Quectel’s New Generation Smart Modules Certified by Verizon

SHANGHAI, Aug. 31, 2020Quectel Wireless Solutions (603236.SS), the leading global supplier of cellular and GNSS modules, has announced that Verizon has approved its new generation Smart Modules, the SC600T-NA and SC600Y-NA, for operation on Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

The SC600T-NA and SC600Y-NA are industrial grade LTE Cat 6 modules with an operational and certified built-in Android 9.0 OS. The SC600T-NA is based on Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ MSM8953 and the SC600Y-NA adopts Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ SDM450. The former supports Octa-core A53 up to 2.0 GHz, camera 24 MP and video 4K at 30 fps, while the latter supports Octa-core A53 up to 1.8 GHz, camera 21 and video 1080 at 60 fps. Both modules integrate 2 GB LPDDR3 + 16 GB eMMC flash and support WUXGA display.

With powerful engines, the two modules are fully integrated with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi capability and strong multimedia functions include support for dual LCDs and dual touch panels with independent display and operation. The modules can support a maximum of four cameras with two working simultaneously. Quick Charge 3.0 technology can facilitate various smart devices, including vending machines, smart cash registers, smart delivery machines and more.

Designed for North America, both modules work on FDD-LTE bands B2/B4/B5/B7/B12/B13/B14/B17/B25/ B26/B66/B71, TDD-LTE band B41 and WCDMA bands B2/B4/B5. In addition, the multi-constellation GNSS receiver is available in both modules, which is ideal for applications that require fast and accurate fixes, such as in-car video streaming and live video devices.

"These two modules for North America have passed another industry milestone. They will enable IoT designers, manufacturers and their customers to utilize the latest and leading LTE network technologies from America’s most awarded network," said Patrick Qian, Chairman and CEO of Quectel. "The new generation Cat 6 smart modules are critical for devices to utilize the processing power whenever needed."

About Quectel

Quectel’s passion for a smarter world drives us to accelerate IoT innovation. A highly customer-centric organization, we create superior cellular and GNSS modules backed by outstanding support and services. Our growing global team of 1800 professionals, the largest in the IoT modules industry worldwide, ensures we are first to market and continue to set the pace of development. Listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (603236.SS), our international leadership is devoted to advancing IoT across the globe. For more information, visit www.quectel.comLinkedInFacebook and Twitter

Ashley LIU
Tel: +86 551 6586 9386 x 8016
media@quectel.com

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IoT Modules, IoT Antennas and Certification Services

#1 on the Green500 – Supermicro and Preferred Networks (PFN) Collaborate to Develop the World’s Most Efficient Supercomputer

Deep Learning Supercomputer MN-Core™ Achieves Record 21.11 Gigaflops Performance-Per-Watt Based on Real-World Scientific Application Benchmarks  

SAN JOSE, California, Aug. 31, 2020 — Super Micro Computer, Inc. (Nasdaq: SMCI), a global leader in enterprise computing, storage, networking solutions and green computing technology, today announced that its collaboration with Preferred Networks achieved the ranking for the Green500 semi-annual industry assessment. The MN-3 reached a record 21.11Gigaflops of performance-per-watt on a benchmark run that delivered a total performance of 1.62 Petaflops. This efficiency achievement is 15% higher than the previous Green500 record of 18.404 Gflops/W, which was recorded in June 2018.


"Supermicro was excited to work with PFN on this exceptional system supporting machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) applications and energy efficiency," said Charles Liang, CEO and president of Supermicro. "The Green500 international recognition confirms that Supermicro delivers exceptional products – resource-saving, superior design, and high-reliability to the market."

PFN partnered with Supermicro to develop this customized server, which addresses a wide range of applications that require ultra-fast communications. Based in Japan, PFN strives to solve complex problems that utilize deep learning, robotics, and other advanced technologies.

"We are very pleased to have partnered with Supermicro, who worked with us very closely to build MN-3, which was recognized as the world’s most energy-efficiency supercomputer," stated Yusuke Doi, VP of Computing Infrastructure at Preferred Networks. "We can deliver outstanding performance while using a fraction of the power that was previously required for such a large supercomputer."

The PFN solution is based on the Supermicro GPU server that utilizes Intel® Xeon® CPUs, and MN-Core boards developed by Preferred Networks. This advanced system offers up to 6TB of DDR4 memory, and multiple GPUs or accelerators, as well as the interconnects that enable ultra-fast communications between GPUs.

PFN Supercomputer

The PFN supercomputer can serve many users simultaneously. The initial cluster consisted of 48 servers- four interconnect nodes, and five 100GbE switches. There was a total of 2,080 CPU cores, housed in a 7U high rack-mounted unit.

Learn more about the Green500 supercomputer.   

Follow Supermicro on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to receive their latest news and announcements.

About Super Micro Computer, Inc.

Supermicro (Nasdaq: SMCI), the leading innovator in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology, is a premier provider of advanced Server Building Block Solutions® for Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, Hadoop/Big Data, HPC and Embedded Systems worldwide. Supermicro is committed to protecting the environment through its "We Keep IT Green®" initiative and provides customers with the most energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly solutions available on the market.

Supermicro, Server Building Block Solutions, and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer, Inc.

All other brands, names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SMCI-F

PFN Supercomputer
PFN Supercomputer

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Related Links :

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At ‘GAC Tech Day’, hydrogen fuel-cell technology takes the limelight, highlights GAC’s scientific depth and technical capabilities

GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 31, 2020 — Recently at the GAC Tech Day 2020, GAC Group unveiled its latest scientific and technological achievements, including two major platform technologies and three futuristic technologies. Powering current innovations at GAC Group are the Global Platform Modular Architecture (GPMA) that incorporates traditional fuel power as well as the GAC Electric Platform (GEP) 2.0. Building on these platforms, GAC Group announced three technological breakthroughs: the ADiGO 3.0 intelligent driving interconnected ecosystem, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle Aion LX Fuel Cell and 3DG graphene preparation technology, these leading technologies will enable GAC Group to achieve much more in the near future.

Aion LX Fuel Cell
Aion LX Fuel Cell

At the event, GAC unveiled its first hydrogen fuel-cell passenger car, the Aion LX Fuel Cell, attracting major industry observers and media due key benefits such as its fast charging times, long battery life and zero pollution. Industry experts have lauded the advent of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, as it is expected to become a popular environmentally friendly solution for vehicles with zero carbon emissions.

GAC Group has prioritized climate conversation as a strategy and are focusing on hydrogen-based clean energy, known as the "ultimate energy" of the 21st century. Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles have become a forward-looking technology with promising development prospects.

