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Category: Finance

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Powering the Future: Energy Leaders to Tackle Africa’s Grid Challenges at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    PARIS, France, April 22, 2025/APO Group/ —

    As Africa faces a sharp rise in electricity demand driven by population growth, industrialization and rapid urban expansion, the continent’s power sector is at a critical juncture. At Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025, taking place next month in Paris, a high-level panel on Revolutionizing Power Generation in Africa will bring together industry leaders to examine how a multi-pronged energy strategy can transform the continent’s electrification landscape.

    Moderated by Paul Hickin, Chief Economist & Editor in Chief at Petroleum Economist, the panel will feature Jerome Bertheau, Executive Vice President of Global Projects at BW Energy; Christoffer Ek, Director of Decarbonization Services at Wärtsilä Energy; and Silvia Macri, Director at S&P Global Commodity Insights. The conversation will explore a blended approach to power generation – integrating renewable and conventional energy sources, grid and off-grid solutions, and cutting-edge storage technologies – to chart a realistic pathway toward sustainable energy access in Africa, while addressing the urgent need for scalable, resilient and inclusive energy solutions.

    IAE 2025 (https://apo-opa.co/3Rqu3RJ) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    Africa’s current power generation capacity falls short of its development needs, with more than 600 million people lacking access to electricity. While renewables like solar and wind are gaining traction, the transition to sustainable energy requires a balanced and diversified energy mix, with gas-to-power playing an increasingly important role.

    In Namibia, BW Energy is advancing its flagship Kudu gas-to-power project, which will supply up to 885 MW of electricity using gas from the offshore Kudu field, helping to strengthen both national energy security and regional grid stability. Meanwhile, with projects including the Sandiara gas-to-power plant in Senegal and the Soyo II combined-cycle plant in Angola, among others, African nations are advancing large-scale integrated gas projects to tap into underutilized reserves and support their electrification agendas.

    As such, the Revolutionizing Power Generation in Africa session will explore how flexible power solutions can be integrated with renewable energy technologies to enhance grid stability and support the transition to cleaner, more reliable energy systems. As a key developer in the drive towards grid stability, Wärtsilä Energy is powering Africa’s mining and industrial sectors with projects including a 17 MW plant in Senegal, a 50 MW captive power plant in Nigeria, O&M contracts in Zambia and Madagascar and maintenance of power plants in Morocco. These efforts highlight the growing importance of hybrid and modular energy systems in meeting Africa’s evolving electricity needs, which will be discussed at the upcoming forum.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: China prolongs policies to keep job market stable, enhance skills

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China will extend key unemployment insurance policies through 2025 to help companies retain jobs and support workers in enhancing their skills, authorities announced Tuesday.
    The announcement was made through a circular, jointly issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Taxation Administration, outlining measures to help enterprises maintain stable employment.
    Until the end of 2025, companies that do not lay off employees or minimize layoffs will continue to receive refunds of a certain percentage of unemployment insurance premiums paid in the previous year, according to the policy.
    To help workers improve their skills, the extended policy relaxes eligibility requirements and expands coverage for skills-upgrading subsidies.
    These measures also ensure continued provision of basic living allowances — including unemployment benefits, basic medical insurance coverage, and support for older unemployed individuals.
    China has set a target of maintaining the surveyed urban unemployment rate at around 5.5 percent in 2025, while aiming to create over 12 million new urban jobs this year. The average surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Marks the 45th Anniversary of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    LEXINGTON, SC—The FBI Columbia Field Office this week is recognizing the 45th anniversary of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).

    The initial JTTF began in 1989 in New York City with a partnership between the New York Field Office and the New York City Police Department. Then, leaders from the agencies discussed how to combine expertise and resources to locate terrorist organizations responsible for attacks in the city. These conversations led to the creation of the first JTTF.

    The JTTFs are the nation’s front-line defense against international and domestic terrorism. JTTFs gather evidence, follow leads, make arrets, provide security for special events, collect and share intelligence, and respond to various threats and incidents.

    Following the 9/11 attacks, FBI leadership directed all FBI field offices to establish a JTTF. In addition, the FBI established its National Joint Terrorism Task Force to support the local task forces in June of 2002. The NJTTF, at FBI Headquarters, enhances communication, coordination, and cooperation from partner agencies. JTTFs have disrupted dozens of plots in the past four decades.

    Today, there are nearly 200 task forces around the country, including at least one in the FBI’s field offices with about 4,400 members from participating state, local, and federal agencies.

    The FBI Columbia field office’s JTFF has 19 task force officers and analysts from 12 participating agencies across South Carolina.

    “The persistent threat of terrorism across South Carolina demands a united front,” said Reid Davis, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The FBI Columbia Field Office relies on our strong partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and their JTTF members to swiftly disrupt threats and respond with precision whenever danger arises.”

    The FBI Columbia Field Office counts numerous disruptions of its own, including a plan by a Barnwell man to detonate explosives in public locations in Pickens County in 2019 to express his frustration with the Department of Social Services. One device exploded near the Pickens County Courthouse causing minor damage to the building. Michael Lambert Seabrooke,41, was sentenced in 2021 to 12 years in federal prison for possession of explosive devices and two counts of malicious damage and attempt to damage by means of explosive materials.

    The FBI Columbia JTTF also investigated a case where individuals shot at a Duke Energy regulator bank in Dalzell in 2023 which caused significant damage. One suspect, Donald Ray Hurst, 35, of Sumter, pleaded guilty to destruction of an energy facility, and is awaiting sentencing. A second individual allegedly involved, Chad Allen Kron, 33, of Sumter, was charged with destruction of an energy facility and possessing an unregistered firearm. Kron is awaiting trial.

    If you see or know about suspicious activity involving chemical, biological, or radiological materials, report it to 1-800-CALL-FBI. You can also submit online tips at tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: MoneyHero Offers End-to-End Car Insurance Purchase Journey in Hong Kong through Strategic Partnership with bolttech

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HONG KONG, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) (“MoneyHero” or the “Company”), a leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform, as well as a digital insurance brokerage provider in Greater Southeast Asia, today announced the launch of its end-to-end car insurance purchasing journey in Hong Kong. In collaboration with global insurtech bolttech, this innovative enhancement enables customers to compare and receive real-time insurance quotes while seamlessly completing their entire car insurance purchase directly on MoneyHero’s platform—an industry milestone in Hong Kong.

    Enhancing Car Insurance Experience with AI Capabilities

    The enhanced platform allows customers to:

    • Compare real-time quotes from leading insurers
    • Customize coverage options based on their needs
    • Purchase policies instantly without redirection to third-party sites
    • Receive immediate confirmation and policy issuance

    By integrating bolttech’s advanced insurance exchange technology, MoneyHero ensures accuracy, efficiency, and a fast, hassle-free experience for customers. This launch marks a major advancement for MoneyHero, building on its initial strategic partnership with bolttech previously announced on October 8, 2024, which introduced real-time car insurance pricing comparisons. With the introduction of a fully integrated purchasing experience, customers can now enjoy unparalleled convenience, a streamlined process, and expedited policy issuance.

    Hong Kong’s motor vehicle business recorded gross written premiums of over HK$5 billion1, with insurance penetration in Hong Kong reaching 17.2% in 20232 — offering a compelling opportunity for transformation through data-driven, embedded distribution. For insurers, this enhancement translates to a higher volume of policies sold and improved customer acquisition, solidifying MoneyHero’s position as a valuable digital distribution partner in the evolving insurance landscape.

    A Stronger Digital Insurance Offering

    The introduction of this fully integrated car insurance journey aligns with MoneyHero’s strategic pillars of leading the insurance brokerage and enhancing its conversion expertise. MoneyHero’s platform has already demonstrated impressive results with travel insurance, achieving conversion rates up to two times higher due to its seamless end-to-end purchasing model. MoneyHero anticipates similar success with car insurance, which will drive increased sales for insurers and contribute to robust revenue growth.

    Strong Insurance Growth and Market Expansion

    MoneyHero’s insurance business has emerged as a significant growth driver, with revenues from this vertical increasing by 54% year-over-year in the first nine months of 2024. The Company expects full-year 2024 growth in its insurance business surpassing its Q3 level of 9.5% of its group revenue, driven by the expansion of end-to-end purchasing journeys across multiple insurance categories.

    This enhancement builds on the success of MoneyHero’s travel insurance platform, which has experienced strong adoption and improved conversion rates due to its streamlined purchasing process. In the upcoming quarters, the Company plans to further enhance insurance purchasing experience across other markets and product lines, ensuring the Company remains at the forefront of innovation in the industry.

    Rohith Murthy, CEO of MoneyHero, said: “Customers increasingly seek a seamless experience where they can compare, select, and purchase insurance all in one place. With this launch in Hong Kong, we are not only streamlining the car insurance shopping process—we are fully embracing the entire purchasing journey. Our data indicates that end-to-end insurance transactions yield significantly higher conversion rates, and we anticipate strong adoption in Hong Kong. This initiative represents a natural evolution of our partnership with bolttech3, and we believe we have found the perfect partner to enhance our offerings. Together, we are taking a pivotal step toward positioning MoneyHero as the go-to destination for digital insurance in the region. With bolttech’s technological expertise and commitment to innovation, we are confident in our ability to significantly improve the purchase experience for our customers.”

    Philip Weiner, CEO for Asia and Middle East of bolttech added: “Following our partnership announcement late last year, we are excited to be heading into the next stage with MoneyHero. Our insurance exchange platform will enable them to deliver a more intuitive and transparent user experience, enhancing the overall car insurance purchasing journey for consumers in Hong Kong. Together with MoneyHero, we look forward to bringing more value-added services to consumers.”

    About MoneyHero Group

    MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) is a leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform, as well as a digital insurance brokerage provider in Greater Southeast Asia. The Company operates in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines.  Its brand portfolio includes B2C platforms MoneyHero, SingSaver, Money101, Moneymax and Seedly, as well as the B2B platform Creatory.  The Company also retains an equity stake in Malaysian fintech company, Jirnexu Pte. Ltd., parent company of Jirnexu Sdn. Bhd., the operator of RinggitPlus, Malaysia’s largest operating B2C platform. MoneyHero had over 270 commercial partner relationships as at September 30, 2024, and had approximately 7.4 million Monthly Unique Users across its platform for the three months ended September 30, 2024. The Company’s backers include Peter Thiel—co-founder of PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and the Founders Fund—and Hong Kong businessman, Richard Li, the founder and chairman of Pacific Century Group. To learn more about MoneyHero and how the innovative fintech company is driving Greater Southeast Asia’s digital economy, please visit www.MoneyHeroGroup.com.

    About bolttech

    bolttech is a global insurtech with a mission to build the world’s leading, technology-enabled ecosystem for protection and insurance. bolttech serves customers in more than 35 markets across Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa.

    With a full suite of digital and data-driven capabilities, bolttech powers connections between insurers, distributors, and customers to make it easier and more efficient to buy and sell insurance and protection products.

    For more information, please visit www.bolttech.io.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This document includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States federal securities laws and also contains certain financial forecasts and projections. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this communication, including, but not limited to, statements as to the Group’s growth strategies, future results of operations and financial position, market size, industry trends and growth opportunities, are forward-looking statements. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words, including “outlook,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “predicts,” “intends,” “trends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. All forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and forecasts and reflect the views, assumptions, expectations, and opinions of the Company, which are all subject to change due to various factors including, without limitation, changes in general economic conditions. Any such estimates, assumptions, expectations, forecasts, views or opinions, whether or not identified in this communication, should be regarded as indicative, preliminary and for illustrative purposes only and should not be relied upon as being necessarily indicative of future results. The forward-looking statements and financial forecasts and projections contained in this communication are subject to a number of factors, risks and uncertainties. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; the Company’s ability to attract new and retain existing customers in a cost effective manner; competitive pressures in and any disruption to the industries in which the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) operates; the Group’s ability to achieve profitability despite a history of losses; and the Group’s ability to implement its growth strategies and manage its growth; the Group’s ability to meet consumer expectations; the success of the Group’s new product or service offerings; the Group’s ability to attract traffic to its websites; the Group’s internal controls; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the Group’s ability to raise capital; media coverage of the Group; the Group’s ability to obtain adequate insurance coverage; changes in the regulatory environments (such as anti-trust laws, foreign ownership restrictions and tax regimes) and general economic conditions in the countries in which the Group operates; the Group’s ability to attract and retain management and skilled employees; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or any other pandemic on the business of the Group; the success of the Group’s strategic investments and acquisitions, changes in the Group’s relationship with its current customers, suppliers and service providers; disruptions to the Group’s information technology systems and networks; the Group’s ability to grow and protect its brand and the Group’s reputation; the Group’s ability to protect its intellectual property; changes in regulation and other contingencies; the Group’s ability to achieve tax efficiencies of its corporate structure and intercompany arrangements; potential and future litigation that the Group may be involved in; and unanticipated losses, write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges, taxes or other liabilities that may be incurred or required and technological advancements in the Group’s industry. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s annual report for the year ended December 31, 2023 on Form 20-F (File No.: 001-41838), registration statement on Form F-1 (File No.: 333-275205), and other documents to be filed by the Company from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, there may be additional risks that the Company currently does not know, or that the Company currently believes are immaterial, that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations, plans, projections or forecasts of future events and view. If any of the risks materialize or the Company’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause their assessments to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law. The inclusion of any statement in this document does not constitute an admission by the Company or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this document. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. In addition, the analyses of the Company contained herein are not, and do not purport to be, appraisals of the securities, assets, or business of the Company.

    For MoneyHero inquiries, please contact:

    Investor Relations:
    MoneyHero IR Team
    IR@MoneyHeroGroup.com

    Media Relations:
    MoneyHero PR Team
    Press@MoneyHeroGroup.com

    For bolttech inquiries, please contact:
    FTI Consulting on behalf of bolttech
    bolttech@fticonsulting.com

    _______________________________

    1 Insurance Authority, Market Overview, https://www.ia.org.hk/en/infocenter/statistics/files/GB_Market_Overview_2023_Eng_Final.pdf

    2 Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, https://www.fstb.gov.hk/en/financial_ser/insurance-industry.htm

    3 An affiliate of the Company.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Byrna Technologies Announces the Debut of the Byrna CL, the World’s Most Concealable Less-Lethal Launcher

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANDOVER, Mass., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Byrna Technologies Inc. (“Byrna” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: BYRN), a personal defense technology company specializing in the development, manufacture, and sale of innovative less-lethal personal security solutions, today announced the official launch of its highly anticipated Byrna Compact Launcher (“CL”). The Company will begin accepting orders for this revolutionary new launcher on April 24, with product shipments beginning May 1.

    Weighing just 0.76 pounds and measuring only 6.81 inches in length – smaller than a smartphone – the Byrna CL is the most concealable less-lethal launcher ever made. Along with its compact form, the CL delivers the same powerful energy density on impact as Byrna’s most advanced model to date, the Byrna LE. Engineered for everyday carry, the CL offers a sleek, no-snag design for quick unholstering and is red dot compatible for enhanced accuracy.

    “The Byrna Compact Launcher is a major step forward in less-lethal innovation,” said Bryan Ganz, CEO of Byrna. “Our team set out to design a product that would appeal to both new and experienced users who want maximum stopping power in a smaller, more concealable form factor. We’re proud to bring to market a launcher that is 38% smaller than our flagship Byrna SD and yet delivers the same force per square inch as our LE model.”

    Key Features and Technical Specifications:

    • Size: 6.81″ L x 5.1″ H x 1.18″ W
    • Weight: 0.76 lbs
    • Projectile Speed: 400 feet per second
    • Effective Range: 60 feet
    • Caliber: Fires proprietary .61 caliber projectiles engineered to deliver the same energy density as .68 caliber rounds
    • Shot Capacity: 15 rounds per 8g CO₂ cartridge
    • Materials: Constructed from high-grade aluminum, steel, and brass
    • Compatibility: Red dot ready, customizable with accessories

    The CL’s new .61 caliber projectile will be exclusive to Byrna and produced at the Company’s new ammunition facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Conceived, designed and manufactured in America from 90% U.S. content, the Byrna CL is the Company’s first truly All-American launcher and highlights Byrna’s progress to onshore manufacturing.

    Pricing and Availability: The Byrna Compact Launcher has a base MSRP of $549.99. Customers can join the waitlist starting today here. Launchers will be available for order beginning April 24 and the Company and its dealers will begin shipping on May 1.

    To experience the CL in person, customers can visit select Byrna stores and Premier Dealers nationwide. Use the store locator to find the nearest in-store demo experience.

    About Byrna Technologies Inc.
    Byrna is a technology company specializing in the development, manufacture, and sale of innovative less-lethal personal security solutions. For more information on the Company, please visit the corporate website here or the Company’s investor relations site here. The Company is the manufacturer of the Byrna® SD personal security device, a state-of-the-art handheld CO2 powered launcher designed to provide a less-lethal alternative to a firearm for the consumer, private security, and law enforcement markets. To purchase Byrna products, visit the Company’s e-commerce store.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. All statements contained in this news release, other than statements of current and historical fact, are forward-looking. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “anticipates,” and “believes” and statements that certain actions, events or results “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “might,” “occur,” “be achieved,” or “will continue to.” Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the expected timing of orders and shipments of the Byrna CL, expected performance, Byrna’s progress to onshore manufacturing, and pricing. Forward-looking statements include descriptions of currently occurring matters which may continue in the future. Forward-looking statements are not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Forward-looking statements are based on, among other things, opinions, assumptions, estimates, and analyses that, while considered reasonable by the Company at the date the forward-looking information is provided, inherently are subject to significant risks, uncertainties, contingencies, and other factors that may cause actual results and events to be materially different from those expressed or implied.

    Any number of risk factors could affect our actual results and cause them to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this news release, including, but not limited to, potential cancellations of existing or future orders including as a result of any fulfillment delays, product rollout issues, introduction of competing products, negative publicity, supply chain constraints, other factors, changes in the markets for security products and non-lethal defense technology could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The order in which these factors appear should not be construed to indicate their relative importance or priority. We caution that these factors may not be exhaustive; accordingly, any forward-looking statements contained herein should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. Investors should carefully consider these and other relevant factors, including those risk factors in Part I, Item 1A, (“Risk Factors”) in our most recent Form 10-K, should understand it is impossible to predict or identify all such factors or risks, should not consider the foregoing list, or the risks identified in our SEC filings, to be a complete discussion of all potential risks or uncertainties, and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

    Investor Contact:
    Tom Colton and Alec Wilson
    Gateway Group, Inc.
    949-574-3860
    BYRN@gateway-grp.com

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b56d0767-d8bb-4ce7-9121-c175536afc18

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c16cc8ad-1bd0-4580-a20e-a57be1071da6

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: GraniteShares 2x Long LCID Daily ETF (LCDL) and GraniteShares 2x Long RIVN Daily ETF (RVNL) Launch Today.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GraniteShares, a provider of exchange traded funds (ETFs), today announced the launch of two new leveraged single-stock ETFs: GraniteShares 2x Long LCID Daily ETF (NASDAQ: LCDL) and GraniteShares 2x Long RIVN Daily ETF (NASDAQ: RVNL).

    An investment in the ETFs provides investors daily leveraged exposure to the two respective underlying stocks: Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) and Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ: RIVN).

    GraniteShares’ leveraged ETFs seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to 2 times (200%) the daily percentage change of the respective common stocks. These funds are designed for sophisticated investors looking to capitalize on short-term movements in the underlying stocks.

    Electric Vehicle (EV) Automotive Companies

    • Lucid Group, Inc. (LCID) is an automotive company that designs, engineers, and manufactures electric vehicles. The company is headquartered in California and focuses primarily on the luxury EV segment. Its operations include vehicle production, battery technology and related energy solutions. Lucid cars are made in the USA.
    • Rivian Automotive, Inc. (RIVN) is a U.S. based company that designs, develops and manufactures electric vehicles and related accessories. Its product lineup includes consumer models, such as the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV, as well as commercial vehicles like the Electric Delivery Van (EDV). Rivian vehicles are made in the USA.

    Designed for Tactical Traders

    The new leveraged ETFs provide traders with a tool to gain leveraged exposure to these stocks, making them a potential consideration for those looking to execute short-term tactical trades.

    “We’re pleased to expand our suite of leveraged single stock ETFs,” said Will Rhind, Founder of GraniteShares. “By launching LCDL and RVNL, we are responding to market demand for more single stock ETFs, in addition to Tesla, that provide exposure to electric vehicles that are made here in the USA.”

    For more information on the new GraniteShares leveraged ETFs, read the company’s prospectus.

    About GraniteShares

    GraniteShares is an entrepreneurial ETF provider focused on high-conviction investment solutions. The firm offers a range of innovative ETFs spanning leveraged, inverse, and high-yield strategies, empowering investors with differentiated tools for portfolio construction. Founded in 2016, GraniteShares has grown rapidly by delivering cutting-edge solutions tailored to modern market needs. For more information, visit www.graniteshares.com.

    Media Contact:
    GraniteShares Inc.
    Attn: Media Relations
    222 Broadway, 21st Floor
    New York, NY 10038
    844-476-8747
    info@graniteshares.com

    Important Disclosures:

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by a Prospectus. Carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risk factors, charges, and expenses before investing. Please read the prospectus before investing.

    An investment in the Fund involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. The use of derivatives such as option contracts and swaps is subject to market risks that may cause their price to fluctuate over time. Additional risks include Risk of the Underlying Stock, Derivatives Risk, Leverage Risk, Price Participation Risk, and Market Volatility Risk. Consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the investment company carefully before investing. These and other risks can be found in the prospectus.

    Leveraged ETFs seek daily investment results that correspond to a multiple of the performance (both gains and losses) of an underlying index or security. Due to the compounding of daily returns, holding periods of greater than one day can result in performance that differs from the stated multiple. These ETFs are not suitable for all investors. These ETFs are intended for sophisticated investors who understand the risks associated with leverage and seek short-term tactical trading strategies.

    Investment in these funds involves significant risk. The funds pursue daily leveraged investment objectives, which means that the funds are riskier than alternatives that do not use leverage because the funds magnify the performance of their underlying securities. These ETFs are designed to be utilized only by knowledgeable investors who understand the potential consequences of seeking daily leveraged (2x) investment results, understand the risks associated with the use leverage and are willing to monitor their portfolios frequently. For periods longer than a single day, the funds will lose money if the performance of the underlying stock is flat. It is possible the funds will lose money even if the underlying stock’s performance increases over a period longer than one day. An investor could lose the full principal value of his/her investment within a single day. The volatility of the underlying security may affect the funds’ return as much as, or more than, the return of the underlying security.

    Shares are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the ETF. There can be no guarantee that an active trading market for ETF shares will develop or be maintained. Buying or selling ETF shares on an exchange may require the payment of brokerage commissions and frequent trading may incur costs that detract significantly from investment returns.

    This information is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy shares of any Funds to any person in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation, purchase, or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws. You could lose money by investing in the ETFs. There can be no assurance that the investment objective of the Funds will be achieved. None of the Funds should be relied upon as a complete investment program.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Teads Celebrates Major Milestone as CTV HomeScreen Powers 1,500 Campaigns

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The new Teads (NASDAQ: OB), the omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet, today announced a significant milestone for CTV HomeScreen (formerly CTV Native), an immersive way for advertisers to reach audiences on exclusive experiences at incremental moments of high attention. Since its launch in 2023, 1,500 CTV HomeScreen campaigns have been run by premium brands globally, including Cartier, Nestlé, and Air France.

