Category: Commerce

  • MIL-OSI: Coastal Financial Corporation Announces Second Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EVERETT, Wash., July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Coastal Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CCB) (the “Company”, “Coastal”, “we”, “our”, or “us”), the holding company for Coastal Community Bank (the “Bank”), through which it operates a community-focused bank segment (“community bank”) with an industry leading banking as a service (“BaaS”) segment (“CCBX”), today reported unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, including net income of $11.0 million, or $0.71 per diluted common share, compared to $9.7 million, or $0.63 per diluted common share, for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and $11.6 million, or $0.84 per diluted common share, for the three months ended June 30, 2024.

    Management Discussion of the Second Quarter Results

    “Second quarter of 2025 saw a lower provision for credit losses as a result of an improvement in the performance of the CCBX portfolio and our focus on originating higher quality CCBX loans resulting in lower historical loss factors. Noninterest expenses were fairly flat compared to last quarter related to continued onboarding and implementation costs for partnerships and products within CCBX and investments in technology. We believe these investments are important to the long-term success and scalability of the Company,” stated CEO Eric Sprink. “We had another quarter of quality deposit growth of $122.3 million during the second quarter, and our CCBX program fee income, excluding nonrecurring revenue, increased 8.2% compared to the prior quarter.”

    Key Points for Second Quarter and Our Go-Forward Strategy

    • CCBX Making Progress on Launching New Programs. As of June 30, 2025 we had two partners in testing, two in implementation/onboarding, five signed letters of intent (LOI) and we have an active pipeline of new partners along with new products with existing partners for the balance of 2025 and into 2026. Total BaaS program fee income was $6.8 million, excluding $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue, for the three months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $512,000, or 8.2%, from the three months ended March 31, 2025. We continue to have contracts with our partners that fully indemnify us against fraud and 98.8% against credit risk as of June 30, 2025.
    • Continued Investments in Future Growth. Total noninterest expense of $72.8 million was up $843,000, or 1.2%, as compared to $72.0 million in the quarter ended March 31, 2025, mainly driven by higher data processing and software costs partially offset by lower legal and professional expenses. With the increase in new CCBX partners and the launch of products with existing partners in 2025, we expect that expenses will be predominantly incurred at the outset, emphasizing compliance and operational risk management. This will occur before the new programs or products start to produce revenue. As a result, we believe expense growth should moderate considerably in the second half of 2025, with new programs or products starting to produce revenue to offset the initial up-front expenses.
    • Favorable Trends On, and Off Balance Sheet. Average deposits were $3.93 billion, an increase of $221.6 million, or 6.0%, over the quarter ended March 31, 2025, driven primarily by growth in CCBX partner programs and the addition of a new deposit partner. During the second quarter of 2025, we sold $1.30 billion of loans, the majority of which were credit card receivables. We retain a portion of the fee income on sold credit card loans. As of June 30, 2025 there were 313,827 off balance sheet credit cards with fee earning potential, an increase of 76,803 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 and an increase of 286,146 from June 30, 2024.

    Second Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights

    The tables below outline some of our key operating metrics.

      Three Months Ended
    (Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data; unaudited) June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
    Income Statement Data:                  
    Interest and dividend income $ 107,797     $ 104,907     $ 102,448     $ 105,165     $ 97,422  
    Interest expense   31,060       28,845       30,071       32,892       31,250  
    Net interest income   76,737       76,062       72,377       72,273       66,172  
    Provision for credit losses   32,211       55,781       61,867       70,257       62,325  
    Net interest income after
    provision for credit losses
      44,526       20,281       10,510       2,016       3,847  
    Noninterest income   42,693       63,477       74,100       78,790       69,138  
    Noninterest expense   72,832       71,989       67,411       64,424       57,964  
    Provision for income tax   3,359       2,039       3,832       2,926       3,425  
    Net income $ 11,028     $ 9,730     $ 13,367     $ 13,456     $ 11,596  
                       
      As of and for the Three Month Period
      June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
    Balance Sheet Data:                  
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 719,759     $ 624,302     $ 452,513     $ 484,026     $ 487,245  
    Investment securities   45,577       46,991       47,321       48,620       49,213  
    Loans held for sale   60,474       42,132       20,600       7,565        
    Loans receivable   3,540,330       3,517,359       3,486,565       3,413,894       3,321,813  
    Allowance for credit losses   (164,794 )     (183,178 )     (176,994 )     (171,674 )     (148,878 )
    Total assets   4,480,559       4,339,282       4,121,208       4,064,472       3,959,549  
    Interest bearing deposits   3,358,216       3,251,599       3,057,808       3,047,861       2,949,643  
    Noninterest bearing deposits   555,355       539,630       527,524       579,427       593,789  
    Core deposits (1)   3,441,624       3,321,772       3,123,434       3,190,869       3,528,339  
    Total deposits   3,913,571       3,791,229       3,585,332       3,627,288       3,543,432  
    Total borrowings   47,960       47,923       47,884       47,847       47,810  
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 461,709     $ 449,917     $ 438,704     $ 331,930     $ 316,693  
                       
    Share and Per Share Data (2):                  
    Earnings per share – basic $ 0.73     $ 0.65     $ 0.97     $ 1.00     $ 0.86  
    Earnings per share – diluted $ 0.71     $ 0.63     $ 0.94     $ 0.97     $ 0.84  
    Dividends per share                            
    Book value per share (3) $ 30.59     $ 29.98     $ 29.37     $ 24.51     $ 23.54  
    Tangible book value per share (4) $ 30.59     $ 29.98     $ 29.37     $ 24.51     $ 23.54  
    Weighted avg outstanding shares – basic   15,033,296       14,962,507       13,828,605       13,447,066       13,412,667  
    Weighted avg outstanding shares – diluted   15,447,923       15,462,041       14,268,229       13,822,270       13,736,508  
    Shares outstanding at end of period   15,093,036       15,009,225       14,935,298       13,543,282       13,453,805  
    Stock options outstanding at end of period   126,654       163,932       186,354       198,370       286,119  
                                           

    See footnotes that follow the tables below

      As of and for the Three Month Period
      June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
    Credit Quality Data:                  
    Nonperforming assets (5) to total assets   1.36 %     1.30 %     1.52 %     1.63 %     1.34 %
    Nonperforming assets (5) to loans receivable and OREO   1.72 %     1.60 %     1.80 %     1.94 %     1.60 %
    Nonperforming loans (5) to total loans receivable   1.72 %     1.60 %     1.80 %     1.94 %     1.60 %
    Allowance for credit losses to nonperforming loans   270.7 %     325.0 %     282.5 %     258.7 %     279.9 %
    Allowance for credit losses to total loans receivable   4.65 %     5.21 %     5.08 %     5.03 %     4.48 %
    Gross charge-offs $ 53,780     $ 53,686     $ 61,585     $ 53,305     $ 55,207  
    Gross recoveries $ 4,467     $ 5,486     $ 5,223     $ 4,516     $ 2,254  
    Net charge-offs to average loans (6)   5.54 %     5.57 %     6.56 %     5.60 %     6.54 %
                       
    Capital Ratios:                  
    Company                  
    Tier 1 leverage capital   10.39 %     10.67 %     10.78 %     8.40 %     8.31 %
    Common equity Tier 1 risk-based capital   12.32 %     12.13 %     12.04 %     9.24 %     9.03 %
    Tier 1 risk-based capital   12.41 %     12.22 %     12.14 %     9.34 %     9.13 %
    Total risk-based capital   14.90 %     14.73 %     14.67 %     11.89 %     11.70 %
    Bank                  
    Tier 1 leverage capital   10.33 %     10.57 %     10.64 %     9.29 %     9.24 %
    Common equity Tier 1 risk-based capital   12.36 %     12.12 %     11.99 %     10.34 %     10.15 %
    Tier 1 risk-based capital   12.36 %     12.12 %     11.99 %     10.34 %     10.15 %
    Total risk-based capital   13.65 %     13.42 %     13.28 %     11.63 %     11.44 %
     
    (1) Core deposits are defined as all deposits excluding brokered and time deposits.
    (2) Share and per share amounts are based on total actual or average common shares outstanding, as applicable.
    (3) We calculate book value per share as total shareholders’ equity at the end of the relevant period divided by the outstanding number of our common shares at the end of each period.
    (4) Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP financial measure. We calculate tangible book value per share as total shareholders’ equity at the end of the relevant period, less goodwill and other intangible assets, divided by the outstanding number of our common shares at the end of each period. The most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is book value per share. We had no goodwill or other intangible assets as of any of the dates indicated. As a result, tangible book value per share is the same as book value per share as of each of the dates indicated.
    (5) Nonperforming assets and nonperforming loans include loans 90+ days past due and accruing interest.
    (6) Annualized calculations.
     

    Key Performance Ratios

    Return on average assets (“ROA”) was 0.99% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to 0.93% and 1.21% for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2024, respectively.  ROA for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, increased 0.06% and decreased 0.22% compared to March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2024, respectively. Noninterest expenses were slightly higher for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 due to continued investments in growth, technology and risk management, partially offset by a decrease in legal and professional expenses. Noninterest expenses were higher than the quarter ended June 30, 2024 due primarily to an increase in salaries and employee benefits, data processing and software licenses and legal and professional expenses, all of which are related to the growth of Company and investments in technology and risk management.

    Yield on earning assets and yield on loans receivable decreased 0.40% and 0.22%, respectively, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025, largely due to a decrease in CCBX loan yield. Lower rate capital call lines increased $66.2 million, or 49.6%, compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025. These loans bear a lower rate of interest, but have less credit risk due to the way the loans are structured compared to other commercial loans. Average loans receivable as of June 30, 2025 increased $56.1 million compared to March 31, 2025 as net CCBX loans continue to grow, despite selling $1.30 billion in CCBX loans during the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    The quarter over quarter volatility in the efficiency ratio and noninterest income to average asset performance metrics was driven by a higher-quality CCBX loan-mix from a credit quality perspective, which effectively reduced the credit enhancement required within non-interest income due to lower net-charge off activity as a percent of total loans which lowered our provision expense. These items have a neutral impact to net income although impacted the quarter-to-quarter metrics due to lower reported noninterest income. Additionally, results for the three months ended June 30, 2025 also included a net $439,000 loss on equity securities due to the re-valuation of a privately held equity stake, which CCB reviews quarterly. Management doesn’t believe the write-down is indicative of longer-term concerns of the portfolio company’s health at this time.

    The following table shows the Company’s key performance ratios for the periods indicated.  

        Three Months Ended
    (unaudited)   June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
                         
    Return on average assets (1)   0.99 %   0.93 %   1.30 %   1.34 %   1.21 %
    Return on average equity (1)   9.72 %   8.91 %   14.90 %   16.67 %   15.22 %
    Yield on earnings assets (1)   9.92 %   10.32 %   10.24 %   10.79 %   10.49 %
    Yield on loans receivable (1)   11.11 %   11.33 %   11.12 %   11.44 %   11.22 %
    Cost of funds (1)   3.13 %   3.11 %   3.24 %   3.62 %   3.60 %
    Cost of deposits (1)   3.10 %   3.08 %   3.21 %   3.59 %   3.58 %
    Net interest margin (1)   7.06 %   7.48 %   7.23 %   7.42 %   7.12 %
    Noninterest expense to average assets (1)   6.52 %   6.87 %   6.54 %   6.42 %   6.05 %
    Noninterest income to average assets (1)   3.82 %   6.06 %   7.19 %   7.85 %   7.22 %
    Efficiency ratio   60.98 %   51.59 %   46.02 %   42.65 %   42.84 %
    Loans receivable to deposits (2)   92.01 %   93.89 %   97.82 %   94.33 %   93.75 %
     
    (1) Annualized calculations shown for quarterly periods presented.
    (2) Includes loans held for sale.
     

    Management Outlook; CEO Eric Sprink

    “As we look to the latter half of 2025 and beyond, we expect to see additional new partner engagements, given that our CCBX pipeline remains strong with high-quality opportunities. We are committed to continuing to invest in our technology and risk management infrastructure to support our growth in the BaaS sector which is expected to produce future efficiencies, automation and cost reductions as we grow. The improvement in the performance of the CCBX portfolio and lower historical loss factors within the CCBX portfolio are positive indicators that our risk reduction and credit improvement efforts are proving effective, alongside the fraud and credit indemnifications provided by our partners. Additionally, we saw an increase of $512,000, or 8.2%, from the three months ended March 31, 2025 in BaaS program income, excluding nonrecurring revenue, namely in transaction and interchange income. We anticipate this growth to continue in future periods as our partner activities expand and grow.” said CEO Eric Sprink.

    Coastal Financial Corporation Overview

    The Company has one main subsidiary, the Bank, which consists of three segments: CCBX, the community bank and treasury & administration.  The CCBX segment includes all of our BaaS activities, the community bank segment includes all community banking activities and the treasury & administration segment includes treasury management, overall administration and all other aspects of the Company.  

    CCBX Performance Update

    Our CCBX segment continues to evolve, and we have 29 relationships, at varying stages, including two partners in testing, two in implementation/onboarding, and five signed LOI as of June 30, 2025.  We continue to refine the criteria for CCBX partnerships, exploring relationships with larger and more established partners, with experienced management teams, existing customer bases and strong financial positions. We also will consider promising medium and smaller sized partners that align with our approach and terms including financial wherewithal and will continue to exit relationships where it makes sense for us to do so.

    While we explore relationships with new partners we continue to expand our product offerings with existing CCBX partners. As we become more proficient in the BaaS space we aim to cultivate new relationships that align with our long-term goals. We believe that a strategy of adding new partnerships and launching new products with existing partners allows us to expand and grow our customer base with a modest increase in regulatory risk given our operational history with them. Increases in partner activity/transaction counts is positively impacting noninterest income and we expect this trend to continue as current products grow and new products are introduced. We plan to continue selling loans as part of our strategy to balance partner and lending limits, and manage the loan portfolio and credit quality. We retain a portion of the fee income for our role in processing transactions on sold credit card loans, and will continue this strategy to provide an on-going revenue source with no on balance sheet risk or capital requirement.

    As we build our deposit base, we will be able to sweep deposits off and on the balance sheet as needed. This deposit sweep capability allows us to better manage liquidity and deposit programs. At June 30, 2025 we swept off $478.7 million in deposits for FDIC insurance and liquidity purposes. Robinhood has entered the production testing phase for its suite of deposit products, signaling continued momentum in our strategic partnership pipeline. Dave finalized production testing in Q2 and is poised to initiate its beta launch, expanding our footprint in digital banking solutions. The introduction of theses products are expected to diversify and grow deposits.

    The following table illustrates the activity and evolution in CCBX relationships for the periods presented.

      As of
    (unaudited) June 30, 2025 March 31,
    2025
    June 30, 2024
    Active 20 19 19
    Friends and family / testing 2 2 1
    Implementation / onboarding 2 3 1
    Signed letters of intent 5 1 0
    Total CCBX relationships 29 25 21
     

    CCBX loans increased $29.5 million, or 1.8%, to $1.68 billion despite selling $1.30 billion in loans during the three months ended June 30, 2025. In accordance with the program agreement for one partner, we are responsible for losses on 5% of that portfolio. At June 30, 2025 the portion of that portfolio for which we are responsible represented $19.8 million in loans.

    The following table details the CCBX loan portfolio:

    CCBX   As of
        June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Balance   % to Total   Balance   % to Total   Balance   % to Total
    Commercial and industrial loans:                        
    Capital call lines   $ 199,675     11.9 %   $ 133,466     8.1 %   $ 109,133     7.7 %
    All other commercial & industrial loans     26,142     1.6       29,702     1.8       41,757     3.0  
    Real estate loans:                        
    Residential real estate loans     234,786     14.0       285,355     17.3       287,950     20.4  
    Consumer and other loans:                        
    Credit cards     533,925     31.8       532,775     32.2       549,241     39.0  
    Other consumer and other loans     686,321     40.7       670,026     40.6       422,136     29.9  
    Gross CCBX loans receivable     1,680,849     100.0 %     1,651,324     100.0 %     1,410,217     100.0 %
    Net deferred origination (fees) costs     (569 )         (498 )         (438 )    
    Loans receivable   $ 1,680,280         $ 1,650,826         $ 1,409,779      
    Loan Yield – CCBX (1)(2)     16.22 %         16.88 %         17.75 %    
     
    (1) CCBX yield does not include the impact of BaaS loan expense.  BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit enhancements and originating & servicing CCBX loans. See reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures at the end of this earnings release for the impact of BaaS loan expense on CCBX loan yield.
    (2) Loan yield is annualized for the three months ended for each period presented and includes loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans.
     

    The increase in CCBX loans in the quarter ended June 30, 2025, includes an increase of $66.2 million, or 49.6%, in capital call lines as a result of normal balance fluctuations and business activities, a decrease of $50.6 million, or 17.7%, in residential real estate loans and an increase of $17.4 million or 1.5%, in other consumer and other loans. We continue to monitor and manage the CCBX loan portfolio, and sold $1.30 billion in CCBX loans during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to sales of $744.6 million in the quarter ended March 31, 2025. We continue to reposition ourselves by managing CCBX credit and concentration levels in an effort to optimize our loan portfolio earnings and generate off balance sheet fee income. CCBX loan yield decreased 0.67% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 as a result of an increase in lower rate capital call lines and overall mix of loans compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025, these loans bear a lower rate of interest, but have less credit risk due to the way the loans are structured compared to other commercial loans.

    The following chart shows the growth in credit card accounts that generate fee income. This includes accounts with balances, which are included in our loan totals, and accounts that have been sold and have no corresponding balance in our loan totals, and that generate fee income.

    The following chart shows the growth in active CCBX debit cards which are sources of interchange income.

    The following table details the CCBX deposit portfolio:

    CCBX   As of
        June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Balance   % to Total   Balance   % to Total   Balance   % to Total
    Demand, noninterest bearing   $ 60,448     2.6 %   $ 58,416     2.6 %   $ 62,234     3.0 %
    Interest bearing demand and
    money market
        2,231,159     94.5       2,145,608     94.6       1,989,105     96.7  
    Savings     51,523     2.2       16,625     0.7       5,150     0.3  
    Total core deposits     2,343,130     99.3       2,220,649     97.9       2,056,489     100.0  
    Other deposits     17,013     0.7       46,359     2.1            
    Total CCBX deposits   $ 2,360,143     100.0 %   $ 2,267,008     100.0 %   $ 2,056,489     100.0 %
    Cost of deposits (1)     3.96 %         4.01 %         4.92 %    
     
    (1) Cost of deposits is annualized for the three months ended for each period presented.
     

    CCBX deposits increased $93.1 million, or 4.1%, in the three months ended June 30, 2025 to $2.36 billion as a result of growth and normal balance fluctuations. This excludes the $478.7 million in CCBX deposits that were transferred off balance sheet for increased Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance coverage and sweep purposes, compared to $406.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Amounts in excess of FDIC insurance coverage are transferred, using a third-party facilitator/vendor sweep product, to participating financial institutions.

    Community Bank Performance Update

    In the quarter ended June 30, 2025, the community bank saw net loans decrease $6.5 million, or 0.3%, to $1.86 billion, as a result of normal balance fluctuations.

    The following table details the Community Bank loan portfolio:

    Community Bank   As of
        June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Balance   % to Total   Balance   % to Total   Balance   % to Total
    Commercial and industrial loans   $ 149,926     8.0 %   $ 149,104     8.0 %   $ 144,436     7.5 %
    Real estate loans:                        
    Construction, land and land development loans     194,150     10.4       166,551     8.9       173,064     9.0  
    Residential real estate loans     198,844     10.7       202,920     10.8       229,639     12.0  
    Commercial real estate loans     1,310,882     70.2       1,340,647     71.6       1,357,979     70.8  
    Consumer and other loans:                        
    Other consumer and other loans     12,230     0.7       13,326     0.7       14,220     0.7  
    Gross Community Bank loans receivable     1,866,032     100.0 %     1,872,548     100.0 %     1,919,338     100.0 %
    Net deferred origination fees     (5,982 )         (6,015 )         (7,304 )    
    Loans receivable   $ 1,860,050         $ 1,866,533         $ 1,912,034      
    Loan Yield(1)     6.53 %         6.53 %         6.52 %    
     
    (1) Loan yield is annualized for the three months ended for each period presented and includes loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans.
     

