Tag Archives: FIN

PR Newswire

Adyen to partner with Hungry Jack’s to improve its customer service with payment-led updates

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AMSTERDAM, Dec. 9, 2020 — Adyen (AMS: ADYEN), the global payments platform of choice for many of the world’s leading companies, today announced it has partnered with Hungry Jack’s, the Australia-based quick-service restaurant, to improve its point-of-sale (POS) terminal fleet and help unify its in-store and ecommerce channels – driving cost savings, while improving revenues and customer experience.

"Adyen’s POS offering has had a significant impact on the business. The last thing you want is your payment system failing on a busy night. A reliable payments set-up allows for quick, seamless customer experiences, and thus improves our turnover," said Hungry Jack’s CIO Bruce Nolte. "We want to make it as easy as possible to pay and focus on having a preferred option for everybody across channels. Integrating to the Adyen platform has unlocked this for us. Furthermore, Adyen’s unified commerce solution enabled us to utilize online, delivery, and drive-through options while the dining room was closed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic," Nolte concluded.

"Offering smooth customer experiences are crucial for QSRs – especially during peak service times and for drive-through and delivery," said Michel von Aalten, Adyen Country Manager of Australia and New Zealand. "We’re excited by the results Hungry Jack’s has already achieved and look forward to supporting them further on their unified commerce journey."

About Hungry Jack’s

Hungry Jack’s has been the home of the famous flame-grilled Whopper in Australia for almost 50 years. Australians enjoy visiting Hungry Jack’s network of more than 440 restaurants nationwide for great tasting, fresh food. From delicious flame grilled 100% Aussie beef burgers, the plant-based range, the succulent chicken menu items, brekky wraps or the barista made coffee, Hungry Jack’s is the destination for classic favorites, innovative new menu items and that famous flame grilled smoky BBQ flavor. To learn more about Hungry Jack’s, please visit www.hungryjacks.com.au or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Adyen

Adyen (AMS: ADYEN) is the payments platform of choice for many of the world’s leading companies, providing a modern end-to-end infrastructure connecting directly to Visa, Mastercard, and consumers’ globally preferred payment methods. Adyen delivers frictionless payments across online, mobile, and in-store channels. With offices across the world, Adyen serves customers including Facebook, Uber, Spotify, Microsoft, Singapore Airlines, and L’Oréal. The cooperation with Hungry Jack’s as described in this merchant update underlines Adyen’s continuous growth with current and new merchants over the years.

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PR Newswire

Acer Reports November Consolidated Revenues of NT$28.72 Billion, Up 40.6% Year-on-year

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TAIPEI, Dec. 8, 2020 — Acer Inc. (TWSE: 2353) announced today its consolidated revenues for November at NT$28.72 billion, up 40.6% year-on-year (YoY) and by 12.5% month-on-month. Consolidated revenues for year-to-November reached NT$248.72 billion, up 17.9% YoY.

Business highlights include YoY revenue growth for:

  • Notebook PCs by 68.0% in November
  • Monitors by 34.9% in November
  • Gaming line[1] by 52.4% in November, and by 31.8% year-to-November
  • Chromebooks by 135.4% in November, and by 79.0% year-to-November
  • Thin and light notebooks by 53.0% year-to-November

The momentum of Acer’s new initiatives continue:

  • Acer Synergy Tech is holding a competitive auction of 1,292,000 shares among its capital injection for its listing on the Taipei Exchange, which will end on December 9, 2 pm Taipei time
  • Weblink International received approval from the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s listing review committee on December 2
  • GadgeTek revenues grew 76.6% year-to-November YoY

During the current pandemic, the demand for Acer products has remained higher than supply. Along with its partners’ efforts, Acer has been selected among the top three for Supplier of the Year Awards in 2020, information technology category, by Euronics International, a European retail association in electrical goods.