    As brands prioritize omnichannel strategies, CTV HomeScreen enables advertisers to place content directly on the first screen consumers see when turning on their connected televisions. By integrating within the operating systems of major television manufacturers such as LG and Hisense, Teads’ CTV HomeScreen ads provide brands with access to audiences that may not otherwise be reachable through ad-supported tiers on streaming platforms. CTV HomeScreen ads deliver high levels of attention through impactful, unique creative experiences. Teads’ programmatic advertiser platform, Teads Ad Manager (TAM) enables brands to connect the moments of the consumer journey across all screens — creating a continuity of advertising experiences from CTV to web and app.

    “By placing high-impact native ads directly on smart TV home screens, we provide brands with premium, brand-safe placements that capture superior attention at the moment of content discovery,” said Jeremy Arditi, Co-President, Chief Business Officer of the Americas. “This approach ensures brands own the first moment on TV screens, maximizing both visibility and engagement in an uncluttered environment.”

    Over the past year, Teads has strengthened its CTV offering through expanded access to premium HomeScreen inventory, including exclusive partnerships with VIDAA US and LG Ad Solutions covering 330 million TV screens worldwide, in over 50 countries. In addition to Homescreen, TAM enables advertisers to reach audiences across more than 7,000 CTV apps globally, optimizing performance through CTV instream video campaigns.

    “The partnership between LG and Teads unlocks a powerful value proposition for advertisers,” said Serge Matta, President of Global Ad Sales at LG Ad Solutions. “From the moment a viewer powers on their TV, they’re met with stunning creatives, brought to life by Teads. It’s a seamless blend of innovation and scale.”

    Capturing Audience Attention at Scale

    CTV HomeScreen placements are displayed on the first screen viewers see when they turn on their smart TVs. This enhances ad effectiveness and extends audience reach beyond traditional commercial breaks. According to TVision (2024), viewers often spend time browsing for content—up to 10 minutes—before encountering ad clutter, making this window a high-attention moment. In fact, 74% of attention goes to the first ad seen on the home screen.

    In 1,500 CTV HomeScreen campaigns, Teads has helped brands like Cartier, Nestlé, Air France, Bvlgari, and Nissan deliver impactful moments that drive measurable engagement. Cartier’s first-ever 3D CTV HomeScreen campaign generated over 12 million impressions, while Air France saw a 22% increase in recommendation intent by securing premium placements on Smart TV home screens. In addition, Nestlé achieved a 9% lift in ad recall, leveraging Teads’ high-attention CTV HomeScreen formats to enhance brand impact.

    “This initiative showcases how advertising innovation and precise data can strengthen brand image and consumer engagement. Teads’support in this campaign allowed us to combine exclusive formats with rigorous measurement, demonstrating real value for the brand,” said Catherine Masson, Director of Brand Media Strategy and Media Buying at Air France.

    Now Available in Teads Ad Manager

    Brands can now seamlessly combine CTV HomeScreen with mobile and desktop formats within a single buying platform, making it easier to plan, execute, and optimize omnichannel campaigns and ensuring a more cohesive, data-driven approach to audience engagement.

    With real-time attention measurement, contextual targeting, and planning and insight tools, Teads Ad Manager offers advertisers an all-in-one solution to maximize impact across every screen. This latest integration reflects Teads’ commitment to future-proofing CTV advertising by delivering premium placements, innovative ad formats, and advanced measurement tools.

    Teads was recently announced as a finalist in the Best CTV Ad Tech Platform category by the Digiday Streaming and Video Awards. For more information on Teads’ CTV HomeScreen solutions, visit https://thenewteads.com/.

    About The New Teads
    Outbrain Inc. (Nasdaq: OB) and Teads S.A. combined on February 3, 2025 and are operating under the new Teads brand. The new Teads is the omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet, driving full-funnel results for marketers across premium media. With a focus on meaningful business outcomes, the combined company ensures value is driven with every media dollar by leveraging predictive AI technology to connect quality media, beautiful brand creative, and context-driven addressability and measurement. One of the most scaled advertising platforms on the open internet, the new Teads is directly partnered with more than 10,000 publishers and 20,000 advertisers globally. The company is headquartered in New York, with a global team of nearly 1,800 people in 36 countries.

    For more information, visit https://thenewteads.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements generally relating to possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, plans and objectives, and statements relating to our recently completed acquisition (the “Acquisition”) of TEADS, a private limited liability company (société anonyme) incorporated and existing under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (“Teads”). You can generally identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “foresee,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions or are not statements of historical fact. We have based these forward- looking statements largely on our expectations and projections regarding future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors including, but not limited to: the ability of Outbrain to successfully integrate Teads or manage the combined business effectively; our ability to realize anticipated benefits and synergies of the Acquisition, including, among other things, operating efficiencies, revenue synergies and other cost savings; our due diligence investigation of Teads may be inadequate or risks related to Teads’ business may materialize; unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the Acquisition; the outcome of any securities litigation, stockholder derivative or other litigation related to the Acquisition; our ability to raise additional financing in the future to fund our operations, which may not be available to us on favorable terms or at all; the volatility of the market price of our common stock and any drop in the market price of our common stock following the Acquisition; our ability to attract and retain customers, management and other key personnel; overall advertising demand and traffic generated by our media partners; factors that affect advertising demand and spending, such as the continuation or worsening of unfavorable economic or business conditions or downturns, instability or volatility in financial markets, and other events or factors outside of our control, such as tariffs and trade wars, U.S. and global recession concerns, geopolitical concerns, including the ongoing war between Ukraine-Russia and conditions in Israel and the Middle East, supply chain issues, inflationary pressures, labor market volatility, bank closures or disruptions, the impact of challenging economic conditions, political and policy changes or uncertainties in connection with the new U.S. presidential administration, and other factors that have impacted and may further impact advertisers’ ability to pay; our ability to continue to innovate, and adoption by our advertisers and media partners of our expanding solutions; the potential impact of artificial intelligence (“AI”) on our industry and our need to invest in AI-based solutions; the success of our sales and marketing investments, which may require significant investments and may involve long sales cycles; our ability to grow our business and manage growth effectively; our ability to compete effectively against current and future competitors; the loss or decline of one or more of our large media partners, and our ability to expand our advertiser and media partner relationships; conditions in Israel, including the sustainability of the recent cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and any conflicts with other terrorist organizations or countries; our ability to maintain our revenues or profitability despite quarterly fluctuations in our results, whether due to seasonality, large cyclical events, or other causes; the risk that our research and development efforts may not meet the demands of a rapidly evolving technology market; any failure of our recommendation engine to accurately predict attention or engagement, any deterioration in the quality of our recommendations or failure to present interesting content to users or other factors which may cause us to experience a decline in user engagement or loss of media partners; limits on our ability to collect, use and disclose data to deliver advertisements; our ability to extend our reach into evolving digital media platforms; our ability to maintain and scale our technology platform; our ability to meet demands on our infrastructure and resources due to future growth or otherwise; our failure or the failure of third parties to protect our sites, networks and systems against security breaches, or otherwise to protect the confidential information of us or our partners; outages or disruptions that impact us or our service providers, resulting from cyber incidents, or failures or loss of our infrastructure; significant fluctuations in currency exchange rates; political and regulatory risks in the various markets in which we operate; the challenges of compliance with differing and changing regulatory requirements, including with respect to privacy; the timing and execution of any cost-saving measures and the impact on our business or strategy; and the risks described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2024and in subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as an indication of future performance. We cannot assure you that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur, and actual results, events, or circumstances could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation and do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media Contact

    press@outbrain.com

    Investor Relations Contact

    IR@outbrain.com

    (332) 205-8999

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fengate appoints Warren Roll as Managing Director, Head of Digital Infrastructure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fengate Asset Management (Fengate) today announced the appointment of Warren Roll as Managing Director, Head of Digital Infrastructure.

    Roll brings more than 25 years of experience to Fengate across global private equity, mergers and acquisitions, asset management, and operations in various infrastructure sectors. Prior to joining Fengate, Roll spent more than 10 years as a senior executive at DigitalBridge where he led their fiber and small cells strategy.

    Based in Fengate’s Miami office – the firm’s second office in the United States (U.S.), which opened earlier this year to service its infrastructure, private equity, and real estate businesses – Roll will drive Fengate’s digital infrastructure growth strategy including cell towers, distributed antenna systems, small cells, data centers, and satellites across the U.S. and Canada.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Warren to Fengate and look forward to scaling the digital sector within our infrastructure business under his leadership to deliver exceptional investment results for our clients,” said George Theodoropoulos, Managing Partner at Fengate. “Warren has significant transaction experience and a strong reputation in the digital infrastructure space across North America.”

    Roll’s appointment builds on the positive momentum of Fengate’s wireless communications towers and data center investments, including the firm’s CA$1.8bn acquisition of Montreal-based eStruxture Data Centers in 2024.

    “I have been impressed watching Fengate grow within the digital sector in North America and have always admired their stellar track record and strong reputation in the marketplace,” said Roll.

    “I am excited to join Fengate to lead its digital infrastructure strategy and look forward to working with the talented team to create growth and innovation in this critical sector.”

    Prior to DigitalBridge, Roll was a Senior Executive at PSP Investments in private equity and spent several years in investment banking based in Quebec, Canada.

    About Fengate

    Fengate is a leading alternative investment manager focused on infrastructure, private equity and real estate strategies, with more than $7 billion of capital commitments under management. The firm has been investing in infrastructure since 2006 with a focus on mid-market greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets in the transportation, social, energy transition and digital sectors. Fengate is one of North America’s most active infrastructure investors and developers with a portfolio of more than 45 assets. Learn more at www.fengate.com.

    Media contact

    Maddison Sharples
    Vice President, Communications and Marketing
    +1 416 254 3326
    maddison.sharples@fengate.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: iBio Expands Cardiometabolic and Obesity Pipeline through Licensing of First-in-Class Antibody Targeting Activin E from AstralBio

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: IBIO), an AI-driven innovator of precision antibody therapies, today announced a licensing agreement with AstralBio Inc. for a preclinical first-in-class antibody targeting Activin E, which was discovered using iBio’s patented Machine-Learning Antibody Engine. Activin E is a promising novel therapeutic target whose inhibition is believed to induce fat-selective weight loss and offer protection against obesity and cardiometabolic disease. iBio plans to rapidly advance testing of the antibody in more complex models following preclinical studies that demonstrated strong antibody binding, inhibition of Activin E signaling and fat-specific weight loss in an obese rodent animal model.

    The in-licensed antibody represents what iBio believes to be the first functional inhibitor of Activin E, a challenging, yet genetically validated therapeutic target playing a key role in regulating energy balance and fat distribution. Inhibiting Activin E-mediated signaling could offer a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce internal abdominal fat while preserving muscle mass—potentially reversing obesity, preventing diabetes, and improving overall cardiometabolic health. As one of several cellular components involved in cardiometabolic regulation, Activin E, along with amylin, GLP-1 and others, are part of a broader network of signaling pathways that have the potential to be targeted simultaneously to yield synergistic benefits for patients.

    Using its proprietary Machine Learning Antibody Engine and advanced epitope engineering technology, iBio designed engineered epitopes representing five key regions of the Activin E protein. This approach led to the successful development of a molecule that fully blocks Activin E-mediated signaling and inhibits its function across multiple in vitro models. In vivo proof-of-concept was established in a rodent model of obesity, where the antibody induced fat-selective weight loss as a monotherapy and showed synergistic weight loss when added to a GLP-1 receptor agonist in recently published data by iBio. iBio plans to present additional preclinical data of its antibody targeting Activin E at the International BMP Conference, taking place in Philadelphia, PA, from May 2–6.

    “Our decision to license this Activin E-targeting functional antibody, a potentially first-in-class molecule, at this early stage reflects our firm belief in Activin E as a promising therapeutic target and our confidence in building upon the strong preclinical data we recently published,” said Martin Brenner, Ph.D., DVM, iBio’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer. “This antibody represents a strategic expansion of our pipeline in cardiometabolic diseases and obesity and a significant step toward clinical development of a medication that can potentially offer meaningful benefits to patients.”

    Additionally, iBio amended its existing collaboration agreement with AstralBio to add a fifth target for the treatment of cardiometabolic disease. iBio will identify and create an antibody against such target, leveraging its proprietary Drug Discovery Platform. In exchange for adding an additional target to the collaboration and pursuant to the license agreement, AstralBio has provided iBio a $750,000 credit which iBio has applied toward the option fee for the exclusive license of the novel antibody that inhibits the function of Activin E. AstralBio will be eligible for development and commercialization milestone payments totaling up to $28 million. If iBio sublicenses the licensed product, AstralBio is to receive low to mid-single-digit sublicense fees on the proceeds of the sublicense fees. iBio is solely responsible for the research and development, manufacturing and commercialization activities of the licensed product.

    About iBio, Inc.

    iBio (Nasdaq: IBIO) is a cutting-edge biotech company leveraging AI and advanced computational biology to develop next-generation biopharmaceuticals for cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, cancer and other hard-to-treat diseases. By combining proprietary 3D modeling with innovative drug discovery platforms, iBio is creating a pipeline of breakthrough antibody treatments to address significant unmet medical needs. Our mission is to transform drug discovery, accelerate development timelines, and unlock new possibilities in precision medicine. For more information, visit www.ibioinc.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “predict,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “intend” or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and include statements regarding the therapeutic potential of Activin E as a target for cardiometabolic disorders and obesity; Activin E being a promising novel therapeutic target whose inhibition is believed to induce fat-selective weight loss and offer protection against obesity and cardiometabolic disease; plans to rapidly advance testing of the antibody in more complex models; the in-licensed antibody being the first functional inhibitor of Activin E; inhibiting Activin E-mediated signaling offering a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce internal abdominal fat while preserving muscle mass potentially reversing obesity, preventing diabetes, and improving overall cardiometabolic health. As one of several cellular components involved in cardiometabolic regulation; Activin E, along with amylin, GLP-1 and others, having the potential to be targeted simultaneously to yield synergistic benefits for patients; plans to present additional preclinical data of its antibody targeting Activin E at the International BMP Conference, taking place in Philadelphia, PA from May 2–6; and the antibody having the potential to deliver meaningful benefits to patients. While iBio believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the ability of Activin E to be a successful target for cardiometabolic disorders and obesity and iBio’s antibody to induce fat-selective weight loss and offer protection against obesity and cardiometabolic disease; iBio’s ability to obtain regulatory approvals for commercialization of its product candidates, or to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements; regulatory limitations relating to iBio’s ability to promote or commercialize its product candidates for specific indications; acceptance of iBio’s product candidates in the marketplace and the successful development, marketing or sale of products; and whether iBio will incur unforeseen expenses or liabilities or other market factors; and the other factors discussed in iBio’s filings with the SEC including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2024 and its subsequent filings with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and iBio undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Corporate Contact:
    iBio, Inc.
    Investor Relations
    ir@ibioinc.com

    Media Contacts:
    Ignacio Guerrero-Ros, Ph.D., or David Schull
    Russo Partners, LLC
    Ignacio.guerrero-ros@russopartnersllc.com
    David.schull@russopartnersllc.com
    (858) 717-2310 or (646) 942-5604

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s new immigration policy favours construction workers but leaves the rest behind

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Shiva S. Mohan, Research Fellow, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration & Integration program, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Migrant workers have long been recognized as essential to Canada’s economy. But that recognition rarely translates into meaningful inclusion. As Canada embarks on new immigration reforms, persistent inequalities continue to define who truly belongs, and who remains excluded.

    In March, the federal government announced a new national pathway to permanent residence for up to 6,000 out-of-status construction workers.

    Although framed as a recognition of essential labour, the new program highlights a deeper reality: Canada’s immigration reforms continue to prioritize business and industry needs. In this instance, those needs are in housing and construction.

    This selective approach reveals deeper patterns in Canada’s immigration system, often described as a hierarchy of deservingness. This framework assigns greater value to certain types of labour, while sidelining others. This sidelining is often based on race, gender and class and limits access to recognition and rights for all essential workers.

    Former Immigration Minister Marc Miller estimated that between 300,000 and 600,000 out-of-status people were living in Canada as of 2024. The new construction worker pathway, while important for some, will address only a tiny fraction of this population.



    Read more:
    A national caregiving strategy is coming — what could it mean for Canadians?

    Political and industry priorities

    With a federal election on the horizon, the construction worker pathway is as much a political move as a policy reform.

    The program expands on a pilot that granted permanent residence to approximately 1,365 people and their families in the Greater Toronto Area before closing in December 2024.

    The current national rollout of the program reflects public and industry pressure to address Canada’s housing crisis. Housing has become a top priority for governments across the country.

    Developers and industry groups, such as the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, have long lobbied for faster housing construction and more skilled trades workers. Their advocacy, combined with widespread concern over affordability, made it politically attractive to prioritize construction labour rather than implement broader regularization efforts.

    But this approach exposes who is left out. Sectors like caregiving, domestic work and agriculture, largely dominated by racialized and feminized labour continue to be excluded from clear and inclusive pathways to status.

    Canada’s low-wage economy has historically depended on the labour of racialized and immigrant women. Migrants in these sectors, often work in private or hidden spaces, making their labour less visible and politically legible.

    Caregiving and domestic work in Canada have historically been undervalued. It is often framed as natural extensions of women’s roles and systematically marginalized in immigration policy through programs like the Live-in Caregiver Program.

    Fragmented, insufficient system

    Research confirms that Canada’s approach remains fragmented and insufficient. As part of my work with MIrreM, an international project studying irregular migration and regularization policies, we found that Canadian programs are often small, sector-specific and constrained by narrow eligibility criteria.

    New federal government Home Care Worker Immigration pilots offer another highly competitive pathway to residency.

    But these programs remain narrowly targeted, restricted and quickly capped, with application limits often reached on the same day they open. They also provide little relief for the many out-of-status caregivers already living and working in Canada.

    Other countries have demonstrated that large-scale, inclusive reforms are possible, offering Canada a model to follow.

    Spain’s 2005 regularization program successfully granted legal status to 700,000 people. The Spanish assessment recognized employment records, community ties and long-term residence. This model shows that broad, fair regularization strategies can balance administrative efficiency with political feasibility.

    Meanwhile, Canada’s fragmented reforms exclude most out-of-status critical workers. And it leaves them without any sustainable pathway to status, prolonging their vulnerability and insecurity.



    Read more:
    Personal support workers are the backbone of health care but the bottom of the power structure

    A comprehensive immigration strategy needed

    Canada urgently needs a transparent, fair and scaleable immigration strategy. It must be one that values people’s contributions, not just the immediate needs of businesses.

    Cleaners, caregivers, farm labourers, food service workers and others deserve the same recognition and opportunity as those in construction.

    A comprehensive regularization strategy would not only uphold dignity and fairness. It would also strengthen Canada’s economy, improve labour protections and promote social inclusion.

    As Canadians prepare to head to the polls, the incoming government faces a critical choice.

    It can continue with piecemeal, politically convenient reforms that leave most out-of-status workers behind. Or it can commit to a broad, rights-based regularization strategy that recognizes the full social fabric of those who sustain this country.

    Shiva S. Mohan 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. Canada’s new immigration policy favours construction workers but leaves the rest behind – https://theconversation.com/canadas-new-immigration-policy-favours-construction-workers-but-leaves-the-rest-behind-253792

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Charleston Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization and Violating Supervised Release

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Anthony Michael Mowery, 48, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and violating supervised release.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about January 2024 to in or about May 2024, Mowery conspired with others in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine in the Charleston area. Mowery facilitated meetings during which his co-conspirators exchanged large quantities of methamphetamine for distribution.

    On May 5, 2024, Mowery arranged for co-conspirator Michael Dale Cain to travel to Charleston for the purpose of picking up approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine from another co-conspirator, Kirt Ray King, that Cain intended to transport to Parkersburg and distribute to others. After Cain acquired the methamphetamine, he was stopped by law enforcement officers who searched his vehicle, seized the methamphetamine, and arrested Cain.

    Mowery has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions for unlawful assault, assault, battery, child abuse, destruction of property, and fleeing from an officer. At the time of this offense, Mowery was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his July 5, 2018, conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Today’s sentence includes two years in prison, to run concurrently to the nine-year sentence imposed by the Court, for committing a crime while on supervised release.

    Mowery is among four individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in the DTO conspiracy. All four pleaded guilty. Cain, 49, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on January 29, 2025, to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. King, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025. Co-defendant John Wayne Harkless, 46, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

    United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-95.

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Man Indicted for Federal Assault Charges

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man has been charged by indictment with assault following an alleged incident that left the victim with severe injuries.

    According to court records, on September 23, 2023, Emerson Hayes, 61, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe with a knife, causing serious bodily injury.

    Hayesis charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Hayes faces up to 10 years in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: United Community Banks, Inc. Reports First Quarter Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENVILLE, S.C., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) (United) today announced net income for the first quarter of 2025 of $71.4 million and pre-tax, pre-provision income of $106.6 million. Diluted earnings per share of $0.58 for the quarter represented an increase of $0.07 from the first quarter a year ago and a decrease of $0.03 from the fourth quarter of 2024.

    On an operating basis, United’s diluted earnings per share of $0.59 were up 13% from the year-ago quarter. The primary drivers of the increased earnings per share year-over-year were higher net interest income and lower noninterest expenses, partly offset by lower noninterest income and a higher provision for credit losses.

    United’s return on assets was 1.02%, or 1.04% on an operating basis. Return on common equity was 7.9%, and return on tangible common equity on an operating basis was 11.2%. On a pre-tax, pre-provision basis, operating return on assets was 1.55% for the quarter. At quarter-end, tangible common equity to tangible assets was 9.18%, up 21 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Chairman and CEO Lynn Harton stated, “The first quarter was a strong start to the year. Our teams delivered solid loan and deposit growth in what has typically been a seasonally weak quarter. Loans grew by $249 million, or 5.6% annualized, and customer deposits increased $309 million, or 5.4% annualized. Our net interest margin expanded by 10 basis points, helping us to grow net interest income by $1.7 million from the fourth quarter, despite two fewer accruing days. Credit quality remained stable, with first quarter net charge-offs holding steady at 0.21% of average loans. Our provision for credit losses increased by $4.0 million from the fourth quarter, covering first quarter net charge-offs as well as loan growth, slightly increasing our allowance for credit losses to 1.21% of loans, up from 1.20% on December 31, 2024. Expenses improved on an absolute basis from both the fourth and first quarters of 2024, reflecting our ongoing efforts to control costs.”

    Harton continued, “We are particularly excited that our bankers were recognized once again by J.D. Power as #1 in Customer Satisfaction in the Southeast, along with #1 in Trust and #1 in People. This year marks our 75ᵗʰ anniversary, and we’re off to a strong start. I’m proud to make this milestone meaningful for our customers, employees, and shareholders. We’re also excited to continue growing our presence in Florida with the recent announcement of our planned acquisition of American National Bank, headquartered in Oakland Park. This expansion will strengthen our footprint in the fast-growing South Florida market. Our teams have been collaborating closely for several months, and we expect to close the transaction on May 1.”

    United’s net interest margin increased 10 basis points to 3.36% from the fourth quarter. The average yield on interest-earning assets was down four basis points to 5.29%, while the cost of interest-bearing liabilities decreased 19 basis points, leading to a 15-basis-point increase in the net interest spread. The 10-basis-point increase in net interest margin reflects progress in lowering the cost of funds through reduction in deposit rates and redemption of debt instruments, and to a lesser extent, the seasonal outflow of higher-priced public funds deposits.

