Category: Trade

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Government introducing improvements to prompt payments to Irish SMEs

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    Government has this week agreed new measures to support effective delivery of the Public Sector’s obligation to pay its bills within 15 days. 

    These measures are designed to bring about improvements that will benefit SMEs that supply goods and services to public authorities, and which will also see savings for the Exchequer.

    Speaking following the decision, the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, said:

    “As Minister with responsibility for promoting and supporting Irish enterprise, I know how important timely cash flow is to our business community. This is one very practical way that Government can support our key SME sector.  I am committed to using every possible lever available to provide support for our indigenous enterprises, which are the backbone of our economy”.

    ENDS

    Note for editor:

    Departments and public bodies are obliged to pay for goods and services within 15 calendar days, with some exceptions.

    Government has agreed measures that are designed to achieve an improvement in overall payment performance and is determined to meet the commitment to the 15-day period right across the public sector.

    The PfG commits to reduce costs for business, cut through unnecessary bureaucracy, ensure access to finance and invest in vital infrastructure to help businesses succeed.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) and Mutual Trust Bank Sign Murabaha Agreement to Boost Trade Finance for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the Private Sector in Bangladesh

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

    DHAKA, Bangladesh, March 6, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, and Mutual Trust Bank PLC (MTB) signed a Master Murabaha Agreement to strengthen trade finance support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the private sector in Bangladesh. 

    The agreement will enable ITFC to provide trade financing facilities against Letters of Credit (LCs) issued by Mutual Trust Bank, enhancing the bank’s capacity to support cross-border trade and contribute to the growth of SMEs. This collaboration underscores both institutions’ commitment to fostering economic development and private sector growth in Bangladesh.

    The signing ceremony was held at Dhaka and attended by senior executives from both organizations. Mr. Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Managing Director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank, and Mr. Nazeem Noordali, Officer-in-Charge, CEO of ITFC, led the signing on behalf of their respective institutions.

    Mr. Nazeem Noordali emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership, stating, “We are proud to partner with Mutual Trust Bank to provide trade financing facilities that will support SME growth and the import of essential commodities in Bangladesh. Private sector development is a cornerstone of the country’s economic progress, and enabling SMEs to access trade finance is central to ITFC’s strategy. This initiative will also help SMEs integrate into global value chains, fostering sustainable economic growth.”

    Mr. Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Managing Director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank, expressed his enthusiasm for the agreement, saying, “The partnership with ITFC under this trade finance facility agreement is significant, especially given the current economic challenges faced by Bangladesh. This collaboration will enhance MTB’s reputation among correspondent banks globally, highlighting its resilience, commitment to best practices, and dedication to sustainable growth. Furthermore, it will provide our SME customers with greater access to financing and help facilitate the import of essential raw materials and soft commodities”.

    The Master Murabaha Agreement reflects the shared vision of ITFC and Mutual Trust Bank to drive economic growth by supporting SMEs and the private sector. By facilitating access to trade finance, the partnership aims to empower businesses, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the sustainable development of Bangladesh.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI: Saritasa Introduces VR Foundations to Deliver Fast, Cost-effective Experiences for Companies Considering VR

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVINE, Calif., March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Saritasa today announced the release of VR Foundations, two pre-built, customizable virtual reality experiences that allow organizations to experiment with virtual reality with minimal investment. The two VR Foundations offerings are built and delivered by Saritasa and are designed to enable businesses to test VR technology and create immersive experiences.

    Saritasa’s VR Trade Show Experience is an immersive VR solution designed to engage, entertain, and educate conference and trade exhibition attendees. The VR Trade Show experience is intended to draw attention and spark meaningful interactions through a variety of engaging mini-games.

    Saritasa’s VR Product Display Experience provides an interactive approach to demonstrate products that would otherwise be logistically challenging or impossible to demo. With VR Product Display, companies can bring their products to life for prospects and customers anywhere in the world.

    “Saritasa specializes in developing custom VR and AR applications for clients from the ground up, but we recognize that not all businesses have the budget or time for fully custom VR builds,” said Aaron Franko, Vice President of Immersive Technology for Saritasa. “By offering these VR Foundation platforms we have lowered the barrier to entry for VR. Our customizable, pre-built VR frameworks make it easy for any organization to harness VR to showcase products and services in a way that delivers interactive impact, stronger customer engagement, and enhanced brand recognition. It’s the ideal way to assess the value and potential of VR.”

    The VR Trade Show Experience includes four customizable mini-games that can be adapted for specific goals and brand messages. The games are designed to be interactive, fun, and engaging to make them particularly memorable. Saritasa’s VR Trade Show Experience also supports seamless brand integration with custom logos, colors, fonts, and gameplay content. Fees for the VR Trade Show Experience start at $10,000, and the VR application can be built and delivered in less than a month.

    Saritasa’s VR Product Display enables businesses to create an immersive product experience for customers, investors, trade shows, or other uses, providing an in-depth and up-close view of a product in action. VR Product Display can highlight up to seven key product features using a stunning 360-degree view. Participants feel as though they are directly interacting with the product with the help of text callouts and voiceovers. The VR Product Display incorporates custom branding tailored with corporate logos, colors, and fonts. The standard VR Product Display experience starts at $15,000 and can be delivered in less than a month. Additional customizations, animations, product models, and other features are also available.

    About Saritasa
    Saritasa is a full-service custom software development firm offering mobile app, web, backend, IoT, and AR/VR development services. The company’s clients include a variety of innovative startups and enterprises across multiple verticals, including life sciences, commercial, industrial, and high technology. Saritasa strives to bridge the gap between technology and business by creating a technology company with a business mindset. Saritasa prides itself on being a reliable technology partner with its team of experts, consultants, and advisors who bring innovative solutions to businesses. Learn more at www.saritasa.com.

