Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Mitsui Chemicals Group partners PLASTIFY for beach cleaning at Coney Island

 


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Photo: Group photograph of our employees and family members with PLASTIFY


Spreading awareness on marine trash in support for World Cleanup Day

SINGAPORE, Sept 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mitsui Chemicals Asia Pacific (MCAP) – In the early hours of 20 September 2025, a dedicated group of 15 employees from the affiliates in Singapore and their family members came together to make a tangible impact on the environment in celebration of World Cleanup Day. Partnering with sustainability-focused organization PLASTIFY, the team conducted a coastal cleanup that resulted in the collection of more than 145kg of trash.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250929028553/en/ 

The cleanup effort, under the group’s global cleanup name, Clean-up Caravan, uncovered a wide range of marine debris, including washed-up jerry cans, polystyrene foam bits, cigarette butts, and single-use plastic bags. It is a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by plastic pollution.

The event was part of a global movement that unites millions of volunteers across the world to tackle the mismanaged waste crisis. The group’s efforts contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet and underscore the importance of collective action.

About Mitsui Chemicals Group Clean-up Caravan

Launched in 2019, the Clean-up Caravan brings affiliates worldwide together to prevent litter from entering waterways and oceans. In Singapore, employees are encouraged to join these activities to better understand litter issues and promote proper waste disposal and recycling.

About Mitsui Chemicals Group in Singapore

Singapore is home to five affiliates for the Mitsui Chemicals Group. Besides MCAP, the Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters of Mitsui Chemicals Inc., the four other entities are Mitsui Elastomers Singapore, Prime Evolue Singapore, SDC Technologies Asia Pacific, and Mitsui Chemicals Singapore R&D Centre.

Being the Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters, MCAP strives to drive business growth, provide robust functional services to regional affiliates and businesses, and deliver value to customers by leveraging on the strengths of all affiliates in the Mitsui Chemicals Group.

About Plastify

PLASTIFY recycles plastic waste into functional goods, including custom products and furniture, and facilitates educational workshops.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250929028553/en/

Contact

For enquiries about this release, please contact the following:
Eric Lim
Corporate & Marketing Communication
Mitsui Chemicals Asia Pacific, Ltd.
eric.lim@mitsuichemicals.com

Source : Mitsui Chemicals Asia Pacific, Ltd.

Firmus Technologies Partners with Rafay to Expand Platform and AI Cloud Services across Asia-Pacific

 


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Firmus Technologies Partners with Rafay to Expand Platform and AI Cloud Services across Asia-Pacific


SYDNEY & SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Firmus Technologies has selected Rafay, a leader in cloud-native orchestration, to integrate Platform-as-a-Service capabilities into the Firmus AI Cloud. The partnership enhances Firmus’ developer experience, enabling users to train, fine-tune, and deploy AI models directly on Firmus’ vertically integrated AI Factory infrastructure.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250929970447/en/ 

Rafay’s orchestration platform connects seamlessly with Firmus’ AI FactoryOS – a proprietary operating system designed to maximise efficiency across compute, cooling, and orchestration. Combining consistently optimized infrastructure with cloud services delivers a new frictionless, full-stack experience purpose-built for AI at scale.

This integration gives developers flexible, self-service access to Firmus’ AI Factory deployments, including Project Southgate - Australia’s largest GPU deployment, powered by renewable energy. Designed for low energy and water usage with dense compute efficiency, Southgate provides next-generation infrastructure at unmatched cost and carbon performance.

“We’re committed to full-stack innovation, and that includes cloud services,” said Dr Daniel Kearney, CTO of Firmus Technologies. “For us, that means giving developers a seamless path to train and deploy on world-class infrastructure. Rafay helps us offer a best-in-class experience to users accessing Southgate compute - turning next-gen hardware into a highly usable, low-friction cloud environment.”

Expanding Capabilities with Rafay

The upgraded capabilities enables enterprise customers and individual developers to access a complete stack for modern AI workloads – from raw compute to developer-ready services. With the addition of the Rafay Platform, enhanced capabilities will include:
  • GPU-Powered Compute: Bare metal servers, virtual machines, SLURM clusters, and Kubernetes environments optimized for AI workloads.
  • Self-Service Tools for Data Scientists: Access to Jupyter Notebooks, ML Workbenches, and NVIDIA technologies such as NVIDIA NIM.
  • Developer-Friendly AI Services: Serverless Inference and Serviceless Finetuning to enable model consumption and business-specific fine-tuning without infrastructure overhead.
  • AI Studio: model hosting, streaming fine-tuning and inferencing.
"We’re proud to partner with Firmus to enable the next wave of enterprise AI in Asia-Pacific," said Haseeb Budhani, CEO and co-founder of Rafay Systems. “With our Kubernetes Operations Platform integrated into the Firmus AI Cloud, users of all sizes in the region now gain the control and scalability they need to go from prototyping to production with unprecedented agility and cost-efficiency.”

About Firmus Technologies

Firmus Technologies builds world-class, highly-efficient AI factories, utilizing its proprietary technology to drive down total cost of ownership and accelerate AI adoption. With offices in Australia and Singapore, Firmus partners with government, enterprise, education and the innovators of tomorrow to create sustainable, sovereign AI solutions. For more information, visit www.firmus.co.

About Rafay Systems

Founded in 2017, Rafay is committed to elevating CPU and GPU-based infrastructure to a strategic asset for enterprises and cloud service providers. Enterprises, NVIDIA Cloud Partner, and GPU Clouds leverage the company’s GPU PaaS™ (Platform-as-a-Service) stack to simplify the complexities of managing cloud and on-premises based infrastructure while enabling self-service workflows for platform and DevOps teams–all within one multi-tenant offering. The Rafay Platform also helps companies improve governance capabilities, optimize costs of CPU & GPU resources, and accelerate the delivery of cloud-native and AI-powered applications. Customers such as MoneyGram and Guardant Health entrust Rafay to be the cornerstone of their modern infrastructure strategy and AI architecture. Gartner has recognized Rafay as a Cool Vendor in Container Management. GigaOm named Rafay as a Leader and Outperformer in the GigaOm Radar Report for Managed Kubernetes.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250929970447/en/

Contact

Media Contact:
Lauren Crystal, Head of Communications
lauren.crystal@firmus.co

Source : Rafay Systems

Hanshow Powers FairPrice Group’s Flagship “Store Of Tomorrow” With Smart Retail Solutions

 


KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Hanshow, a global leader in digital retail solutions, has provided advanced digital solutions to support FairPrice Group (FPG) for its newest FairPrice Finest store at Punggol Digital District, Singapore.