    Community bank loan categories decreased $29.8 million in commercial real estate loans and $1.1 million in consumer and other loans, partially offset by an increase of $27.6 million in construction, land and land development loans and $822,000 in commercial and industrial loans, during the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    The following table details the community bank deposit portfolio:

    Community Bank   As of
        June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Balance   % to Total   Balance   % to Total   Balance   % to Total
    Demand, noninterest bearing   $ 494,907     31.9 %   $ 481,214     31.5 %   $ 531,555     35.7 %
    Interest bearing demand and
    money market
        545,655     35.1       560,416     36.8       876,668     59.0  
    Savings     57,933     3.7       59,493     3.9       63,627     4.3  
    Total core deposits     1,098,495     70.7       1,101,123     72.2       1,471,850     99.0  
    Other deposits     440,975     28.4       407,391     26.7       1     0.0  
    Time deposits less than $100,000     5,299     0.3       5,585     0.4       6,741     0.5  
    Time deposits $100,000 and over     8,659     0.6       10,122     0.7       8,351     0.5  
    Total Community Bank deposits   $ 1,553,428     100.0 %   $ 1,524,221     100.0 %   $ 1,486,943     100.0 %
    Cost of deposits(1)     1.77 %         1.76 %         1.77 %    
     
    (1)  Cost of deposits is annualized for the three months ended for each period presented.
     

    Community bank deposits increased $29.2 million, or 1.9%, during the three months ended June 30, 2025 to $1.55 billion. The community bank segment includes noninterest bearing deposits of $494.9 million, or 31.9%, of total community bank deposits, resulting in a cost of deposits of 1.77%, which compared to 1.76% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    Net Interest Income and Margin Discussion

    Net interest income was $76.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $675,000, or 0.9%, from $76.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, and an increase of $10.6 million, or 16.0%, from $66.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Net interest income compared to March 31, 2025, was higher due to an increase in average loans receivable. The increase in net interest income compared to June 30, 2024 was largely related to growth in loans receivable and a reduction in cost of funds as a result of lower interest rates.  

    Net interest margin was 7.06% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to 7.48% for the three months ended March 31, 2025, due primarily to a decrease in loan yield. Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense, (a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth in the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this earnings release) was 4.07% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to 4.28% for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Net interest margin was 7.12% for the three months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease in net interest margin for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2024 was largely due to a decrease in loan yield, partially offset by lower cost of funds. The $66.2 million of growth in lower rate capital call lines and overall mix of loans contributed to the decrease in net interest margin for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Capital call lines grew 49.6% quarter-over-quarter to $199.7 million, or 11.9% of total CCBX loans versus 8.1% in the prior quarter. These loans carry a lower interest rate, but also lower credit costs.

    Interest and fees on loans receivable increased $720,000, or 0.7%, to $98.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to $98.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as a result of loan growth. Interest and fees on loans receivable increased $8.0 million, or 8.8%, compared to $90.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, due to an increase in outstanding balances. Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense (a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth in the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this earnings release) decreased 0.21% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025 and increased 0.07% compared the three months ended June 30, 2024.

    The following tables illustrate how net interest margin and loan yield is affected by BaaS loan expense:

    Consolidated   As of and for the Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30
    2025
      March 31
    2025
      June 30
    2024
    Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense:        
    Net interest margin (1)     7.06 %     7.48 %     7.12 %
    Earning assets     4,356,591       4,124,065       3,736,579  
    Net interest income (GAAP)     76,737       76,062       66,172  
    Less: BaaS loan expense     (32,483 )     (32,507 )     (29,011 )
    Net interest income, net of BaaS loan expense(2)   $ 44,254     $ 43,555     $ 37,161  
    Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense (1)(2)     4.07 %     4.28 %     4.00 %
    Loan income net of BaaS loan expense divided by average loans:    
    Loan yield (GAAP)(1)     11.11 %     11.33 %     11.22 %
    Total average loans receivable   $ 3,567,823     $ 3,511,724     $ 3,258,042  
    Interest and earned fee income on loans (GAAP)     98,867       98,147       90,879  
    BaaS loan expense     (32,483 )     (32,507 )     (29,011 )
    Net loan income(2)   $ 66,384     $ 65,640     $ 61,868  
    Loan income, net of BaaS loan expense, divided by average loans (1)(2)     7.46 %     7.58 %     7.64 %
     
    (1) Annualized calculations shown for periods presented.
    (2) A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth at the end of this earnings release.
     

    Average investment securities decreased $900,000 to $46.3 million compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025 and decreased $3.5 million compared to the three months ended June 30, 2024 as a result of principal paydowns.

    Cost of funds was 3.13% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, an increase of 2 basis points from the quarter ended March 31, 2025 and a decrease of 47 basis points from the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Cost of deposits for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 was 3.10%, compared to 3.08% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, and 3.58% for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The decreased cost of funds and deposits compared to June 30, 2024 were largely due to the reductions in the Fed funds rate in 2024.

    The following table summarizes the average yield on loans receivable and cost of deposits:

      For the Three Months Ended
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
      Yield on
    Loans (2)
      Cost of
    Deposits (2)
      Yield on
    Loans (2)
      Cost of
    Deposits (2)
      Yield on
    Loans (2)
      Cost of
    Deposits (2)
    Community Bank 6.53 %   1.77 %   6.53 %   1.76 %   6.52 %   1.77 %
    CCBX (1) 16.22 %   3.96 %   16.88 %   4.01 %   17.75 %   4.92 %
    Consolidated 11.11 %   3.10 %   11.33 %   3.08 %   11.22 %   3.58 %
    (1) CCBX yield on loans does not include the impact of BaaS loan expense.  BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit and fraud enhancements and originating & servicing CCBX loans. To determine Net BaaS loan income earned from CCBX loan relationships, the Company takes BaaS loan interest income and deducts BaaS loan expense to arrive at Net BaaS loan income which can be compared to interest income on the Company’s community bank loans. See reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures at the end of this earnings release for the impact of BaaS loan expense on CCBX loan yield.
    (2) Annualized calculations for periods presented.
     

    The following table illustrates how BaaS loan interest income is affected by BaaS loan expense resulting in net BaaS loan income and the associated yield:

        For the Three Months Ended
        June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands, unaudited)   Income / Expense   Income / expense divided by average CCBX loans (2)   Income / Expense   Income / expense divided by average CCBX loans(2)   Income / Expense   Income / expense divided by average CCBX loans (2)
    BaaS loan interest income   $ 68,264   16.22 %   $ 67,855   16.88 %   $ 60,138   17.75 %
    Less: BaaS loan expense     32,483   7.72 %     32,507   8.09 %     29,011   8.56 %
    Net BaaS loan income (1)   $ 35,781   8.50 %   $ 35,348   8.79 %   $ 31,127   9.19 %
    Average BaaS Loans(3)   $ 1,688,492       $ 1,630,088       $ 1,362,343    
     
    (1) A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth at the end of this earnings release.
    (2) Annualized calculations shown for the periods presented.
    (3) Includes loans held for sale.
     

    Noninterest Income Discussion

    Noninterest income was $42.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, a decrease of $20.8 million from $63.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and a decrease of $26.4 million from $69.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024.  The decrease in noninterest income for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 as compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 was primarily due to a decrease of $20.6 million in total BaaS income.  The $20.6 million decrease in total BaaS income included a $22.4 million decrease in BaaS credit enhancements related to the decrease in provision for credit losses due to an improvement in the performance of the CCBX portfolio and our focus on originating higher quality CCBX loans resulting in lower historical loss factors, which had a favorable impact on the provision for credit losses, partially offset by an increase of $1.0 million in BaaS program income, which includes $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue, and a $811,000 increase in BaaS fraud enhancements. Results for the three months ended June 30, 2025 also included a net $439,000 loss on equity securities due to the re-valuation of a privately held equity stake, which we review quarterly. Management doesn’t believe the write-down is indicative of longer-term concerns of the portfolio company’s health at this time. The $1.0 million increase in BaaS program income is largely due to an increase in transaction and interchange fees and includes $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue (see “Appendix B” for more information on the accounting for BaaS allowance for credit losses and credit and fraud enhancements).

    The $26.4 million decrease in noninterest income over the quarter ended June 30, 2024 was primarily due to a $28.5 million decrease in BaaS credit and fraud enhancements due to improvement in the performance of the CCBX loan portfolio, partially offset by an increase of $2.0 million in BaaS program income, which includes $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue.

    Noninterest Expense Discussion

    Total noninterest expense increased $843,000 to $72.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to $72.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and increased $14.9 million from $58.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024. The $843,000 increase in noninterest expense for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, as compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025, was primarily due to a $659,000 increase in data processing and software licenses, an $811,000 increase in BaaS fraud expense and a $74,000 increase in legal and professional fees, partially offset by a $414,000 decrease in other expenses, $119,000 decrease in occupancy expense, $81,000 decrease in salaries and employee benefits and a $24,000 decrease in BaaS loan expense. The increase in data processing and software licenses were part of our continued investments in growth, technology and risk management. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit enhancements, fraud enhancements, and originating & servicing CCBX loans. BaaS fraud expense represents non-credit fraud losses on partner’s customer loan and deposit accounts. A portion of this expense is realized during the quarter in which the loss occurs, and a portion is estimated based on historical or other information from our partners.

    The increase in noninterest expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2024 was largely due to a $4.4 million increase in salary and employee benefits, a $1.6 million increase in data processing and software licenses due to enhancements and investments in technology, and a $2.7 million increase in legal and professional expenses, all of which are related to the growth of Company and investments in technology and risk management. Also contributing to the the increase was a $3.5 million increase in BaaS loan expense and a $1.0 million increase in BaaS fraud expense.

    Certain noninterest expenses are reimbursed by our CCBX partners. In accordance with GAAP we recognize all expenses in noninterest expense and the reimbursement of expenses from our CCBX partner in noninterest income. The following table reflects the portion of noninterest expenses that are reimbursed by partners to assist in the understanding of how the increases in noninterest expense are related to expenses incurred and reimbursed by CCBX partners:

        Three Months Ended
        June 30,   March 31,   June 30,
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)     2025       2025       2024  
    Total noninterest expense (GAAP)   $ 72,832     $ 71,989     $ 57,964  
    Less: BaaS loan expense     32,483       32,507       29,011  
    Less: BaaS fraud expense     2,804       1,993       1,784  
    Less: Reimbursement of expenses (BaaS)     646       1,026       857  
    Noninterest expense, net of BaaS loan expense, BaaS fraud expense
    and reimbursement of expenses (BaaS) (1)
      $ 36,899     $ 36,463     $ 26,312  
     
    (1) A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth at the end of this earnings release.
     

    Provision for Income Taxes

    The provision for income taxes was $3.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, $2.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and $3.4 million for the second quarter of 2024.  The income tax provision as a percentage was higher for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025 as a result of the higher net income and increase in state income tax rates, partially offset by the deductibility of certain equity awards, and was somewhat flat in dollar amount compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2024, but higher in tax rate.

    The Company is subject to various state taxes that are assessed as CCBX activities and employees expand into other states, which has increased the overall tax rate used in calculating the provision for income taxes in the current and future periods. The Company uses a federal statutory tax rate of 21.0% as a basis for calculating provision for federal income taxes and 5.14% for calculating the provision for state income taxes. The state rate increased in the quarter ended June 30, 2025 primarily as a result of a change in California’s tax laws.

    Financial Condition Overview

    Total assets increased $141.3 million, or 3.3%, to $4.48 billion at June 30, 2025 compared to $4.34 billion at March 31, 2025.  The increase is primarily comprised of a $95.5 million increase in cash and interest bearing deposits with other banks, a $23.0 million increase in loans receivable, and an $18.3 million increase in loans held for sale. Total loans receivable increased to $3.54 billion at June 30, 2025, from $3.52 billion at March 31, 2025.

    As of June 30, 2025, in addition to the $719.8 million in cash on hand the Company had the capacity to borrow up to a total of $642.7 million from the Federal Reserve Bank discount window and Federal Home Loan Bank, plus an additional $50.0 million from a correspondent bank. There were no borrowings outstanding on these lines as of June 30, 2025.

    The Company, on a stand alone basis, had a cash balance of $43.9 million as of June 30, 2025, a portion of which is retained for general operating purposes, including debt repayment, for funding $1.6 million in commitments to bank technology investment funds, with the remaining cash available to be contributed to the Bank as capital.  

    Uninsured deposits were $579.9 million as of June 30, 2025, compared to $558.8 million as of March 31, 2025.

    Total shareholders’ equity as of June 30, 2025 increased $11.8 million since March 31, 2025.  The increase in shareholders’ equity was primarily comprised of $11.0 million in net earnings combined with an increase of $764,000 in common stock outstanding as a result of equity awards exercised or vested during the three months ended June 30, 2025.

    The Company and the Bank remained well capitalized at June 30, 2025, as summarized in the following table.

    (unaudited)   Coastal Community Bank   Coastal Financial Corporation   Minimum Well Capitalized Ratios under Prompt Corrective Action (1)
    Tier 1 Leverage Capital (to average assets)   10.33 %   10.39 %   5.00 %
    Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to risk-weighted assets)   12.36 %   12.32 %   6.50 %
    Tier 1 Capital (to risk-weighted assets)   12.36 %   12.41 %   8.00 %
    Total Capital (to risk-weighted assets)   13.65 %   14.90 %   10.00 %
     
    (1) Presents the minimum capital ratios for an insured depository institution, such as the Bank, to be considered well capitalized under the Prompt Corrective Action framework. The minimum requirements for the Company to be considered well capitalized under Regulation Y include to maintain, on a consolidated basis, a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0 percent or greater and a tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.0 percent or greater.
     

    Asset Quality

    The allowance for credit losses was $164.8 million and 4.65% of loans receivable at June 30, 2025 compared to $183.2 million and 5.21% at March 31, 2025 and $148.9 million and 4.48% at June 30, 2024. The allowance for credit loss allocated to the CCBX portfolio was $145.9 million and 8.68% of CCBX loans receivable at June 30, 2025, with $18.9 million of allowance for credit loss allocated to the community bank or 1.02% of total community bank loans receivable.

    The following table details the allocation of the allowance for credit loss as of the period indicated:

        As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025   As of June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Community Bank   CCBX   Total   Community Bank   CCBX   Total   Community Bank   CCBX   Total
    Loans receivable   $ 1,860,050     $ 1,680,280     $ 3,540,330     $ 1,866,533     $ 1,650,826     $ 3,517,359     $ 1,912,034     $ 1,409,779     $ 3,321,813  
    Allowance for
    credit losses
        (18,936 )     (145,858 )     (164,794 )     (18,992 )     (164,186 )     (183,178 )     (21,046 )     (127,832 )     (148,878 )
    Allowance for
    credit losses to
    total loans
    receivable
        1.02 %     8.68 %     4.65 %     1.02 %     9.95 %     5.21 %     1.10 %     9.07 %     4.48 %
                                                                             

    Net charge-offs totaled $49.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to $48.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 and $53.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Net charge-offs as a percent of average loans decreased to 5.54% for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to 5.57% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. CCBX partner agreements provide for a credit enhancement that covers the net-charge-offs on CCBX loans and negative deposit accounts by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred losses, except in accordance with the program agreement for one partner where the Company was responsible for credit losses on approximately 5% of a $296.3 million loan portfolio. At June 30, 2025, our portion of this portfolio represented $19.8 million in loans. Net charge-offs for this $19.8 million in loans were $1.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and $1.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024.

    The following table details net charge-offs for the community bank and CCBX for the period indicated:

        Three Months Ended
        June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Community Bank   CCBX   Total   Community Bank   CCBX   Total   Community Bank   CCBX   Total
    Gross charge-offs   $ 11     $ 53,769     $ 53,780     $ 4     $ 53,682     $ 53,686     $ 2     $ 55,205     $ 55,207  
    Gross recoveries     (2 )     (4,465 )     (4,467 )     (7 )     (5,479 )     (5,486 )     (4 )     (2,250 )     (2,254 )
    Net charge-offs   $ 9     $ 49,304     $ 49,313     $ (3 )   $ 48,203     $ 48,200     $ (2 )   $ 52,955     $ 52,953  
    Net charge-offs to
    average loans (1)
        0.00 %     11.71 %     5.54 %     0.00 %     11.99 %     5.57 %     0.00 %     15.63 %     6.54 %
     
    (1) Annualized calculations shown for periods presented.
     

    During the quarter ended June 30, 2025, a $31.0 million provision for credit losses was recorded for CCBX partner loans, compared to the $54.3 million provision for credit losses was recorded for CCBX partner loans for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. The provision was based on management’s analysis, bringing the CCBX allowance for credit losses to $145.9 million at June 30, 2025 compared to $164.2 million at March 31, 2025. The decrease in the allowance is due to an improvement in the performance of the CCBX portfolio and our focus on originating higher quality CCBX loans resulting in lower historical loss factors. As we continue to originate higher quality loans, these become a greater proportion of the CCBX portfolio, resulting in an improvement in expected losses and a reduced allowance. In general, CCBX loans have a higher level of expected losses than our community bank loans, which is reflected in the factors for the allowance for credit losses. Agreements with our CCBX partners provide for a credit enhancement which protects the Bank by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred losses.

    In accordance with accounting guidance, we estimate and record a provision for expected losses for these CCBX loans and reclassified negative deposit accounts. When the provision for CCBX credit losses and provision for unfunded commitments is recorded, a credit enhancement asset is also recorded on the balance sheet through noninterest income (BaaS credit enhancements). Expected losses are recorded in the allowance for credit losses. The credit enhancement asset is relieved when credit enhancement recoveries are received from the CCBX partner. If our partner is unable to fulfill their contracted obligations then the Bank could be exposed to additional credit losses. Management regularly evaluates and manages this counterparty risk with our CCBX partners.

    The factors used in management’s analysis for community bank credit losses indicated that a provision recapture of $47,000 was needed for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to a provision of $65,000 and a provision recapture of $341,000 for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2024, respectively. The provision recapture in the current period was due to the lower outstanding balance in the community bank loan portfolio.

    The following table details the provision expense/(recapture) for the community bank and CCBX for the period indicated:

        Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    Community bank   $ (47 )   $ 65   $ (341 )
    CCBX     30,976       54,319     62,231  
    Total provision expense   $ 30,929     $ 54,384   $ 61,890  
     

    A provision for unfunded commitments of $1.5 million was recorded for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 as a result of a change in the loan mix of available balance. A provision for accrued interest receivable of $182,000 was recorded for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 on CCBX loans.

    At June 30, 2025, our nonperforming assets were $60.9 million, or 1.36%, of total assets, compared to $56.4 million, or 1.30%, of total assets, at March 31, 2025, and $53.2 million, or 1.34%, of total assets, at June 30, 2024. These ratios are impacted by nonperforming CCBX loans that are covered by CCBX partner credit enhancements. As of June 30, 2025, $55.3 million of the $57.0 million in nonperforming CCBX loans were covered by CCBX partner credit enhancements described above. Additionally, some CCBX partners have a collection practice that places certain loans on nonaccrual status to improve collectability. $20.1 million of these loans are less than 90 days past due as of June 30, 2025.