[1] Acer’s gaming line includes desktops, notebooks, and monitors

About Acer

Founded in 1976, Acer now is one of the world’s top ICT companies and has a presence in over 160 countries. As Acer looks into the future, it is focused on enabling a world where hardware, software and services will fuse with one another to open up new possibilities for consumers and businesses alike. From service-oriented technologies to the Internet of Things to gaming and virtual reality, Acer’s 7,000+ employees are dedicated to the research, design, marketing, sale, and support of products and solutions that break barriers between people and technology. Please visit www.acer.com for more information.

© 2020 Acer Inc. All rights reserved. Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners. All offers subject to change without notice or obligation and may not be available through all sales channels. Prices listed are manufacturer suggested retail prices and may vary by location. Applicable sales tax extra.

Related Links :

http://www.acer.com

PR Newswire

Singapore Startup Helps Owners Sell Their Car in Record Time, Builds First AI Valuation Tool in Region

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Partnering global technology company Huawei, UCARS aims to build consumer trust and satisfaction in the automotive industry with its latest integration of cutting-edge technologies into its platform

SINGAPORE, Dec. 7, 2020 — Singapore’s fastest-growing online car marketplace to buy and sell new and used cars, UCARS is integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud computing into its platform together with Huawei to provide consumers with enhanced transparency, security and satisfaction.

Singapore car owners can now expect to sell their vehicles within three days at the highest prices when they use the AI-enhanced tools provided by the UCARS platform. This is part of the company’s commitment to shifting the automotive industry towards a more modernised and customer-centric landscape.

Using AI, the company has successfully created a proprietary valuation tool on the platform that provides consumers with an estimate of their cars’ resale value within seconds, making it the first instant AI Car Valuation Tool in Southeast Asia. Compared to other valuation methods that take at least a day to give an estimate, the UCARS AI Valuation Tool is the fastest valuation tool available to consumers in the region.

With the current economic lull due to COVID-19, transfer of private vehicle ownership for cars has seen an average of 15% year-on-year increase compared to September last year and reached an all-time high in September this year (source: LTA). Consumer demand for new and used cars has been seeing a steady increase in the Southeast Asia region. 

"We speculate that some Singaporeans are anticipating an economic rebound in the near future, and coupled with pent-up demand for cars and reduced quotas, we are expecting to see car sales skyrocket in the coming months," said Cho Kok Yick, Chief Technology Officer at UCARS.

One seller, Gideon Lam, who has successfully sold two cars on UCARS, stated that his experience was a seamless process as UCARS "helped to coordinate all the necessary" without him needing to do extensive preparatory work. Another seller, Michael Chong, showed appreciation towards UCARS for ensuring that the entire process was "smooth and transparent" on both ends.

"We want to make the second-hand car selling process as safe and as easy as possible, this is why we continuously invest in AI technologies. This will, of course, be made possible by Huawei technologies," Cho added.

"This is a really exciting time, where we see more companies harness the power of AI to change the way they do business. Huawei is excited to embark on this journey with UCARS to help digitalise and deepen consumer trust in the automotive industry as well as to improve the customer journey and experience," said Daniel Zhou, President of Huawei Cloud & AI Group, Asia Pacific.

Making Better Decisions with AI

Due to the pandemic, consumers worldwide have shifted their shopping patterns, and this applies to the automotive industry that traditionally thrives on face-to-face interactions.

To help consumers make better informed decisions in a fraction of the usual time, UCARS is progressively introducing new and improved tools and services powered by AI onto the platform by partnering Huawei.

With the help of HUAWEI CLOUD, UCARS seeks to deepen consumer trust by integrating better infrastructure and cloud security into the platform, and embarking on several AI-related projects to improve customer experience. This includes a Car Image Search Engine powered by machine vision and machine learning, as well as an improved AI Valuation Tool. All of them are developed on ModelArts, the AI platform of Huawei.

Using an improved algorithm, the accuracy of each valuation on the UCARS AI Valuation Tool improves with every use. By getting a better estimate on the value of their car, consumers can sell their car on the UCARS platform with ease of mind knowing the amount they can expect to get back, and at a fraction of the usual time it would take on other automotive platforms.

UCARS is also working on creating an AI-powered car search tool to help consumers identify the make and model of a car using only images. With machine vision, image recognition can be utilised to find a specific vehicle that consumers desire.

