Fintech PR
Lower Cryptocurrency Prices Driving Innovation, Improved Security, and Heightened Adoption
Reading Time: 7 minutes
SOURCE USA News Group
Despite major cryptocurrency prices being down, key blockchain and cryptocurrency figure, Brock Pierce, believes that embedded within this space is a potential quadrillion dollar market. In the midst of a lower price market, plenty of new developments are arising from companies such as NetCents Technology Inc. (CSE: NC) (OTC: NTTCF), Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI), Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK), and even Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ:FB).
“Security tokens are going to give birth to a quadrillion dollar market,” said Pierce in a recent interview with Forbes. “This is because we will see the tokenization of the world’s fiat money, debt market, real estate, equities, and art.”
Prior to reaching these levels, the crypto space will require leaders that can heighten mainstream acceptance of the concept. One innovator that’s rapidly expanding payment options around the world, and is NetCents Technology Inc. (CSE: NC) (OTC: NTTCF), which now supports 55 countries and 36 fiat currencies—servicing over 3 million merchants.
With prices for major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin being down, analysts such as Pierce see this as a period of greater innovation, and adoption.
“We’re going to see big things being built, multiple applications hitting a million users,” Pierce added. “I love the fact that prices are down. When prices are up, very little gets built because teams don’t stick around. Everyone is getting rich too quick and that de-motivates people. All the best things I’ve seen built in this ecosystem have been built in bear markets.”
For providers such as NetCents, the goal is to make merchant clients get rich quicker, and consumers save money on transactions. Incentivizing merchants is how to get adoption to happen quicker.
To achieve this, NetCents provides merchants with several appealing selling points, including low transaction fees (delivering a saves of 3-9% per transaction), instant settlements, and the ability to accept fiat, credit card, and/or cryptocurrencies equally. On average, a low-risk merchant typically faces a merchant fee between 3.5% to 5.5%, whereas a higher-risk merchant gets hit with a rate of 5.0% to 10.0%. NetCents’s merchant fee is only 1.99%—a savings of between 1.5% to 7.0% per transaction.
However, one major development that the NetCents team has put forth to bridge the gap for merchants, is its proprietary cryptocurrency credit card that pulls directly from the user’s NetCents wallet.
Usable anywhere that Visa or MasterCard are accepted, the unique credit card opens the world of cryptocurrency users to millions of merchant locations around the world. Mixing together everyday credit card transactions could be the perfect lead-in that the cryptocurrency world needs for mainstream acceptance.
But are cryptocurrencies still an investment in and of themselves?
Crypto Equity Is On The Way
NetCents has been quietly adding new currencies to its portfolio, including a recent agreement with ILO Crypto (ILOCX), which has its own platform that allows companies to raise non-equity capital through the sale of Initial License Offerings (“ILOs”).
ILOs are a revenue-based method of raising capital, that give buyers the right to promote and or sell an underlying product or service and receive royalties based on the gross revenue of the company. ILOCX has signed 54 companies to its first exchange platform allows its companies to list and sell an ILO to raise capital and enhance sales. There are currently more than 20 companies already listed on the exchange.
“The significance of this transaction is enormous for crypto holders everywhere, this partnership is giving them high quality alternative options for utilizing their capital currently locked in Bitcoin, ETH and various other altcoins,” said, CEO of ILOCX, Edward Fitzpatrick upon the agreement signing. “Hundreds of billions of dollars are sitting in crypto looking for new ways to put this capital to work, thanks to this partnership NetCents and ILOCX we can say with confidence that the era of utilization is here.”
Through the merchant agreement, ILOCX is set to use the NetCents Merchant Gateway to power cryptocurrency transactions for its capital raising services. With $300 million in deals on the exchange to date, this platform gives NetCents and ILOCX another way to tap into the hundreds of billions in crypto capital, giving crypto-holders alternative options for utilizing their capital and giving companies listing on ILOCX access to the capital they need.
Bringing Banks On Board
With banks such as JP Morgan Chase flirting with the idea of using blockchain ledgers for transactions, there is hope for acceptance from financial institutions on the horizon. In an effort to lubricate the transition, NetCents has also launched its Crypto Banking Stack (CBS), which allows for a low-cost crypto ready processing solution to be quickly implemented without the requirement for an extended and costly development cycle.
