Fintech PR
IDnow joins consortium aimed at making crypto assets compliant with new EU regulations
System to achieve full compliance of Crypto Asset Service Providers and self-hosted wallets with AML regulations and the Transfer of Funds Regulation
MUNICH, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — IDnow, a leading identity verification platform provider in Europe, joins a consortium of five partners including the IOTA Foundation, walt.id, SPYCE.5, and Bloom Labs with the goal of making Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASPs) and self-hosted wallets compliant with the European Anti-Money-Laundering Regulation and the Transfer of Funds Regulation (TFR).
The new TFR regulation in the EU mandates that all cryptocurrency transactions will need to carry identifying data of the sender and the receiver. According to the new rule, compliance with TFR is mandatory for all CASPs. Additionally, the new AML Regulation will require all CASPs to comply with similar AML rules as other financial institutions. For example, when a user opens an account and registers a wallet with a CASP, an identification process is required to comply with the new AML Regulation and TFR.
One challenge for CASPs to adhere to the new rules lies in GDPR compliance, as personal identifiable information (PII) should not be stored on blockchains or Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT). However, to comply with the new regulations, CASPs need to know with whom they are doing business and continuously verify this information.
Raising trust and transparency in crypto asset transactions
To address this challenge, the partners have formed a consortium to propose a system where a trusted party tokenizes an identification process it has witnessed, allowing CASPs to have confidence in this process, without revealing any PII. The resulting soul-bound token (SBT) can be used for blockchain processes, enabling web3 native interactions. Furthermore, the trusted party can reveal the identity information, if requested by an authorized party, such as law enforcement, as well as revoke the SBT, if needed.
Within the consortium, the IOTA Foundation, a non-profit foundation supporting the development of the IOTA protocol, will provide the underlying network as the proposed solution will be implemented on an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible IOTA Smart Contract Chain. walt.id, a leading open source vendor of decentralized identity and wallet infrastructure, will develop, provide, and maintain the trusted witness service for creating and verifying SBTs like identity proofs, while IDnow will deliver the identity verification solution to onboard users into the wallet solution. Bloom, an all-in-one wallet for the IOTA, Shimmer and EVM ecosystem, will provide the capabilities for users to store, present and prove ownership of the SBT. SPYCE.5, specializing in the integration of hybrid blockchain technologies, will provide the essential infrastructure for seamless interchain communication and transaction validation, ensuring the system’s overall efficiency and regulatory compliance.
Statements
“We are excited to be part of this forward-thinking consortium alongside highly esteemed crypto asset industry players to address a pressing need for crypto wallet solutions that comply with the latest EU regulations. Crypto companies are facing a race against the clock to implement new requirements, which is why we wish to submit this proposed solution to the EU for consideration to address the technological and regulatory challenges around AML, KYC and TFR in crypto,” says Rayissa Armata, Director Global Regulatory and Government Affairs at IDnow.
“We are thrilled to be working with such incredible partners to create a truly seamless user experience and to provide the underlying distributed ledger technology. Identity verification in Web3 environments should be simple and straightforward, without sacrificing privacy or security. As regulatory requirements grow, we need innovative solutions that are easy to use for both businesses and everyday users,” says Dominik Schiener, Chairman of the Board of the IOTA Foundation.
“We have been building decentralized identity and wallet solutions for many clients across various industries, but this project is particularly interesting as it shows new ways of onboarding and verifying users for crypto and DeFi use cases that have traditionally been struggling with regulatory compliance,” says Dominik Beron, Founder of walt.id.
“Bloom is excited to be collaborating with the partners in this consortium. This project will ensure our users and the crypto ecosystem can benefit from a self-hosted wallet that complies with EU regulations,” says Nicole O’Brien, Co-founder of Bloom Labs.
“We’re proud to be part of this groundbreaking consortium, leveraging SPYCE.5’s hybrid chain architecture to navigate the complex landscape of EU regulations. Our innovative approach ensures not only compliance but also maintains the integrity and efficiency vital in the crypto space,” says Holger Köther, Managing Director of SPYCE.5.