    Net charge-offs were $9.6 million, or 0.21% of average loans, during the quarter, equal to the fourth quarter of 2024. Nonperforming assets were 33 basis points relative to total assets, improved from 42 basis points for the fourth quarter.

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights:

    • EPS up $0.07 compared to first quarter 2024 on a GAAP basis and up $0.07, or 13%, on an operating basis; EPS down $0.03 compared to the fourth quarter on a GAAP basis and down $0.04, or 6%, on an operating basis
    • Total revenue improved $8.9 million, or 3.7%, year-over-year
    • Net interest margin of 3.36% increased by 10 basis points from the fourth quarter, reflecting a lower cost of funds
    • Loan production of $2.0 billion led to loan growth of $249 million, up 5.6% annualized, from the fourth quarter
    • Customer deposits were up $309 million from the fourth quarter, with most of the growth in money market deposits
    • Noninterest income was down $4.9 million on a linked quarter basis mostly due to the absence of unusual fourth quarter gains in the form of a mortgage servicing right write-up and other unusual gains
    • Mortgage closings of $187 million compared to $171 million a year ago; mortgage rate locks of $330 million compared to $260 million a year ago
    • Noninterest expenses improved $2.0 million compared to the fourth quarter on a GAAP basis and down $1.1 million on an operating basis
    • Efficiency ratio of 56.7%, or 56.2% on an operating basis
    • Net income of $71.4 million and pre-tax, pre-provision income of $106.6 million
    • Return on assets of 1.02%, or 1.04% on an operating basis
    • Pre-tax, pre-provision return on assets of 1.55% on an operating basis
    • Return on common equity of 7.9%
    • Return on tangible common equity of 11.2% on an operating basis
    • Provision for credit losses was $15.4 million; allowance for credit losses coverage up slightly to 1.21% of total loans
    • Net charge-offs of $9.6 million, or 21 basis points as a percent of average loans
    • Nonperforming assets improved $22 million from December 31, 2024, to 0.33% of total assets
    • Maintained robust capital ratios with preliminary Common Equity Tier 1 increasing to 13.3%
    • Quarterly common dividend of $0.24 per share declared during the quarter, up 4% year-over-year

    Conference Call
    United will hold a conference call on Tuesday, April 22 at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the contents of this press release and to share business highlights for the quarter. Participants can pre-register for the conference call by navigating to https://dpregister.com/sreg/10198403/fed7e1f137. Those without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in by calling 1-844-676-1337. Participants are encouraged to dial in 15 minutes prior to the call start time. The conference call also will be webcast and can be accessed by selecting “Events and Presentations” under “News and Events” within the Investor Relations section of the company’s website, ucbi.com.


    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Selected Financial Information
    (in thousands, except per share data)

        2025       2024     First Quarter
    2025–2024
    Change
      First
    Quarter    		   Fourth
    Quarter    		   Third
    Quarter    		   Second
    Quarter    		   First
    Quarter    		  
    INCOME SUMMARY                      
    Interest revenue $ 335,357     $ 344,962     $ 349,086     $ 346,965     $ 336,728      
    Interest expense   123,336       134,629       139,900       138,265       137,579      
    Net interest revenue   212,021       210,333       209,186       208,700       199,149     6 %
    Noninterest income   35,656       40,522       8,091       36,556       39,587     (10 )
    Total revenue   247,677       250,855       217,277       245,256       238,736     4  
    Provision for credit losses   15,419       11,389       14,428       12,235       12,899      
    Noninterest expenses   141,099       143,056       143,065       147,044       145,002     (3 )
    Income before income tax expense   91,159       96,410       59,784       85,977       80,835     13  
    Income tax expense   19,746       20,606       12,437       19,362       18,204     8  
    Net income   71,413       75,804       47,347       66,615       62,631     14  
    Non-operating items   1,297       2,203       29,385       6,493       2,187      
    Income tax benefit of non-operating items   (281 )     (471 )     (6,276 )     (1,462 )     (493 )    
    Net income – operating (1) $ 72,429     $ 77,536     $ 70,456     $ 71,646     $ 64,325     13  
    Pre-tax pre-provision income (5) $ 106,578     $ 107,799     $ 74,212     $ 98,212     $ 93,734     14  
    PERFORMANCE MEASURES                      
    Per common share:                      
    Diluted net income – GAAP $ 0.58     $ 0.61     $ 0.38     $ 0.54     $ 0.51     14  
    Diluted net income – operating (1)   0.59       0.63       0.57       0.58       0.52     13  
    Cash dividends declared   0.24       0.24       0.24       0.23       0.23     4  
    Book value   28.42       27.87       27.68       27.18       26.83     6  
    Tangible book value (3)   20.58       20.00       19.66       19.13       18.71     10  
    Key performance ratios:                      
    Return on common equity – GAAP (2)(4)   7.89 %     8.40 %     5.20 %     7.53 %     7.14 %    
    Return on common equity – operating (1)(2)(4)   8.01       8.60       7.82       8.12       7.34      
    Return on tangible common equity – operating (1)(2)(3)(4)   11.21       12.12       11.17       11.68       10.68      
    Return on assets – GAAP (4)   1.02       1.06       0.67       0.97       0.90      
    Return on assets – operating (1)(4)   1.04       1.08       1.01       1.04       0.93      
    Return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision, excluding non-operating items (1)(4)(5)   1.55       1.55       1.50       1.54       1.40      
    Net interest margin (fully taxable equivalent) (4)   3.36       3.26       3.33       3.37       3.20      
    Efficiency ratio – GAAP   56.74       56.05       65.51       59.70       60.47      
    Efficiency ratio – operating (1)   56.22       55.18       57.37       57.06       59.15      
    Equity to total assets   12.56       12.38       12.45       12.35       12.06      
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets (3)   9.18       8.97       8.93       8.78       8.49      
    ASSET QUALITY                      
    Nonperforming assets (“NPAs”) $ 93,290     $ 115,635     $ 114,960     $ 116,722     $ 107,230     (13 )
    Allowance for credit losses – loans   211,974       206,998       205,290       213,022       210,934     —  
    Allowance for credit losses – total   223,201       217,389       215,517       224,740       224,119     —  
    Net charge-offs   9,607       9,517       23,651       11,614       12,908      
    Allowance for credit losses – loans to loans   1.15 %     1.14 %     1.14 %     1.17 %     1.15 %    
    Allowance for credit losses – total to loans   1.21       1.20       1.20       1.23       1.22      
    Net charge-offs to average loans (4)   0.21       0.21       0.52       0.26       0.28      
    NPAs to total assets   0.33       0.42       0.42       0.43       0.39      
    AT PERIOD END ($ in millions)                      
    Loans $ 18,425     $ 18,176     $ 17,964     $ 18,211     $ 18,375     —  
    Investment securities   6,661       6,804       6,425       6,038       5,859     14  
    Total assets   27,874       27,720       27,373       27,057       27,365     2  
    Deposits   23,762       23,461       23,253       22,982       23,332     2  
    Shareholders’ equity   3,501       3,432       3,407       3,343       3,300     6  
    Common shares outstanding (thousands)   119,514       119,364       119,283       119,175       119,137     —  
     
    (1) Excludes non-operating items as detailed on Non-GAAP Performance Measures Reconciliation on next page. (2) Net income less preferred stock dividends, divided by average realized common equity, which excludes accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). (3) Excludes effect of acquisition related intangibles and associated amortization. (4) Annualized. (5) Excludes income tax expense and provision for credit losses.

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Non-GAAP Performance Measures Reconciliation
    (in thousands, except per share data)

          2025       2024  
        First
    Quarter    		   Fourth
    Quarter    		   Third
    Quarter    		   Second
    Quarter    		   First
    Quarter
                         
    Noninterest income reconciliation                    
    Noninterest income (GAAP)   $ 35,656     $ 40,522     $ 8,091     $ 36,556     $ 39,587  
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       27,209       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (2,400 )
    Noninterest income – operating   $ 35,656     $ 40,522     $ 35,300     $ 36,556     $ 37,187  
                         
    Noninterest expense reconciliation                    
    Noninterest expenses (GAAP)   $ 141,099     $ 143,056     $ 143,065     $ 147,044     $ 145,002  
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       (5,100 )     —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       764       (2,500 )
    Merger-related and other charges     (1,297 )     (2,203 )     (2,176 )     (2,157 )     (2,087 )
    Noninterest expenses – operating   $ 139,802     $ 140,853     $ 140,889     $ 140,551     $ 140,415  
                         
    Net income to operating income reconciliation                    
    Net income (GAAP)   $ 71,413     $ 75,804     $ 47,347     $ 66,615     $ 62,631  
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       27,209       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (2,400 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       5,100       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       (764 )     2,500  
    Merger-related and other charges     1,297       2,203       2,176       2,157       2,087  
    Income tax benefit of non-operating items     (281 )     (471 )     (6,276 )     (1,462 )     (493 )
    Net income – operating   $ 72,429     $ 77,536     $ 70,456     $ 71,646     $ 64,325  
                         
    Net income to pre-tax pre-provision income reconciliation                    
    Net income (GAAP)   $ 71,413     $ 75,804     $ 47,347     $ 66,615     $ 62,631  
    Income tax expense     19,746       20,606       12,437       19,362       18,204  
    Provision for credit losses     15,419       11,389       14,428       12,235       12,899  
    Pre-tax pre-provision income   $ 106,578     $ 107,799     $ 74,212     $ 98,212     $ 93,734  
                         
    Diluted income per common share reconciliation                    
    Diluted income per common share (GAAP)   $ 0.58     $ 0.61     $ 0.38     $ 0.54     $ 0.51  
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       0.18       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (0.02 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       0.03       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       —       0.02  
    Merger-related and other charges     0.01       0.02       0.01       0.01       0.01  
    Diluted income per common share – operating   $ 0.59     $ 0.63     $ 0.57     $ 0.58     $ 0.52  
                         
    Book value per common share reconciliation                    
    Book value per common share (GAAP)   $ 28.42     $ 27.87     $ 27.68     $ 27.18     $ 26.83  
    Effect of goodwill and other intangibles     (7.84 )     (7.87 )     (8.02 )     (8.05 )     (8.12 )
    Tangible book value per common share   $ 20.58     $ 20.00     $ 19.66     $ 19.13     $ 18.71  
                         
    Return on tangible common equity reconciliation                    
    Return on common equity (GAAP)     7.89 %     8.40 %     5.20 %     7.53 %     7.14 %
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       2.43       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (0.22 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       0.46       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       (0.07 )     0.23  
    Merger-related and other charges     0.12       0.20       0.19       0.20       0.19  
    Return on common equity – operating     8.01       8.60       7.82       8.12       7.34  
    Effect of goodwill and other intangibles     3.20       3.52       3.35       3.56       3.34  
    Return on tangible common equity – operating     11.21 %     12.12 %     11.17 %     11.68 %     10.68 %
                         
    Return on assets reconciliation                    
    Return on assets (GAAP)     1.02 %     1.06 %     0.67 %     0.97 %     0.90 %
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       0.31       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (0.03 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       0.06       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       (0.01 )     0.03  
    Merger-related and other charges     0.02       0.02       0.03       0.02       0.03  
    Return on assets – operating     1.04 %     1.08 %     1.01 %     1.04 %     0.93 %
                         
    Return on assets to return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision reconciliation                    
    Return on assets (GAAP)     1.02 %     1.06 %     0.67 %     0.97 %     0.90 %
    Income tax expense     0.29       0.30       0.19       0.29       0.27  
    Provision for credit losses     0.23       0.16       0.21       0.18       0.19  
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       0.40       —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       (0.04 )
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       0.08       —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       (0.01 )     0.04  
    Merger-related and other charges     0.01       0.03       0.03       0.03       0.04  
    Return on assets – pre-tax pre-provision – operating     1.55 %     1.55 %     1.50 %     1.54 %     1.40 %
                         
    Efficiency ratio reconciliation                    
    Efficiency ratio (GAAP)     56.74 %     56.05 %     65.51 %     59.70 %     60.47 %
    Loss on sale of manufactured housing loans     —       —       (7.15 )     —       —  
    Gain on lease termination     —       —       —       —       0.60  
    Loss on FinTrust (goodwill impairment)     —       —       —       (2.07 )     —  
    FDIC special assessment     —       —       —       0.31       (1.05 )
    Merger-related and other charges     (0.52 )     (0.87 )     (0.99 )     (0.88 )     (0.87 )
    Efficiency ratio – operating     56.22 %     55.18 %     57.37 %     57.06 %     59.15 %
                         
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets reconciliation                    
    Equity to total assets (GAAP)     12.56 %     12.38 %     12.45 %     12.35 %     12.06 %
    Effect of goodwill and other intangibles     (3.06 )     (3.09 )     (3.20 )     (3.24 )     (3.25 )
    Effect of preferred equity     (0.32 )     (0.32 )     (0.32 )     (0.33 )     (0.32 )
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets     9.18 %     8.97 %     8.93 %     8.78 %     8.49 %

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Loan Portfolio Composition at Period-End

        2025     2024
    		   Linked
    Quarter
    Change    		   Year over
    Year
    Change
    (in millions) First
    Quarter    		   Fourth
    Quarter    		   Third
    Quarter    		   Second
    Quarter    		   First
    Quarter    		    
    LOANS BY CATEGORY                          
    Owner occupied commercial RE $ 3,419     $ 3,398     $ 3,323     $ 3,297     $ 3,310     $ 21     $ 109  
    Income producing commercial RE   4,416       4,361       4,259       4,058       4,206       55       210  
    Commercial & industrial   2,506       2,428       2,313       2,299       2,405       78       101  
    Commercial construction   1,681       1,656       1,785       2,014       1,936       25       (255 )
    Equipment financing   1,723       1,663       1,603       1,581       1,544       60       179  
    Total commercial   13,745       13,506       13,283       13,249       13,401       239       344  
    Residential mortgage   3,218       3,232       3,263       3,266       3,240       (14 )     (22 )
    Home equity   1,099       1,065       1,015       985       969       34       130  
    Residential construction   171       178       189       211       257       (7 )     (86 )
    Manufactured housing (1)   —       2       2       321       328       (2 )     (328 )
    Consumer   183       186       188       183       180       (3 )     3  
    Other   9       7       24       (4 )     —       2       9  
    Total loans $ 18,425     $ 18,176     $ 17,964     $ 18,211     $ 18,375     $ 249     $ 50  
                               
    LOANS BY MARKET                          
    Georgia $ 4,484     $ 4,447     $ 4,470     $ 4,411     $ 4,356     $ 37     $ 128  
    South Carolina   2,821       2,815       2,782       2,779       2,804       6       17  
    North Carolina   2,666       2,644       2,586       2,591       2,566       22       100  
    Tennessee   1,880       1,799       1,848       2,144       2,209       81       (329 )
    Florida   2,572       2,527       2,423       2,407       2,443       45       129  
    Alabama   1,009       996       996       1,021       1,068       13       (59 )
    Commercial Banking Solutions   2,993       2,948       2,859       2,858       2,929       45       64  
    Total loans $ 18,425     $ 18,176     $ 17,964     $ 18,211     $ 18,375     $ 249     $ 50  
     
    (1) At March 31, 2025, manufactured housing loans are included with consumer loans.

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Credit Quality
    (in thousands)

          2025     2024
        First
    Quarter    		   Fourth
    Quarter    		   Third
    Quarter
    NONACCRUAL LOANS            
    Owner occupied RE   $ 8,949     $ 11,674     $ 7,783  
    Income producing RE     16,536       25,357       31,222  
    Commercial & industrial     22,396       29,339       28,856  
    Commercial construction     5,558       7,400       7,356  
    Equipment financing     8,818       8,925       9,123  
    Total commercial     62,257       82,695       84,340  
    Residential mortgage     22,756       24,615       21,851  
    Home equity     4,091       4,630       4,111  
    Residential construction     811       57       118  
    Manufactured housing (2)     —       1,444       1,808  
    Consumer     1,423       138       152  
    Total nonaccrual loans     91,338       113,579       112,380  
    OREO and repossessed assets     1,952       2,056       2,580  
    Total NPAs   $ 93,290     $ 115,635     $ 114,960  
        2025     2024
      First Quarter   Fourth Quarter   Third Quarter
    (in thousands) Net Charge-
    Offs    		   Net Charge-
    Offs to
    Average
    Loans     (1)    		   Net Charge-
    Offs    		   Net Charge-
    Offs to
    Average
    Loans     (1)    		   Net Charge-
    Offs    		   Net Charge-
    Offs to
    Average
    Loans     (1)
    NET CHARGE-OFFS (RECOVERIES) BY CATEGORY                        
    Owner occupied RE $ 126     0.02 %   $ (184 )   (0.02 )%   $ (184 )   (0.02 )%
    Income producing RE   718     0.07       (1,001 )   (0.09 )     1,409     0.13  
    Commercial & industrial   2,447     0.40       4,075     0.69       4,577     0.79  
    Commercial construction   (138 )   (0.03 )     2     —       36     0.01  
    Equipment financing   5,042     1.21       5,812     1.43       5,268     1.32  
    Total commercial   8,195     0.24       8,704     0.26       11,106     0.33  
    Residential mortgage   (1 )   —       145     0.02       32     —  
    Home equity   (62 )   (0.02 )     (33 )   (0.01 )     36     0.01  
    Residential construction   219     0.51       7     0.02       111     0.22  
    Manufactured housing (2)   —     —       114     23.41       11,556     28.51  
    Consumer   1,256     2.76       580     1.24       810     1.74  
    Total $ 9,607     0.21     $ 9,517     0.21     $ 23,651     0.52  
                             
    (1) Annualized.                        
    (2) At March 31, 2025, manufactured housing loans are included with consumer loans.

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

    (in thousands, except share and per share data)   March 31,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024
    ASSETS        
    Cash and due from banks   $ 198,287     $ 296,161  
    Interest-bearing deposits in banks     438,425       223,712  
    Cash and cash equivalents     636,712       519,873  
    Debt securities available-for-sale     4,322,644       4,436,291  
    Debt securities held-to-maturity (fair value $1,952,235 and $1,944,126, respectively)     2,338,571       2,368,107  
    Loans held for sale     37,344       57,534  
    Loans and leases held for investment     18,425,365       18,175,980  
    Less allowance for credit losses – loans and leases     (211,974 )     (206,998 )
    Loans and leases, net     18,213,391       17,968,982  
    Premises and equipment, net     391,020       394,264  
    Bank owned life insurance     346,410       346,234  
    Goodwill and other intangible assets, net     953,357       956,643  
    Other assets     634,269       672,330  
    Total assets   $ 27,873,718     $ 27,720,258  
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
    Liabilities:        
    Deposits:        
    Noninterest-bearing demand   $ 6,257,032     $ 6,211,182  
    NOW and interest-bearing demand     6,155,141       6,141,342  
    Money market     6,637,506       6,398,144  
    Savings     1,105,374       1,100,591  
    Time     3,446,567       3,441,424  
    Brokered     160,785       168,292  
    Total deposits     23,762,405       23,460,975  
    Short-term borrowings     —       195,000  
    Long-term debt     254,287       254,152  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities     356,130       378,004  
    Total liabilities     24,372,822       24,288,131  
    Shareholders’ equity:        
    Preferred stock; $1 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 3,662 shares Series I issued and outstanding; $25,000 per share liquidation preference     88,266       88,266  
    Common stock, $1 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized, 119,514,298 and 119,364,110 shares issued and outstanding, respectively     119,514       119,364  
    Common stock issuable; 584,083 and 600,168 shares, respectively     12,983       12,999  
    Capital surplus     2,711,721       2,710,279  
    Retained earnings     754,971       714,138  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (186,559 )     (212,919 )
    Total shareholders’ equity     3,500,896       3,432,127  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 27,873,718     $ 27,720,258  

    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)

        Three Months Ended
    March 31,
    (in thousands, except per share data)     2025       2024  
    Interest revenue:        
    Loans, including fees   $ 274,056     $ 283,983  
    Investment securities, including tax exempt of $1,678 and $1,721, respectively     58,850       46,436  
    Deposits in banks and short-term investments     2,451       6,309  
    Total interest revenue     335,357       336,728  
             
    Interest expense:        
    Deposits:        
    NOW and interest-bearing demand     37,390       46,211  
    Money market     49,541       50,478  
    Savings     624       706  
    Time     31,379       36,389  
    Deposits     118,934       133,784  
    Short-term borrowings     1,107       —  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     433       —  
    Long-term debt     2,862       3,795  
    Total interest expense     123,336       137,579  
    Net interest revenue     212,021       199,149  
             
    Noninterest income:        
    Service charges and fees     9,535       9,264  
    Mortgage loan gains and other related fees     6,122       7,511  
    Wealth management fees     4,465       6,313  
    Net gains from sales of other loans     1,396       1,537  
    Lending and loan servicing fees     4,165       4,210  
    Securities gains, net     6       —  
    Other     9,967       10,752  
    Total noninterest income     35,656       39,587  
             
    Provision for credit losses     15,419       12,899  
             
    Noninterest expenses:        
    Salaries and employee benefits     84,267       84,985  
    Communications and equipment     13,699       11,920  
    Occupancy     10,929       11,099  
    Advertising and public relations     1,881       1,901  
    Postage, printing and supplies     2,561       2,648  
    Professional fees     5,931       5,988  
    Lending and loan servicing expense     1,987       1,827  
    Outside services – electronic banking     2,763       2,918  
    FDIC assessments and other regulatory charges     4,642       7,566  
    Amortization of intangibles     3,286       3,887  
    Merger-related and other charges     1,297       2,087  
    Other     7,856       8,176  
    Total noninterest expenses     141,099       145,002  
    Income before income taxes     91,159       80,835  
    Income tax expense     19,746       18,204  
    Net income     71,413       62,631  
    Preferred stock dividends     1,573       1,573  
    Earnings allocated to participating securities     411       345  
    Net income available to common shareholders   $ 69,429     $ 60,713  
             
    Net income per common share:        
    Basic   $ 0.58     $ 0.51  
    Diluted     0.58       0.51  
    Weighted average common shares outstanding:        
    Basic     120,043       119,662  
    Diluted     120,201       119,743  


    UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC.
    Average Consolidated Balance Sheets and Net Interest Analysis
    For the Three Months Ended March 31,

        2025       2024  
    (dollars in thousands, fully taxable equivalent (FTE)) Average
    Balance    		   Interest   Average
    Rate    		   Average
    Balance    		   Interest   Average
    Rate
    Assets:                      
    Interest-earning assets:                      
    Loans, net of unearned income (FTE) (1)(2) $ 18,213,501     $ 273,930     6.10 %   $ 18,299,739     $ 283,960     6.24 %
    Taxable securities (3)   6,737,658       57,172     3.39       5,828,391       44,715     3.07  
    Tax-exempt securities (FTE) (1)(3)   356,712       2,245     2.52       366,350       2,311     2.52  
    Federal funds sold and other interest-earning assets   400,592       3,001     3.04       674,594       6,805     4.06  
    Total interest-earning assets (FTE)   25,708,463       336,348     5.29       25,169,074       337,791     5.39  
                           
    Noninterest-earning assets:                      
    Allowance for credit losses   (210,169 )             (212,996 )        
    Cash and due from banks   219,540               221,203          
    Premises and equipment   396,443               386,021          
    Other assets (3)   1,610,104               1,618,315          
    Total assets $ 27,724,381             $ 27,181,617          
                           
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity:                      
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                      
    Interest-bearing deposits:                      
    NOW and interest-bearing demand $ 6,134,004       37,390     2.47     $ 6,078,090       46,211     3.06  
    Money market   6,583,963       49,541     3.05       5,864,217       50,478     3.46  
    Savings   1,096,308       624     0.23       1,192,828       706     0.24  
    Time   3,446,048       30,831     3.63       3,596,486       35,944     4.02  
    Brokered time deposits   50,447       548     4.41       50,343       445     3.56  
    Total interest-bearing deposits   17,310,770       118,934     2.79       16,781,964       133,784     3.21  
    Federal funds purchased and other borrowings   80,760       1,107     5.56       13       —     —  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances   38,900       433     4.51       4       —     —  
    Long-term debt   254,220       2,862     4.57       324,838       3,795     4.70  
    Total borrowed funds   373,880       4,402     4.77       324,855       3,795     4.70  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   17,684,650       123,336     2.83       17,106,819       137,579     3.23  
                           
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities:                      
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   6,194,217               6,398,079          
    Other liabilities   369,939               390,451          
    Total liabilities   24,248,806               23,895,349          
    Shareholders’ equity   3,475,575               3,286,268          
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 27,724,381             $ 27,181,617          
                           
    Net interest revenue (FTE)     $ 213,012             $ 200,212      
    Net interest-rate spread (FTE)         2.46 %           2.16 %
    Net interest margin (FTE) (4)         3.36 %           3.20 %
     
    (1) Interest revenue on tax-exempt securities and loans includes a taxable-equivalent adjustment to reflect comparable interest on taxable securities and loans. The FTE adjustment totaled $991,000 and $1.06 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024. The tax rate used to calculate the adjustment was 26%, reflecting the statutory federal income tax rate and the federal tax adjusted state income tax rate.
    (2) Included in the average balance of loans outstanding are loans on which the accrual of interest has been discontinued and loans that are held for sale.
    (3) Unrealized gains and losses on AFS securities, including those related to the transfer from AFS to HTM, have been reclassified to other assets. Pretax unrealized losses of $269 million in 2025 and $322 million in 2024 are included in other assets for purposes of this presentation.
    (4) Net interest margin is taxable equivalent net interest revenue divided by average interest-earning assets.