Banking clients get benefits from the CBS as well, as it will have the ability to provide account holders with the ability to convert and move balances between their crypto and fiat bank accounts. The cryptocurrencies which will be initially supported through the CBS are Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin.
Upon integration through the CBS API, financial institutions can potentially offer their customers crypto banking services accessible via their current online bank profile. These crypto bank accounts would have the same functionality as standard chequing and savings accounts.
Clients could then add various crypto accounts/wallets, transfer, deposit, withdraw, make a payment, view transactions; and the ability to link their crypto bank account to their existing debit cards—Blurring the lines between standard banking, and blockchain/crypto.
As lines blur, major companies too will look towards adopting these tech platforms that can help their businesses grow.
For a more in-depth look into NetCents Technology you can view the in-depth report at USA News Group: http://usanewsgroup.com/2018/12/12/the-sectors-that-could-change-the-way-you-view-2019/
Bigger Players Adopting Crypto In Their Own Way
Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) – Cryptocurrency within gaming is not a new concept. However, for Activision Blizzard, the makers of Call of Duty, and World of Warcraft, much of its 2018 record net revenue of $7.5 billion came from what are called microtransactions. In 2017, these in-game purchases accounted for $4 billion of its total $7.16 billion over the entire fiscal year, also a record at that time. A leading revenue driver for the company was what are called CoD Points, which are a ‘premium’ currency that are acquired with real money, and can only be spent buying virtual goods inside the Call of Duty game. At the moment, CoD Points can be acquired from third-party vendors, such as Amazon, but cannot be spent elsewhere. Should the game developer open up use of this digital currency outside of the platform, it would be interesting to see where the value of the currency would go.
Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) – Massive online retailer Overstock.com has built its name providing offerings such as home and garden products, furniture, housewares and more. However, with the launch of its new security trading platform tZERO underway, the company believes a market boom for its new product is around the corner. This alternative trading system (ATS) will use crypto tokens, and could open up the securities market to a much, much larger audience of investors from around the world. In the meantime, the tZERO dream is still dealing with regulatory questions, in order to satisfy FINRA and the SEC, who want to see them working with one broker.
Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) – Social media giant Facebook is preparing the launch of its own version of Bitcoin, to be used in its messaging applications, WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. Dubbed the “Facecoin”, the new cryptocurrency could be the global technology giant’s breakthrough into the lucrative market for retail financial services. Very little is known about Facebook’s overall plans with the Facecoin, as so far there’s only a single company statement about a new group set up to look into cryptocurrencies. Media outlets have tipped small hints at the project, stating that the ambition is to explore multiple applications, and to establish Facecoin as a “stablecoin”. Facebook would have a fixed price, and the amount in circulation will vary.
Article Source:
USA News Group
http://usanewsgroup.com
i[email protected]
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Fintech PR
DAZN ADVANCES GLOBAL EXPANSION WITH ACQUISITION OF FOXTEL, A LEADING AUSTRALIAN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA GROUP
- Milestone deal for DAZN’s position as the global home of sport.
- This acquisition establishes DAZN’s sports platform in Australia, one of the world’s most attractive sports markets.
- Foxtel Group will leverage DAZN’s global reach, industry-leading technology and extensive content portfolio to further enhance the viewing experience for Australian sports fans.
LONDON, NEW YORK, and SYDNEY, Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — DAZN, a world-leading sports entertainment platform, has today announced an agreement to acquire Foxtel Group (‘Foxtel’) from its majority shareholder News Corp and minority shareholder Telstra at an enterprise value of US$2.2 billion, subject to regulatory approval.
The acquisition establishes DAZN as a leader in sports entertainment in Australia – a highly attractive sports market – while also expanding DAZN’s global footprint and enhancing the group’s standing as the global home of sport. The addition of Foxtel to DAZN brings the Group’s pro-forma revenues towards US$6 billion and provides the additional content, expertise, and expansion opportunities to accelerate DAZN’s growth trajectory.
Foxtel is one of Australia’s leading media companies, with 4.7 million subscribers, who will benefit from DAZN’s extensive portfolio of sports content, platform technology, and global reach.
