PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 28, 2026--
ExchangeRight, one of the nation’s leading providers of diversified 1031 DST and REIT investments, has fully subscribed its Essential Income 8 DST. This full subscription is part of the company’s Essential Income DST series, designed to provide investors with accelerated access to the Essential Income REIT via a tax-deferred Section 721 exchange after a two-year hold period. Essential Income 8 DST is a closed offering and is not accepting new investors.
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Structured as a 100% equity offering, Essential Income 8 DST features a $15.38 million portfolio of net-leased real estate backed by historically recession-resilient tenants, providing investors with a current cash flow rate of 5.50%. The portfolio consists of five properties tenanted by AutoZone, Dollar General, Tractor Supply Company, and Dollar General Market, which together total 57,813 square feet of retail space across Alabama, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Essential Income 8 DST is supported by a 20-year master lease guarantee provided by ExchangeRight’s Essential Income REIT and its Operating Partnership, designed to provide stable income and capital preservation throughout the DST’s hold period.
After approximately two years, Essential Income 8 DST is structured to provide investors a tax-deferred exit via 721 exchange into the Essential Income REIT, designed to provide pro rata access to the REIT’s monthly income, broader diversification, increased growth potential, enhanced liquidity, and estate planning advantages. The Essential Income REIT is currently invested in a diversified portfolio of 436 properties across 38 states with net leases backed by 44 recession-resilient and primarily investment-grade tenants, as of June 30, 2026. There is no guarantee that Essential Income 8 DST will achieve its exit strategy or investment objectives.
“Essential Income 8 DST’s swift subscription underscores the strength of investor appetite for a defined, tax-deferred path into the Essential Income REIT,” said Joshua Ungerecht, a managing partner at ExchangeRight. “This offering provides investors with a clear two-year runway toward the REIT’s growing base of broadly diversified, income-producing real estate, along with the enhanced liquidity and estate planning advantages that come with it.”
About ExchangeRight
ExchangeRight and its affiliates’ vertically integrated platform features more than $7.5 billion in assets under management that are diversified across over 1,400 properties and 30 million square feet throughout 47 states, as of June 30, 2026. ExchangeRight pursues its passion to empower people to be secure, free, and generous through 1031 DST portfolios, Essential Income REIT, and cash management funds, all of which have historically met or exceeded investor projections since ExchangeRight’s inception. On behalf of investors nationwide, the company structures and manages net-leased portfolios of assets backed primarily by investment-grade corporations that have successfully operated in the industrial, necessity retail, and healthcare industries. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Please visit www.exchangeright.com for more information.
Essential Income 8 DST features a $15.38 million portfolio of net-leased real estate backed by historically recession-resilient tenants, providing investors with a current cash flow rate of 5.50%. The portfolio consists of five properties tenanted by AutoZone, Dollar General, Tractor Supply Company, and Dollar General Market.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 15, 2026--
Tourism Malaysia and Alipay+, the unified wallet gateway of Ant International, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate cross-border commerce and digitalise merchant engagement across Malaysia's tourism economy.
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As Malaysia welcomes visitors for Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 (VM2026–2027), this partnership merges Tourism Malaysia’s destination marketing with Alipay+’s global wallet ecosystem and AI capabilities. It aims to create a highly intelligent digital journey, connecting international travellers directly with local operators as well as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), strategically distributing visitor spending beyond major hubs to support the broader economic goals of VM2026–2027.
Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, said: “Digital technologies continue to reshape the way people plan and experience travel, and Tourism Malaysia remains committed to embracing innovative solutions that enhance visitor convenience and engagement. This initiative makes it easier for travellers to discover Malaysia and access tourism-related benefits through a seamless digital journey, supporting our broader efforts under VM2026–2027 to strengthen Malaysia's competitiveness as a smart tourism destination. By leveraging digital platforms with extensive international reach, we can engage travellers more effectively while showcasing Malaysia's diverse tourism experiences to a wider global audience.”
The MoU builds on Alipay+'s significant momentum within Malaysia's digital commerce ecosystem. In the first half of 2026, over 600,000 merchants, primarily SMEs, received payments from Alipay+ partner wallets and bank apps, marking a year-on-year increase of over 70%. Furthermore, traveller spending via DuitNow surged by more than 60%, establishing Alipay+ as the largest contributor to inbound QR transactions nationwide. Currently, Alipay+ connects over 2 billion user accounts with 150 million merchants across 210 destinations, and operating through major national schemes like PayNet.
Mr. Michael Guo, Alipay+ General Manager for Southeast Asia, South Asia and ANZ, Ant International, added: “Cross-border commerce is evolving beyond the moment of payment. AI can now connect a traveller's intent with the right destination, business and offer. Through our collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, we are helping local businesses not only accept international payments, but also to actively engage global customers, creating more opportunities for Malaysian businesses, particularly SMEs, to participate in the growth of cross-border travel and commerce.”
A core component of the collaboration is Alipay+ Voyager, an AI travel agent embedded within travellers' digital wallets. Alipay+ Voyager will surface Tourism Malaysia-verified cultural, culinary, and experiential offerings tailored to individual interests, creating a new digital channel to reach international customers at the moment of discovery. To further incentivise exploration, Tourism Malaysia will also launch an exclusive AI-powered travel subsidy programme, allowing visitors to converse directly with the digital agent to unlock benefits for accommodation, transportation, and attractions. Alipay+ Voyager also simplifies the day-to-day experience – for example, visitors can access local ride-hailing services directly via their embedded AI agent, without having to download additional apps, and also get triple protection covering timeout, no-shows, and long waits.
Tangible Benefits for Malaysian Businesses
As part of the MoU, Malaysian merchants, big and small, all across the country will benefit from the growing number of visitors for VM2026-2027:
Through these initiatives, Tourism Malaysia reinforces its commitment to cultivating a connected, inclusive digital commerce ecosystem that benefits both the national economy and the everyday traveller, beyond the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign.
About Tourism Malaysia
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC). It focuses on promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination and has, since its establishment, played a significant role in strengthening the country’s presence and competitiveness in the global tourism landscape.
Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) underscores Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable tourism development, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). The campaign aims to showcase the nation’s diverse natural attractions, rich cultural heritage, and vibrant tourism offerings, while driving inclusive growth and long-term value for local communities and industry stakeholders.
For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia’s website www.tourism.gov.my and social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok.
About Alipay+
Ant International's Alipay+ is a unified wallet gateway with cross-border payment and digitisation services that help connect global merchants to consumers. Consumers enjoy seamless payment, a broad choice of deals and the convenience of digital services using their preferred payment app while travelling abroad. Small and medium-sized businesses may use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth.
(From left) Mr Mohd Akbal Setia (Head of VM2026 Secretariat and Senior Director, Advertising & Digital Tourism); Mr Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim (Director General, Tourism Malaysia); Mr Danny Chung (General Manager of Alipay+ Global Growth Center and Vice President of Ant International); Mr Michael Guo, Alipay+ General Manager of SEA, South Asia and ANZ, Ant International)
