Hong Kong

CHINESE live-streaming company YY Inc is planning to spin off and list its eSports video platform Huya Broadcasting in the US, people familiar with the matter said. The Twitch-like streaming division is seeking to raise at least US$200 million this year to fund expansion in a fledgling but heated sector, they said. YY's American depositary receipts gained as much as 5.5 per cent in New York.

Live-streaming of games has attracted the attention of technology giants, with Alphabet Inc's Google, Amazon.com Inc, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd all pushing into the sector. The Chinese market alone is expected to generate three billion yuan (S$613 million) of revenue and attract 140 million users this year, according to IResearch, as users track the online exploits of gamers within PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds or League of Legends.