As FPG’s trusted technology provider, Hanshow in a statement said it continues to provide the digital retail solutions that support its Store of Tomorrow vision to reinvent the retail journey for consumers.

Positioned as the world’s first generative artificial intelligence (AI)-powered “Store of Tomorrow”, the new FairPrice Finest offers cutting-edge features such as digital price tags, AI shopping assistants, digital ‘endless’ aisles and automated discount application, delivering a more personalised, seamless and eco-friendly shopping experience.

Creating a connected environment that benefits both consumers and store teams, the new flagship store showcases how retail technology can optimise the full shopping journey, from pricing management to in-store engagement.

Hanshow’s digital store solutions, including its ESL and in-store marketing solutions, have been implemented across all key consumer touchpoints at the new FPG Finest store.

This integrated approach helps the store connect online and offline channels, creating a truly omnichannel environment while transforming each product zone into a more engaging, experiential destination for consumers.

In addition, Hanshow’s ESL solution enables dynamic, real-time price and promotion updates, giving store teams the flexibility to adjust prices daily or multiple times in a single day, providing consumers clear, accurate and up-to-date pricing and product information.

Meanwhile, Hanshow’s Lumina displays provide stores with a dynamic tool to engage consumers and drive sales. Store teams can flexibly showcase products they want to feature, while vivid, high‑resolution colour screens present detailed product information, usage ideas, and benefits in a highly visual format.

Together, Hanshow and FPG are building the Store of Tomorrow in Singapore while setting a new benchmark for global retail, where digital innovation, sustainability, and customer experience converge.

-- BERNAMA

Monday, 29 September 2025

OMRON Healthcare Exceeds 400M Blood Pressure Monitors Sold

 

KYOTO, Japan, Sept. 29, 2025 /Kyodo JBN/ --

- Reinforcing Commitment to Preventive Cardiovascular and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring -

OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd., a global leader in innovative medical equipment for preventive healthcare, announced that cumulative worldwide sales of OMRON blood pressure monitors (BPMs) have exceeded 400 million units. This landmark achievement underscores the company’s longstanding commitment to extending healthy life expectancy by advancing home blood pressure monitoring and preventive cardiovascular care.

Logo: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M000242/202509195504/_prw_PI1fl_k2sj30Cw.png

Image: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M000242/202509195504/_prw_PI2fl_68Qw97R2.png

The journey began over half a century ago, with the launch of the first OMRON-branded BPM in 1973, when all blood pressure measurement was conducted at medical facilities. Nowadays, thanks to advances in technology, anyone can easily and accurately measure their own blood pressure at home, and OMRON Healthcare has continued to drive the evolution of blood pressure management to support preventive healthcare, including efforts to detect potentially life-threatening conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AFib) at an early stage.

As a new chapter begins, OMRON Healthcare’s industry-leading devices and digital health platforms continue to transform daily monitoring into a powerful tool for the protection of global health. With distribution in over 130 countries and regions worldwide, OMRON Healthcare is committed to ensuring access to accurate, cost-effective home blood pressure monitors in emerging markets where preventive healthcare resources remain limited, working to reduce health disparities by enabling early detection and intervention in communities most at risk.

"Reaching 400 million units sold is more than a number -- it represents the trust that millions of people place in OMRON Healthcare to support their journey toward longer, healthier lives," said Ayumu Okada, President and CEO, OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd. "The quality and accuracy of OMRON blood pressure monitors are well recognized by healthcare professionals around the world. We remain dedicated to 'Going for ZERO' vision, aiming to eradicate cerebro-cardiovascular events globally by developing technologies that connect daily life and healthcare, empowering people everywhere to take preventive action. We will continue to promote innovative products, services, and educational efforts to raise awareness of hypertension risks -- not only for those already diagnosed, but also for those who may not yet realize they are at risk."
https://healthcare.omron.com/going-for-zero/400-million

Innovation for Preventive Care
Building on over 50 years of expertise, OMRON Healthcare continues to advance technology that transforms blood pressure monitors into essential preventive care devices, through innovations including:
- Connected digital health monitoring: Bluetooth-enabled devices integrate with the OMRON connect (TM) app, supporting trend visualization, family sharing, and physician oversight.
- AI-powered detection: Unique, FDA-cleared Intellisense AFib (TM) technology enables early recognition of atrial fibrillation during routine monitoring.
- Integrated measurement: Complete (TM) monitor combines blood pressure and ECG readings, seamlessly shareable with physicians via the OMRON connect (TM) app.
- Remote monitoring partnerships: OMRON’s Digital Health Business continues to expand with the acquisition of new subsidiary Luscii, and strategic partnerships with international companies.

About OMRON Healthcare: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202509195504-O1-1133eHlN.pdf

For more information, please visit:
Website: https://healthcare.omron.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/omron-healthcare-co-ltd-/

Source: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.

Record water tariff increases finally end, but Europe emerges a new leader

 

OXFORD, England, Sept 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Water Intelligence (GWI)’s annual Tariff Survey, published on 24th September, found that average global water tariff growth from 2024 to 2025 was 6.2%, putting an end to the record increases seen in the high-inflation post-pandemic years.

Where tariffs are increasing however, the decision is more frequently driven by the needs for long-term investments rather than operational cost recovery, which was driving early post-pandemic increases. 

Unusually, Europe is at the forefront of this year’s tariff increase, with new legislation and investments in climate change resilience driving higher-than-usual increases. Two countries join Europe at the top of the increase table, Turkey and Kazakhstan, with both countries taking seven of the ten spots for top increases in 2025.

In Kazakhstan, the authorities took the plunge with a shift to volumetric tariffs to meet investment needs in ageing infrastructure and resilience. Despite the large increase, tariffs remain low in absolute terms however.

