Fintech PR
Taiwan Stock Exchange launches 2024 overseas tour to attract global capital: Europe trip targets heavyweight investor institutions
LONDON, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Taiwanese stock market showed robust performance in 2023, marked by significant turnover volume surges and price gains. Foreign investors notably reversed three consecutive years of net selling, recording net buying of over TWD 275.4 billion (USD 8.7 billion). On a mission to expand international funding sources in 2024, the Taiwan Stock Exchange (the “TWSE”) is expected to visit more than a dozen prominent institutional investors in Europe in March to further strengthen international investor relations.
Thanks to its solid fundamentals, good corporate governance, and the investment trend in artificial intelligence (AI), the TAIEX, the market value weighted index on the TWSE, rose by 26.8% in 2023, outperforming major international stock markets in the US and Europe. Its average daily turnover increased by 16.1% to TWD 281.2 billion (USD 8.9 billion), with its total market capitalization reaching TWD 56.84 trillion (USD 1.8 trillion).
Taiwan stocks continued to shine at the start of the Year of the Dragon, propelled by the robust fundamentals. Both the TAIEX and market capitalization reached record-highs consistently since the market resumed trading on February 15, after the Lunar New Year holidays. On February 26, the TAIEX reached the highest closing level so far at 18,948.05 and the total market capitalization soared to TWD 60.21 trillion (USD 1.9 trillion).
Although 2023 was a challenging year for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in most international markets, the TWSE continued to enhance the domestic financing environment, expand its exposure to the capital market, and actively encourage companies to list on the board. The TWSE attracted a record-high of 42 companies to apply for listing in 2023, the highest in the past decade. These efforts resulted in IPO companies raising a record total capital of TWD 33.76 billion (USD 1.07 billion).
The Taiwan stock market surged in 2023, driven by an unprecedented level of participation by domestic investors. Additionally, international funds turned their selling from 2019 to 2022 to a net buying of TWD 275.4 billion (USD 8.7 billion) last year. Market sentiments were bullish as the US Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) was expected to end its rate hike cycle, and the TWSE also demonstrated its appeal to international investors through various overseas roadshows, including visits to the US, Japan, and Singapore. From the start of 2024 through February 26, foreign investors continued their net buying at TWD 123.58 billion (USD 3.9 billion).
Foreign capital plays a decisive role in Taiwan stocks. According to the TWSE, as at the end of 2023, foreign capital from the UK and Europe accounted for more than 37% of the market value of Taiwan stocks, becoming a main source of international funds.
To underscore its commitment to deepening cooperation with European market participants and forging deeper relationships with investors, Chen-Shan Chang, Director-General of the Securities and Futures Bureau of the Financial Supervisory Commission, Taiwan’s capital markets regulatory body, and Sherman Lin, Chairman and CEO of the TWSE, will lead a delegation to Europe in early March. The team will visit key stakeholders, including more than a dozen prominent institutions such as stock exchanges, clearing houses, custodian banks, index companies, institutional investors with substantial holdings in Taiwan stocks, potential large investment institutions, major asset management companies, and financial service institutions.
The TWSE will arrange one-on-one meetings with institutional investors and financial market infrastructures in London, Luxembourg and Frankfurt, in order to provide updates on key information regarding the Taiwan securities market, highlighting the advantages and development prospects within the Taiwan stock market. The officials will address all questions and concerns to boost investor confidence and seek advice from the investors. Additionally, they will exchange ideas and explore potential cooperation opportunities with prominent European institutions.
“The TWSE will embark on a visit to London, marking the first such visit in seven years,” said Sherman Lin. “During the trip, the TWSE will also conduct in-person exchange activities with major European exchanges, such as London and Frankfurt, for the first time. The highly anticipated trip is of great significance to both sides and is expected to yield exciting outcomes.”
The TWSE also plans to hold an investment seminar in London, offering investors an efficient way to understand Taiwan’s capital market. This seminar will provide international investors with a valuable opportunity to delve into Taiwan’s booming financial ecosystem, exploring dynamic developments, innovative sectors and promising investment opportunities.
Overall, the TWSE’s visit aims to forge connections with prominent institutional investors and major European exchanges, showcasing the enormous opportunities of Taiwan’s capital market. It underscores Taiwan’s ongoing commitments to actively deepen international investor relations and promote securities investment measures for enhanced international cooperation.