    Nonperforming assets increased $4.5 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Community bank nonperforming loans increased $3.7 million from March 31, 2025 to $3.8 million as of June 30, 2025, and CCBX nonperforming loans increased $847,000 to $57.0 million from March 31, 2025. The increase in CCBX nonperforming loans is due to an increase of $4.2 million in nonaccrual loans from March 31, 2025 to $24.4 million, partially offset by a $3.4 million decrease in CCBX loans that are past due 90 days or more and still accruing interest. As of June 30, 2025, $20.1 million in loans are under 90 days past due as a result of CCBX partners placing them on nonaccrual status to improve collectability. As a result of the type of loans (primarily consumer loans) originated through our CCBX partners we would typically anticipate that balances 90 days past due or more and still accruing will generally increase as those loan portfolios grow, therefore we believe the decrease in these past due CCBX loans is a positive performance indicator for the CCBX portfolio. Installment/closed-end and revolving/open-end consumer loans originated through CCBX lending partners will continue to accrue interest until 120 and 180 days past due, respectively and are reported as substandard, 90 days or more days past due and still accruing. There were no repossessed assets or other real estate owned at June 30, 2025. Our nonperforming loans to loans receivable ratio was 1.72% at June 30, 2025, compared to 1.60% at March 31, 2025, and 1.60% at June 30, 2024.

    For the quarter ended June 30, 2025, there were $9,000 in community bank net charge-offs and $49.3 million in net charge-offs were recorded on CCBX loans. These CCBX loans have a higher level of expected losses than our community bank loans, which is reflected in the factors for the allowance for credit losses.

    The following table details the Company’s nonperforming assets for the periods indicated.

    Consolidated As of
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited) June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    Nonaccrual loans:          
    Commercial and industrial loans $ 2,333     $ 381     $  
    Real estate loans:          
    Construction, land and land development   1,697              
    Residential real estate               213  
    Commercial real estate               7,731  
    Consumer and other loans:          
    Credit cards   20,140       13,602        
    Other consumer and other loans   4,063       6,376        
    Total nonaccrual loans   28,233       20,359       7,944  
    Accruing loans past due 90 days or more:          
    Commercial & industrial loans   926       782       1,278  
    Real estate loans:          
    Residential real estate loans   1,817       2,407       2,722  
    Consumer and other loans:          
    Credit cards   23,116       27,187       36,465  
    Other consumer and other loans   6,775       5,632       4,779  
    Total accruing loans past due 90 days or more   32,634       36,008       45,244  
    Total nonperforming loans   60,867       56,367       53,188  
    Real estate owned                
    Repossessed assets                
    Total nonperforming assets $ 60,867     $ 56,367     $ 53,188  
    Total nonaccrual loans to loans receivable   0.80 %     0.58 %     0.24 %
    Total nonperforming loans to loans receivable   1.72 %     1.60 %     1.60 %
    Total nonperforming assets to total assets   1.36 %     1.30 %     1.34 %
                           

    The following tables detail the CCBX and community bank nonperforming assets which are included in the total nonperforming assets table above.

    CCBX As of
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited) June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    Nonaccrual loans:          
    Commercial and industrial loans:          
    All other commercial & industrial loans $ 188     $ 192     $  
    Consumer and other loans:          
    Credit cards   20,140       13,602        
    Other consumer and other loans   4,063       6,376        
    Total nonaccrual loans   24,391       20,170        
    Accruing loans past due 90 days or more:          
    Commercial & industrial loans   926       782       1,278  
    Real estate loans:          
    Residential real estate loans   1,817       2,407       2,722  
    Consumer and other loans:          
    Credit cards   23,116       27,187       36,465  
    Other consumer and other loans   6,775       5,632       4,779  
    Total accruing loans past due 90 days or more   32,634       36,008       45,244  
    Total nonperforming loans   57,025       56,178       45,244  
    Other real estate owned                
    Repossessed assets                
    Total nonperforming assets $ 57,025     $ 56,178     $ 45,244  
    Total CCBX nonperforming assets to total consolidated assets   1.27 %     1.29 %     1.14 %
                           
    Community Bank As of
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited) June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    Nonaccrual loans:          
    Commercial and industrial loans $ 2,145     $ 189     $  
    Real estate:          
    Construction, land and land development   1,697              
    Residential real estate               213  
    Commercial real estate               7,731  
    Total nonaccrual loans   3,842       189       7,944  
    Accruing loans past due 90 days or more:          
    Total accruing loans past due 90 days or more                
    Total nonperforming loans   3,842       189       7,944  
    Other real estate owned                
    Repossessed assets                
    Total nonperforming assets $ 3,842     $ 189     $ 7,944  
    Total community bank nonperforming assets to total consolidated assets   0.09 %     %     0.20 %
                           

    About Coastal Financial

    Coastal Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CCB) (the “Company”), is an Everett, Washington based bank holding company whose wholly owned subsidiaries are Coastal Community Bank (“Bank”) and Arlington Olympic LLC.  The $4.48 billion Bank provides service through 14 branches in Snohomish, Island, and King Counties, the Internet and its mobile banking application.  The Bank provides banking as a service to digital financial service providers, companies and brands that want to provide financial services to their customers through the Bank’s CCBX segment.  To learn more about the Company visit www.coastalbank.com.

    CCB-ER

    Contact

    Eric Sprink, Chief Executive Officer, (425) 357-3659
    Joel Edwards, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, (425) 357-3687

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This earnings release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, future events and our financial performance. Any statements about our management’s expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believes,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “predicts,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “estimate,” “plans,” “projects,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expects,” “intends” and similar words or phrases. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this earnings release may turn out to be inaccurate. The inclusion of or reference to forward-looking information in this earnings release should not be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. We have based these forward looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the risk that changes in U.S. trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs, may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations and those other risks and uncertainties discussed under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent period filed and in any of our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what we anticipate. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

    COASTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
    (Dollars in thousands; unaudited)

    ASSETS
      June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
    Cash and due from banks $ 29,546     $ 43,467     $ 36,533     $ 45,327     $ 59,995  
    Interest earning deposits with other banks   690,213       580,835       415,980       438,699       427,250  
    Investment securities, available for sale, at fair value   33       34       35       38       39  
    Investment securities, held to maturity, at amortized cost   45,544       46,957       47,286       48,582       49,174  
    Other investments   12,521       12,589       10,800       10,757       10,664  
    Loans held for sale   60,474       42,132       20,600       7,565        
    Loans receivable   3,540,330       3,517,359       3,486,565       3,413,894       3,321,813  
    Allowance for credit losses   (164,794 )     (183,178 )     (176,994 )     (171,674 )     (148,878 )
    Total loans receivable, net   3,375,536       3,334,181       3,309,571       3,242,220       3,172,935  
    CCBX credit enhancement asset   167,779       183,377       181,890       173,600       149,096  
    CCBX receivable   13,009       12,685       14,138       16,060       11,520  
    Premises and equipment, net   29,052       28,639       27,431       25,833       24,526  
    Lease right-of-use assets   4,891       5,117       5,219       5,427       5,635  
    Accrued interest receivable   20,849       21,109       21,104       22,315       21,620  
    Bank-owned life insurance, net   13,648       13,501       13,375       13,255       13,132  
    Deferred tax asset, net   3,829       3,912       3,600       3,083       2,221  
    Other assets   13,635       10,747       13,646       11,711       11,742  
    Total assets $ 4,480,559     $ 4,339,282     $ 4,121,208     $ 4,064,472     $ 3,959,549  
                       
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
    LIABILITIES                  
    Deposits $ 3,913,571     $ 3,791,229     $ 3,585,332     $ 3,627,288     $ 3,543,432  
    Subordinated debt, net   44,368       44,331       44,293       44,256       44,219  
    Junior subordinated debentures, net   3,592       3,592       3,591       3,591       3,591  
    Deferred compensation   295       310       332       369       405  
    Accrued interest payable   954       1,107       962       1,070       999  
    Lease liabilities   5,063       5,293       5,398       5,609       5,821  
    CCBX payable   32,939       29,391       29,171       37,839       32,539  
    Other liabilities   18,068       14,112       13,425       12,520       11,850  
    Total liabilities   4,018,850       3,889,365       3,682,504       3,732,542       3,642,856  
    SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY                  
    Common Stock   230,423       229,659       228,177       134,769       132,989  
    Retained earnings   231,287       220,259       210,529       197,162       183,706  
    Accumulated other comprehensive
    loss, net of tax
      (1 )     (1 )     (2 )     (1 )     (2 )
    Total shareholders’ equity   461,709       449,917       438,704       331,930       316,693  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,480,559     $ 4,339,282     $ 4,121,208     $ 4,064,472     $ 3,959,549  
     

    COASTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts; unaudited)

      Three Months Ended
      June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
    INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME                  
    Interest and fees on loans $ 98,867     $ 98,147   $ 95,575   $ 99,676   $ 90,879  
    Interest on interest earning deposits with
    other banks
      8,085       6,070     6,021     4,781     5,683  
    Interest on investment securities   626       650     661     675     686  
    Dividends on other investments   219       40     191     33     174  
    Total interest income   107,797       104,907     102,448     105,165     97,422  
    INTEREST EXPENSE                  
    Interest on deposits   30,400       28,185     29,404     32,083     30,578  
    Interest on borrowed funds   660       660     667     809     672  
    Total interest expense   31,060       28,845     30,071     32,892     31,250  
    Net interest income   76,737       76,062     72,377     72,273     66,172  
    PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES   32,211       55,781     61,867     70,257     62,325  
    Net interest income/(expense) after
    provision for credit losses
      44,526       20,281     10,510     2,016     3,847  
    NONINTEREST INCOME                  
    Service charges and fees   913       860     932     952     946  
    Loan referral fees                      
    Unrealized gain (loss) on equity securities,
    net
      (439 )     16     1     2     9  
    Other income   853       682     473     486     257  
    Noninterest income, excluding BaaS program income and BaaS indemnification income   1,327       1,558     1,406     1,440     1,212  
    Servicing and other BaaS fees   1,539       1,419     1,043     1,044     1,525  
    Transaction and interchange fees   5,109       3,833     3,699     3,549     2,934  
    Reimbursement of expenses   646       1,026     812     565     857  
    BaaS program income   7,294       6,278     5,554     5,158     5,316  
    BaaS credit enhancements   31,268       53,648     62,097     70,108     60,826  
    BaaS fraud enhancements   2,804       1,993     5,043     2,084     1,784  
    BaaS indemnification income   34,072       55,641     67,140     72,192     62,610  
    Total noninterest income   42,693       63,477     74,100     78,790     69,138  
    NONINTEREST EXPENSE                  
    Salaries and employee benefits   21,401       21,482     17,955     17,060     16,973  
    Occupancy   915       1,034     958     964     985  
    Data processing and software licenses   5,541       4,882     4,049     4,338     3,977  
    Legal and professional expenses   5,962       5,888     4,606     3,597     3,311  
    Point of sale expense   69       107     89     73     72  
    Excise taxes   681       722     778     762     (706 )
    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
    (“FDIC”) assessments
      790       755     750     740     690  
    Director and staff expenses   612       631     683     559     470  
    Marketing   50       50     28     67     14  
    Other expense   1,524       1,938     1,752     1,482     1,383  
    Noninterest expense, excluding BaaS loan and BaaS fraud expense   37,545       37,489     31,648     29,642     27,169  
    BaaS loan expense   32,483       32,507     30,720     32,698     29,011  
    BaaS fraud expense   2,804       1,993     5,043     2,084     1,784  
    BaaS loan and fraud expense   35,287       34,500     35,763     34,782     30,795  
    Total noninterest expense   72,832       71,989     67,411     64,424     57,964  
    Income before provision for income
    taxes
      14,387       11,769     17,199     16,382     15,021  
    PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES   3,359       2,039     3,832     2,926     3,425  
    NET INCOME $ 11,028     $ 9,730   $ 13,367   $ 13,456   $ 11,596  
    Basic earnings per common share $ 0.73     $ 0.65   $ 0.97   $ 1.00   $ 0.86  
    Diluted earnings per common share $ 0.71     $ 0.63   $ 0.94   $ 0.97   $ 0.84  
    Weighted average number of common shares
    outstanding:
                     
    Basic   15,033,296       14,962,507     13,828,605     13,447,066     13,412,667  
    Diluted   15,447,923       15,462,041     14,268,229     13,822,270     13,736,508  
                                     

    COASTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
    AVERAGE BALANCES, YIELDS, AND RATES – QUARTERLY
    (Dollars in thousands; unaudited)

      For the Three Months Ended
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
      Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
      Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
      Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
    Assets                                  
    Interest earning assets:                                  
    Interest earning deposits with
    other banks
    $ 729,652     $ 8,085   4.44 %   $ 553,393     $ 6,070   4.45 %   $ 418,165     $ 5,683   5.47 %
    Investment securities, available for sale (2)   35               37       1   10.96       43          
    Investment securities, held to maturity (2)   46,256       626   5.43       47,154       649   5.58       49,737       686   5.55  
    Other investments   12,825       219   6.85       11,757       40   1.38       10,592       174   6.61  
    Loans receivable (3)   3,567,823       98,867   11.11       3,511,724       98,147   11.33       3,258,042       90,879   11.22  
    Total interest earning assets   4,356,591       107,797   9.92       4,124,065       104,907   10.32       3,736,579       97,422   10.49  
    Noninterest earning assets:                                  
    Allowance for credit losses   (176,022 )             (170,542 )             (138,472 )        
    Other noninterest earning assets   298,698               296,993               255,205          
    Total assets $ 4,479,267             $ 4,250,516             $ 3,853,312          
                                       
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity                                  
    Interest bearing liabilities:                                  
    Interest bearing deposits $ 3,369,574     $ 30,400   3.62 %   $ 3,166,384     $ 28,185   3.61 %   $ 2,854,575     $ 30,578   4.31 %
    FHLB advances and other borrowings   3       1               1         1,648       3   0.73  
    Subordinated debt   44,345       598   5.41       44,309       598   5.47       44,197       598   5.44  
    Junior subordinated debentures   3,592       61   6.81       3,592       61   6.89       3,590       71   7.95  
    Total interest bearing liabilities   3,417,514       31,060   3.65       3,214,285       28,845   3.64       2,904,010       31,250   4.33  
    Noninterest bearing deposits   562,174               543,784               584,661          
    Other liabilities   44,452               49,624               58,267          
    Total shareholders’ equity   455,127               442,823               306,374          
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,479,267             $ 4,250,516             $ 3,853,312          
    Net interest income     $ 76,737           $ 76,062           $ 66,172    
    Interest rate spread         6.27 %           6.68 %           6.16 %
    Net interest margin (4)         7.06 %           7.48 %           7.12 %
     
    (1)  Yields and costs are annualized.
    (2)  For presentation in this table, average balances and the corresponding average rates for investment securities are based upon historical cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts.
    (3)  Includes loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans.
    (4)  Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by the average total interest earning assets.
     

    COASTAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
    SELECTED AVERAGE BALANCES, YIELDS, AND RATES – BY SEGMENT – QUARTERLY
    (Dollars in thousands; unaudited)

      For the Three Months Ended
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands, unaudited) Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
      Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
      Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
    Community Bank                                  
    Assets                                  
    Interest earning assets:                                  
    Loans receivable (2) $ 1,879,331   $ 30,603   6.53 %   $ 1,881,636   $ 30,292   6.53 %   $ 1,895,699   $ 30,741   6.52 %
    Total interest earning
    assets
      1,879,331     30,603   6.53       1,881,636     30,292   6.53       1,895,699     30,741   6.52  
    Liabilities                                  
    Interest bearing liabilities:                                
    Interest bearing
    deposits
      1,048,506     6,783   2.59 %     1,045,971     6,604   2.56 %     938,033     6,459   2.77 %
    Intrabank liability   342,232     3,792   4.44       356,337     3,909   4.45       429,452     5,836   5.47  
    Total interest bearing
    liabilities
      1,390,738     10,575   3.05       1,402,308     10,513   3.04       1,367,485     12,295   3.62  
    Noninterest bearing
    deposits
      488,593             479,329             528,214        
    Net interest income     $ 20,028           $ 19,779           $ 18,446    
    Net interest margin(3)         4.27 %           4.26 %           3.91 %
                                       
    CCBX                                  
    Assets                                  
    Interest earning assets:                                  
    Loans receivable (2)(4) $ 1,688,492   $ 68,264   16.22 %   $ 1,630,088   $ 67,855   16.88 %   $ 1,362,343   $ 60,138   17.75 %
    Intrabank asset   706,157     7,825   4.44       554,781     6,085   4.45       610,646     8,299   5.47  
    Total interest earning
    assets
      2,394,649     76,089   12.74       2,184,869     73,940   13.72       1,972,989     68,437   13.95  
    Liabilities                                  
    Interest bearing liabilities:                            
    Interest bearing
    deposits
      2,321,068     23,617   4.08 %     2,120,413     21,581   4.13 %     1,916,542     24,119   5.06 %
    Total interest bearing
    liabilities
      2,321,068     23,617   4.08       2,120,413     21,581   4.13       1,916,542     24,119   5.06  
    Noninterest bearing
    deposits
      73,581             64,455             56,447        
    Net interest income     $ 52,472           $ 52,359           $ 44,318    
    Net interest margin(3)         8.79 %           9.72 %           9.03 %
    Net interest margin, net
    of BaaS loan expense(5)
            3.35 %           3.68 %           3.12 %
                                             
      For the Three Months Ended
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
    (dollars in thousands, unaudited) Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
      Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
      Average
    Balance
      Interest &
    Dividends
      Yield /
    Cost (1)
    Treasury & Administration                            
    Assets                                  
    Interest earning assets:                                  
    Interest earning
    deposits with
    other banks
    $ 729,652   $ 8,085   4.44 %   $ 553,393   $ 6,070   4.45 %   $ 418,165   $ 5,683   5.47 %
    Investment securities,
    available for sale (6)
      35             37     1   10.96       43       3.13  
    Investment securities,
    held to maturity (6)
      46,256     626   5.43       47,154     649   5.58       49,737     686   5.55  
    Other investments   12,825     219   6.85       11,757     40   1.38       10,592     174   6.61  
    Total interest
    earning assets
      788,768     8,930   4.54 %     612,341   6,760   4.48 %     478,537     6,543   5.50 %
    Liabilities                                  
    Interest bearing
    liabilities:
                                     
    FHLB advances
    and borrowings
    $ 3     1       $     1   %   $ 1,648     3   0.73 %
    Subordinated debt   44,345     598   5.41       44,309     598   5.47       44,197     598   5.44  
    Junior subordinated
    debentures
      3,592     61   6.81       3,592     61   6.89       3,590     71   7.95  
    Intrabank liability, net (7)   363,925     4,033   4.44       198,444     2,176   4.45       181,194     2,463   5.47  
    Total interest
    bearing liabilities
      411,865     4,693   4.57       246,345     2,836   4.67       230,629     3,135   5.47  
    Net interest income     $ 4,237           $ 3,924           $ 3,408    
    Net interest margin(3)         2.15 %           2.60 %           2.86 %
     
    (1) Yields and costs are annualized.
    (2) Includes loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans.
    (3) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by the average total interest earning assets.
    (4) CCBX yield does not include the impact of BaaS loan expense. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit enhancements, fraud enhancements and originating & servicing CCBX loans. See reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures at the end of this earnings release for the impact of BaaS loan expense on CCBX loan yield.
    (5) Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense, includes the impact of BaaS loan expense. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit enhancements, fraud enhancements, originating & servicing CCBX loans. See reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures at the end of this earnings release.
    (6) For presentation in this table, average balances and the corresponding average rates for investment securities are based upon historical cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts.
    (7) Intrabank assets and liabilities are consolidated for period calculations and presented as intrabank asset, net or intrabank liability, net in the table above.
     

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company’s operational performance and to enhance investors’ overall understanding of such financial performance.

    However, these non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and are not a substitute for an analysis based on GAAP measures. As other companies may use different calculations for these adjusted measures, this presentation may not be comparable to other similarly titled adjusted measures reported by other companies.