"We are confident that by building a strong core in the area of deep tech, we will be able to power future growth in the automotive industry in a post-COVID world," said Cho.

With the government’s push for digitalisation, disruptive technology solutions like artificial intelligence platforms, big data platforms, startups like UCARS are stepping up to create and adapt their current technologies.

Transparent Experience on the Cloud

Notably, the automotive industry faces difficulties communicating and forging meaningful relations with its consumers in a digitising society due to obsolete and inefficient operating processes. Consumers therefore lack the trust and confidence in the products and services sold by local car dealers.

According to Cho, UCARS eliminates the need for consumers to disclose their personal contact by using the platform’s built-in chat system. This allows consumers to connect seamlessly with dealers without divulging more information than they wish to.

Moreover, when dealers list on UCARS, there is no need for consumers to worry about hidden fees, undisclosed package deals, as they are provided with the latest and most accurate information on every listing.

Cho added that, after migrating its backend systems to HUAWEI CLOUD, the UCARS platform has become more stable and is now able to handle large amounts of data much better and securely than before.

Launched in Singapore early last year, HUAWEI CLOUD has been investing copious resources in partnering local startups such as UCARS. They strive to optimise their backend infrastructure and AI algorithms to better meet business objectives, all while keeping HUAWEI’s services secure and affordable. UCARS is also one of the five finalists in Huawei Spark 2020, a hybrid accelerator programme launched by Huawei for deep tech startups.

"A more robust architecture translates to enhanced user experience for both dealers and consumers. We truly appreciate the help that Huawei has been providing us throughout the integration process, and we look forward to more collaborative projects in the future," he added.

With innovation at the heart and technological know-how in mind, UCARS continues to bring consumers and dealers closer by digitising human interactions in the automotive industry, taking its place as the future of automotive retail.

 

PR Newswire

One third of Australians approaching retirement have never received any advice reveals Smart

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LONDON, Dec. 8, 2020 — YouGov research: One third of respondents – and one quarter of those over 55 – said that they did not understand the retirement finance options available to them well

  • Financial advisors (53%), Superannuation funds (50%) or government websites (41%) are the places most people would expect to get advice
  • However, these sources do not appear to live up to expectations. When asked where they had received the most useful advice, 29% of 55+ respondents said financial advisors and only 16% mentioned their superannuation fund
  • Smart Retire guides users through retirement, giving them the confidence to make informed decisions through a simple pot solution

New research commissioned by global retirement technology provider, Smart, carried out by YouGov, has found that an astounding 34% of Australians aged 55+ (38% aged 45-55) have never received any advice on retirement.  The research also found that two thirds (66%) of respondents consider online tools important when planning for their retirement, with 30% feeling that following the covid pandemic, managing retirement finances online was more important than before.

The news comes as Smart, which now manages almost AUS $2.7bn of assets, launches Smart Retire (www.smartretire.com.au), an innovative product that gives people flexibility to plan and manage retirement savings in a personalised way. Flexibility in retirement is increasingly important as one third of savers expect to continue to work part time during retirement and will need the opportunity to flex their income as necessary.

Will Wynne, Group Managing Director, Smart, said:

"Retirement is complex and we know people need help if they are to make the most of their savings. That’s why we’ve invested tens of thousands of hours conducting research, testing and developing our new Smart Retire technology solution which gives people flexibility and control, while guiding them through important decisions to ensure they are using their money in the right way. Importantly our approach, which helps people navigate their retirement options, bridges the advice gap while empowering people to make the most of their retirement savings."

Smart Retire

Smart Retire guides members through the complexities in the run up to retirement, filling the so-called ‘advice gap’ through guidance rather than often expensive advice. Members can use this solution in conjunction with personalised advice from a professional. 

Designed by Smart’s in-house research and UX team, Smart Retire has been built to be as flexible as possible, allowing users to scenario plan and change their retirement strategy as required.

Built with a ‘four pots’ model, based on user research, Smart Retire accommodates life’s unpredictability and ensures users avoid both under-spending and running out of money in their retirement.

