Taiwan IP Expo Malaysia 2026: Opening new ground for creative partnerships

From L-R: Taiwan Character Brand Licensing Association president Zhen Wen Fu, Malaysia Gift and Premium Association president Ivan Loo, MYCIP secretary-general Elvis Chew, Taiwan Creative Content Agency deputy CEO Yang Chung Tian, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia representative Dr Lien Yu Ping, MYCIP president Lau Shaw Ming and Sunway Malls group managing director HC Chan at the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the Taiwan IP Expo 2026 in Malaysia at Sunway Pyramid Mall on May 20, 2026.

The 2026 Taiwan IP Expo in Malaysia ran from May 20 to 24, 2026, at Oasis Avenue, Sunway Pyramid in Subang Jaya, accelerating cross-border creative collaborations between Taiwan and Malaysia.

The 2026 Taiwan IP Expo in Malaysia officially opened at Sunway Pyramid, celebrating the creative partnership between Taiwan and Malaysia.

Organized by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) in collaboration with the Malaysia Creative Intellectual Property Association (MYCIP), the expo blended B2B matchmaking and consumer showcases to position Malaysia as a launchpad for Taiwanese original IP into Southeast Asia.

The booths featured exclusive merchandise, B2B business matching zones and interactive character spaces.

The expo showcased 12 of Taiwan’s original character IPs spanning feel-good characters, pet-inspired worlds, contemporary design and illustrated storytelling; and, for the first time ever, featured 12 unique cross-border creative collaborations between Taiwanese and Malaysian artists.

The 2026 Taiwan IP Expo in Malaysia fused retail and business matching to debut 12 original Taiwanese character IPs alongside 12 collaborative works merging Taiwanese and Malaysian creators.

Building on the strong response and commercial success of its inaugural edition in Malaysia last year, the expo continues its collaboration with MYCIP) to further connect Taiwan and Malaysia’s creative content industries.

TAICCA Deputy chief executive officer Yang Chung-Tian.

TAICCA Deputy chief executive officer Yang Chung-Tian said Malaysia is not only an important market for Taiwanese original IPs to enter Southeast Asia, but also a partner in driving regional and cultural collaborations.

“Taiwan and Malaysia share many similarities in both cultural background and industry landscape, which gives us strong confidence in the future potential for IP licensing partnerships and industry exchange between both sides.

“This year, beyond bringing 12 Taiwanese original character IPs to Malaysia, we are also strengthening business matching, cross-border collaborations and retail partnerships.

“Through these efforts, we hope Taiwanese original IPs can not only gain greater visibility, but also successfully enter regional markets and create broader opportunities together with our Malaysian partners,” he said.

Fans enjoy meet-and-greet sessions with top Taiwanese creative mascots, including Market the Cat, Kuroro and Takokuma.

Among the showcased Taiwanese IPs are Kittensisland (小貓島), a pet-inspired IP focused on the “healing power of cats” which achieved the second-highest sales on-site at last year’s Malaysia debut; Takokuma (章鱼熊), which has successfully entered the Japan and Korea markets through its original adventure animation and illustrated storytelling; and Kuroro Space Exploration Team (酷乐乐宇宙探查队), a lifestyle and animal character IP featuring an adventurous black cat, Kuroro, and his alien friends Mido, Jolie and Fish Alien; with strong a robust regional footprint across Thailand, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore through books and merchandise.

MYCIP president Lau Shaw Ming.

MYCIP president Lau Shaw Ming said the second edition of the Taiwan IP Expo Malaysia highlights the growing success and cultural exchange between Taiwan and Malaysia’s IP industries.

“Through the Taiwan-Malaysia IP Collaboration Initiative, we hope to spark more creative and commercial collaborations and eventually create more opportunities for Malaysian original IPs to be introduced to Taiwan,” he said.

“Compared to last year, the scale of industry participation has grown, reflecting rising demand for original IP and licensed content in Southeast Asia,” added Lau.

The Taiwan-Malaysia Crossover Art Exhibition showcased exclusive cross-cultural collaborations and original character designs from both markets.

A key highlight is the debut of the Taiwan–Malaysia Crossover Art Exhibition, featuring the 12 collaborative works between creators from both markets. These partnerships reinterpret original characters through a cross-cultural lens, combining Taiwan’s creative identity with Malaysian cultural influences.

Participating Malaysian creators include Bichi Mao, a webcomic brand by comic artist Jefferson Ng of Relaxed Comics, alongside emerging talents from Malaysia’s illustration and design scene.

Alongside retail displays, the event offered specialized business-matching sessions connecting stakeholders across branding, retail, licensing, publishing and content industries to foster joint ventures, exclusive merchandise deals and cross-border IP collaborations.

Fans engaged with interactive, augmented reality games that brought beloved original character IPs to life.

Visitors to the expo enjoyed interactive installations, AR-powered games, mascot appearances, and exclusive merchandise.

TAICCA has also partnered with Sunway Pyramid on a spend-and-redeem campaign, further driving visitor engagement and on-ground participation.