About TWSE
The Taiwan Stock Exchange (the “TWSE”) started operations on February 9, 1962. The TWSE is responsible for operating and advancing Taiwan securities market. The TWSE’s primary business operations include listing, trading, settlement and surveillance. These comprise listing promotion and review, post-listing supervision and corporate governance, maintaining market trading and order, securities firms’ services, investor protection, clearing and settlement operations, safeguarding against market defaults and the monitoring of illegal transactions. The Exchange provides comprehensive services to the stock market.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/taiwan-stock-exchange-launches-2024-overseas-tour-to-attract-global-capital-europe-trip-targets-heavyweight-investor-institutions-302070980.html
Fintech PR
Enabling Regenerative Agriculture for Independent Smallholders in Indonesia: The BIPOSC Project, in Collaboration with Musim Mas, L3F, SNV Indonesia, and ICRAF
JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Musim Mas Group, the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F), SNV Indonesia, and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) are collaborating to improve the knowledge and capacity of independent oil palm smallholders through the Biodiverse & Inclusive Palm Oil Supply Chain (BIPOSC) project.
The project began in 2021 and takes a long-term approach to sustain a deforestation-free supply chain, regenerate degraded land, restore local biodiversity, and improve the livelihoods of independent smallholder farmers in Labuhanbatu, North Sumatra. BIPOSC will achieve this through implementing regenerative agriculture, locally adapted agroforestry models, capacity-building for sustainable businesses, and others.
The independent palm smallholders taking part previously received complementary training from Musim Mas. Following the training, these smallholders formed a smallholder’s association, Labuhanbatu Independent Oil Palm Smallholders Association (APSKS LB), North Sumatra. Musim Mas encourages smallholders to form associations to get better access to resources and obtain certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO).
“Musim Mas has long saw that smallholders are key to achieving palm oil sustainability, and that’s why we lead Indonesia’s most extensive smallholder program. We believe that the way forward is to collaborate with more partners to achieve a wider impact. With our BIPOSC partners, we hope to advance the skills and knowledge of smallholders through regenerative agriculture and related techniques. Regenerative agriculture and agroforestry have the potential to help smallholders be part of a sustainable palm oil supply chain. It could help them develop alternative sources of income, especially during the replanting period where their palm oil crops are unproductive, typically for three years,” said Rob Nicholls, General Manager, Projects & Programs, Musim Mas Group.
In the face of climate change and threatened biodiversity, regenerative agriculture can play a role for small farms because it maintains soil health, prevents erosion and water runoff, and can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen leakage.
“As a global development partner organization, SNV aims to support Indonesia in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To achieve this, we need to implement effective and impactful programs to transform agricultural and food systems, energy, and water. In the BIPOSC program, we promote a comprehensive regenerative agriculture and agroforestry model to maintain soil fertility and biodiversity, providing maximum benefits for farmers’ livelihoods and economy,” said Rizki Pandu Permana, Country Director of SNV Indonesia.
The key regenerative agriculture techniques taught include the application of bio-input, mulching to protect topsoil, planting cover crops, integrated pest management that reduces the need for chemical pesticides, and application of compost that reduces the amount of chemical fertilizers needed. To date, 1,032 independent smallholders received training and implement these techniques on their farms, representing a total land with a total area of 1,063.68 hectares. The project trained 25 village facilitators to provide hands-on assistance to smallholders, and seven demo plots established as pilot areas and learning facilities for regenerative agriculture.
“When I visited palm oil smallholders a few years ago in the area, their biggest concern was access to more fertilizers. While fertilizers play a key role in boosting yields, there was a noticeable gap in understanding how to protect the soil from long-term degradation. Smallholders needed more knowledge about maintaining soil health, preserving soil structure, and other critical factors. This is exactly what the BIPOSC project aimed to address, and we’re pleased to see that the farmers involved are now reporting not only higher yields but also healthier soils on their plots,” said Bernard Giraud, President & Co-Founder, Livelihoods.
The projectalso looks into capacity-building. In addition to home composting, the project enabled the local farmer association, APSKS LB, to develop and manage a composting unit with a capacity of 100-150 tons/month. Producing compost at scale with inputs from nearby mills and farmer plots, the unit offers compost to member farmers at half of typical market prices. In 2023, its first year of operation, the unit produced 588 tons of compost, and generated a profit of IDR 421 million. The project partners believe it is a model that can be replicated elsewhere.