Of the four pots, two are income pots:

  • Flexible income pot – monthly income in the early years of retirement
  • Later life pot – leave money invested to buy a guaranteed income from an annuity provider later on in retirement

And two savings pots:

  • Rainy day pot – dip in to this pot for emergencies
  • Inheritance pot – put money aside to leave to a loved one

Interestingly, Smart’s user research shows that the inheritance pot isn’t required by Australian  retirees, with property being the preferred method of transferring wealth – this has been further supported by the findings from the Retirement Income Review.

The output of Smart’s research will initially see the solution configured to three ‘buckets’ for the Australian market (Flexible income, Later years and Buffer), and will also incorporate the Age Pension, providing members with a single view of their retirement and giving them confidence to plan and spend effectively.

Through the development of the roadmap, there will be a greater focus on non-super assets such as housing wealth, to ensure that Australian’s are equipped with the ability to maximise their retirement income.

Mark Vaughan, Managing Director of financial services consulting firm, QMV, said:

"QMV is excited to see innovation and international perspectives enter the market, providing opportunities for helping members to gain cost effective access to self-service retirement planning tools. This is particularly relevant given the recent release of the Retirement Incomes Review report and continued focus on superannuation policy settings."

Smart Retire will initially be available to members of the Smart Pension Master Trust in the UK with it being rolled out globally in 2021.

Recognising that consumers have long enjoyed technology advancements in banking, payments and investments, Smart’s global mission is to transform pensions savings and financial well-being across all generations around the world through technology, and bring the pensions sector into the 21st century.

Notes to editor:

Smart’s research, carried out among 6,000 people across the UK, USA, and Australia, shows millions of people coming up to retirement across the globe are crying out for technology to solve these problems.

About Smart:

Smart is a global savings and investments technology platform provider, co-founded in 2014 by Andrew Evans, Group CEO, and Will Wynne, Group MD. Link Group, Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), J.P. Morgan, Natixis Investment Managers and Barclays are all strategic investors in Smart.

The Smart platform powers the award-winning master trust, Smart Pension Master Trust. Launched in 2015, the Smart Pension Master Trust has grown from £100 million in AUM to £1.5 billion in two years. It is overseen by independent professional trustees and regulated by The Pensions Regulator. Smart Pension is a signatory of the UN Principles of Responsible Investing (PRI).

Visit https://www.smart.co/  for more information.

Related Links :

https://www.smart.co/

PR Newswire

CooTek to Participate in December and January Investor Conferences

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SHANGHAI, Dec. 4, 2020 — CooTek (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: CTK) ("CooTek" or the "Company"), a fast-growing global mobile internet company, today announced that the Company will present and meet with institutional investors at the following virtual investor conferences. For more information on CooTek presentations, please visit investor relations website https://ir.cootek.com, or contact ir@cootek.com.

  • ICA BEST of Asia Discovery Conference on Thursday, December 10, 2020, HKT.
  • ICA Insight Series
    Presentation on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, HKT.
    Registration: https://rb.gy/ypgtaf
  • Needham Growth Conference 2021
    Presentation on January 11, 2021, EDT.
  • ICR Conference 2021
    Presentation on January 11-14, 2021, EDT.

The Company’s management will participate in virtual meetings with institutional investors throughout these events. For additional information, please contact your respective institutional sales representative at each sponsoring bank.

About CooTek (Cayman) Inc.

CooTek is a fast-growing mobile internet company with a global vision, offering mobile applications. Our mission is to empower everyone to enjoy relevant content seamlessly. The Company’s user-centric and data-driven approach has enabled it to release appealing products to capture mobile internet users’ ever-evolving content needs and helps it rapidly attract targeted users. CooTek has developed and brought to market content-rich mobile applications, focusing on three categories: online literature, scenario-based content apps and casual games.

For more information on CooTek, please visit https://ir.cootek.com.  