    The following non-GAAP measures are presented to illustrate the impact of BaaS loan expense on net loan income and yield on loans and CCBX loans and the impact of BaaS loan expense on net interest income and net interest margin.

    Loan income, net of BaaS loan expense, divided by average loans, is a non-GAAP measure that includes the impact BaaS loan expense on loan income and the yield on loans. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is yield on loans.

    Net BaaS loan income divided by average CCBX loans is a non-GAAP measure that includes the impact BaaS loan expense on net BaaS loan income and the yield on CCBX loans. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is yield on CCBX loans.

    Net interest income, net of BaaS loan expense, is a non-GAAP measure that includes the impact BaaS loan expense on net interest income. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is net interest income.

    CCBX net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense, is a non-GAAP measure that includes the impact of BaaS loan expense on net interest rate margin. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is CCBX net interest margin.

    Reconciliations of the GAAP and non-GAAP measures are presented below.

    CCBX   As of and for the Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30
    2025
      March 31
    2025
      June 30
    2024
    Net BaaS loan income divided by average CCBX loans:
    CCBX loan yield (GAAP)(1)     16.22 %     16.88 %     17.75 %
    Total average CCBX loans receivable   $ 1,688,492     $ 1,630,088     $ 1,362,343  
    Interest and earned fee income on CCBX loans (GAAP)     68,264       67,855       60,138  
    BaaS loan expense     (32,483 )     (32,507 )     (29,011 )
    Net BaaS loan income   $ 35,781     $ 35,348     $ 31,127  
    Net BaaS loan income divided by average CCBX loans (1)     8.50 %     8.79 %     9.19 %
    CCBX net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense:        
    CCBX net interest margin (1)     8.79 %     9.72 %     9.03 %
    CCBX earning assets     2,394,649       2,184,869       1,972,989  
    Net interest income (GAAP)     52,472       52,359       44,318  
    Less: BaaS loan expense     (32,483 )     (32,507 )     (29,011 )
    Net interest income, net of BaaS
    loan expense
      $ 19,989     $ 19,852     $ 15,307  
    CCBX net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense (1)     3.35 %     3.68 %     3.12 %
     
    Consolidated   As of and for the Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30
    2025
      March 31
    2025
      June 30
    2024
    Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense:        
    Net interest margin (1)     7.06 %     7.48 %     7.12 %
    Earning assets     4,356,591       4,124,065       3,736,579  
    Net interest income (GAAP)     76,737       76,062       66,172  
    Less: BaaS loan expense     (32,483 )     (32,507 )     (29,011 )
    Net interest income, net of BaaS loan expense   $ 44,254     $ 43,555     $ 37,161  
    Net interest margin, net of BaaS loan expense (1)     4.07 %     4.28 %     4.00 %
    Loan income net of BaaS loan expense divided by average loans:    
    Loan yield (GAAP)(1)     11.11 %     11.33 %     11.22 %
    Total average loans receivable   $ 3,567,823     $ 3,511,724     $ 3,258,042  
    Interest and earned fee income on loans (GAAP)     98,867       98,147       90,879  
    BaaS loan expense     (32,483 )     (32,507 )     (29,011 )
    Net loan income   $ 66,384     $ 65,640     $ 61,868  
    Loan income, net of BaaS loan expense, divided by average loans (1)     7.46 %     7.58 %     7.64 %
     
    (1) Annualized calculations for periods presented.
     

    The following non-GAAP measure is presented to illustrate the impact of BaaS loan expense, BaaS fraud expense and reimbursement of expenses (BaaS) on noninterest expense. Certain noninterest expenses are reimbursed by our CCBX partners. In accordance with GAAP we recognize all expenses in noninterest expense and the reimbursement of expenses from our CCBX partner in noninterest income. This non-GAAP measure shows the portion of noninterest expenses that are reimbursed by partners to assist the understanding of how the increases in noninterest expense are related to expenses incurred for and reimbursed by CCBX partner. The most comparable GAAP measure is noninterest expense.

        As of and for the Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands, unaudited)   June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    Noninterest expense, net of reimbursement of expenses (BaaS)
    Noninterest expense (GAAP)   $ 72,832   $ 71,989   $ 57,964  
    Less: BaaS loan expense     32,483     32,507     29,011  
    Less: BaaS fraud expense     2,804     1,993     1,784  
    Less: Reimbursement of expenses     646     1,026     857  
    Noninterest expense, net of BaaS loan expense, BaaS fraud expense
    and reimbursement of expenses
      $ 36,899   $ 36,463   $ 26,312  
     

    APPENDIX A –
    As of June 30, 2025

    Industry Concentration

    We have a diversified loan portfolio, representing a wide variety of industries. Our major categories of loans are commercial real estate, consumer and other loans, residential real estate, commercial and industrial, and construction, land and land development loans. Together they represent $3.55 billion in outstanding loan balances. When combined with $1.93 billion in unused commitments the total of these categories is $5.48 billion.

    Commercial real estate loans represent the largest segment of our loans, comprising 37.0% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $30.1 million, and the combined total in commercial real estate loans represents $1.34 billion, or 24.5% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments.

    The following table summarizes our loan commitment by industry for our commercial real estate portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Outstanding Balance   Available Loan Commitments   Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment   % of Total Loans
    (Outstanding Balance &
    Available Commitment)
      Average Loan Balance   Number of Loans  
    Apartments   $ 362,315   $ 2,889   $ 365,204   6.7 %   $ 3,814   95  
    Hotel/Motel     154,877     1,073     155,950   2.8       6,734   23  
    Convenience Store     135,118     546     135,664   2.5       2,290   59  
    Office     119,622     6,666     126,288   2.3       1,375   87  
    Warehouse     102,688         102,688   1.9       1,770   58  
    Retail     93,552     836     94,388   1.7       936   100  
    Mixed use     93,455     5,287     98,742   1.8       1,126   83  
    Mini Storage     73,695     7,272     80,967   1.5       3,685   20  
    Strip Mall     43,468         43,468   0.8       6,210   7  
    Manufacturing     35,274     570     35,844   0.7       1,306   27  
    Groups < 0.70% of total     96,818     4,938     101,756   1.8       1,226   79  
    Total   $ 1,310,882   $ 30,077   $ 1,340,959   24.5 %   $ 2,055   638  
     

    Consumer loans comprise 34.7% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $746.8 million, and the combined total in consumer and other loans represents $1.98 billion, or 36.1% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments. The $746.8 million in commitments is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits. As illustrated in the table below, our CCBX partners bring in a large number of mostly smaller dollar loans, resulting in an average consumer loan balance of just $900. CCBX consumer loans are underwritten to CCBX credit standards and underwriting of these loans is regularly tested, including quarterly testing for partners with portfolio balances greater than $10.0 million.

    The following table summarizes our loan commitment by industry for our consumer and other loan portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)     Outstanding Balance   Available Loan Commitments (1)   Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment (1)   % of Total Loans
    (Outstanding Balance &
    Available Commitment)
      Average Loan Balance   Number of Loans  
    CCBX consumer loans
    Credit cards     $ 533,925   $ 702,611   $ 1,236,536   22.6 %   $ 1.6   337,749  
    Installment loans       671,089     30,817     701,906   12.8       0.8   796,927  
    Lines of credit       676     14     690   0.0       0.9   715  
    Other loans       14,556         14,556   0.3       0.1   240,653  
    Community bank consumer loans
    Installment loans       738     2     740   0.0       30.8   24  
    Lines of credit       178     339     517   0.0       5.7   31  
    Other loans       11,314     13,000     24,314   0.4       32.6   347  
    Total     $ 1,232,476   $ 746,783   $ 1,979,259   36.1 %   $ 0.9   1,376,446  
     
    (1)  Total exposure on CCBX loans is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits.
     

    Residential real estate loans comprise 12.2% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $557.7 million, which is subject to partner/portfolio maximum limits, and the combined total in residential real estate loans represents $991.3 million, or 18.1% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments.

    The following table summarizes our loan commitment by industry for our residential real estate loan portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Outstanding Balance   Available Loan Commitments (1)   Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment (1)   % of Total Loans
    (Outstanding Balance &
    Available Commitment)
      Average Loan Balance   Number of Loans  
    CCBX residential real estate loans
    Home equity line of credit   $ 234,786   $ 509,297   $ 744,083   13.6 %   $ 27   8,735  
    Community bank residential real estate loans
    Closed end, secured by first liens     162,205     1,064     163,269   3.0       554   293  
    Home equity line of credit     30,328     46,270     76,598   1.4       122   249  
    Closed end, second liens     6,311     1,073     7,384   0.1       218   29  
    Total   $ 433,630   $ 557,704   $ 991,334   18.1 %   $ 47   9,306  
     
    (1)  Total exposure on CCBX loans is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits. CCBX home equity lines of credit are limited to a $375.0 million portfolio maximum.
     

    Commercial and industrial loans comprise 10.6% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $527.8 million, and the combined total in commercial and industrial loans represents $903.6 million, or 16.5% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments. Included in commercial and industrial loans is $199.7 million in outstanding capital call lines, with an additional $438.4 million in available loan commitments which is limited to a $350.0 million portfolio maximum. Capital call lines are provided to venture capital firms through one of our CCBX BaaS clients. These loans are secured by the capital call rights and are individually underwritten to the Bank’s credit standards and the underwriting is reviewed by the Bank on every capital call line.

    The following table summarizes our loan commitment by industry for our commercial and industrial loan portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Outstanding Balance   Available Loan Commitments (1)   Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment (1)   % of Total Loans
    (Outstanding Balance &
    Available Commitment)
      Average Loan Balance   Number of Loans  
    CCBX C&I loans
    Capital call lines   $ 199,675   $ 438,391   $ 638,066   11.6 %   $ 1,597   125  
    Retail and other loans     26,142     23,001     49,143   0.9       9   2,915  
    Community bank C&I loans
    Construction/Contractor services     30,449     32,173     62,622   1.1       154   198  
    Financial institutions     51,768         51,768   0.9       4,314   12  
    Medical / Dental / Other care     5,496     3,683     9,179   0.2       423   13  
    Manufacturing     5,325     3,976     9,301   0.2       140   38  
    Groups < 0.20% of total     56,888     26,593     83,481   1.6       228   250  
    Total   $ 375,743   $ 527,817   $ 903,560   16.5 %   $ 106   3,551  
     
    (1) Total exposure on CCBX loans is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits.
     

    Construction, land and land development loans comprise 5.5% of our total balance of outstanding loans as of June 30, 2025. Unused commitments to extend credit represents an additional $70.0 million, and the combined total in construction, land and land development loans represents $264.2 million, or 4.8% of our total outstanding loans and loan commitments.

    The following table details our loan commitment for our construction, land and land development portfolio as of June 30, 2025:

    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Outstanding Balance   Available Loan Commitments   Total Outstanding Balance & Available Commitment   % of Total Loans
    (Outstanding Balance &
    Available Commitment)
      Average Loan Balance   Number of Loans  
    Commercial construction   $ 104,078   $ 48,309   $ 152,387   2.8 %   $ 7,434   14  
    Residential construction     39,831     17,340     57,171   1.0       2,655   15  
    Developed land loans     22,875     604     23,479   0.4       1,271   18  
    Undeveloped land loans     20,067     748     20,815   0.4       1,338   15  
    Land development     7,299     3,048     10,347   0.2       811   9  
    Total   $ 194,150   $ 70,049   $ 264,199   4.8 %   $ 2,735   71  
     

    Exposure and risk in our construction, land and land development portfolio increased compared to recent periods as indicated in the following table:

        Outstanding Balance as of
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
    Commercial construction   $ 104,078     $ 96,716     $ 83,216     $ 97,792     $ 110,372  
    Residential construction     39,831       39,375       40,940       35,822       34,652  
    Undeveloped land loans     20,067       16,684       8,665       8,606       8,372  
    Developed land loans     22,875       7,788       8,305       14,863       13,954  
    Land development     7,299       5,988       7,072       5,968       5,714  
    Total   $ 194,150     $ 166,551     $ 148,198     $ 163,051     $ 173,064  
     

    Commitments to extend credit total $1.93 billion at June 30, 2025, however we do not anticipate our customers using the $1.93 billion that is showing as available due to CCBX partner and portfolio limits.

    The following table presents outstanding commitments to extend credit as of June 30, 2025:

    Consolidated    
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   As of June 30, 2025 (1)
    Commitments to extend credit:    
    Commercial and industrial loans   $ 89,426  
    Commercial and industrial loans – capital call lines     438,391  
    Construction – commercial real estate loans     52,709  
    Construction – residential real estate loans     17,340  
    Residential real estate loans     557,704  
    Commercial real estate loans     30,077  
    Credit cards     702,611  
    Consumer and other loans     44,172  
    Total commitments to extend credit   $ 1,932,430  
     
    (1) Total exposure on CCBX loans is subject to CCBX partner/portfolio maximum limits.
     

    We have individual CCBX partner portfolio limits with our each of our partners to manage loan concentration risk, liquidity risk, and counter-party partner risk. For example, as of June 30, 2025, capital call lines outstanding balance totaled $199.7 million and, while commitments totaled $438.4 million, the commitments are limited to a maximum of $350.0 million by agreement with the partner. If a CCBX partner goes over their individual limit, it would be a breach of their contract and the Bank may impose penalties and would have the choice to fund or not fund the loan.

    See the table below for CCBX portfolio maximums and related available commitments:

    CCBX                
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   Balance   Percent of CCBX loans receivable Available
    Commitments
    (1)
      Maximum Portfolio
    Size
    Cash
    Reserve/Pledge Account Amount
    (2)
    Commercial and industrial loans:            
    Capital call lines   $ 199,675     11.9 % $ 438,391   $ 350,000 $  
    All other commercial & industrial loans     26,142     1.6     23,001     471,186   531  
    Real estate loans:                
    Home equity lines of credit (3)     234,786     14.0     509,297     375,000   36,469  
    Consumer and other loans:            
    Credit cards – cash secured     364                
    Credit cards – unsecured     533,561         702,611       30,827  
    Credit cards – total     533,925     31.8     702,611     850,000   30,827  
    Installment loans – cash secured     128,861         30,817        
    Installment loans – unsecured     542,228               (38 )
    Installment loans – total     671,089     39.8     30,817     1,818,619   (38 )
    Other consumer and other loans     15,232     0.9     14     5,195   275  
    Gross CCBX loans receivable     1,680,849     100.0 % $ 1,704,131   $ 3,870,000 $ 68,064  
    Net deferred origination fees     (569 )            
    Loans receivable   $ 1,680,280              
     
    (1) Remaining commitment available, net of outstanding balance.
    (2) Balances are as of July 8, 2025.
    (3) These home equity lines of credit are secured by residential real estate and are accessed by using a credit card, but are classified as 1-4 family residential properties per regulatory guidelines.
     

    APPENDIX B –
    As of June 30, 2025

    CCBX – BaaS Reporting Information

    During the quarter ended June 30, 2025, $31.3 million was recorded in BaaS credit enhancements related to the provision for credit losses – loans and reserve for unfunded commitments for CCBX partner loans and negative deposit accounts. Agreements with our CCBX partners provide for a credit enhancement provided by the partner which protects the Bank by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred losses. In accordance with accounting guidance, we estimate and record a provision for expected losses for these CCBX loans, unfunded commitments, negative deposit accounts and accrued interest receivable on some CCBX partner loans. When the provision for credit losses – loans and provision for unfunded commitments is recorded, a credit enhancement asset is also recorded on the balance sheet through noninterest income (BaaS credit enhancements) in recognition of the CCBX partner legal commitment to indemnify or reimburse losses. The credit enhancement asset is relieved as credit enhancement payments and recoveries are received from the CCBX partner or taken from the partner’s cash reserve account. Agreements with our CCBX partners also provide protection to the Bank from fraud by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred fraud losses. BaaS fraud includes non-credit fraud losses on loans and deposits originated through partners, generally fraud losses related to loans are comprised primarily of first payment defaults. Fraud losses are recorded when incurred as losses in noninterest expense, and the enhancement received from the CCBX partner is recorded in noninterest income, resulting in a net impact of zero to the income statement. Many CCBX partners also pledge a cash reserve account at the Bank which the Bank can collect from when losses occur that is then replenished by the partner on a regular interval. Although agreements with our CCBX partners provide for credit enhancements that provide protection to the Bank from credit and fraud losses by indemnifying or reimbursing incurred credit and fraud losses, if our partner is unable to fulfill their contracted obligation then the bank would be exposed to additional loan and deposit losses if the cash flows on the loans were not sufficient to fund the reimbursement of loan losses, as a result of this counterparty risk. If a CCBX partner does not replenish their cash reserve account the Bank may consider an alternative plan for funding the cash reserve. This may involve the possibility of adjusting the funding amounts or timelines to better align with the partner’s specific situation. If a mutually agreeable funding plan is not agreed to, the Bank could declare the agreement in default, take over servicing and cease paying the partner for servicing the loan and providing credit enhancements. The Bank would evaluate any remaining credit enhancement asset from the CCBX partner in the event the partner failed to determine if a write-off is appropriate. If a write-off occurs, the Bank would retain the full yield and any fee income on the loan portfolio going forward, and our BaaS loan expense would decrease once default occurred and payments to the CCBX partner were stopped.

    The Bank records contractual interest earned from the borrower on CCBX partner loans in interest income, adjusted for origination costs which are paid or payable to the CCBX partner. BaaS loan expense represents the amount paid or payable to partners for credit and fraud enhancements and originating and servicing CCBX loans. To determine net revenue (Net BaaS loan income) earned from CCBX loan relationships, the Bank takes BaaS loan interest income and deducts BaaS loan expense to arrive at Net BaaS loan income (a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth in the preceding section of this earnings release) which can be compared to interest income on the Company’s community bank loans.

    The following table illustrates how CCBX partner loan income and expenses are recorded in the financial statements:

    Loan income and related loan expense   Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    Yield on loans (1)     16.22 %     16.88 %     17.75 %
    BaaS loan interest income   $ 68,264     $ 67,855     $ 60,138  
    Less: BaaS loan expense     32,483       32,507       29,011  
    Net BaaS loan income (2)   $ 35,781     $ 35,348     $ 31,127  
    Net BaaS loan income divided by average BaaS loans (1)(2)     8.50 %     8.79 %     9.19 %
     
    (1) Annualized calculation for quarterly periods shown.
    (2) A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures are set forth in the preceding section of this earnings release.
     

    An increase in average CCBX loans receivable resulted in increased interest income on CCBX loans during the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Our strategy is to optimize the CCBX loan portfolio and strengthen our balance sheet through originating higher quality new loans with enhanced credit standards. These higher quality loans tend to have lower stated rates and expected losses than some of our CCBX loans historically. Current loan sales and new loan growth are at more similar interest rates compared to prior periods when we were selling loans with higher risk and higher interest rates and replacing them with higher quality lower interest rate loans. We continue to reposition ourselves by managing CCBX credit and concentration levels in an effort to optimize our loan portfolio and also generate off balance sheet fee income. Growth in CCBX loans has resulted in an increase in interest income for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    The following tables are a summary of the interest components, direct fees and expenses of BaaS for the periods indicated and are not inclusive of all income and expense related to BaaS.