GAC Group has achieved an industry-leading advantage in hydrogen fuel-cell technology through the launch of the Aion LX Fuel Cell. The hydrogen-based vehicle developed on the GEP 2.0 platform is equipped with a hydrogen fuel-cell system independently developed also by GAC Group.

GAC’s hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle has shown to solve several problems of current renewable energy vehicles. Firstly, it only takes 3-5 minutes to recharge each time, which is shorter than the charging time of most electric vehicles. Secondly, the NEDC operating range of this car exceeds 650KM, reaching international benchmarks. Thirdly, the car also solves the problem of ignition and operations in low-temperature weather: at minus 30°C, a one-button cold start can be enabled sans an external heat source without affecting the cruising range. Most importantly, its emissions are only pure water, and the filter element carried can filter 99% of the inhalable particulate matter, not only reducing pollution but also purifying the surrounding air.

The Aion LX Fuel Cell has also been comprehensively upgraded to exceed safety expectations. Built upon the five-star safety of the original model Aion LX, it has also passed difficult safety tests such as 32km/h side column collision and 80km/h rear collision.

Riding on the wave of technology and digitization, GAC Group has taken the lead in laying out a strategic industry-wide roadmap for technological innovation. GAC MOTOR has developed rapidly in overseas markets in recent years. Supported by GAC Group’s strong scientific and technological backing, the Group remains committed to bring a high-tech driving experience to people all over the world and continue to create value for a lifestyle of mobility for humankind.

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200831/2903236-1?lang=0

WeTrade Group Announces Stock Split

BEIJING, Aug. 31, 2020 — WeTrade Group Inc. (US: WETG), a SaaS company providing technical services and solutions to membership-based social e-commerce, announced its first stock split on August 28th. The company’s three-for-one stock split will officially take place on August 31st.

For companies, it’s important to note that a stock split will not make any changes for strategies or organizational structures. But it will make the company’s stock more attractive and also make its shares more accessible to a broader base of investors. As a result, new investments will be helpful for the stock price raising and bring business confidence for its shareholders.

After the splitting, the number of WeTrade Group shareholders will increase by 3 times. Lowering the company’s share price can put WeTrade stock within the reach of smaller, individual investors, which will attract more attention from the market and generate more industry-investor ownership. In the same time, stock splits are generally seen as a positive by the market.

WeTrade Group was officially listed on the NASDAQ OTC Market on July 23, 2020, under the ticker symbol "WETG". The stock soared from $2.9 a share to a peak of $20.19 a share, demonstrating the market expectation and WeTrade’s technology-based business model.

In recently years, micro-business in China has boomed from 30 million in 2018 to 50 million in 2019, and it is expected to attain to 100 million in 2020. With the development of this potential market, WeTrade Group provides technical services and solutions as a listed SaaS business to support micro-business online stores and social e-commerce platforms. The company developed a social e-commerce revenue management system in 2019. The main functions of the system are user marketing relationship implementation, CPS commission profit management, multi-channel app data statistics, etc. Moreover, WeTrade fully takes advantages of its social e-commerce and micro-business technology to explore supply chain directing purchase and community dispersion, dedicating to establish a more suitable service system for Chinese market.

In the future, with the rapid development of WeTrade business and the application of SaaS in global market, WeTrade Group will become a new leader in the SaaS revolutionized field.

About WeTrade Group Inc.

WeTrade Group Inc. provides technical services and solutions based on membership-based social e-commerce. Through big-data, social recommendation relationships, multi-channel App data statistics, etc., the Company developed a social e-commerce revenue management system, The main functions of the system are user marketing relationship implementation, CPS commission profit management, multi-channel app data statistics, etc. the system has been applied in the retail, tourism, hospitality and beauty industries, focusing on 100 million micro-business users in China. WeTrade conducts its business operations in mainland China and trial-operations in Hong Kong SAR, and Singapore etc.

For more information and product demos:

http://www.wetradegroup.net

Media Contact:
+86-186-1124-1126
lori@yueshang.co

IR Contact:
ir@wetradegroup.net

High customer satisfaction with Picosun’s new service and support model

ESPOO, Finland, Aug. 31, 2020 — Picosun Group’s growth strategy is based on strong expansion into industrial ALD markets. To support this strategy, special emphasis has been placed on strengthening the Group’s global service organization. The investment has paid itself back in the form of high level of customer satisfaction, despite the challenges caused by the global covid-19 pandemic especially in traveling and logistics.

"Due to the reinforced localization of our service and support units, our service engineers’ utilization level has been more than 85% in the past six months, and with the latest remote service and support tools we have gained advantage to manage our customers’ PICOSUN® ALD system commissionings online and in time. ALD tool maintenances, process development, spare parts and other critical deliveries are also provided locally with maximum safety precautions in place, to ensure customers continuous operation of their PICOSUN® ALD equipment," states Mr. Timo Malinen, Customer Experience Director of Picosun Group.

During the last months, Picosun Group has hired and trained several new service engineers and sales and support personnel to provide local support at the Group’s US, Asian, and European locations. Remote diagnostics, control, and data logging features for remote troubleshooting and process optimization of customers’ PICOSUN® ALD tools are a routine approach in the Group’s ALD solution deliveries. Augmented and/or virtual reality solutions for even more efficient service operations and remote learning/e-training possibilities are also under development and will be introduced in all Picosun’s operations later on.

"Our principle of ‘AGILE ALD’ and our position as the technological forerunner in our field obligate us to provide the best possible services and solutions to our customers. As a globally operating company, pandemic risk scenarios are an integral part of our continuous risk planning. Against the backdrop of the current covid-19 outbreak, our service operations are continuously being adapted to mitigate potential impacts. Picosun Group follows a holistic management process that enables constant development of our customer service unit to ensure the best possible response even in an emergency situation," continues Malinen.

For Picosun, the health of employees and customers is the highest priority. In order to closely monitor and manage the covid-19 situation, Picosun follows all the safety regulations provided by WHO, CDC, ECDC, and Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and provides the necessary information timely to all employees, customers, and other stakeholders.

Picosun provides the most advanced AGILE ALD® (Atomic Layer Deposition) thin film coating solutions for global industries. Picosun’s ALD solutions enable technological leap into the future, with turn-key production processes and unmatched, pioneering expertise in the field – dating back to the invention of the technology itself. Today, PICOSUN® ALD equipment are in daily manufacturing use in numerous leading industries around the world. Picosun is based in Finland, with subsidiaries in Germany, USA, Singapore, Taiwan, Mainland China, Korea and Japan, offices in India and France, and a world-wide sales and support network. Visit www.picosun.com.