“One of the most impactful outcomes of this project for smallholders is the Composting Unit as the business model around it. It enables smallholders to obtain compost affordably, and the profits are shared among member farmers. This is a practical solution to promote the adoption of composting, and all ASPKS-LB smallholders are now using compost in their plots,” said Syahrianto, Chairman of the Labuanbatu Independent Oil Palm Smallholders Association.
As of 2023, independent smallholders manage about 41% of oil palm planted areas in Indonesia, representing 6.94 million hectares. This figure is expected to increase to 60% by 2030, making projects like BIPOSC critical in shaping the future of sustainable palm oil production.
Devane Sharma
[email protected]
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JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Nium, the leading global infrastructure for real-time cross-border payments, is thrilled to announce a partnership with Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) to provide Indonesian customers with real-time international money transfer capabilities. This collaboration aims to enhance the cross-border offerings for BRI’s individual and corporate customers, delivering more accessible and cost-effective financial services across Indonesia.
This partnership empowers more than 150 million BRI account holders, including those in remote regions of Indonesia, to access modern, real-time cross-border payment services. The offering includes a variety of real-time payment mechanisms, supporting bank account destinations, a global electronic card network, and digital wallets. These innovations are closely aligned with BRI’s ongoing mission to provide affordable and customer-focused financial products, particularly for traditionally underserved communities.
BRI’s Corporate Secretary, Agustya Hendy Bernadi, emphasized BRI’s dedication to constantly improving customer convenience through innovations in its global network and cross-border transaction services. “This collaboration reflects BRI’s continuous efforts to enhance productivity and efficiency by expanding its digital payment channel network to meet the growing demand for global transactions,” he said. Agustya added that the partnership with Nium aligns perfectly with BRI’s vision to be Southeast Asia’s most valuable banking group and a champion of financial inclusion by 2025. “With Nium’s global transaction network, BRI strengthens the digitalization of its business processes and enhances retail banking capabilities in line with our 2025 strategic vision.”
Anupam Pahuja, General Manager and Executive Vice President for Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa at Nium, shared his excitement about the partnership, highlighting BRI’s extensive presence across Indonesia’s 17,000 islands. “By integrating Nium’s advanced technology into BRI’s platform, we are dedicated to providing BRI’s customers, no matter where they are, with access to exceptional financial services. This partnership will remove the risks associated with cash handling and provide faster, more cost-effective transactions—whether individuals are sending money to family members abroad or businesses are making international payments.”
Cross-border payments are projected to grow significantly in Indonesia, with a forecasted year-on-year increase of 15% through 2025, driven largely by the digital transformation in financial services (Statista, 2024).
This partnership between BRI and Nium is expected to transform the way Indonesians engage with global financial services, meeting the rising demand for modern payment infrastructure and enhancing the overall experience for BRI’s customers in their international transactions.
About Nium
Nium, the leading global infrastructure for real-time cross-border payments, was founded on the mission to deliver the global payments infrastructure of tomorrow, today. With the onset of the global economy, its payments infrastructure is shaping how banks, fintechs, and businesses everywhere collect, convert, and disburse funds instantly across borders. Its payout network supports 100 currencies and spans 220+ markets, 100 of which in real-time. Funds can be disbursed to accounts, wallets, and cards and collected locally in 40 markets. Nium’s growing card issuance business is already available in 34 countries. Nium holds regulatory licenses and authorizations in more than 40 countries, enabling seamless onboarding, rapid integration, and compliance – independent of geography. The company is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore.
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Fintech PR
Grexie Signchain Launches on November 1st, 2024: Enabling Smart Contract Developers to Bring Off-Chain Data On-Chain with Seamless Gas-Paid Signing
Grexie Signchain enables developers to sign off-chain data into smart contracts, with self-hosted or secure vault signer wallet management.
MANCHESTER, England, Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Grexie Limited proudly announces the launch of its innovative smart contract solution, Signchain, on November 1st, 2024. Designed specifically for developers, Signchain introduces a powerful way to bring off-chain data on-chain through user-paid gas fees and secure signing of data into smart contract methods using its extendable smart contract, Signable.