For more information, please contact:

CooTek (Cayman) Inc.
Mr. Robert Cui
ir@cootek.com  

ICA (Institutional Capital Advisory)
Mr. Kevin Yang
Phone: +86-021-8028-6033
E-mail: cootek@icaasia.com

Related Links :

https://ir.cootek.com

PR Newswire

TD Holdings, Inc. Addresses Recent Stock Volatility

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SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 4, 2020 — TD Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLG) (the "Company"), a commodities trading and supply chain management service provider in China today released a statement to address its recent stock volatility. The management team of the Company believes it is prudent to advise the market of this given recent fluctuations of its stock price.

The statement provided by the Company is as follows:

  • The Company is unaware of any reasons for its recent stock volatility or any material developments concerning its business operations that is not publicly available.
  • The Company has not selectively disclosed any material nonpublic information to analysts, investors or others.
  • The Company will continue to monitor key factors that may affect its stock volatility including the latest developments, assess its business, financial condition and results of operations, and will disclose such information publicly either through press releases or SEC fillings.

About TD Holdings, Inc.

TD Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLG) is a commodities trading and supply chain management service provider in China. Our commodities trading and supply chain management businesses are conducted under the brand names "Huamucheng" by Shenzhen Huamucheng Trading Co., Ltd. and "Qianhai Baiyu" by Shenzhen Qianhai Baiyu Supply Chain Co., Ltd., the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries in Shenzhen. For more information please visit http://ir.tdglg.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of TD Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary companies. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company’s periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website at http://www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

PR Newswire

Maxonrow partners with National Chiao Tung University

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Collaboratively establishes research center for technological breakthrough discovery works

HSINCHU, Dec. 4, 2020 — Blockchain tech startup company Maxonrow and Taiwan’s leading university National Chiao Tung University jointly established the "Technology Management and Blockchain Research Center" which is dedicated towards the development of blockchain technology applications, promote cross-domain integrated application systems, and contribute to the development of blockchain-industry ecosystem alliance. The inauguration ceremony of research center was held recently on 24th November, 2020.

The "Technology Management and Blockchain Research Center" which was founded by National Chiao Tung University‘s Institute of Technology Management Professor Grace Lin and Maxonrow Taiwan Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Don Hsieh. The former is positioned as director of the research center, whereas the latter is taking on technical director role.

In addition, the research center successfully collaborated with many public sector organizations, academic units and well-known corporations, including Chunghwa Telecom, General Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of China, Taiwan Blockchain Alliance, Hsinchu City Government, and Industrial Technology Research Institute — the very initial collaboration that has received firm support from political, business and academic circle.

At present, Taiwan is at a crucial moment for the approval of STO virtual securities financial regulations. Also, the domestic demand for blockchain technology on commercial applications is gradually sprouting and expanding. National Chiao Tung University is well-known for its science and engineering, which comprises of leading academicians and conducive research atmosphere, has occupied the global leading position in electronics, information communications, optoelectronics and many other relevant fields.

By collaborating with blockchain tech startup company Maxonrow, which has leading advantages of being highly familiar with blockchain and matured True Asset Issuing (TAI) technology, the research center aims to focus on:

  • Medical biotechnology industry
  • Agricultural and fishery production along with its sales record management
  • FinTech applications
  • Smart logistics and cold chain
  • Smart Factory Industry 4.0
  • Renewable energy management
  • Enterprise information security certificate software

With the evolution of blockchain technology, rapid adaptation and successful transformation has became a key factor in today’s organizations. The research center aims to assist organizations in seeking a compatible future development, and building a highly interactive ecosystem alliance between industry experts and academic achievers. The "Technology Management and Blockchain Research Centre" is looking forward to realizing the true potential of blockchain applications by introducing cutting-edge technology in near future.

For more information on Maxonrow, visit www.maxonrow.com.

About Maxonrow Ltd ("Maxonrow")

Maxonrow is a leading technology company committed to building a safe and efficient digital world. The company develops an array of products and services powered by blockchain technology, focusing on increasing security and efficiency in digital processes, including DMS (document management system), tokenization services (FT & NFT) and digital identity wallet solutions. Maxonrow works proactively with global regulators and governments to build a healthy ecosystem for new technologies to flourish. With Maxonrow, companies can enjoy all the benefits blockchain offers without sacrificing regulatory oversight.

