Society Pass Inc (Nasdaq: SOPA)/Thoughtful Media Group Inc Acquires Newave Strategic, leading Indonesia-based KOL Management Agency; Onboards +10,000 Indonesia-based Influencers

Thoughtful Media Group Inc acquires second company in Indonesia, Newave Strategic, a leading KOL management agency in Indonesia
TMG onboards +10,000 Indonesia-based influencers onto its digital advertising platform with acquisition
Post acquisition, Newave is re-branded as Thoughtful Media Indonesia and its leadership and employees are fully integrated into Thoughtful Media regional operating structure
Thoughtful Media Indonesia forecasts continued compelling revenue growth in 2023 and beyond

JAKARTA, May 31, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Thoughtful Media Group Inc (“Thoughtful Media” or “TMG”), the Thailand-based social commerce-focused, premium digital advertising network of Society Pass Incorporated (“SoPa”) (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia’s (SEA) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces the acquisition of Newave, the go-to advertising platform for nano and micro influencers (KOLs with under 100,000 followers) in the Indonesian social media scene. Newave’s +10,000 influencers on its talent roster turbocharges TMG’s social commerce advertising business in both Indonesia and SEA.

Founded in 2017, Newave has ridden the popularity of social media and social commerce in Indonesia advertising market. Newave Head of Strategy, Ilhamka Nizam, explains, “According to Datareportal, 68% of Indonesians or 191 million people are on social media as of January 2022. Covid drove millions of Indonesians to shop online for more than 3 hours daily via their social media. Naturally, brands increased their marketing budgets every year since Newave was founded. For 2023, we expect Indonesia-based brands to invest more than 30% of their marketing budget on influencer marketing.”

To meet demand for influencers from increasing advertising budgets, Newave focused on identifying and servicing up-and-coming nano and micro influencers as these KOLs represents 66% of all influencers in Indonesia according to INSG.CO. Newave Co-Founder, Bunga Nizam, comments, “When we founded Newave, we realised that onboarding hundreds and thousands of nano and micro influencers is the unique selling proposition that sets Newave from other so-called influencer marketing companies. Why? Because it is easier to make your audience engage with your content if you share a familiarity with them. And how does one share familiarity with the audience? In essence, nano and micro influencers, comprised of family and friends and not celebrities, personalise advertising content. In addition, advertisers can deploy specifically tailored marketing campaigns as often as they want with a cheaper budgets and optimised results. As a result, we have been fortunate to onboard more than 10,000 influencers onto our talent roster.”

Ms. Pamela Aw-Young, TMG Vice-Chairman, exclaims, “TMG is ecstatic to welcome Newave onto our ever-expanding TMG regional platform. By merging Newave’s dominant position in the nano and micro influencer space with TMG’s social commerce focused ecosystem, we provide additional channels for regional and local brands to market their products and services. Since our parent company, SoPa, acquired TMG in July 2022, TMG has grown from strength to strength with headcount growing from a dozen professionals to over 60 staff in just under a year. We look to triple our revenues year-on-year in 2023. As we enter Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia markets in 2H 2023, TMG is uniquely positioned to be the premier SEA regional digital advertising agency offering a significant value proposition for advertisers, merchants and influencers in SEA’s biggest economy.”

Newave Co-Founder, Bulan Nizam, adds, “Newave is proud to become an integral part of TMG and SoPa. TMG’s broad advertising network and SoPa’s extensive user and merchant bases in SEA allow us to fully become the premier digital advertising company in the world’s fourth most populous country. Thoughtful Media Indonesia is well positioned to generate significant revenues in 2023 and occupies a central position in Indonesia’s large and fast-growing digital advertising market.”

About Thoughtful Media Group Inc (TMG)

Founded in 2010, Thoughtful Media Group Inc is a leading digital advertising platform in SEA. Through our network of talented creators across multiple industries in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, we help brands maximise marketing budgets and achieve business objectives through some of the most innovative marketing campaigns in the region.

In 2022, Society Pass Inc (Nasdaq: SOPA), SEA’s next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, acquired Thoughtful Media Group. Since then, we have fully evolved into a digital-first and fully integrated advertising powerhouse. For more information, please check out our website: www.thoughtfulmedia.com.

About Society Pass Inc.

Founded in 2018 as a data-driven loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) is an acquisition-focused holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its signature Society Pass fintech platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa’s data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 650,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; VLeisure, Vietnam’s leading provider of hotel management and payment solutions; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam’s leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; and Mangan.ph, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines.

For more information on Society Pass, please visit:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
Rokas Sidlauskas
Chief Marketing Officer
rokas@thesocietypass.com

Tokenovate and GMEX ZERO13 Enable Execution of World’s First Smart Legal Contract for Voluntary Carbon Credit Derivatives Trades using ISDA Definitions

LONDON, May 31, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Tokenovate, a financial services company providing distributed financial market infrastructure (dFMI) enabling programmatic lifecycle event management of the pre-trade to post-trade workflow for OTC and Exchange traded derivatives, and ZERO13, a GMEX Group initiative, providing a digital climate fintech aggregation ecosystem announce the successful execution of the world's first smart legal contract for voluntary carbon credit (VCC) derivatives trades referencing the 2022 ISDA (The International Swaps and Derivatives Association) Verified Carbon Credit Transactions Definitions.

The unique partnership approach enabled Tokenovate and ZERO13 to successfully demonstrate the creation of a BSV Blockchain based, high quality, smart legal contract for waste to energy VCC trades originating from the 'Bio-CNG Project AJS Fuels' in Savli, Gujarat, which uses biogas technology for capturing methane from animal waste for Bio-CNG bottling purposes to use in the transport sector. This was achieved by integrating the Tokenovate dFMI into the ZERO13 Hub, a distributed orchestration layer which digitally interconnects carbon participants, registries and exchanges across jurisdictions to trade, clear and settle VCC spot and derivatives contracts.