    Interest income   Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    Loan interest income   $ 68,264     $ 67,855     $ 60,138  
    Total BaaS interest income   $ 68,264     $ 67,855     $ 60,138  
    Interest expense   Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    BaaS interest expense   $ 23,617     $ 21,581     $ 24,119  
    Total BaaS interest expense   $ 23,617     $ 21,581     $ 24,119  
    BaaS income   Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)   June 30,
    2025
      March 31,
    2025
      June 30,
    2024
    BaaS program income:            
    Servicing and other BaaS fees   $ 1,539   $ 1,419   $ 1,525  
    Transaction and interchange fees     5,109     3,833     2,934  
    Reimbursement of expenses     646     1,026     857  
    Total BaaS program income     7,294     6,278     5,316  
    BaaS indemnification income:            
    BaaS credit enhancements     31,268     53,648     60,826  
    BaaS fraud enhancements     2,804     1,993     1,784  
    BaaS indemnification income     34,072     55,641     62,610  
    Total noninterest BaaS income   $ 41,366   $ 61,919   $ 67,926  
     

    Servicing and other BaaS fees increased $120,000 and transaction and interchange fees increased $1.3 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2025. We expect servicing and other BaaS fees to be higher when we are bringing new partners on and then to decrease when transaction and interchange fees increase as partner activity grows and contracted minimum fees are replaced with these recurring fees when they exceed the minimum fees. Increases in BaaS reimbursement of fees offsets increases in noninterest expense from BaaS expenses covered by CCBX partners. Transaction and interchange fees for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 includes $504,000 in nonrecurring revenue.

    BaaS loan and fraud expense:   Three Months Ended
    (dollars in thousands; unaudited)     June 30,
    2025
          March 31,
    2025
          June 30,
    2024
     
    BaaS loan expense   $ 32,483     $ 32,507     $ 29,011  
    BaaS fraud expense     2,804       1,993       1,784  
    Total BaaS loan and fraud expense   $ 35,287     $ 34,500     $ 30,795  
     

    Infographics accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d139571-0367-4331-b052-e1609dd3796f
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7fef1877-3f7a-47cc-99fa-0bcdfb00de42

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Russia: What business plans have RUDN economics students developed for Russian companies?

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peoples’Friendship University of Russia –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Analysis of target markets, conclusion of a contract with a sanction clause, development of logistics for deliveries to Latin American countries. These are just some of the points from the business plans prepared for Russian companies by students of the Faculty of Economics and the Law Institute of RUDN. But first things first.

    Through the sieve of selection

    At RUDN, students have the opportunity to study in a project-based master’s program. This model of education assumes that students unite in teams and jointly develop a project (their final qualification work) for real customers – they can be both domestic and foreign companies. The projects that will be discussed were prepared by students of the Faculty of Economics and the Law Institute of RUDN. The Moscow Export Center helps the university find customer companies for them.

    “After the selection, we introduce the students to each other and simultaneously send a request to colleagues at the Moscow Export Center asking them to involve Russian and foreign companies in the implementation of the projects. The MEC provides us with a list of interested enterprises with their brief description and the desired request: what product or service the company produces, where it wants to export them. We pass all this on to the students, after which teams are formed taking into account the students’ wishes. The master’s students begin working, and once a month we gather them to check what stage the projects are at. To help the students complete the assigned tasks, we conduct master classes from teachers and invited experts,” says Maria Maslova, a RUDN University graduate and head of the educational programs department of the educational and acceleration programs department of the ANO “MEC”.

    A fresh look at business

    In the spring, teams have a pre-defense of their projects in front of company representatives, where they receive feedback and learn about problematic areas that need to be corrected. The final defense of the diploma work is held according to the schedule of the state final certification.

    “Business is interested in a fresh look at promising markets for their products. Companies essentially order a “consulting study” from us. They want to enter certain markets where they are not yet represented. RUDN economics students analyze these markets, calculate the financial component, develop marketing strategies for entry and promotion, and draw a conclusion about the profitability of the project. And students of the Law Institute analyze the entire legal component of entering foreign markets, prepare a draft foreign trade contract, and analyze the specifics of the legal system of the selected country,” says Maria Maslova, a RUDN graduate and head of the educational programs department of the educational and acceleration programs department of the ANO “MEC”.

    Focus on Latin America

    One of the projects that RUDN University master’s students worked on last academic year concerned the entry of the Leber company into the Latin American market. It produces children’s playgrounds.

    “Our research revealed special features of the target markets, in particular, a high proportion of young people: children under 14 years old make up about 25-30% of the population. This indicates a huge potential for the company to enter the markets of these countries. In addition, an absolute plus for business development in the chosen direction is the established sea routes from the port of St. Petersburg to the ports of Latin American countries. However, there were obstacles here, because due to sanctions, there is a ban on the movement of Russian ships through the waters of unfriendly countries. To solve the problem, we suggested that Leber use the services of experienced forwarding companies based in the target markets,” Mekhriddin Nuraliyev, a graduate of the Faculty of Economics of RUDN University.

    According to Mehriddin, the most difficult part to develop was the financial part of the business plan. After all, without launching sales in the markets of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, it is very difficult to forecast the profitability of the activity and calculate the income and expense estimate for 3-5 years ahead.

    “But we coped with this task and received high praise for our business plan from Leber representatives. The company praised the team’s professionalism and the depth of the research conducted,” says Mekhriddin Nuraliyev, a graduate of the RUDN University Faculty of Economics.

    Sanctions and the Middle East

    The second project was developed by RUDN students for the Mesoformula company, a Russian manufacturer of innovative products for aesthetic medicine and professional cosmetology. The company wants to enter the Saudi Arabian market.

    “We proposed the “corridor-2030” strategy – a consistent entry into the Saudi Arabian market through halal certification, registration with the SFDA and cooperation with a distributor in Jeddah. Together with my colleagues, we also thought out a financial model and built a legal and logistical “framework” for the project so that every figure and every condition worked in the same rhythm. At the same time, I managed to apply my skills as a lawyer, political scientist and GR specialist. I developed a protective sanction clause, assessed geopolitical risks and, having organized a consultative meeting with Saudi experts through the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, received prompt feedback. Thus, we significantly accelerated the negotiations and opened the necessary doors to the Middle East,” – Rodion Lobanovsky, a graduate of the RUDN Law Institute.

    Mesoformula has approved the students’ project, and its pilot launch is confirmed for 2026.

    “I am very glad that it was possible to implement cooperation between Russian companies and my home university. We worked together for almost a year, and are very pleased with the result. The resulting projects really contain many points that the companies paid attention to, including in terms of the specifics of interaction between Russian business and the selected markets. We hope for further cooperation,” – Maria Maslova, Head of the Educational Programs Department of the Educational and Acceleration Programs Department of ANO “MEC”.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Clearer rules and prequalification guidance to support construction

    Source: New Zealand Government

    As part of wider Government health and safety reforms, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden will be consulting with builders and construction professionals to improve productivity.

    “We’re simplifying scaffolding rules and streamlining the prequalification process to make them more practical and better aligned with the level of risk.

    “I have heard concerns from the construction sector that scaffolding rules are too complex,” says Ms van Velden. 

    The current rules have led to a common view that scaffolding should be used in all situations regardless of risk. This has resulted in the overuse of costly scaffolding when it isn’t required for safety. 

    “Over-compliance needlessly drags down construction productivity, increasing building time and costs for the sector, and impacting new builds and Kiwi homeowners. 

    “My officials will be consulting on proposed new rules that will let people choose safe options based on how dangerous the job is. Officials are currently refining options for a risk-based hierarchy of controls for work at heights (i.e. when to use ladders, harnesses, scaffolding) to test with industry,” says Ms van Velden. 

    “Changes will ensure scaffolding use is better aligned with the level of risk. If it’s not very risky, they will not need to use expensive scaffolding. For example, they will be considering whether a ladder could be used instead of scaffolding for a simple roof gutter repair or minor electrical maintenance when working at height. 

    “I believe changes to scaffolding rules should help reduce costs and speed up work for tradies, construction firms, homeowners and anyone else who needs construction, painting, maintenance or other work done at height. 

    “One of the other common themes I heard on the roadshow was frustration with the wide range of prequalification systems and the time and money they take to complete. I have listened, which is why I am acting to help this sector. 

    “Businesses feel like they have to jump through hoops to tick a compliance box when getting prequalified, even though the prequalification often involves little reflection of the real-world risks workers face. Some have said they have walked away from clients as the cost of getting prequalified is not worth the value of the work. 

    “A lack of consistency across providers means that suppliers need to get a new prequalification for every job they tender for, with one submitter saying they completed 76 in a year. That’s not a good use of anyone’s time or money. 

    “I’ve asked WorkSafe to work with industry to revise its prequalification guidance, including developing free-to-use templates to improve national consistency.” 

    There is also a need for clearer guidance on overlapping duties. This is when multiple businesses share responsibility for managing risks on the same site, such as when builders and drainlayers are both working on the same site and must work together to manage risks. 

    “I have asked WorkSafe to develop an Approved Code of Practice [ACOP] on clarifying overlapping duties, as the current ambiguity may be encouraging the over-use of prequalifications in situations where it is not necessary. Clearer guidance will help businesses understand when and how they need to work together to manage risks.” 

    Work is also underway to update the scaffolding certificate of competence categories, with a review of certificate fees to follow. These certificates show what types of scaffolding work a person is qualified to carry out, from basic to more advanced scaffolding.

    “Concerns have been raised about the distinction between qualifications and actual competency. Many feel that on-the-job experience should be better recognised. There’s also confusion about what constitutes sufficient training, and frustration with inconsistent advice from regulators. 

    “After consultation, I will be seeking Cabinet approval to update the categories and fees to ensure they better reflect current costs and industry best practice. 

    “I am confident that these changes, which are designed to address the concerns of the construction sector, will support safe and more efficient practices,” says Ms van Velden. 

    “These changes will save time and costs for businesses and workers as we cut red-tape to make it easier to do business. When our Kiwi businesses thrive, there are more jobs and lower prices for all New Zealanders.”

    Editor notes: 

    • These changes are part of the wider health and safety reform, which delivers on the ACT-National Coalition Agreement commitment to reform health and safety laws and regulations. 

    • Prequalification is a common way construction businesses check if a company or contractor is ready and able to do a construction job safely, before they’re allowed to bid for or start work. Prequalifications are also often used by businesses outside of the construction sector – for example, local councils using them for groundskeeping tenders. However, prequalifications are most prominently used in the construction industry. 

    • A summary of all the changes and major milestones:

    Amend the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations to simplify the scaffolding rule for construction, including the general work at height 3-metre rule. 

    Targeted stakeholder consultation July – Sept 2025 

     

    Cabinet decisions in November/December  

     

    Commencement mid 2026 

    Amend the Health and Safety in Employment Regs to update the fee for scaffolding certificates of competence. 

     

    Targeted stakeholder consultation July – Dec 2025 

     

    Cabinet decisions in March 2026 

     

    Commencement mid 2026 

    Amend the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations to update the scaffolding certificate of competence definitions 

    Cabinet LEG decisions Aug 

     

    Commencement Sep 2025 

    WorkSafe will work with the industry to revise prequalification guidance and clarify overlapping duties by developing a construction roles and responsibilities ACOP. 

     

    Targeted stakeholder consultation Aug – Sep 2025 

     

    Develop guidance and ACOP Oct 2025 – April 2026 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Final guidance on CGT event K6

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    CGT event K6 relates to pre-CGT shares and trust interests. Following our December 2024 consultation on the draft, we’ve now published the final version of the addendum to TR 2004/18: Income tax: capital gains: application of CGT event K6.

    The addendum revises aspects of our view on how capital gains should be calculated when CGT event K6 occurs.

    Specifically, it:

    • reflects the view that only one capital gain can arise under CGT event K6
    • clarifies which property you need to take into account when calculating the capital gain.

    The addendum applies both before and after the issue date. However, for K6 events that occurred before this date, you may choose to rely on the original ruling or the amended version.

    You can read TR 2004/18: Income tax: capital gains: application of CGT event K6 and the compendium of feedback from consultation for more information.

    Keep up to date

    We have tailored communication channels for medium, large and multinational businesses, to keep you up to date with updates and changes you need to know.

    Read more articles in our online Business bulletins newsroom.

    Subscribe to our free:

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    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Family Tradition: Son Joins Mum’s Path in Civil Engineering at Whitireia and WelTec

    Source: Whitireia and WelTec

    Young Wellingtonian Sean Hoffman is forging his own path in civil engineering, inspired by the journey of his mother, Michelle-herself a graduate of the New Zealand Diploma of Engineering (Civil) at Whitireia and WelTec. Their story is a testament to the power of family influence, hands-on learning, and the exceptional support provided by the Whitireia and WelTec teaching staff.
    Michelle and Sean share more than a surname; both found their passion outside the classroom, preferring hands-on activities over textbooks from an early age. Their natural inclination for building and creating led them to careers in engineering.
    Michelle’s journey began after she left school at year 12, completed a Diploma in Business, and spent several years as a stay-at-home mum before stepping into the world of civil engineering through an administrative role.
    “Once the kids went to school and I had a bit of extra time, I decided to go back to work and got a receptionist role,” Michelle recalls. “I didn’t know much about the company or the industry initially, but I gradually progressed through different roles from reception to contract administrator and was learning more and more. It was at that point that I decided to upskill and found the New Zealand Diploma of Engineering (Civil) at Whitireia and WelTec.”
    Balancing full-time work and part-time study, Michelle is now a qualified project manager. “I’m now working as a project manager and am really loving the variety. It means that I can be in the office or out on the site depending on what work needs to be done. It’s the best of both worlds,” Michelle says.
    Sean, inspired by his mother’s determination and success, is now in his first year of the same diploma. Having worked with civil contracting companies since he was young, Sean initially resisted the idea of following in his mother’s footsteps, even spending a year at university in Otago. But the pull of Civil Engineering-and Michelle’s gentle encouragement-proved too strong to ignore.
    “Mum says she always saw that I had the right kind of brain for Civil Engineering but I kind of pushed against the idea of going into the industry and decided to get out of Wellington and went to University in Otago for a year. I guess Mum was right though, and after that year I came back and decided to study Civil Engineering at Whitireia and WelTec and I am really enjoying it,” Sean admits. “The close-knit learning environments and supportive teaching staff have made a huge difference for my learning.”
    He’s now thriving at Whitireia and WelTec, relishing the opportunity to apply classroom learning to real-world projects during his weekend job. “I have been working for different civil engineering firms on week

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Cultural values shape tourists’ view of eco-friendly B&Bs

    Source:

    28 July 2025

    The demand for ‘greener’ bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation is gaining traction worldwide, but operators should heed cultural differences when marketing their sustainable facilities, according to a new international study.

    Led by Hong Kong Shue Yan University and the University of South Australia, the survey of 800 people from 37 countries examined how cultural values, age and education levels influenced tourists’ acceptance of environmentally sustainable features in B&Bs.

    Previous global studies have indicated that many tourists are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly accommodation, but this is the first time that researchers have focused specifically on cultural attitudes towards B&B sustainable practices.

    The study focused on five categories of sustainable facilities: water treatment systems (rainwater harvesting systems, greywater); greenery systems (sky gardens and vertical green walls); sanitation (hand sanitiser and air purification units); ventilation (natural air or air conditioning); and eco-friendly facilities (LED lights, organic composting bins).

    Tourists from rules-based, autocratic and hierarchical countries such as China, India and Malaysia expressed the strongest support for all types of green features in B&Bs. Deemed ‘high-power distance’ cultures, citizens of these countries were more likely to use energy-saving products and choose natural ventilation over air conditioning, the survey revealed.

    University of South Australia (UniSA) researchers Dr Li Meng and Professor Simon Beecham, who co-authored the study published in Consumer Behaviour in Tourism and Hospitality, say other cultural dimensions were less clear cut.

    “Western cultures such as Australia, the United Kingdom and United States, appreciated rooftop gardens and vertical green walls, but these features were not strong factors in whether they chose a bed and breakfast,” according to the UniSA researchers.

    Tourists from risk-averse cultures such as Japan, France and Greece were less likely to embrace B&Bs with natural ventilation, preferring to control their environment with air conditioning, the researchers say.

    Highly-educated travellers rated sanitation and eco-friendly features more favourably, and younger tourists placed greater value on green systems than older people.

    “These findings challenge assumptions that all green tourists are alike,” says lead author Professor Rita Yi Man Li from Hong Kong Shue Yan University.

    “Many accommodation providers want to operate more sustainably, but few have considered how cultural values affect guest preferences,” Prof Li says.

    “This research shows that guests from different cultural backgrounds respond differently to the same green features. Understanding these nuances can help B&B owners tailor their sustainability investments more effectively depending on their most important tourism markets.”

    Dr Meng says younger guests may be drawn to visible features like rooftop gardens, while more educated visitors may look for practical elements like composting, LED lighting, or air purification systems.

    The researchers say that governments also have a role to play in supporting the development of sustainable B&Bs.

    By offering incentives, investing in sustainable infrastructure, and developing policies such as easing travel restrictions and visa policies, governments can help expand the international customer base for eco-friendly B&Bs, the study recommended.

    ‘Does culture really matter? A cross-cultural study of demand for B&B sustainable facilities’ is published in Consumer Behaviour in Tourism and Hospitality. DOI: 10.1108/CBTH-04-2024-0135. The study involved a cross-disciplinary team of researchers with expertise in economics, real estate, literature and environmental science.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    UniSA researcher contact: Professor Simon Beecham E: simon.beecham@unisa.edu.au
    Hong Kong Shue Yan University researcher contact: Professor Rita Li E: ymli@hksyu.edu

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister to meet President Trump for wide ranging talks in Scotland

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Prime Minister to meet President Trump for wide ranging talks in Scotland

    The Prime Minister will travel to Scotland today to meet the President for talks.

    • The Prime Minister will travel to Scotland today to meet the President for talks on his golf course in Turnberry
    • The leaders are expected to discuss progress on implementing the UK-US trade deal, hopes for a ceasefire in the Middle East and applying pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine
    • The leaders will travel on together for a further private engagement in Aberdeen

    The strength of the UK-US relationship will be on display again today (Monday 28 July) as the Prime Minister meets US President Donald Trump in Scotland for wide-ranging talks.

    The Prime Minister will travel to the President’s golf course in Turnberry during the course of his private visit, ahead of the President’s landmark second State Visit to the UK in September.

    Over the course of the visit, the leaders are expected to talk one-on-one about advancing implementation of the landmark Economic Prosperity Deal so that Brits and Americans can benefit from boosted trade links between their two countries.

    The Prime Minister is also expected to welcome the President’s administration working with partners in Qatar and Egypt to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza. He will discuss further with him what more can be done to secure the ceasefire urgently, bring an end to the unspeakable suffering and starvation in Gaza and free the hostages who have been held so cruelly for so long.

    Securing peace in Ukraine will also be high on the agenda, with the Prime Minister and President set to talk about their shared desire to bring an end to the barbaric war. It is expected they will reflect on progress in their 50-day drive to arm Ukraine and force Putin to the negotiating table.

    After their meeting they will travel on together to a private engagement in Aberdeen.

    The UK and the US have one of the closest, most productive alliances the world has ever seen, working together to cooperate on defence, intelligence, technology and trade.

    The UK was the first country to agree a deal with the US that lowered tariffs on key sectors and has received one of the lowest reciprocal tariff rates in the world.

    Businesses in the aerospace and autos sectors are already benefitting from the strong relationship the UK has with the US and the deal agreed on 8 May.

    The Government is working at pace with the US to go further to deliver benefits to working people on both sides of the Atlantic and to give UK industry the security it needs, protect vital jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets through the Plan for Change.

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-Evening Report: Want to save yourself from super scams and dodgy financial advice? Ask these questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angelique Nadia Sweetman McInnes, Academic in Financial Planning, CQUniversity Australia

    Is there anything you can do to protect your superannuation from dodgy providers or questionable financial advice? And if someone rings you out of the blue and tempts you with a better return on your savings – what should you do?

    Around 12,000 Australians with A$1.2 billion in retirement savings have been caught up in three collapsed or frozen funds: First Guardian, Shield and Australian Fiduciaries.

    People have described being cold-called or seeing ads on social media, suggesting they could earn more by leaving their current super fund. Several financial advisers linked to these funds have now been banned for giving “inappropriate advice” to clients, containing “false and misleading statements”.

