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HTX Ventures: Bitcoin Scripting Advances Unlock Potential for Secure and Scalable BTCFI

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SINGAPORE, Sept. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — HTX Ventures, the global investment division of HTX, today released its latest research analysing Bitcoin’s potential and challenges in the field of Bitcoin decentralized finance (BTCFI). The report, titled Exploring the BTCFI Rabbit Hole from the Perspective of Bitcoin’s Programmability, aims to help readers understand the BTCFI sector better, by exploring the evolutionary path of Bitcoin programming, delving into how Bitcoin programming can support various BTCFI applications, showcasing the current real-world BTCFI implementation scenarios, and explaining the underlying logic of BTCFI’s future growth and adoption.

HTX Ventures has been contributing to BTCFI for a long time. As stated in its 2024 Half-Year Investment Report, BTCFI is highlighted as one of HTX Ventures’ six key investment directions in 2024. Some of HTX Ventures’ portfolio companies in the BTCFI sector include Babylon, BounceBit, COREx, and more.

The new report once again shows HTX Ventures’ interest in BTCFI. It begins with the foundations of the Bitcoin contracts, which were laid fourteen years ago by Satoshi. Understanding the basics of Bitcoin programming involves several concepts, including Transaction Outputs (TXO), Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO), scriptSig, and Opcodes. “Bitcoin script programming is about programming money and enabling a specific amount of money to respond to particular input data. By designing the scriptPubKey, opcodes, and the interaction process between users, we can offer cryptographic guarantees for the key state transitions of Bitcoin contracts, ensuring the contracts’ proper execution,” the report points out.

There are some mechanisms to be used to enable the implementation of different types of transactions, including MultiSig, Timelocks, Hashlocks, Flow Control, and SIGHASH. The report explains, “the basic model of Bitcoin programming is where UTXO locking scripts specify verification conditions, unlocking scripts provide data, and opcodes in locking scripts indicate the verification program. The funds can be spent once the verification program is passed.”

There are some core limitations, however, such as only a few verification programs being available, Bitcoin scripts having no computational power, and UTXO unlocking conditions being completely independent.

Unlike the computation-based Ethereum contracts, Bitcoin contracts are verification-based, which has brought many challenges in developing BTCFI products. Despite the difficulties,  “over the ten years of developing Bitcoin contracts, the ingenious use of cryptographic algorithms and signatures has significantly enhanced privacy, efficiency, and decentralization, making BTCFI products possible,” the report states, and starts introducing Bitcoin programming milestones. Innovative tools, such as the Discreet Log Contract (DLC), Partially Signed Bitcoin Transactions (PSBT), and MuSig2 bring new solutions to the problems in Bitcoin programming, driving the development of BTCFI.

The Taproot upgrade activated in November 2021 was revolutionary for the Bitcoin ecosystem, allowing Bitcoin to hold in custody large-scale smart contracts with tens of thousands of signatories while concealing all participants and maintaining the size of a single-signature transaction. This makes more complex on-chain BTCFI operations possible and significantly improves privacy and transaction efficiency.

Such technological innovations pave the way for BTCFI’s further development. Then in January 2023, Ordinals were proposed, which aimed to assign each sat a unique identifier and attribute, so as to transform it into a unique NFT. The creation and trading of Bitcoin NFTs were realized, not only expanding the uses of Bitcoin but also allowing users to directly create and trade digital assets on the Bitcoin blockchain. This led to the introduction of BRC-20, a token system for on-chain recording and off-chain processing that uses JSON data’s ordinal inscriptions to deploy token contracts, mint tokens, and transfer them.

The naissance of Ordinals and BRC-20 created trading demand and blue-chip assets for BTCFI. More importantly, they offered many BTCFI projects new ideas based on indexer programming that enhanced Bitcoin’s contract capabilities.

Bitcoin’s programmability has come a long way and made great progress, forming a thriving BTCFI ecosystem with more and more application scenarios of BTCFI arising. The report lastly lists some notable BTCFI implementations, including BTC staking provider Babylon, asset issuance platforms Unisat and Magic Eden, lending protocol Liquidium, BTCFI scaling solution Fractal Bitcoin, and more.