    Media Contact
    Kristen Hoff
    Firecracker PR
    Kristen@firecrackerpr.com  

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/303a3ae9-466f-4a19-9378-b202a0e97730

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f60c2052-765e-4679-8fb3-77c737d4da9a

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Unlock More Profits with BexBack: 100% Deposit Bonus, 100x Leverage, and $50 New User Reward

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With Bitcoin’s price fluctuating below $100,000, many analysts predict a prolonged period of high volatility in the crypto market. Holding spot positions may struggle to generate short-term profits in such conditions. As a result, 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred tool for seasoned investors looking to maximize potential gains in this volatile market. BexBack Exchange is ramping up its efforts to offer traders unmatched promotional packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and up to 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading—all with No KYC requirements—providing excellent opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP, and 50 other major cryptocurrencies for futures contracts.. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. 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. 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. 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.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/00ac4535-e3ca-4334-bdce-ac33f4a1e348

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a5ce6730-6fb5-4dde-a009-9efae0b63c57

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ca93fb1-0583-4cdf-9cc3-8efc74fbcf01

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8280afdb-96a3-4c40-af77-85f38a38b58f

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Continues to be a Leader in Interprovincial Trade

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 6, 2025

    With Saskatchewan’s closest trading partner, the United States, putting tariffs on Canadian products, it’s more important than ever that we have open trade within Canada. 

    Saskatchewan remains an advocate for open and free trade and has always been a national leader on this front. From joining the New West Partnerships Agreement to our participation in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Saskatchewan, along with other provinces and territories, aims to further reduce exceptions in the coming days and weeks ahead. 

    “Saskatchewan has some of the fewest exceptions of any province within the Canadian Free Trade Agreement,” Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said. “We are conducting a thorough review of our remaining exceptions to ensure we remain the best jurisdiction in Canada for trade and investment. Our province will continue to lead by example and encourage other provincial and territorial leaders to further reduce their barriers on goods flowing freely across Canada in order to match Saskatchewan’s low exceptions.”

    Saskatchewan is currently co-leading a federal-provincial-territorial working group of willing jurisdictions to advance a direct-to-consumers sales system for alcohol, which will result in consumers having greater access to products from across Canada, while opening potential new markets for Saskatchewan producers. 

    Saskatchewan remains a jurisdiction of choice for workers, having the fastest turnaround times for credential recognition in Canada. Under The Labour Mobility and Fair Registration Practices Act, Saskatchewan now enjoys some of the best labour mobility rates in Canada and has significantly reduced red tape for international workers and Canadians in other provinces seeking employment in our province, which has resulted in residents finding jobs and getting into those jobs faster. 

    The province is also a strong advocate across Canada for the mutual recognition of safety requirements within the trucking industry. Saskatchewan is participating in a pilot project in this area.  Meaning more goods are arriving safely and on time from producers across the country. Mutual recognition remains a strong tool for provinces to ensure goods can move efficiently and effectively.

    To learn more about interprovincial trade policy, visit: Saskatchewan.ca. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN presides over the Closing Ceremony of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this evening delivered closing remarks at the Closing Ceremony of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, held under the theme “Accelerating ASEAN’s Connectivity: People, Infrastructure, and Trade.”  In his remarks, SG Dr. Kao highlighted the importance of building ASEAN’s future prosperity through robust infrastructure and regional connectivity, trade and investment, as well as investing in human capital.

    Download the full remarks here.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN presides over the Closing Ceremony of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Building a Knowledge-Based Economy to Boost Growth: The Role of Export Diversification in Qatar

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    Summary

    Motivated by Qatar’s Third National Development Strategy, this note discusses ingredients for boosting export diversification and growth potential. Drawing on cross-country experiences and empirical analyses, we shed light on how successful policies supported building human capital and economic complexity, the type of strategy that could best suite Qatar’s circumstances, and pitfalls to avoid.

    Subject: Balance of payments, Comparative advantage, Economic sectors, Export diversification, Export performance, Exports, Foreign direct investment, Human capital, International trade, Labor, Manufacturing, Service exports

    Keywords: Comparative advantage, Competition, Economic complexity, Export diversification, Export diversification, Export performance, Exports, Foreign direct investment, Human capital, Human capital, Innovation, Manufacturing, Productivity, Qatar, Service exports, Third National Development Strategy

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Our course is like a construction kit. We provide all the components for successful work in the Asian world”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    The new course Business and Management in Global Context: China and Asia began at ICEF in the second semester of this year. Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Countries at Moscow State University Alexey Aleksandrovich Maslov talks about the features of the course, the reasons for its creation and the practical focus of the classes.

    – Today, several courses dedicated to the modern development of Asia and the economy of China are taught at various faculties at the HSE. Alexey Alexandrovich, what is special about your course, what are its features?

    First, it is important to note that having multiple courses covering Asia from different perspectives is the right approach. One of the main problems with the modern education system is that most educational programs are traditionally Western-oriented. This applies not only to history, philosophy and culture, but also to practical disciplines such as business, entrepreneurship and law.

    Historically, educational trajectories have been built with an emphasis on interaction with Western markets. This vector is formed in school and continues at university. However, when faced with the need for intensive interaction with China and Asia as a whole, we were not quite ready for this. A large-scale restructuring of approaches to teaching is required, which is impossible within the framework of one course or even one university. Now the entire Russian education system is working on this task – after all, it is important to understand where the personnel comes from.

    That’s why it’s especially valuable that there are several different courses, each offering its own perspective on the issue. My course is about business and entrepreneurship in Asian countries. We look at purely practical aspects: we put ourselves in the shoes of someone who comes to China, India or Southeast Asia and tries to set up a business, both large and small. Together with the students, we go through all the stages: from cultural differences and the negotiation process to checking partners, investing and withdrawing investments from China or India. The course is based not only on theoretical observations, but also on solving practical problems.

    An important element of the course is the analysis of real cases of Russian and Western companies operating in the Chinese and Asian markets. We study both successful examples and cases of failures with multi-billion dollar losses in order to understand the reasons for successes and mistakes.

    The third key aspect is the development of practical recommendations for yourself and potential employers. After all, entering the Asian market is a long-term process that requires an assessment of the dynamics of the region’s development for years and decades to come. Perhaps, not China, but India, or, conversely, Vietnam, will be more promising.