More information:

Mr. Timo Malinen
Customer Experience Director, Picosun Group
Tel. +358 40 5011 860
Email: info@picosun.com
Web: www.picosun.com
 

CONTACT:

Minna Toivola
D.Sc., Marketing Manager, Picosun Oy
Email: minna.toivola@picosun.com
Tel: +358 40 758 8748

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/picosun-oy/r/high-customer-satisfaction-with-picosun-s-new-service-and-support-model,c3185513

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During the last months, Picosun Group has hired and trained several new service engineers and sales and support personnel to provide local support at the Group’s US, Asian, and European locations.

 

G-ray Switzerland announces new CEO, closes successful funding round

NEUCHÂTEL, Switzerland, Aug. 31, 2020 — G-ray Switzerland, the medical imaging and industrial diagnosis start-up founded in 2014, has announced the appointment of Luis Pallares as Chief Executive Officer, as the company embarks on an accelerated growth drive and completes a successful funding round.

Mr Pallares is focused on leading the transformation of G-ray’s business development efforts following the company’s development of a disruptive and patented state of the art technology to bring safer, cheaper and better vision into imaging for medical and industrial diagnosis.

Mr Pallares joins G-ray with a wealth of entrepreneurial and start-up experience, having founded Spain’s first streaming service, Addhoc Streaming, Spanish-speaking health related content site Vivir Mejor, and Spain’s leading digital strategy firm, Nennisiwok.

Most recently Mr Pallares’ deep experience in technology development, artificial intelligence and digital advertising led him found Plyzer Technologies, a global leader of price comparison technology matched with business analytics and intelligence based on artificial intelligence.

The appointment coincides with the news that G-ray has also raised a further CHF 2.6 millions, enabling it close out its successful Series A funding round at CHF 28 million.

Luis Pallares, Chief Executive Officer of G-ray, said: "G-ray has already proven to be a positive disruptive force within the technology industry and I relish the opportunity to help deliver tangible progress by bringing improvements in imaging into medical and industrial diagnosis."

Mr Yves Claude Aubert, Chairman of G-ray Switzerland, said: "Our technology has already started to disrupt the multi-billion particle detection imaging markets, based on our proprietary and transformative unique detector architecture. As artificial intelligence impacts the traditional X ray detector market, Luis is the perfect choice to lead G-ray forward into a new phase of growth and to capture these opportunities.

About G-ray Switzerland

Founded in 2014 in Neuchâtel, G-ray Switzerland SA has filed a number of revolutionary patents in the fields of radiographic imaging and new semiconductor assembly techniques. The rapidly expanding company has developed core skills in monolithic detectors with integrated high-resolution CMOS circuits. These innovations cover a wide range of sectors, including automotive, aerospace and medicine. www.g-ray.ch

 

 

Related Links :

http://www.g-ray.ch

‘Torinaoshi’: YouTube Series Traverses Countries, Racial Identity

Inner and outer journeys meet as a young Japanese-American woman travels to her mother’s hometown of Osaka, Japan. ‘Torinaoshi,’ a YouTube series exploring the nuances of racial and family identity, challenges viewers to reflect on their own such identifications.

OSAKA, Japan, Aug. 30, 2020 — "Torinaoshi," a YouTube series exploring the nuances of racial and family identity, highlights a young Japanese-American woman’s journey from New York to Osaka, Japan — her mother’s hometown. The production is a collaboration between Alex Iskounen’s Tsukuba Indy LLC, Yusuke Kitaguchi’s Ichibiri Pics Inc., and Yosuke Kumakura’s Bear Create Japan.

An ode to the emotions of multicultural migration and return, the series shines a light on family discord and renewal. After realizing she has no real knowledge of her roots, Kiyoko (aka Koko) travels to her mother’s hometown of Osaka from New York City, discovering that learning about one’s identity, especially on foreign soil, can be complicated. She befriends an African-Japanese boy who travels with her as she encounters several relatives, learning hard lessons about family, race relations and her struggle for identity; will Koko accept what she learns about herself and her roots as she dives deeper into her unresolved family history?

The series features several recognizable cast members from Japanese media, including notorious comedian Minoru TorihadaAfrican-Japanese actor and popular YouTuber BiX, bilingual actress Megan Murayama, and Okinawa-born improv artist Osamu Hirata. The series is directed by Osaka native Yusuke Kitaguchi, whose short film "Baby in the Dark" won the Osaka 48 Hour Film Festival in 2017 and was later screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2018.

Alan Ng, Managing Editor of FilmThreat.com, stated, "The reality is racism is not unique to the States — it’s everywhere. What’s interesting about ‘Torinaoshi’ is that it’s not that much different abroad. What the series shows is that as different cultures spread and intermingle across the globe, the struggle to find one’s identity on foreign soil becomes increasingly complicated. What do I hold on to from my heritage and what do I embrace in my new homeland."

"Torinaoshi" stands as a tribute to the quest for self-understanding — and connection — in all its complexity and challenges people to think about how they unravel their cultural and family identities. "Where do I belong?" and "How can I connect with someone different than me?" are some of the central themes explored in "Torinaoshi."

The filmmakers invested $5,000 per episode in production, crew and the acquisition of local talent. The three-episode release has since garnered over 1.3 million views worldwide on YouTube, gained international fans with enthusiastic appeals for more episodes, and is a testament to the hard work and collaboration between local Osaka actors and filmmakers.

See the official 2020 "Torinaoshi" trailer and the rest of the series on the Torinaoshi YouTube channel.

To learn more about "Torinaoshi," visit the official website and IMDb page.

International Contacts:
Alex Iskounen, Yusuke Kitaguchi, Yosuke Kumakura: TeamTorinaoshi@gmail.com

Related Links

Series Channel

Official Images (Web Use)

500.com Limited Announces Unaudited Financial Results For the Second Quarter ended June 30, 2020

SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 29, 2020 — 500.com Limited (NYSE: WBAI) ("500.com," "the Company," "we," "us," "our company," or "our"), an online sports lottery service provider in China, today reported its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020.

Suspension of Online Sports Lottery Sales in China

All provincial sports lottery administration centers to which the Company provided sports lottery sales services have suspended accepting online purchase orders for lottery products in response to the Notice related to Self-Inspection and Self-Remedy of Unauthorized Online Lottery Sales (the "Self-Inspection Notice"), which was jointly promulgated by the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the General Administration of Sports of the People’s Republic of China on January 15, 2015. In response to the Self-Inspection Notice, on April 4, 2015, the Company decided to voluntarily suspend all online lottery sales services. As a result of the provincial sport lottery administration centers’ decision to suspend accepting online lottery orders and the Company’s voluntary suspension of all online sports lottery sales services in China, the Company has not generated any revenue from these services since April 2015.

