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PesoRama Inc. and Skyscape Capital Inc. Enter into Letter of Intent for Qualifying Transaction

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Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – December 11, 2020) – Skyscape Capital Inc. (TSXV: SKY.P) (“Skyscape” or the “Corporation“), a capital pool company as defined under TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV” or the “Exchange“) Policy 2.4 – Capital Pool Companies (“Policy 2.4“), is pleased to announce it has entered into a letter of intent dated December 10, 2020 (the “LOI“) with PesoRama Inc. (“PesoRama“), a private company incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act, whereby Skyscape and PesoRama will complete an arrangement, amalgamation, share exchange, or similar transaction to ultimately form the resulting issuer (the “Resulting Issuer“) that will continue on the business of PesoRama (the “Transaction“), subject to the terms and conditions outlined below. Skyscape intends that the Transaction will constitute its Qualifying Transaction, as such term is defined in the policies of the Exchange. Following completion of the Transaction, the Resulting Issuer intends to list as a Tier 1 or 2 Industrial Issuer on the Exchange.

Skyscape and PesoRama previously signed an amalgamation agreement in 2019 which subsequently expired but the companies continued negotiations. During that time, Skyscape secured a proposal from Fundamental Private Markets (“Fundamental“) of Mexico City to provide financing in connection with the Transaction culminating in the signing of the LOI.

PesoRama is a Mexican value single price point dollar store retailer. PesoRama launched operations in 2019 in Mexico City and the surrounding areas targeting high density, high traffic locations. PesoRama’s stores offer consistent merchandise offerings which include items in the following categories: household wares, kitchenware, home cleaning products, home décor products, seasonal products, stationary, toys and games, arts and crafts materials, electronics, souvenirs, novelties, jewelry, clothing, footwear, headwear, costumes, personal care products, health and beauty, cosmetics, food, beverages, snacks, confectionary, pet food and pet accessories, hardware, garden tools and other general merchandise. To date, PesoRama has opened 11 stores and has signed leases for several more.

Fundamental is an investment company, incorporated under the laws of Mexico, that provides capital, managerial expertise and operational value to companies that focus on the growth and modernization of the Latin American consumer. Fundamental’s investment team is a spin-out from Capital Group Private Markets – a pioneer in emerging markets private equity that has invested more than $6 billion in over 90 companies since 1992 – with precedent investments that include landmark private equity transactions in Latin America, such as Arcos Dorados, Burger King Brasil, Koba Colombia (“D1”), Jumbo Retail Argentina and Magazine Luiza. The firm’s main business premise is that the modernization of the Latin American consumer sector presents an attractive investment opportunity, and that a regional approach, specialized sector selection and focus, valuation discipline and operational value-add are essential for delivering good performance outcomes. Fundamental’s team emphasizes deep research and fundamental analysis and believes that fundamentals drive long-term investment returns (hence, the name Fundamental Private Markets). Fundamental targets the large, growing markets of Mexico, Colombia and Brazil.

The terms and conditions outlined in the LOI are non-binding on the parties and the LOI is expected to be superseded by a definitive agreement (the “Definitive Agreement“) to be negotiated between the parties. The LOI contemplates that prior to the closing of the Transaction, Skyscape and PesoRama will complete financings in conjunction with Fundamental and other investors for aggregate gross proceeds of $19,250,000 and not less than $9,250,000 (the “Financings“).

On completion of the Transaction, the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will consist of five directors, two of whom would be nominated by Fundamental, two of whom would be nominated by PesoRama and one of which would be nominated by Skyscape.

Pursuant to the Transaction, one common share of Skyscape will be issued in exchange for each one outstanding common share of PesoRama (the “Exchange Ratio“). As a result of the Transaction, any outstanding convertible securities of PesoRama will be adjusted accordingly or replacement securities issued in the Resulting Issuer.

There is no assurance that a Definitive Agreement will be successfully negotiated or entered into and there is no assurance that the Concurrent Financing will be completed.

As the Transaction is not a Non-Arm’s Length Qualifying Transaction, Skyscape is not required to obtain shareholder approval for the Transaction.

In accordance with the policies of the TSXV, Skyscape’s common share are currently suspended from trading and will remain so until such time as the TSXV determines, which, depending on the policies of the TSXV, may not occur until completion of the Transaction

Conditions to the Transaction

Completion of the Transaction will be subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, acceptance by the TSXV, completion of the Financings and other customary conditions including:

  • receipt of all director, shareholder and requisite regulatory approvals relating to the negotiation and execution of a Definitive Agreement in respect of the Transaction and as may be contemplated by the Definitive Agreement; and
  • preparation and filing of a filing statement (the “Filing Statement“) outlining the definitive terms of the Transaction and describing the business to be conducted by Skyscape following completion of the Transaction, in accordance with the policies of the TSXV; and

Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Sponsorship

Skyscape intends to make an application for exemption from the sponsorship requirements of the TSXV in connection with the Transaction, however there is no assurance that the TSXV will exempt Skyscape from all or part of applicable sponsorship requirements.