    As a former financial adviser and now researcher, here are the questions I wish more people asked to screen out scammers and dodgy financial advisers faster – and places to seek help if you need it.

    What do I do if someone calls with an unexpected sales pitch?

    The first thing you need to know is that in Australia we have anti-hawking legislation. This prohibits people making cold calls or unsolicited face-to-face approaches for financial products, such as superannuation.

    If you get a phone call like that, the official advice is now to hang up immediately. If they persist, you could say:

    I didn’t request this cold call. Did you know you’re breaking the law and I can report you?

    They will probably put the phone down! They know they’re not doing the right thing. If they keep talking, hang up.

    Block their number. Tell a family member if you need help. If you’ve shared personal information, call your super fund or bank.

    I’m thinking of switching super funds. What should I ask first?

    Whether you’re talking to a super fund or a financial adviser, my first three questions would be about their fees, what’s known as “the 4Ps” – philosophy, people, process and performance – and risk profile.

    What are the fees?

    Don’t just look at a super fund’s returns: look closely at their fees.

    Your super fund statement will disclose how much administration, insurance premiums, transactions, buy/sell spread and investment fees and costs are being deducted.

    High fees charged by a trustee eat up your super balance over time. If a fund earns 7% annually and charges fees of 0.63% annually, then your actual return is only 6.37%.

    Is the fund a good match on “the 4 Ps”?

    Go to the provider’s website to understand whether the fund’s philosophy reflect your core beliefs about investing and risk.

    Learn about the reputations of the people behind the fund who lead and invest your money.

    Find out what process they use to select and manage investments. Finally, consider how well and consistently the fund has performed over the past five to ten years.

    What’s the risk profile?

    Super funds classify investment options into risk profiles (such as conservative, balanced or growth) to provide you with investments to match your risk tolerance and age.

    You can find a fund’s risk profile on the fund’s website under investment options, in the product disclosure statement and target market determination.

    How can I compare my super fund?

    Want to check if your retirement savings are in an underperforming fund? For the past few years, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has called out MySuper funds that aren’t performing to standard.

    Compare funds with the Australian Tax Office’s YourSuper Comparison Tool.

    How I can find out if a financial adviser’s been in trouble?

    On advisers, you can investigate their reputation or past complaints at:

    If you’re comfortable using OpenAI, such as ChatGPT or CoPilot, you can try searching with the following prompts.

    • “Can you find any complaints or disciplinary actions against (name of adviser/fund)?”
    • “What is the public reputation of (adviser/fund) in financial forums or news?”
    • “Has (adviser/fund) been mentioned in any ASIC enforceable actions, bans or media reports?”

    More action promised, but not yet delivered

    There are echoes in what’s allegedly happened with First Guardian and Shield of Storm Financial’s collapse in 2009, which also hit thousands of people.

    There are bad apples in every industry. Whether it’s in finance or medicine, it’s often colleagues who know who the dodgy operators are. Then it’s a question of whether anyone does anything about it.

    In the case of First Guardian and Shield, other financial advisers helped raise the alarm – unfortunately several years before the corporate watchdog, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, acted.

    The commission says they’re now working with the federal government on more “reform options”. But that won’t help the thousands of people currently without access to their retirement savings, uncertain how much of those funds they’ll recover.


    You can seek free counselling and advice from the National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007); Mob Strong Debt Helpline (1800 808 488) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; or the Consumer Action Law Centre.

    Disclaimer: this is general information only and not to be taken as financial advice.

    Angelique Nadia Sweetman McInnes received funding from the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand and Central Queensland University. She is presently on a panel in her academic capacity assisting the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA) review and update their Professional Standards. She is also a council member of the FAAA Financial Planning Education Council. Angelique was an authorised representative (practicing financial adviser) from 2009 to 2012.

    ref. Want to save yourself from super scams and dodgy financial advice? Ask these questions – https://theconversation.com/want-to-save-yourself-from-super-scams-and-dodgy-financial-advice-ask-these-questions-261756

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: The ghost of Robodebt – Federal Court rules billions of dollars in welfare debts must be recalculated

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney

    A recent landmark court decision could have significant ramifications for several million social security recipients.

    The ruling means the federal government will need to recalculate more than A$4 billion in debts owed to the Department of Social Services, which administers Centrelink.

    Some of the debts – which occurred due to overpayment of benefits – stretch back decades.

    Reminiscent of Robodebt, the problem occurred because an unlawful method – income apportionment – was used to calculate the money Centrelink claimed it was owed.

    The judgement

    From the early 1990s until 2020, more than 5.3 million welfare debts were calculated using income apportionment.

    In the test case Chaplin v Secretary, Department of Social Services, the full Federal Court approved a method proposed by the government to recalculate the debts.

    The court was not asked whether the debts were unlawful – a point the department had already conceded – but whether its remedy was legally sound. In a two-judge majority, the court ruled it generally was.

    Following the judgement, the department swiftly resumed debt recovery, which had been paused in 2023, pending the legal decision. It said in a statement:

    now there is certainty to the legal position, assessments will recommence in line with the court’s decision.

    The scale of the problem

    The unlawful debts are worth $4.31 billion in total, and affect almost three million Australians. About 91% of these debts – $3.93 billion – has already been repaid to Centrelink.

    Another 170,000 debts – totalling $347 million – remain outstanding.

    All the debts – either repaid or still owing – must be recalculated using the revised method approved by the court.

    According to the government, the median debt is $330 and has been owed for 19 years, on average.

    But the judgement does not compel the government to actually recover the money. Some media reports suggest a waiver is being considered.

    For its part, the government says it will “evaluate” the court decision and develop a “suitable response”.

    What is income apportionment?

    An internal anti-fraud policy meant Centrelink was obliged to calculate a person’s income when it was “earned” rather than “received”.

    This led to the use of income apportionment – essentially an educated guess about a person’s fortnightly earnings when their pay cycle didn’t align with their income reporting period.

    This process, which typically produced overpayments to recipients, spread income outside an instalment period, which was contrary to the applicable law. It also attributed earnings to a person for days and fortnights they hadn’t worked.

    Income apportionment was discontinued in 2020. Three years later, the Commonwealth ombudsman found the method was unlawful.

    Is this different to Robodebt?

    While Social Services has sought to distinguish income apportionment from Robodebt, the two methods of calculating debt are comparable.

    Both attributed a person’s daily income beyond the timeframe permitted by law.

    But there are differences in source and scale.

    Where apportionment was personalised by using individual customer payslips, Robodebt used Australian Tax Office records to raise debts en masse.

    Significantly, while the ombudsman said the department’s understanding of the law relating to apportionment was “incorrect”, it was also “genuinely held”.

    On the other hand, the infamous Robodebt scheme was designed to ramp up debt clawbacks. Claims of misfeasance in public office continue to be litigated.

    Other troubling overlaps remain.

    Many individuals affected by apportionment debts raised after 2015 will be the same people served with Robodebt notices.

    Evidentiary burden

    A troubling aspect of the test case was the suggestion by the majority judges – citing High Court precedent
    that the evidentiary burden could shift to the welfare recipient when overpayments are believed to occur through “wrongdoing”.

    This could force an individual to disprove their alleged debt if a decision-maker concluded the recipient had accidentally under-reported – as occurred in the test case – and a lack of evidence made it difficult for the government to prove its allegation.

    The finding arguably runs counter to the Robodebt Royal Commission’s observation that most welfare recipients lack the power to disprove a debt because their historical records are unavailable.

    The dissenting judge in the case rejected the government’s proposed recalculation method, finding it “not proper” for recovery action to be taken without probative evidence.

    He said the majority decision meant Centrelink could reassess debts in the future after evidence had been lost, and recipients would be powerless to disprove them.

    Expensive fix

    The administrative burden of reassessing these unlawful debts is immense.

    Late last year, a team of 150 public servants, each costing $117,400 per annum, was assigned to rectify income apportionment.

    Their internal sampling revealed 64% of people issued debt bills were overcharged, 29% were undercharged, while 4% are owed a total refund.

    The remediation process has been chaotic.

    In the year following the ombudsman’s report, recipients lodged 531 appeals and made 530 complaints, highlighting the human impact of income apportionment.

    But in a five-month period, a mere 83 cases have been finalised.

    Controversially, Social Services offered to process debts on request, contrary to a provisional finding of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which dismissed the method being used by the department.

    Political choice

    While the Federal Court has seemingly given the government a legal victory, the ultimate outcome will be costly – especially if the debts are waived.

    The court ruling requires recipients be afforded “procedural fairness”, meaning resource-intensive investigations will need to be undertaken into the millions of cases yet to be reviewed.

    The final price tag is yet unknown. In the 2025–26 budget, income apportionment was recorded as a “contingent liability – unquantifiable”.

    Almost all of the outstanding debts would have already been resolved if the government had implemented the Robodebt Royal Commission recommendation that welfare overpayments should not be pursued if they are more than six years old.

    The court’s decision also fails to address the 159 Australians believed to have been criminally prosecuted over unlawful debts since 2018. These people – and likely many more before that year – may have been convicted on defective evidence.

    The response to these issues will be a test for the government.

    Has it learned the lessons of previous egregious mistakes, or will it allow the ghost of Robodebt to continue to haunt our welfare system?

    Christopher Rudge does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. The ghost of Robodebt – Federal Court rules billions of dollars in welfare debts must be recalculated – https://theconversation.com/the-ghost-of-robodebt-federal-court-rules-billions-of-dollars-in-welfare-debts-must-be-recalculated-261543

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • India-UK FTA reflects nation’s growing strength: Piyush Goyal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) reflects the growing strength and global standing of the country.

    Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a felicitation ceremony here, the Union Minister described the FTA as the most comprehensive free trade agreement India has signed to date.

    “This agreement is a result of the trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi has built globally. It has enabled India to negotiate and finalise trade deals with developed nations, not as competitors but as complementary partners,” Goyal said.

    He added that the FTA would unlock new opportunities for India and stands as a testament to the country’s rising stature on the world stage.

    The Minister noted that over the past 11 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India has transformed from a fragile economy into one of the world’s top five.

    “By 2027, India will become the third-largest economy globally,” he said.

    Goyal also highlighted that India’s growing confidence has empowered it to engage in successful free trade agreements with advanced economies.

    Negotiations are currently underway with countries such as New Zealand, Oman, and the United States, as well as with the 27-member European Union.

    He further emphasised that the Modi government has opened new avenues for farmers, fishermen, and industries, leading to a sharp rise in exports.

    The government aims to double exports in the next five years. “Millions of youth are finding employment in the services sector, and the world now recognises PM Modi as one of the most respected and popular global leaders,” Goyal stated.

    In a post on social media platform X, the Minister also said, “Today, India is not just being seen — it is dominating global markets.”

    He spoke in detail about the benefits the India-UK Free Trade Agreement is bringing to various sectors, including agriculture, MSMEs, gems and jewellery, the fishing community, textiles, electronics and IT, and services.

    Goyal added, “Under Prime Minister Modi’s decisive leadership, India has established a strong and influential identity on the global stage. The India-UK FTA is a living example of that progress. It is a historic agreement that is opening new doors for every section of Indian society.”

    He further said that this step is extremely significant in every sense, as it will help fulfil the vision of a developed India by 2047.

    —IANS

  • India-UK FTA reflects nation’s growing strength: Piyush Goyal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) reflects the growing strength and global standing of the country.

    Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a felicitation ceremony here, the Union Minister described the FTA as the most comprehensive free trade agreement India has signed to date.

    “This agreement is a result of the trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi has built globally. It has enabled India to negotiate and finalise trade deals with developed nations, not as competitors but as complementary partners,” Goyal said.

    He added that the FTA would unlock new opportunities for India and stands as a testament to the country’s rising stature on the world stage.

    The Minister noted that over the past 11 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India has transformed from a fragile economy into one of the world’s top five.

    “By 2027, India will become the third-largest economy globally,” he said.

    Goyal also highlighted that India’s growing confidence has empowered it to engage in successful free trade agreements with advanced economies.

    Negotiations are currently underway with countries such as New Zealand, Oman, and the United States, as well as with the 27-member European Union.

    He further emphasised that the Modi government has opened new avenues for farmers, fishermen, and industries, leading to a sharp rise in exports.

    The government aims to double exports in the next five years. “Millions of youth are finding employment in the services sector, and the world now recognises PM Modi as one of the most respected and popular global leaders,” Goyal stated.

    In a post on social media platform X, the Minister also said, “Today, India is not just being seen — it is dominating global markets.”

    He spoke in detail about the benefits the India-UK Free Trade Agreement is bringing to various sectors, including agriculture, MSMEs, gems and jewellery, the fishing community, textiles, electronics and IT, and services.

    Goyal added, “Under Prime Minister Modi’s decisive leadership, India has established a strong and influential identity on the global stage. The India-UK FTA is a living example of that progress. It is a historic agreement that is opening new doors for every section of Indian society.”

    He further said that this step is extremely significant in every sense, as it will help fulfil the vision of a developed India by 2047.

    —IANS

  • MIL-OSI: BTC Price Hits $118,000: HashJ Launches First Short-Term Contracts for Scalable Rewards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Zurich, Switzerland, July 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MGPD Finance Limited, doing business as HashJ, today announced the official launch of its short-term BTC contract offerings, designed to help everyday users benefit from Bitcoin’s record-breaking rally past $118,000. The launch marks a new chapter in making digital asset participation simpler, faster, and more predictable—especially for mobile-first users worldwide.

    HashJ’s platform now enables fixed-term Bitcoin reward plans ranging from 3 to 30 days, with flexible entry amounts and automated settlement. These BTC-linked contracts are designed for users who prefer predictable returns without engaging in high-risk trading or managing complex wallets.

    Understanding Bitcoin-Linked Contracts

    Unlike traditional blockchain products that require deep technical knowledge, HashJ’s short-term contracts are built for accessibility. Leveraging protocol upgrades like Taproot and Script enhancements, Bitcoin now supports basic automated actions that allow users to receive rewards based on time or market performance.

    Instead of trading, users can activate a short-term BTC contract and receive returns once predefined terms are met. These plans are often referred to as:

    • BTC reward contracts
    • Bitcoin income plans
    • Automated BTC participation tools

    How It Works

    Each plan allows users to commit a set amount of BTC (or equivalent), which is automatically tracked through the duration of the contract. At the end of the term—such as 7 or 14 days—the user receives both the original amount and a BTC-denominated reward, without manual claiming or market monitoring.

    The system is entirely self-directed and designed for ease of use, particularly through the HashJ app and online platform. 

    Why This Launch Matters in 2025

    1. Bitcoin Price Surge
      With BTC price exceeding $118,000, many users are looking for safe and structured ways to grow holdings. HashJ’s short-term plans offer a non-speculative alternative to trading.
    2. Simplified Access via HashJ
      New users can register at www.hashj.com and receive a $118 welcome package—including a $100 trial contract and $18 in real value—to begin participating immediately.
    3. Predictable Returns in Unpredictable Times
      Fixed-term plans ranging from 3 to 30 days allow users to avoid timing the market. Contract terms are transparent, short, and aligned with Bitcoin performance trends.

    HashJ Product Snapshot

    • Platform: Mobile + Web-based
    • Live Users: 2M+ registered worldwide
    • Welcome Offer: $118 bonus for new users
    • Contract Terms: 3–30 days
    • Security: Encrypted wallet access, immutable transaction records, and real-time performance tracking
    • Support: 24/7 multilingual assistance

    “This launch reflects our mission to help users earn BTC without needing to be traders or technicians,” said a spokesperson for HashJ. “With short-term contracts, anyone can now engage with Bitcoin in a safe, flexible, and rewarding way.”

    In addition to the welcome bonus, HashJ also runs a VIP program offering tiered benefits for high-volume participants, as well as an affiliate program that rewards users for referring others through unique invite codes. These features are designed to foster long-term engagement and community-led growth.

    Real-World Example

    A new user funds a $50 BTC contract for 7 days through the HashJ platform. After the term expires, the user receives the original amount plus a predetermined reward—automatically and securely—without engaging in trading or price speculation.

    Built for Security

    HashJ’s contract infrastructure is built on robust blockchain standards, including:

    • Transparent reward logic
    • Multi-signature wallet protection
    • Encrypted user access keys
    • Contract time-locks and early exit flexibility

    All BTC reward contracts operate within a decentralized, permissionless framework that prioritizes security and ease of use.

    Looking Ahead: The Future of BTC Participation

    With Bitcoin playing a growing role in decentralized finance, HashJ’s short-term contracts position the company at the forefront of non-trading-based BTC growth models. Future plans include:

    • Integration with cross-chain BTC products
    • Trigger-based contracts linked to BTC market events
    • Smart wallet compatibility
    • BTC-linked token and NFT access

    About MGPD Finance Limited (HashJ)

    MGPD Finance Limited, doing business as HashJ, is a fintech company based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2018, the company provides contract-based digital reward systems for BTC, ETH, DOGE, and XRP, with over 2 million users across more than 90 countries.

    For more information, visit: www.hashj.com
    App Download: Available on iOS and Android
    Business Inquiries: pr@hashj.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE attends district forum

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee today led 21 principal officials in attending the 2025 Policy Address District Forum to gather views and suggestions form members of the community ahead of the current-term Government’s fourth Policy Address.

     

    Held at Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School (Hung Hom Bay), the forum was attended by about 120 people from different backgrounds.

     

    The two-hour forum consisted of two sessions. In the first, the Chief Executive and principal officials listened to the views of members of the public. Matters raised straddled land and housing; transport; innovation and technology; financial services; culture and sports; education; youth issues, poverty alleviation; healthcare; and social welfare.

     

    In the second session, community participants, divided into four groups, focused on “pursuing development and economic growth” and “improving people’s livelihood and building our future together” as they engaged in extensive exchanges with the Chief Executive and the officials. Mr Lee also held discussions in turn with each of the groups and listened to their views.

     

    He said: “There are issues that members of the public care deeply about, so I attach great importance to district consultations.

     

    “These views will let me have a better grasp on formulating policies and allocation of resources when I prepare the Policy Address.”

     

    Principal Officials attending today’s event included Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki; Financial Secretary Paul Chan; Secretary for Justice Paul Lam; Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing; Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong; Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan; Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang; Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui; Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung; Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan; Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau; Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau; Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn; Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho; Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung; Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong; Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak; Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun; Secretary for Transport & Logistics Mable Chan; Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law; and Acting Secretary for Education Sze Chun-fai.

     

    The Government said it will continue to gather input from a wide variety of organisations and individuals over the coming month through consultation sessions and district visits. Members of the public can also give their views via the Policy Address website, social media platforms, hotlines, email, fax and post.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Electronics Earns Marker of Global Trust With EU RED Certification

    Source: Samsung

    ▲ Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics and Frank L. Blaimberger, Vice President of TÜV SÜD, were present at the EU RED certification ceremony.
     
    Samsung Electronics today announced that its latest TVs, monitors and commercial display products have been technically evaluated for compliance with the European Union’s Radio Equipment Directive (RED), including updated cybersecurity requirements that take effect on August 1, 2025.
     
    “With the growing emphasis on security in the industry, we are strengthening security features to stay ahead of this evolving trend,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “In addition to this achievement, we are committed to introducing innovations with advanced security and technology globally, thereby reinforcing customer trust in our solutions.”
     
    The EU’s RED, introduced in 2016, establishes essential requirements for the safety, electromagnetic compatibility and efficient spectrum use of radio-equipped products. In 2022, the EU announced expanded cybersecurity rules under the RED to improve protection against network threats, safeguard personal data and reduce the risk of fraud. These new provisions will become mandatory starting August 2025.
     
    The TÜV SÜD assessment covers Samsung’s entire 2024–2025 visual display lineup for the European market, including TVs, monitors, digital signage and Color E-Paper. Samsung is actively extending this compliance process to all applicable product lines as part of its global regulatory readiness strategy.
     