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The emergence of BTCFI applications indicates that its market potential is becoming evident. With Bitcoin becoming more and more mainstream, the market demand for BTCFI use cases will also increase, fostering a new financial ecosystem centered around Bitcoin. “The formation of this ecosystem will propel Bitcoin further beyond the ‘digital gold’ narrative, establishing it as an indispensable decentralized financial infrastructure in the global economic system,” the report concludes.

To read the full report, please visit: https://square.htx.com/htx-ventures-exploring-the-btcfi-rabbit-hole-from-the-perspective-of-bitcoins-programmability/

About HTX Ventures

HTX Ventures, the global investment division of HTX, integrates investment, incubation, and research to identify the best and brightest teams worldwide. With more than a decade-long history as an industry pioneer, HTX Ventures excels at identifying cutting-edge technologies and emerging business models within the sector. To foster growth within the blockchain ecosystem, we provide comprehensive support to projects, including financing, resources, and strategic advice.

HTX Ventures currently backs over 300 projects spanning multiple blockchain sectors, with select high-quality initiatives already trading on the HTX exchange. Furthermore, as one of the most active FOF (Fund of Funds) funds, HTX Ventures invests in 30 top global funds and collaborates with leading blockchain funds such as Polychain, Dragonfly, Bankless, Gitcoin, Figment, Nomad, Animoca, and Hack VC to jointly build a blockchain ecosystem. Visit us here.

Feel free to contact us for investment and collaboration at [email protected]

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Nium Expands Across Australia and New Zealand, Driven by Increased Adoption from Financial Institutions and Spend Management Platforms

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Spend management platform, RedOwl, joins as latest partner; 
Nium has seen monthly payment volume grow by 3X over the last twelve months, in the Oceania region

SYDNEY, Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Nium, the global leader in real-time cross-border payments, today announced that its monthly payment volume grew by 3X in Oceania, over the last year. This growth has been driven by a surge in adoption from financial institutions and spend management platforms, with AI platform, RedOwl, being the latest partner to join the Nium network. RedOwl’s immediate goal is to bring AI to corporate cards, joining spend management category leaders Weel and Budgetly, who have turned to Nium for white-label card issuing and cross-border payouts.  

RedOwl is bringing the power of AI into payment rails, championing intelligence and real-time decision making when it comes to card related payments. “We chose Nium because of their unparalleled infrastructure and expertise in powering modern payments. Their solutions allow us to enter the market faster and deliver greater value to our customers,” said Jitto Arulampalam, Co-founder and CEO at RedOwl. 

Budgetly has been a Nium customer since 2020. The company tapped Nium to provide more convenience and control to its SME clientele through the provision of pre-paid cards for expense management processes. “Partnering with Nium has been a game-changer for Budgetly,” said Simon Lenoir, CEO and Founding Director at Budgetly. “Through Nium, we recently launched our international bill payment solution, offering our customers the ability to make payments effortlessly via one portal. This partnership has allowed us to scale rapidly and offer seamless experiences for our customers.” 

“The spend management industry is booming in Australia, with businesses increasingly turning to Nium for its white-label card issuing and cross-border payment solutions,” said Anupam Pahuja, EVP and GM for APAC, Middle East, and Africa at Nium. “Our platform solves complex payment problems across a wide range of verticals, including travel, payroll, insurance, and e-commerce. Our card issuance solution has already issued over 75 million cards globally, supporting major global brands. This, along with Nium’s extensive geographical coverage and B2B infrastructure focus, positions the company as a critical enabler for businesses looking to scale in Australia, New Zealand, and beyond.”

In addition to its success in Australia, Nium recently achieved another critical milestone by registering as a Financial Service Provider in New Zealand. This pivotal step marks the company’s entry into the dynamic financial landscape of New Zealand, allowing it to extend its comprehensive suite of financial solutions to local businesses. Nium expects that its offerings will range from virtual accounts and global payouts to debit and prepaid cards, enabling businesses to streamline operations and improve their financial efficiency.