Elsewhere in Asia, where GWI has surveyed 172 cities from 40 countries and territories, growth is sluggish. A few notable increases in India are far from enough to lift the country’s standing in the tariff ranking: South Asia remains by far the cheapest region in the world. 

In Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, after sustained growth over the past few years, growth is relatively subdued this year, with notable exceptions such as South Africa and Argentina. As for North America, tariff growth is stable, underpinned in many cities by increases in stormwater charges to cope with more extreme weather events.

Become a GWI Member today to access the full dataset, including detailed tariff profiles for 641 cities in 200 countries, in-depth articles, plus all previous tariff survey data dating back to 2011: www.globalwaterintel.com.

About Global Water Intelligence

Global Water Intelligence is the leading market intelligence and events company serving the international water industry. Over the last 25 years we have built our business around being a trusted interface between our clients and their markets, providing our customers with high-level intelligence that enables them to make the most informed strategic decisions for their business. We cover municipal markets and every industrial vertical as well as technology, finance and economics.

CONTACT: Emilie Filou
COMPANY: Global Water Intelligence
PHONE: 01865 204208
EMAIL: sales@globalwaterintel.com
WEB: https://www.globalwaterintel.com 

SOURCE: Global Water Intelligence

Friday, 26 September 2025

AM BEST TO SPONSOR, PRESENT AT 29TH INDONESIA RENDEZ-VOUS CONFERENCE IN BALI

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best will sponsor, exhibit and lead a session at the 29th Indonesia Rendez-Vous Conference, taking place for three days beginning Oct 15 in Bali, Indonesia.

At the event, AM Best financial analyst, XinYa Ong will give a presentation on what the credit rating agency’s market segment outlook for Indonesia’s non-life insurance segment will be heading into 2026, as well as a discussion on challenges and developments in the marketplace.

Meanwhile, managing director and chief executive officer of AM Best Singapore operations, Rob Curtis and its market development analyst, Johnathan Wong will be in attendance and available for meetings.

AM Best in a statement said it is sponsoring the Indonesia Rendez-Vous as a news partner, with the conference scheduled to take place at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center.

The annual conference is one of the leading events of the General Insurance Association of Indonesia and carries this year’s theme, “Empowering Trust: Connecting the World of Insurance & Reinsurance”.

Headquartered in the United States, AM Best does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City.

-- BERNAMA

CLOUDERA EXPANDS AI ECOSYSTEM WITH STRATEGIC NEW PARTNERS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Cloudera announced the expansion of its Enterprise AI Ecosystem with four new strategic partnerships designed to deliver complete, production-ready artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for enterprises worldwide.

This initiative brings together industry leaders to offer a complete suite of solutions that address enterprises’ most pressing AI needs, end-to-end, according to Cloudera in a statement.

As organisations rapidly evolve in their AI maturity, from retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and copilots to predictive engines, AI-driven automation, and intelligent agents, Cloudera is helping them move beyond experimentation to embed AI into core business operations.

Its AI-powered lakehouse provides a unified foundation for scalable, governed, and secure AI deployment across structured and unstructured data.

“The Enterprise AI Ecosystem has become a cornerstone of our strategy to help large enterprises navigate the complexities of AI adoption.

“Our newest partners bring specialised capabilities that directly address the biggest challenges our customers face today,” said Cloudera Chief Strategy Officer, Abhas Ricky.

Cloudera’s four newly announced partners bring complementary strengths to its expanding Enterprise AI Ecosystem. ServiceNow brings powerful workflow automation to the table, integrating its platform with Cloudera’s data foundation to enable seamless, real-time access to enterprise data without duplication.

Meanwhile, Fundamental offers a predictive AI engine tailored for structured enterprise data without the need for manual tuning, while Pulse provides advanced document processing to convert unstructured content into large language model (LLM)-ready data. Rounding out the lineup, Galileo.ai introduces robust AI observability tools that monitor model performance, detect drift, and ensure reliability at scale.

These partnerships add to Cloudera’s growing AI ecosystem, which already includes NVIDIA, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Pinecone, Google Cloud, Anthropic, Snowflake, and CrewAI.

-- BERNAMA

CLOUDERA, DELL LAUNCH PRIVATE AI PLATFORM TO UNLOCK ENTERPRISE DATA

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Cloudera, the only company bringing artificial intelligence (AI) to data anywhere, announced the integration of Dell ObjectScale with its platform, unveiling a robust private AI solution built for scale, governance, and predictable economics.

Announced at Cloudera EVOLVE25, this collaboration provides joint customers with a fully validated and integrated data platform, allowing them to run all of Cloudera's compute engines directly against Dell ObjectScale storage.

“Bringing Dell ObjectScale together with Cloudera enables organisations to industrialise AI use cases using secure data, deploy them efficiently, and create smart agents, all with predictable economics and without hidden fees.

“Cloudera is uniquely positioned to unify governed enterprise data with AI services on modern storage, creating the only Private AI platform that combines governance, performance, and clear economics at an industrial scale,” said Cloudera chief strategy officer, Abhas Ricky.

Meanwhile, Dell Technologies senior vice president, ISG Product Management, Travis Vigil said the collaboration reflected its shared commitment to giving customers more flexibility in managing and scaling their data.

“With Dell ObjectScale now integrated with Cloudera, we are helping customers bring storage and AI closer together to empower smarter, faster decision-making that drives business growth,” added Vigil.

Cloudera in a statement said it has collaborated with Dell Technologies to allow joint customers to store all their data–structured and unstructured–in one place and access it quickly and securely.

In addition, the collaboration allows Cloudera users to leverage Dell ObjectScale as an S3-compatible object store for AL workloads with Cloudera AI Workbench, Inference Service and Agent Studio.

The combination of Dell Technologies's leadership in AI infrastructure with Cloudera's secure data platform and AI tools creates a complete private AI system, offering significant business value.

-- BERNAMA

GUIDEPOINT STRENGTHENS CHINA OPERATIONS WITH MICHAEL WANG APPOINTMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Guidepoint, a global expert network, has appointed Michael Wang as Head of China, reporting to Chris Bonsi, Head of APAC.