    In fact, this focus on compliance reflects a broader, ongoing commitment to product security across Samsung’s ecosystem. In 2024, the company’s proprietary cryptographic module,
     

    Samsung CryptoCore, earned FIPS 140-3 certification from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).1 As of 2025, Samsung CryptoCore has been integrated into Tizen OS,2 the operating system powering Samsung Smart TVs, to enhance protection across key product lines including TVs, monitors and digital signage.
    In addition, Samsung Smart TVs are equipped with its Samsung Knox security platform, which has earned Common Criteria (CC) certification every year since 2015 — further underscoring Samsung’s leadership in consumer device security.

     
    For more information, visit www.samsung.com.
     
     
    1 Recognized in the United States, Canada, UK, Germany, France, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
    2 Tizen OS 9.0.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Local 639 Members at Wichita’s Bombardier Vote to Secure Strong Four-Year Labor Contract

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    WICHITA, Kan., July 26, 2025 – Nearly 500 members of IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) Local 639 (District 70) in Wichita, Kan., have voted to ratify a strong four-year labor agreement with Bombardier.

    Contract highlights include:

    1. Annual general wage increases of 4%, 3%, 3%, and 5%.         
    2. Retirement Security: Employer increase in pension contributions from $59 to $66 per year of service.
    3. Pay Equity: A $3 per hour premium pay for some employees will now be for all employees.
    4. A $1.25 hourly airframe premium and a $1.25 hourly powerplant premium, for a total of $2.50 per hour.

    “Wichita is unique with its skilled labor force, which contributes significantly to general aviation,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. “Our members at Bombardier are part of that workforce and earned an agreement commensurate with their contributions. We are incredibly proud of their dedication.”

    Opening this round of negotiations on June 23, the committee worked to ink a deal that addressed the members’ concerns while remaining competitive among the other aerospace firms in the city.

    “Our members at Local 639 always work to ensure that they receive what is due to them,” said IAM District 70 Directing Business Representative Lisa Whitley. “This year’s negotiations are no different. This negotiating team took charge and presented a solid agreement to the membership for their consideration and ratification.”

    “We represent the best in class in aerospace in Wichita,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “This contract represents our membership’s hard work and dedication to their craft. Congrats to Local 639 members on a job well done.”

    The agreement takes effect on Monday, July 28 and expires in 2029.

    The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across the United States and Canada.

    goIAM.org | @IAM_Union

    The post IAM Local 639 Members at Wichita’s Bombardier Vote to Secure Strong Four-Year Labor Contract appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: This is America’s Golden Age

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins Fox Business to Discuss President Trump’s First Six Months in Office
    Washington – On Friday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria to discuss the historic wins that the Trump Administration has secured in just six months, including tax cuts, a secure border, and multiple trade deals, as well as Democrats’ weaponization of the intelligence community.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On President Trump’s First Six Months in Office:
    “Well, we’re on Trump time right now. Maria, I think what’s more important is what the American people think. We did three telephone town halls, 5,000 Kansans on those phone calls, and over 80% of them feel our country’s generally going in the right direction.
    “Now, by the way, 70% of them think work requirements are good as well. But this is the sort of a new golden era. The border is secure. We’re rolling back regulations. The price of gas and groceries are down. President Trump on these trade deals – major, major wins for all of Americans, but especially rural America, when it comes to agriculture and energy opportunities.”
    On Senate Republicans’ work to pass Appropriations bills to avoid shutdown:
    “Well, if there’s a is a shutdown, it’s on the back of Chuck Schumer. He’s doing everything he can to sabotage the process. On the other hand, under the leadership of Susan Collins and all these Appropriations Committees, they’ve got their work done.
    “The big news here is that, actually, we’re going back to pre-pandemic spending levels, working towards a balanced budget. So we’ve done our work. The appropriations committees are passing those out in twenty-five to one unanimous in some of the twelve buckets you’re talking about.
    “So, now we’ll have to bring them to the floor, and we’ll see if Chuck Schumer keeps eight Democrats from voting for those, so we’re doing our work. If anything, if this doesn’t come to fruition, it will be on the back of Chuck Schumer.”
    On Democrats’ weaponization of the intelligence community:
    “They lied to us about Joe Biden’s mental health. They lied to us about COVID. And of course, they’ve lied to us all things Russia, Russia, Russia.
    “I do remember interviewing with you and going back to the FISA court abuse. I think in 2017 you were already covering that. This is the next chapter of that FISA court abuse. And in this case, it’s new evidence with President Obama’s fingerprints all over this.
    “He took evidence that his intelligence agency said, look, there was no interference, and now, he’s turned that narrative around and then weaponized his intelligence community to paralyze President Trump’s presidency going forward.
    “When I look at a story like this, the first thing I want to know is, what’s their motive? Well, the Democrats clearly had a motive here. They wanted to delegitimize the election, and they wanted to cripple President Trump’s agenda going forward. And to your point, they did just that.
    “The next thing I asked, you know, does the story make sense? It makes 100% sense. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but here we have again, this next chapter of the FISA court abuse. This would absolutely be the next chapter of this. Then, where’s the evidence? Well, here’s the evidence. The smoking gun, this document from the White House, this new document, which Tulsi Gabbard has uncovered, that President Obama literally switched the narrative, saying that Russia interfered with the election. He wanted to delegitimize that election and freeze out President Trump’s agenda and the will [of] the American people, by the way.”
    On President Trump’s trade deals and deterring China:
    “Well, Maria, I just want to again compliment President Trump and what he’s doing strategically with trade to try to put China in a box. If you think about his trade agreements, he’s done here, put the UK aside, but you mentioned earlier, trade agreements with Japan, all those South Sea countries right now, as well as Indonesia.
    “Indonesia is the fourth largest country in the world, and what China is doing is they’re sending those goods to places like Indonesia and Vietnam, and then trying to get into the US on that lower tariff.
    “So, President Trump is boxing in China right now, and I think he’s made it very, very clear as far as the fentanyl precursors go, and by the way, because the border secure, there’s less fentanyl coming into the country right now. There’s less crime. There’s less fentanyl poisoning as well.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Red tape slashed to revamp high streets with new cafes and bars

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Red tape slashed to revamp high streets with new cafes and bars

    Communities and town centres across the UK are set to benefit from a wave of new cafes, bars, music venues and outdoor dining options, as the Government slashes red tape to breathe new life into the high street.

    • Government to overhaul planning and licensing rules to make it quicker and easier for new cafes, bars and music venues to open in place of disused shops.
    • New ‘hospitality zones’ will fast-track permissions for alfresco dining, pubs, bars and street parties.
    • Reforms will also protect long-standing venues from noise complaints by new developments.
    • Part of the Small Business Plan, which will show how the Plan for Change will rejuvenate smaller businesses and put more money in people’s pockets.

    Communities and town centres across the UK are set to benefit from a wave of new cafes, bars, music venues and outdoor dining options, as the Government slashes red tape to breathe new life into the high street.

    The government will introduce a new National Licensing Policy Framework, which will modernise outdated planning and licensing rules—cutting the cost, complexity, and time it takes to open and operate hospitality venues, and helping small businesses grow and communities reconnect.

    The reforms will make it easier to convert disused shops into hospitality venues, and protect long-standing pubs, clubs, and music venues from noise complaints by new developments – ensuring the buzz of the high street can thrive without being silenced.

    As part of this, the Government will introduce the ‘Agent of Change’ principle into national planning and licensing policy – meaning developers will be responsible for soundproofing their buildings if they choose to build near existing pubs, clubs or music venues.

    New dedicated ‘hospitality zones’, will also be introduced where permissions for alfresco dining, street parties and extended opening hours will be fast-tracked – helping to bring vibrancy and footfall back to the high street.

    The new National Licensing Policy Framework will streamline and standardise the process for securing planning permission and licences, removing the patchwork of local rules that currently delay or deter small businesses from opening. This means that entrepreneurs looking to turn empty shops into cafes, bars or music venues will face fewer forms, faster decisions, and lower costs.

    This transformation is already underway through the High Street Rental Auction Scheme, which gives councils the power to auction off leases for commercial properties that have been vacant for over a year—bringing empty shops back into use and turning them into vibrant community hubs where people can enjoy a meal, drink, or night out.

    The plans come ahead of the launch of the Government’s Small Business Plan which will deliver on the Plan for Change by setting out further steps to unlock the full potential of the UK’s 5.5 million SMEs – who collectively contribute £2.8 trillion in turnover and provide 60% of all private sector jobs.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    “This Government has a plan to replace shuttered up shops with vibrant places to socialise turning them into thriving cafés or busy bars, which supports local jobs and gives people a place to get together and catch up over a beer or a coffee.

    “Red tape has stood in the way of people’s business ideas for too long. Today we’re slashing those barriers to giving small business owners the freedom to flourish.

    “From faster café openings to easier alfresco dining, our Plan for Change will put the buzz back into our town centres and money back into the pockets of local entrepreneurs, because when small businesses thrive, communities come alive.”

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    “Whether it’s cheering on the Lionesses or catching up with friends, our pubs and bars are at the heart of British life.

    “For too long, they’ve been stifled by clunky, outdated rules. We’re binning them – to protect pavement pints, al fresco dining and street parties – not just for the summer, but all year round.

    “Through our Plan for Change, we’re backing small businesses and bringing good times back to the high street.”

    Craig Beaumont, Executive Director at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 

    “With the Women’s Euros final bringing communities together to watch and enjoy in our pubs, bars, cafes and community venues tonight, this move is a welcome win for small firms. 

    By cutting red tape this enables small business to serve more customers outdoors.  Let’s hope this is just the kick-off to a bold, long-term small business strategy.”

    All these plans, subject to an initial Call for Evidence in due course, will be delivered as soon as possible as part of the Government’s commitment to reduce the administrative costs of regulation by at least 25%.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Building Code pause brings certainty to construction

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is providing more certainty for the building sector by pausing any new major changes to the Building Code system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced.
     
    “The building sector has faced significant disruption over the past few years in dealing with the pandemic, supply chain challenges and a boom-and-bust cycle that has made the infrastructure pipeline unpredictable,” Mr Penk says.

    “Up until now, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has typically conducted ongoing, rolling reviews of different parts of the Building Code.
     
    “It’s time to bring stability and clarity to the system so the sector can confidently plan and move forward with the construction and infrastructure projects we need to build New Zealand into a world-class nation.
     
    “Builders, designers and developers need a clear runway to plan ahead and invest with confidence, and ad hoc changes to Building Code requirements makes that difficult. 

    “That’s why we’re pausing any further major changes and moving to a predictable three-year cycle for Building Code system updates.
     
    “This new approach will give businesses the clarity they need to prepare in advance, rather than constantly having to react to unexpected rule changes.
     
    “Designers and builders will have more headspace to focus on their important work of building more homes and delivering infrastructure projects that support better public services, instead of constantly reworking plans or second-guessing what might change next.
     
    “The pause applies only to major changes outside the three year cycle. The Government will continue to consider straightforward updates when needed – especially those that protect life safety and meet New Zealand’s trade obligations. Changes to support energy efficiency, the Building Product Specifications and fire safety will continue as planned.
     
    “Supporting a strong and thriving building sector is an important part of driving the economic growth that benefits all Kiwis. 

    “This Government has already taken steps to improve productivity – including reforms that will allow trusted professionals to consent their own work, improving access to overseas products to lower building costs, and advancing legislation to make building granny flats easier.
     
    “This next step is about giving the sector time, certainty and space to deliver.”

    The first regular cycle of Building Code system updates will take place in 2028.

    Note to editors:

    New Zealand’s Building Code System includes the Building Code (found in regulations made under the Building Act 2004) and a range of technical compliance documents, including Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods (AS/VMs), and the Building Product Specifications (BPS).
    The Minister for Building and Construction is responsible for changes to regulations under the Building Act, and the Chief Executive of MBIE is responsible for any changes to technical compliance documents. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Africa: West African advisers to boost agribusiness e-commerce

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    Small agribusinesses in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire are eager to tap into regional markets, but limited digital skills and poor access to online platforms hold them back. Without targeted support, these businesses struggle to embrace e-commerce and expand beyond their local base.

    To close this gap, the International Trade Centre trained national advisors and support institutions to help agribusinesses go digital and sell across borders.

    Many small agribusinesses in West Africa face barriers to reaching broader markets due to poor digital skills, low online visibility, and little access to e-commerce. These challenges hold back their potential to scale and engage in regional trade.

    To help close this gap, the International Trade Centre (ITC), under its ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) programme, organized a regional training of trainers in April in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The five-day workshop brought together six newly appointed e-commerce advisors (three from each country) and eight representatives from business support organizations in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. They received the tools and knowledge to support 30 agribusinesses—15 in each country—to trade online across the region.

    The participating advisors were selected for their potential to act as national champions for e-commerce capacity building. They were joined by eight representatives from four partner business support organizations: the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d’Ivoire (CCI-CI) and the National Chamber of Agriculture of Côte d’Ivoire (CNA-CI). This diverse mix fostered strong cross-border peer learning and established the foundation for sustained collaboration between national institutions.

    “In my view, agro-processors will need this hands-on training to increase their visibility,” said Ibrahima Bamba, Agricultural Advisor at the National Chamber of Agriculture of Côte d’Ivoire. 

    Anuoluwapo Odubanjo, e-commerce Advisor for Nigeria added: “Thanks to this training, I’m ready to support agribusinesses in developing tailored e-commerce strategies—from choosing the right platforms to managing online sales—so they can scale up their operations.”

    The training covered digital marketing, online payment systems, shipping logistics, and customer service. Using interactive tools such as real-life case studies and peer learning, the sessions fostered collaboration and built confidence among participants.

    The impact is evident: 11 participants reported a significant improvement in their skills, and many left with action plans to support small businesses in their communities. From training rural entrepreneurs to helping businesses list on e-commerce platforms, the new advisors are ready to make a tangible impact.

    Since its launch in 2018, the programme has worked to bridge digital gaps and promote trade-ready agribusinesses in West Africa. By investing in local expertise, ITC’s EAT programme is laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and digitally connected agricultural economy in West Africa.

    – on behalf of International Trade Centre.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Zhejiang-HK conference held

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau today attended the 2nd Zhejiang-Hong Kong Modern Professional Services Cooperation Conference in Ningbo, Zhejiang.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Yau said that, building on the foundation of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference Mechanism established in April, the two places will work together to promote collaboration in professional services such as accounting and auditing, legal and dispute resolution, management consulting, intellectual property, industrial design, planning, and architectural and engineering services.

    In the first half of this year, Hong Kong has completed 42 initial public offerings, raising over HK$107 billion, which is 20% more than the full-year total for 2024. Mr Yau highlighted that as of June, 19 enterprises from Zhejiang had applied for listings in Hong Kong, accounting for about 10% of the total number of applicants.

    He added that this fully reflects the fact that Hong Kong’s robust financial market has become the prime listing platform for Mainland enterprises.

    The commerce chief emphasised that thanks to a solid foundation of economic and trade co-operation, Zhejiang and Hong Kong can jointly strengthen collaboration in modern professional services, thereby attracting global investors to use Hong Kong as a springboard to tap the potential of the enormous Zhejiang market, while enabling Zhejiang enterprises to go global by making use of Hong Kong’s professional services.

    Mr Yau returned to Hong Kong this evening.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • India’s seafood industry set for 70% export surge to UK with CETA

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s seafood industry is poised for significant growth following the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the United Kingdom on July 24. The landmark agreement, formalized in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, was signed by India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds. CETA is expected to boost India’s seafood exports to the UK by an estimated 70%, driven by the elimination of tariffs on a wide range of marine products.

    The agreement grants zero-duty access on 99% of tariff lines, significantly enhancing the competitiveness of Indian seafood in the UK market. Key exports such as Vannamei shrimp, frozen squid, lobsters, frozen pomfret, and black tiger shrimp will benefit from duty-free access, previously subject to tariffs ranging from 0% to 21.5%. Products covered include fish, crustaceans, molluscs, fish oils, marine fats, prepared or preserved seafood, fish meal, and fishing gear. However, items like sausages under HS Code 1601 remain excluded from preferential treatment.

    In 2024–25, India’s seafood exports reached $7.38 billion (₹60,523 crore), with frozen shrimp accounting for $4.88 billion or 66% of earnings. The UK, a major destination, imported $104 million worth of Indian seafood, including $80 million in frozen shrimp. Despite this, India holds only a 2.25% share of the UK’s $5.4 billion seafood import market. With CETA’s tariff eliminations, Indian exporters are well-positioned to capture a larger market share, competing on equal footing with countries like Vietnam and Singapore, which benefit from existing UK free trade agreements.

    The fisheries sector, supporting 28 million livelihoods and contributing 8% to global fish production, has seen robust growth. Between 2014–15 and 2024–25, India’s seafood exports grew by 60% in volume to 16.85 lakh metric tonnes and 88% in value to ₹62,408 crore. Export destinations expanded from 100 to 130 countries, with value-added products tripling to ₹7,666.38 crore. Coastal states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat are expected to lead the charge in leveraging CETA, provided they meet the UK’s stringent sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

  • India’s seafood industry set for 70% export surge to UK with CETA

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s seafood industry is poised for significant growth following the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the United Kingdom on July 24. The landmark agreement, formalized in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, was signed by India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds. CETA is expected to boost India’s seafood exports to the UK by an estimated 70%, driven by the elimination of tariffs on a wide range of marine products.

    The agreement grants zero-duty access on 99% of tariff lines, significantly enhancing the competitiveness of Indian seafood in the UK market. Key exports such as Vannamei shrimp, frozen squid, lobsters, frozen pomfret, and black tiger shrimp will benefit from duty-free access, previously subject to tariffs ranging from 0% to 21.5%. Products covered include fish, crustaceans, molluscs, fish oils, marine fats, prepared or preserved seafood, fish meal, and fishing gear. However, items like sausages under HS Code 1601 remain excluded from preferential treatment.

    In 2024–25, India’s seafood exports reached $7.38 billion (₹60,523 crore), with frozen shrimp accounting for $4.88 billion or 66% of earnings. The UK, a major destination, imported $104 million worth of Indian seafood, including $80 million in frozen shrimp. Despite this, India holds only a 2.25% share of the UK’s $5.4 billion seafood import market. With CETA’s tariff eliminations, Indian exporters are well-positioned to capture a larger market share, competing on equal footing with countries like Vietnam and Singapore, which benefit from existing UK free trade agreements.

    The fisheries sector, supporting 28 million livelihoods and contributing 8% to global fish production, has seen robust growth. Between 2014–15 and 2024–25, India’s seafood exports grew by 60% in volume to 16.85 lakh metric tonnes and 88% in value to ₹62,408 crore. Export destinations expanded from 100 to 130 countries, with value-added products tripling to ₹7,666.38 crore. Coastal states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat are expected to lead the charge in leveraging CETA, provided they meet the UK’s stringent sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

  • MIL-OSI: As XRP Crosses $200 Billion Market Cap, HashJ Expands Support for Scalable XRP & Dogecoin Contract Rewards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, United Kingdom, July 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In response to XRP officially surpassing a $200 billion market capitalization, MGPD Finance Limited, doing business as HashJ, today announced the expansion of its mobile-based digital contract platform to further support XRP and Dogecoin-based reward systems. The platform allows everyday users to engage with the fast-growing digital asset economy—now including XRP-linked reward strategies and Dogecoin contract participation—entirely from their smartphones.

    This announcement reflects HashJ’s continued mission to make crypto-based income tools more accessible and transparent to mainstream users. This article will deeply analyze the contract methods of these two digital assets and introduce how the HashJ platform makes it easy for every ordinary person to experience it. New users can visit the HashJ official website (www.hashj.com) to register for free and receive a $118 gift package (including $100 trial money and $18 real rewards) to start the contract journey immediately.