PR Newswire

Velo Labs Chooses BitGo for Digital Asset Custody

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ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, Dec. 4, 2020 — Velo Labs, developer of the Velo Protocol, is excited to announce that it has entered into an agreement with BitGo, a leading digital asset financial services firm. BitGo will provide its best-in-class digital asset custody services to Velo Labs and its alliance network.

The scope of the agreement is two-fold:

  1. Velo Labs will utilize BitGo’s qualified custody through BitGo Trust, in order to provide BitGo’s pioneering multi-signature custody of VELO token on behalf of Velo Labs.
  2. BitGo will provide safekeeping services for Velo Labs’ fiat currency accounts at depository institutions and/or in one or more money market accounts.

Velo Labs and its partners will bring great value to users through a suite of innovative Velo Protocol-powered products, beginning with its robust Federated Credit Exchange Network. Through its Federated Credit Exchange Network, Velo Labs connects an array of traditional, centralized and decentralized finance partners to enable distributed value transfers powered by blockchain technology. At the core of this network is the VELO token. VELO tokens serve as a bridge asset enabling secure value transfers between network participants in an instant and transparent manner using blockchain technology. It also provides cross-chain liquidity together with on-chain/off-chain liquidity and settlement.

"Velo Labs is building an inclusive financial solution that brings affordable and instantaneous financial mobility to its partners and downstream end users. The partnership with BitGo further strengthens our ability to allow safe and secure value storage and transfer in the Velo ecosystem." — Tridbodi Arunanondchai, Vice Chairman of Velo Labs

BitGo pioneered multi-signature security in 2013 with hot wallets and launched BitGo Trust in 2018 for qualified custody. It now provides a full stack of solutions for institutional investors in addition to custody including portfolio and tax management and prime lending and trading services. With the addition of BitGo’s custodial services, Velo Labs furthers its mission of providing safety and security to its partners while building the Federated Credit Exchange Network.

"BitGo supports Velo’s mission to build a decentralized settlement network," said Mike Belshe, Co-Founder and CEO, BitGo. "Velo’s growth in APAC with a focus on payment solutions serves to further address under-served micro, small and medium enterprise lending in the region. This is a timely and important initiative as the ecosystem continues to develop to empower the underbanked."

About Velo Labs

Founded in 2018, Velo Labs is backed by the CP Group and Stellar Network (XLM). Its core mission is to build a Federated Credit Exchange Network that allows partners to safely and securely transfer value between each other with maximized efficiency and transparency. Velo Labs currently serves business partners in the remittance and money transfer markets of Southeast Asia. Through its Federated Credit Exchange Network, Velo Labs aims to solve the inefficiencies in the current remittance and money transfer markets and become a major settlement hub in Asia, eventually expanding to other regions.

Velo Labs develops the Velo Protocol. The Velo Protocol is a blockchain financial protocol enabling digital credit issuance and borderless asset transfers for businesses using a smart contract system. It enables its trusted partners to issue digital credits via a smart contract layer, using the Stellar Consensus Protocol to process and settle transactions. The Velo Protocol can issue digital credits that correspond to any fiat currency.

Through its services, Velo Labs is looking to create a fully interoperable network that will enable its trusted partners (i.e. businesses, banks, digital banks, cash-in/cash out network, e-wallets, DeFi protocols) to make frictionless value transfers that are settled instantaneously in a cheap, secure, and simplified manner. Further use-cases for the Velo Protocol will also be introduced over time. This includes borrowing, lending, staking, and more. Velo Labs seeks to realize its goals by leveraging on its core capabilities, which include a strong leadership team with a solid track record in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to financial services, technology and telecommunications. Velo Labs is backed by a network of major conglomerates in Asia who are driving the use and adoption of the Velo Protocol and VELO token.

About BitGo

BitGo is the leader in digital asset financial services, providing institutional investors with liquidity, custody, and security solutions. In 2020, BitGo launched Prime Trading and Lending, as well as BitGo Portfolio and Tax, providing clients with a full-stack solution for digital assets. In 2018, it launched BitGo Trust Company, the first qualified custodian purpose-built for storing digital assets. BitGo processes over 20% of all global Bitcoin transactions, and supports over 300 coins and tokens. BitGo’s customer base includes the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges and institutional investors and spans more than 50 countries. BitGo is backed by Goldman Sachs, Craft Ventures, Digital Currency Group, DRW, Galaxy Digital Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, and Valor Equity Partners. For more information, please visit https://bitgo.com.