From its beginnings as Australia’s original pay-TV innovator, Foxtel has evolved to become a digital and streaming leader in sports and entertainment and the proposed transaction positions Foxtel for continued expansion as a digital-first, streaming-focused business. Foxtel will maintain its local character, led by the CEO, Patrick Delany, and his world-class management team.
DAZN, a sports streaming platform with a truly global reach, is committed to growing the global audience for domestic Australian sports across the 200 territories in which it is available.
Under the terms of the transaction, News Corp and Telstra will become minority shareholders in DAZN, enabling them to retain an interest in Foxtel.
Shay Segev, Chief Executive Officer of DAZN, said: “Australians watch more sport than any other country in the world, which makes this deal an incredibly exciting opportunity for DAZN to enter a key market, marking another step in our long-term strategy to become the global home of sport. Foxtel is a successful business that has undergone a remarkable digital transformation in recent years, and we are confident that our global reach and relentless pursuit of innovation will continue to drive the business forward and ensure long-term success.
“We are committed to supporting and investing in Foxtel’s television and streaming services, across both sports and entertainment, using our world-leading technology to further enhance the viewing experience for customers. We are also committed to using our global reach to export Australia’s most popular sports to new markets around the world, and we will continue to promote women’s and under-represented sports.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with Patrick Delany and his team, as well as News Corp and Telstra as shareholders in DAZN, to realise our ambitious vision for the future of sport entertainment.”
Siobhan McKenna, the Chairman of Foxtel, said the agreement with DAZN was international recognition of the transformation of Foxtel from an incumbent pay TV operator to a sports and entertainment digital and streaming leader. “Over the last seven years the Foxtel team, with the strong support of News, have achieved an extraordinary turnaround in an intensely competitive environment.”
Foxtel Group CEO, Patrick Delany, said: “Today’s announcement is a natural evolution for the Foxtel Group, having reinvented the company over the past five years as Australia’s most dynamic technology-led streaming company.
“Kayo and Foxtel provide Australian sports fans with access to the best Australian and international sport and shows, including AFL, NRL and Cricket with 4.7 million subscribers.
“We are excited by DAZN’s commitment to the Australian market. They are experts in the sports media business and can play a significant role in supporting Foxtel as the business grows its streaming capabilities, bringing a bigger and better service to customers across entertainment, news and sport. They are a perfect match for us as we look toward this next era of growth.
“We have been grateful for the support of News Corp while we reimagined the future of Foxtel. In 2019, when we merged Foxtel and Fox Sports we had many people questioning our future.
“After launching Kayo later in 2019 and BINGE in 2020, today we are the largest Australian-based streamer of sport and entertainment, we have stabilised our Foxtel base and launched Hubbl to help consumers find all the streamed content they love all in one place. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support and encouragement of News Corp.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About DAZN
As a world-leading sports entertainment platform, DAZN streams over 90,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide.
DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, LALIGA, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more including the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.
DAZN partners with leading pay-TV operators, ISPs and Telcos worldwide to maximise sports exposure to a broad audience. Its partners include Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Sky, Movistar, Telenet, Vodafone, and many more.
DAZN is a global, privately-owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 3,000 employees. The Group generated $3.2bn in revenue in 2023, having grown its annual revenues by over 50% on average from 2020 to 2023, through diverse revenue streams comprising subscriptions, advertising, sponsorship, and transactional. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.
About Foxtel
The Foxtel Group is one of Australia’s leading media companies with 4.7 million subscribers. Its businesses include subscription television, streaming, sports production and advertising. The Foxtel Group is owned 65% by News Corp and 35% by Telstra.
The Foxtel Group’s diversified business includes Fox Sports, Australia’s leading sports production company, famous for live sports and shows with the best commentators and personalities. It is also the home of local and global entertainment content and continues to be the partner of choice for the widest range of sports and international content providers based on established, long-term relationships, growing streaming audiences, and position as the largest Australian-based subscription television company.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/dazn-advances-global-expansion-with-acquisition-of-foxtel-a-leading-australian-sports-and-entertainment-media-group-302337997.html
Fintech PR
President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB
President Mnangagwa, who is SADC Chairperson, reaffirmed his own country’s and SADC’s enthusiastic support for Zambian candidate Sam Maimbo
LUSAKA, Zambia, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Special Envoy Kavindele released the following statement following the meeting:
“I am elated to witness the growing success and momentum of Sam Maimbo’s candidacy to become the next President of the African Development Bank. I am filled with gratitude to our friends across both SADC and COMESA for their continued support and good wishes.