    About United Community Banks, Inc.
    United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) is the financial holding company for United Community, a top 100 U.S. financial institution committed to building stronger communities and improving the financial health and well-being of its customers. United Community offers a full range of banking, mortgage and wealth management services. As of March 31, 2025, United Community Banks, Inc. had $27.9 billion in assets and operated 200 offices across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The company also manages a nationally recognized SBA lending franchise and a national equipment finance subsidiary, extending its reach to businesses across the country. United is an 11-time winner of J.D. Power’s award for highest customer satisfaction among consumer banks in the Southeast and was named the most trusted bank in the region in 2025. The company has also been recognized eight consecutive years by American Banker as one of the “Best Banks to Work For.” In commercial banking, United earned five 2025 Greenwich Best Brand awards, including national honors for middle market satisfaction. Forbes has consistently named United among the World’s Best and America’s Best Banks. Learn more at ucbi.com.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    This press release, including the accompanying financial statement tables, contains financial information determined by methods other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. This financial information includes certain operating performance measures, which exclude merger-related and other charges that are not considered part of recurring operations, such as “noninterest income – operating”, “noninterest expense – operating”, “operating net income,” “pre-tax, pre-provision income,” “operating net income per diluted common share,” “operating earnings per share,” “tangible book value per common share,” “operating return on common equity,” “operating return on tangible common equity,” “operating return on assets,” “return on assets – pre-tax, pre-provision – operating,” “return on assets – pre-tax, pre-provision,” “operating efficiency ratio,” and “tangible common equity to tangible assets.” These non-GAAP measures are included because United believes they may provide useful supplemental information for evaluating United’s underlying performance trends. These measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative to or substitute for, measures determined in accordance with GAAP, and are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP measures that may be presented by other companies. To the extent applicable, reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable measures as reported in accordance with GAAP are included with the accompanying financial statement tables.

    Caution About Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In general, forward-looking statements usually may be identified through use of words such as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “will,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” “predict,” “continue” and “potential,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, and include statements related to the expected benefits of the acquisition of ANB Holdings, Inc. (“ANB”). Forward-looking statements are not historical facts and represent management’s beliefs, based upon information available at the time the statements are made, with regard to the matters addressed; they are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that change over time and could cause actual results or financial condition to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements.

    Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to (1) the risk that the cost savings and any revenue synergies from the ANB acquisition may not be realized or take longer than anticipated to be realized, (2) disruption from the ANB acquisition of customer, supplier, employee or other business partner relationships, (3) the possibility that the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the ANB acquisition may be greater than anticipated, (4) reputational risk and the reaction of each of the companies’ customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners to the ANB acquisition, (5) the failure of the ANB acquisition to close or any unexpected delay in closing the ANB acquisition, (6) the risks relating to the integration of ANB’s operations into the operations of United, including the risk that such integration will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected, (7) the risks associated with United’s pursuit of future acquisitions, (8) the risk associated with expansion into new geographic or product markets, (9) the dilution caused by United’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in the ANB acquisition, and (10) general competitive, economic, political and market conditions. Further information regarding additional factors which could affect the forward-looking statements contained in this press release can be found in the cautionary language included under the headings “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in United’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and other documents subsequently filed by United with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

    Many of these factors are beyond United’s ability to control or predict. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, shareholders and investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this communication, and United undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for United to predict their occurrence or how they will affect United.

    United qualifies all forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

    For more information:
    Jefferson Harralson
    Chief Financial Officer
    (864) 240-6208
    Jefferson_Harralson@ucbi.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Moody’s Corporation Reports Results for First Quarter 2025

    Source: Moody’s

    Headline: Moody’s Corporation Reports Results for First Quarter 2025

    NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Moody’s Corporation (NYSE: MCO) today announced results for the first quarter 2025 and updated select metrics within its outlook for full year 2025.

    The First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and other earnings materials can be found on the Moody’s IR website at ir.moodys.com. In addition, the Earnings Release will be furnished with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on a Form 8-K and will be available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.

    “Moody’s delivered a very strong quarter across both our businesses, including a record quarter for our Ratings franchise,” said Rob Fauber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Moody’s. “It is in times of uncertainty when the clarity and transparency we provide matter the most. Though we are facing a period of increased volatility, we run our business across market cycles, harnessing the strength and breadth of our portfolio to deliver value to our stakeholders over the long-term.”

    Teleconference Details:

    Date and Time

    April 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. ET

    Webcast

    The webcast and its replay can be accessed through Moody’s Investor Relations website, ir.moodys.com within “Events & Presentations”.

    Dial In

    U.S. and Canada

    +1-888-596-4144

    Other callers

    +1-646-968-2525

    Passcode

    515 6491

    Dial In Replay

    A replay will be available immediately after the call on April 22, 2025 and until April 29, 2025.

    U.S. and Canada

    +1-800-770-2030

    Other callers

    +1-609-800-9909

    Confirmation code

    515 6491

    For further information, please contact Investor Relations at ir@moodys.com.

    ABOUT Moody’s

    In a world shaped by increasingly interconnected risks, Moody’s (NYSE:MCO) data, insights, and innovative technologies help customers develop a holistic view of their world and unlock opportunities. With a rich history of experience in global markets and a diverse workforce of approximately 16,000 across more than 40 countries, Moody’s gives customers the comprehensive perspective needed to act with confidence and thrive.

    Source: Moody’s Corporation Investor Relations

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-Ukraine TechBridge Industry Third Steering Board Communiqué

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    UK-Ukraine TechBridge Industry Third Steering Board Communiqué

    The Industry Steering Board for UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20 March 2025.

    The Industry Steering Board for the UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20th March 2025. The meeting was hybrid with UK board members attending from techUK’s office, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD and Ukrainian board members from British Embassy Kyiv. 

    The meeting was co-chaired by Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation Oleksandr Bornyakov and UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Services, Small Business and Exports Gareth Thomas MP. 

    The Board meeting was attended by: 

    Vladimir Mnogoletniy CEO Genesis
    Valery Krasovsky CEO Sigma Software
    Marta Romaniak VP Avenga
    Andrew Pavliv CEO N-iX
    Liam Maxwell Director, Government Transformation Amazon Web Services
    Matt Evans Director of Markets techUK
    Eric van der Kleij Co-founder EdenBase
    Simon Godfrey Senior Director of External Engagement & Business Growth BT

     The Board reviewed progress under the UK-Ukraine TechBridge initiative over the last six months, noting key achievements such as the significant investment generated by Ukrainian SMEs who developed their knowledge of UK markets during participation in the UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator.  

    The discussions focused on fostering deeper UK-Ukraine collaboration in technology while exploring opportunities for strengthening public-private partnerships. Core themes addressed included: 

    • Enhancing connections between UK and Ukrainian businesses. 

    • Driving investment and trade through platforms like Code.UA. 

    • Promoting technology innovations through future TechBridge events. 

    Deputy Minister Bornyakov shared plans for Ukrainian representation at London Tech Week, including a Ukraine Pavilion.  

    Follow-up actions were identified, including preparations for London Tech Week and Lviv IT Arena, promotion of Code.UA as a platform for connecting UK businesses with Ukrainian IT companies, and facilitating sponsorships for upcoming events. The Board remains committed to leveraging the UK-Ukraine TechBridge to drive innovation, trade, and investment. 

    The Board will reconvene within the next six months. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Next Hydrogen receives $5M working capital debt financing

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. (“Next Hydrogen” or “Company”) (TSXV:NXH, OTC:NXHSF) is pleased to announce it has received a $5M working capital debt facility from Export Development Canada (“EDC”).

    “We are grateful for this very meaningful support from EDC to help support our growth opportunities. We have a world class electrolyser design with a revolutionary cell architecture which enables highly efficient, large scale and low-cost green hydrogen production,” said Raveel Afzaal, President & CEO of Next Hydrogen. “With 75% of the world GDP having policies to grow the hydrogen economy, EDC is providing us with the opportunity to make a global impact to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors.”

    “EDC is thrilled to support Next Hydrogen’s ambitions for large scale adoption of green hydrogen solutions,” said Tushar Handiekar, group head and VP, Structured and Project Finance at EDC. “The deployment of its innovative electrolyser, combined with Next Hydrogen’s technical expertise and global partnerships can position the company as leader of Canadian innovation on the global stage, and EDC views this as the beginning of an important strategic relationship.”

    About Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.
    Founded in 2007, Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of innovative water electrolyzers that use water and electricity as inputs to generate clean hydrogen for use as a green energy source or a green industrial feedstock. Next Hydrogen’s unique cell design architecture supported by 40 patents enables high current density operations and superior dynamic response to efficiently convert intermittent renewable electricity into green hydrogen on an infrastructure scale. Following successful pilots, Next Hydrogen is scaling up its technology to deliver commercial solutions to decarbonize transportation and industrial sectors. For further information: www.nexthydrogen.com

    Contact Information

    Raveel Afzaal, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.
    Email: rafzaal@nexthydrogen.com
    Phone: 647-961-6620
    www.nexthydrogen.com

    Cautionary Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements”. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the risks associated with the hydrogen industry in general; delays or changes in plans with respect to infrastructure development or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to costs and expenses; failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals; health, safety and environmental risks; uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to infrastructure developments or capital expenditures; currency exchange rate fluctuations; as well as general economic conditions, stock market volatility; and the ability to access sufficient capital. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, there will be no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Old National Bancorp Reports First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EVANSVILLE, Ind., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ: ONB) reports 1Q25 net income applicable to common shares of $140.6 million, diluted EPS of $0.44; $145.5 million and $0.45 on an adjusted1basis, respectively.

    CEO COMMENTARY:

    “Old National reported better-than-expected first-quarter results driven by our peer-leading deposit franchise, solid loan growth and disciplined expense management,” said Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan. “These results demonstrate our ability to navigate a challenging and uncertain economic environment, setting us up favorably as we move into the second quarter and, importantly, as we prepare for our partnership with Bremer Bank which we anticipate closing on May 1, 2025.”


    FIRST     QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS2:

    Net Income
    • Net income applicable to common shares of $140.6 million; adjusted net income applicable to common shares1 of $145.5 million
    • Earnings per diluted common share (“EPS”) of $0.44; adjusted EPS1 of $0.45
       
    Net Interest
    Income/NIM
    • Net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis1 of $393.0 million
    • Net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent basis1 (“NIM”) of 3.27%, down 3 basis points (“bps”)
       
    Operating
    Performance
    • Pre-provision net revenue1 (“PPNR”) of $218.3 million; adjusted PPNR1 of $224.3 million
    • Noninterest expense of $268.5 million; adjusted noninterest expense1 of $262.6 million
    • Efficiency ratio1 of 53.7%; adjusted efficiency ratio1 of 51.8%
       
    Deposits and
    Funding
    • Period-end total deposits of $41.0 billion, up 2.1% annualized; core deposits up 1.7% annualized
    • Granular low-cost deposit franchise; total deposit costs of 191 bps, down 17 bps
       
    Loans and
    Credit
    Quality
    • End-of-period total loans3 of $36.5 billion, up 1.5% annualized
    • Provision for credit losses4 (“provision”) of $31.4 million
    • Net charge-offs of $21.6 million, or 24 bps of average loans; 21 bps excluding purchased credit deteriorated (“PCD”) loans that had an allowance at acquisition
    • 30+ day delinquencies of 0.22% and nonaccrual loans of 1.29% of total loans
     
    Return
    Profile &
    Capital
    • Return on average tangible common equity1 (“ROATCE”) of 15.0%; adjusted ROATCE1 of 15.5%
    • Preliminary regulatory Tier 1 common equity to risk-weighted assets of 11.62%, up 24 bps
       
    Notable
    Items
    • $5.9 million of pre-tax merger-related charges
       

    1 Non-GAAP financial measure that management believes is useful in evaluating the financial results of the Company – refer to the Non-GAAP reconciliations contained in this release 2 Comparisons are on a linked-quarter basis, unless otherwise noted 3 Includes loans held-for-sale 4 Includes the provision for unfunded commitments

    RESULTS OF OPERATIONS2
    Old National Bancorp (“Old National”) reported first quarter 2025 net income applicable to common shares of $140.6 million, or $0.44 per diluted common share.

    Included in first quarter results were pre-tax charges of $5.9 million for merger-related expenses. Excluding these charges and realized debt securities losses from the current quarter, adjusted net income1 was $145.5 million, or $0.45 per diluted common share.

    DEPOSITS AND FUNDING
    Growth in core deposits driven by normal seasonal patterns in business checking and public funds, along with growth in community deposits.

    • Period-end total deposits were $41.0 billion, up 2.1% annualized; core deposits up 1.7% annualized.
    • On average, total deposits for the first quarter were $40.5 billion, down 6.2% annualized.
    • Granular low-cost deposit franchise; total deposit costs of 191 bps, down 17 bps.
    • A loan to deposit ratio of 89%, combined with existing funding sources, provides strong liquidity.

    LOANS
    Balanced commercial loan production, growth and pipeline.

    • Period-end total loans3 were $36.5 billion, up 1.5% annualized; up 2.3% annualized excluding $71 million of commercial real estate loan sales.
    • Total commercial loan production in the first quarter was $1.5 billion; period-end commercial pipeline totaled $3.4 billion.
    • Average total loans in the first quarter were $36.3 billion, a decrease of $128.2 million, or down 1.4% annualized.

    CREDIT QUALITY
    Resilient credit quality continues to be a hallmark of Old National.

    • Provision4 expense was $31.4 million compared to $27.0 million.
    • Net charge-offs were $21.6 million, or 24 bps of average loans compared to 21 bps.
      • Excluding PCD loans that had an allowance for credit losses established at acquisition, net charge-offs to average loans were 21 bps compared to 17 bps.
    • 30+ day delinquencies as a percentage of loans were 0.22% compared to 0.27%.
    • Nonaccrual loans as a percentage of total loans were 1.29% compared to 1.23%.
    • Loans acquired from previous acquisitions were recorded at fair value at the acquisition date. The remaining discount on these acquired loans was $119.2 million.
    • The allowance for credit losses, including the allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments, stood at $424.0 million, or 1.16% of total loans, compared to $414.2 million, or 1.14% of total loans.

    NET INTEREST INCOME AND MARGIN
    Lower reflective of lower accretion and number of days.

    • Net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis1 decreased to $393.0 million compared to $400.0 million, driven by lower accretion, fewer days in the quarter and earning asset mix, partly offset by lower funding costs.
    • Net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent basis1 decreased 3 bps to 3.27%.
    • Accretion income on loans and borrowings was $12.3 million, or 10 bps of net interest margin1, compared to $18.5 million, or 15 bps of net interest margin1.
    • Cost of total deposits was 1.91%, decreasing 17 bps and the cost of total interest-bearing deposits decreased 25 bps to 2.46%.

    NONINTEREST INCOME
    Impacted by seasonally lower bank fees and lower company-owned life insurance.

    • Total noninterest income was $93.8 million compared to $95.8 million.
    • Noninterest income decreased 2.1% driven by seasonally lower bank fees and lower company-owned life insurance.
      • Other income was impacted by $4.8 million of gains on the sale of $71 million of commercial real estate loans in the first quarter of 2025 and $8 million of equity investments recoveries in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    NONINTEREST EXPENSE
    Disciplined expense management.

    • Noninterest expense was $268.5 million and included $5.9 million of merger-related charges.
      • Excluding merger-related charges, adjusted noninterest expense1 was $262.6 million, compared to $268.7 million; decrease driven by lower FDIC assessment expense and tax credit amortization.
    • The efficiency ratio1 was 53.7%, while the adjusted efficiency ratio1 was 51.8% compared to 54.4% and 51.8%, respectively.

    INCOME TAXES

    • Income tax expense was $36.9 million, resulting in an effective tax rate of 20.3% compared to 17.3%. On an adjusted fully taxable equivalent (“FTE”) basis, the effective tax rate was 22.6% compared to 19.8%.
      • The effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2025 was impacted by $1.2 million for the vesting of employee stock compensation and the fourth quarter of 2024 was impacted by $5.9 million for the resolution of tax matters.
    • Income tax expense included $5.3 million of tax credit benefit compared to $5.2 million.

    CAPITAL
    Capital ratios remain strong.

    • Preliminary total risk-based capital up 31 bps to 13.68% and preliminary regulatory Tier 1 capital up 25 bps to 12.23%, as strong retained earnings drive capital.
    • Tangible common equity to tangible assets was 7.76%, up 4.7%.

    CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST
    Old National will host a conference call and live webcast at 9:00 a.m. Central Time on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, to review first quarter financial results. The live audio webcast link and corresponding presentation slides will be available on the Company’s Investor Relations website at oldnational.com and will be archived there for 12 months. To listen to the live conference call, dial U.S. (800) 715-9871 or International (646) 307-1963, access code 5176690. A replay of the call will also be available from approximately noon Central Time on April 22, 2025 through May 6, 2025. To access the replay, dial U.S. (800) 770-2030 or International (647) 362-9199; Access code 5176690.

    ABOUT OLD NATIONAL
    Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ: ONB) is the holding company of Old National Bank. As the sixth largest commercial bank headquartered in the Midwest, Old National proudly serves clients primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. With approximately $54 billion of assets and $29 billion of assets under management, Old National ranks among the top 30 banking companies headquartered in the United States. Tracing our roots to 1834, Old National focuses on building long-term, highly valued partnerships with clients while also strengthening and supporting the communities we serve. In addition to providing extensive services in consumer and commercial banking, Old National offers comprehensive wealth management and capital markets services. For more information and financial data, please visit Investor Relations at oldnational.com. In 2024, Points of Light named Old National one of “The Civic 50” – an honor reserved for the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.

    USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    The Company’s accounting and reporting policies conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and general practices within the banking industry. As a supplement to GAAP, the Company provides non-GAAP performance results, which the Company believes are useful because they assist investors in assessing the Company’s operating performance. Where non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as the reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in the tables at the end of this release.

    The Company presents EPS, the efficiency ratio, return on average common equity, return on average tangible common equity, and net income applicable to common shares, all adjusted for certain notable items. These items include merger-related charges associated with completed and pending acquisitions, debt securities gains/losses, separation expense, CECL Day 1 non-PCD provision expense, distribution of excess pension assets expense, and FDIC special assessment expense. Management believes excluding these items from EPS, the efficiency ratio, return on average common equity, and return on average tangible common equity may be useful in assessing the Company’s underlying operational performance since these items do not pertain to its core business operations and their exclusion may facilitate better comparability between periods. Management believes that excluding merger-related charges from these metrics may be useful to the Company, as well as analysts and investors, since these expenses can vary significantly based on the size, type, and structure of each acquisition. Additionally, management believes excluding these items from these metrics may enhance comparability for peer comparison purposes.

    Income tax expense, provision for credit losses, and the certain notable items listed above are excluded from the calculation of pre-provision net revenues, adjusted due to the fluctuation in income before income tax and the level of provision for credit losses required. Management believes adjusted pre-provision net revenues may be useful in assessing the Company’s underlying operating performance and their exclusion may facilitate better comparability between periods and for peer comparison purposes.

    The Company presents adjusted noninterest expense, which excludes merger-related charges associated with completed and pending acquisitions, separation expense, distribution of excess pension assets expense, and FDIC special assessment expense, as well as adjusted noninterest income, which excludes debt securities gains/losses. Management believes that excluding these items from noninterest expense and noninterest income may be useful in assessing the Company’s underlying operational performance as these items either do not pertain to its core business operations or their exclusion may facilitate better comparability between periods and for peer comparison purposes.

    The tax-equivalent adjustment to net interest income and net interest margin recognizes the income tax savings when comparing taxable and tax-exempt assets. Interest income and yields on tax-exempt securities and loans are presented using the current federal income tax rate of 21%. Management believes that it is standard practice in the banking industry to present net interest income and net interest margin on a fully tax-equivalent basis and that it may enhance comparability for peer comparison purposes.

    In management’s view, tangible common equity measures are capital adequacy metrics that may be meaningful to the Company, as well as analysts and investors, in assessing the Company’s use of equity and in facilitating comparisons with peers. These non-GAAP measures are valuable indicators of a financial institution’s capital strength since they eliminate intangible assets from stockholders’ equity and retain the effect of accumulated other comprehensive loss in stockholders’ equity.