The move reflects Guidepoint’s continued investment in China amid growing demand for expert-driven insights and technology-enabled research solutions.

"Michael's extensive background in technology solutions and client engagement makes him an ideal leader to strengthen our position in China," said Bonsi in a statement.

Meanwhile, Wang said: "I am excited to join Guidepoint at this pivotal moment in its growth. The opportunity to leverage my experience to help clients navigate complex business challenges is incredibly compelling.”

In his new role, Michael will work closely with China and global leadership teams to enhance Guidepoint’s market offering and drive continued growth.

Wang brings over a decade of experience in digital transformation and team leadership. He most recently led PwC’s global product and technology acceleration team, driving innovation and operational scale across key international markets.

His previous roles include leadership positions at Accenture, where he developed comprehensive expertise in strategic consulting and technology implementation.

-- BERNAMA

WHITE RABBIT LIGHTS UP GARDENS BY THE BAY WITH “DANCING OF BUTTERFLIES” LANTERN DISPLAY

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- The beloved Chinese brand White Rabbit unveiled a whimsical lantern installation titled “Dancing of Butterflies” at this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival at Gardens by the Bay.

Inspired by its iconic creamy candy, the display transforms the familiar red, white, and blue wrappers into glowing butterfly wings, fluttering under shifting lights to enchant festivalgoers.

The installation is not just a visual treat; it also celebrates deeper ties. This year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore, as well as the 66th anniversary of the brand White Rabbit.

The brand’s presence at the festival symbolises a cultural bridge, blending nostalgia, artistry, and international friendship, according to a statement.

Meanwhile, White Rabbit also participated in the lantern festival market, allowing visitors to experience its sweet charm up close. First launched in 1959, the brand continues to live up to its motto, “Share the joy, Share the warmth”.

This vibrant showcase highlights how traditional festivals and modern creativity can connect people across cultures — one glowing lantern at a time.

-- BERNAMA

Thursday, 25 September 2025

JEJU’S SUMANG EXPANDS GLOBAL FOOTPRINT WITH PREMIUM GREEN TEA

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Clean Jeju Green Tea Agricultural Cooperative, better known as ‘Sumang’, has revealed that it is expanding its global presence with Hojicha, the recently launched premium organic green tea, and matcha produced on Jeju Island.

Founded in 2007, Sumang cultivates tea in soil rich in maekbanseok (a type of igneous rock) minerals, located near the sea with a mild climate and frequent fog that provides abundant moisture, in which this unique environment makes it an ideal location for tea farming.

According to a statement, the cooperative’s main products are green tea and matcha, with exports steadily increasing overseas.

Demand for matcha has grown significantly amid rising global interest in health and wellness. Sumang’s exports to the United States continue to climb, and enquiries have also been on the rise from international buyers as the cooperative also participated in the Jeju–Vietnam Market Development Delegation last year to further strengthen its overseas presence.

Last month, Sumang launched a new product, Hojicha, a roasted green tea known for its deep, nutty aroma and lower caffeine content, which is appealing to health-conscious consumers.

Additionally, Sumang’s tea garden produces matcha in three distinct grades, namely Ceremonial, Premium, and Superior, allowing consumers to choose products that best suit their preferences. With specialised tencha-line machinery for matcha processing, the cooperative ensures superior taste and aroma compared to other products in the market.

While focusing mainly on business-to-business (B2B) distribution channels, Sumang’s next goal is to expand direct-to-consumer sales through its own online store and e-commerce platforms and hopes to make its high-quality products available at more affordable prices to consumers worldwide.

-- BERNAMA

INVESTCLOUD PARTNERS GROW TO ELEVATE ADVISER-CLIENT WEALTH EXPERIENCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- InvestCloud, a global leader in wealth management technology, has partnered with GROW with Singlife (GROW) to develop an enhanced investment platform to scale wealth solutions and elevate adviser-client experience in Singapore.

The upgraded platform empowers GROW’s financial adviser representatives with advanced tools to deliver more personalised advice, streamlined servicing, and stronger client engagement.

An integrated investment platform under leading financial services company Singlife, GROW’s new state-of-the-art platform represents a major step towards its vision to equip advisers with innovative digital tools and provide a differentiated wealth planning journey for their clients.

InvestCloud Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Yabuki said GROW with Singlife’s intuitive platform is helping advisers seamlessly manage investments while driving high-quality, differentiated financial outcomes for their clients.

“Our market-leading technology both elevates the client experience and enables advisers to build their business through unique insights and actionable intelligence,” added Yabuki in a statement.

Meanwhile, GROW Head of Technology, Jonathan Ong said with the upgraded platform, advisers can offer tailored and reliable service at scale, while clients benefit from a more transparent and seamless experience.

By leveraging InvestCloud’s advanced technology, advisers will be able to streamline client servicing, deliver curated portfolio solutions, and provide access to exclusive investment products.

In return, clients will benefit from greater clarity, control and confidence over their wealth journeys. Key enhancements on the platform include seamless client onboarding, enhanced adviser capabilities and personalised trading journeys.

-- BERNAMA

AVIONTEQ RECORDS STRONG CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT AT MRO ASIA-PACIFIC 2025

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- AvionTEq, a global provider of aviation and avionics test equipment and related services, has strengthened its Asia-Pacific presence following fruitful participation at MRO Asia-Pacific 2025.

Over the three-day event, the company saw strong engagement with existing customers and forged new connections with airlines, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) firms, and aviation manufacturers across the region.

“Face-to-face conversations in Singapore helped us align on customers’ 2025–2026 priorities, from fleet readiness and reliability to flexible acquisition models for avionics test equipment.

“We are grateful to the many clients and partners who met with us, and we’re excited about the new relationships formed at the show,” said AvionTEq Chief Executive Officer, Fred Bostani.

During the event, AvionTEq in a statement said attendees responded enthusiastically to the company’s exclusive show-only promotions, which combined immediate savings with service-backed value.

These included a free iPad with select HHMPI kits and a US$500 rebate when bundled with Readout Services, as well as a 20 per cent discount, which also came with a complimentary accessory kit and calibration, while select aviation test equipment was available at discounted rates with flexible rental options.