    Our course is unique precisely because of this practical approach. It is not a business school in the classical sense, but combines case analysis with fundamental knowledge. Here, oriental studies expertise is integrated with practical issues of business and entrepreneurship.

    – ICEF is actively implementing a dual degree program with the Chinese university SWUFE, one of the largest Chinese universities specializing in training specialists in finance and business analytics. What is the most important thing a student should be prepared for when coming to study at a Chinese university? What recommendations and advice can you give to ICEF students who will go to study at SWUFE?

    It should be taken into account that despite the openness of Chinese universities to cooperation, many of them focus on ideological aspects. Students may find that lectures include presentation of Xi Jinping’s ideas. This is certainly important, but does not always provide the practical skills for which foreign students come. Therefore, the key task of every student who goes to study at a Chinese university is to learn how to extract the maximum useful information and not limit themselves to the official program.

    Secondly, you need to prepare yourself psychologically for studying in China. At first glance, everything looks perfect: modern campuses, comfortable dormitories, open teachers who speak good English. This creates the feeling that the learning process is going smoothly. However, in practice, some students note that they were sometimes more entertained than taught. This is a feature of the system: Chinese universities strive first and foremost to create a comfortable environment for foreigners, but do not always overload them with academic requirements.

    Therefore, it is important to take the initiative: actively participate in discussions, ask questions, find opportunities to communicate with Chinese students and entrepreneurs. Chinese education provides many opportunities, but a student must be able to use them. First of all, you need to consider studying at a Chinese university as gaining practical knowledge and making connections.

    You have to understand that China is a country that, on the one hand, is quite comfortable while you are studying there, but on the other hand, it is very strict in its disciplinary rules. And not only can you not skip classes, but you have to prepare, you have to understand that behind the Chinese friendliness there is a rather pragmatic approach. I know many cases when not only our Russian students, but also Western students were expelled from universities.

    The third point I want to emphasize is that in China, students have access to a huge amount of data that is inaccessible in Russia for various reasons.

    These are statistical databases, business databases, the ability to check Chinese partners, and so on. Take advantage of this to learn how to work with a large array of information. Unlike Western business schools, where after graduation your connections with the educational office are maintained – including access to the library – in China, unfortunately, this is not the case.

    Another important point. If you are going to work with Asia in the future (not necessarily with China), you can continue your studies there in a master’s degree, in postgraduate studies. If you have such an intention, then pay attention to the universities of Hong Kong, Macau and others of this Asian world.

    – How will this course help ICEF graduates navigate their careers? At our regular meetings with potential employers, we constantly hear that “specialists in Asia or the East are needed.” But this sounds too vague and abstract.

    30-40 years ago, the main interest in Asia was shown mainly by historians, philologists, writers, cultural scientists, philosophers. This interest continues today.

    But employers need people with practical skills. This primarily concerns the economic block: here our potential employers are the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Economic Development, various large financial and investment corporations. They want to get not just a person with knowledge of an oriental language or oriental culture, they want to get a person who understands how to make a project, how to build a deal, how to get out of a serious business situation.

    This specialist should not complete his studies later, having come to these organizations, but he himself should offer his ideas. Secondly, in addition to large organizations and corporations, we communicate with the middle level of business, which works with Asia on individual projects. For example, these are projects related to science, education, IT technology, artificial intelligence, which is rapidly developing in Asia.

    Building relationships, checking partners is also an important part of career prospects. And one more thing. You have to understand that you can’t “teach Asia” or “teach China”.

    To work, you need to know a very large set of knowledge from economics and history to culture and entrepreneurship. In this sense, we are trying to provide many useful components on the course – like a Lego constructor, from which the graduate’s potential career will be assembled. The main point that this program is set up for is early orientation to the market, to the employer.

    Upon completion of the program, graduates will have a clear idea of what and where they can do professionally.

    – The program is aimed at training specialists to work with the markets of China and Asia. Hundreds of Russian companies have already rushed there today. To what extent is the Russian market generally ready for such cooperation?

    We see a huge wave of interest in training specialists in Asian countries, in the broadest sense of the word, but, first of all, in China. About a dozen, if not more, such programs have now started on the Russian higher education market – from Moscow to the Far East. It is not difficult to create a program, it is difficult to find specialists who really know how to work with this region and build all the components.

    It is not enough to simply show, say, economic models or investment methods. It is important to show how to negotiate, how to conduct negotiations, what real difficulties a person may face in a country in the region. This follows exclusively from practical experience.

    One of the paradoxes that we see now is that despite the huge interest in working with Asian business, we do not have a single systematic textbook on business culture in Asia. Also, you will not find any serious developments on recommendations, for example, on creating enterprises in Asia, etc. In this aspect, despite the activity, the Russian market is only just forming.

    That is why our program is one of the pioneer programs.

    – So, the prospects for ICEF graduates, financiers and economists, in relation to Russian-Chinese business are opening up great? And not only in terms of our graduates going to work in China or India, but we are talking about working in joint intercountry enterprises and projects?

    Yes, that’s right. We need to know what difficulties real business faces and how we can solve them in this sense.

    The first difficulty is misunderstanding each other. It is not about language, linguistic understanding – Chinese or Vietnamese can be learned with some difficulty. This misunderstanding is psychological. That is why it is so important, first of all, to be able to establish contacts, communicate, tell the stories that our Asian partners are ready to hear, to be able to joke, to be able to get out of difficult situations with dignity. When you work in Asia, it is always a challenge, always a test. A test of psychological stability.

    Secondly, it is the ability to establish contacts at the enterprise or organization level. After all, very often – and this is the biggest problem – Russian business offers the Chinese to work in those areas and in the form in which China does not work: there is no such tradition, or the legislation does not allow it. In the same way, Chinese or Indian businessmen, when they come to Russia, offer things in the paradigm in which Russia does not work.