    Although intended to enhance investors’ understanding of the Company’s business and performance, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered an alternative to GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from those used by other financial institutions to assess their business and performance. See the following reconciliations in the “Non-GAAP Reconciliations” section for details on the calculation of these measures to the extent presented herein.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
    This communication contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”), notwithstanding that such statements are not specifically identified as such. In addition, certain statements may be contained in our future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in press releases, and in oral and written statements made by us that are not statements of historical fact and constitute forward‐looking statements within the meaning of the Act. These statements include, but are not limited to, descriptions of Old National’s financial condition, results of operations, asset and credit quality trends, profitability and business plans or opportunities. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “guidance,” “intend,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “would,” and “will,” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements express management’s current expectations or forecasts of future events and, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such statements, including, but not limited to: competition; government legislation, regulations and policies, including trade and tariff policies; the ability of Old National to execute its business plan; unanticipated changes in our liquidity position, including but not limited to changes in our access to sources of liquidity and capital to address our liquidity needs; changes in economic conditions and economic and business uncertainty which could materially impact credit quality trends and the ability to generate loans and gather deposits; inflation and governmental responses to inflation, including increasing interest rates; market, economic, operational, liquidity, credit, and interest rate risks associated with our business; our ability to successfully manage our credit risk and the sufficiency of our allowance for credit losses; the possibility that the merger (the “Merger”) between Old National and Bremer Financial Corporation (“Bremer”) does not close when expected; the expected cost savings, synergies and other financial benefits from the Merger not being realized within the expected time frames and costs or difficulties relating to integration matters being greater than expected; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the completion of the Merger; the impact of purchase accounting with respect to the Merger, or any change in the assumptions used regarding the assets acquired and liabilities assumed to determine their fair value and credit marks; risks relating to the potential dilutive effect of shares of Old National’s common stock to be issued in the Merger; the potential impact of future business combinations on our performance and financial condition, including our ability to successfully integrate the businesses, the success of revenue-generating and cost reduction initiatives and the diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; failure or circumvention of our internal controls; operational risks or risk management failures by us or critical third parties, including without limitation with respect to data processing, information systems, cybersecurity, technological changes, vendor issues, business interruption, and fraud risks; significant changes in accounting, tax or regulatory practices or requirements; new legal obligations or liabilities; disruptive technologies in payment systems and other services traditionally provided by banks; failure or disruption of our information systems; computer hacking and other cybersecurity threats; the effects of climate change on Old National and its customers, borrowers, or service providers; the impacts of pandemics, epidemics and other infectious disease outbreaks; other matters discussed in this communication; and other factors identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this communication and are not guarantees of future results, performance or outcomes, and Old National does not undertake an obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or conditions after the date of this communication.

    CONTACTS:    
    Media: Rick Vach   Investors: Lynell Durchholz
    (904) 535-9489   (812) 464-1366
    Rick.Vach@oldnational.com   Lynell.Durchholz@oldnational.com
             
    Financial Highlights (unaudited)
    ($ and shares in thousands, except per share data)
               
      Three Months Ended
      March 31, December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31,
        2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
    Income Statement          
    Net interest income $ 387,643   $ 394,180   $ 391,724   $ 388,421   $ 356,458  
    FTE adjustment1,3   5,360     5,777     6,144     6,340     6,253  
    Net interest income – tax equivalent basis3   393,003     399,957     397,868     394,761     362,711  
    Provision for credit losses   31,403     27,017     28,497     36,214     18,891  
    Noninterest income   93,794     95,766     94,138     87,271     77,522  
    Noninterest expense   268,471     276,824     272,283     282,999     262,317  
    Net income available to common shareholders $ 140,625   $ 149,839   $ 139,768   $ 117,196   $ 116,250  
    Per Common Share Data          
    Weighted average diluted shares   321,016     318,803     317,331     316,461     292,207  
    EPS, diluted $ 0.44   $ 0.47   $ 0.44   $ 0.37   $ 0.40  
    Cash dividends   0.14     0.14     0.14     0.14     0.14  
    Dividend payout ratio2   32 %   30 %   32 %   38 %   35 %
    Book value $ 19.71   $ 19.11   $ 19.20   $ 18.28   $ 18.24  
    Stock price   21.19     21.71     18.66     17.19     17.41  
    Tangible book value3   12.54     11.91     11.97     11.05     11.10  
    Performance Ratios          
    ROAA   1.08 %   1.14 %   1.08 %   0.92 %   0.98 %
    ROAE   9.1 %   9.8 %   9.4 %   8.2 %   8.7 %
    ROATCE3   15.0 %   16.4 %   16.0 %   14.1 %   14.9 %
    NIM (FTE)3   3.27 %   3.30 %   3.32 %   3.33 %   3.28 %
    Efficiency ratio3   53.7 %   54.4 %   53.8 %   57.2 %   58.3 %
    NCOs to average loans   0.24 %   0.21 %   0.19 %   0.16 %   0.14 %
    ACL on loans to EOP loans   1.10 %   1.08 %   1.05 %   1.01 %   0.95 %
    ACL4 to EOP loans   1.16 %   1.14 %   1.12 %   1.08 %   1.03 %
    NPLs to EOP loans   1.29 %   1.23 %   1.22 %   0.94 %   0.98 %
    Balance Sheet (EOP)          
    Total loans $ 36,413,944   $ 36,285,887   $ 36,400,643   $ 36,150,513   $ 33,623,319  
    Total assets   53,877,944     53,552,272     53,602,293     53,119,645     49,534,918  
    Total deposits   41,034,572     40,823,560     40,845,746     39,999,228     37,699,418  
    Total borrowed funds   5,447,054     5,411,537     5,449,096     6,085,204     5,331,161  
    Total shareholders’ equity   6,534,654     6,340,350     6,367,298     6,075,072     5,595,408  
    Capital Ratios3          
    Risk-based capital ratios (EOP):          
    Tier 1 common equity   11.62 %   11.38 %   11.00 %   10.73 %   10.76 %
    Tier 1 capital   12.23 %   11.98 %   11.60 %   11.33 %   11.40 %
    Total capital   13.68 %   13.37 %   12.94 %   12.71 %   12.74 %
    Leverage ratio (average assets)   9.44 %   9.21 %   9.05 %   8.90 %   8.96 %
    Equity to assets (averages)   12.01 %   11.78 %   11.60 %   11.31 %   11.32 %
    TCE to TA   7.76 %   7.41 %   7.44 %   6.94 %   6.86 %
    Nonfinancial Data          
    Full-time equivalent employees   4,028     4,066     4,105     4,267     3,955  
    Banking centers   280     280     280     280     258  
    1 Calculated using the federal statutory tax rate in effect of 21% for all periods.    
    2 Cash dividends per common share divided by net income per common share (basic).    
    3 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the “Non-GAAP Measures” table for reconciliations to GAAP financial measures.
        March 31, 2025 capital ratios are preliminary.
    4 Includes the allowance for credit losses on loans and unfunded loan commitments.    
               
    FTE – Fully taxable equivalent basis ROAA – Return on average assets ROAE – Return on average equity ROATCE – Return on average tangible common equity NCOs – Net Charge-offs ACL – Allowance for Credit Losses EOP – End of period actual balances NPLs – Non-performing Loans TCE – Tangible common equity TA – Tangible assets
               
    Income Statement (unaudited)
    ($ and shares in thousands, except per share data)
      Three Months Ended
      March 31, December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31,
        2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
    Interest income $ 630,399   $ 662,082   $ 679,925   $ 663,663   $ 595,981  
    Less: interest expense   242,756     267,902     288,201     275,242     239,523  
    Net interest income   387,643     394,180     391,724     388,421     356,458  
    Provision for credit losses   31,403     27,017     28,497     36,214     18,891  
    Net interest income
    after provision for credit losses    		   356,240     367,163     363,227     352,207     337,567  
    Wealth and investment services fees   29,648     30,012     29,117     29,358     28,304  
    Service charges on deposit accounts   21,156     20,577     20,350     19,350     17,898  
    Debit card and ATM fees   9,991     10,991     11,362     10,993     10,054  
    Mortgage banking revenue   6,879     7,026     7,669     7,064     4,478  
    Capital markets income   4,506     5,244     7,426     4,729     2,900  
    Company-owned life insurance   5,381     6,499     5,315     5,739     3,434  
    Other income   16,309     15,539     12,975     10,036     10,470  
    Debt securities gains (losses), net   (76 )   (122 )   (76 )   2     (16 )
    Total noninterest income   93,794     95,766     94,138     87,271     77,522  
    Salaries and employee benefits   148,305     146,605     147,494     159,193     149,803  
    Occupancy   29,053     29,733     27,130     26,547     27,019  
    Equipment   8,901     9,325     9,888     8,704     8,671  
    Marketing   11,940     12,653     11,036     11,284     10,634  
    Technology   22,020     21,429     23,343     24,002     20,023  
    Communication   4,134     4,176     4,681     4,480     4,000  
    Professional fees   7,919     11,055     7,278     10,552     6,406  
    FDIC assessment   9,700     11,970     11,722     9,676     11,313  
    Amortization of intangibles   6,830     7,237     7,411     7,425     5,455  
    Amortization of tax credit investments   3,424     4,556     3,277     2,747     2,749  
    Other expense   16,245     18,085     19,023     18,389     16,244  
    Total noninterest expense   268,471     276,824     272,283     282,999     262,317  
    Income before income taxes   181,563     186,105     185,082     156,479     152,772  
    Income tax expense   36,904     32,232     41,280     35,250     32,488  
    Net income $ 144,659   $ 153,873   $ 143,802   $ 121,229   $ 120,284  
    Preferred dividends   (4,034 )   (4,034 )   (4,034 )   (4,033 )   (4,034 )
    Net income applicable to common shares $ 140,625   $ 149,839   $ 139,768   $ 117,196   $ 116,250  
               
    EPS, diluted $ 0.44   $ 0.47   $ 0.44   $ 0.37   $ 0.40  
    Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding          
    Basic   315,925     315,673     315,622     315,585     290,980  
    Diluted   321,016     318,803     317,331     316,461     292,207  
    Common shares outstanding (EOP)   319,236     318,980     318,955     318,969     293,330  
               
               
     
    End of Period Balance Sheet (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
      March 31, December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31,
        2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
    Assets          
    Cash and due from banks $ 486,061   $ 394,450   $ 498,120   $ 428,665   $ 350,990  
    Money market and other interest-earning investments   753,719     833,518     693,450     804,381     588,509  
    Investments:          
    Treasury and government-sponsored agencies   2,364,170     2,289,903     2,335,716     2,207,004     2,243,754  
    Mortgage-backed securities   6,458,023     6,175,103     6,085,826     5,890,371     5,566,881  
    States and political subdivisions   1,589,555     1,637,379     1,665,128     1,678,597     1,672,061  
    Other securities   755,348     781,656     783,079     775,623     760,847  
    Total investments   11,167,096     10,884,041     10,869,749     10,551,595     10,243,543  
    Loans held-for-sale, at fair value   40,424     34,483     62,376     66,126     19,418  
    Loans:          
    Commercial   10,650,615     10,288,560     10,408,095     10,332,631     9,648,269  
    Commercial and agriculture real estate   16,135,327     16,307,486     16,356,216     16,016,958     14,653,958  
    Residential real estate   6,771,694     6,797,586     6,757,896     6,894,957     6,661,379  
    Consumer   2,856,308     2,892,255     2,878,436     2,905,967     2,659,713  
    Total loans   36,413,944     36,285,887     36,400,643     36,150,513     33,623,319  
    Allowance for credit losses on loans   (401,932 )   (392,522 )   (380,840 )   (366,335 )   (319,713 )
    Premises and equipment, net   584,664     588,970     599,528     601,945     564,007  
    Goodwill and other intangible assets   2,289,268     2,296,098     2,305,084     2,306,204     2,095,511  
    Company-owned life insurance   859,211     859,851     863,723     862,032     767,423  
    Accrued interest receivable and other assets   1,685,489     1,767,496     1,690,460     1,714,519     1,601,911  
    Total assets $ 53,877,944   $ 53,552,272   $ 53,602,293   $ 53,119,645   $ 49,534,918  
               
    Liabilities and Equity          
    Noninterest-bearing demand deposits $ 9,186,314   $ 9,399,019   $ 9,429,285   $ 9,336,042   $ 9,257,709  
    Interest-bearing:          
    Checking and NOW accounts   7,736,014     7,538,987     7,314,245     7,680,865     7,236,667  
    Savings accounts   4,715,329     4,753,279     4,781,447     4,983,811     5,020,095  
    Money market accounts   11,638,653     11,807,228     11,601,461     10,485,491     10,234,113  
    Other time deposits   6,212,898     5,819,970     6,010,070     5,688,432     4,760,659  
    Total core deposits   39,489,208     39,318,483     39,136,508     38,174,641     36,509,243  
    Brokered deposits   1,545,364     1,505,077     1,709,238     1,824,587     1,190,175  
    Total deposits   41,034,572     40,823,560     40,845,746     39,999,228     37,699,418  
               
    Federal funds purchased and interbank borrowings   170     385     135,263     250,154     50,416  
    Securities sold under agreements to repurchase   290,256     268,975     244,626     240,713     274,493  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances   4,514,354     4,452,559     4,471,153     4,744,560     4,193,039  
    Other borrowings   642,274     689,618     598,054     849,777     813,213  
    Total borrowed funds   5,447,054     5,411,537     5,449,096     6,085,204     5,331,161  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities   861,664     976,825     940,153     960,141     908,931  
    Total liabilities   47,343,290     47,211,922     47,234,995     47,044,573     43,939,510  
    Preferred stock, common stock, surplus, and retained earnings   7,183,163     7,086,393     6,971,054     6,866,480     6,375,036  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax   (648,509 )   (746,043 )   (603,756 )   (791,408 )   (779,628 )
    Total shareholders’ equity   6,534,654     6,340,350     6,367,298     6,075,072     5,595,408  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 53,877,944   $ 53,552,272   $ 53,602,293   $ 53,119,645   $ 49,534,918  
     
                             
    Average Balance Sheet and Interest Rates (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
                             
                             
        Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended
        March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024   March 31, 2024
        Average Income1/ Yield/   Average Income1/ Yield/   Average Income1/ Yield/
    Earning Assets:   Balance Expense Rate   Balance Expense Rate   Balance Expense Rate
    Money market and other interest-earning investments   $ 791,067   $ 8,815 4.52 %   $ 1,072,509   $ 12,843 4.76 %   $ 757,244   $ 9,985 5.30 %
    Investments:                        
    Treasury and government-sponsored agencies     2,318,869     20,019 3.45 %     2,325,120     20,841 3.59 %     2,362,477     23,266 3.94 %
    Mortgage-backed securities     6,287,825     54,523 3.47 %     6,149,775     50,416 3.28 %     5,357,085     38,888 2.90 %
    States and political subdivisions     1,610,819     13,242 3.29 %     1,654,591     13,698 3.31 %     1,680,175     13,976 3.33 %
    Other securities     770,839     10,512 5.45 %     783,708     10,518 5.37 %     770,438     12,173 6.32 %
    Total investments     10,988,352     98,296 3.58 %     10,913,194     95,473 3.50 %     10,170,175     88,303 3.47 %
    Loans:2                        
    Commercial     10,397,991     165,595 6.37 %     10,401,056     176,996 6.81 %     9,540,385     167,263 7.01 %
    Commercial and agriculture real estate     16,213,606     245,935 6.07 %     16,326,802     263,062 6.44 %     14,368,370     230,086 6.41 %
    Residential real estate loans     6,815,091     67,648 3.97 %     6,814,829     68,346 4.01 %     6,693,814     63,003 3.76 %
    Consumer     2,871,213     49,470 6.99 %     2,883,413     51,139 7.06 %     2,645,091     43,594 6.63 %
    Total loans     36,297,901     528,648 5.83 %     36,426,100     559,543 6.14 %     33,247,660     503,946 6.07 %
                             
    Total earning assets   $ 48,077,320   $ 635,759 5.30 %   $ 48,411,803   $ 667,859 5.52 %   $ 44,175,079   $ 602,234 5.46 %
                             
    Less: Allowance for credit losses on loans     (398,765 )         (382,799 )         (313,470 )    
                             
    Non-earning Assets:                        
    Cash and due from banks   $ 372,428         $ 370,932         $ 362,676      
    Other assets     5,394,600           5,402,359           4,961,595      
                             
    Total assets   $ 53,445,583         $ 53,802,295         $ 49,185,880      
                             
    Interest-Bearing Liabilities:                        
    Checking and NOW accounts   $ 7,526,294   $ 23,850 1.29 %   $ 7,338,532   $ 23,747 1.29 %   $ 7,141,201   $ 25,252 1.42 %
    Savings accounts     4,692,239     3,608 0.31 %     4,750,387     4,467 0.37 %     5,025,400     5,017 0.40 %
    Money market accounts     11,664,650     88,381 3.07 %     11,900,305     103,818 3.47 %     9,917,572     94,213 3.82 %
    Other time deposits     5,996,108     56,485 3.82 %     5,985,911     61,679 4.10 %     4,689,136     47,432 4.07 %
    Total interest-bearing core deposits     29,879,291     172,324 2.34 %     29,975,135     193,711 2.57 %     26,773,309     171,914 2.58 %
    Brokered deposits     1,546,756     18,171 4.76 %     1,662,698     21,579 5.16 %     1,047,140     13,525 5.19 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits     31,426,047     190,495 2.46 %     31,637,833     215,290 2.71 %     27,820,449     185,439 2.68 %
                             
    Federal funds purchased and interbank borrowings     148,130     1,625 4.45 %     433     23 21.13 %     69,090     961 5.59 %
    Securities sold under agreements to repurchase     272,961     551 0.82 %     249,133     584 0.93 %     296,236     917 1.25 %
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     4,464,590     41,896 3.81 %     4,461,733     43,788 3.90 %     4,386,492     41,167 3.77 %
    Other borrowings     675,759     8,189 4.91 %     669,580     8,217 4.88 %     825,846     11,039 5.38 %
    Total borrowed funds     5,561,440     52,261 3.81 %     5,380,879     52,612 3.89 %     5,577,664     54,084 3.90 %
                             
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   $ 36,987,487   $ 242,756 2.66 %   $ 37,018,712   $ 267,902 2.88 %   $ 33,398,113   $ 239,523 2.88 %
                             
    Noninterest-Bearing Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity                      
    Demand deposits   $ 9,096,676         $ 9,509,446         $ 9,258,136      
    Other liabilities     944,935           935,184           964,089      
    Shareholders’ equity     6,416,485           6,338,953           5,565,542      
                             
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 53,445,583         $ 53,802,295         $ 49,185,880      
                             
    Net interest rate spread       2.64 %       2.64 %       2.58 %
                             
    Net interest margin (GAAP)       3.23 %       3.26 %       3.23 %
                             
    Net interest margin (FTE)3       3.27 %       3.30 %       3.28 %
                             
    FTE adjustment     $ 5,360       $ 5,777       $ 6,253  
                             
    1 Interest income is reflected on a FTE basis.  
    2 Includes loans held-for-sale.  
    3 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the “Non-GAAP Measures” table for reconciliations to GAAP financial measures.  
     
               
    Asset Quality (EOP) (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
               
      Three Months Ended
      March 31, December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31,
        2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
    Allowance for credit losses:          
    Beginning allowance for credit losses on loans $ 392,522   $ 380,840   $ 366,335   $ 319,713   $ 307,610  
    Allowance established for acquired PCD loans   —     —     2,803     23,922     —  
    Provision for credit losses on loans   31,026     30,417     29,176     36,745     23,853  
    Gross charge-offs   (24,540 )   (21,278 )   (18,965 )   (17,041 )   (14,020 )
    Gross recoveries   2,924     2,543     1,491     2,996     2,270  
    NCOs   (21,616 )   (18,735 )   (17,474 )   (14,045 )   (11,750 )
    Ending allowance for credit losses on loans $ 401,932   $ 392,522   $ 380,840   $ 366,335   $ 319,713  
    Beginning allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments $ 21,654   $ 25,054   $ 25,733   $ 26,264   $ 31,226  
    Provision (release) for credit losses on unfunded commitments   377     (3,400 )   (679 )   (531 )   (4,962 )
    Ending allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments $ 22,031   $ 21,654   $ 25,054   $ 25,733   $ 26,264  
    Allowance for credit losses $ 423,963   $ 414,176   $ 405,894   $ 392,068   $ 345,977  
    Provision for credit losses on loans $ 31,026   $ 30,417   $ 29,176   $ 36,745   $ 23,853  
    Provision (release) for credit losses on unfunded commitments   377     (3,400 )   (679 )   (531 )   (4,962 )
    Provision for credit losses $ 31,403   $ 27,017   $ 28,497   $ 36,214   $ 18,891  
    NCOs / average loans1   0.24 %   0.21 %   0.19 %   0.16 %   0.14 %
    Average loans1 $ 36,284,059   $ 36,410,414   $ 36,299,544   $ 36,053,845   $ 33,242,739  
    EOP loans1   36,413,944     36,285,887     36,400,643     36,150,513     33,623,319  
    ACL on loans / EOP loans1   1.10 %   1.08 %   1.05 %   1.01 %   0.95 %
    ACL / EOP loans1   1.16 %   1.14 %   1.12 %   1.08 %   1.03 %
    Underperforming Assets:          
    Loans 90 days and over (still accruing) $ 6,757   $ 4,060   $ 1,177   $ 5,251   $ 2,172  
    Nonaccrual loans   469,211     447,979     443,597     340,181     328,645  
    Foreclosed assets   6,301     4,294     4,077     8,290     9,344  
    Total underperforming assets $ 482,269   $ 456,333   $ 448,851   $ 353,722   $ 340,161  
    Classified and Criticized Assets:          
    Nonaccrual loans $ 469,211   $ 447,979   $ 443,597   $ 340,181   $ 328,645  
    Substandard loans (still accruing)   1,479,630     1,073,413     1,074,243     841,087     626,157  
    Loans 90 days and over (still accruing)   6,757     4,060     1,177     5,251     2,172  
    Total classified loans – “problem loans”   1,955,598     1,525,452     1,519,017     1,186,519     956,974  
    Other classified assets   53,239     58,954     59,485     60,772     54,392  
    Special Mention   828,314     908,630     837,543     967,655     827,419  
    Total classified and criticized assets $ 2,837,151   $ 2,493,036   $ 2,416,045   $ 2,214,946   $ 1,838,785  
    Loans 30-89 days past due (still accruing) $ 72,517   $ 93,141   $ 91,750   $ 51,712   $ 53,112  
    Nonaccrual loans / EOP loans1   1.29 %   1.23 %   1.22 %   0.94 %   0.98 %
    ACL / nonaccrual loans   90 %   92 %   92 %   115 %   105 %
    Under-performing assets/EOP loans1   1.32 %   1.26 %   1.23 %   0.98 %   1.01 %
    Under-performing assets/EOP assets   0.90 %   0.85 %   0.84 %   0.67 %   0.69 %
    30+ day delinquencies/EOP loans1   0.22 %   0.27 %   0.26 %   0.16 %   0.16 %
               
    1 Excludes loans held-for-sale.      
               

            

            

               
    Non-GAAP Measures (unaudited)
    ($ and shares in thousands, except per share data)
               
      Three Months Ended
      March 31, December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31,
        2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
    Earnings Per Share:          
    Net income applicable to common shares $ 140,625   $ 149,839   $ 139,768   $ 117,196   $ 116,250  
    Adjustments:          
    Merger-related charges   5,856     8,117     6,860     19,440     2,908  
    Tax effect1   (1,089 )   (2,058 )   (1,528 )   (4,413 )   (710 )
    Merger-related charges, net   4,767     6,059     5,332     15,027     2,198  
    Debt securities (gains) losses   76     122     76     (2 )   16  
    Tax effect1   (14 )   (31 )   (17 )   1     (4 )
    Debt securities (gains) losses, net   62     91     59     (1 )   12  
    Separation expense   —     —     2,646     —     —  
    Tax effect1   —     —     (589 )   —     —  
    Separation expense, net   —     —     2,057     —     —  
    CECL Day 1 non-PCD provision expense   —     —     —     15,312     —  
    Tax effect1   —     —     —     (3,476 )   —  
    CECL Day 1 non-PCD provision expense, net   —     —     —     11,836     —  
    Distribution of excess pension assets   —     —     —     —     13,318  
    Tax effect1   —     —     —     —     (3,250 )
    Distribution excess pension assets, net   —     —     —     —     10,068  
    FDIC special assessment   —     —     —     —     2,994  
    Tax effect1   —     —     —     —     (731 )
    FDIC special assessment, net   —     —     —     —     2,263  
    Total adjustments, net   4,829     6,150     7,448     26,862     14,541  
    Net income applicable to common shares, adjusted $ 145,454   $ 155,989   $ 147,216   $ 144,058   $ 130,791  
    Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding   321,016     318,803     317,331     316,461     292,207  
    EPS, diluted $ 0.44   $ 0.47   $ 0.44   $ 0.37   $ 0.40  
    Adjusted EPS, diluted $ 0.45   $ 0.49   $ 0.46   $ 0.46   $ 0.45  
    NIM:          
    Net interest income $ 387,643   $ 394,180   $ 391,724   $ 388,421   $ 356,458  
    Add: FTE adjustment2   5,360     5,777     6,144     6,340     6,253  
    Net interest income (FTE) $ 393,003   $ 399,957   $ 397,868   $ 394,761   $ 362,711  
    Average earning assets $ 48,077,320   $ 48,411,803   $ 47,905,463   $ 47,406,849   $ 44,175,079  
    NIM (GAAP)   3.23 %   3.26 %   3.27 %   3.28 %   3.23 %
    NIM (FTE)   3.27 %   3.30 %   3.32 %   3.33 %   3.28 %
               
    Refer to last page of Non-GAAP reconciliations for footnotes.      
               