Throughout the event, discussions focused on avionics test equipment modernisation, calibration and repair support, and rental programmes tailored to maintenance schedules and budget objectives.

AvionTEq also engaged with manufacturers to explore expanded collaboration aimed at improving product availability, service turnaround, and lifecycle support for operators in the Asia-Pacific market.

-- BERNAMA

AWS, SAP PARTNER TO LAUNCH SOVEREIGN CLOUD CAPABILITIES IN EUROPE

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Amazon Web Services (AWS) and SAP SE (SAP) have unveiled plans to make SAP Sovereign Cloud capabilities available on the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, a new, independent cloud for Europe backed by a planned 7.8 billion euros investment from Amazon. (1 Euro = RM4.94)

According to a statement, the collaboration builds on the companies’ longstanding partnership and SAP’s comprehensive new approach to digital sovereignty and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation.

AWS vice president of Compute and Machine Learning, David Brown said the company is delighted that SAP Sovereign Cloud capabilities will be available on the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, giving organisations more choice in how they meet their sovereignty requirements while leveraging best-in-class cloud technologies.

SAP Sovereign Cloud capabilities are security-hardened cloud solutions aligned with industry standards for regulated industries and governments.




The collaboration will focus on uniting these capabilities and SAP's deep enterprise expertise with AWS infrastructure and operational expertise to meet customers’ evolving digital sovereignty needs across Europe.

Set to launch its first AWS Region in Brandenburg, Germany, by the end of 2025, the AWS European Sovereign Cloud is designed to give public sector organisations and customers in highly regulated industries further choice.

The offering can help these organisations meet their unique digital sovereignty needs, including data residency, operational autonomy, and resiliency requirements.

SAP Sovereign Cloud on AWS European Sovereign Cloud solutions will initially include SAP Business Technology Platform and SAP Cloud ERP that will provide customers with a secure foundation for managing critical business processes and sensitive data while supporting compliance with relevant regulations.

Both companies have been innovating in the cloud together for more than 16 years, and this new collaboration builds on that history to support customers’ digital sovereignty requirements and accelerate their digital transformation in Europe.

-- BERNAMA

KATHMANDU RIOTS DEAL BLOW TO NEPAL’S INSURANCE SECTOR

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Insured losses from the recent “Gen Z” protests in Kathmandu are mounting, posing a significant threat to Nepal’s already fragile non-life insurance market, according to a new AM Best commentary.

“The outsized proportion of losses arising from widespread riots highlights the likelihood of earnings and capital impacts on the market, especially if claims continue to escalate,” said AM Best senior financial analyst, Susan Tan in a statement.

The unrest has exposed the vulnerability of Nepal’s insurers and reinsurers to socio-political instability.

The Best’s Commentary, titled “Riots Impose Financial Strain on Nepal’s Insurers and Reinsurers”, states that while many damaged assets are expected to be uninsured, policy extensions typically cover private properties for riots, strikes, malicious damage, sabotage and terrorism (RSMDST) risks.

Although the full extent of insured and economic losses remains unclear, the Nepal Insurance Authority reports gross insured claims approaching levels seen after the catastrophic 2015 earthquake.

Furthermore, capital pressure on Nepal’s domestic reinsurers is also likely, though retrocession may partially alleviate financial stress.

Notwithstanding, elevated retention of RSMDST exposures may still erode their capital buffers, reducing their ability to withstand subsequent shocks over the near term, says AM Best.

-- BERNAMA

Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Bitget Becomes First Exchange to Offer All Cryptos on Four Major Chains in One Account

VICTORIA, Seychelles, Sept 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bitget, the world’s leading Universal Exchange (UEX), has announced a major upgrade to Bitget Onchain, a revolutionary feature that allows users to seamlessly trade, stake, and manage millions of on-chain tokens directly from a single Bitget spot account. The expansion introduces support for four leading blockchains — Ethereum, Solana, BSC, and Base — transforming Bitget Onchain from selected assets into a comprehensive gateway to the decentralized economy.

With this upgrade, Bitget Onchain delivers a full-featured and user-friendly experience that combines the diversity of decentralized markets with the security and reliability of centralized exchanges. Users can now access millions of tokens across multiple chains without the need to juggle separate Web3 wallets, external transfers, or private key management. This streamlined approach makes on-chain trading more accessible to a wider user base while retaining the advanced tools and protections expected by professional traders.

In addition to broad multi-chain coverage, Bitget has also launched Onchain Signals, a new feature powered by AI algorithms. Onchain Signals tracks and filters high-quality “smart money” addresses across blockchains, providing users with real-time token alerts and actionable insights. With one-click trading capabilities, users can act quickly on opportunities and follow strategies from leading market participants, improving both efficiency and success in their on-chain operations.

Security remains at the heart of Bitget Onchain. All tokens are pre-screened, with additional safeguards in place for high-risk assets, ensuring users benefit from exchange-grade protection while exploring the open on-chain ecosystem.

The Onchain upgrade marks another step toward Bitget’s long-term vision of building the Universal Exchange (UEX). As the next-generation exchange model, UEX will support all tradable crypto assets, unlike current CEXs, which mostly support only a few hundred mainstream tokens. In addition, UEX's service radius will not be limited to cryptocurrencies—global premium assets such as stocks, ETFs, gold, and forex will all be tradable on UEX. This is not just about combining the advantages of CEX and DEX, but a fusion of technology and philosophy. While most global exchanges have only begun experimenting with Web3 integrations or partial on-chain coverage, Bitget has already advanced further with unified accounts, full-asset support across multiple blockchains, and AI-driven trading intelligence. Bitget is the first exchange to provide this experience, where users can access both the reliability of CEX and the diversity of DEX in one place.

“Bitget Onchain is breaking down barriers between CEX and DEX by offering both accessibility and security in one place,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. “By expanding coverage to millions of tokens across top blockchains and introducing AI-powered Onchain Signals, we are giving users the smartest, safest way to trade on-chain. This upgrade also represents the core of UEX's vision — helping users trade smarter across every market, on-chain and beyond.”