Sam has garnered such wide consensus due to his being uniquely qualified to deliver the transformative change and empowerment our continent needs. Sam’s 30 years in development work is defined by driving outcomes, improving processes, and investing in people. The AfDB needs a hands-on leader who is laser focused on delivering results and who is unafraid of making tough decisions in order to best serve our continent. Sam is that leader. Sam has the track record and experience to drastically enhance the pace, scale, and impact of the Bank’s work in service of the people and governments of Africa.
Our region has a proud history of supporting fellow Southern Africans. For example, we all recall Lusaka’s role in hosting the African National Congress’ headquarters during the dark days of Apartheid oppression.
It therefore gives me no pleasure to observe my South African brothers, who have themselves leant on Zambia’s steadfast friendship over many decades, fail to rally behind both SADC and COMESA’s chosen candidate for the AfDB. Africa’s urgent economic development challenges demand transformational leadership at the AfDB, it is all of our responsibility to put forward the best candidate for the job. This is not the time or place for a government to act with narrow self-interest, we all must act in the continent’s and AfDB’s best interest.
I thank Sam Maimbo for his lifelong service to our entire continent, and I am eager to witness his enormous impact as President of the AfDB.”
LONDON, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Heimdal Security shares a practical holiday cybersecurity checklist, offering expert insights to help businesses safeguard against cyber threats this festive season.
With reduced staffing, remote work setups, and a surge in online shopping creating heightened vulnerabilities, this guide offers actionable tips to enhance business security.
Going beyond basic advice, the checklist also highlights the most common holiday scams and features videos showcasing real-life examples of Christmas-themed cyber scams and effective prevention strategies.
Key Tips to Protect Businesses This Holiday Season:
- Strengthen endpoints: Ensure devices are updated with antivirus and endpoint protection software; consider Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and application whitelisting.
- Prepare for phishing spikes: Train staff to identify suspicious emails, enforce robust email filters, and establish protocols for reporting unusual activity.
- Secure remote access: Mandate VPN usage, monitor unusual logins, and deactivate inactive accounts temporarily.
- Segment and shield networks: Isolate sensitive areas, deploy DNS security and advanced firewalls, and maintain full visibility over network traffic.
- Apply timely patches: Regularly update all systems and test patches in a controlled environment to minimize disruptions.
- Mitigate supply chain risks: Assess vendors thoroughly and limit their access to essential systems.
- Have a response plan ready: Tailor incident protocols for the holidays, create an on-call rotation for the IT team, and enable rapid action against suspicious activity.
“ Cybercriminals thrive on holiday distractions, but with proactive measures like phishing training, secure endpoints, and network segmentation, businesses can stay ahead of potential threats,” said Alex Panait, System Administrator at Heimdal Security.
Common Holiday Scams That Businesses Should Watch For:
Cybercriminals often tailor their tactics to exploit the festive season. The most common scams include:
- Spear phishing: Emails disguised as holiday bonuses or event invitations that steal credentials or spread malware.
- Malicious holiday E-Cards: Festive greetings that contain links deploying ransomware or spyware.
- Fake E-Commerce sites: Fraudulent websites offering discounts to steal payment information.
- Insider threats: Distracted or disgruntled employees mishandling or exploiting sensitive data.
- Corporate travel scams: Fake booking platforms targeting business travelers.
- Business email compromise (BEC): Fraudulent requests for urgent wire transfers during year-end financial rushes.
For more, read the full article here or watch the video on YouTube to see how these threats unfold and learn actionable prevention strategies.
About Heimdal:
Established in Copenhagen in 2014, Heimdal® empowers CISOs, security teams, and IT administrators to improve their security operations, reduce alert fatigue, and implement proactive measures through a unified command and control platform.
Heimdal’s award-winning cybersecurity solutions span the entire IT estate, addressing challenges from endpoint to network levels, including vulnerability management, privileged access, Zero Trust implementation, and ransomware prevention.
For further press information:
Madalina Popovici
Media Relations Manager
[email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/stay-cyber-safe-this-holiday-season-heimdals-checklist-for-business-security-302337465.html
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB