WeRide (WRD) stock surged 6.1% premarket after Uber disclosed a 5.82% stake with 56.6 million shares, strengthening their robotaxi partnership. The post WeRide (WeRide (WRD) stock surged 6.1% premarket after Uber disclosed a 5.82% stake with 56.6 million shares, strengthening their robotaxi partnership. The post WeRide (

WeRide (WRD) Stock Climbs as Uber Reveals Nearly 6% Ownership Stake

2026/03/30 22:39
4 min read
For feedback or concerns regarding this content, please contact us at [email protected]

Key Takeaways

  • Uber (UBER) revealed ownership of 56.6 million WeRide (WRD) shares, marking a 5.82% passive investment in the self-driving vehicle developer.
  • Shares of WRD surged 6.1% during premarket hours Monday after the stake disclosure.
  • The collaboration between Uber and WeRide began in September 2024, originally centered on deploying autonomous taxis in the UAE without equity involvement.
  • A $100 million Uber investment in WeRide was announced in May 2025, aimed at expanding operations to 15 additional markets within five years.
  • Analyst consensus leans toward Strong Buy on WRD across Wall Street firms, while Seeking Alpha analysts maintain a Hold recommendation.

Trading near $6.76, WeRide (WRD) stock has declined approximately 60% from its 52-week peak of $16.86 ahead of Monday’s premarket activity.


WRD Stock Card
WeRide Inc., WRD

Uber Technologies (UBER) has formally disclosed a 5.82% passive ownership position in WeRide (WRD), triggering a notable premarket rally for the autonomous driving company on Monday. The filing revealed Uber holds 56,618,266 shares, adding substantial financial backing to what initially began as a strategic operating partnership 18 months earlier.

The alliance between these companies originated in September 2024, when they unveiled plans to integrate WeRide’s self-driving vehicles into Uber’s ride-hailing platform, beginning with deployments in the United Arab Emirates. The initial announcement positioned the arrangement strictly as an operational collaboration focused on autonomous taxi services rather than an equity transaction.

The partnership accelerated considerably after that.

By May 2025, Uber revealed a $100 million capital commitment to WeRide, alongside an ambitious roadmap to extend their collaboration across 15 new metropolitan areas throughout the following five years. WeRide’s regulatory filing at that time indicated the transaction would likely finalize during the second half of 2025, subject to typical closing requirements.

Monday’s regulatory disclosure verifies that the investment has been completed.

Vehicle Deployment and Performance Data

WeRide presently maintains a robotaxi fleet comprising 1,125 vehicles, with 250 of those units deployed in international markets. The company projects fleet growth to 2,600 vehicles by the end of this year, with roughly 30% operating beyond China’s borders.

Regarding geographic expansion, WeRide intends to establish presence in another tier-1 Chinese city this year while launching revenue-generating services in Singapore, Zurich, Madrid, and one more European location.

Within China, WeRide’s autonomous taxis currently complete an average of 15 trips daily, increasing to 26 during high-demand periods. Average trip distance measures 5 kilometers, with pricing set at 2 yuan per kilometer—representing a 50% discount compared to conventional ride-hailing services. The company’s medium-term objectives include achieving 25 trips per vehicle daily at 3 yuan per kilometer, with pricing anticipated to approach traditional ride-hailing rates as operational efficiency scales.

Middle Eastern operations continue, although WeRide has noted possible vehicle shipment disruptions connected to regional geopolitical tensions.

Financial Efficiency and Market Outlook

WeRide achieved a 38% reduction in total ownership costs during 2025, while improving its remote assistance efficiency from a 1:10 ratio to 1:40. Additional cost improvements are projected for 2026 as both vehicle acquisition prices and autonomous driving hardware expenses decline with increased production volume.

Revenue expanded 40% across the previous 12-month period. While the company continues operating at a loss, its balance sheet shows greater cash reserves than outstanding debt, providing financial support for growth initiatives. Current market capitalization stands at approximately $2.17 billion.

Morgan Stanley maintained its Overweight recommendation on WRD on March 23, establishing a $14.70 price objective—representing more than twice the current market price. Analyst Tim Hsiao refreshed his assessment after examining WeRide’s expansion strategy and operational performance metrics.

Wall Street analyst consensus strongly favors a Strong Buy rating on the shares. Seeking Alpha analysts adopt a more conservative stance with a Hold rating.

In related news, NVIDIA’s most recent 13F regulatory filing indicated the semiconductor company divested its entire WeRide position, along with holdings in Arm Holdings and Applied Digital.

The post WeRide (WRD) Stock Climbs as Uber Reveals Nearly 6% Ownership Stake appeared first on Blockonomi.

