Taoping Announces Major Growth Initiatives with New HQ and $2M in Smart Elevator Contracts

TIANJIN, China – December 29, 2025 – Smart cloud solutions provider Taoping Inc. (Nasdaq: TAOP) today announced a pair of significant strategic moves poised to accelerate its growth into 2026, revealing the establishment of a new corporate headquarters in Tianjin and the securing of US$2 million in smart elevator renewal contracts.

These developments signal the company's deepening focus on China's burgeoning smart infrastructure market, leveraging government support for modernization and its proprietary technology to capture a key sector ripe for overhaul.

A New Strategic Hub in Tianjin

In a move designed to enhance its operational capabilities and market proximity, Taoping has officially relocated its corporate headquarters to the Tiankai Higher Education Park in Tianjin, a prominent hub for technology and innovation. The new office, located on the 21st floor of the Tianjin Science and Technology Plaza, places the company closer to essential innovation resources, strategic partners, and a core customer base.

Company officials stated that this relocation is a key part of its long-term growth and scaling strategy. While the Tianjin office will serve as the new corporate center, Taoping will maintain its significant presence in Shenzhen, which will now operate as its southern headquarters and continue to be a vital center for innovation. The dual-headquarters approach allows the company to anchor its operations in the north while retaining its foothold in one of China's primary technology ecosystems in the south, ensuring broad regional coverage and access to diverse talent pools.

Securing the Smart Elevator Market

Anchoring the strategic relocation is the immediate success of Taoping's newly acquired subsidiary, Skyladder (Tianjin) Technology Development Co., Ltd. The subsidiary has secured smart elevator renewal contracts valued at US$2 million. This significant win provides the company with strong near-term revenue visibility, as it expects to complete the project and recognize the full contract value within the first quarter of 2026.

The contracts tap into a massive and rapidly expanding market. According to data from China's State Administration for Market Regulation, the nation has approximately 12 million elevators currently in service. Critically, nearly 10% of these, or 1.2 million elevators, have been operating for more than 15 years, creating an urgent and large-scale need for modernization and renewal.

This demand is strongly supported by national policy. Government directives issued in July 2024 and January 2025, under the "Several Measures on Strengthening Support for Large-scale Equipment Renewal and Consumer Goods Trade-in," have prioritized the renewal of aging equipment, creating a favorable regulatory tailwind for companies like Taoping.

A Technology-Driven Approach to Modernization

Taoping is positioning itself to lead this modernization wave by moving beyond traditional, hardware-focused upgrades. The company is addressing longstanding industry challenges, such as safety and maintenance inefficiencies, through a comprehensive, technology-driven business model powered by data and artificial intelligence.

Instead of simple equipment replacement, Taoping utilizes its core technologies in deep IoT perception and AI-powered autonomous decision-making. Intelligent sensors are deployed to collect real-time operational data from elevators, monitoring everything from door functions to motor performance. This data is then fed into Taoping's proprietary platforms, which analyze patterns, predict maintenance needs, and optimize performance.

This creates a full life-cycle smart service system that promises to significantly enhance elevator safety, operational efficiency, and overall intelligence. By offering a holistic solution rather than a one-off upgrade, Taoping aims to establish a clear and differentiated competitive advantage in the crowded infrastructure market.

In a statement, Mr. Jianghuai Lin, Chairman and CEO of Taoping, expressed his optimism for the company's trajectory. "We are excited to be entering 2026 in a strong position for growth as we focus on unlocking greater value for shareholders," he commented. "China's elevator industry is entering a powerful dual-growth cycle driven by both large-scale renewal demand and comprehensive intelligence upgrades. The deep synergy between Taoping's full life-cycle smart service capabilities and our platform resources significantly strengthens our strategic position in the smart elevator sector."

Looking ahead, the company plans to aggressively advance its "renewal plus integrated operations and maintenance" model. By leveraging its recent successes, Taoping intends to replicate its model across other key cities nationwide, aiming to deliver sustainable, long-term value and solidify its leadership in China's smart infrastructure revolution.