SINGAPORE -- It was 2018 when Uber Technologies pulled out of Southeast Asia amid stiff competition with local ride-hailing players. Three years on, the company that took over Uber's operations has grown into one of the region's biggest tech groups, nearing a public market debut in the U.S.
When Grab begins trading on Nasdaq, it will not be a simple transport app. It will come with food and grocery delivery, payments and insurance businesses, among others, making it a unique alternative for tech investors who might have liked stocks such as Uber, DoorDash or China's Alibaba and Didi Chuxing.