Asia Hedge Funds Surge Past 100% Returns on AI Hardware Boom

Multiple Asia-based hedge funds have eclipsed 100% returns in the first five months of 2026, fueled by a relentless rally in artificial intelligence hardware and semiconductor plays.

E20 Capital’s $2B Global Opportunity Investment Fund posted a net gain of 136%. WT Asset Management’s long-short China Focus fund returned 103%, while its long-only fund gained 67.5%. Trivest Advisors recorded an 88.9% increase.

Regional indices have mirrored the surge. South Korea’s KOSPI soared nearly 100%, Taiwan’s index climbed 53%, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 31%. The Shanghai Composite hit a decade high.

Individual equities underscore the boom’s intensity. Chinese AI firm Zhipu AI saw shares skyrocket over 1,000% after listing in Hong Kong in January 2026. Veteran investor Wong Tongshu has scaled WT Asset Management’s assets to approximately $10B on the back of these trades.

The rally remains heavily concentrated in traditional equities with tangible revenue streams. Institutional capital is flowing overwhelmingly to AI infrastructure firms rather than speculative cryptocurrencies, marking a clear divergence in risk appetite.