The intelligence layer
for Southeast Asia.
Layer 7 Ventures publishes original research on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency as they reshape the world's most dynamic emerging market region. We believe the next decade of global growth will be written in Southeast Asia.
Latest Research
Featured Reports
Forest City: From $100 Billion Ghost Town to Special Financial Zone
Built as a $100 billion Chinese dream on reclaimed sand, Forest City spent years as Southeast Asia's most embarrassing real estate failure. Now Malaysia's King and Prime Minister are betting that zero-tax incentives and a new Special Financial Zone designation can turn a ghost city into a rival to Singapore's family office ecosystem.
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Balaji's Bet: Building a Nation State at the Edge of Singapore
In 2022, Balaji Srinivasan published a book describing how to start a new country using cryptocurrency and digital coordination. In 2024, he bought an island two kilometers from Singapore and started building one. The Network School at Forest City is either the most interesting social experiment in Southeast Asia or an elaborate thought experiment made physical — and the distinction may matter less than you think.
The Johor-Singapore SEZ: Asia's Most Ambitious Cross-Border Experiment
Signed in January 2025, the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone is the most significant bilateral economic agreement between Malaysia and Singapore in decades. Spanning 3,500 square kilometers and targeting eleven sectors, it is already reshaping investment flows, triggering a data-center supercycle, and redefining what a cross-border economic zone can be.
Our Focus
Artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency represent two of the most significant technological shifts of our era. Southeast Asia is uniquely positioned to benefit from both.
Our Method
We publish independent, analytically rigorous research. No paid placements. No promotional content. Our only metric is whether the thinking holds up.
Our Thesis
Southeast Asia's low legacy debt, mobile-first infrastructure, and 685 million people make it the defining geography of the next technology cycle.
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