    Our task is to prepare a new generation of people who, on the one hand, can bring Russian business to Asia, serve it not only financially, not only economically, but also politically, and on the other hand, create joint projects with Asian partners, bringing them, on the contrary, to Russia and offering those options that are acceptable and understandable for Asian partners.

    In this sense, we sometimes really just talk from scratch about how the thinking of the Chinese, Indians or Vietnamese is generally structured.

    – Please give a couple of such examples of a complete discrepancy between a hypothetical Russian entrepreneur and an entrepreneur from India or China.

    Just recently, a large Russian company involved in biopharmacology entered China with a very good product. And the Chinese market was very happy to accept this product. But the company, following some of its own ideas, opens its headquarters in Shanghai, a very expensive and, of course, developed city in China, and hires a large staff. And suddenly it turns out that the cost of maintaining the business is such that, as they say, the game is not worth the candle. Because all the promised special conditions for reducing taxes, improving conditions and even additional financing from the Chinese side are valid in completely different zones, and not in Shanghai.

    All they had to do was study which zones in China make sense to open this type of company. Instead of growing and developing, this company spent almost a year re-registering in another tax jurisdiction, in another city, transferring its facilities and renegotiating the terms. This is a serious loss of market share.

    Another example. One of the Far Eastern Russian regions has repeatedly offered Chinese companies to come to their region and set up their enterprises there. The Russian side promised to allocate a site and capacities, and expected the Chinese partners to build a plant and a shopping center. At the same time, they relied on the right political trends – a turn to the East, interaction between the countries.

    For almost two years, all these proposals rained down on the Chinese, but nothing happened until we explained: China never comes to an empty site. China always comes to where there is already production, where there is already a market.

    China is ready to provide additional financing, if necessary – to buy out shares of companies, but China never creates its own production from scratch, even in the rarest cases. And as soon as we explained this point, it turned out that there is a small operating plant in the region with which it was possible to create a joint venture. Which was done – and at the beginning of 2025 this Russian-Chinese enterprise started working.

    There are examples when Russian companies, entering a country like India, seemingly very positively disposed towards Russia, without understanding the intricacies of Indian politics, without understanding what clans are operating there, lost literally millions and even billions of dollars. Clan and regional structures are very strong in India – and in this sense, without being part of these regional structures, it is dangerous to simply bring money there.

    – You teach how to look at each country in the Asian region separately, you analyze country specifics. But is China the largest market for Russian business or is there an alternative?

    It would be more correct to talk not about an alternative to China, but about a number of opportunities. China is indeed the largest market, but India has a larger population now and this market is more profitable for us. Other factors need to be taken into account – in particular, the product you want to launch.

    China, for example, is good at highly integrated manufacturing, where you need to produce everything from the first screw to the car. China has excellent logistics: it is convenient to export everything you need from there to any country in the world, but you pay the corresponding prices for this. China is far from the cheapest country. But you get not only a well-organized market, but also well-organized business processes.

    If, for example, we are talking about simpler production, less high-tech products, then Vietnam, Malaysia or Indonesia often produce the same as China, but at significantly lower prices. India is a region within which there are many Indias. And when discussing whether it is good or bad to cooperate with India, you need to understand which state, which tax jurisdiction you will be cooperating with.

    Tech startups and financial hubs are Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia. Complex manufacturing, microchips – China and Malaysia. Steel production, ship manufacturing, heavy metallurgy – this is partly China, partly Vietnam. If we are talking about where to supply, say, food products – and Russian food products are very popular – this is China, Indonesia, etc.

    Of course, this is not an alternative to China. No other country, or even a combination of countries, can compete with China in the mass of goods. But our entrepreneurs should understand that we do not live by China alone. Often, we have to create complex integrated production: part of the business is in China, part in Russia, and part, for example, in Malaysia.

    You need to have a matrix of these countries in your head. We teach that for each type of business, there is, to put it simply, its own country in Asia. Therefore, we need to look at Asia as one big market.

    I would also like to remind you that the countries of Southeast and East Asia are most often a free trade zone, a single tax-free zone, so it does not matter where you produce your products. For example, there is a small Russian liqueur production facility. Some of the liqueurs are produced in Thailand and the Philippines and supplied to China. It would seem, why not produce everything at once in China? Because it turned out that it is more profitable to make the drink in terms of production, in terms of the original components, not in China, but only to supply it there for sale.

    – Russia and China today focus on the development of new technologies, both in education, science and production. Can there be a technology transfer in this area and does it make sense to bring Russian technologies to the Chinese market?

    In fact, this is what is very much needed now. Because on the one hand, we have Russian-Chinese trade at different speeds, but it is developing, and last year we reached more than 245 billion dollars in trade turnover, which, it would seem, is not bad. But basically, the trade turnover is formed due to trade in oil, gas, food products, wood, wood processing. That is, as they say, first-stage products.

    It is very important for us to deepen the scientific, technical and high-tech component. And this is a big question. On the one hand, we really have brains and technology, on the other hand, China – and not only China, but many other countries – stubbornly do not want to go for what is called institutional cooperation. It is easier for them to invite a Russian specialist, a young guy from a regional research institute to China, give him a good salary, and he will work within the framework of the Chinese system.

    The development of institutional partnerships – when products are manufactured both in Russia and in China – is the first thing that needs to be done now. For example, Chinese laboratory equipment and Russian “brains”, and then all this is jointly brought to the market, including the market of third countries.

    It is also necessary to clearly understand that everything must be protected by patents and trademark protection. In China, there is a principle that is usually called first to file in English, that is, the first one to fill out the documents. Therefore, even if you have a patent registration in Russia, and you will bring this technology to the Chinese market, someone there can register it for themselves. Then you will not be able to use this patent or your trademark on the Chinese market. Patent protection, protection of technological inventions, secrets is another very important point.

    I don’t know of a single case where Russian inventors have managed to bring their technologies to China directly. But it often happens differently. A joint Russian-Chinese enterprise is created, for example, in a high-tech zone, and in a year or two all this is developed to an industrial model, and then Russian and Chinese colleagues jointly bring it to the Chinese market.

