$Yalla (YALA.US)$ From the key operational data, Yalla's ave...

From the key operational data, Yalla's average MAU reached 38.999 million, a year-on-year increase of 14.1%; however, the number of platform paying users decreased by 10.3% year-on-year to 12.023 million. The average revenue per paying user in Q2 increased by 13.8% year-on-year to $6.6.

Combining the current operational data of Yalla, investors can easily see that the overall growth rate of paying users has decreased compared to the MAU growth rate. This indicates that Yalla's Q2 quarter focused on improving user pay conversion in the market strategy, aiming to increase the company's revenue by raising the user payment rate. Hence, despite the double-digit decline in paying users, the revenue can still maintain positive growth.

In the increasingly competitive social and gaming market in the Middle East and North Africa, the relatively restrained cost control and market acquisition strategy may indicate that Yalla's main focus this quarter is "profit protection" rather than "seeking growth." This is indeed the case, as Yalla achieved $31.4 million in revenue with a modest single-digit revenue growth of 10.9%, thanks to the strong cost control strategy.

In terms of market competition, with the entry of giants such as Tencent, MiHoYo, and Lilith Games, the Middle Eastern gaming market has become more diverse. Chinese games occupy 8 out of 10 positions in the TOP 10 list of the Saudi App Store, demonstrating the competitiveness of Chinese gaming. This also poses significant competitive pressure for companies like Yalla, which have been established in the Middle East and North Africa for a long time.