The VCC trades were conducted on the Securities, Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (SECDEX), a regulated financial market infrastructure (FMI) firm authorised and licenced by the Seychelles FSA, between Maverik Inc., a waste solution advisory firm representing the project developer selling and Tempus USA Inc. (Tempus Network), as the buyer. SECDEX was connected to the Universal Carbon Registry (UCR), where the VCCs are registered via the ZERO13 Hub.

VCCs are a crucial element in achieving global net zero and energy transition goals by 2030, with distributed ledger technology (DLT) playing an important part in facilitating that outcome, as evidenced by research reports:

– January 2023: Bloomberg NEF believes the Voluntary Carbon Credit market could reach $1 trillion by 2037.
– March 2023: Citi GPS "forecast $4 trillion to $5 trillion of tokenized digital securities and $1 trillion of distributed ledger technology (DLT)-based trade finance volumes by 2030".

Richard Baker, Founder and CEO of Tokenovate commented: "The adoption of smart legal contracts will improve lifecycle event management and increase fidelity of derivative trading immensely. DLT will facilitate velocity at scale, while enhancing security and transparency. We believe the digitisation of financial market infrastructure will now accelerate, and it's Tokenovate's ambition to operate at the heart of this transformation. Today's announcement and collaboration with ZERO13 is an important first step and significant milestone in bringing VCCs to market using BSV Blockchain-based smart legal contracts."

Hirander Misra, CEO of GMEX Group and ZERO13 commented: "We are delighted to partner with Tokenovate to execute and settle the first ever trades using the ISDA VCC definitions on SECDEX, underpinned by BSV Blockchain smart contract capabilities." He added, "Our unique approach uses a globally recognised standard, trusted by institutions and corporates across the world, to help enable liquidity growth in VCC markets digitally and flexibly map it to address buyers' criteria."

Scott O'Malia, CEO of ISDA commented: "The voluntary carbon market can play an important role in channelling financing to green projects, technology and infrastructure that need investment. We're very pleased Tokenovate and its partner ZERO13 have used the 2022 ISDA Verified Carbon Credit Transactions Definitions and the Common Domain Model to create a smart legal contract for VCC trades. Digitisation of derivatives markets will significantly improve efficiency and set the foundations for growth at scale'.

Tokenovate and ZERO13 will continue to collaborate to facilitate VCC trades using DLT-based smart legal contracts, incorporating the 2022 ISDA Verified Carbon Credit Transactions Definitions alongside its globally adopted standards and digital tools.

Sources:

Bloomberg NEF report is available here.
Citi GPS report is available here.
The Law Commission advice on Smart Contracts is available here.

About Tokenovate

Tokenovate is a UK-based fintech company providing distributed financial market infrastructure, enabling programmatic lifecycle event management of the pre-trade to post-trade workflow for OTC traded derivatives. Our vision is to de-risk trading and set a new standard for frictionless and efficient execution through the adoption of smart legal contracts. Read more about Tokenovate at www.tokenovate.com.

About GMEX Group Limited

GMEX Group (GMEX) offers sustainable digital solutions for the new age of global markets. The firm is a leading global provider of multi-asset exchange trading and post-trade software/software as-a-Service (SaaS) market infrastructure solutions and "network of networks" digital platform services. GMEX addresses end-to-end regulatory and contract environment needs for issuance, trading, clearing and settlement across exchanges and across multiple asset classes including traditional, digital and hybrid assets, including carbon credits and ESG real-world assets. It is the winner of:

– Best Development in Fintech of the Year' – 2022
– Best Global Hybrid Finance FinTech Company' – 2022
– Best Solution for Trading Digital Assets' – 2023
– Most Influential Financial Technology Firms of 2023 – 2023

For further information on GMEX, please visit https://www.gmex-group.com/.

About ZERO13

ZERO13, a venture by GMEX, is an automated AI and blockchain-driven international carbon exchange, registry and aggregation hub ecosystem. The ZERO13 Hub provides a Platform-as-a-service, which offers a distributed point of entry for digital issuance, trading and settlement of carbon credits and real-world assets such as ESG securities. ZERO13 Hub connects multiple international carbon exchanges, registries, custodians and ESG project owners globally for supply verification, transparent pricing and real-time settlement using APIs and across blockchains enabled by ZERO13 Chain ('Pyctor').

For further information on ZERO13, please visit https://www.zero13.net/.

About SECDEX

The Seychelles-based Securities, Commodities and Derivatives Exchange ("SECDEX") is a market infrastructure ecosystem located in the Seychelles. It is a multi-asset hybrid exchange combining the benefits of a digital exchange with those of a traditional exchange. It focuses on securities, debt, spot commodities and derivatives contracts in traditional and digital tokenised form.

The Group consists of:
– SECDEX Exchange Limited ("SECDEX Exchange"), which is authorised and licensed by the Seychelles FSA to operate a regulated securities exchange with multi-asset capabilities, which include derivatives and digital assets.
– SECDEX Clearing Limited ("SECDEX Clearing"), which is authorised and licensed by the Seychelles FSA to operate a regulated central counterparty (CCP) clearing house to clear trades executed on SECDEX Exchange.
– SECDEX Depository Limited ("SECDEX Depository"), which is authorised and licensed by the Seychelles FSA to operate as a regulated central securities depository and registry for securities listed on SECDEX Exchange.
– SECDEX Digital Custodian Limited ("SECDEX Digital Custodian" or "SDC"), which is authorised and regulated under the regulatory Sandbox of the Seychelles FSA to operate digital custodial services for a broad range of digital assets.
– SECDEX Digital Marketplace ("SDC Digital Marketplace" or "SDM" or "SECDEX Marketplace"), which operates as part of SECDEX Digital Custodian Limited as a trading venue to offer a broad range of cryptocurrencies. These by being in custody can be traded.