    We did not invent this. Both Americans and Europeans acted this way in the Chinese market. Therefore, we must abandon all thoughts about being able to single-handedly push through the Chinese market and make a technological transfer, this is almost impossible. The same is true in the opposite direction.

    I have not yet seen any real examples of high-tech transfer from China coming to Russia and being implemented. And this is really necessary.

    For example, the Chinese auto industry, which is present in Russia today. Behind the Chinese auto industry, no matter how you feel about it, there are huge technological developments. From artificial intelligence to assembly of units. And theoretically, it is more profitable for us not to buy ready-made cars, but to create production on Russian territory, so that Russian engineers, Russian workers, and business process specialists can be trained, so that, ultimately, we can gain some unique technological experience.

    So far, as we see, China is not going for this on a large scale. And this is precisely the serious shortcoming. I think there are two reasons for this.

    The first reason is that if you can sell the product, why sell the patent, China believes. And in this sense, it is right. And the second point, it seems to me, is that we also lack specialists who could seriously work on the Asian market, specifically in the field of science and technology.

    – Alexey Alexandrovich, thank you very much for the conversation. We are confident that the course “Business and Management in a Global Context: China and Asia” will be in demand and will bring real benefits to both ICEF graduates in terms of careers and the country’s economy as a whole.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI: Westland Insurance acquires Saskatchewan-based Loewen Agencies Ltd.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Surrey, BC/Territories of the Coast Salish (Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen First Nations), March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westland Insurance, one of Canada’s leading insurance brokerages, has acquired Loewen Agencies Ltd. effective March 1, 2025. With this acquisition, Westland gains Loewen Agencies’ trusted reputation and strong community ties, allowing it to enhance its offerings and serve more clients. 

    Loewen Agencies serves the Radville, Ceylon, and Minton communities with coverage for properties, vehicles, businesses, and farm insurance. Loewen Agencies has been a trusted part of these communities since 1947, built on a legacy of exceptional advice and client service. 

    The integration of Loewen Agencies into Westland’s operations will ensure that clients continue to receive the high level of service they’ve come to expect, while also gaining access to a broader range of insurance products and resources. 

    “I’m extremely pleased to welcome Loewen Agencies to the Westland team,” said Jamie Lyons, Westland’s President & CEO. “This is an exciting step in our growth journey. Supporting rural communities across Canada with their insurance needs is an important part of our business model at Westland. We look forward to welcoming their talented team and to continue providing outstanding service in these new communities that they’ve served for decades.” 

    Westland continues to invest in and grow its business in Canada, both organically and through strategic acquisitions.  

    – 30 –   

    About Westland Insurance Group   

    Westland Insurance Group is one of the largest and fastest-growing insurance brokers in Canada. Trading over $3.5 billion of premium, Westland continues to expand coast to coast. Westland’s brokers provide expertise and advisory-based services across commercial, personal, employee benefits, farm, and specialty insurance segments. Since its founding in 1980, Westland has remained committed to supporting its clients, industry partners and local communities. For more information, please visit westlandinsurance.ca

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: GRUPO FINANCIERO BANORTE to Present at the Banking Virtual Investor Conference March 6th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MEXICO CITY, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GRUPO FINANCIERO BANORTE (GBOOY), based in Av. Revolución N° 3000, Col. Primavera, Monterrey, N.L. C.P. 64830 Mexico, focused on Financial Services, today announced that Tania Martinez Lira, Investor Relations Director and that Corina Beltrán Medina, Investor Relations Deputy Director, will present live at the Banking Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on March 6th, 2025

    DATE: March 6th
    TIME: 2:30 – 3:00 pm ET
    LINK: https://bit.ly/3DhRUj4

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates. 

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • Recognized by The Banker as the Best Bank in Mexico, Most Innovative Bank in Latin America, and Top 200 Banks in Latin America in 2024
    • Recognized by World Finance as the Best Retail Bank and Best Corporate Governance in Mexico in 2024
    • Recognized by Institutional Investor as the Most Honored Company, coupled with Best CEO, Best CFO, Best IRO, Best IR Team, Best IR program, Best ESG, Best Company Board of Directors, and Best Investor Day in 2024
    • Recognized by Global Finance as Best Bank in Mexico 2024 and Best SME Bank 2025
    • Recognized by Euromoney as Best Service-Domestic, Trade Finance in Mexico and Best Banks for SMEs in Mexico in 2024
    • Recognized by TAB Global as one of the 1000 World´s Largest and Strongest Banks in 2024
    • Silver winner at a worldwide level on the “HyperPersonalization” project in the category “Reimagining the Customer Experience” by Qorus-Infosys Finacle
    • Recognized by Best Place to Work 2024, while incorporating our CEO and our CHRO in their “Best CEOs and Best CHROs” list

    About [GRUPO FINANCIERO BANORTE]

    Grupo Financiero Banorte (GFNorte), is a leading financial institution in Mexico, with the largest business diversification and continuously seeking ways to innovate in the financial sector, offering a wide variety of traditional and digital products and services, through its broker dealer, annuities & insurance companies, retirement saving funds (afore), mutual funds, leasing and factoring company, warehousing and recently announcing the inclusion of a digital bank.

    Banorte is the second largest financial group in Mexico in terms of loan portfolio, the number two provider of loans to governments and the second largest bank in mortgage loans. In addition, the retirement fund administrator Afore XXI Banorte, of which GFNorte owns 50%, is the largest in the country in terms of assets under management.

    Banorte is the only commercial bank, among the six largest institutions, whose decisions are made locally without the influence of external parent companies, which has proven to be an advantage in adapting with agility to the changes and alternatives presented by the country.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Africa: KCB Group and Bank of Kigali launch Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), enabling seamless and affordable cross-border payments across Africa

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

    CAIRO, Egypt, March 6, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), launched by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, has recorded a significant milestone in its journey towards enhancing financial integration and economic prosperity across Africa with the official launch of the platform by KCB Group in Kenya and Bank of Kigali in Rwanda.