    Non-GAAP Measures (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
               
      Three Months Ended
      March 31, December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31,
        2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
    PPNR:          
    Net interest income (FTE)2 $ 393,003   $ 399,957   $ 397,868   $ 394,761   $ 362,711  
    Add: Noninterest income   93,794     95,766     94,138     87,271     77,522  
    Total revenue (FTE)   486,797     495,723     492,006     482,032     440,233  
    Less: Noninterest expense   (268,471 )   (276,824 )   (272,283 )   (282,999 )   (262,317 )
    PPNR $ 218,326   $ 218,899   $ 219,723   $ 199,033   $ 177,916  
    Adjustments:          
    Debt securities (gains) losses $ 76   $ 122   $ 76   $ (2 ) $ 16  
    Noninterest income adjustments   76     122     76     (2 )   16  
    Adjusted noninterest income   93,870     95,888     94,214     87,269     77,538  
    Adjusted revenue $ 486,873   $ 495,845   $ 492,082   $ 482,030   $ 440,249  
    Adjustments:          
    Merger-related charges $ 5,856   $ 8,117   $ 6,860   $ 19,440   $ 2,908  
    Separation expense   —     —     2,646     —     —  
    Distribution of excess pension assets   —     —     —     —     13,318  
    FDIC Special Assessment   —     —     —     —     2,994  
    Noninterest expense adjustments   5,856     8,117     9,506     19,440     19,220  
    Adjusted total noninterest expense   (262,615 )   (268,707 )   (262,777 )   (263,559 )   (243,097 )
    Adjusted PPNR $ 224,258   $ 227,138   $ 229,305   $ 218,471   $ 197,152  
    Efficiency Ratio:          
    Noninterest expense $ 268,471   $ 276,824   $ 272,283   $ 282,999   $ 262,317  
    Less: Amortization of intangibles   (6,830 )   (7,237 )   (7,411 )   (7,425 )   (5,455 )
    Noninterest expense, excl. amortization of intangibles   261,641     269,587     264,872     275,574     256,862  
    Less: Amortization of tax credit investments   (3,424 )   (4,556 )   (3,277 )   (2,747 )   (2,749 )
    Less: Noninterest expense adjustments   (5,856 )   (8,117 )   (9,506 )   (19,440 )   (19,220 )
    Adjusted noninterest expense, excluding amortization $ 252,361   $ 256,914   $ 252,089   $ 253,387   $ 234,893  
    Total revenue (FTE)2 $ 486,797   $ 495,723   $ 492,006   $ 482,032   $ 440,233  
    Less: Debt securities (gains) losses   76     122     76     (2 )   16  
    Total adjusted revenue $ 486,873   $ 495,845   $ 492,082   $ 482,030   $ 440,249  
    Efficiency Ratio   53.7 %   54.4 %   53.8 %   57.2 %   58.3 %
    Adjusted Efficiency Ratio   51.8 %   51.8 %   51.2 %   52.6 %   53.4 %
               
    Refer to last page of Non-GAAP reconciliations for footnotes.      
               
    Non-GAAP Measures (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
               
      Three Months Ended
      March 31, December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31,
        2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
    ROAE and ROATCE:          
    Net income applicable to common shares $ 140,625   $ 149,839   $ 139,768   $ 117,196   $ 116,250  
    Amortization of intangibles   6,830     7,237     7,411     7,425     5,455  
    Tax effect1   (1,708 )   (1,809 )   (1,853 )   (1,856 )   (1,364 )
    Amortization of intangibles, net   5,122     5,428     5,558     5,569     4,091  
    Net income applicable to common shares, excluding intangibles amortization   145,747     155,267     145,326     122,765     120,341  
    Total adjustments, net (see pg.12)   4,829     6,150     7,448     26,862     14,541  
    Adjusted net income applicable to common shares, excluding intangibles amortization $ 150,576   $ 161,417   $ 152,774   $ 149,627   $ 134,882  
    Average shareholders’ equity $ 6,416,485   $ 6,338,953   $ 6,190,071   $ 5,978,976   $ 5,565,542  
    Less: Average preferred equity   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )
    Average shareholders’ common equity $ 6,172,766   $ 6,095,234   $ 5,946,352   $ 5,735,257   $ 5,321,823  
    Average goodwill and other intangible assets   (2,292,526 )   (2,301,177 )   (2,304,597 )   (2,245,405 )   (2,098,338 )
    Average tangible shareholder’s common equity $ 3,880,240   $ 3,794,057   $ 3,641,755   $ 3,489,852   $ 3,223,485  
    ROAE   9.1 %   9.8 %   9.4 %   8.2 %   8.7 %
    ROAE, adjusted   9.4 %   10.2 %   9.9 %   10.0 %   9.8 %
    ROATCE   15.0 %   16.4 %   16.0 %   14.1 %   14.9 %
    ROATCE, adjusted   15.5 %   17.0 %   16.8 %   17.1 %   16.7 %
               
    Refer to last page of Non-GAAP reconciliations for footnotes.      
               
    Non-GAAP Measures (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
               
      As of
      March 31, December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31,
        2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
    Tangible Common Equity:          
    Shareholders’ equity $ 6,534,654   $ 6,340,350   $ 6,367,298   $ 6,075,072   $ 5,595,408  
    Less: Preferred equity   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )
    Shareholders’ common equity $ 6,290,935   $ 6,096,631   $ 6,123,579   $ 5,831,353   $ 5,351,689  
    Less: Goodwill and other intangible assets   (2,289,268 )   (2,296,098 )   (2,305,084 )   (2,306,204 )   (2,095,511 )
    Tangible shareholders’ common equity $ 4,001,667   $ 3,800,533   $ 3,818,495   $ 3,525,149   $ 3,256,178  
               
    Total assets $ 53,877,944   $ 53,552,272   $ 53,602,293   $ 53,119,645   $ 49,534,918  
    Less: Goodwill and other intangible assets   (2,289,268 )   (2,296,098 )   (2,305,084 )   (2,306,204 )   (2,095,511 )
    Tangible assets $ 51,588,676   $ 51,256,174   $ 51,297,209   $ 50,813,441   $ 47,439,407  
               
    Risk-weighted assets3 $ 40,266,670   $ 40,314,805   $ 40,584,608   $ 40,627,117   $ 37,845,139  
               
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets   7.76 %   7.41 %   7.44 %   6.94 %   6.86 %
    Tangible common equity to risk-weighted assets3   9.94 %   9.43 %   9.41 %   8.68 %   8.60 %
    Tangible Common Book Value:          
    Common shares outstanding   319,236     318,980     318,955     318,969     293,330  
    Tangible common book value $ 12.54   $ 11.91   $ 11.97   $ 11.05   $ 11.10  
               
    1 Tax-effect calculations use management’s estimate of the full year FTE tax rates (federal + state).
    2 Calculated using the federal statutory tax rate in effect of 21% for all periods.
    3 March 31, 2025 figures are preliminary.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: UPAY Inc. – AML GO Accelerates Growth with 30 New Clients in two weeks

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AML GO (Pty) Ltd (“AML GO”), a subsidiary of UPAY Inc. (OTCQB: UPYY) and a leading provider of advanced anti-money laundering (AML) and compliance technologies, is proud to announce a major growth milestone in its mission to revolutionize financial crime risk management.

    In just under two weeks, AML GO has successfully onboarded 30 new clients, a surge directly driven by its strategic integration and partnership with ACPAS, UPAY’s loan management software platform. The newly onboarded clients represent institutions that utilize ACPAS’s platform—demonstrating the power of embedding compliance at the core of financial software solutions.

    “These results show how embedding AML technology into financial systems like ACPAS creates immediate value for clients,” said Mia-Daniel Bester, Fintech Compliance Associate at AML GO. “It’s not just a growth milestone—it’s a validation of our embedded compliance strategy.”

    Strategic Expansion through Group Partnerships

    In addition to the ACPAS-led client onboarding, AML GO has secured two pivotal group partnerships:

    • A Group Reseller Partner in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, allowing AML GO to expand its geographic footprint with tailored regulatory solutions for each country in the bloc.
    • A Group Client Partner that is rolling out AML GO across multiple businesses within its structure. These businesses, in turn, are extending the platform to their own client bases—creating a self-propagating ecosystem of compliance.

    These relationships are designed to scale AML GO’s impact and foster sector-wide adoption of robust AML technologies.

    Advancing Industry Dialogue: Upcoming Regulatory Engagements

    AML GO is preparing to present its compliance solutions to two influential stakeholders in the coming week:

    • The Micro Finance Association of South Africa (MFSA)
    • The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) – Regulator of South Africa

    These sessions will spotlight AML GO’s innovative approach to mitigating money laundering (ML), terrorist financing (TF), and poor risk decision-making—while helping institutions fulfil regulatory obligations with greater efficiency.

    About AML GO

    AML GO (Pty) Ltd provides automated-rule-driven AML compliance, screening, credit vetting, and risk management tools. Focused on usability, scalability, and precision, AML GO helps financial institutions and other accountable institutions prevent financial crime and maintain operational integrity across Africa and beyond.

    www.amlgo.co.za

    About ACPAS

    ACPAS, a subsidiary of UPAY Inc., is a leading provider of loan management software in South Africa. With a track record of innovation since 2012, ACPAS serves financial institutions with cutting-edge credit solutions, making it the ideal partner for integrated compliance deployments.

    www.acpas.co.za

    About UPAY

    UPAY Inc. is a publicly traded fintech holding company that invests in financial software platforms and data intelligence tools. Through its subsidiaries—including AML GO, ACPAS and HUNTPAL—UPAY delivers solutions that bridge compliance, automation, and user experience.

    www.upaytechnology.com

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under applicable securities laws. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements because of new information, future events, or other circumstances. No information in this publication should be interpreted as any indication whatsoever of the Company’s future revenues, results of operations, or stock price.

    Contact Information
    UPAY INC.
    Media Relations
    info@upaytechnology.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Publication of eQ Plc’s Q1 2025 interim report and invitation to result presentation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    eQ Plc Investor news
    22 April 2025, at 1:30 p.m.

    eQ Plc will publish its Q1 2025 interim report on Tuesday 29 April 2025 at around 8:00 a.m. eQ will present the result to press, investors and analysts in a press conference to be held on 29 April 2025 at 10:00 a.m. The press conference will held at eQ’s head office in Helsinki, address Aleksanterinkatu 19, 5th floor, 00100 Helsinki and it is also possible to participate via webcast. The webcast participation requires a registration.

    The press conference will be held in Finnish. The presentation material can be viewed at eQ’s website after the press conference has begun. To join the press conference, please register with Kira.Johansson@eQ.fi.

    eQ Plc

    Additional information: Antti Lyytikäinen, CFO, tel. +358 9 6817 8741

    Distribution: Nasdaq Helsinki, www.eQ.fi, media

    eQ is a Finnish group of companies specialising in asset management and corporate finance business. eQ Asset Management offers a wide range of asset management services (including private equity funds and real estate asset management) for institutions and individuals. The assets managed by the group total approximately EUR 13.4 billion. Advium Corporate Finance, which is part of the group, offers services related to mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions and equity capital markets. The share of the group’s parent company eQ Plc is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. More information about the group is available on our website at www.eQ.fi.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-Ukraine TechBridge Industry Second Steering Board Communiqué

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    UK-Ukraine TechBridge Industry Second Steering Board Communiqué

    The Industry Steering Board for UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20 March 2025.

    The Industry Steering Board for the UK-Ukraine TechBridge met on 20th March 2025. The meeting was hybrid with UK board members attending from techUK’s office, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD and Ukrainian board members from British Embassy Kyiv. 

    The meeting was co-chaired by Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation Oleksandr Bornyakov and UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Services, Small Business and Exports Gareth Thomas MP. 

    The Board meeting was attended by: 

    Vladimir Mnogoletniy CEO Genesis
    Valery Krasovsky CEO Sigma Software
    Marta Romaniak VP Avenga
    Andrew Pavliv CEO N-iX
    Liam Maxwell Director, Government Transformation Amazon Web Services
    Matt Evans Director of Markets techUK
    Eric van der Kleij Co-founder EdenBase
    Simon Godfrey Senior Director of External Engagement & Business Growth BT

     The Board reviewed progress under the UK-Ukraine TechBridge initiative over the last six months, noting key achievements such as the significant investment generated by Ukrainian SMEs who developed their knowledge of UK markets during participation in the UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator.  

    The discussions focused on fostering deeper UK-Ukraine collaboration in technology while exploring opportunities for strengthening public-private partnerships. Core themes addressed included: 

    • Enhancing connections between UK and Ukrainian businesses. 

    • Driving investment and trade through platforms like Code.UA. 

    • Promoting technology innovations through future TechBridge events. 

    Deputy Minister Bornyakov shared plans for Ukrainian representation at London Tech Week, including a Ukraine Pavilion.  

    Follow-up actions were identified, including preparations for London Tech Week and Lviv IT Arena, promotion of Code.UA as a platform for connecting UK businesses with Ukrainian IT companies, and facilitating sponsorships for upcoming events. The Board remains committed to leveraging the UK-Ukraine TechBridge to drive innovation, trade, and investment. 

    The Board will reconvene within the next six months. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government launches Financial Services Competitiveness Programme22 April 2025 The Government of Jersey has launched its Financial Services Competitiveness Programme, a major strategic initiative aimed at strengthening Jersey’s position as a globally attractive and forward-looking… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    22 April 2025

    The Government of Jersey has launched its Financial Services Competitiveness Programme, a major strategic initiative aimed at strengthening Jersey’s position as a globally attractive and forward-looking International Finance Centre (IFC). 

    This comprehensive programme is designed to support and enhance Jersey’s financial and related professional services (FRPS) sector – the Island’s largest employer and the most significant contributor to tax revenues that fund public services. It brings together several government departments, the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC), Jersey Finance, Digital Jersey, and representatives from across the financial and professional services industry.  

    The Financial Services Competitiveness Programme will deliver clear, actionable recommendations focused on improving Jersey’s regulatory and business environment, enhancing its global positioning, and preparing the sector for future opportunities and challenges.  

    The programme is governed by a Ministerial Working Group, chaired by the Minister for External Relations with responsibility for Financial Services, Depuy Ian Gorst, with the Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andrew McLaughlin, acting as the Senior Responsible Officer. They will be supported by a cross-government team of officials. 

    Deputy Ian Gorst said: “Jersey’s financial services industry is a key growth engine of our economy. It is central to Jersey’s prosperity and our ability to reinvest in and regenerate the Island. Through the Financial Services Competitiveness Programme, we are setting out a bold, coordinated plan to ensure Jersey remains an attractive, agile, and forward-looking International Finance Centre. 

    “This initiative shows that we are not content to stand still – we are proactively investing in the Island’s future, and working in partnership across government, industry, and the regulator to deliver sustainable, long-term success. 

    “Jersey has a proud 60-year history as a trusted, stable, and innovative IFC. However, global economic shifts, regulatory changes, tax policy evolution, Brexit, post-pandemic recovery, and rapid technological advancement mean that IFCs around the world – including Jersey – must continuously adapt to stay competitive. The Financial Services Competitiveness Programme is Jersey’s response: a future-focused, evidence-led strategy to sustain and expand the Island’s most vital economic sector.” 

    Programme structure and key workstreams 

    The programme is built around four core workstreams, which will be managed in a phased approach.  

    • International Tax Strategy – Led by Revenue Jersey, this will focus on maintaining Jersey’s strong position through a forward-looking tax policy. 
    • Business & Regulatory Environment – Led jointly by the Government and the JFSC, this aims to improve the ease of doing business, delivering quick-win reforms as well as medium- and long-term changes to enhance the Island’s appeal to global investors. 
    • External Growth Strategy – A global market analysis to inform Jersey’s external engagement strategy, identifying future value pools and Jersey’s competitive ​positioning, led by the Government with expert support from Jersey Finance Ltd. 
    • Future Competitiveness & Regulation – Bringing together insights from all workstreams, this phase will culminate in a report by an independent panel of global experts. 

    The first phase, which is underway already, will focus on improvements to Jersey’s business and regulatory environment. This will involve making positive changes to improve the ease of doing business and to help maintain and grow the Island’s FRPS sector as it competes in the market today. As recent global economic volatility has demonstrated, it is more important than ever that Jersey invests in optimising its business and regulatory environment to increase its competitive edge. 

    The Government will publish a report on progress in delivering the programme together with an action plan on next steps in spring 2026. 

    Industry engagement 

    The Government will engage regularly with stakeholders through: 

    • Industry events and “roundtable” discussions 
    • Updates at Financial Services Advisory Board meetings 
    • Briefings for States Members and Scrutiny Panels 
    • Ongoing consultation and feedback channels 

    Stakeholders are encouraged to engage with the programme team via growthfs@gov.je. 

     

    More information is available on the Government of Jersey website: Financial services competitiveness programme 

    ​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Equinor ASA: Notice of annual general meeting 14 May 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The annual general meeting of Equinor ASA (OSE: EQNR, NYSE: EQNR) will be held Wednesday 14 May 2025 at 15:00 CEST. The annual general meeting will be held in Equinor Business Center, Forusbeen 50, 4035 Stavanger for those attending in person and via Lumi AGM for those attending digitally.

    Voting will be carried out electronically via Lumi AGM for all shareholders. It is also possible to vote in advance or give proxy.

    Please see detailed information in the attached notice of the annual general meeting.

    Further information is also to be found on www.equinor.com/agm
    (http://www.equinor.com/agm)

    • Investor contact: Erik Gonder
      +47 995 62 611
      ergon@equinor.com

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BEN Launches “iSKYE” AI Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WILMINGTON, Del., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brand Engagement Network Inc. (BEN) (Nasdaq: BNAI), a global innovator in AI-driven customer engagement solutions, announces the Generally Available (GA) release of its iSKYE platform to enable businesses to quickly deploy and scale customized AI solutions with enterprise grade security, flexibility and control.

    Why iSKYE? Transforming AI Integration and Scalability for Businesses

    iSKYE is a new approach to AI Agent development by combining industry-specific training, robust full-stack platform, and scalable deployment. It enables businesses to regain control of their AI projects, build secure, relevant engagement solutions, and accelerate time to value. Whether it’s sharing healthcare information or receiving relevant offers from favorite brands, BEN’s new iSKYE platform individualizes each engagement vs. LLMs delivering generic responses.

    “Businesses are quickly learning that sole reliance on large language models (LLMs) is not sufficient to ensure appropriate engagement with the users,” said Paul Chang, CEO of Brand Engagement Network. “LLMs are important components of GenAI but they are prone to hallucinations and inappropriate responses. iSKYE is the result of BEN’s multi-year effort to evolve a set of orchestrated AI modules from its original SKYE AI Agents(1)into a robust turnkey GenAI platform. iSKYE provides businesses with the ability for its users to have personalized and natural dialogue with the AI Agents while injecting process control and management to the interactions.”

    Key platform features include:

    • Proprietary, Industry-Specific Design – iSKYE leverages several AI modules, industry-specific datasets to fine-tune its model, optimized Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture, and most importantly, to mitigate hallucinations. This novel architecture facilitates injection of business rules in the response generation process to ensure proper procedures, protocols, and adherence to business processes.
    • Small Footprint for Cost-Effective Deployment – iSKYE’s small footprint architecture allows for more efficient deployment with lower infrastructure and operational costs. It can run on CPUs, reducing energy consumption while maintaining performance and scalability, making AI more accessible without compromising user experience.
    • Scalable, Adaptable Architecture for Seamless Integration – iSKYE integrates with existing workflows and legacy enterprise systems, supporting high-precision, industry-specific applications across sectors like healthcare, finance, and automotive. Its scalable design allows AI solutions to evolve alongside business needs, automating routine tasks to support teams and improve operational efficiency.
    • Fully Customizable AI Agent – With iSKYE’s built-in graphics studio, businesses can design lifelike 3D AI avatars tailored to their exact needs. From appearance, to gestures, to speech tone, every agent feature is configurable to align with brand goals and deliver a personalized customer experience.
    • Enterprise-Grade Security and Compliance – iSKYE’s closed-loop system ensures HIPAA and SOC2 compliance on U.S.-based cloud servers. The platform supports on-premise deployment and even offline usage, providing businesses assurance on data security and regulatory compliance.

    Looking ahead, BEN plans to expand the iSKYE platform with additional industry-specific solutions, white-label offerings, OEM partnerships, and plug-in modules to further enhance its flexibility and functionality. We believe these innovations will help businesses unlock ever greater potential and drive more impactful AI-driven engagement across various sectors.

    (1)SKYE AI Agents were developed by Deep Machine Lab (DMLAB), which was acquired by BEN in 2023.

    About Brand Engagement Network (BEN)
    Brand Engagement Network Inc. (NASDAQ: BNAI) innovates in AI-powered customer engagement by delivering safe, intelligent, and scalable solutions. Its proprietary Engagement Language Model (ELM™) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture enable highly personalized interactions supported by customers’ curated data in closed-loop environments. BEN develops AI-driven engagement solutions for the life sciences, automotive, and retail industries, featuring AI-powered avatars for outbound campaigns, inbound customer service, and real-time recommendations. With a global AI research and development team, BEN provides secure cloud-based and on-premises deployments, granting complete control of the technology stack and ensuring compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and SOC 2 Type 1 standards. The company holds 21 patents, with 28 pending, demonstrating its commitment to advancing AI-driven consumer engagement. For more information, visit www.beninc.ai.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this communication are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws. They are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect, among other things, BEN’s current expectations, assumptions, plans, strategies, and anticipated results. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements, which are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.

    There are a number of risks, uncertainties and conditions that may cause BEN’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A of Risk Factors in BEN’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the other risk factors identified from time to time in the BEN’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

    Many of these circumstances are beyond BEN’s ability to control or predict. These forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions on BEN’s part. These forward-looking statements may include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “would,” or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on BEN’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements that appear throughout this communication. Furthermore, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to the Company and speak only as of the date they are made. BEN disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements.