For more information please visit www.secdex.net.

Media Contacts:

Tokenovate
Richard Baker, CEO
richard.baker@tokenovate.com
Tel: +44 7584 504678

GMEX Group
Alice Ellman-Brown
The Realization Group
Tel: +44 (0)7365 224804
alice.ellman-brown@therealizationgroup.com
pr@gmex-group.com

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Virtual Asset Industry Leaders Launch Association in Hong Kong to Provide a Forum for Collaboration, whilst Spearheading the Best in Both Commercial Innovation and Sound Protection

HONG KONG, May 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – To support Hong Kong's position at the forefront of the global virtual asset ("VA") space, a group of VA industry leaders in the city and around the world have come together to form a non-profit association that serves as an active conduit between industry practitioners, regulators, and participants in the industry. The association, named Hong Kong Licensed Virtual Asset Association ("HKLVAA" or the "Association"), aims to be a forum for collaboration and coordination between leaders and key stakeholders in the VA industry in Hong Kong and around the world who are seeking to establish a presence in the city, and to help facilitate the development of Hong Kong as a leading international VA hub.

HKLVAA was co-initiated and chaired by Mr. Lawrence Chu, Chairman of Venture Smart Financial Holdings Limited (VSFG) ( https://www.vsfg.com/ ). Its subsidiary, Venture Smart Asia Limited, is the first SFC-approved virtual asset manager. Mr. Chu remarked: "We are thrilled to establish this association in Hong Kong to promote a stronger dialogue between those currently in the VA industry, traditional institutional firms, clients and supervisory bodies. We have always seen opportunities for VA development, but a lack of clarity has often prevented market participants from entering this space. By leveraging our collective expertise, resources and influence, we can help build a more robust and sustainable ecosystem for VA in Hong Kong that will benefit clients, investors and market participants around the world."

Among the founding members of the Association are SFC-licensed corporations with an uplift or approval for VA activities in Hong Kong, including but not limited to Axion Global Asset Management Limited (AGAM) ( https://www.agam.hk/ ), HashKey Digital Asset Group Limited ( https://www.hashkey.com/en/ ), MaiCapital Limited ( https://www.maicapital.io/ ), Venture Smart Asia Limited ( https://www.vsfg.com/ ) and Victory Securities Company Limited ( https://www.victorysec.com.hk/zh-hk ). Other core members include those who are applying for SFC licences for VA-related activities, such as Hong Kong Virtual Asset Exchange Limited (HKVAX) ( https://www.hkvax.com/ ), as well as other global industry players, for instance Animoca Brands ( https://www.animocabrands.com/ ), a global leader in metaverse and blockchain games, and other companies such as BEOSIN Technology Limited ( https://beosin.com/?lang=en-US ), BitGo Inc. ( https://www.bitgo.com/ ) and GSR International Inc. ( https://www.gsr.io/ ) have also joined the Association.

"We're excited to support HKLVAA to help develop industry standards and guidelines to promote compliance with regulatory requirements and best practices, whilst continuing to foster innovation resulting from new technologies and business models," said Mr. Michel Lee, Executive President of HashKey Digital Asset Group Limited, a member of the corporate group behind HashKey Pro, one of the first virtual asset exchanges in Hong Kong to obtain a licence from the SFC.

Mr. Kennix Chan, Executive Director of Victory Securities Company Limited, also expressed enthusiasm to be one of the founding members of HKLVAA, stating: "Our team is looking forward to working alongside all industry pioneers to build a sustainable and inclusive VA ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders." Victory Securities Company Limited is the first licensed corporation to be permitted to provide the full spectrum of virtual asset dealing and advisory services in Hong Kong and which has recently obtained approval of the SFC to manage investment funds comprising up to 100% virtual assets.

AGAM, a specialised digital asset manager, welcomed the establishment of the Association. "We are thrilled to be part of this important industry initiative to propel the VA industry forward by bringing together key stakeholders, facilitating collaboration, and promoting best practices." said Mr. Gavin Ho, Strategy Director of AGAM.

Henry Yu & Associates (HYA) ( http://www.lylawoffice.com/ ) will serve as the Secretary General of the Association. Mr. Henry Yu, founding partner of HYA and one of the first blockchain lawyers in Hong Kong, is excited about the establishment of the Association and is happy to take on a role in the Policy Committee, stating: "Regulations and standards are always important. Through HKLVAA, we are happy to help coordinate and formulate VA-related directives, and, at the same time, provide public education on the latest guidelines and trends in the industry."

The establishment of HKLVAA reflects the growing importance of VA in Hong Kong and the need for a more coordinated approach to regulation in this emerging industry. To play an active role in the industry, HKLAVAA will provide input on government, legislative and regulatory policy consultations and proposals in order to help develop norms and standards for the VA industry, while holding regular meetings and events to facilitate dialogue and information sharing among its members. The Association hopes that by working together to build a stronger and appropriate regulatory framework, it can help position Hong Kong as a leading international VA hub, and cement Hong Kong's position in building the future of finance.

Member application is now open. More details and the official launch date of the Association will be announced in Q3, 2023.

For more information, please contact Natalie Ko (natalie.ko@vsfg.com).