Disclosures

Custody services are offered through BitGo Trust Company, a South Dakota chartered trust company. BitGo is not registered with the SEC as an investment advisor or custodian, and does not offer legal, tax, investment, or other advice. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professional for questions about your specific circumstances.

BitGo Trust Company, BitGo Inc., and BitGo Prime LLC are separately operated, wholly-owned subsidiaries of BitGo Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, CA.

Website | Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn

 

PR Newswire

Baidu Mobile Ecosystem Rides the Wave of the Fast-Emerging Intelligent Economy, Says Dou Shen at Web Summit 2020

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Baidu Executive Vice President highlights strategic growth initiatives that have transformed the company’s mobile ecosystem into a comprehensive service provider

BEIJING, Dec. 4, 2020 — Dou Shen, Executive Vice President of Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), today analyzed the rise of the intelligent economy and the resultant strategy of Baidu’s Mobile Ecosystem Group (MEG) during a keynote speech at Web Summit 2020. Shen explained how Baidu’s mobile ecosystem has been adapting to and driving the intelligent transformation of the mobile internet industry, leveraging Baidu’s self-developed AI technologies to provide users with more robust digital services.

"The rise of the intelligent economy is an inevitable trend brought on by AI technology, and also the biggest priority for companies that value technology investments," Shen said at Web Summit, one of the largest technology conferences in the world that brings together executives from leading technology companies. With its leading AI technologies and commitment to innovation, Baidu’s mobile ecosystem is well-positioned to thrive in the era of the intelligent economy.

Shen said the rise of the intelligent economy is bringing about change on three dimensions. The first is changes in devices and how users interact with them, as AI powers more and more intelligent devices that can communicate naturally with people. Secondly, new industry formats will come into being, spearheaded by intelligent transformations across various industries. Thirdly, Shen mentioned the impending shift in IT infrastructure, with AI chips, deep-learning platforms, or AI algorithms replacing traditional CPUs and operating systems as the backbone that will power the contemporary intelligent economy. 

In response to the changes brought about by the intelligent economy, Baidu has identified three major growth opportunities, Shen said in his presentation, namely service-oriented transformations, humanization, and the adoption of digital technology and AI across industries. The Baidu mobile ecosystem is capitalizing on these growth opportunities through a three-pronged strategic layout—Baijiahao for content creators, Smart Mini Programs for content and service providers, as well as Managed Pages for advertisers. Together, these pillars offer comprehensive capabilities that meet users’ fast-evolving needs, Shen said, and form a solid foundation for the long-term growth of Baidu’s mobile ecosystem.

The first facet of growth generation is to carry out service-oriented transformations, as users demand easier access to services. Although search engines were once platforms that solely provided information based on user queries, Baidu has since repurposed the informative abilities of its software into an integrated service ecosystem, establishing a convenient interface that can be widely tailored towards comprehensive user needs.

"Baidu App is not only the largest platform for Chinese people to obtain information and knowledge, it is also becoming a comprehensive service portal," Shen said. "We have continuously enriched the types of services we offer by introducing a wide range of Smart Mini Programs that address various service needs. Users can pay their electricity bill, book travel, rent a house, and watch movies on various Smart Mini Programs, all without leaving Baidu App."

The second facet of growth identified by Shen is to enhance humanization across the entire mobile ecosystem, creating more authentic connections between people. Baijiahao enables direct links between users and its 3.6 million accounts.

"In the past, our creators were behind the scenes. We now use various methods to connect creators and users directly, to shorten the service process. Baidu provides opportunities for users to directly communicate with the creator in our search results and address more potential service needs along with relevant content," said Shen. Users can now use Baidu to form relationships with content creators, service providers, and merchants, through following, messaging, live video and so forth.