    Media Contact 
    Amy Rouyer
    P: 503-367-7596
    E: amy@beninc.ai

    Investor Relations
    Susan Xu
    P: 778-323-0959
    E: sxu@allianceadvisors.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Enerflex Ltd. Confirms Search for New Independent Director and Announces Timing of First Quarter Release

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Enerflex Ltd. (TSX: EFX) (NYSE: EFXT) (“Enerflex” or the “Company”) today confirmed that, consistent with good corporate governance, it intends to initiate a search this year for a qualified independent director. The Board also announced that it is committed to achieve at least 30% gender diversity on the Board on or before the Company’s 2026 annual meeting.

    Q1 Earnings Release

    Enerflex plans to release its financial results and operating highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2025, prior to market open on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Results will be communicated by news release and will be available on the Company’s website at www.enerflex.com and under the electronic profile of the Company on SEDAR+ and EDGAR at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov/edgar, respectively.

    Investors, analysts, members of the media, and other interested parties, are invited to listen to or participate in a conference call and audio webcast on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. (MDT), where members of senior management will discuss the Company’s results. A question-and-answer period will follow.

    Those wishing to listen or participate may register at https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIbf48293aea6d4b518127ab7e050c6058. Once registered, participants will receive the dial-in numbers and a unique PIN to enter the call. The audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Enerflex website at www.enerflex.com under the Investors section or can be accessed directly at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/oqas9bdk.

    ADVISORY REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and “forward-looking statements” (and together with “forward-looking information”, “FLI”) within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are FLI. The use of any of the words “intend”, “may”, “plan”, “will”, and similar expressions, are intended to identify FLI. In particular, this news release includes (without limitation) FLI and statements pertaining to the intention and ability of the Company to achieve at least 30% gender diversity on the Board on or before the Company’s 2026 annual meeting and the Company’s expectation to release its financial results and operating highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2025, prior to market open on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

    FLI reflects management’s current beliefs and assumptions with respect to such things as the impact of general economic conditions; commodity prices; the markets in which Enerflex’s products and services are used; general industry conditions, forecasts, and trends; changes to, and introduction of new, governmental regulations, laws, and income taxes; increased competition; availability of qualified personnel; political unrest and geopolitical conditions; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Enerflex. More specifically, Enerflex’s expectations in respect of its FLI are based on a number of assumptions, estimates and projections developed based on past experience and anticipated trends including that the Company will be successful in recruiting a qualified independent director within the stipulated timeframe. As a result of the foregoing, actual results, performance, or achievements of Enerflex could differ and such differences could be material from those expressed in, or implied by, the FLI. The principal risks, uncertainties and other factors affecting Enerflex and its business are identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in: (i) Enerflex’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, dated February 27, 2025; and (ii) Enerflex’s Annual Report dated February 26, 2025, copies of which are available under the electronic profile of the Company on SEDAR+ and EDGAR at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov/edgar, respectively.

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The FLI included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and are based on the information available to the Company at such time and, other than as required by law, Enerflex disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any FLI, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. This news release and its contents should not be construed, under any circumstances, as investment, tax, or legal advice.

    ABOUT ENERFLEX
    Enerflex is a premier integrated global provider of energy infrastructure and energy transition solutions, deploying natural gas, low-carbon, and treated water solutions – from individual, modularized products and services to integrated custom solutions. With over 4,600 engineers, manufacturers, technicians, and innovators, Enerflex is bound together by a shared vision: Transforming Energy for a Sustainable Future. The Company remains committed to the future of natural gas and the critical role it plays, while focused on sustainability offerings to support the energy transition and growing decarbonization efforts.

    Enerflex’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “EFX” and on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “EFXT”. For more information about Enerflex, visit www.enerflex.com.

    For investor and media enquiries, contact:

    Preet S. Dhindsa
    President and Chief Executive Officer (Interim)
    E-mail: PDhindsa@enerflex.com

    Joe Ladouceur
    Chief Financial Officer (Interim)
    E-mail: JLadouceur@enerflex.com

    Jeff Fetterly
    Vice President, Corporate Development and Capital Markets
    E-mail: JFetterly@enerflex.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NNN Community RelauNNNch: A New Era Begins on Base

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NNN, the decentralized security and community-powered ecosystem, has officially launched its presale and begun its migration to the Base blockchain. This strategic move marks a new chapter for the project, with revamped tokenomics, staking rewards, a dynamic Karma system, and a complete brand refresh designed for Web3-native users and builders.

    Migration to Base: A strategic shift

    The relaunch centers around a full transition from BNB Chain to Base, one of the fastest-growing L2 ecosystems. By leveraging Base’s infrastructure, NNN gains access to deeper liquidity, higher performance, and broader ecosystem support.

    ‘Base gives us the composability, credibility, and developer network to scale but more importantly, it enables seamless 0-gas transactions within the NNN ecosystem. That’s a key UX advantage for our tools and staking flows.’

    • Lukas Balga, Co-founder of the NNN Community

    The migration is already underway. A snapshot was taken on Dec 24, 2024, and eligible holders of the old NNN token can now begin the swap process through the official portal. Migration is open until Dec 31, 2026, with a favorable MC-based swap rate and the option to send new tokens to a fresh Base wallet for privacy and security.

    Tokenomics & presale details

    The new NNN token has a total supply of 4.2 billion, with structured vesting and allocation designed to support long-term value creation. The presale is split across 7 rounds, each with increasing price and a 3-month cliff + 12-month linear vesting.

    Early supporters gain priority access and discounted rates starting at $0.006. The public round will offer 420M tokens (10% of supply) at $0.01429 with no vesting fully unlocked at TGE.

    Presale funds will be allocated across key pillars:

    • 35.54% to liquidity provisioning on DEXs
    • 32.46% to marketing & community growth
    • 16% to CEX listing support
    • 8% to development
    • 8% to reserves

    What’s New in NNN?

    The relaunch is more than a chain migratio, it’s a full upgrade of the ecosystem:

    • Karma System: A unique engagement layer that rewards active contributors with early unlocks and USDC bonuses.
    • Staking Rewards: Up to 25% bonus on top of base APR for long-term stakers, with flexible lock options and full Karma integration.
    • Ambassador Program: A tiered contributor system rewarding memes, threads, infographics, and community education with seasonal point-based token rewards.
    • Affiliate & KOL Structure: Performance-based incentives in USDC for community shillers and macro influencers alike.
    • No Transaction Fees: Unlike the previous token version, NNN eliminates tax mechanics, increasing CEX compatibility and user-friendliness.
    • Proxy-Based Smart Contracts: Upgradeability is now built-in via audited proxy contracts, ensuring long-term flexibility without needing future migrations.

    Ecosystem Alignment & Revenue Streams

    Every product within the NNN ecosystem directly supports token value:

    • GuardiaNNN.ai (20% revenue → staking rewards + Karma)
    • SigNNNal (30% revenue → staking + Karma)
    • Republeague (5% revenue → staking + Karma)

    A portion of these earnings is used to buy back and stake NNN tokens, while an equivalent amount in USDC funds community Karma rewards, establishing a recurring value loop.

    Brand Refresh and Identity Update

    The relaunch is also a chance to reshape how NNN shows up to the world.The updated branding introduces a more relatable tone and refreshed visual style – aiming to strike a balance between professionalism and community appeal, with aesthetics rooted in Web3 culture.

    This identity refresh will roll out across the presale website, social channels, and campaign materials, culminating in a new launch narrative that’s designed with the community, for the community.

    About NNN

    NNN is a decentralized Web3 ecosystem focused on blockchain security, community infrastructure, and open participation. Through smart contract tools, contributor programs, and user-friendly staking systems, NNN empowers users to build, audit, and earn – all while staying aligned with the values of decentralization.

    With its move to Base, NNN sets the foundation for long-term growth and mass adoption through transparent governance, sustainable tokenomics, and community-first design.

    Useful Links:

    Contact:
    Lukas Balga
    Info@nnn-community.com

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by NNN.. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/be03029f-f3c0-48d3-8b17-859e9ce23f6a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Brazilian teak plantation investments boss banned after customers lost more than £8.5 million

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Brazilian teak plantation investments boss banned after customers lost more than £8.5 million

    Director banned following Insolvency Service investigation into sale of investment bonds

    • Guy Conroy was a director of Green IS Group Limited and GIS Forestry Limited, which offered customers the opportunity to invest in teak trees on plantations in Brazil 

    • Conroy allowed Green IS Group and GIS Forestry to mislead their customers, breaching contractual obligations in the process 

    • At least £8.525 million was owed to investors when the companies went into liquidation in March 2022 

    The director of two companies which claimed to run teak plantations in Brazil has been banned after investors lost more than £8.5 million. 

    Guy Conroy, 57, was the director of Green IS Group Limited and GIS Forestry Limited which offered customers the opportunity to invest in teak trees on its plantations. 

    Conroy allowed the companies to provide misleading information to customers telling them their investments were secured and there were safeguards to protect their money. 

    However, at least 250 investors were owed millions of pounds when the companies went into liquidation in 2022. 

    Conroy, of Upper Richmond Road, London, has been disqualified as a company director for 11 years. 

    Ann Oliver, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 

    Green IS Group and GIS Forestry traded in a manner which was completely unacceptable and not in the public interest. 

    Guy Conroy was a director of both these companies. He allowed them to mislead investors who lost out on millions of pounds as a result of his actions. 

    Conroy’s conduct is not what we would expect of company directors which is why we have taken steps to remove him from the corporate arena until March 2036.

    Both Green IS Group and GIS Forestry generally sold bonds for £5,000 each with a fixed term between two and 10 years and interest rates of between 8% and 11%.  

    At the end of each bond’s term, they were to be redeemed by the companies, repaying the initial investment amount to the customer. 

    Customers thought they were buying rights to teak trees or saplings on plantations in Brazil, but the companies selling the bonds did not have the correct ownership rights. 

    No debenture over Green IS Group’s assets was ever registered at Companies House and security over GIS Forestry’s assets was only registered in October 2020 despite the company issuing bonds from December 2014. 

    Investors lost out on at least £8.525 million as a result of these investments.  

    The majority of investors were based in the UK and the largest claim from a creditor in the liquidation process was £636,000. 

    Both Green IS Group and GIS Forestry were placed into compulsory liquidation on the same day in March 2022 following winding-up petitions from creditors. 

    The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Conroy, and his ban started on Thursday 27 March 2025. 

    It prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court. 

    The liquidator has also obtained records and met with Conroy and the other directors in an attempt to identify and recover company assets. 

    Further information 

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes fit for heroes: Raft of new measures to improve military family housing

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Homes fit for heroes: Raft of new measures to improve military family housing

    Living conditions for families in military housing will be transformed under a new Consumer Charter, as Defence Secretary John Healey promised to “stop the rot” in military housing.

    Defence Secretary John Healey visits military housing

    • New Consumer Charter for families in military homes, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.
    • Measures will include higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs, renovation of the worst homes, and a named housing officer for every family – all in place before the one-year anniversary of 36,000 military homes being brought back into public ownership.
    • Pledge comes alongside the announcement of an independent, expert team appointed to help deliver a rapid Defence Housing Strategy – with work already underway.

    The Charter will be part of a new Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, which will set out further plans to improve the standard of service family homes across the country.

    Under the Charter, basic consumer rights, from essential property information and predictable property standards, to access to a robust complaints system, will be rapidly introduced. These will be underpinned by new, published satisfaction figures, putting forces families front and centre.

    The wider Defence Housing Strategy – overseen by the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns – will also turbocharge the development of surplus military land, creating opportunities for Armed Forces homeownership. It will further support the delivery of affordable homes for families across Britain as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    It follows the Government’s landmark deal, completed in January, to bring back 36,000 military homes into public ownership, reversing a 1996 sale described by the Public Accounts Committee as “disastrous”, and saving the taxpayer £600,000 per day by eliminating rental payments to a private company.

    The announcement follows the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to deliver “homes for heroes” and means that under this government, support will be there for veterans at risk of homelessness. This included removing local connection tests for veterans seeking social housing, meaning as of November, veterans will have access to the housing support they need.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

    Our Armed Forces serve with extraordinary dedication and courage to keep us safe. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.

    For too long, military families have endured substandard housing without the basic consumer rights that any of us should expect in our homes. That must end and our new Consumer Charter will begin to stop the rot and put families at the heart of that transformation.

    We cannot turn around years of failure on forces housing overnight, but by bringing 36,000 military homes back into public ownership, we’ve already taken greater control and are working at pace to drive up standards. This is about providing homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation, and I’m determined to deliver the decent, affordable housing that our forces families have every right to expect.

    The new Consumer Charter will include the following commitments: 

    • A strengthened move-in standard so families can have confidence that the home they are moving into will be ready on time and will be clean and functional.

    • Improved, clearer information for families ahead of a move, including photographs and floor plans of all homes when a family applies for housing.

    • More reliable repairs, including an undertaking to complete urgent repairs within a set timeline consistent with Awaab’s Law, and a new online portal for service personnel to manage repairs.

    • Raising the minimum standard of forces family housing with a new programme of works targeted at the worst homes, with up to 1,000 refurbished as a downpayment on the broader programme of renewal to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy.

    • Better and clearer communication for families, including a named housing officer for every service family who they can contact for specific housing related queries.

    • A new, simpler complaints process that will shorten the process to two stages in line with industry best practice, so that service personnel and families have a quicker resolution, backed up by the new Armed Forces Commissioner.

    • Modernising policies to allow more freedom for families to make improvements, giving them a greater sense of pride in their homes.

    These improvements will be in place by the one-year anniversary of the announcement to buy back military homes last December, with final detail to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy following consultation with military personnel and their families.

    Many of the commitments in the Charter will be achieved by driving better performance – and better value for the taxpayer – from existing suppliers of maintenance and support for service family housing.

    The new standards will be underpinned by new published customer satisfaction measures and enhanced accountability so families can have confidence in the improvements being made. This will sit alongside an independently conducted stock survey, as recommended by the Kerslake review of military housing which was published last year.

    The Defence Housing Strategy will be driven by an independent review team whose members have been announced today, and which will be chaired by former Member of Parliament and housing expert Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, drawing on expertise from industry and forces families.

    In the meantime, the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People have instructed the MOD to immediately plan improvements for the new Consumer Charter, as part of a short-term action plan to enhance the family homes after years of neglect.

    Natalie Elphicke Ross, Chair of the Defence Housing Strategy Review said:

    Our pride in our armed forces must include pride in our military homes. Delivering better housing, boosting home ownership opportunities for service personnel and improving the experiences of service families will be at the heart of our work.

    David Brewer, Chief Operating Officer of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:

    We are dedicated to making changes that will bring real improvements to the lives of families living in military homes and the plans set out in the new charter are an important step towards doing this.

    The advisory team, announced today, brings together an exceptional group of individuals, who through their expertise and experience will help ensure our housing strategy maximises benefits, not just to families living in military homes, but to communities and industry more widely.

    Antony Cotton MBE said:

    Our Armed Forces community are the backbone of our society, so improving the standard of service family housing is essential if we are to continue to retain and recruit the soldiers, sailors and aviators that protect us selflessly, every day. I welcome this consumer charter as a starting point to give our military families an improved service, and homes they deserve.

    Background

    The members appointed to the Defence Housing Strategy review team are: 

    • Chair, Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, Director and Head of Housing at The Housing & Finance Institute. Previously Natalie chaired the New Homes Quality Board on standards and redress for customers of new build homes, co-chaired the Elphicke-House Report 2015 on the role of local authorities in housing supply and served as an expert adviser on the development of the national strategy for estate regeneration. A former law firm partner specialising in housing finance, Natalie’s experience includes advising central and local governments, lenders, developers and housing associations on financing, structuring and delivering homes across all tenures.

    • Bill Yardley, Chair of McCarthy Stone Shared Ownership Limited. Bill serves as Chair of a regulated residential development company and is a Non- Executive Director at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, in the Houses of Parliament and at the Surrey Property Group Limited. He has previously worked at board level in the public and private sectors in residential development, regulated housing, property investment, education and the NHS and has been a public member of Network Rail and chaired a charity. Bill has also served as a Crown Representative and on the Government Construction Board.

    • Cat Calder, Housing Specialist, Army Families Federation. Cat is a housing professional with over 13 years of experience advocating for improved living conditions for families in military accommodation. She has held key positions within the Army Families Federation and has direct experience of military housing, having previously lived in service family accommodation for a number of years.

    • Nigel Holland, former Divisional Chair, Taylor Wimpey and Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group. Formerly a Divisional Chair of Taylor Wimpey, one of the UK’s largest residential developers. Nigel is also a Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group, a major provider of affordable housing, care and support services in England and Scotland, with more than 75,000 homes in management. He has a wealth of experience in the homebuilding industry, leading large-scale developments in the UK and overseas. 

    • Alex Notay, Chair and Commissioner, Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Alexandra is an internationally recognised expert on housing, placemaking and ESG. She has 20 years’ strategic advisory and investment experience across four continents and in August 2024 took over as Chair of the Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Until July 2024 she was Placemaking and Investment Director at Thriving Investments, the fund and asset management arm of Places for People Group, overseeing a UK-wide residential strategy.

    • James Hall, Housing and Land, Greater London Authority. James has over a decade’s experience in housing and development, working with the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He worked extensively on strategy, policy and communications in Westminster and Whitehall, and most recently worked at the Greater London Authority on housing policy and delivery.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Aggravated assault – Woodroffe

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a 29-year-old male in relation to an aggravated assault in Woodroffe yesterday afternoon.

    Around 3:15pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre (JESCC) received reports of a female exiting a Toyota Hilux on Chung Wah Terrace and sitting on the foot path in a distressed state, whilst the Hilux pulled up next to her.

    An unknown member of the public, driving a white single cab utility, stopped to assist the female and spoke to the male driver of the Toyota Hilux from which she had exited.

    The male driver of the Toyota Hilux subsequently left the scene, and the female victim left on foot. 

    Around 3:50pm, the JESCC received further reports indicating that the male and female party had been involved in an altercation at a residence in Woodroffe earlier in the afternoon, where the male is alleged to have assaulted the female and forced her into his vehicle.

    Initial investigations have found the male and female are known to each other and there is no apparent ongoing risk to the public.

    Police later located and arrested a 29-year-old male who remains in custody with charges expected to follow.

    Investigators believe the male who stopped to assist in the vehicle pictured may be able to assist in the investigation.

    Police urge anyone in the area between 2:50pm and 3:15pm with dash-cam footage or CCTV to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number NTP2500041492. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos in New Zealand: Top Real Money Casino Goes To 7Bit Casino, Rated by Experts!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WELLINGTON, New Zealand, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 7Bit Casino ranks among the best online casinos in New Zealand for 2025 with its lightning-fast crypto payouts, 7,000+ games, and a generous welcome bonus of up to NZ$10,800 + 250 free spins. Kiwi players enjoy 24/7 live chat support, fair 40x wagering, and instant banking via Visa, Skrill, and top cryptos like BTC, ETH, and DOGE. With withdrawals in under 10 minutes and a sleek, mobile-friendly design, it’s a top real money casino choice for NZ players.

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    How to Join 7Bit Casino?

    Joining 7Bit Casino, a standout among the Best Online Casinos in New Zealand, is simple. Follow these steps to start playing:

    1. Visit 7Bit Casino.com by clicking here
    2. Click on the Registration tab
    3. Select the welcome bonus and click “Choose.”
    4. Enter your email and password.
    5. Provide personal details: name, date of birth, phone number, currency, and address.
    6. Make a deposit to claim a 325% bonus up to NZ$10,800, 250 free spins.
    Feature Details
    Game Library Over 7,000 games, including pokies, table games, and live dealer options
    Support 24/7 live chat (under 2-min response), email, comprehensive FAQ
    Banking Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more
    Withdrawals Crypto: <10 mins, PayID: near-instant, Visa/Mastercard: 3–5 days
    License Government of Curacao (No. 8048/JAZ2020-013)


    Our Favorite Overall Casino in New Zealand

    Among all the Best Online Casinos New Zealand reviewed, 7Bit Casino excels with its expansive game library, featuring the best online pokies, blackjack, roulette, and live dealer games. Its promotions, including reload bonuses, weekly cashbacks, and a 325% welcome bonus up to NZ$10,800 with 250 free spins, captivate Kiwi players.

    Licensed by the Government of Curacao, 7Bit ensures fairness and security, making it a trusted anonymous online casino.

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    Benefits of 7Bit Casino:

    • 7,000+ games from top providers like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play.
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    Negatives of 7Bit Casino:

    • No dedicated mobile app (in development, expected Q3 2025).
    • High wagering requirements on some bonuses.

    Why 7Bit Casino Leads the Best Online Casinos in New Zealand?

    7Bit Casino’s dominance in the Best Online Casinos New Zealand stems from its commitment to quality, security, and player satisfaction. Its Curacao license ensures regulatory compliance, while SSL encryption and blockchain verification for crypto games provide transparency, making it the best no KYC casino in New Zealand.

    The 7Bit Casino’s frequent promotions, such as weekly cashback up to 20% and free spins on popular pokies, keep players engaged.

    Game Variety and Quality

    With over 7,000 games, 7Bit Casino offers something for every Kiwi player. From high-RTP pokies to immersive live dealer tables, the platform partners with industry leaders like Evolution Gaming and Betsoft to deliver top-tier gaming experiences. Its best online pokies include progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah, appealing to players chasing big wins.

    Game Category Popular Titles RTP Range
    Pokies Gates of Olympus, Buffalo King 92%–99%
    Table Games European Blackjack, French Roulette 97%–99.5%
    Live Dealer Crazy Time, Live Baccarat 95%–98%


    Mobile Gaming Experience

    7Bit Casino’s browser-based mobile platform is a hallmark of the Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Optimized for iOS and Android, it offers full access to games, banking, and support. A native app is in beta testing, with a Q3 2025 release planned, further enhancing its appeal as a new online casino.

    How We Choose the Top-Rated Casino Sites in New Zealand

    Our selection process for the Best Online Casinos New Zealand is rigorous, focusing on key criteria to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

    The Selection Process: Defining Excellence in Online Gaming

    • Security First: The Foundation of Trust

    Security is non-negotiable for the Best Online Casinos New Zealand. 7Bit Casino’s Curacao license (No. 8048/JAZ2020-013) and 256-bit SSL encryption protect player data. Blockchain verification for crypto games ensures fairness, making it a leading anonymous online casino.

    • Rewards That Deliver

    Bonuses must be fair and achievable. 7Bit’s welcome package, NZ$10,800 and 250 free spins, has a 40x wagering requirement, lower than many competitors. Weekly promotions include:

    • Monday Reload Bonus: 25% match up to C$1,000 + 50 free spins (no code needed).
    • Wednesday Free Spins: Up to 100.
    • Easter Crypto Offer: 75 Free Spins
    • Pre-Release Offer: 35 Free Spins
    • Spring Elite Offer: 100 Free Spins
    • Weekly Cashback: Up to 20%
    • Friday Offer: 111 Free Spins
    • Weekend Offer: 99 Free Spins
    • Telegram Offer: 50 Free Spins
    • Telegram Friday Offer: 111 Free Spins
    • Telegram Sunday Offer: 66 Free Spins

    7Bit’s 7,000+ games include pokies, table games, and live dealer options from providers like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play. It’s provably fair crypto games appeal to players seeking transparency in the best no KYC casino space.

    • Mobile Gaming Perfected

    7Bit’s mobile platform ensures seamless gaming, with no compromise on quality or speed. The upcoming app will solidify its position among the Best Online Casinos in New Zealand.