With Bitget Onchain, users gain unmatched access to the decentralized token universe in a secure, streamlined, and user-friendly environment, maintaining Bitget’s role as a global leader in building the future of finance.

For more information on Bitget Onchain, visit here.

About Bitget

Established in 2018, Bitget is the world's largest Universal Exchange (UEX). Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform.

Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World's Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets. Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. In the world of motorsports, Bitget is the exclusive cryptocurrency exchange partner of MotoGP™, one of the world’s most thrilling championships.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4c8e09e7-1b38-407f-a90b-ad74233c3d05

SOURCE: Bitget Limited

DISCLAIMER: BERNAMA MREM are not accountable for any causes of website defacement, misuse, or illegal activities connected to cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenisation, or bitcoin. This material should not be considered as guidance or an opinion, as it does not constitute financial or investment advice. Use this information at your own risk; we are not liable for any losses or damages caused by the republication of this article.

--BERNAMA

Axi Select Celebrates Two Years with $400M+ in Trader Funding and Breakthrough Success Stories

SYDNEY, Sept 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Axi Select, the pioneering trader development and funding program from global online trading broker Axi, is celebrating its second anniversary with a major milestone — surpassing $400 million in allocated trader funding and cementing its position as the industry’s most innovative prop-style broker-backed program.

Since launching in 2023, Axi Select has expanded to support thousands of traders worldwide across multiple regions. Its unique performance-based model has already seen more than five traders reach the ProM stage, each managing $1 million in funding, while its community of over 40,000 traders continue to progress through the program’s milestones.

Milestones at Two Years$400M+ in funding allocated to traders worldwide
Over $10M+ profit payouts
Five traders reaching the ProM $1M funding stage
A growing community of over 40,000 traders
Edge score performance analytics introduced, giving traders objective feedback on risk, consistency, and discipline
MT5 integration, expanding market access and trading tools
A New Standard for Trader Development

Axi Select has distinguished itself by removing the barriers and costs associated with traditional proprietary trading firms. There are no entry fees, rigid elimination challenges, or artificial timelines. Instead, traders grow through the program by demonstrating consistency, discipline, and skill in live markets.

“Over the past two years, we’ve built something truly different with Axi Select,” said Greg Rubin, Head of Axi Select. “Our focus is on giving traders a fair and transparent path to scale their careers. Seeing five traders already reach $1 million in funding is proof that with the right tools and support, incredible things are possible.”

Looking Ahead

In its third year, Axi Select plans to expand its trader support ecosystem through:Advanced performance analytics tools, building on the success of Edge score
Enhanced education and mentorship, helping traders build sustainable long-term careers
Ongoing platform innovation, delivering seamless integration across MT5 and Axi’s global infrastructure“At Axi Select, we’re not just funding trades — we’re helping traders grow into professionals,” Rubin added. “The last two years have laid a strong foundation, and we’re excited to see how far our traders can go in year three and beyond.”

About Axi

Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, trusted by thousands of customers in over 100 countries. Axi offers trading across multiple asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Oil, and Commodities.

For more information about Axi Select, visit: https://www.axi.com/int/funded-trader-program

Media enquiries: mediaenquiries@axi.com

The Axi Select program is only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited. CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss. This content may not be available in your region. For more information, refer to our Terms of Service. Standard trading fees and minimum deposit apply.

SOURCE: AxiTrader Limited

DISCLAIMER: BERNAMA MREM are not accountable for any causes of website defacement, misuse, or illegal activities connected to cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenisation, or bitcoin. This material should not be considered as guidance or an opinion, as it does not constitute financial or investment advice. Use this information at your own risk; we are not liable for any losses or damages caused by the republication of this article.

--BERNAMA

Axi Select Celebrates Two Years with $400M+ in Trader Funding and Breakthrough Success Stories

SYDNEY, Sept 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Axi Select, the pioneering trader development and funding program from global online trading broker Axi, is celebrating its second anniversary with a major milestone — surpassing $400 million in allocated trader funding and cementing its position as the industry’s most innovative prop-style broker-backed program.

Since launching in 2023, Axi Select has expanded to support thousands of traders worldwide across multiple regions. Its unique performance-based model has already seen more than five traders reach the ProM stage, each managing $1 million in funding, while its community of over 40,000 traders continue to progress through the program’s milestones.

Milestones at Two Years$400M+ in funding allocated to traders worldwide
Over $10M+ profit payouts
Five traders reaching the ProM $1M funding stage
A growing community of over 40,000 traders
Edge score performance analytics introduced, giving traders objective feedback on risk, consistency, and discipline
MT5 integration, expanding market access and trading tools
A New Standard for Trader Development

Axi Select has distinguished itself by removing the barriers and costs associated with traditional proprietary trading firms. There are no entry fees, rigid elimination challenges, or artificial timelines. Instead, traders grow through the program by demonstrating consistency, discipline, and skill in live markets.

“Over the past two years, we’ve built something truly different with Axi Select,” said Greg Rubin, Head of Axi Select. “Our focus is on giving traders a fair and transparent path to scale their careers. Seeing five traders already reach $1 million in funding is proof that with the right tools and support, incredible things are possible.”

Looking Ahead

In its third year, Axi Select plans to expand its trader support ecosystem through:Advanced performance analytics tools, building on the success of Edge score
Enhanced education and mentorship, helping traders build sustainable long-term careers
Ongoing platform innovation, delivering seamless integration across MT5 and Axi’s global infrastructure“At Axi Select, we’re not just funding trades — we’re helping traders grow into professionals,” Rubin added. “The last two years have laid a strong foundation, and we’re excited to see how far our traders can go in year three and beyond.”

About Axi

Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, trusted by thousands of customers in over 100 countries. Axi offers trading across multiple asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Oil, and Commodities.

For more information about Axi Select, visit: https://www.axi.com/int/funded-trader-program

Media enquiries: mediaenquiries@axi.com

The Axi Select program is only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited. CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss. This content may not be available in your region. For more information, refer to our Terms of Service. Standard trading fees and minimum deposit apply.

