MIHAS 2026 AI Platform Generates 22,000+ Appointments

Key facts: MIHAS 2026 recorded RM6.78 billion in sales from September 23 to 26, up 12.0% from RM6.05 billion in 2025 and 35.5% above its RM5.0 billion target. More than 22,000 AI-assisted business appointments were generated during the show, and 324 of those matches reported RM28 million in sales. The AI platform will keep operating until 2027.

MATRADE’s job is to help Malaysian exporters develop and expand their export markets. The agency was established on March 1, 1993, as the national trade promotion arm under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. At the 22nd Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS), that mission met a new set of AI tools, and the results point in a promising direction.

Key figures at a glance

Goals worth pursuing

The stakes are clear. Malaysia’s halal exports reached RM68.52 billion in 2025, up 10.9% from RM61.79 billion in 2024, and the 13th Malaysia Plan sets a target of RM80 billion. Reaching that figure means helping more exporters, especially smaller ones, find the right buyers in more markets.

MATRADE CEO Dato’ Indera Abu Bakar Yusof put trust at the center of the strategy. He described trust as a competitive advantage and said AI would bridge trust and innovation, giving MSMEs and multinationals equal access to precision-driven opportunities.

What AI brought to MIHAS 2026

MATRADE built the 2026 framework around each group at the show. AI-powered registration and profiling were designed to read buyers’ sourcing needs and requests for proposals and deliver curated exhibitor matches across all 14 halal clusters, with instant alerts by email, WhatsApp and push notification. For exhibitors, AI-enabled onboarding processes catalog data and generates predictive lead insights, while real-time dashboards are intended to help them prioritize leads and track return on investment. Visitors were offered crowd-management heatmaps, multi-language translation and a personalized knowledge concierge.

Ahead of the show, MATRADE went further. Its CEO announced that every registered participant would receive a dedicated AI agent and personalized support to discover businesses, engage with exhibitors and build relevant connections.

A strategy built over four years

MIHAS 2026 is the product of steady investment, not a one-off experiment.

• 2022–2023: MATRADE’s Digital Trade Platform, introduced in July 2022 with Fusionex, outstripped its five-year target in under a year of its soft launch. At its 2023 unveiling, MATRADE said its AI-driven matchmaking algorithms help members identify and secure meetings with credible entities that match their requirements.
• 2023: MIHAS offered Mihas Connect, an AI-assisted matching suite for virtual visitors.
• March 2025: MATRADE launched MADANI Digital Trade with Nazsoft Tech, using automation, AI and data analytics to support trade facilitation.
• MIHAS 2025: The INSP saw the debut of an AI-powered platform that matches Malaysian exporters with global buyers in real time.

Results that line up with MATRADE’s goals

Widening international reach. MIHAS 2026 recorded its highest visitor turnout since the event began in 2004, and exhibitors and INSP buyers came from 58 countries.

Connecting exporters with buyers. The INSP generated RM4.02 billion, which MATRADE said highlights the role of structured business matching. That is roughly 59% of the show’s total, by simple arithmetic. MATRADE also reported that the AI-assisted appointments led to RM28 million in sales from 324 matches, and further deals may follow as those conversations mature.

Strengthening SMEs. The number of participating Malaysian SMEs grew from 64 companies in 2021 to 339 in 2026. MATRADE said it remains committed to helping SMEs and mid-tier companies expand into global markets, particularly emerging and non-traditional markets.

Broadening inclusion. MATRADE had listed WiEX among the programs to benefit from AI-enabled profiling and matchmaking. The WiEX Pavilion recorded RM229 million in potential export sales, with 215 targeted B2B meetings connecting women entrepreneurs with buyers from eight countries.

A platform that keeps delivering

The AI platform will continue to operate until 2027, so participating businesses can keep connecting with buyers beyond the four-day show. Through its digital trade platform, MATRADE also plans to give Malaysian exporters continued connectivity to global buyers and support in securing sustainable export opportunities.

For exporters, that means a MIHAS introduction can become the start of a longer relationship. For MATRADE, it means a year-round channel for the work it does best.

Frequently asked questions

What AI tools did MIHAS 2026 use?
MATRADE described AI-powered registration and profiling, AI-enabled exhibitor onboarding with predictive lead insights, an AI-linked CRM for alerts, and an AI Knowledge Hub. Before the show, it added that every registered participant would get a dedicated AI agent.

How many AI-assisted appointments were there?
More than 22,000, according to MATRADE. Of these, 324 matches reported RM28 million in sales.

How long will the AI platform run?
Until 2027.

How does the platform support SMEs?
MATRADE says AI gives MSMEs and multinationals equal access to precision-driven opportunities. Malaysian SME sales at the exhibition rose 11.3% to RM620 million.

When was MIHAS 2026 held?
September 23 to 26, 2026, at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur.

Why it matters

Abu Bakar said that with Agentic AI, MIHAS is evolving into a more connected and digitally enabled trade facilitation ecosystem that helps Malaysian companies identify buyers, build relationships and pursue export opportunities beyond the exhibition floor.

The evidence supports that direction. Attendance reached a new high, international sourcing grew, SME sales and participation rose, and tens of thousands of AI-assisted appointments connected exporters and buyers. With the platform running through 2027, MATRADE has a strong base to keep widening access to the global halal economy.