Temporary Suspension of Operations in Sweden 

The Multi Group ("TMG"), a Malta-based subsidiary of the Company, has temporarily suspended its operations in Sweden as TMG did not complete the renewal of its e-Gaming license before it expired. The Company promptly issued a Current Report on Form 6-K dated January 13, 2020 regarding this situation, and provided an update through another Current Report on Form 6-K dated February 20, 2020. TMG has submitted all the application materials and is in close communication with Sweden’s e-Gaming regulatory authority to complete the renewal process. The Company’s revenues for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020 have been, and for the fiscal year of 2020 are expected to be, materially and adversely impacted by the temporary suspension of TMG’s operations in Sweden. Revenue generated by TMG accounted for approximately 89.7% of the Company’s total net revenues for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, of which approximately 61.3% was generated from Sweden.

Internal Investigation Still in Progress

On December 31, 2019, the Company announced that its Board of Directors (the "Board") had formed a Special Investigation Committee (the "SIC") to internally investigate alleged illegal money transfers and the role played by consultants following the arrest of one consultant (also a former director of the Company’s subsidiary in Japan) and two former consultants by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office. On January 16, 2020, the Company announced that the SIC had retained King & Wood Mallesons LLP ("KWM") as its legal advisor to assist with its internal investigation.

As of today, we understand generally from the SIC that KWM has completed certain investigatory work and the internal investigation is still in progress. The Company currently is unable to determine with certainty what effect (if any) the result of the internal investigation may have on the Company’s financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. In addition, the Company currently cannot conclude the assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019 until the internal investigation is completed.

Annual Report on Form 20-F for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2019

The Company previously filed a Form 12b-25 with the SEC on June 15, 2020 for late filing of its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (the "2019 Annual Report"), pursuant to which the 2019 Annual Report was due to be filed by June 30, 2020. The Company expects to file the 2019 Annual Report (i) upon completion of the previously announced internal investigation being conducted by the SIC of the Company’s Board, with the assistance of KWM, (ii) once the Company’s financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 are finalized, (iii) the Company has completed the assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, and (iv) Friedman LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, has completed its audit of financial statements and internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019.

The Company also reports that on July 1, 2020, the Company received an expected notice from New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") Regulation stating that the Company is not in compliance with the NYSE’s continued listing requirements under the timely filing criteria pursuant to Section 802.01E of the NYSE Listed Company Manual as a result of the Company’s failure to timely file the 2019 Annual Report with the SEC. As required by the notice, (a) a representative of the Company contacted the NYSE on July 1, 2020 to discuss the status of the 2019 Annual Report, and (b) the Company is issuing this press release, disclosing the status of the 2019 Annual Report, noting the delay and the reason for the delay, as mentioned above. The anticipated filing date of the 2019 Annual Report is not known at this time.

NYSE Regulation notified the Company that the NYSE will closely monitor the status of the Company’s late filing and related public disclosures for up to a six-month period from the due date of the 2019 Annual Report. If the Company fails to file its annual report and any subsequent delayed filings within six months from the filing due date, the NYSE may, in its sole discretion, allow the Company’s securities to trade for up to an additional six months depending on specific circumstances, as outlined in Section 802.01E of the NYSE Listed Company Manual.

The Company intends to meet the filing deadline of six months period from the filing due date of the 2019 Annual Report, or December 31, 2020.

Purchase of the Remaining 7% Equity Interest of TMG

In connection with our acquisition of a 93% equity interest in TMG in 2017, on April 10, 2020, we entered into a definitive agreement with Helmet Limited, or Helmet, which owned the remaining 7% equity interest (post-acquisition) in TMG, to purchase the remaining 7% equity interest for a consideration of EUR1.9 million. We fully paid this consideration on April 20, 2020, and received the remaining 7% equity interest in TMG on the same date. Since April 2020, we have consolidated into our financial statements the financial and operating results of TMG as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Second Quarter 2020 Highlights

  • Net revenues were RMB3.6 million (US$0.5 million), compared with net revenues of RMB3.1 million for the first quarter of 2020, and net revenues of RMB9.7 million for the second quarter of 2019.
     
  • Operating loss was RMB52.3 million (US$7.4 million), compared with operating loss of RMB36.8 million for the first quarter of 2020, and operating loss of RMB138.3 million for the second quarter of 2019.
     
  • Non-GAAP[1] operating loss was RMB33.7 million (US$4.8 million), compared with non-GAAP operating loss of RMB31.7 million for the first quarter of 2020, and non-GAAP operating loss of RMB60.9 million for the second quarter of 2019.
     
  • Net loss attributable to 500.com was RMB86.3 million (US$12.2 million), compared with net loss attributable to 500.com of RMB36.8 million for the first quarter of 2020, and net loss attributable to 500.com of RMB137.8 million for the second quarter of 2019.
     
  • Non-GAAP net loss attributable to 500.com was RMB34.0 million (US$4.8 million), compared with non-GAAP net loss attributable to 500.com of RMB35.3 million for the first quarter of 2020, and non-GAAP net loss attributable to 500.com of RMB60.4 million for the second quarter of 2019.
     
  • Basic and diluted losses per ADS were RMB2.01 (US$0.28).
     
  • Non-GAAP basic and diluted losses per ADS were RMB0.79 (US$0.11).

[1] Non-GAAP financial measures exclude the impact of share-based compensation expenses, impairment of acquired intangible assets, impairment of goodwill, impairment of long-term investments and deferred tax benefit relating to valuation allowance. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to U.S. GAAP financial measures are set forth in the table at the end of this release.

Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Net Revenues

Net revenues were RMB3.6 million (US$0.5 million) for the second quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of RMB6.1 million or 62.9% from RMB9.7 million for the second quarter of 2019 and a slight increase of RMB0.5 million or 16.1% from RMB3.1 million for the first quarter of 2020. Net revenues during the second quarter of 2020 primarily consisted of RMB3.0 million (EUR0.4 million) in revenue contribution from the Company’s online lottery betting and online casino in Europe through TMG, which accounted for 83.3% of total net revenues. The year-over-year decrease was mainly attributable to a decrease of RMB6.6 million resulting from the temporary suspension of operations in Sweden.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses were RMB55.1 million (US$7.8 million) for the second quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of RMB37.1 million or 40.2% from RMB92.2 million for the second quarter of 2019, and an increase of RMB11.1 million or 25.2% from RMB44.0 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a decrease of RMB10.9 million in expenses for employees as a result of decrease in headcount, a decrease of RMB6.8 million mainly in amortization associated with acquired intangible assets, a decrease in bad debt provision of RMB5.7 million for receivables, a decrease of RMB4.1 million in rental expenses mainly due to the termination of leases for subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Japan and Hangzhou since the local offices were closed, a decrease of RMB2.9 million in travelling expenses, a decrease of RMB2.0 million in consulting expenses, a decrease of RMB1.6 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees, a decrease of RMB2.2 million in platform service costs for TMG associated with its reduction in online lottery and online casino operations, a decrease of RMB1.0 million in lottery insurance costs, and a decrease of RMB0.7 million in account handling expenses. The sequential increase was mainly due to an increase of RMB13.5 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees, which was partially offset by a decrease of RMB1.9 million in consulting expenses and a decrease of RMB1.5 million in expenses for employees.

