WeRide Attracts Public Investments as Top Funds Back Its Autonomous Mobility Growth

Rhea-AI Summary

WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD) announced that ARK Invest acquired 858,295 ADSs from public markets, joining a shareholder base that includes major global investors and strategic partners.

Q3 2025 results showed revenue $24.0M (+144.3% YoY), Robotaxi revenue $5.0M (+761.0% YoY), gross profit up 1,123.9% and gross margin at 32.9% (up 26.4 percentage points). The company reports >1,600 AVs across 30+ cities and autonomous permits in 8 countries. Management cited progress toward profitability and plans to deploy 500–1,000 Robotaxis in the Middle East by end-2026.

Positive

• ARK bought 858,295 WeRide ADSs
• Revenue $24.0M up 144.3% YoY
• Robotaxi revenue $5.0M up 761.0% YoY
• Gross profit up 1,123.9% and margin 32.9%
• 1,600+ AVs across 30+ cities; permits in 8 countries

Negative

• None.

Insights

Equity Analyst

Large institutional buys, strong Q3 growth, and regulatory permits materially boost WeRide's commercial credibility and investor interest.

ARK Invest's purchase of 858,295 ADSs and the presence of global funds and strategic partners like Bosch, NVIDIA, Uber and Temasek signal renewed public-market demand and validation of WeRide's business model. Reported Q3 figures show revenue of $24.0 million (+144.3% YoY) and core Robotaxi revenue of $5.0 million (+761.0% YoY), while gross margin rose 26.4% points to 32.9%, all of which underpin stronger commercial unit economics.

Key dependencies and risks remain regulatory roll‑outs and execution of large-scale deployments; the company cites autonomous permits in eight countries and plans for end-2026 deployment of 500-1,000 Robotaxis in the Middle East, with tens of thousands targeted by 2030. Watch permit renewals, unit economics at scale (breakeven claims), and follow-up institutional filings for stake sizes and timing over the next 6–18 months as concrete milestones to validate the narrative.

• ARK Invest, a leading investment firm managed by Cathie Wood, acquired a total of 858,295 WeRide American Depositary Shares (ADSs) from public markets over the past three trading days, indicating confidence in the company’s growth potential.
• WeRide’s shareholders now include leading global investment institutions such as Fidelity Management & Research, Greenwoods Asset Management, Hudson Bay Capital, Invesco, M&G, Mirae Asset, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Temasek and multiple other long-only and sovereign wealth funds in Asia and the Middle East, as well as strategic players such as Bosch, Grab, NVIDIA, and Uber.

NEW YORK, Dec. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD, HKEX: 0800), a global leader in autonomous driving technology, has attracted investment from ARK Invest (ARK), a leading investment firm managed by Cathie Wood. Based on its public disclosure, ARK acquired a total of 858,295 WeRide American Depositary Shares (ADSs) from public markets over the past three trading days, indicating confidence in the company's growth prospects and long-term strategic positioning in the autonomous mobility market.

ARK’s investment aligns with its focus on disruptive innovation, as autonomous mobility is on track to become a multi-trillion-dollar global market, with robotaxi fleets potentially reaching tens of millions of vehicles by 2030, according to ARK's "Big Ideas 2025" report. WeRide is well positioned to capture this growth, with over 1,600 autonomous vehicles (AVs) internationally and presence in over 30 cities across 11 countries. WeRide is the only company whose AVs hold autonomous driving permits in eight countries – China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the US – highlighting strong regulatory trust in its technology.

Earlier this week, Bank of America (BofA) initiated research coverage on WeRide at Buy with a price target of US$12 for its ADSs listed on NASDAQ and HK$31 for its Class A Ordinary Shares listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This represents an upside potential of 45.6% and 50.0% respectively, based on the November 28 closing prices of US$8.24 and HK$20.66. Other recent Buy ratings include Bank of China International (BOCI) (September 29, target price: US$20.00, 96% upside potential) and Citi (November 7, target price: US$15.30 and HK$39.60¹, 62% upside potential).

Based on recent public filings, WeRide’s shareholders now include leading global institutions such as Bosch, Fidelity Management & Research, Greenwoods Asset Management, Hudson Bay Capital, Invesco, M&G, Mirae Asset, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, NVIDIA, Temasek and multiple other long-only and sovereign wealth funds in Asia and the Middle East, among others. Grab, Southeast Asia's leading superapp, and Uber, the world’s largest mobility and delivery technology platform, are also shareholders in WeRide.