    The XRP Challenge: Why Traditional Rewards Systems Fall Short

    XRP, developed by Ripple Labs, does not rely on Proof of Work or traditional blockchain-based reward systems. Unlike Dogecoin or Bitcoin, XRP does not support contract-driven earning mechanisms natively, due to its pre-issued total supply and consensus protocol based on validation nodes rather than computational method.

    To address this limitation, HashJ now offers XRP-related yield options via remote smart contract systems and diversified asset rewards—allowing users to engage with XRP’s growth ecosystem even in the absence of contract-based mechanisms.

    Dogecoin Contracts: Still A High-Value Option in 2025

    In contrast to XRP, Dogecoin remains a powerful option for daily crypto income. Through its Scrypt-based algorithm and merged structure with Litecoin, Dogecoin contract systems continue to deliver accessible and stable returns.

    Even without hardware, users can now access DOGE-linked rewards through HashJ’s earning contracts:

    • Daily income potential averaging 75 DOGE
    • Net profit approximating $12.20/day with remote access
    • No hardware or setup required—fully integrated mobile experience

    How HashJ Simplifies the Crypto Rewards Process

    Founded in 2018, HashJ is a global mobile-first platform that enables users to access crypto contract earnings with no prior technical background. The system supports BTC, ETH, DOGE, and XRP-related reward methods and is purpose-built for mobile access, remote management, and real-time daily income tracking.

    Key Benefits of HashJ’s Contract Model:

    • No hardware required – entirely app-based
    • Smart revenue automation – optimized by AI-based allocation
    • Flexible entry points – users can start with as little as $10
    • Zero risk onboarding – free $118 starter pack for new users

    Why choose HashJ’a contract system?

    In celebration of XRP’s latest market milestone and growing Dogecoin contract demand, HashJ has launched the following upgrades for new registrants:

    • $100 trial credit for contract experience
    • $18 in real crypto funds for immediate use
    • Access to XRP yield options, DOGE daily contracts, and multi-coin flexibility

    This total of $118 start-up funds is completely free, allowing every new user to participate in digital asset contracts with zero risk and achieve steady income.

    HashJ’s Commitment to Broader Participation

    With the addition of XRP-focused rewards and stable DOGE-based contracts, MGPD Finance Limited (HashJ) continues to lead innovation in digital income tools. The platform is now used by over 2 million users globally and is positioned to support the next wave of crypto adoption across mobile and emerging markets.

    “Crypto participation should be as easy as downloading an app,” said a spokesperson for HashJ. “Our mission is to help everyday people build reliable digital income streams—even from assets like XRP that don’t traditionally offer contract-based returns.”

    How To Start Your Digital Income Journey

    MGPD Finance Limited invites users to explore the new generation of smart contract tools that provide simple, secure, and consistent earning strategies across XRP, DOGE, and other leading assets.

    Register today at www.hashj.com to claim your $118 starter bonus and begin earning from anywhere, anytime—no hardware, no experience, just results.

    About MGPD Finance Limited (doing business as hashj)

    Founded in 2018, MGPD Finance Limited (doing business as HashJ) is the world’s leading mobile contract platform, dedicated to making it easy for everyone to participate in the income ecosystem of mainstream digital currencies. Users can sign contracts for BTC, ETH, DOGE and other currencies simply through their mobile phones. The platform operation is extremely simple and suitable for zero-based users. One-click operation, no technical background is required, you can start the digital asset income experience.

    For more information, visit: www.hashj.com
    App Download: Available on iOS and Android
    Business Inquiries: pr@hashj.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SCED attends 2nd Zhejiang-Hong Kong Modern Professional Services Cooperation Conference in Ningbo (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, attended the 2nd Zhejiang-Hong Kong Modern Professional Services Cooperation Conference in Ningbo, Zhejiang, today (July 26) to foster co-operation between the two places in the field of professional services to achieve complementarity.
     
    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Yau said that right after the establishment of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference Mechanism and the convening of the High-Level Meeting cum the First Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference in April this year, the Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference – Zhejiang (Ningbo) Forum cum Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum was held in Ningbo. He said he was very pleased to visit Ningbo again to further promote Zhejiang-Hong Kong and Ningbo-Hong Kong economic and trade co-operation.
     
    Mr Yau said that Zhejiang is an economic powerhouse of the country with its GDP ranking among the top and has been a leading force in advancing the upgrading and transformation of industries and the development of new quality productive forces, especially in the areas of innovation and technology and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, Hong Kong, with its robust research capabilities, high level of internationalisation and extensive networks for international exchange and co-operation, presents vast potential in becoming a globally significant hub for education, technology and talent.
     
    Mr Yau said that building on the foundation of the Hong Kong/Zhejiang Co-operation Conference Mechanism, the two places will work together to promote collaboration in the field of professional services such as accounting and auditing, legal and dispute resolution, management consulting, intellectual property, industrial design, planning and design, architectural and related engineering services.
     
    He added that in the areas of finance, Hong Kong boasts quality, efficient and internationalised financial institutions and financial services, as well as a deep and broad capital market, making it an ideal fundraising platform. Hong Kong is also the world’s fifth-largest merchandise trading entity, after the Mainland, the United States, the European Union and Japan.
     
    Mr Yau noted that despite uncertainties brought about by the ever-changing global trade landscape and geopolitics, Hong Kong’s real GDP recorded a year-on-year increase of 3.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year. In the first half of this year, Hong Kong has completed 42 initial public offerings, raising over HK$107 billion, 20 per cent more than the full-year total for 2024. As at June this year, among the enterprises applying for listing in Hong Kong, 19 of them were from Zhejiang, accounting for about 10 per cent of the total number of applicants. This fully reflected that Hong Kong’s robust financial market has become the prime listing platform for Mainland enterprises.
     
    Mr Yau said he believes that with a solid foundation of economic and trade co-operation, Zhejiang and Hong Kong can jointly strengthen collaboration in modern professional services, attracting global investors to use Hong Kong as a springboard to tap into the immense potential of the enormous Zhejiang market, while enabling Zhejiang enterprises to go global by making use of Hong Kong’s professional services.
     
    Also speaking at the opening ceremony were Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Mr C Y Leung; Deputy-Head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Mr Ma Lihuai; the Chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr Lian Yimin; and the Mayor of the Ningbo Municipal People’s Government, Mr Tang Feifan. The Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, and the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, also attended the opening ceremony. In addition, Mr Liu and Ms Cheong attended two thematic sessions to promote the synergistic development of the two places in areas such as port and maritime services, innovative applications and technological services.
     
    Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong this evening.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • PHDCCI’s 14th International Heritage Tourism Conclave advocates for community-driven cultural tourism

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) hosted its 14th International Heritage Tourism Conclave on July 25, at the majestic Lukshmi Villas Palace in Vadodara, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Gujarat Tourism, Delhi Tourism, IndiGo, and IRCTC. Themed “Cherishing Heritage”, the event served as a dynamic platform for dialogue and advocacy to advance heritage-led tourism in India.

    The conclave brought together policymakers, royal dignitaries, diplomats, conservation architects, tourism professionals, food historians, and cultural custodians to explore how India’s rich heritage can drive economic revitalization, community development, and cultural preservation. Rajender Kumar, Secretary of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Devasthanam Management & Pilgrimage, Government of Gujarat, inaugurated the event, highlighting Gujarat’s vision for inclusive heritage tourism. “We are not only restoring monuments but also ensuring direct benefits to local communities through jobs, infrastructure, and cultural pride,” he stated.

    His Highness Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, Maharaja of Baroda, emphasized the need for heritage to remain relevant for future generations, saying, “Heritage must live on through connection with future generations, not just nostalgia.” Mohamed Farouk, Regional Director of India Tourism Mumbai, underscored the Ministry of Tourism’s commitment through initiatives like Swadesh Darshan 2.0 and PRASHAD, which connect destinations through cuisine, folklore, crafts, and festivals.

    Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chair of PHDCCI’s Tourism Committee, delivered the theme address, stating, “Heritage tourism is about identity, economy, and empowerment. Our aim is to catalyze policy innovation and foster public-private partnerships.” The event commenced with a ceremonial Saraswati Vandana performed by students of Maharaja Sayajirao University, setting a cultural tone, followed by the launch of the PHDCCI-KPMG Heritage Tourism Report, which emphasized the role of public-private partnerships in revitalizing heritage assets.

    Discussions covered a range of topics, including Gujarat’s community-centric model, which focuses on artisan engagement and adaptive reuse of built heritage. The Shekhawati legacy session addressed challenges and incentives for private heritage owners, while a culinary tourism segment, featuring Prof. Pushpesh Pant and renowned chefs, highlighted food as a cultural and tourism asset. A traditional Gujarati lunch, “Bapor nu Bhojan,” curated by Chef Pritesh Raut, showcased Gujarat’s culinary heritage.

    A case study on Champaner-Pavagadh, presented by Dr. Amita Sinha, focused on community tourism and repositioning UNESCO sites. The role of women as cultural custodians was emphasized by HH Radhikaraje Gaekwad and HH Kadambaridevi Jadeja, who called for support for women-led tourism ventures. Sessions on architecture and storytelling advocated for the use of technology and inclusive narratives to engage younger audiences, while heritage transport discussions highlighted vintage mobility as a unique tourism experience, urging restoration grants.

    The conclave facilitated over 25 B2B meetings, connecting tourism boards, hospitality leaders, and cultural entrepreneurs to foster cross-sector collaborations. A curated contemporary art showcase and a guided heritage walk of Lukshmi Villas Palace provided immersive experiences for attendees.

  • MIL-OSI China: Nighttime economy savoring more success

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Nightly sales of foods and beverages are booming across China this summer and spicing up the nation’s nighttime economy, as extended retail business hours and more convenient delivery services attract more late-night consumers.

    In Beijing, several new after-dark markets have mushroomed this season and more vendors are setting up shop to rake in the benefits.

    Huda Restaurant, a popular crayfish eatery on the capital’s Guijie Street, is operating four outlets in the same area. During the peak period on some nights, customers generally have to wait in line for three hours, according to the restaurant.

    “Tourists are often unable to wait that long to dine in. Some choose the takeaway option, or order deliveries to their hotels. We have seen a rapid growth of orders — and revenues — on food delivery platforms,” said Zhang Shengtao, deputy general manager of Huda.

    Kuafood, a domestic chain that offers a variety of meat and vegetable skewers and boasts more than 2,300 stores nationwide, said that 50 percent of its stores have extended their operating hours from 9 pm to midnight this summer.

    “The traditional Chinese dinnertime and the late-night snacking period have been our peak sales hours. Stores with extended operating hours are expected to record 10 to 30 percent increase in revenues. Community stores located in first-tier cities usually witness higher nighttime sales, which is mainly contributed by food deliveries,” said Zhang Rongrong, director of delivery business at Kuafood.

    Momojia Rougamo, a restaurant chain founded in Shanghai, which offers specialty cuisines from Northwest China, said it has extended its business hours since March, and nighttime orders have been accounting for about 15 percent of the total each day.

    According to a report released by the Ministry of Commerce, 60 percent of China’s urban consumption takes place after dusk. At large-scale malls, sales between 6 pm and 10 pm usually account for over half of the whole day’s revenue.

    Hong Yong, an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that late dining meets the needs of young people in a better way, especially with more of them working overtime or having late-night social engagements.

    “Urban residents usually spend the morning and afternoon working or studying, while the night is reserved for unwinding. With the days being longer in summer, people are more willing to venture out for leisure activities, making night markets and night tours widely popular and stimulating the vitality of nighttime consumption,” he said.

    Hong added that multiple online delivery platforms, such as Taobao Instant Commerce service and Meituan, have been innovating and reinventing their business models to gain an edge, and this competition is giving consumers more options.

    China has prioritized consumption as the nation’s top economic initiative this year, and policymakers have introduced various measures to strengthen consumption growth.

    With the market size of China’s nighttime economy surpassing 50 trillion yuan ($7 trillion), according to marketing consultancy Zhiyanzhan, it is continuing to inject fresh momentum into the nation’s economic growth, Hong said.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Minnesota Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Adverse Weather

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Minnesota of the Aug. 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by excessive rain, hail, and high winds occurring April 17-Sept. 15, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Minnesota counties of Big Stone, Grant, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin, Richland County in North Dakota as well as Roberts County in South Dakota.

    Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Aug 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, Commerce Director Nguyễn, WA Clean Energy and Business Leaders Highlight How Clean Energy Cuts in Republican Law Will Raise Energy Costs, Kill Jobs in WA State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Elimination of clean energy tax credits in Republican legislation recently signed into law could cost WA over $8.7 billion, raise household electricity costs by 12 percent; cost 21,800 jobs in Washington state

    ***WATCH FULL EVENT HERE; PHOTOS AND B-ROLL HERE***

    Washington, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a roundtable discussion at the Seattle City Light Denny Substation in downtown Seattle with Washington State Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn and labor, clean energy, and business leaders to discuss how cuts to critical clean energy tax credits in President Trump and Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act—which was recently signed into law—will raise energy prices for Washington state households, kill thousands of clean energy jobs, and put billions of dollars in new investments for Washington state projects at risk.

    Joining Senator Murray for the event were Joe Nguyễn, Director, Washington Department of Commerce; Dawn Lindell, CEO of Seattle City Light; Christine Reid, Political Director for IBEW 77; Gregg Small, Executive Director of Climate Solutions; and Brandon Provalenko, General Manager of Western Solar in Bellingham.

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act rapidly phases out critical clean energy tax credits that Democrats passed in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and will slow the construction of solar, wind, and battery projects, which made up over 90 percent of new electricity connected to the grid last year. So far in Washington state, the clean energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act have generated at least $978 million in new private-led investment across seven energy manufacturing facilities in the state. $8.75 billion in outstanding investments to 27 facilities in Washington are at risk under the cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The U.S. Climate Alliance estimates 21,800 Washingtonians will lose their jobs by 2030 due to the reconciliation bill’s cuts to clean energy and manufacturing tax credits, and Washington households will face a $115 annual increase in their energy bills by 2029. The legislation threatens Washington’s energy security and electric grid reliability by stifling renewable energy development at a time of soaring electricity demand. A one-pager from Energy Innovation on how the energy provisions in the Republican bill will affect Washington state is HERE.

    “The fact is, we need clean and renewable energy now more than ever. It’s critical to secure our grid, tackle the climate crisis—and lower costs! That’s why I worked hard to secure clean energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. Then, Trump and Republicans came in like a wrecking ball—with truly shortsighted and destructive cuts. The harm to our clean energy sector is really immense,” Senator Murray said. “It’s an uphill battle to reverse so much damage, but I am not going to stop fighting. Everyone should know, Trump and Republicans are trying to make even more cuts to clean energy right now in our government funding bills. I’m using every bit of leverage I have as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee to fight back and reject these cuts. And I’m using my voice—and urging everyone to use theirs as well—to shine a spotlight on what these shortsighted, damaging policy changes mean for businesses and families.”

    “This is an attack on Washington’s workers, our economy, and our values. It threatens the jobs we’ve built, makes energy more expensive for families, and puts our competitiveness at risk. These tax credits have brought real investment and real savings to communities across our state. Gutting them now would do real damage — and Washington won’t stand by and let it happen,” said Joe Nguyễn, Director for the Washington Department of Commerce.

    “The passing of the Reconciliation Bill directly impacts City Light and its customers by removing critical clean energy tax credits and incentives necessary for public and private investment in new renewable energy and energy efficiency projects,” said Dawn Lindell, General Manager and CEO, Seattle City Light. “It strips away essential support needed to keep pace with load growth forecasts. Every new megawatt of generation we add will cost significantly more than our current energy portfolio. These are costs that we must now pass on to our customers in the electric rates.”

    “At a time when we have rapidly rising energy costs and increased needs for power due largely to AI and data centers, we need more energy than ever,” said Gregg Small, Executive Director of Climate Solutions. “Renewables like solar and wind and batteries are the cheapest and fastest energy that we can build. We need to double down and accelerate the building of these resilient power sources. The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress’ policies do the exact opposite, increasing energy costs for everybody and making it much more likely we will have blackouts at critical times.”

    “IBEW 77’s highly trained workforce stands ready to meet the clean energy challenge of the future. Our members—experienced in every facet of utility work, from generation, transmission, safe delivery, and all of the critical supporting classifications—have the skills, adaptability, and drive to build and maintain the advanced energy infrastructure our communities need. But the reduction in clean energy projects threatens this progress. When projects stall, it’s not just jobs at risk—it’s the pace of innovation and the reliability of our energy system that suffers. Our union believes we need to keep building. Investing in clean energy isn’t about today’s economy alone; it’s laying the foundation for a safer, more resilient, and more sustainable future,” said Christine Reid, Political Director for IBEW 77.IBEW 77 is one of the largest outside utility locals in the country, representing about 8,800 members across 34 Washington counties, Northern Idaho, and parts of Montana. Overall, IBEW represents over 20,000 workers in WA state alone. “Our members are on the front lines of energy infrastructure, ensuring the lights stay on and our communities remain connected and safe. In short, these cuts make it harder for new workers to enter the field and for the industry. Our IBEW members are trained and ready to build. We need to build now.”

    “This bill will accelerate rising energy costs across Washington, every household and business will feel it in their utility bills,” said Brandon Provalenko, General Manager of Western Solar in Bellingham and a member of the Washington Solar Energy Industries Association (WASEIA). “Fewer families will go solar, fewer small businesses will reduce or eliminate their bills, and we’ll face a slower, more expensive path to producing the power we need to meet our state’s growing energy demand. That’s the wrong direction, especially when solar and storage remain the fastest, cleanest, and most cost-effective solution on the table.”

    The cuts to clean energy tax credits in the legislation come at the same time as Trump and the Department of Energy’s decision to illegally cut investments provided by Congress to support the research and development of wind and solar energy, in defiance of legislation President Trump himself signed into law in March. In fiscal year 2024, Congress provided $137 million for the Department of Energy to support wind energy initiatives and provided $318 million to support solar energy. The fiscal year 2025 full-year CR that House Republicans wrote, and President Trump signed into law continued these fiscal year 2024 funding levels. But in a spend plan made public by DOE, the Trump administration revealed it is steering hundreds of millions of dollars designated by Congress to support wind and solar energy to other, favored industries—jeopardizing critical progress and ceding ground on key energy solutions of the future—among other harmful cuts. Instead of funding wind energy initiatives at $137 million, the administration is funding them at $29.8 million (a 78 percent cut), and instead of funding solar initiatives at $318 million, it is funding them at $41.9 million (an 87 percent cut).

    Senator Murray has held constant recent events—including multiple events in Washington state—to sound the alarm on Republicans’ devastating reconciliation bill and encourage constituents to raise their voices and call on their Members of Congress to oppose the legislation. Senator Murray and Democrats forced Republicans to take dozens of tough votes over a nonstop 30-hour “vote-a-rama,” which came after Democrats forced a full reading of every word of Republicans’ 940-page bill. Senator Murray spoke repeatedly on the Senate floor during debate over the bill, laying out in detail the harm the legislation would cause. Senator Murray also spoke out repeatedly on the Senate floor against Republicans’ use of a depictive so-called “current policy baseline” to hide the true cost of their deficit-busting tax cuts for billionaires.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to California Small Businesses Economically Affected by the Vehicle Explosion Terrorism Incident

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced low interest federal disaster loans are now available to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in California who sustained economic losses caused by the Vehicle Explosion Terrorism Incident occurring May 17-23. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Director Nancy Ward on July 18.

    The disaster declaration covers the California counties of Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego as well as the Arizona county of La Paz.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs including faith‑based with financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications to the SBA is April 23, 2026.

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    Abot the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Minnesota Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Excessive Rain

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Minnesota of the Aug. 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by excessive rain occurring June 15-22, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Minnesota counties of Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin and Waseca as well as the counties of Kossuth and Winnebago in Iowa.  

    Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Aug 25, 2025.

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    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News