About HKLVAA
Hong Kong Licensed Virtual Asset Association ("HKLVAA") is a non-profit association that serves as an active conduit between industry practitioners, regulators, and new participants in the industry. It aims to be a forum for collaboration and coordination between leaders and key stakeholders in virtual asset industry in Hong Kong and around the world who are seeking to establish a presence in the city. HKLVAA hopes that by working together to build a stronger and appropriate regulatory framework, it can help position Hong Kong as a leading international virtual asset hub.

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Web3 and virtual asset industry groups, paired with new licensing regime, open up the potential of Hong Kong’s digital economy

HONG KONG, May 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Two new Hong Kong industry associations, Hong Kong Licensed Virtual Assets Association (HKLVAA) and Web3 Harbour, today announced a shared commitment to the long-term growth and development of the virtual asset economy and decentralized internet in a joint debut at Radical Finance Asia. Industry leaders from Animoca Brands, DLA Piper, and WHub are among the founding board members of Web3 Harbour, with PwC Hong Kong as a knowledge partner, while HKLVAA counts representatives from SFC-licensed corporations with an uplift or approval for virtual asset activities in Hong Kong as founding members. These include HashKey Digital Asset Group Limited, Venture Smart Asia Limited, Victory Securities Company Limited, Axion Global Asset Management Limited, and MaiCapital Limited.

"The strong reception from stakeholders for these new industry groups is a testament to the need for greater collaboration across the sector," said Lawrence Chu, Co-founder and Chairman of VSFG, parent company of Hong Kong's first SFC-approved virtual asset manager, who serves on the founding boards of both associations. "While HKLVAA and Web3 Harbour serve different membership bases and will adopt unique approaches to address members' needs, both prioritise knowledge sharing and regulatory clarity in their efforts to accelerate the development and adoption of Web3 technologies in Hong Kong."

"Our shared principles and desire for cross-industry coordination will help establish Hong Kong as a Web3 innovation capital and virtual assets hub for the world," said Web3 Harbour's founding chair Gary Liu, Co-founder and CEO of Terminal 3 and formerly the CEO of the South China Morning Post. "We look forward to working with stakeholders from across many sectors, including other associations that have been supporting the fintech, blockchain, and digital asset industries."

Both associations continue to accept membership applications and will launch community activities, research efforts, and educational programming in July.

In response to the new regulatory regime for virtual asset service platforms taking effect in Hong Kong on 1 June, Mr Chu commented, "HKLVAA represents the interests of virtual asset entities licensed, or seeking licensing, in Hong Kong, and we will continue to work with the city's government and regulators to enhance and showcase Hong Kong's comparative advantages as a global fintech hub."

In reference to the industry's future, Mr Liu noted, "Web3 is growing at an unprecedented pace, and even with macro headwinds, the market is expected to reach billions of users and trillions of dollars in value by 2030. By convening and engaging a community to address the opportunities and challenges in our industry, Web3 Harbour aims to create a 'model market' in Hong Kong which is committed to the long-term development of a decentralized internet that maximizes the societal and economic benefits of blockchain technologies."

For more information about HKLVAA, please contact Natalie Ko (natalie.ko@vsfg.com).

For more information about Web3 Harbour, please visit www.web3harbour.org or contact Kathy Brewin (kathy@web3harbour.org).

About Web3 Harbour
Web3 Harbour is a nonprofit association based in Hong Kong dedicated to engaging and representing Web3 builders, investors, users, and leaders to promote a pro-innovation, pro-collaboration, and truly inclusive environment for the development of the decentralised internet and virtual asset economy. The association's core activities convene stakeholders from across sectors for open knowledge-sharing, upskilling, critical discourse, and networking.

About Hong Kong Licensed Virtual Assets Association
Hong Kong Licensed Virtual Asset Association (HKLVAA) is a nonprofit association that serves as an active conduit between industry practitioners, regulators, and new participants in the industry. It aims to be a forum for collaboration and coordination between leaders and key stakeholders in the virtual asset industry in Hong Kong and around the world who are seeking to establish a presence in the city. HKLVAA hopes that by working together to build a stronger and appropriate regulatory framework, it can help position Hong Kong as a leading international virtual asset hub.

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Creating a blueprint for Web3: Hong Kong business leaders unite to accelerate innovation and investment in digital assets and the decentralised internet

HONG KONG, May 29, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Web3 Harbour, a nonprofit industry association representing Web3 builders, investors, users, and leaders, today revealed its founding board and early member organisations during a panel session at Radical Finance Asia. The association also announced that it will officially launch community and research activities in July, including regular forums for leadership exchanges, startup pitches, and industry education.

Web3 Harbour's founding chair will be Gary Liu, Co-founder and CEO of Terminal 3, and formerly the CEO of the South China Morning Post. Lawrence Chu, Co-founder and Chairman of VSFG, parent company of Hong Kong's first SFC-approved virtual asset manager, will serve as the association's founding vice-chair. Member organisations include AngelHub, Animoca Brands, DLA Piper, Finoverse, FoundersHK, hi.com, HKG DAO, Memeland, PwC Hong Kong, Stratford Finance, Terminal 3, VSFG, Web3 Marketing Association, and WHub. InvestHK has also expressed their support to the association.

"Web3 Harbour is committed to promoting a pro-innovation, pro-collaboration, and truly inclusive environment for Web3 development in Hong Kong," said Mr Liu. "We look forward to working with stakeholders from across many sectors, including other associations that have been supporting the fintech, blockchain, and digital asset industries."

Yat Siu, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands, commented: "Hong Kong is becoming a global leader in virtual asset trading and infrastructure. It is important to have local organisations like Web3 Harbour that unite the industry's brightest minds. Animoca Brands, headquartered in Hong Kong, is happy to join Web3 Harbour and amplify our collective efforts to advance the local development of Web3 and the open metaverse. Together, we will forge new frontiers and drive the mass adoption of the decentralised internet."