WeRide’s strong Q3 2025 performance reflects the confidence shown by ARK and other major shareholders. WeRide recorded revenue of US$24.0 million, up 144.3% year-on-year (YoY), with its core Robotaxi business delivering US$5.0 million in revenue, up 761.0% YoY. Gross profit grew 1,123.9%, while gross margin rose 26.4 percentage points to 32.9%, placing WeRide among industry leaders and underscoring its path toward profitability.

Founder and CEO Dr. Tony Han noted in a recent CNBC interview: “I'm very optimistic with WeRide's leading position in the global market and our technology. Profitability is a sure thing."

This success stems from WeRide's commitment to staying at the forefront of the fast-evolving autonomous mobility market. WeRide One, the company’s universal autonomous driving technology platform for L2 to L4 vehicles, integrates full-stack software algorithms, modular hardware solutions, and cloud-based infrastructure, enabling strong synergy across mobility, logistics and sanitation products on open roads.

WeRide’s rapid global expansion has not gone unnoticed among investors, supported by its proven track record in navigating complex regulatory environments and in consistently being a first mover across international markets. Notably, the company obtained the world’s first city-level fully driverless Robotaxi commercial permit outside the United States in Abu Dhabi and has already launched the fully driverless service on the Uber platform, with the operation on track to achieve breakeven unit economics.

Besides Abu Dhabi, WeRide's AVs are deployed in Guangzhou, Beijing, Singapore, Riyadh, Dubai, Leuven (Belgium), etc., and its Robotaxi secured a driverless permit in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. WeRide plans to deploy 500-1,000 Robotaxis in the Middle East by end-2026, and tens of thousands worldwide by 2030. WeRide has achieved fully driverless Robotaxi operations in Guangzhou, Beijing and Abu Dhabi, and in Abu Dhabi, the WeRide-Uber Robotaxi service covers about half of Abu Dhabi core areas.

BOCI analysts recently noted that "WeRide is poised to stand out as one of the final winners" as the global robotaxi industry scales. Reflecting this positive outlook, ARK’s stake in WeRide, alongside a strong shareholder base and Buy ratings from BOCI, BofA, CICC, Citi, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, UBS and other leading investment banks, demonstrates confidence that WeRide’s strategic execution and growing commercial footprint will drive long-term shareholder value.

About WeRide
WeRide is a global leader and a first mover in the autonomous driving industry, as well as the first publicly traded Robotaxi company. Our autonomous vehicles have been tested or operated in over 30 cities across 11 countries. We are also the first and only technology company whose products have received autonomous driving permits in eight markets: China, the UAE, Singapore, France, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and the US. Empowered by the smart, versatile, cost-effective, and highly adaptable WeRide One platform, WeRide provides autonomous driving products and services from L2 to L4, addressing transportation needs in the mobility, logistics, and sanitation industries. WeRide was named to Fortune's 2025 Change the World and 2025 Future 50 lists.

Media Contact
pr@weride.ai

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about WeRide’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in WeRide’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. WeRide does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

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¹ Based on Citi's target price for WeRide’s Class A Ordinary shares, HK$39.60, and the closing price on November 6 for WeRide’s Class A Ordinary Shares, HK$24.40, on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

FAQ

How many WeRide ADSs did ARK Invest buy on Dec 4, 2025 for WRD?

ARK acquired 858,295 WeRide ADSs from public markets over the prior three trading days.

What were WeRide's Q3 2025 revenue and margin figures for WRD?

Q3 2025 revenue was $24.0M (+144.3% YoY) with gross margin at 32.9%.

How much did WeRide's Robotaxi revenue grow in Q3 2025 for WRD?

Robotaxi revenue was $5.0M, up 761.0% YoY.

In which countries do WeRide autonomous vehicles hold permits as of Dec 4, 2025?

WeRide reports autonomous driving permits in China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the US.

What deployment targets did WeRide set for the Middle East for WRD?

WeRide plans to deploy 500–1,000 Robotaxis in the Middle East by end-2026.

Which major investors and strategic partners are listed as WeRide shareholders for WRD?

Reported shareholders include Fidelity, Temasek, Morgan Stanley IM, NVIDIA, Bosch, Grab, Uber and other global institutions.