Fintech PR
XREX Singapore Receives MAS Major Payment Institution Licence In-principle Approval
SINGAPORE, Nov. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — XREX, a blockchain-enabled financial institution specialising in cross-border payments in emerging markets, announced today that its Singapore entity has obtained in-principle approval for a Major Payments Institution (MPI) Licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the nation’s central bank and financial regulator.
The MAS regulates digital payment token service providers (DPTSPs) under the Payments Services Act 2019, which requires a DPTSP to operate under an MPI licence that specifically allows for the provision of DPT services.
Since the establishment of this licencing regime in January 2020, hundreds of DPTSPs have submitted their applications. According to a report by The Straits Times last year, the MAS has received over 580 applications for payment services licences. Fewer than 20 DPT licences and in-principle approvals have been granted to date and with this nod from the MAS, XREX joins a group of approved exchanges, stablecoin issuers and neobanks such as Coinbase, DBS Vickers, Circle, Paxos, Ripple, and Revolut.
“Hard-fought, the approval from the MAS has taken years to come to fruition, and rightly so. Singapore wants to attract responsible actors, and the reality is that doing so necessitates a fine-tooth comb. This is great for Singapore and great for our industry as a whole,” said XREX Singapore CEO, Christopher Chye. “XREX is looking forward to introducing cheaper, safer, and faster domestic and cross-border payments for Singapore and emerging market businesses.”
The MPI licence will allow XREX Singapore to expand XREX’s crypto-friendly escrow payment tool – BitCheck – to support fiat, stablecoins, and cryptocurrencies.
XREX Singapore will serve as the Asia Pacific headquarters for the group. XREX will expand its partnership with major banks, credit card institutions, and payment institutions in one of the world’s most important financial hubs and seamlessly bridge blockchain finance and traditional finance.
“XREX Group is the world’s only digital asset player to which Singaporean and Taiwanese regulators have simultaneously granted approvals for virtual asset services. This is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the highest regulatory compliance standards,” said XREX co-founder and Group CEO Wayne Huang.
XREX Singapore’s in-principle approval encompasses a total of six payment services, namely:
i) Account issuance service;
ii) Domestic money transfer service;
iii) Cross-border money transfer service;
iv) Merchant acquisition service;
v) E-money issuance service; and
vi) Digital payment token service.
“Singapore boasts a progressive and robust regulatory framework, offering our users the clarity and confidence they need to access digital assets and use stablecoins,” said XREX Group and XREX Singapore Head of Compliance, Nick Chang. XREX Singapore Head of Legal Jason Lai adds, “We’re excited to bring to bear our team’s expertise in navigating the intricacies of cross-border legal frameworks and common law principles. The in-principle approval further cements our commitment to regulatory compliance and user safety.”
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About XREX
XREX Singapore is an MAS-regulated financial institution leveraging blockchain technology to make cross-border payments faster, cheaper and safer for businesses globally. Its proprietary escrow payment feature – BitCheck – empowers enterprises to switch flexibly between digital currencies, stablecoins or traditional currencies, thereby ushering their businesses into the new era of digital money. XREX Singapore also specialises in working with emerging markets businesses to help solve their issues with USD liquidity access.
A subsidiary of XREX Group, XREX Singapore is registered with the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as a Money Service Business (MSB).
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/xrex-singapore-receives-mas-major-payment-institution-licence-in-principle-approval-301991462.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
Fintech PR
According to Tickmill survey, 3 in 10 Britons in economic difficulty: Purchasing power down 41% since 2004
The people who have the most problems are women (30%) and are between 35 and 49 years old (39%)
ROME, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The purchasing power in the UK has dropped by 41% over the last 20 years. Today, £100,000 left in a bank account since 2004 without being invested would now be worth £59,021.
This figure is one of the findings from a study conducted by Tickmill, an international online trading broker that compared the economic situation in the UK and the European Union through the infographic “Purchasing Power and Cost of Living: UK vs EU”.
The analysis reveals a slight decline of 0.4% in the UK’s purchasing power, which currently stands at £41,573. In contrast, the European Union has seen a modest rise of 0.1%, reaching £40,874.
Why is purchasing power declining in the UK? One key factor is the cost of living. If the UK were still part of the European Union, it would rank as the fifth most expensive country, behind Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
Unsurprisingly, 3 in 10 Britons are struggling with the cost of living. Women (3 in 10, compared to 25% of men), those aged between 35 and 49 (4 in 10), households earning less than £15,000 (6 in 10), and single parents (1 in 2) are among the most affected groups.
Among UK nations, Northern Ireland is the hardest hit, with 34% of its population facing financial difficulties, followed by Wales (31%), England (28%), and Scotland (22%). In England, the North East has the highest percentage of people struggling, with 4 in 10 residents affected. Even in London, the high costs impact 1 in 4 adults.
In response to these challenges, Britons are making significant adjustments:
- 53% have cut back or delayed spending on smaller items like eating out, entertainment, subscriptions, clothing, toys, books, etc.;
- 52% have reduced household energy consumption;
- 48% have decreased their grocery spending;
- 41% have scaled back or postponed major expenditures, such as holidays, cars, and weddings;
- 26% are working longer hours, taking on overtime, or pursuing additional jobs to earn extra income.
The British also made changes on the financial side. One in four adults has been forced to dip into their savings or investments to cover daily expenses. Moreover, 44% have stopped saving or investing entirely or have reduced their savings and investments—a 4% increase compared to 2023.
The lack of investment is another critical factor contributing to the decline in purchasing power. It is estimated that 13 million UK residents hold £430 billion in cash deposits but do not invest. The reasons? Seventy-four percent say they cannot compare investment products effectively, and 43% are afraid of losing their money.
A lack of knowledge and fear are preventing many savers from taking advantage of an important opportunity: preserving or increasing their purchasing power in the long term.
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View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/according-to-tickmill-survey-3-in-10-britons-in-economic-difficulty-purchasing-power-down-41-since-2004-302337354.html
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