About IDnow
IDnow is a leading identity verification platform provider in Europe with a vision to make the connected world a safer place. The IDnow platform provides a broad portfolio of identity verification solutions, ranging from automated to human-assisted from purely online to point-of-sale, each of them optimized for user conversion rates and security.
In 2021, IDnow acquired the French market leader for identity technology, ARIADNEXT, and the German identity Trust Management AG, enabling IDnow to offer its customers one of the broadest identification solutions through a single, integrated platform.
The company has offices in Germany, United Kingdom, and France and is backed by renowned institutional investors, including Corsair Capital and Seventure Partners. Its portfolio of over 900 international clients spans a wide range of industries, and includes leading international players, such as UniCredit, Telefonica, Sixt, Crédit Agricole, BNP, and Munich Re, as well as digital champions like N26, Solarisbank, Younited Credit, Boursorama, Klarna and Tier mobility.
Press contact IDnow
Katherina Riesner
[email protected]
+49 89 41324 6030
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/idnow-joins-consortium-aimed-at-making-crypto-assets-compliant-with-new-eu-regulations-302057865.html
Fintech PR
Ethara: EMIRATI SISTERS AMNA AND HAMDA AL QUBAISI RETURN TO YAS MARINA CIRCUIT FOR F1 ACADEMY SEASON FINALE
The single-seater all-female championship series, Formula 1 Academy, wraps up an exciting season of racing at Yas Marina Circuit, supporting the Formula 1 season finale from 5-8 December
Ambassadors of Abu-Dhabi based team, Yas Heat Racing, Hamda and Amna will race at home with Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App RB – capping off their second season in the championship
ABU DHABI, UAE, Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In their second season competing in F1 Academy, the prestigious single-seater support series, Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi have taken their racing careers to new heights. From 6-8 December, the two young Emirati drivers return to Yas Marina Circuit, where they first developed and honed their skills, to conclude an exhilarating season of on-track action.
Having cultivated their passion for racing in Abu Dhabi, the sisters flourished into competitive athletes under the Yas Heat Academy umbrella, the capital’s premier racing development programme. Now competing for two of the championship’s most competitive teams and serving as ambassadors for Yas Heat Racing, Amna and Hamda Al Qubaisi continue to embody the nation’s vision of nurturing young talent at the grassroots level.
Hamda Al Qubaisi was signed by Red Bull Racing for the team’s debut season in F1 Academy. The 22-year-old has delivered standout performances throughout the campaign, culminating in a strong showing at the penultimate race of the 2024 season in Doha last weekend going into the last round in 6th place.
Meanwhile, Amna Al Qubaisi is driving for Visa Cash App Racing in the championship. The 24-year-old Emirati trailblazer has impressed fans and competitors alike, consistently showcasing her skill and determination on the track.
Looking ahead to their return to Yas Marina Circuit, Amna Al Qubaisi shared her excitement:
“I’ve been racing for 10 years now, I started in karting here at Yas Marina circuit, and I slowly developed from karting nationally, moving up to juniors, then seniors, and the next step was Formula 4. Being a Yas Heat ambassador has been great. Yas Heat has helped me develop my skills. They have taught me, coached me, provided me with the the appropriate insights. It is a program that is going to help young racers in karting move up the ladder.”
Red Bull Racing driver Hamda Al Qubaisi added: “Racing at Yas Marina Circuit is both nostalgic and empowering for us as Emirati women. Representing the UAE and Yas Heat Racing on a global stage has been an incredible opportunity, and we look forward to finishing the season on a high note by giving all we can for our teams, surrounded by friends and family.”
Formula 1 Academy joins a packed racing programme at Yas Marina Circuit during the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, which also features the FIA Formula 2 season finale and the FIA Formula 4 Middle East Trophy Round. Offering non-stop entertainment, the Abu Dhabi GP weekend kicks off on Thursday, 4 December, promising an unforgettable four-day celebration on Yas Island.