"We are building a platform for open discussion and cooperation to equip and support Web3 innovators in Hong Kong, and I am truly thrilled to be part of this remarkable journey," added Karena Belin, Co-founder of WHub and AngelHub, and a founding board member for Web3 Harbour. "Aligned with our unwavering passion for driving impactful change and fostering an open ecosystem, WHub and AngelHub stand as dedicated partners of this association, and we are honoured to serve its mission alongside the esteemed board and exceptional member organisations."

A coordinated community will help inform policy and regulation that accelerates Web3 innovation

Web3 is growing at an unprecedented pace, and even with macro headwinds, the market is expected to reach billions of users and trillions of dollars in value by 2030. Despite this massive opportunity, obscure terminology, insufficient understanding, opaque policies, inconsistent regulations, and varying degrees of leadership conviction remain barriers to Web3 growth. By convening and engaging a community to address these issues, Web3 Harbour aims to create a 'model market' in Hong Kong which is committed to the long-term development of a decentralised internet that maximises the societal and economic benefits of blockchain technologies.

Numerous industry leaders have been convening over the past year to exchange knowledge, opinions, and aspirations about Hong Kong's Web3 environment. Among them is Lawrence Chu, Web3 Harbour's founding vice-chair.

"While the benefits of Web3 are clear, its development will require an inclusive and action-oriented community that can promote responsible and sustainable change," commented Mr Chu. "The entrepreneurial, investment, and policy momentum in Hong Kong make it a prime market for the launch of an association that will become the champion for this industry and its future."

"The emergence of digital assets has created infinite possibilities for entrepreneurs," added Minh Do, co-chief operating officer of Animoca Brands and a founding board member for Web3 Harbour. "Establishing a forum now in which startups, investors, business leaders, and regulators can collaborate and address the opportunities and challenges that come with this new technology will benefit everyone."

For more information, please visit www.web3harbour.org or contact Kathy Brewin (kathy@web3harbour.org).

About Web3 Harbour
Web3 Harbour is a nonprofit association based in Hong Kong dedicated to engaging and representing Web3 builders, investors, users, and leaders to promote a pro-innovation, pro-collaboration, and truly inclusive environment for the development of the decentralised internet and virtual asset economy. The association's core activities convene stakeholders from across sectors for open knowledge-sharing, upskilling, critical discourse, and networking.

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

OCTO, new FinOps solution from Alphaus, to help businesses maximize ROI on their cloud usage

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Alphaus Inc. (https://alphaus.cloud/en/), the market leader in cloud financial management (CFM) solutions in Japan with a growing regional presence in Southeast Asia, is extending its suite of SaaS solutions to cater to SMEs and large enterprises running on cloud infrastructure.

Having successfully delivered huge cost savings to companies in Japan and Southeast Asia through its proven solutions for managed service providers (MSP), the company is now globally introducing OCTO, a SaaS-based FinOps platform for any business that uses cloud infrastructure for its operations. Beyond cost savings, OCTO enables finance, FinOps and DevOps teams to work together effectively to achieve the best outcomes for the business. Moreover, OCTO integrates effectively with a multitude of third-party solutions, acting as the connecting hub that brings them all together. This seamless integration enhances user experience, solidifying OCTO as an essential tool for end-users.

Companies interested in minimizing wasted cloud spend, saving costs and maximizing their ROI are now invited to sign up for the waitlist to experience the many benefits of OCTO.

OCTO enables cost aggregation by account, service, or tags with centralized account management for AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Smart visualization through project-specific dashboards provides a clear view and understanding of all cloud costs. With advanced tag management, OCTO then intelligently distributes project costs and allocates credits and savings through its optimization capabilities. It helps businesses with a comprehensive cost optimization cycle covering numerous daily operations and enabling auto-pilot cost optimization, together with detailed metrics for gauging success of plans and actions.

"Due to the growing complexity of cloud technologies, most businesses find it a significant challenge to track cloud usage and associated costs across the organization. This lack of clear visibility and understanding of cloud costs negates the potential benefits and savings for companies by using the cloud," said Hajime Hirose, CEO of Alphaus. "We aim to solve this problem at scale with a versatile, comprehensive, and user-centric solution like OCTO, and help any business- whether it is a SME or a large-enterprise- to fully realize the benefits of using the cloud. Beyond understanding cloud spend, we want to empower businesses to seamlessly manage and optimize that spend with appropriate allocation, generate savings, and make a tangible impact on their bottom line."

Don't miss out on the opportunity to save on cloud costs and maximize your ROI. Sign up for the waitlist today and be among the first to experience the many benefits of OCTO. Visit: https://lp.alphaus.cloud/

About Alphaus Inc.

Alphaus (https://alphaus.cloud/en/), a VC-backed tech start-up on a mission to simplify cloud computing for everyone, specializes in Cloud Financial Management (CFM) solutions. The company enables cloud services partners and other businesses to understand, manage and optimize complicated cloud spend, billings and resource allocation for maximizing ROI on their investments in the cloud. Alphaus provides a suite of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for multi-cloud management supporting AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.

Founded in 2015, Alphaus Inc. is backed by reputed investors like DNX Ventures, NTT DoCoMo Ventures, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Archetype Ventures, Accord Ventures, and 500 Global. The company's roster of clients includes NTT Data, Nomura Research Institute (NRI), and ISI-Dentsu. Headquartered in Japan, Alphaus has a rapidly growing Global Delivery Centre and Regional Headquarter in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia to support its rapid expansion in the Asia Pacific and Oceania regions.