    The launches, by the Bank of Kigali in Kigali on 26th February and KCB in Nairobi on 27th February, made the two banks the first in their respective countries to integrate the transformative system into their operations, underscoring their commitment to championing intra-African trade and supporting the efforts of the AfCFTA.

    KCB and Bank of Kigali customers will now be able to send and receive cross-border payments using PAPSS. The service is fully operational and accessible via the banks’ mobile applications and branch networks, enabling seamless transactions across African borders. With this launch, businesses and individuals can benefit from faster, more cost-effective, and secure payments without relying on correspondent banks or third-party currencies.

    Highlighting the benefits of PAPSS to customers of KCB and Bank of Kigali, Mike Ogbalu III, CEO of PAPSS, said, “The customers will experience faster, more cost-effective, and secure cross-border transactions from the comfort of their banks’ mobile applications or through their branches. Businesses can trade more freely and competitively by eliminating the need for correspondent banks outside the continent and removing dependencies on third-party currencies. This transformation is set to unlock new opportunities for trade and investment, allowing African SMEs to access broader markets and contribute to local economies.”

    Mr. Ogbalu III expressed deep gratitude to KCB and Bank of Kigali for their pioneering roles in adopting the PAPSS initiative and commended Paul Russo, KCB Group CEO, and Dr. Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali, “for their “visionary leadership and unwavering commitment”.

    He noted that the PAPSS network, which began in 2022 in a pilot phase across the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), had successfully grown to include 15 central banks, over 150 commercial banks, and 14 switches, adding that the current “expansion marks a significant stride toward our goal of connecting the entire continent, ensuring that every African citizen can benefit from seamless, cost-effective cross-border transactions”.

    “With only 16 per cent of Africa’s total trade occurring intra-regionally, the launch of PAPSS in Kenya and Rwanda is a significant step in unlocking the continent’s potential,” continued Mr. Ogbalu III. “We believe that this innovative financial market infrastructure will facilitate greater trade opportunities, economic growth, and financial empowerment between the Eastern African countries and the rest of Africa.”

    He called on other central and commercial banks in Eastern Africa to join the PAPSS family in order to play a pivotal role in the AfCFTA as it worked to build a more prosperous and unified Africa.

    Speaking on the milestone, KCB Group CEO, Paul Russo, said: “We want to play a bigger role in catalyzing trade and payments in Africa and beyond, leveraging our digital capabilities and regional footprint. Our entry into PAPSS aligns perfectly with our strategy of supporting economic growth in Kenya and across Africa by facilitating seamless financial transactions.”

    Dr. Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali, highlighted the significance of the partnership: “This system allows people to send money quickly. For example, if someone sends Rwandan francs from Rwanda, it can reach Ghana in their local currency. The system converts the currency to meet the local requirements. Entrepreneurs in Rwanda can now receive payments instantly in Rwandan francs or USD from any member country. This service is fast, affordable, and reliable.”

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI: Cloud Computing Expert Kelsey Hightower to Speak at HAProxyConf 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWTON, Mass. and SAN FRANCISCO, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HAProxy Technologies, the company behind HAProxy One, the world’s fastest application delivery and security platform, announced today that Kelsey Hightower will deliver a keynote address at HAProxyConf 2025. Attendees can register now to book tickets at the limited early bird price of $350, and secure their place at the global HAProxy community event. This marks the first time in the conference’s history that the event will be held in the United States, having previously been in The Netherlands and France.

    “HAProxy showcases community at its best,” said Kelsey Hightower. “They’ve been dedicated to open source for more than two decades – longer than some of us have been in this field! I’ve watched them grow and adapt over the years as an active member of the broader ecosystem and this project is the very definition of sustainability.”

    Kelsey Hightower, a well-known technologist and contributor to cloud computing, open source software, and Kubernetes, will deliver the opening keynote to kick off two days of expert speakers from across the open source and enterprise landscape.

    “HAProxy users are creative, dedicated, and possess incredible community spirit, which shines through every time at HAProxyConf,” said Dujko Radovnikovic, CEO, HAProxy Technologies. “The conference attracts world leaders in application delivery and security, and Kelsey is a perfect example – his unique voice has helped shape the cloud-native systems that have transformed the way we build and deploy applications over the last decade. You won’t want to miss it.”

    Kelsey Hightower’s cloud-native expertise aligns with the interests, challenges, and goals of the HAProxy user community. Over half of HAProxy users reported using Kubernetes in a 2022 user survey, demonstrating its rapid growth as a deployment method for modern containerized applications. HAProxy plays a key role in this environment by ensuring performance, reliability, and security at the edge. In the last 12 months, the company achieved several notable milestones in the Kubernetes market segment:

    • HAProxy became a G2 category leader in Container Networking
    • HAProxy Fusion 1.3 added near-instant configuration generation from service discovery registries, with minimal overhead
    • HAProxy Technologies became a Gold Member of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and is a Diamond Sponsor of KubeCon London 2025
    • HAProxy Technologies became a Docker Verified Publisher, providing an authoritative source for HAProxy’s Docker images.

    “Kelsey’s presence at HAProxyConf underscores the company’s explosive growth over the last few years,” said Tim Bertrand, President of HAProxy Technologies. “As organizations of all types and sizes navigate the evolving challenges of security, AI, Kubernetes, and more, HAProxy Technologies is delivering the technology leadership and world-class experience needed to stay ahead. If you want to see it for yourself, make sure you’re at HAProxyConf this June.”

    About HAProxyConf

    HAProxyConf celebrates the thriving user community that’s made HAProxy the world’s fastest and most widely used software load balancer. Over two-plus days, expert speakers will share best practices and real-world use cases that highlight HAProxy’s next-gen approach to high-performance application delivery and security. Attendees will explore how to master their application traffic with next-gen solutions to the challenges of multi-layered security, observability, performance, and the complexities of Kubernetes and multi-cloud deployments.

