APAC Alternative data Landscape

There are various websites and papers already defined what is alternative data. Therefore, we will not discuss the meaning of alternative data but seek to discuss the existing business models for alternative data stakeholders as well as key players in APAC regions.

Business models

• Sell raw data

Datasets sell-by data owner/point vendors: firms who own datasets distribute the data to data buyers directly

Datasets sell-by data aggregator/platform vendors: data vendors partnership with data owners, who licensing datasets to data buyers (financial firms, corporates, and academic) to conduct different activities such as identify investment ideas, risk monitoring, market research, etc.

• Produce a trading strategy/signal

Firms monetize (sell/license their strategy or signal to a quant firm) a trading strategy or signal based on one or more datasets

• Produce insights based on raw data

Firms leverage alternative datasets build research/insights that map to ticker level and sell/license their product to investment firms and corporates

• Catalog platforms

Firms collect the latest alternative datasets information with regular updates and monetize such information/insights to buy-side firms, PE/VC, and corporates.

Some players as the example in APAC regions by their business models

• Monetize raw data: point vendors such as Telecommunication companies in China and Japan who provide aggregated user search data as well as aggregated traffic flow data

China Telecom

China Unicom

China Mobile

NTT Docomo

• Platform vendors in the APAC region

Sandalwood Advisors: HQ based in HK with various alternative datasets focus on China and Hong Listing tickers and Chinese ADRs

Big finance: HQ based in South Korea with various alternative datasets focus on South Korea

Nowcast: HQ based in Japan with alternative datasets focus on Japan

NRI Shingan AD: An unit under the Nomura research institute that focuses on Japan's alternative datasets as well.

• Produce a trading strategy/signal

Firms like Datayes who provide their research platform based on big data and machine learning

• Produce insights based on raw data

Firms like Yipit data, M Science, Pacific Epoch, TH capital leverage different types of alternative data to conduct company fundamental research.

• Catalog platforms

Neudata, Eagle Alpha, AlternativeData.org, Battlefin, Alqami, and other similar types of catalog platforms providing the latest alternative datasets updates.