Media Contact:
Hajime Hirose, CEO
Tel: +81.70.3173.7354
E-mail: Hajime.hirose@alphaus.cloud

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

First Bitcoin NFT Marketplace to Use RGB Smart Contracts, DIBA Launches on Mainnet

MIAMI, FL, May 19, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – DIBA, the first Bitcoin NFT marketplace leveraging RGB smart contracts, launches on mainnet. The launch includes BitMask, a one-of-a-kind, Bitcoin-only wallet that can hold music and art unique digital assets (UDAs), and Carbonado, hosted on high availability storage and cloud services provided by Hut 8, one of North America's largest innovation-focused digital asset miners and high performance computing provider.

Backed by notable bitcoin investors Tim Draper of Draper Associates, Bill Tai of ACTAI Unicorn Fund, Yasmeen Drummond of NIMA Capital, and Erez Kalir of Martial Eagle Fund, DIBA aims to bring Bitcoin utility to the masses through enabling the exchange of UDAs on the most decentralized, censorship-resistant network.

Gideon Nweze, Founder & CEO of DIBA, said, "It's our view that Bitcoin is the only network that is positioned to become the foundation for the next world economy given its decentralized, censorship-resistant, Proof-of-Work design. Bitcoin is designed to be built in layers and this one reason is why we're very excited to announce the launch of DIBA, which enables the exchange of Unique Digital Assets for the first time on Bitcoin. This marks a major milestone in the transition of the internet onto Bitcoin."

Tim Draper, American Venture Capital & Bitcoin Investor, said, "The bull case for Bitcoin assets is in the ballpark of $10bn market cap over the next couple of years. What Gideon and the team at DIBA have built is a testament to the potential NFTs on Bitcoin hold in capturing the creative and sovereign spirit of this next generation. I am excited about DIBA's launch and look forward to their future growth."

Josh Rayner, VP of High Performance Computing at Hut 8, shared, "We are bullish on Bitcoin and the potential of Layer 1 and 2 protocols, and are proud to support DIBA's Bitcoin NFT platform with high availability storage and cloud services on our HPC infrastructure, as part of that evolution."

The DIBA marketplace uses RGB, a Smart Contract Protocol on Bitcoin that enables encrypted transactions, and the Lightning Network to offer free NFT mints, sovereign and private assets, as well as deterministic unhackable smart contracts.

To learn more about DIBA, visit DIBA.io and follow them on Twitter @trydiba.

For media inquiries, please contact Phil LeRoy at (310) 260-7901 or phil(at)melrosepr(dot)com.

About DIBA

DIBA Global builds decentralized application Infrastructure on Bitcoin and the Lightning network. As the first marketplace on Bitcoin using RGB Smart Contract Protocol and Lightning Network to exchange Unique Digital Assets (UDAs), commonly referred to as NFTs, DIBA Marketplace is focused on accelerating art & entertainment utility on Bitcoin. DIBA's mission is to help millions of people own, use and exchange non-custodial digital assets that are censorship resistant while catalyzing access, equity, and fairness. Visit DIBA at www.DIBA.io.

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

StoneX Global Payments & TIS Partner to Offer Enhanced FX Payment Services for Corporate Treasury & Finance Teams

BERLIN KOPENICK, GERMANY, May 9, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Today, StoneX Global Payments and TIS have formally announced an official partnership agreement. Under the arrangement, StoneX and TIS will combine their extensive experience in cross-border payments and cloud-native payment solutions to create an unparalleled level of global service and coverage for corporate treasury and finance teams.

The partnership, which leverages both companies' comprehensive industry knowledge and market-leading software solutions, enables corporate clients to drastically simplify the complexity of cross-border and foreign exchange payments. As a result, treasury and finance professionals can gain total visibility over their FX transactions, as well as full transparency to FX rates before transfers are initiated and executed. Ultimately, this gives corporate clients a more cost-effective and straightforward workflow for their FX payments, as well as increased protection against currency risks and other common international payment challenges. Today, the service provides a gateway into global markets across 140+ currencies and 180+ countries, allowing clients to choose the right payment option in each scenario with a guaranteed payment delivery of 48 hours or less.

"Teaming up with TIS unites their offering in key areas of corporate clients with our strengths in global payment solutions and technology. This enables our customers not only to leverage efficiency and automation potentials but also to benefit from cost savings in the local currency business. We are looking forward to a fruitful partnership with TIS", said Marc Joppeck, Head of Sales & StoneX Payments Division Germany & Corporate Payments Europe.

The strong connectivity between TIS and their customers' back-office systems and banks, following a multi-channel banking approach across any preferred network, makes payment processes streamlined, secure, and efficient. Both TIS and StoneX Global Payments have strong SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) partnerships and are fully compatible with ISO 20022, as well as the full scope of other messaging standards in use today. This means StoneX Global Payments and TIS can offer fully integrated and automated end-to-end processes regardless of the unique requirements presented by specific clients.

Regarding the benefits of this partnership, Jorg Wiemer, Co-founder and CSO at TIS, stated: "The collaboration with StoneX Global Payments enables our customers to significantly reduce FX payments costs and to further streamline cross-border payment processes. With automated, ERP-integrated processes as well as full transparency on cash flows and FX rates and 140+ currency options, and guaranteed delivery within 48 hours, together with StoneX Global Payments, we can offer unmatched services that allow our customers fast and efficient simple access to global markets. We're excited to push this collaboration further."

In recent months, StoneX Global Payments and TIS have already proven that the benefits their partnership provides to organizations are critically important. As of October 2022, TIS clients including the award-winning non-profit organization IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) are leveraging the FX payment solution to achieve substantial cost-savings over their previous setup. The partnership continues to deliver outstanding results for many other clients as well.