Further Information

Skyscape will provide further details in respect of the Transaction and the Financings in due course by way of press release. However, Skyscape will make available to the TSXV, all information including financial information as required by the TSXV and will provide, in a press release to be disseminated at a later date, required disclosure.

All information contained in this press release with respect to PesoRama and Skyscape was supplied by the parties respectively, for inclusion herein, without independent review by the other party, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Filing Statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

For further information:

Paul Pathak
Skyscape Capital Inc.
Director
(416) 644-9964
Email: [email protected]

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements“) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this press release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected” “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”. “estimates”, “believes” or intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this press release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the Transaction and certain terms and conditions thereof; the business of PesoRama, the Financings; the Exchange Ratio, TSXV sponsorship requirements and intended application for exemption therefrom; shareholder, director and regulatory approvals; and future press releases and disclosure. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and the delay or failure to receive shareholder, director or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Skyscape assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act“) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an exemption from such registration is available.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/70086

Fintech

How to identify authenticity in crypto influencer channels

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Modern brands stake on influencer marketing, with 76% of users making a purchase after seeing a product on social media.The cryptocurrency industry is no exception to this trend. However, promoting crypto products through influencer marketing can be particularly challenging. Crypto influencers pose a significant risk to a brand’s reputation and ROI due to rampant scams. Approximately 80% of channels provide fake statistics, including followers counts and engagement metrics. Additionally, this niche is characterized by high CPMs, which can increase the risk of financial loss for brands.

In this article Nadia Bubennnikova, Head of agency Famesters, will explore the most important things to look for in crypto channels to find the perfect match for influencer marketing collaborations.

 

  1. Comments 

There are several levels related to this point.

 

LEVEL 1

Analyze approximately 10 of the channel’s latest videos, looking through the comments to ensure they are not purchased from dubious sources. For example, such comments as “Yes sir, great video!”; “Thanks!”; “Love you man!”; “Quality content”, and others most certainly are bot-generated and should be avoided.

Just to compare: 

LEVEL 2

Don’t rush to conclude that you’ve discovered the perfect crypto channel just because you’ve come across some logical comments that align with the video’s topic. This may seem controversial, but it’s important to dive deeper. When you encounter a channel with logical comments, ensure that they are unique and not duplicated under the description box. Some creators are smarter than just buying comments from the first link that Google shows you when you search “buy YouTube comments”. They generate topics, provide multiple examples, or upload lists of examples, all produced by AI. You can either manually review the comments or use a script to parse all the YouTube comments into an Excel file. Then, add a formula to highlight any duplicates.

LEVEL 3

It is also a must to check the names of the profiles that leave the comments: most of the bot-generated comments are easy to track: they will all have the usernames made of random symbols and numbers, random first and last name combinations, “Habibi”, etc. No profile pictures on all comments is also a red flag.

 

LEVEL 4

Another important factor to consider when assessing comment authenticity is the posting date. If all the comments were posted on the same day, it’s likely that the traffic was purchased.

 

2. Average views number per video

This is indeed one of the key metrics to consider when selecting an influencer for collaboration, regardless of the product type. What specific factors should we focus on?

First & foremost: the views dynamics on the channel. The most desirable type of YouTube channel in terms of views is one that maintains stable viewership across all of its videos. This stability serves as proof of an active and loyal audience genuinely interested in the creator’s content, unlike channels where views vary significantly from one video to another.

Many unauthentic crypto channels not only buy YouTube comments but also invest in increasing video views to create the impression of stability. So, what exactly should we look at in terms of views? Firstly, calculate the average number of views based on the ten latest videos. Then, compare this figure to the views of the most recent videos posted within the past week. If you notice that these new videos have nearly the same number of views as those posted a month or two ago, it’s a clear red flag. Typically, a YouTube channel experiences lower views on new videos, with the number increasing organically each day as the audience engages with the content. If you see a video posted just three days ago already garnering 30k views, matching the total views of older videos, it’s a sign of fraudulent traffic purchased to create the illusion of view stability.

 

3. Influencer’s channel statistics

The primary statistics of interest are region and demographic split, and sometimes the device types of the viewers.

LEVEL 1

When reviewing the shared statistics, the first step is to request a video screencast instead of a simple screenshot. This is because it takes more time to organically edit a video than a screenshot, making it harder to manipulate the statistics. If the creator refuses, step two (if only screenshots are provided) is to download them and check the file’s properties on your computer. Look for details such as whether it was created with Adobe Photoshop or the color profile, typically Adobe RGB, to determine if the screenshot has been edited.

LEVEL 2

After confirming the authenticity of the stats screenshot, it’s crucial to analyze the data. For instance, if you’re examining a channel conducted in Spanish with all videos filmed in the same language, it would raise concerns to find a significant audience from countries like India or Turkey. This discrepancy, where the audience doesn’t align with regions known for speaking the language, is a red flag.