SOURCE: AxiTrader Limited

DISCLAIMER: BERNAMA MREM are not accountable for any causes of website defacement, misuse, or illegal activities connected to cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenisation, or bitcoin. This material should not be considered as guidance or an opinion, as it does not constitute financial or investment advice. Use this information at your own risk; we are not liable for any losses or damages caused by the republication of this article.

--BERNAMA

REGASK APPOINTS DEANNA COSCIA AS SVP TO DRIVE GLOBAL COMMERCIAL EXPANSION

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- RegASK, the agentic artificial intelligence (AI) platform for regulatory intelligence and workflow orchestration, has appointed Deanna Coscia as Senior Vice President (SVP) of Commercial, signalling a major push toward global growth and deeper market penetration.

A seasoned sales executive with over 15 years of experience in life sciences and software as a service (SaaS), Coscia will oversee RegASK’s worldwide commercial strategy, focusing on accelerating platform adoption among regulatory teams and increasing brand visibility in key markets.

“Deanna brings an exceptional track record of scaling commercial organisations, cultivating trusted client relationships, and delivering strong revenue performance. Her leadership will be key as we expand globally,” said RegASK Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Caroline Shleifer in a statement.

Meanwhile, Coscia noted that with proven demand and strong product-market fit, RegASK is poised to reshape how organisations manage regulatory complexity.

“I am excited to join RegASK at this defining stage of its journey,” she said.

Coscia previously served as Medable Vice President, Strategic Accounts, where she helped scale the health-tech unicorn to a US$2.1 billion valuation and drove 80 per cent revenue growth in 2024. Her background also includes leadership roles at IBM and SevOne.

Based in the United States (US), Coscia’s appointment underscores RegASK’s commitment to strengthening its presence in both the US and European markets.

The hire also marks an inflection point in RegASK’s trajectory as the company aims to empower regulatory teams with agentic AI tools to stay more proactive, agile, and strategic in their compliance operations.

-- BERNAMA

Fitell Corporation Launches Solana (SOL) Digital Asset Treasury with $100M Financing Facility, with Focus on Yield and On-Chain DeFi Innovation

- Intends to become the largest publicly listed holder of SOL based in Australia -


-Appoints advisors, David Swaney and Cailen Sullivan, to lead digital asset treasury strategy and yield generation through actively managed DeFi and structured product strategies-

Taren Point, Australia, Sept 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fitell Corporation (NASDAQ: FTEL) (“Fitell” or the “Company”), a global provider of fitness equipment and health solutions, today announced it has secured an up to $100M facility to support the launch of its Solana treasury strategy, marking the first Solana-based digital asset treasury in Australia.

Key HighlightsDeFi and Yield Roadmap: Designed to generate outsized yields by deploying SOL assets across a diversified suite of on-chain DeFi and derivatives strategies. This includes structured products such as options, snowballs, on-chain liquidity provisioning, and other highly liquid strategies with managed downside risk. Each approach offers varying levels of returns, alpha generation, and duration. Returns generated will be reinvested into the treasury reserve, compounding the velocity of SOL accumulation, increasing SOL-per-share and strengthening alignment with the Solana community.
Australian Dual Listing: Fitell has initiated steps toward a dual listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), broadening access and exposure for regional investors to SOL.
Rebrand: Following the initial launch of the Solana treasury, the Company plans to rebrand to “Solana Australia Corporation”.
Security: Initial SOL assets will be custodied with BitGo Trust Company, Inc. in the U.S. and staked through institutional-grade infrastructure.
Digital Asset Treasury Advisors

Fitell has appointed David Swaney and Cailen Sullivan as advisors to lead the Company’s digital asset treasury roadmap. Their mandate focuses on designing strategies to optimize treasury performance through decentralized finance (DeFi) opportunities, risk management frameworks, and yield innovation beyond traditional staking models.David Swaney has been active in the digital asset space since 2017, focusing on institutional adoption of on-chain finance. His extensive advisory and consulting experience spans treasury design, structured yield strategies, and market infrastructure.
Cailen Sullivan has been active in the digital asset space for over a decade and was an early hire at Coinbase in 2013. Recently, he has been primarily focused on investing and supporting projects across the Solana ecosystem, and is a co-founder of Adrena, one of the leading perpetuals DEXs on Solana based on trading volume.
“We believe that digital asset treasuries are laying the blueprint for digital asset ETFs,” said David Swaney. “The ability to generate yield on assets beyond staking will be the defining differentiator, and we intend to lead this effort.”

“Our strategy focuses not only on Solana itself, but the broader ecosystem of applications being built on top. By deploying more assets on-chain, we aim to generate outsized returns, setting a new benchmark for performance in digital asset management while supporting the growth of DeFi applications on Solana,” said Cailen Sullivan.

Both advisors commented:

“As advisors, we are excited to position this as the most innovative Solana-aligned treasury in the market. While scale varies among peers, our focus is value creation through capital concentration in the Solana ecosystem. By bringing assets on-chain and integrating with native projects, we believe we can deliver value to shareholders while advancing the ecosystem. Our goal is to demonstrate that strategy and alignment can rival scale and set a benchmark for Solana-native treasuries.”

Sam Lu, Chief Executive Officer of Fitell Corporation, commented:

“The launch of our Solana digital asset treasury positions Fitell at the forefront of Solana adoption in the regions of Australia and Asia Pacific. Our ambition to become the region’s largest publicly listed Solana holder underscores our conviction in the network’s long-term potential. With the expertise of David Swaney and Cailen Sullivan, we are excited to execute on a roadmap that combines innovation, yield generation, and disciplined risk management.”

The Company will further discuss its digital asset treasury today at 4:00 p.m. ET on September 23, 2025 during a live session hosted on @MarioNawfal or @RoundtableSpace.

To support initial SOL acquisitions, the Company has entered into an up to $100M convertible note facility with a U.S.-based institutional investor, of which $10M from the initial closing will be immediately deployed to purchase SOL.

Rodman & Renshaw acted as exclusive placement agent for the financing.

The foregoing description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Company’s Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 23, 2025.