In the growing landscape of blockchain technology, securely managing off-chain data and integrating it into on-chain smart contracts has posed significant challenges for developers. Signchain eliminates these hurdles by offering a robust, gas-efficient system for signing and authenticating data in real-time.
Key Features of Signchain:
1. Seamless Off-Chain to On-Chain Data Integration
Signchain enables developers to securely bring off-chain data on-chain by signing it directly into smart contract methods through user-paid gas fees. This integration ensures that data authenticity is preserved, and its entry into the blockchain remains tamper-proof, streamlining processes for industries relying on real-world data verification. Signchain also supports integration with Google Sheets, AWS, and Firebase, making it easy to pull data from popular off-chain data sources.
2. Extendable Smart Contract – Signable
The core of Signchain’s technology is its extendable smart contract, Signable, which allows developers to customize and build upon existing smart contracts. With Signable, developers can easily implement contract signatures for any data type, offering flexibility across industries from finance to logistics and beyond.
3. Signer Wallet Management
Signchain offers comprehensive signer wallet management as part of its service, empowering developers to manage and authenticate signers effectively. Wallets can either be self-hosted using Signchain’s Docker container for those who prefer their own infrastructure, or they can leverage Signchain’s network of secure vaults for maximum security.
4. Self-Hosted or Managed Service
For developers who want full control of their infrastructure, Signchain provides a self-hosted option via Docker containers, allowing them to deploy the platform on their own servers. Alternatively, developers can opt to use Signchain’s secure vault network, offering a hassle-free solution with enterprise-grade security and wallet management.
5. User-Paid Gas Fees
By integrating a user-paid gas fee model, Signchain allows users to cover the costs of signing and authenticating their data, ensuring the signing process is efficient and doesn’t overburden developers with additional expenses. This makes Signchain an ideal solution for dApps and platforms handling high transaction volumes.
6. Google Sheets, AWS, Firebase Integration with Serverless Model
Signchain supports integration with Google Sheets, AWS, and Firebase in a serverless model, powered by a hosted Sign In With Ethereum (SIWE) implementation provided by Signchain’s API. Developers can simply connect their Google Sheets and configure the contract parameters associated with each column. Signchain will automatically look up the user’s wallet address in the spreadsheet, sign the transaction data, and execute it in the blockchain along with any user-supplied parameters. This creates an easy, efficient way to manage data inputs from off-chain sources without heavy infrastructure setup.
Revolutionizing Smart Contract Workflows
With Signchain, developers now have the tools to handle the complexities of integrating off-chain data into smart contracts. The extendable nature of Signable offers flexibility, allowing developers to cater to various use cases, whether it’s automating financial transactions, supply chain data, or verifying legal agreements.
Tim Behrsin, CEO of Grexie Limited, said, “Signchain is more than just a signing solution—it’s a platform that empowers developers to securely integrate off-chain data into their smart contracts with minimal effort. The flexibility of Signable and our focus on signer wallet management offers developers control and security at every stage of the process.”
Why Signchain Matters
Signchain addresses critical challenges faced by developers, particularly those dealing with off-chain data. By signing data into smart contracts and enabling user-paid gas fees, the platform significantly reduces friction in managing secure, scalable smart contracts. Whether developers need to manage high volumes of data transactions or create bespoke smart contracts, Signchain offers a scalable and secure solution.
In industries like DeFi, real estate, and supply chain management, data integrity and security are paramount. Signchain’s secure vault network and customizable signing workflows allow businesses to handle sensitive information with confidence.
Launch Event and Future Developments
The official launch of Signchain will take place on November 1st, 2024, alongside a virtual event. The event will showcase live demonstrations of Signable, with detailed walkthroughs of the Docker-based self-hosted solution and signer wallet management features. Attendees will also get an exclusive preview of future enhancements, including multi-signature workflows and advanced blockchain network integrations.
About Signchain
Signchain is a cutting-edge platform developed by Grexie Limited, based in Manchester, Cheshire, United Kingdom. Signchain simplifies smart contract development by offering a secure, scalable, and customizable solution for signing and authenticating off-chain data on-chain. Developers can either self-host the solution using Signchain’s Docker container or rely on the network’s secure vault infrastructure. With an emphasis on security, flexibility, and developer experience, Signchain is set to transform how smart contracts handle off-chain data.
For more information, visit signchain.net.
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View original content:SOURCE Grexie Limited
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