making stablecoins accessible to underserved populations in Pakistan. Their mission focuses on bridging the financial gap in emerging markets. Moreover, the firm is seeking to assist millions of people who have yet to access traditional banking services. In addition, this move matches government-led digital finance initiatives. The increased adoption is a positive sign of increasing cryptocurrency interest in Pakistan. Pakistan moved to the third position globally in the 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index by Chainalysis. To build further on this momentum, Pakistan established a regulatory framework regarding virtual asset services. Licensing and supervision are being managed by the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA). Firms have to comply with stringent compliance criteria under the Virtual Assets Ordinance 2025. These include the anti-money laundering (AML), know-your-customer (KYC), and counter-terrorism financing measures. This goal is to create a regulated, safe digital economy. Furthermore, PVARA also encouraged international crypto exchanges and service providers to apply for licenses in September. eToro Platform Best Crypto Exchange Over 90 top cryptos to trade Regulated by top-tier entities User-friendly trading app 30+ million users 9.9 Visit eToro eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.