    Registration and the Call for Papers are open for HAProxyConf 2025. Early bird tickets are $350, regular tickets are $450, and workshop add-ons are $100.

    For more information, visit www.haproxyconf.com or review the best HAProxyConf presentations from prior years in the HAProxy User Spotlight Series.

    About HAProxy Technologies

    HAProxy Technologies is the company behind HAProxy One, the world’s fastest application delivery and security platform, and HAProxy, the most widely used software load balancer. Leading companies and cloud providers trust HAProxy to simplify, scale, and secure modern applications, APIs, and AI services in any environment. HAProxy Technologies is headquartered in Newton, MA, with multiple offices across the US and Europe. Learn more at HAProxy.com.

    For questions or comments, please contact press@haproxy.com.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d384ec8c-c41f-4942-8554-e4d4f5410d3a

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Rate Issues First Jumbo RMBS Securitization of 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rate, a leader in fintech mortgage solutions, has successfully completed its first Jumbo RMBS securitization of 2025, a $366 million issuance with a 6.375% Gross Weighted Average Coupon (GWAC). Wells Fargo Securities served as the structuring lead, with Goldman Sachs as co-lead and BMO Capital Markets Corp. and JP Morgan as co-managers.

    “For investors evaluating new issue deals, RATE 2025-J1 stands out as a compelling opportunity in the primary market,” said Allison Burkholder, Managing Director of Non-Agency RMBS Trading at Rate. “Since reviving our securitization platform in 2024, we’ve remained committed to providing some of the cleanest, highest-quality collateral available.”

    This securitization reinforces Rate’s leadership in the Jumbo RMBS market and underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to delivering premium investment opportunities.

    “I am incredibly proud of our team’s dedication in re-launching our securitization program in 2024,” said Victor Ciardelli, CEO of Rate. “Our vision is to build the #1 non-agency securitization program in the country, powered by our cutting-edge digital origination platform. This initiative enables us to offer industry-leading rates on Jumbo loans for our loan officers and referral partners.”

    Ciardelli added, “Our digital origination platform not only reduces the cost of origination but also ensures the highest-quality Jumbo loan production in the industry. The success we’ve achieved is a testament to our relentless focus on innovation and excellence—laying the foundation for continued growth in 2025 and beyond.”

    “When you analyze this deal, you’ll see that the average interest rate is approximately 0.125% to 0.500% lower than other Jumbo deals in the market,” said Jeremy Collett, Rate’s Chief Capital Markets Officer. “This reflects our commitment to lowering borrowing costs for customers through our groundbreaking technology.”

    Looking ahead, Rate plans to expand its securitization pipeline in 2025. “We anticipate a modest increase in Jumbo originations this year and expect to bring four to five securitizations to market,” said Burkholder.

    About Rate
    Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate has over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include Best Mortgage Lender for First-Time Homebuyers by NerdWallet for 2023; HousingWire’s Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose℠ digital mortgage platform in 2020, MyAccount in 2022, and Language Access Program in 2023; the most Scotsman Guide Top Originators for 11 consecutive years; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven straight years. Visit rate.com for more information.

    Media Contact

    press@rate.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: VERB’s ‘Go Fund Yourself’ TV Show Propels Issuer Freedom Chat to New Heights

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. and LAS VEGAS, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Verb Technology Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERB) (“VERB” or the “Company”), the technology company behind MARKET.live, a leading livestream social shopping platform, and GO FUND YOURSELF!, the groundbreaking reality TV series and innovative new platform at the intersection of entertainment and entrepreneurship disrupting the crowd funding industry, continues to demonstrate its impact on emerging businesses. The Show airs weekly on CheddarTV, available on most cable operators, prime time at 7pm EST. The innovative show format features on-screen icons and QR codes that allow viewers to click or scan to invest in the presenting companies or purchase their products in near real-time while watching the Show, all in strict compliance with regulatory rules and regulations.

    Last week, Reg CF issuer Freedom Chat, a next-generation social messaging app focused on privacy and security, appeared on the Show. The result – not only did the issuer raise much needed capital but also acquired invaluable insights from the Show’s accomplished panel of business Titans.

    The episode featured a dynamic pitch by Freedom Chat founder and CEO Tanner Haas, a four-time founder and three-time author with multiple successful exits, and an intensely engaged panel of the Show’s Titans, including Rory J. Cutaia, the Show’s creator and Founder & CEO of Verb Technology Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERB), David Meltzer, Chairman of the Napoleon Hill Institute and former CEO of the renowned Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment agency, and Jayson Waller, successful serial entrepreneur, founder & CEO of multiple successful businesses, including a billion dollar revenue business, and host of the popular Jayson Waller Unleashed Podcast.

    “The opportunity to present Freedom Chat on Go Fund Yourself was truly a game-changer,” said Tanner Haas, Founder of Freedom Chat. “The insights, guidance, and direct access to the Titans on the Show gives us a competitive edge that no other platform could have provided. The funding was instrumental, but the mentorship we received is what will help propel us forward. I can’t express enough how valuable this experience has been and how fun it was.”

    “The success of Go Fund Yourself isn’t just about securing capital — it’s about equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge, connections, and strategic tools they need to scale effectively,” said Rory J. Cutaia. “Freedom Chat is a perfect example of an entrepreneur with an incredible vision to address a well-defined market need for a secure and private messaging platform that, with the right exposure, backing and insights, can create a new dominant player in the digital messaging space. I believe his appearance on our Go Fund Yourself TV Show helped propel the execution of his vision forward.”

    “Without question, the Show is a much needed boon not just for entrepreneurs and the crowdfunding industry generally, but also, perhaps even more importantly, for everyday people who now have direct access to investment opportunities traditionally reserved for insiders, opportunities the average person might never see.” 

    Apply Now to Be Featured on ‘Go Fund Yourself’
    Are you an entrepreneur or business owner that would like to be featured on Go Fund Yourself TV Show Click HERE to apply today and discover how the Show can propel your business to new heights.