The third opportunity stems from the fact that an increasing number of industries are bringing services online by implementing digitalization and undergoing intelligent transformation. For example, online healthcare has experienced explosive growth this year amid the global pandemic. Baidu has offered free pandemic-related consultations on "Ask Doctor", its online medical consultation platform, allowing users to remotely access personalized medical assessments from doctors through their devices.

The optimization of Baidu’s mobile ecosystem has allowed for improved user search experience, accurate information research, social media interaction and closed-loop purchase capabilities. In September, monthly active users (MAUs) on the Baidu App reached 544 million, up 12% year over year.

This thriving, comprehensive mobile ecosystem sets a strong foundation for Baidu to diversify beyond advertising into non-advertising services, such as membership, live streaming and online games. Aside from providing service solutions in different situations based on users’ information needs, Baidu will facilitate in-depth cooperation with more partners to jointly develop a comprehensive portal that will consistently bring the most convenient applications to its users.

About Baidu
Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. Baidu aims to make the complicated world simpler for users and enterprises through technology. Baidu’s ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU." Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.

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PR Newswire

JS Global Lifestyle Wins “Listed Company with the Best Investment Potential” Award

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SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 3, 2020 — JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited ("JS Global" or "the Company") announced that the Company has won the "Listed Company with the Best Investment Potential" award at the 10th Hong Kong International Finance Week and China Securities "Golden Bauhinia Award" Ceremony.

The award recognition reflects improved market confidence in the company’s investment potential and was reviewed by the Listed Companies Association of Beijing, Chinese Securities Association of Hong Kong, and Chinese Financial Association of Hong Kong among other trusted professional authorities.

After 30 years of development, China’s capital market has fostered a growing number of global companies that have created innovative services and products for the rest of the world. The recognition of JS Global Lifestyle as one of the Listed Companies with the Best Investment Potential at this Forum is also a testimony to the continued vitality of Chinese companies.

Rooted in Chinese and U.S. markets, JS Global Lifestyle is a global leader in innovative, high-quality small household appliances which incorporates three major brands: Shark, Ninja and Joyoung. JS Global Lifestyle achieved another milestone in 2019 with annual revenue reaching over $US 3 billion, up 12.5 percent year on year. In face of the challenge of the global economy and the COVID-19 pandemic, JS Global Lifestyle has readjusted its sales strategies at home and abroad to seize business opportunities during this unprecedented global crisis.

"It is our honor to share JS Global’s experience with the experts and executives at the Hong Kong International Financial Forum," said Han Run, CFO of JS Global Lifestyle.

"JS Global Lifestyle is actively committed to national development initiatives and the rapid development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area especially the relaxing of finance rules to ride the wave of economic transformation spearheaded by technology and innovation to enhance its status as a global leader in high-quality, innovative small household appliances," she added.

Delivering services and products to meet new consumption demands driven by the new economy and the exciting development of video live-streaming, JS Global has expanded its userbase by exploring these new digital services to create new sales channels. In addition, the company also created a new retail operation model to match the company’s development. The company’s performance is bucking the trend as a result.

Despite the difficulties Joyoung experienced over the last few months, such as the closure of brick and mortar stores, the brand has achieved positive growth in domestic sales in the first quarter of 2020 through the new retail modal and live streaming marketing to reach more potential customers. Shark and Ninja have also quickly adjusted their sales strategies and strengthened their e-commerce platforms. They have launched a series of new products, such as VacMop, Foodi indoor oven, double-basket air fryer and high-end intelligent navigation sweeping robot, which consumers have taken a shine too.

Now, JS Global Lifestyle ranks sixth globally in the small household appliance industry, and third among small household appliance-focused companies. Following its rapid expansion in Europe in recent years, JS Global Lifestyle now ranks second in the UK’s upright vacuums market and is gradually developing its German and French markets. At the same time, JS Global Lifestyle benefits from its management team’s excellent leadership and as a result, has seen optimized operating costs, improved operating efficiency and increased speed to research, develop and release products. It also allows for compatibility in the design of Chinese and American products to help consumers in these markets better understand and experience high-quality product design.

Related Links :

http://www.jsgloballife.com