Cost of services was RMB4.6 million (US$0.7 million) for the second quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of RMB10.4 million or 69.3% from RMB15.0 million for the second quarter of 2019, and a slight increase of RMB0.6 million or 15.0% from RMB4.0 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly attributable to a decrease of RMB6.8 million mainly in amortization associated with acquired intangible assets, a decrease of RMB2.2 million in platform service costs for TMG associated with its reduction in online lottery and online casino operations, a decrease of RMB1.0 million in lottery insurance costs, and a decrease of RMB0.7 million in account handling expenses.

Sales and marketing expenses were RMB5.0 million (US$0.7 million) for the second quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of RMB4.6 million or 47.9% from RMB9.6 million for the second quarter of 2019, and an increase of RMB2.0 million or 66.7% from RMB3.0 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly attributable to a decrease of RMB3.3 million in expenses for employees and a decrease of RMB0.5 million in travelling expenses. The sequential increase was mainly due to an increase of RMB1.7 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees.

General and administrative expenses were RMB35.4 million (US$5.0 million) for the second quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of RMB20.3 million or 36.4% from RMB55.7 million for the second quarter of 2019, and an increase of RMB5.5 million or 18.4% from RMB29.9 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a decrease of RMB6.4 million in expenses for employees, a decrease in bad debt provision of RMB5.7 million for receivables, a decrease of RMB2.8 million in rental expenses, a decrease of RMB2.4 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees, a decrease of RMB2.4 million in travelling expenses, and a decrease of RMB1.8 million in consulting expenses. The sequential increase was mainly due to an increase of RMB8.4 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees, which was partially offset by a decrease of RMB2.0 million in consulting expenses and a decrease of RMB1.1 million in expenses for employees.

Service development expenses were RMB10.1 million (US$1.4 million) for the second quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of RMB1.7 million or 14.4% from RMB11.8 million for the second quarter of 2019, and an increase of RMB3.0 million or 42.3% from RMB7.1 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a decrease of RMB1.3 million in rental expenses and a decrease of RMB1.2 million in expenses for employees, which were partially offset by an increase of RMB0.7 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees. The sequential increase was mainly due to an increase of RMB3.4 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees, which was partially offset by a decrease of RMB0.3 million in expenses for employees.

Impairments of Goodwill and Acquired Intangible assets

The impairments of goodwill and acquired intangible assets were related to the Company’s acquisition of TMG, which were triggered by TMG’s temporary suspension of operations in Sweden.

Impairment of goodwill was RMB57.2 million for the second quarter of 2019. There was no additional impairment of goodwill for the first and second quarters of 2020 as the related goodwill and intangible assets were fully impaired as of December 31, 2019.

Operating Loss

Operating loss was RMB52.3 million (US$7.4 million) for the second quarter of 2020, compared with operating loss of RMB138.3 million for the second quarter of 2019, and operating loss of RMB36.8 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to (i) an impairment provision of RMB57.2 million provided for goodwill during the second quarter of 2019, and there was no such impairment during the second quarter of 2020, and (ii) a decrease of RMB37.1 million in operating expenses due to cost reduction measures implemented by management, which was partially offset by a decrease of RMB6.1 million in revenue. The sequential increase was mainly due to an increase of RMB13.5 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees.

Non-GAAP operating loss was RMB33.7 million (US$4.8 million) for the second quarter of 2020, compared with non-GAAP operating loss of RMB60.9 million for the second quarter of 2019, and non-GAAP operating loss of RMB31.7 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a decrease of RMB37.1 million in Non-GAAP operating expenses due to cost reduction measures implemented by management, which was partially offset by a decrease of RMB6.1 million in revenue.

Net Loss Attributable to 500.com

Net loss attributable to 500.com was RMB86.3 million (US$12.2 million) for the second quarter of 2020, compared with net loss attributable to 500.com of RMB137.8 million for the second quarter of 2019, and net loss attributable to 500.com of RMB36.8 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to (i) an impairment provision of RMB57.2 million provided for goodwill during the second quarter of 2019, there was no such impairment for the second quarter of 2020, and (ii) a decrease of RMB37.1 million in operating expenses due to cost reduction measures implemented by management, which were partially offset by a decrease of RMB6.1 million in revenue and an impairment provision of RMB33.7 million provided for the equity method investment in Loto Interactive Limited ("Loto Interactive", HK: 08198) during the second quarter of 2020, which was calculated based on the last reported sale price on June 30, 2020. The sequential increase was mainly due to (i) an impairment provision of RMB33.7 million provided for long-term investment in Loto Interactive Limited during the second quarter of 2020,  and (ii) an increase of RMB13.5 million in share-based compensation expenses associated with share options granted to the Company’s employees.

Non-GAAP net loss attributable to 500.com was RMB34.0 million (US$4.8 million) for the second quarter of 2020, compared with non-GAAP net loss attributable to 500.com of RMB60.4 million for the second quarter of 2019, and non-GAAP net loss attributable to 500.com of RMB35.3 million for the first quarter of 2020. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a decrease of RMB37.1 million in Non-GAAP operating expenses due to cost reduction measures implemented by management, which was partially offset by a decrease of RMB6.1 million in revenue.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash, Time Deposits and Short-term Investments

As of June 30, 2020, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of RMB295.5 million (US$41.8 million), restricted cash[2] of RMB4.6 million (US$0.7 million), time deposit[3] of RMB0.2 million and short-term investment[4] of RMB50.0 million (US$7.1 million), compared with cash and cash equivalents of RMB332.9 million, restricted cash of RMB4.6 million, time deposits of RMB0.2 million and short-term investments of RMB30.0 million as of March 31, 2020.

[2] Restricted cash represents: (i) government grants received but pending final clearance; and (ii) deposits in merchant banks yet to be withdrawn.

[3] Time deposit represents deposits in commercial banks with original maturities of greater than three months but less than a year.

[4] Short-term investment represents investments in structured financial products provided by financial institutions in the PRC with an initial maturity of six months.