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact [email protected] for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.
Tags:

You May Also Like

Trump Brothers’ American Bitcoin Hits BTC Milestone as Stock Falls to Lowest Price Since IPO

Trump Brothers’ American Bitcoin Hits BTC Milestone as Stock Falls to Lowest Price Since IPO

The post Trump Brothers’ American Bitcoin Hits BTC Milestone as Stock Falls to Lowest Price Since IPO appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. In brief American Bitcoin
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2026/03/31 01:01
What the Ethereum Economic Zone (EEZ) Means for ETH’s Future

What the Ethereum Economic Zone (EEZ) Means for ETH’s Future

The Ethereum Economic Zone (EEZ) is a new framework backed by the Ethereum Foundation, Gnosis, and Zisk that aims to address one of Ethereum’s biggest structural
Share
Ethnews2026/03/31 01:12
USDH Power Struggle Ignites Stablecoin “Bidding Wars” Across DeFi: Bloomberg

USDH Power Struggle Ignites Stablecoin “Bidding Wars” Across DeFi: Bloomberg

A heated contest for control over a new dollar-pegged token has set the stage for what analysts say could define the next phase of the stablecoin industry. According to Bloomberg, a bidding war unfolded on Hyperliquid, one of crypto’s fastest-growing trading platforms, with the prize being the right to issue USDH, its native stablecoin. The competition drew some of the sector’s most prominent names, including Paxos, Sky, and Ethena, who later withdrew their bid, alongside the lesser-known Native Markets, a startup backed by Stripe stablecoin subsidiary Bridge. Hyperliquid Stablecoin Race Shows Branding and Partnerships Matter as Much as Tech Over the weekend, Hyperliquid’s validators, the contributors who secure the network and vote on key decisions, awarded the USDH contract to Native Markets over the weekend. Despite its relatively new status, the firm’s connection with Stripe helped it outpace more established rivals. Stablecoins underpin decentralized finance by providing a dollar-backed medium for collateral, settlement, and payments across applications. What began as a grassroots, community-led sector has evolved into a battleground for institutions and payment companies seeking revenue from interest on reserves. Circle, for example, shares proceeds from its USDC with Coinbase under a partnership designed to stabilize earnings during market swings. The Hyperliquid contest offered a rare glimpse into just how intense competition has become. Paxos pledged to take no revenue until USDH surpassed $1 billion in circulation. Agora offered to share 100% of net revenue with Hyperliquid, while Ethena put forward 95%. All were outbid by Native Markets, whose ties to Stripe’s $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge and subsequent rollout of the Tempo blockchain positioned it as a strong contender. “Every stablecoin issuer is extremely desperate for supply,” said Zaheer Ebtikar, co-founder of Split Capital. “They are willing to publicly announce how much they are willing to offer. It just shows it’s a very tough business for stablecoin issuers.” While USDC remains dominant on Hyperliquid with more than $5.6 billion in deposits, the arrival of USDH could shift flows and revenue dynamics. Paxos co-founder Bhau Kotecha said the firm sees the exchange’s growth as an important opportunity, while Agora’s co-founder Nick van Eck warned that awarding the contract to a vertically integrated issuer risked undermining decentralization. Regulatory positioning also factored into the debate. Paxos operates under a New York trust charter and is seeking a federal license, while Bridge holds money transmitter approvals in 30 states. Native Markets, in a blog post, cited regulatory flexibility and deployment speed as reasons for its selection. Hyperliquid said the strong engagement from its community validated the process. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire dismissed concerns over USDC’s status, noting on X that competition benefits the ecosystem. Analysts suggested that fears of centralization may be exaggerated, noting that Hyperliquid is likely to remain neutral and support multiple stablecoins. Still, the contest over USDH highlighted a new reality for stablecoins: branding, partnerships, and business strategy are becoming as decisive as technology. Native Markets Secures USDH Stablecoin Mandate on Hyperliquid Hyperliquid has concluded its governance vote for the USDH stablecoin, awarding the mandate to Native Markets after a closely watched process that drew weeks of community debate and rival proposals. USDH, described by Hyperliquid as a “Hyperliquid-first, compliant, and natively minted” dollar-backed token, is intended to reduce the platform’s dependence on USDC and strengthen its spot markets. Validators on the decentralized exchange voted in favor of Native Markets, a relatively new player backed by Stripe’s Bridge subsidiary, over established contenders including Paxos and Ethena. The outcome followed a string of proposals offering aggressive revenue-sharing terms to win validator support, underscoring the scale of incentives attached to controlling USDH. Hyperliquid’s exchange has become a critical hub for stablecoin liquidity, with $5.7 billion in USDC, around 8% of its total supply, currently held on the network. At prevailing treasury yields, that translates to an estimated $200 million to $220 million in annual revenue for Circle, underlining why a native alternative could be transformative. Hyperliquid’s validators, who secure the network and vote on key decisions, selected Native Markets following an on-chain governance process that concluded September 15. Native Markets has laid out a phased rollout for USDH, beginning with capped minting and redemption trials before expanding into spot markets. Its reserves will be managed in cash and treasuries by BlackRock, with on-chain tokenization through Superstate and Bridge. Yield from those reserves will be split between Hyperliquid’s Assistance Fund and ecosystem development. The launch of USDH comes as Hyperliquid records record profits from perpetual futures trading, with $106 million in revenue in August alone, and prepares to slash spot trading fees by 80% to bolster liquidity. Analysts say the move positions Hyperliquid to capture more of the stablecoin economics internally, marking a significant step in its bid to rival the largest players in decentralized finance
Share
CryptoNews2025/09/18 00:48