Moving forward, the combined strength of StoneX Global Payments and TIS is expected to continue creating enhanced global market access and optimized FX strategies, resulting in a partnership that consistently delivers maximum value to corporate clients.

About TIS

TIS helps CFOs (Chief Financial Officers), Treasurers, and Finance teams transform their global cash flow, liquidity, and payment functions. Since 2010, our award-winning cloud platform and best-in-class service model have empowered the entire office of the CFO to collaborate more effectively and attain maximum efficiency, automation, and control. By streamlining connectivity between our customers' back-office systems and their worldwide banks, vendors, and business partners, TIS enables users to achieve superior performance in key areas surrounding cash forecasting, working capital, outbound payments, financial messaging, fraud prevention, payment compliance, and more.

With over 11,000 banking options, $80 billion in daily cash managed, and $2.5 trillion in annual transaction volume, TIS has a proven track record of combining our unparalleled market expertise with tailored client and community feedback to drive digital transformation for companies of all sizes and industries. As a result, hundreds of organizations and thousands of practitioners rely on TIS daily to gain strategic advantage, monetize data, improve operational efficiency, and better manage risk. Learn more at https://www.tispayments.com/

About StoneX Global Payments

StoneX Global Payments is a product of the StoneX Group and specializes in cross-border payments. We offer tailor-made foreign exchange and payment services for corporates, NGOs, and financial institutions worldwide. Our global network of 350+ correspondent banks help us deliver transparent, secure, and guaranteed payments in more than 140 currencies across 180+ countries. Clients are able to gain access to our services through a highly scalable, efficient, and advanced payment platform that is easy to use.

StoneX Group Inc. and its subsidiaries are a leading provider of execution, risk management, advisory, market information, and clearing services for various asset classes and markets worldwide. Learn more at https://www.stonex.com or https://payments.stonex.com/

Contact Information
Jennifer Knutel
VP Marketing
jennifer.knutel@tispayments.com
978-875-2085

Marc Joppeck
Head of Sales & StoneX Payments Division Germany & Corporate Payments Europe
marc.joppeck@stonex.com

SOURCE: TIS

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

BrickMark Group Announces Strategic Partnership with PreIPO.com to Expand Access to Tokenized Real Estate

Boca Raton, FL, Zürich , May 9, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – BrickMark Group AG ("BrickMark Group"), a global pioneer in the tokenization of real estate assets, today announced a strategic partnership with PreIPO Corporation ("PreIPO.com"), a leading platform for investing in private companies before they go public. This collaboration aims to provide expanded access to tokenized real estate investments for accredited investors worldwide.

The partnership brings together BrickMark's expertise in tokenizing real estate assets and PreIPO.com's established platform to allow accredited investors to access high-growth private companies. By joining forces, the two companies will enable accredited investors to easily invest in tokenized real estate, creating a unique opportunity to diversify their portfolios with the world's largest asset class.

"We are excited to partner with PreIPO.com and leverage our platforms to reach a wider audience of accredited investors interested in digital real estate investments," said Stephan Rind, CEO and Founder of Brickmark. "Our mission is to unlock the vast potential of the real estate market through tokenization, and this partnership brings us closer to that goal. With this partnership two of the leading FinTech platforms in Europe and North America join forces to strengthen their distribution network between two continents."

Through this collaboration, BrickMark and PreIPO.com will offer the following benefits to investors:
– Expanded Access: Accredited investors will be able to invest in tokenized real estate assets alongside private companies on the PreIPO.com platform.
– Enhanced Diversification: Investors can diversify their portfolios by adding tokenized real estate to their existing investments in private companies.
– Streamlined Transactions: The partnership simplifies the process of investing in tokenized real estate, providing a seamless experience for accredited investors.

"Stephan Rind and the Brickmark team have built an impressive platform that unlocks the value of real estate through tokenization," said David Grzan CEO of PreIPO.com. "We are thrilled to join forces and offer our accredited investors access to this innovative asset class, further enhancing the diversification of their portfolios."

This partnership marks a significant step forward for both Brickmark and PreIPO.com as they continue to revolutionize the way investors access the world's largest asset class and high-growth private companies.

About Brickmark

Switzerland-based BrickMark Group is a global pioneer and leading provider in Europe of tokenization solutions for the transformation of real estate assets and projects into digital investment products. The BrickMark Group takes over the conception, structuring and implementation of the tokenization projects via their platform BRICKGATE as a so-called "One Stop Shop". Currently in preparation is the tokenization of two international commercial properties with a total volume of more than CHF 400 million.

About PreIPO.com

PreIPO.com is a premier platform that connects accredited investors with private companies before they go public. The platform provides investors with access to high-growth companies, allowing them to invest in the future success of these businesses and diversify their portfolios.

For more information, please contact:

BrickMark Group Public Relations
Email: info@brickmark.net
Phone: +41 41 500 0141

PreIPO.com Public Relations
Email: info@preipo.com
Phone: +1 (888) 863 1582

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Crypto Oasis Ecosystem Report 2023: Identifies 1,800+ Organisations in the Thriving UAE Web3 Space

DUBAI, May 8, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The UAE's crypto ecosystem continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, with over 1,800 organisations currently identified as of Q1 2023, according to the second edition of the Crypto Oasis Ecosystem Report. The report, developed in collaboration with the DLT Science Foundation and Roland Berger, one of the leading management consultancies, offers a comprehensive summary of the UAE's Blockchain evolution driven by Web3, cryptographic, and Blockchain technologies. Roland Berger also exclusively contributed with three thought leadership articles that are exclusively published in the report.