Prepayments and Other Current Assets

As of June 30, 2020, the balance of prepayment and other current assets was RMB24.9 million (US$3.5 million), compared with RMB33.4 million as of March 31, 2020. The balance as of June 30, 2020 mainly included: (i) the current portion of deferred expenses of RMB4.1 million (US$0.6 million); (ii) receivables from third party payment providers of RMB1.9 million (US$0.3 million); (iii) deposit receivables of RMB0.5 million (US$0.1 million); (iv) receivables of consideration from disposal of subsidiaries of RMB0.5 million (US$0.1 million); (v) deductible value added input tax of RMB12.2 million (US$1.7 million); and (vi) other receivables of RMB5.7 million (US$0.7 million).

Business Outlook

The Company does not expect to issue any earnings forecast until it receives clear instructions as to the resumption date of online sports lottery sales from the Ministry of Finance.

Currency Convenience Translation

This announcement contains translations of certain Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of readers. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars were made at the exchange rate of RMB7.0651 to US$1.00, as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board on June 30, 2020, and all translations from Renminbi to Euros were made at the exchange rate of RMB7.7812 to EUR1.00, which was the average of the month-end exchange rates as set forth in the statistical release of State Administration of Foreign Exchange at the end of each month in 2020.

About 500.com Limited

500.com Limited (NYSE: WBAI) is an online sports lottery service provider in China. The Company offers a comprehensive and integrated suite of online lottery services, information, user tools and virtual community venues to its users. 500.com was among the first companies to provide online lottery services in China, and is one of two entities that have been approved by the Ministry of Finance to provide online lottery sales services on behalf of the China Sports Lottery Administration Center, which is the government authority that is in charge of the issuance and sale of sports lottery products in China.

Safe Harbor Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "target," "going forward," "outlook" and similar statements. Such statements are based upon management’s current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company’s control, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under law.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the Company’s financial results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company uses non-GAAP financial measures, which are adjusted from results based on U.S. GAAP to exclude share-based compensation expenses in the Company’s consolidated affiliated entities. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to U.S. GAAP financial measures are set forth in table at the end of this release, which provide more details on the non-GAAP financial measures.

Non-GAAP financial information is provided as additional information to help investors compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis and to enhance investors’ overall understanding of the historical and current financial performance of the Company’s continuing operations and prospects for the future. Non-GAAP financial information should not be considered a substitute for or superior to U.S. GAAP results. In addition, calculations of this non-GAAP financial information may be different from calculations used by other companies, and therefore comparability may be limited.

For more information, please contact:

500.com Limited
ir@500wan.com

Christensen

In China
Mr. Eric Yuan
Phone: +86-10-5900-1548
Email:
Eyuan@christensenir.com

In US
Ms. Linda Bergkamp
Phone: +1-480-614-3004
Email: lbergkamp@ChristensenIR.com

 

 

 

500.com Limited
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi ("RMB") and U.S. dollars ("US$"), except for number of shares)

December 31,
2019

June 30,
2020

June 30,
2020

RMB

RMB

US$

Unaudited

Unaudited

Unaudited

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

361,220

295,505

41,826

Restricted cash

4,576

4,640

657

Time deposits

23,849

200

28

Short-term investments

50,000

7,077

      Amounts due from related parties

10,401

503

71

Prepayments and other current assets

30,280

24,936

3,529

Total current assets

430,326

375,784

53,188

Non-current assets:

Property and equipment, net

64,112

49,384

6,990

Intangible assets, net

4,505

3,299

467

Deposits

5,388

5,282

748

Long-term investments

152,954

109,495

15,498

Right-of-use assets

36,607

24,161

3,420

Other non-current assets

1,887

1,664

236

Total non-current assets

265,453

193,285

27,359

TOTAL ASSETS

695,779

569,069

80,547

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 

Current liabilities:

 Accrued payroll and welfare payable

6,879

3,093

438

 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

51,398

53,684

7,599

 Income tax payable

2,213

545

77

 Operating lease liabilities – current

16,672

16,154

2,286

Total current liabilities

77,162

73,476

10,400

Non-current liabilities:

 Long-term payables

2,965

751

106

 Deferred tax liabilities

59

 Operating lease liabilities – non-current

31,675

21,747

3,078

Total non-current liabilities

34,699

22,498

3,184

TOTAL LIABILITIES

111,861

95,974

13,584

Redeemable noncontrolling interest 

14,849

Shareholders’ Equity:

Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00005
per share, 700,000,000 shares authorized as of 
December 31, 2019 and June 30, 2020;
420,001,792 and 430,014,792 shares issued
and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and
June 30, 2020, respectively

145

149

22

Class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.00005
per share; 300,000,000 shares authorized as of
December 31, 2019 and June 30, 2020;
10,000,099 and 99 shares issued

 and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and
June 30, 2020, respectively

6

2

Additional paid-in capital

2,547,293

2,571,064

363,910

Treasury shares

(143,780)

(143,780)

(20,351)

Accumulated deficit

(1,960,692)

(2,083,838)

(294,948)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

141,484

143,200

20,269

Total 500.com Limited shareholders’ equity

584,456

486,797

68,902

Noncontrolling interests

(15,387)

(13,702)

(1,939)

Total shareholders’ equity

569,069

473,095

66,963

TOTAL LIABILITIES, NONCONTROLLING
INTEREST AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

695,779

569,069

80,547

 

 

 

500.com Limited
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi ("RMB") and U.S. dollars ("US$"),
 except for number of shares, per share (or ADS) data)

 Three Months Ended 

 Six Months Ended 

June 30,
2019

March 31,
2020

June 30,
2020

June 30,
2020

June 30,
2019

June 30,
2020

June 30,
2020

RMB

RMB

RMB

US$

RMB

RMB

US$

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

Net Revenues

9,705

3,064

3,648

516

21,340

6,712

950

Operating costs and expenses:

    Cost of services

(15,032)

(3,984)

(4,616)

(653)

(31,100)

(8,600)

(1,217)

    Sales and marketing expenses

(9,567)

(3,042)

(4,998)

(707)

(24,332)

(8,040)

(1,138)

    General and administrative expenses

(55,738)

(29,876)

(35,373)

(5,007)

(121,417)

(65,249)

(9,235)

    Service development expenses

(11,825)

(7,146)

(10,070)

(1,425)

(25,612)

(17,216)

(2,437)

Total operating expenses

(92,162)

(44,048)

(55,057)

(7,792)

(202,461)

(99,105)

(14,027)

    Other operating income 

952

4,091

453

64

4,715

4,544

643

    Government grant

377

169

172

24

3,022

341

48

    Other operating income (expenses)

40

(53)

(1,553)

(220)

(6,720)

(1,606)

(227)

    Impairment of goodwill

(57,218)

(57,218)

Operating loss from continuing operations

(138,306)

(36,777)

(52,337)

(7,408)

(237,322)

(89,114)

(12,613)

    Other income (expenses), net

1

(375)

1,116

158

389

741

105

    Interest income

3,427

2,391

2,554

361

7,117

4,945

700

    Loss from equity method investments

(6,568)