    • Banking Without Limits

    7Bit offers 15+ payment methods, including Apple Pay and cryptocurrencies, with no fees and low minimum withdrawals. Crypto payouts in under 10 minutes make it a top pay ID casino.

    • Customer Support That Excels

    With a 97% resolution rate, 7Bit’s 24/7 support via live chat and email sets a benchmark for Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Responses are swift and professional.

    Payment Options

    Fast, secure payments are crucial for Best Online Casinos New Zealand. 7Bit supports a wide range of methods, ensuring flexibility for Kiwi players.

    Payment Method Deposit Time Withdrawal Time
    Visa Instant 3–5 days
    Mastercard Instant 3–5 days
    Skrill Instant Instant
    Neteller Instant Instant
    Paysafecard Instant Not available
    Bitcoin Instant <10 mins
    eZeeWallet Instant Not available
    Astropay Instant Instant
    Bitcoin Cash Instant <10 mins
    Ethereum Instant <10 mins


    Notes:

    • Crypto transactions are fee-free, ideal for best no KYC casino users.
    • POLi and Paysafecard are deposit-only, requiring alternative withdrawal methods.

    Customer Support

    Top-rated Best Online Casinos New Zealand require exceptional support. 7Bit offers 24/7 live chat (under 2-minute responses), email at support@7bit.com (replies within 4 hours), and a detailed FAQ section covering payments, bonuses, and account issues.

    The Most Popular Games at New Zealand Casino Sites

    The Best Online Casinos New Zealand cater to diverse preferences with high-quality games. 7Bit’s offerings include:

    VIEW THE BEST ONLINE CASINOS NEW ZEALAND WITH FREE SPINS & BONUS DEPOSITS

    Pokies are a cornerstone of Best Online Casinos New Zealand, with 7Bit featuring titles like Gates of Olympus, Buffalo King Megaways, and Blood Suckers (98% RTP). Progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah offer life-changing payouts.

    Blackjack combines strategy and luck, with variants like European Blackjack and Live Blackjack. House edge: 0.5%–1% with optimal strategy.

    European (2.7% house edge) and French Roulette (1.35% with La Partage) are preferable over American Roulette (5.26%) for better odds.

    Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and video poker like Jacks or Better offer house edges of 0.5%–2% with strategy, popular among Kiwi players.

    Craps delivers excitement with bets like Pass Line (1.41% house edge) or riskier Big 6/8 (9%).

    Baccarat’s simplicity shines, with Banker bets (1.06% house edge) being the optimal choice.

    • Live Dealer Games

    Powered by Evolution Gaming, live games like Blackjack, Roulette, and Crazy Time offer an authentic casino experience for Best Online Casinos New Zealand.

    • Specialty Games

    Keno, Slingo, and Scratch Cards provide casual fun with instant wins, appealing to players seeking variety.

    Exploring the Best Online Pokies at 7Bit Casino

    7Bit’s pokies library is a highlight of the Best Online Casinos New Zealand, with over 5,000 slots ranging from classic 3-reel games to modern video pokies. Popular titles include:

    • Starburst: High-RTP (96.09%) with vibrant graphics.
    • Mega Moolah: Progressive jackpot with multi-million NZD potential.
    • Johnny Cash: Themed pokie with free spins and multipliers.

    These games, powered by providers like Microgaming and Betsoft, ensure fairness and engaging gameplay, making 7Bit a go-to for best online pokies enthusiasts.

    Loyalty and VIP Programs

    7Bit Casino rewards loyal players with a comprehensive VIP program, a key feature of Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Players earn Comp Points (CPs) for every bet, which can be exchanged for bonuses or cash. The program includes:

    • 10 VIP Levels: From Newbie to Guru, each level unlocks better rewards.
    • Benefits: Higher cashback (up to 20%), exclusive bonuses, and faster withdrawals.
    • Personalized Offers: VIP managers provide tailored promotions for high rollers.

    Tournaments and Competitions

    7Bit hosts regular tournaments, adding excitement to the Best Online Casinos New Zealand. These include:

    • Weekly Slot Races: Compete for cash prizes and free spins.
    • Live Dealer Tournaments: Wager on live tables to climb leaderboards.
    • Crypto Challenges: Exclusive events for crypto users, offering BTC rewards.

    Tournaments are accessible to all players, with leaderboards updated in real-time, enhancing the competitive thrill of this new online casino.

    Responsible Gambling in New Zealand Casinos

    The Best Online Casinos New Zealand prioritize player well-being. 7Bit provides tools like deposit limits, session reminders, loss limits, and self-exclusion options. 7Bit also partners with organizations to promote safe gambling, ensuring a responsible gaming environment.

    Software Providers Powering 7Bit Casino

    7Bit’s game quality is driven by partnerships with leading software providers, a hallmark of Best Online Casinos New Zealand. Key providers include:

    • NetEnt: Known for high-RTP pokies like Starburst.
    • Microgaming: Offers progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah.
    • Evolution Gaming: Powers live dealer games with HD streams.
    • Betsoft: Delivers 3D slots with immersive themes.

    These providers ensure fair, engaging games with regular updates, keeping 7Bit at the forefront of the best no KYC casino market.

    Tips for Maximizing Your Experience at 7Bit Casino

    To get the most out of 7Bit Casino, a leader in Best Online Casinos New Zealand, consider these tips:

    1. Claim Bonuses Wisely: Start with the welcome bonus and check wagering requirements.
    2. Play High-RTP Games: Focus on pokies like Blood Suckers (98% RTP) for better returns.
    3. Use Crypto for Speed: Bitcoin and Ethereum offer the fastest withdrawals.
    4. Join Tournaments: Participate in slot races for extra rewards.
    5. Set Limits: Use responsible gambling tools to manage your budget.

    The Future of Online Gambling in New Zealand

    The Best Online Casinos in New Zealand are evolving with technology. Trends shaping the industry include:

    • Crypto Adoption: More casinos, like 7Bit, are embracing cryptocurrencies for anonymity and speed, reinforcing their status as the best no KYC casino platforms.
    • VR and AR Gaming: Virtual reality pokies and live dealer tables are emerging.
    • AI-Powered Support: Chatbots and personalized offers are enhancing player experiences.
    • Mobile-First Design: With 7Bit’s upcoming app, mobile gaming is set to dominate.

    7Bit is well-positioned to lead these trends, ensuring it remains a top new online casino in 2025 and beyond.

    Final Words About The Best Online Casinos New Zealand

    The Best Online Casinos New Zealand deliver thrilling, secure gaming, and 7Bit Casino leads with its 7,000+ games, rapid payouts, and crypto support. Its generous bonuses, VIP program, and upcoming mobile app make it the ultimate new online casino for Kiwi players. Explore 7Bit for the best online pokies and play responsibly!

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    1. How do I verify if an online casino accepts NZ players and offers geo-targeted bonuses?
    Check the casino’s terms and conditions or promotions page; reputable sites often tailor welcome bonuses in NZD or include offers specifically for Kiwi players.

    2. What makes an online casino truly “NZ-friendly” beyond accepting NZD?
    Top NZ casinos offer local payment methods (like POLi or Interac), fast withdrawals, local customer support hours, and game libraries featuring pokies popular with Kiwi players.

    3. How can I tell if an online casino is rigged or fair in New Zealand?
    Look for a license from reputable regulators (e.g., MGA, Curacao) and independent auditing certificates from eCOGRA or iTech Labs. “Provably Fair” games add extra transparency.

    4. Are crypto casinos safe for NZ players, and what are the benefits?
    Yes, if licensed. Crypto casinos offer fast, anonymous withdrawals, no KYC in many cases, and exclusive bonuses. Just make sure to use a secure wallet and a verified platform.

    5. Do NZ online casinos offer VIP programs or loyalty schemes worth joining?
    Yes — many top casinos reward regular play with comp points, cashback, faster withdrawals, and personal account managers. Always compare VIP tiers and perks across sites.

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AT 7BIT CASINO & GET EXCITING BONUSES

    Email: Support@7bitCasino.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the 7Bit Casino. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure

    General Disclaimer
    This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only, not legal or financial advice. Content is based on research and public information as of April 2025. No warranties are made regarding accuracy. Users must verify information before acting.

    Casino and Gambling Disclaimer
    Online gambling carries financial risks and is not suitable for all. Ensure you’re of legal gambling age in New Zealand. Gambling laws vary, and it’s your responsibility to comply. We don’t promote gambling; participation is at your risk. 7Bit Casino is a third-party platform, and we’re not liable for losses or issues.

    Affiliate Disclosure
    This article may contain affiliate links, earning us a commission at no cost to you. Our reviews remain unbiased, recommending only valuable Best Online Casinos New Zealand.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bea2fdb2-713f-4dd8-8c6a-9388de5cd240

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Best No KYC Casinos 2025: 7Bit Casino Rated as the Top Instant Withdrawal Casino with No Verification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RENO, Nev., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In light of that, our team set out to find the best no KYC casinos available to players in 2025, digging through dozens of crypto-friendly platforms. After extensive research and testing, one casino clearly stood out – 7Bit Casino.

    With its commitment to player anonymity, ultra-fast crypto payouts, and massive game selection, 7Bit Casino passed every benchmark and proved to be the best no KYC casino of 2025.

    Why 7Bit Stands Out

    7Bit Casino appears to excel among the best no KYC casinos due to its vast game library, anonymous crypto transactions, and generous bonuses. It’s likely ideal for players seeking privacy without sacrificing variety or security.

    How to Get Started

    Visit the 7Bit Casino website, sign up, deposit using crypto or fiat, and claim a 325% welcome bonus up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins.

    >>CLICK HERE TO JOIN 7BIT CASINO & GET 325% WELCOME BONUS UP TO 5.25 BTC PLUS 250 FREE SPINS<<

    Game Highlights

    Popular games like Mega Moolah, live blackjack, and Texas Hold’em seem to cater to all preferences, making it a top anonymous online casino.

    VIP Program and Loyalty Rewards

    7Bit Casino offers a robust VIP program designed to reward loyal players with exclusive perks. The program is tier-based, with levels ranging from Newbie to Hero. As players wager real money, they earn Comp Points (CPs) at a rate of 0.0042 BTC per point, which can be exchanged for bonus cash. Higher tiers unlock benefits like:

    • Increased Cashback: Up to 20% with reduced wagering requirements (as low as 1x for top tiers).
    • Exclusive Bonuses: Personalized offers, including free spins and deposit matches.
    • Dedicated Account Managers: Priority support for high-level VIPs.
    • Faster Withdrawals: Expedited processing for crypto transactions.

    The VIP program enhances the appeal of 7Bit Casino as a top no KYC casino, rewarding consistent play with tangible benefits.

    Payment Options

    Crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum) offers anonymity; fiat options like Pay ID ensure fast transactions, positioning 7Bit as a leading Pay ID casino.

    <>

    In this detailed review, we’ll explore why 7Bit Casino is among the best no KYC casinos in 2025. We’ll cover its key features, pros and cons, how to join, our selection criteria, popular games, payment methods, responsible gambling practices, and why it’s a top anonymous online casino.

    A Closer Look at the Best No KYC Casino: 7Bit Casino

    7Bit Casino, operating for over a decade, holds a license from the Curacao eGaming Commission, ensuring a secure and fair gaming environment. As one of the best no KYC casinos, it allows players to enjoy games without identity verification, appealing to those who value privacy. Its support for cryptocurrencies and minimal registration requirements make it a leading anonymous online casino.

    With a robust mobile platform and a vast game library, 7Bit Casino caters to both casual and seasoned players. With the rising popularity of online gaming platforms prioritizing privacy, no KYC casinos have seen a surge in demand. Among these, 7Bit Casino stands out as a top contender in 2025, offering anonymous play, cryptocurrency payments, and a vast selection of over 10,000 games.

    Our team researched numerous best no KYC casinos, and 7Bit Casino consistently ranked high due to its focus on player privacy, fast transactions, and diverse gaming options. Whether you’re spinning slots, playing live dealer games, or enjoying table games like blackjack and roulette, 7Bit Casino delivers an unmatched experience as a no id verification casino.

    Why 7Bit Casino is Our Favorite No KYC Casino

    7Bit Casino tops our list of best no KYC casinos for several reasons. Its welcome bonus is among the most generous, offering a 325% match up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins across four deposits:

    • First Deposit: 100% match up to 1.5 BTC + 100 free spins.
    • Second Deposit: 75% match up to 1.25 BTC + 100 free spins.
    • Third Deposit: 50% match up to 1.5 BTC.
    • Fourth Deposit: 100% match up to 1 BTC + 50 free spins.

    <>

    Beyond the welcome offer, 7Bit Casino provides ongoing promotions like weekly cashback, daily free spins, and seasonal offers, enhancing the player experience. Its game library, with over 10,000 titles, includes slots, table games, and live dealer options, ensuring variety for all preferences. The casino’s seamless payment options, including crypto and pay ID casino features, add convenience, while 24/7 customer support ensures prompt assistance.

    Pros and Cons of 7Bit Casino

    Pros Cons
    Over 10,000 games, including slots, table games, and live dealer options. High wagering requirements on bonuses.
    Anonymous play with cryptocurrency payments, no KYC required. Mixed customer support reviews.
    Fast withdrawals via crypto and Pay ID.  
    Generous welcome bonus and frequent promotions.  
    24/7 customer support via email and live chat.  

    Despite minor drawbacks, 7Bit Casino remains a top choice among the best no KYC casinos.

    How To Join 7Bit Casino

    Joining 7Bit Casino, a leading no ID verification casino, is simple:

    1. Visit 7Bit Casino: Go to the official website.
    2. Create an Account: Click “Sign Up,” enter your email, choose a currency, and set a username and password.
    3. Make Your First Deposit: Navigate to the cashier, select a payment method (crypto or fiat), and deposit the minimum amount to activate the welcome bonus.
    4. Claim the Welcome Bonus: The bonus is automatically credited after your deposit, no promo code needed.
    5. Start Playing: Explore the game library and enjoy real-money gaming.

    This streamlined process makes 7Bit Casino ideal for new online casino players seeking a no ID verification casino.

    How We Selected the Best No KYC Casino

    We evaluated the best no KYC casinos based on strict criteria to ensure a safe, rewarding experience:

    • License and Security: Must be licensed by a reputable authority.
    • Bonuses and Promotions: Generous offers for new and existing players.
    • Casino Games: Diverse selection catering to all preferences.
    • Casino Game Providers: Partnerships with top developers for quality games.
    • Banking Methods: Flexible options, especially cryptocurrencies.
    • Customer Support: 24/7 availability for prompt assistance.

    7Bit Casino excels in these areas, making it the best no-KYC casino.

    License and Security

    7Bit Casino is licensed by the Curacao eGaming Commission, ensuring fairness and security. It uses SSL encryption to protect player data, reinforcing its status as a trusted anonymous online casino (Curacao eGaming).

    Bonuses and Promotions

    7Bit Casino offers a 325% welcome bonus up to 5.25 BTC plus 250 free spins, alongside regular promotions:

    • Weekly Cashback: Up to 20% on losses.
    • Monday Offer: 25% up to 6.5 mBTC + 50 free spins.
    • Wednesday Offer: Up to 100 free spins on Snoop Dogg Dollars.
    • Friday Offer: 111 free spins for a 0.52 mBTC deposit.
    • Weekend Offer: 99 free spins on 7Bit CasinoMillion.
    • Telegram Bonuses: Exclusive free spins via the Telegram channel.

    These offers make 7Bit Casino a favorite among the best no KYC casinos.

    Casino Games

    With over 10,000 games, 7Bit Casino offers slots, table games, live dealer games, and instant wins from providers like NetEnt and Microgaming, ensuring high-quality gameplay.

    Casino Game Providers

    7Bit Casino partners with over 100 providers, including NetEnt, Microgaming, BGaming, Platipus, 3 Oaks, and 1spin4win, delivering a diverse, high-quality game library (7Bit Casino Providers).

    Banking Methods

    7Bit Casino supports cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin) for anonymous transactions and fiat options (VISA, Mastercard, Skrill, Neosurf, Paysafe Card). The pay ID casino feature ensures fast transactions for Australians.

    Customer Support

    7Bit Casino provides 24/7 support via email (support@7bitcasino.com) and live chat. While most players report positive experiences, some note occasional delays (Trustpilot Reviews).

    Best No KYC Casino Games

    7Bit Casino’s game library, with over 10,000 titles, is a key reason it’s among the best no KYC casinos. It offers slots, table games, live dealer games, and instant wins.

    1.   Online Slots

    Slots dominate 7Bit Casino’s offerings, with thousands of titles:

    • Mega Moolah: A progressive jackpot slot with an African safari theme, known for life-changing wins (Mega Moolah Review).
    • Johnny Cash: A Wild West-themed slot with stacked wilds and free spins.
    • Raging Lion: Features a lion theme with frequent payouts and multipliers.
    • Starburst: Vibrant gems and expanding wilds for simple, exciting gameplay.
    • Book of Dead: Egyptian-themed with high volatility and big win potential.
    • Gonzo’s Quest: Avalanche reels and free falls in a quest for El Dorado.
    • Immortal Romance: Vampire-themed with multiple bonus features.
    • Thunderstruck II: Norse mythology slot with progressive jackpots.

    2.   Live Dealer Games

    7Bit Casino offers over 100 live dealer games, streamed in real-time:

    • Live Roulette: American, European, French, and Lightning Roulette variants.
    • Live Blackjack: Classic, multi-hand, and high-roller tables.
    • Live Baccarat: Squeeze and speed baccarat options.
    • Live Poker: Texas Hold’em and Three Card Poker.

    3.   Poker

    Poker options include:

    • Texas Hold’em: Popular for strategic gameplay.
    • Omaha: Fast-paced with complex strategy.
    • Caribbean Stud: Casino-style with progressive jackpots.

    4.   Roulette

    Over 113 roulette variants:

    • European Roulette: Single zero for better odds.
    • American Roulette: Double zero for added excitement.
    • French Roulette: La Partage rule for lower house edge.
    • Multi-Wheel Roulette: Multiple wheels for increased action.

    5.   Blackjack

    162 blackjack variants:

    • Single Deck Blackjack: Simple rules for strategic play.
    • Atlantic City Blackjack: Multi-hand option.
    • European Blackjack Gold Series: Enhanced graphics and gameplay.

    6.   Other Popular Games

    Instant win games include:

    • Aviator: Crash game with high multipliers.
    • JetX: Cash out before the jet crashes.
    • Smash: Smash objects to reveal prizes.
    • Plinko: Arcade-style with prize drops.

    Tournaments and Competitive Play

    7Bit Casino hosts engaging tournaments that add excitement to the gaming experience. Key events include:

    • Weekly Slots Race: A 7-day competition with a prize pool of up to 5 BTC. Players earn points based on bets and wins, with the top 150 leaderboard positions receiving rewards.
    • Daily Drop Tournaments: 24-hour events with smaller prize pools (0.5–1 BTC), focusing on specific providers or themes, ideal for quick competitions.
    • Seasonal Events: Special tournaments tied to holidays or new game releases, offering free spins, cash prizes, and exclusive rewards.

    These tournaments make 7Bit Casino a dynamic, anonymous online casino, fostering a competitive yet rewarding environment.

    Best No KYC Casino Payment Methods

    7Bit Casino excels in payment flexibility, a hallmark of the best no KYC casinos.

    Cryptocurrency Payments

    Cryptocurrencies ensure anonymity:

    Cryptocurrency Features
    Bitcoin (BTC) Secure, fast transactions.
    Ethereum (ETH) Low fees, quick processing.
    Litecoin (LTC) Lightweight, fast withdrawals.
    Dogecoin (DOGE) Affordable for casual players.

    Crypto payments are processed within 24 hours, ideal for anonymous online casino players.

    Fiat Methods

    Fiat options include:

    Fiat Currency Features
    VISA/Mastercard Easy deposits may require verification
    Neosurf Prepaid card for anonymity.
    Skrill/Neteller Fast e-wallet transactions
    Bank Transfer Slower, secure for large withdrawals.
    Paysafe Card Secure prepaid vouchers

    The pay ID casino feature ensures quick transactions for Australians.

    Responsible Gambling Tools in Depth

    Beyond standard responsible gambling tools, 7Bit Casino provides advanced features to promote safe play:

    • Self-Exclusion Options: Players can request temporary or permanent account suspension.
    • Reality Checks: Customizable pop-up reminders to track gaming time.
    • Loss and Wager Limits: Adjustable caps to control spending and betting.

    These tools align with industry standards, ensuring 7Bit Casino remains a responsible pay id casino for players prioritizing safety.

    Why 7Bit Casino Excels for Anonymous Play

    7Bit Casino is the best no KYC casino due to its focus on privacy. No KYC requirements allow instant play, while cryptocurrency payments ensure anonymity. SSL encryption protects data, balancing privacy with security. This makes 7Bit Casino ideal for players prioritizing discretion without compromising quality.

    Mobile Gaming at 7Bit Casino

    7Bit Casino offers a seamless mobile experience on iOS and Android, accessible via browsers. The mobile platform mirrors the desktop version, with over 10,000 games optimized for touchscreens, ensuring players enjoy the best no KYC casino experience on the go.

    Player Feedback and Reputation

    Recent player reviews highlight 7Bit Casino’s strengths and areas for improvement. Positive feedback emphasizes the vast game selection, fast crypto withdrawals, and generous bonuses. For instance, a player reported a 244.4x win on Wolf of 7bit Street, showcasing the platform’s potential for big payouts. However, some users note occasional delays in fiat withdrawals and high wagering requirements (35x–40x). Despite these, 7Bit maintains a 4-star Trustpilot rating based on over 1,169 reviews, reflecting its reliability as a best no KYC casino.

    Common Inquiries

    1.   Does 7Bit Casino ever require KYC?

    Ans: Generally, no for crypto users, but KYC may be requested for suspicious activity or large fiat transactions.

    2.   How fast are crypto withdrawals, and are there fees?

    Ans: Withdrawals are usually processed within minutes to a few hours. 7Bit charges no fees, but blockchain network fees apply.

    3.   Are there provably fair games at 7Bit Casino?

    Ans: Yes, mainly in the “BTC Games” section, offering verifiable fairness using cryptographic algorithms.

    4.   Can I get rewards without KYC?

    Ans: Yes, VIP perks, cashback, and bonuses are available without ID verification for crypto users.

    5.   Is 7Bit Casino licensed and secure?

    Ans: Yes, it’s licensed in Curacao, uses SSL, supports 2FA, and stores crypto in secure cold wallets.

    7Bit Casino Conclusion: The Best No KYC Casino

    7Bit Casino is among the best no KYC casinos in 2025, offering privacy, over 10,000 games, generous bonuses, and flexible payments. Fast crypto withdrawals, a robust mobile platform, and 24/7 support make it a top anonymous online casino. Ultimately, 7Bit Casino is a standout best no KYC casino for its ability to combine privacy, security, and an expansive gaming ecosystem.

    Whether you’re chasing progressive jackpots, engaging in live dealer action, or enjoying instant-win games, 7Bit delivers a thrilling, player-centric experience. Its focus on responsible gambling, with tools like deposit limits and self-exclusion, ensures a safe environment, while its forward-thinking approach positions it as a leader in the evolving online gaming landscape. For anyone seeking a secure, private, and exhilarating gaming journey in 2025, 7Bit Casino is the definitive choice.

    Email: Support@7bitCasino.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the 7Bit Casino. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

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