Highlights:
– Get an in-depth look at the world's fastest growing Blockchain ecosystem in the newly launched spring edition of the report at the Dubai FinTech Summit 2023
– The report provides a comprehensive breakdown of the ecosystem's main elements, including Governments & Associations, Startups & Projects, Investors & Collectors, Service Providers, Corporates, and Education & Research
– Of the total number of organisations, native ones make up 70.24% (1,270 organisations), while non-native ones account for 29.76% (538 organizations)
– The report was produced in partnership with the DLT Science Foundation, a global nonprofit organization newly established to bring together top academic institutions, industry leaders and developers to further society's adoption of DLT and other exponential technologies, and Roland Berger, the leading management consultancy with a strong expertise in Digital Assets, Web3 and Metaverse. Roland Berger exclusively published three thought leader point of views as part of the report
– Additionally, the report features an in-depth regional analysis of the UAE by leading blockchain data platform Chainalysis

The report, which was launched during the Dubai FinTech Summit organised by the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), highlights that more than 8650 professionals currently work in organisations within the Crypto, Blockchain, Metaverse, and Web3 Ecosystem of the UAE, representing a 4.2 percent increase from Q4 2022. The report is divided into six parts, including Governments & Associations, Startups & Projects, Investors & Collectors, Service Providers, Corporates, and Education & Research.

Native organisations account for 70.24% (1,270 organisations) of the total number, while non-native organisations account for 29.76% (538 organisations). During Q1 2023 alone, over 150 new organisations were identified, bringing in more than 350 new professionals to the thriving ecosystem. Approximately 72.8 percent (roughly 6,301) of these individuals work for native Blockchain organisations, while the remaining 27.2 percent (approximately 2,350) work for non-native companies.

"The second edition of the Crypto Oasis Ecosystem Report is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the Web3 space and will be an essential tool for policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs looking to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of blockchain technology," said Saqr Ereiqat, co-founder of Crypto Oasis. "The report is a result of comprehensive research undertaken by the Crypto Oasis Research team, which involved an in-depth analysis of the UAE Web3 Ecosystem."

Paolo Tasca, co-Founder and chairman at the DLT Science Foundation, said, "At the DLT Science Foundation, we are keen to reach out into and connect with the fastest growing Web3 Ecosystem in the world! This report provides a unique market analysis of the crypto and Web3 key players in the UAE. We are glad to have contributed to it."

Pierre Samaties, Partner at Roland Berger Middle East and leading the Global Digital Assets, Web3 and Metaverse practice, said, "The growth of the UAE Digital Asset and Web3 ecosystem is very impressive. It is driven by forward looking regulation, a welcoming talent immigration environment and a remarkable appetite from government and institutions to adopt the many opportunities the technology brings."

The report also contains insightful thought leadership articles from major players in the industry, including , Circle, Citigroup, DIFC, DMCC, GenTwo, QORPO, Pulse World, Ripple, Securrency, State Street, Tokengate, Venom, Virtua and Yield App. Additionally, the report features a detailed regional analysis of the UAE by Blockchain data platform Chainalysis.

Suzana Obradovic, Regional Director Middle East and Africa at Chainalysis, said, "We are excited to bring our blockchain data insights to the Crypto Oasis Ecosystem Report. The launch of the report, already in its second edition, marks an important milestone in the growth of the Web3 ecosystem in the UAE. By building out comprehensive regulation and embracing future technologies, the UAE has made itself very attractive to Web3 enthusiasts looking to establish themselves in the region."

You can download the report at www.cryptooasis.ae/report

About Crypto Oasis

The Crypto Oasis is a MENA focused Blockchain Ecosystem headquartered in Dubai, UAE. The core elements needed for its growth are Talent, Capital, and Infrastructure. The Ecosystems stakeholders include Investors & Collectors, Start-Ups & Projects, Corporates, Science & Research Institutions, Service Providers and Government Entities & Associations. Crypto Oasis' vision is to be one of the leading Blockchain Ecosystems in the world. Today it is the fastest growing Blockchain Ecosystem in the world, with more than 1,800+ organisations identified in the UAE alone with more than 8,650 individuals working in the space. www.cryptooasis.ae

About DLT Science Foundation

The DLT Science Foundation (DSF) is committed to address grand challenges by adopting and promoting distributed ledger technologies (DLT) and other exponential digital technologies. The DSF achieves this aim by empowering education, innovation, and research through its academic network and partnerships with industry leaders. The DSF expands knowledge transfer from academia to industry, promoting a stable adoption of DLT in business, government and society. Our foundation operates as a global, decentralised entity, much like the technology we promote. A network of world-leading experts from around the world pools their knowledge and expertise to deliver the DSF's vision. The DSF team works tirelessly to further its mission, supporting educational initiatives, empowering researchers, and acting as a hub for startups, universities, and knowledge-transfer institutions. The foundation stimulates innovation through activities such as hackathons, commercialising research, and much more. www.dltscience.org

About Roland Berger

Roland Berger is the only management consultancy of European heritage with a strong international footprint. As an independent firm, solely owned by our Partners, we operate 51 offices in all major markets. Our 3000 employees offer a unique combination of an analytical approach and an empathic attitude. Driven by our values of entrepreneurship, excellence and empathy, we at Roland Berger are convinced that the world needs a new sustainable paradigm that takes the entire value cycle into account. Working in cross-competence teams across all relevant industries and business functions, we provide the best expertise to meet the profound challenges of today and tomorrow. www.rolandberger.com

For more information contact:
Faisal Zaidi
Crypto Oasis
faisal@cryptooasis.ae
+971552000840

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com