“Becoming a registered Financial Service Provider in New Zealand reaffirms our commitment to delivering innovative financial solutions globally,” continued Pahuja. “Our presence in New Zealand, alongside our established operations in Australia, positions us as a key player in the region’s financial ecosystem, empowering businesses to thrive through our technology.”

Since its founding ten years ago, Nium has raised over $300 million USD (up to Series E). In October 2023, Nium celebrated its Centaur status, reaching $100 million USD in aggregate net revenue — a milestone achieved by only 1% of startups globally. This achievement underscores Niums rapid growth and leadership in enabling seamless global financial services for businesses.

About Nium

Nium, the global leader in 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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Media contacts:
Anjali DMello,
+6591812542,
[email protected] 

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Gold and Fractal EMS Announce a Partnership for an American BMS

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ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Fractal EMS Inc. (“Fractal”), a leading provider of advanced solar and storage controls, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Gold Electronic Equipment Inc. (“Gold”), a leading high-tech company specializing in R&D, active balancing technology and manufacturing of the battery management system (BMS). A signing ceremony and celebration was held on September 9th at the RE+ clean energy conference in Anaheim, California. The new partnership will provide a cybersecure American BMS to customers worldwide (“Fractal BMS”).

The Fractal BMS provides a 3-level BMS architecture (module, rack and system).  The design of the Fractal BMS has been finalized, featuring an American-sourced chip, printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), and cybersecurity, ensuring compliance with U.S. policies for sourcing and critical infrastructure protection. The Fractal BMS has the option to provide active cell balancing to maximize each battery cell’s useful capacity and life.

“Other companies proposing an American BMS have not addressed the cybersecurity concerns of the BMS. Some companies are licensing a foreign BMS or only providing a top-level device, neither of which cure cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. We are thrilled to collaborate with Gold to bring this advanced American BMS to the market. This partnership underscores our commitment to innovation, security, and supporting American technology,” said Daniel Crotzer, CEO at Fractal EMS.

Fractal BMS is scheduled for UL testing in late October 2024 and aims to become the gold standard for BESS deployments to mitigate risks associated with Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOC) and known cyber vulnerabilities in programmable devices. The American BMS will be available to battery manufacturers globally, offering a reliable and secure solution for battery management needs.

Pictured Mr. Daniel Crotzer, CEO of Fractal EMS Inc. (left) and Mr. Jian Hong Xu, CEO of Gold Electronic Equipment Inc. (right).

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Ascenda partners with Uber for first-of-a-kind points redemption for consumers worldwide

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NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ascenda, the global premium rewards network, today announced it has expanded its rewards network in order to enable fintech and banking clients’ customers to redeem their reward points in partnership with Uber. These credits will appear in users’ Uber wallets, and can be applied towards the cost of any of their products.

Uber is available in over 70 countries and powers over 30 million rideshares each day. With a global presence, the ability for millions of customers to earn Uber credits aims to deliver more engagement across Uber Rides, Uber Eats, and any other Uber offering in respective local markets.

“We’re committed to adding value for our users, with ease and flexibility at the forefront of our customer experience,” said Jenna Brown, Head of Uber for Business UK. “Our partnership with Ascenda will help us deliver this value to Uber users worldwide.”

“We’re building the most comprehensive consumer engagement ecosystem in the market,” said Josh Berwitz, CCO of Ascenda. “This exciting partnership with Uber enables us to bring tangible rewards and redemption experiences at scale, delivering compelling value and stronger relationships between our financial service clients, our rewards partners, and consumers.”

About Ascenda

Ascenda powers the growth of financial service brands and merchants globally with premium rewards propositions that accelerate customer acquisition, increase usage, and drive retention. Its best-in-class customer engagement platform is simple to deploy and powered by a unique global network of premium content that unlocks exceptional end-user value. 

For more information, please visit ascenda.com

About Uber

Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 49 billion trips later, we’re building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.

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