Bitcoin payment company confirms Li Ka-shing investment

While spinning off his traditional businesses, Li Ka-shing also paid attention to new technologies. According to foreign media reports, Li Ka-shing invested in the US Bitcoin payment company Bitpay through his venture capital fund Horizons Ventures. The reporter confirmed the above news from Bitpay yesterday. In addition, on the official website of Horizons Ventures, Bitpay has been included in its investment portfolio, but the details of the transaction have not been announced.

It is reported that Bitpay was founded in 2011 and its functions are similar to Bitcoin's "Alipay". The company's website states that its goal is to "make Bitcoin the favorite payment method for every merchant." Jan Jahosky, the company's head of media relations, told reporters in an email yesterday that last year a total of ten angel investors and venture capital firms participated in the company's seed fund, including Horizons Ventures. "We are fortunate to benefit from the support of many investors, including Horizons Ventures," Jan Jahosky said in the email.

Bitpay told reporters that since January last year, the company has received three rounds of seed funding, in January, March and May, totaling US$2.7 million, one of which was paid in Bitcoin by an investor.

In addition, judging from its past investment records, Horizons Ventures has always favored high-tech and social application companies. The most famous one is Facebook, in which Li Ka-shing invested a total of US$120 million, according to previous media reports. In addition, Skype and the official Chinese website of NBA are also in the company's investment portfolio.

While focusing on new technologies, Li Ka-shing has been selling properties and shares in the past year. According to statistics from reporters, Li Ka-shing cashed out nearly 12.3 billion yuan by selling mainland properties and reducing A-share holdings, and cashed out more than 46 billion Hong Kong dollars by selling Hong Kong properties and reducing shares, totaling more than 50 billion yuan. At the same time, Li Ka-shing's capital investment in overseas infrastructure and energy has reached nearly 35 billion Hong Kong dollars.

Li Ka-shing's cash-out path in the past year

January 2014

Power Assets Holdings is planning to spin off HK Electric and list it at the end of January, cashing in over HK$40 billion.

December 2013

The company sold off Nanjing International Financial Center, a property located in the core area of ​​Nanjing, and cashed in more than 2 billion yuan.

November 2013

It reduced its holdings in China's only A-share company, Changyuan Group, and cashed out more than 900 million yuan.

October 2013

Hutchison Whampoa Holdings sold its entire Shanghai "Oriental Financial Holdings OFC" commercial property for HK$8.956 billion.

August 2013

Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa will sell their respective 50% stakes in Guangzhou Xicheng Metropolitan Plaza. The total transaction amount of the two transactions is HK$3.03 billion.

July 2013

Cheung Kong Holdings reduced its stake in Hong Kong Kingsway Ginza by nearly 70%, cashing in HK$5.849 billion.

February 2013

The Hong Kong Grand Court Hotel was split and sold off from Cheung Kong Holdings for HK$246 million.