(5,211)

(2,769)

(392)

(6,911)

(7,980)

(1,129)

    Impairment of long-term investments

(33,706)

(4,771)

(33,706)

(4,771)

Loss before income tax

(141,446)

(39,972)

(85,142)

(12,052)

(236,727)

(125,114)

(17,708)

    Income tax benefit

342

3,593

60

8

440

3,653

517

Net loss from continuing operations

(141,104)

(36,379)

(85,082)

(12,044)

(236,287)

(121,461)

(17,191)

Net loss

(141,104)

(36,379)

(85,082)

(12,044)

(236,287)

(121,461)

(17,191)

    Less: Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest and Redeemable noncontrollling interest
from continuing operations

(3,306)

449

1,236

175

(3,554)

1,685

238

    Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interests

(3,306)

449

1,236

175

(3,554)

1,685

238

Net loss attributable to 500.com Limited

(137,798)

(36,828)

(86,318)

(12,219)

(232,733)

(123,146)

(17,429)

Other comprehensive income (loss)

    Changes in unrealized (loss) gain

(2,409)

436

62

(1,973)

(279)

    Foreign currency translation gain (loss)

7,835

4,104

(415)

(59)

(1,010)

3,689

522

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

7,835

1,695

21

3

(1,010)

1,716

243

Comprehensive loss

(133,269)

(34,684)

(85,061)

(12,041)

(237,297)

(119,745)

(16,948)

    Less: Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interests and Redeemable noncontrolling
interest

(3,306)

449

1,236

175

(3,554)

1,685

238

Comprehensive loss attributable to 500.com Limited

(129,963)

(35,133)

(86,297)

(12,216)

(233,743)

(121,430)

(17,186)

Weighted average number of  Class A and Class B ordinary shares outstanding:

Basic

428,561,237

430,002,155

430,009,704

430,009,704

427,202,484

430,005,930

430,005,930

Diluted

428,561,237

430,002,155

430,009,704

430,009,704

427,202,484

430,005,930

430,005,930

Losses per share attributable to 500.com Limited-Basic and Diluted

    Net loss 

(0.32)

(0.09)

(0.20)

(0.03)

(0.54)

(0.29)

(0.04)

Losses per ADS* attributable to 500.com Limited-Basic and Diluted

    Net loss 

(3.22)

(0.86)

(2.01)

(0.28)

(5.45)

(2.86)

(0.41)

* American Depositary Shares, which are traded on the NYSE. Each ADS represents ten Class A ordinary
shares of the Company.

Numerator adjustment for net loss attributable to 500.com Limited

 

 

 

500.com Limited
Reconciliation of non-GAAP results of operations measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures
(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi ("RMB") and U.S. dollars ("US$"),
except for number of shares, per share (or ADS) data)

 Three Months Ended 

 Six Months Ended 

June 30,
2019

March 31,
2020

June 30,
2020

June 30,
2020

June 30,
2019

June 30,
2020

June 30,
2020

RMB

RMB

RMB

US$

RMB

RMB

US$

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

Operating loss from continuing operations

(138,306)

(36,777)

(52,337)

(7,408)

(237,322)

(89,114)

(12,613)

    Adjustment for share-based compensation expenses

20,203

5,103

18,649

2,640

48,919

23,752

3,362

    Adjustment for impairment of goodwill

57,218

57,218

Adjusted operating loss from continuing operations (non-GAAP)

(60,885)

(31,674)

(33,688)

(4,768)

(131,185)

(65,362)

(9,251)

Net loss attributable to 500.com Limited

(137,798)

(36,828)

(86,318)

(12,219)

(232,733)

(123,146)

(17,429)

    Adjustment for share-based compensation expenses

20,203

5,103

18,649

2,640

48,919

23,752

3,362

    Adjustment for impairment of goodwill

57,218

57,218

    Adjustment for Impairment of long-term investments

33,706

4,771

33,706

4,771

    Adjustment for deferred tax benefit relating to valuation allowance

(3,599)

(60)

(8)

(3,659)

(518)

Adjusted net loss attributable to 500.com Limited (non-GAAP) 

(60,377)

(35,324)

(34,023)

(4,816)

(126,596)

(69,347)

(9,814)

Weighted average number of  Class A and Class B ordinary shares outstanding:

Basic

428,561,237

430,002,155

430,009,704

430,009,704

427,202,484

430,005,930

430,005,930

Diluted

428,561,237

430,002,155

430,009,704

430,009,704

427,202,484

430,005,930

430,005,930

Losses per share attributable to 500.com Limited (non-GAAP)-Basic and diluted

    Net loss (non-GAAP)

(0.14)

(0.08)

(0.08)

(0.01)

(0.30)

(0.16)

(0.02)

Losses per  ADS* attributable to 500.com Limited (non-GAAP)-Basic and diluted

    Net loss (non-GAAP)

(1.41)

(0.82)

(0.79)

(0.11)

(2.96)

(1.61)

(0.23)

* American Depositary Shares, which are traded on the NYSE. Each ADS represents ten Class A ordinary shares of the Company.

Numerator adjustment for net loss attributable to 500.com Limited

 

 

Related Links :

http://ir.500.com/

UL Advances Ability for Electronic Product and Equipment Manufacturers to Quickly Enter Mexico Market


Mexico Ministry of Economy grants UL first mutual recognition agreement to allow electronics product testing outside of Mexico

NORTHBROOK, Illinois, Aug. 29, 2020 — UL, a leading global safety science company, today announced that Mexico’s Ministry of Economy, General Directorate of Standards (DGN), has granted UL the right to conduct safety and energy efficiency testing globally for electronic products and equipment imported into that country. These include safety tests for audio, video and information technology products and equipment and uninterruptible power systems (UPS) as well as energy efficiency tests for washing machines, household and commercial refrigerators and freezers, motors, lighting, external power supplies and products and equipment requiring stand-by power.

With the ability now to perform safety and energy efficiency tests at UL or UL-approved laboratories outside of Mexico, according to official Mexico standards, Norma Oficial Mexicana and Oficial Mexico Standard (NOM) and Mexican Standard (NMX), UL can help reduce time and cost to market for product access to the Mexican marketplace.

The safety test designation, a first for any international testing, inspection and certification company, applies to specific products and equipment as identified by the NOM and NMX categories. Product and equipment groups include:

  • NOM-001-SCFI-2018 – Electronic appliances
  • NMX-I-163-NYCE-2016 – Electronic equipment – uninterruptible power systems (UPS).
  • NMX-I-60065-NYCE-2015 – Electronic equipment – audio, video and similar electronic apparatus
  • NMX-I-60950-1-NYCE-2015 – Information technology equipment

According to The World Bank, Mexico – with a population of more than 130 million and a rise in income levels and spending power – has the 11th largest economy in the world and the second largest economy in Latin America.