For more information, please visit: https://www.yasmarinacircuit.com/en/motorsports/yas-heat-racing
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2575428/Ethara_Amna_Qubaisi.jpg
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ethara-emirati-sisters-amna-and-hamda-al-qubaisi-return-to-yas-marina-circuit-for-f1-academy-season-finale-302325112.html
ZUG, Switzerland, Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Hashgraph Association (THA), a Swiss innovation leader at the forefront of empowering a digital future for all, has committed $1.5 million to the Global Centre for Sustainable Digital Finance as a founding member. This collaboration aims to drive and fund groundbreaking research and innovation at the intersection of sustainability and digital finance.
The Global Centre for Sustainable Digital Finance, which brings together academic experts from Stanford University, the University of Zurich (UZH), and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) in South Korea, focuses on developing and accelerating research in sustainable digital finance with impact and training students and practitioners to foster innovation on a global scale. With THA’s committed funding, the Centre will expand its efforts to address global challenges in banking, ESG, financial inclusion, and climate finance.
The Hashgraph Association’s involvement extends beyond just funding. The organization will collaborate with the Centre to conceptualize and implement projects leveraging its cutting-edge Hedera DLT platform. Additionally, THA will equip 360 students annually with skills in mastering DLT using the Hedera Hashgraph platform, with over 2,160 students to be trained over the duration of the partnership, which is 6 years. It will also train 10 trainers equivalent to 60 trainers over this period. Participants will receive Hedera certifications in the form of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), adding a digital-first dimension to credentialing.
Kamal Youssefi, President of The Hashgraph Association, stated, “At The Hashgraph Association, we are proud to continue supporting organizations that deliver environmentally sustainable finance solutions in an innovative and compliant way. A recent environmental impact study by University College London (UCL) comparing different distributed ledger networks proved that Hedera is the world’s most sustainable network. The Global Center for Sustainable Digital Finance fits perfectly into our Hedera Enablement Program, furthering THA’s efforts to expand research and development in Web3 and support sustainable initiatives.”
A recent survey of 37 UNDP country offices revealed that sustainable digital finance is a priority for many nations, yet only 40% have a digital finance strategy. THA’s partnership with the Global Centre for Sustainable Digital Finance aims to fill this gap by bridging digital finance and sustainability through innovative, education, impactful research and implementation.
Thomas Puschmann, Founder and Executive Director of Global Center for Sustainable Digital Finance, states, “We are very pleased to be working with The Hashgraph Association. Sustainable digital finance has the potential to build inclusive, safe digital foundations, and technologies such as DLT, AI, and IoT, helping to increase transparency and reliability of information, especially in the climate financing domain. These foundations also aid in tackling corruption issues when funding SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) projects.”
The Hashgraph Association launched a $50 million Sustainability Venture Studio for enterprises earlier this year and has also partnered with Deloitte to enhance the verification of corporate ESG impact, reporting, and sustainability claims, leveraging the Hedera Guardian as the trusted balance sheet of the earth. Collaborating with Deloitte NL Risk Advisory B.V. in the Netherlands, this partnership focuses on enabling corporations to measure, track, report, and tokenize evidence-based ESG impact and sustainability claims on Hedera and ensuring a carbon-neutral future.
Kamal Youssefi, President of The Hashgraph Association is available for an interview upon request
About Global Center for Sustainable Finance
The financial system is currently being transformed by digitization and sustainability. However, existing knowledge on the topic of Sustainable Digital Finance, which bridges both areas, is still rare and a more comprehensive understanding of the domain is a missing component. The Global Center for Sustainable Digital Finance focuses on this domain and aims to develop innovative approaches (research), accelerate those approaches (impact), and train students and practitioners to foster innovation on a global scale (education).
About The Hashgraph Association
The Hashgraph Association is at the forefront of the digital enablement and empowerment of organizations through the broad adoption of Hedera-powered enterprise-grade solutions and decentralized applications, which includes supporting and funding of training, innovation, and venture-building programs globally. As a non-profit organization headquartered in Switzerland, The Hashgraph Association provides funding for innovation, research, and development that enables economic inclusion and a digital future for all, with a positive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact.