About Fitell Corporation

Fitell Corporation, through GD Wellness Pty Ltd (“GD”), its wholly owned subsidiary, is an online retailer of gym and fitness equipment both under its proprietary brands and other brand names in Australia. The company’s mission is to build an ecosystem with a whole fitness and wellness experience powered by technology to our customers. GD has served over 100,000 customers with large portions of sales from repeat customers over the years. The Company’s brand portfolio can be categorized into three proprietary brands under its Gym Direct brand: Muscle Motion, Rapid Motion, and FleetX, in over 2,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs). For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.fitellcorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including market and other conditions, and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue” or similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the SEC.

For more information, please contact:

Chief Financial Officer
Edwin Tam
edwin@gymdirect.com.au
Investor Relations
ir@fitellcorp.com

Source: Fitell Corporation

DISCLAIMER: BERNAMA MREM are not accountable for any causes of website defacement, misuse, or illegal activities connected to cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenisation, or bitcoin. This material should not be considered as guidance or an opinion, as it does not constitute financial or investment advice. Use this information at your own risk; we are not liable for any losses or damages caused by the republication of this article.

--BERNAMA

Tuesday, 23 September 2025

World Nears Quarter Million Crypto Millionaires in Historic Wealth Boom

LONDON, Sept 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The ranks of crypto millionaires have surged to an unprecedented 241,700 individuals worldwide, according to the newly released Crypto Wealth Report 2025 by international residence and citizenship advisory specialists Henley & Partners. That’s a remarkable 40% increase in just 12 months, fueled by a dramatic surge in Bitcoin millionaires — up 70% year-on-year to 145,100 holders — and a booming total market valuation of USD 3.3 trillion as of June 2025, a 45% jump from a year previously.

At the apex of the crypto wealth pyramid, the number of ultra-wealthy individuals is rising sharply: 450 centi-millionaires now control crypto portfolios worth USD 100 million or more, up 38% since last year, while the number of crypto billionaires has climbed to 36, an increase of 29%. This significant growth coincides with a watershed year for institutional adoption, highlighted by the first-ever cryptocurrencies launched by a sitting US President and First Lady.

Dominic Volek, Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners, says the surge of crypto-wealth is forcing governments and wealth managers to confront a new reality. “Traditional finance assumes money has a home address — but cryptocurrency doesn’t. Geography is now optional. With just 12 memorized words, an individual can secure a billion dollars in Bitcoin, instantly accessible from Zurich or Zhengzhou alike.”

Wealth Without Borders

The shift towards Bitcoin as collateral rather than a speculative asset marks a critical evolution as Philipp A. Baumann, Founder of Z22 Technologies, points out in the report. “Bitcoin is becoming the foundation of a parallel financial system, where [it] is not merely an investment for speculation on fiat price appreciation, but the base currency for accumulating wealth.”

The philosophical implications of this shift are profound, according to Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3, illustrating the tension between traditional and digital money systems: “Over any long-time horizon, fiat currency has one destiny: infinity. Bitcoin, on the contrary, has the opposite: 21 million.” This fixed supply versus infinite expansion represents what Mow calls “the defining paradox of our age”, as governments grapple with a form of wealth that exists outside traditional monetary control.

The convergence of crypto wealth and global mobility is accelerating. Catherine Chen, Head of VIP & Institutional at Binance, observes that “this new, mobility-driven class of investors is increasingly turning to citizenship by investment programs as a strategic route to geographic and financial flexibility.”

Townsend Lansing, Head of Product at CoinShares, confirms the broader momentum: “Driven by favorable regulatory winds, institutional adoption has not only arrived — it is surging.” Dr. Guneet Kaur, senior editor at CCN.com agrees, adding that “CBDCs, digital forms of a nation’s legal tender, are being explored by over 100 economies, with 49 countries in the pilot stage as of July 2025. They promise cheaper and faster state-backed payments.”

Crypto-Friendly Jurisdictions

The Henley Crypto Adoption Index, a proprietary tool updated annually, benchmarks the world’s most crypto-friendly countries with investment migration programs. Drawing on more than 750 data points, it offers digital asset investors a clear overview of how these different jurisdictions with residence and citizenship by investment pathways are regulating and adopting cryptocurrency and blockchain.

The index evaluates 29 investment migration programs across six key parameters — Public Adoption, Infrastructure Adoption, Innovation and Technology, Regulatory Environment, Economic Factors, and Tax-Friendliness — enabling investors to identify jurisdictions that best match their priorities.

Singapore leads with exceptional scores across Infrastructure Adoption, Innovation and Technology, and Regulatory Environment. Hong Kong (SAR China) follows with robust Economic Factors and high Tax-Friendliness, while the USA boasts strong Public Adoption and Innovation and Technology metrics. Switzerland and the UAE round out the Top 5 performers, with the Emirates scoring a perfect 10 for Tax-Friendliness, with zero taxes on crypto trading, staking, and mining.

Malta and the UK also score highly overall, both offering sophisticated regulatory frameworks, while Canada, Thailand, and Australia complete the top tier with balanced strengths across multiple factors.

Luxembourg brings deep financial expertise to digital assets while Portugal rewards patient crypto investors — those holding over one year pay no capital gains tax. Austria applies securities tax frameworks to crypto, while Italy’s flat-tax regime for new residents includes foreign-sourced crypto gains. Monaco draws ultra-wealthy crypto holders with zero personal income tax.

St. Kitts and Nevis accepts cryptocurrency for citizenship applications, as does Antigua and Barbuda. Thailand recently announced a five-year capital gains exemption for crypto trading and Malaysia builds fintech capabilities through Digital Free Trade Zone initiatives. Mauritius, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Greece, Latvia, New Zealand, Panama, Türkiye, and Uruguay also have strategies to attract mobile digital asset investors.

Read the Full Press Release

Sarah Nicklin
sarah.nicklin@henleyglobal.com
+27 72 464 8965

SOURCE: HENLEY & PARTNERS GROUP HOLDINGS LTD

DISCLAIMER: BERNAMA MREM are not accountable for any causes of website defacement, misuse, or illegal activities connected to cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenisation, or bitcoin. This material should not be considered as guidance or an opinion, as it does not constitute financial or investment advice. Use this information at your own risk; we are not liable for any losses or damages caused by the republication of this article.

--BERNAMA