"With Mexico’s rising growth comes a greater demand for more consumables, contributing to an increased need for additional regulatory safety and security oversight," said Carlos Correia, senior vice president and general manager of UL in Latin America. "With this designation from the DGN, UL is now able to meet that need by utilizing our global network of best-in-class laboratories and testing facilities to help electronic product and equipment manufacturers meet necessary Mexico safety and security requirements and pave the way for a swift and smooth Mexico market entry."

In addition to safety tests, the DGN has designated that UL can now perform energy efficiency testing, including requirements for Energy Star or the Canada Standards Association, at UL facilities outside of Mexico. Applicable NOM standards include:

  • NOM-005-ENER-2016 – household washing machines
  • NOM-014-ENER-2004 – air-cooled motors
  • NOM-015-ENER-2012 – household refrigerators and freezers
  • NOM-017-ENER/SCFI-2014 – commercial refrigeration appliances
  • NOM-029-ENER-2017- external power supplies
  • NOM-030-ENER-2016 – LEDs
  • NOM-032-ENER-2013 – equipment and appliances requiring standby power

"We know that navigating the regulatory landscape of global markets is a complex and challenging task. COVID-19 has added another layer of complexity. With this designation, customers can test their products and equipment closer to their production facilities and mitigate delays due to the pandemic," said Helena Wolf, senior director of UL’s International Certification division. "We stand ready to address global market access needs, with our experts and facilities throughout the world — to help ensure a streamlined Mexico market entry."

About UL

UL helps create a better world by applying science to solve safety, security and sustainability challenges. We empower trust by enabling the safe adoption of innovative new products and technologies. Everyone at UL shares a passion to make the world a safer place. All of our work, from independent research and standards development, to testing and certification, to providing analytical and digital solutions, helps improve global well-being. Businesses, industries, governments, regulatory authorities and the public put their trust in us so they can make smarter decisions. To learn more, visit UL.com. To learn more about our nonprofit activities, visit UL.org.

Press contact:
Steven Brewster
UL
steven.brewster@ul.com
1+847.664.8425

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Related Links :

http://www.ul.com

http://www.ul.org

Crypto.com Pay Now Powers CRO Payments From Any ERC-20 Wallet


Enables merchants to expand reach to 30 million + crypto wallets

HONG KONG, Aug. 29, 2020Crypto.com today announced that Crypto.com Pay — the company’s payment solution for online merchants — will now support CRO payments from any ERC-20 wallet. This evolution of Crypto.com Pay will help merchants expand their reach by giving customers more wallet options to spend CRO and increase transaction volume.

 

Crypto.com Pay Now Powers CRO Payments From Any ERC-20 Wallet.
Crypto.com Pay Now Powers CRO Payments From Any ERC-20 Wallet.

 

There are an estimated 30 million+ ERC-20 wallets in use throughout the global crypto industry, representing a massive market for merchants seeking to attract crypto users. Today’s enhancement of Crypto.com Pay allows merchants to drive broad acceptance of payments from all ERC-20 wallets.

Kris Marszalek, Co-founder and CEO of Crypto.com said: "This marks an important milestone in CRO utility and a major step towards widespread adoption of CRO. Now, any user with an ERC-20 wallet can transact with Crypto.com Pay merchants. Those merchants will benefit from a large customer base using 30M+ ERC-20 wallets, regardless of which wallet customers choose to use."

Benoît Pellevoizin, VP of Marketing at Ledger, said: "As one of the most prominent crypto industry players. It is Ledger’s duty to stimulate crypto adoption for all comers. At Ledger we are convinced crypto mass adoption will be brought by new services enabling regular digital usage such as ecommerce payments. Ledger is very glad to partner with Crypto.com by supporting CRO tokens on Ledger Live. From now on, Ledger’s users will be able to pay in CRO ERC-20 tokens with Ledger Live on ecommerce websites supporting this new Crypto.com Pay feature."

Alen Salamun, CTO of BC Vault, said: "This is what blockchain is all about in the first place! It is always nice to see a company as Crypto.com provide more and more real-world use cases for their token (CRO). Since BC Vault hardware crypto wallet supports all ERC-20 tokens in existence with the launch on Crypto.com Pay system now BC Vault users are able to pay directly from within the BC Vault desktop application to any merchant supporting Crypto.com Pay on-chain payment. Our valued customers will also be able to pay for their BC Vault hardware crypto wallet in our online store using any existing ERC-20 wallet holding CRO tokens. Now you can even buy BC Vault with BC Vault!"

Steve Hipwell, Co-Founder and COO of Travala.com, said: "We are the world’s largest blockchain-based online travel company, which means it’s critical that we offer Travala.com users flexible payment options in crypto. By accepting CRO payment from any ERC-20 wallet, Crypto.com Pay opens up crypto payments to millions more wallets, making it easier to pay for bookings and bringing us one step closer to widespread crypto adoption."

Since launching in 2018, Crypto.com Pay has helped merchants such as Ledger, Coinzilla, as well as platforms such as WooCommerce and Oveit tap into the global cryptocurrency economy and accept crypto on their website. Crypto.com Pay features zero transaction fees and only 0.5% for settlements – an 80% saving on fees compared to typical payment processors – with low volatility and easy integration for merchants. Merchants interested in offering Crypto.com Pay to their customers can sign up here.

For users, all payments made in CRO are entitled to CRO cashback, known as Pay Rewards, which are collected in the user’s Crypto.com App. Until Sept 30th, 2020, customers paying with wallets other than Crypto.com App can also enjoy the 2X Pay Rewards privilege enjoyed by App users with 10,000 CRO staked in Exchange or with an active 3 Months Earn term, which is up to 10% of Pay Rewards. If the email provided by the customer does not belong to a Crypto.com App account, the Pay Rewards can still be able to be collected if the someone uses that email to sign up at Crypto.com App and verified within 90 days.

More details about Pay Rewards can be found here. For more details, please visit our FAQ page here (for merchants) and here (for retail customers).

About Crypto.com

Crypto.com was founded in 2016 on a simple belief: it’s a basic human right for everyone to control their money, data and identity. Crypto.com serves over 3 million customers today, providing them with a powerful alternative to traditional financial services through the Crypto.com App, the Crypto.com Card and the Crypto.com Exchange.

Crypto.com is built on a solid foundation of security, privacy and compliance and is the first cryptocurrency company in the world to have ISO/IEC 27701:2019, CCSS Level 3, ISO27001:2013 and PCI:DSS 3.2.1, Level 1 compliance. Crypto.com is headquartered in Hong Kong with a 500+ strong team. Find out more by visiting https://crypto.com

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