If we’re considering an English-language crypto channel, it typically suggests an international audience, as English’s global use for quality educational content on niche topics like crypto. However, certain considerations apply. For instance, if an English-speaking channel shows a significant percentage of Polish viewers (15% to 30%) without any mention of the Polish language, it could indicate fake followers and views. However, if the channel’s creator is Polish, occasionally posts videos in Polish alongside English, and receives Polish comments, it’s important not to rush to conclusions.

Example of statistics

 

Wrapping up

These are the main factors to consider when selecting an influencer to promote your crypto product. Once you’ve launched the campaign, there are also some markers to show which creators did bring the authentic traffic and which used some tools to create the illusion of an active and engaged audience. While this may seem obvious, it’s still worth mentioning. After the video is posted, allow 5-7 days for it to accumulate a basic number of views, then check performance metrics such as views, clicks, click-through rate (CTR), signups, and conversion rate (CR) from clicks to signups.

If you overlooked some red flags when selecting crypto channels for your launch, you might find the following outcomes: channels with high views numbers and high CTRs, demonstrating the real interest of the audience, yet with remarkably low conversion rates. In the worst-case scenario, you might witness thousands of clicks resulting in zero to just a few signups. While this might suggest technical issues in other industries, in crypto campaigns it indicates that the creator engaged in the campaign not only bought fake views and comments but also link clicks. And this happens more often than you may realize.

Summing up, choosing the right crypto creator to promote your product is indeed a tricky job that requires a lot of resources to be put into the search process. 

Author Nadia Bubennikova, Head of agency  at Famesters

Author

Nadia Bubennikova, Head of agency at Famesters

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Fintech

Central banks and the FinTech sector unite to change global payments space

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The BIS, along with seven leading central banks and a cohort of private financial firms, has embarked on an ambitious venture known as Project Agorá.

Named after the Greek word for “marketplace,” this initiative stands at the forefront of exploring the potential of tokenisation to significantly enhance the operational efficiency of the monetary system worldwide.

Central to this pioneering project are the Bank of France (on behalf of the Eurosystem), the Bank of Japan, the Bank of Korea, the Bank of Mexico, the Swiss National Bank, the Bank of England, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. These institutions have joined forces under the banner of Project Agorá, in partnership with an extensive assembly of private financial entities convened by the Institute of International Finance (IIF).

At the heart of Project Agorá is the pursuit of integrating tokenised commercial bank deposits with tokenised wholesale central bank money within a unified, public-private programmable financial platform. By harnessing the advanced capabilities of smart contracts and programmability, the project aspires to unlock new transactional possibilities that were previously infeasible or impractical, thereby fostering novel opportunities that could benefit businesses and consumers alike.

The collaborative effort seeks to address and surmount a variety of structural inefficiencies that currently plague cross-border payments. These challenges include disparate legal, regulatory, and technical standards; varying operating hours and time zones; and the heightened complexity associated with conducting financial integrity checks (such as anti-money laundering and customer verification procedures), which are often redundantly executed across multiple stages of a single transaction due to the involvement of several intermediaries.

As a beacon of experimental and exploratory projects, the BIS Innovation Hub is committed to delivering public goods to the global central banking community through initiatives like Project Agorá. In line with this mission, the BIS will soon issue a call for expressions of interest from private financial institutions eager to contribute to this ground-breaking project. The IIF will facilitate the involvement of private sector participants, extending an invitation to regulated financial institutions representing each of the seven aforementioned currencies to partake in this transformative endeavour.

Source: fintech.globa

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TD Bank inks multi-year strategic partnership with Google Cloud

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TD Bank has inked a multi-year deal with Google Cloud as it looks to streamline the development and deployment of new products and services.

The deal will see the Canadian banking group integrate the vendor’s cloud services into a wider portion of its technology solutions portfolio, a move which TD expects will enable it “to respond quickly to changing customer expectations by rolling out new features, updates, or entirely new financial products at an accelerated pace”.

This marks an expansion of the already established relationship between TD Bank and Google Cloud after the group previously adopted the vendor’s Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) for TD Securities Automated Trading (TDSAT), the Chicago-based subsidiary of its investment banking unit, TD Securities.

TDSAT uses GKE for process automation and quantitative modelling across fixed income markets, resulting in the development of a “data-driven research platform” capable of processing large research workloads in trading.

Dan Bosman, SVP and CIO of TD Securities, claims the infrastructure has so far supported TDSAT with “compute-intensive quantitative analysis” while expanding the subsidiary’s “trading volumes and portfolio size”.

TD’s new partnership with Google Cloud will see the group attempt to replicate the same level of success across its entire portfolio.

Source: fintechfutures.com

The post TD Bank inks multi-year strategic partnership with Google Cloud appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

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