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For Media Enquiries:
Dustin Rotenberg, Chief Marketing Officer
[email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-hashgraph-association-pledges-1-5m-to-global-centre-for-sustainable-digital-finance-302325106.html
Fintech PR
Thomson Reuters named a Leader in 2024 IDC MarketScape for Worldwide SaaS and Cloud-enabled Sales and Use Tax Automation Software for Enterprise
TORONTO, Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Thomson Reuters (NYSE/TSX: TRI), a global content and technology company, today announced that it has been positioned as a Leader in two IDC MarketScape reports – IDC MarketScape: Worldwide SaaS and Cloud-Enabled SaaS Sales and Use Tax Automation Software for Enterprise 2024 Vendor Assessment (doc #US52035324, December 2024), and IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Value-Added Tax Management Applications 2024 Vendor Assessment (doc #US52732824, December 2024).
“In today’s rapidly evolving global marketplace, tax compliance has become increasingly complex for multinational corporations. At Thomson Reuters, we’re committed to empowering our customers with cutting-edge technology that not only ensures compliance but also enhances their competitive edge,” said Ray Grove, head of Corporate Tax and Trade at Thomson Reuters.
“We believe our recognition as a Leader in both the enterprise SUT and VAT markets in this IDC MarketScape underscores our unwavering dedication to our customers’ success. Through our trusted ONESOURCE solutions, serving over 205 countries and territories, we continue to push the boundaries of innovation. Our vision is to create a seamlessly connected suite of global indirect tax calculation, reporting, and e-invoicing capabilities, providing best-in-class technology to enable our customers to navigate the complexities of tax compliance with confidence and agility.”
“Businesses of all sizes are grappling with an increasingly complex tax landscape, and they are turning to technology vendors for sophisticated tax automation solutions that seamlessly integrate, ensure compliance, and boost operational efficiency,” said Kevin Permenter, research manager at IDC. “Thomson Reuters has consistently demonstrated its commitment to innovation and customer success in the SaaS and cloud-enabled Value-Added Tax automation software market. Their ONESOURCE platform stands out for its comprehensive global coverage, robust integration capabilities, and advanced features powered by edge computing and AI. They are positioned well to address the evolving needs of businesses facing intricate tax compliance challenges across multiple jurisdictions.”
Pagero, part of Thomson Reuters, was also recently named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: European Compliant e-Invoicing 2024 Vendor Assessment (doc #EUR151806424, September 2024). As a key part of Thomson Reuters e-invoicing offering, ONESOURCE Pagero supports businesses to accelerate growth with trusted, automated e-invoicing software that streamlines global compliance processes to unlock valuable business insights.
Thomson Reuters ONESOURCE offers comprehensive tax compliance solutions, including automated tax return preparation and filing for Sales and Use Tax and VAT. It integrates with major ERPs and provides tax determination and calculation for all transactions. ONESOURCE also features edge computing for faster, more controlled tax calculations. Recently, Thomson Reuters launched ONESOURCE with CoCounsel globally, integrating generative AI assistance. This enhanced solution combines a new AI Product Support skill with CoCounsel, Thomson Reuters professional-grade generative AI assistant that provides instant, natural-language answers drawn from Thomson Reuters trusted, proprietary content.
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each supplier’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of technology suppliers can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective suppliers.
Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters (NYSE / TSX: TRI) (“TR”) informs the way forward by bringing together the trusted content and technology that people and organizations need to make the right decisions. The company serves professionals across legal, tax, accounting, compliance, government, and media. Its products combine highly specialized software and insights to empower professionals with the data, intelligence, and solutions needed to make informed decisions, and to help institutions in their pursuit of justice, truth, and transparency. Reuters, part of Thomson Reuters, is a world leading provider of trusted journalism and news. For more information, visit tr.com.
Media contact
Kirsty Bennett
Director, Customer and Product PR
[email protected]
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