    As Freedom Chat continues its upward trajectory, its success underscores the vital role that Go Fund Yourself plays in identifying, mentoring, and amplifying the next wave of disruptive entrepreneurs. The Show is proving to be the ultimate launchpad for startups looking to scale with more than just funding — but with expertise, guidance, key relationships, and game-changing exposure.

    About Go Fund Yourself TV Show

    Innovating Business Crowdfunding on Prime-Time Television
    Airing in a prime-time weekly slot every Thursday at 7 PM ET on Cheddar TV, Go Fund Yourself brings an innovative, interactive approach to startup funding. Entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to a panel of Titans, competing for investment and audience engagement. The Show’s technology allows viewers to invest in featured companies in near real-time by tapping, clicking, or scanning on-screen icons, creating an unprecedented bridge between startups and investors.

    Titans Leading the Way 
    The Show’s expert panel of Titans include:

    • David Meltzer – Chairman of the Napoleon Hill Institute and Former CEO of the Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment agency 
    • Jayson Waller – Thought leader, CEO of multiple multi-million-dollar companies, and host of the popular Unleashed Podcast 
    • Rory J. Cutaia – the Show’s creator and Founder and CEO of VERB Technology Company [Nasdaq: VERB], and disruptor behind livestream social selling phenom MARKET.live
    • Rotating celebrity guest Titans from the worlds of business, sports, and entertainment

    Unmatched Visibility for Entrepreneurs
    With Cheddar’s expansive digital and social reach, Go Fund Yourself TV Show ensures startups receive unparalleled exposure. Each episode will be broadcast three times per week, with a season-ending marathon maximizing visibility for participating companies. The series will also be heavily promoted across Cheddar’s social and digital platforms to further amplify its reach.

    How to Watch & Stay Connected

    • New Episodes air every Thursday night at 7 PM ET on CheddarTV on your local cable channels and online at Cheddar.com
    • Catch all previous episodes on CheddarTV’s YouTube Channel
    • Follow Go Fund Yourself Show on social media for exclusive content: 

    For more information about Go Fund Yourself, visit GoFundYourself.Show

    For more information about Freedom Chat, visit FreedomChat.com

    About VERB Technology Company
    Verb Technology Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: VERB), is the innovative force behind interactive video-based social commerce. The Company’s MARKET.live platform is a multi-vendor, livestream social shopping destination at the forefront of the convergence of e-commerce and entertainment, where brands, retailers, creators, and influencers engage their customers, clients, fans, and followers across multiple social media channels simultaneously. GO FUND YOURSELF!, is a revolutionary interactive social crowd funding platform for public and private companies seeking broad-based exposure across social media channels for their crowd-funded Regulation CF and Regulation A offerings. The platform combines a ground-breaking interactive TV show with MARKET.live’s back-end capabilities allowing viewers to tap, scan or click on their screen to facilitate an investment, in real time, as they watch companies presenting before the show’s panel of “Titans”. Presenting companies that sell consumer products are able to offer their products directly to viewers during the show in real time through shoppable onscreen icons. The Company is headquartered in Las Vegas, NV and operates full-service production and creator studios in Los Alamitos, California.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
    This communication contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance, or achievements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, those identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our annual, quarterly, and current reports filed with the SEC and the risk factors included in our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.

    Investor Relations:
    investors@verb.tech

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Municipality Finance Plc Amends the Terms and Conditions of Medium Term Notes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Municipality Finance Plc
    Stock exchange release
    6 March 2025 at 4:00 pm (EET)

    Municipality Finance Plc Amends the Terms and Conditions of Medium Term Notes

    Municipality Finance Plc amends the terms and conditions pertaining to EUR 10 million medium term notes issued on 11 February 2025 (ISIN: XS2999632172). With the amendments, the notes are in new global note form and accordingly are intended to be held in a manner which would allow Eurosystem eligibility in other respects, the terms and conditions of the notes remain unchanged. The amended and restated final terms are available in English on the company’s website at https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/for-investors.

    Holders of the notes have approved the amendments. The notes have been admitted to trading on the Helsinki Stock Exchange maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki.

    MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC

    Further information:

    Joakim Holmström
    Executive Vice President, Capital Markets and Sustainability
    tel. +358 50 444 3638

    MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland’s largest credit institutions. The owners of the company include Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the State of Finland. The Group’s balance sheet is over EUR 53 billion.

    MuniFin builds a better and more sustainable future with its customers. Our customers include municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, joint county authorities, corporate entities under the control of the above-mentioned organisations, and affordable social housing. Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs.

    MuniFin’s customers are domestic but the company operates in a completely global business environment. The company is an active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green and social bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board.

    Read more: www.munifin.fi

    Important Information

    The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into any such country or jurisdiction or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, any securities or other financial instruments in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

    This communication does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Global: Anger is a flow of emotion like water through a hose − at work, it helps to know when to turn it up or down and how to direct it

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Laura Rees, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Oregon State University

    Is the anger targeted or blasting everyone in the area? Witthaya Prasongsin/Moment via Getty Images

    Pretty much everyone will sometimes struggle with anger at work. People fear the wrath of abusive supervisors, suppress anger to maintain a façade of professionalism, or vent anger toward co-workers who are, fairly or not, targets. Reactions to anger in the workplace can be strong, but they’re not always effective.

    As scholars who also fall prey to the pitfalls of anger ourselves, we are fascinated by anger. We have studied the causes, underlying processes and consequences of anger from the perspectives of management, psychology, marketing and negotiations.

    We recently reviewed more than 400 research articles across psychology, business and related fields on topics ranging from brain activity to negotiation to race relations. Yet despite the ubiquity of anger in the workplace and the decades of anger research that exists across a number of fields, we found no straightforward way to understand the complexity of the life cycle of anger and how to manage it most effectively.

    As we dived more deeply into the research literature, though, we realized that simply reframing how we think about anger could provide a novel, flexible framework for how to deal with this emotion in daily life. Our suggestion: Think of anger as a flow of emotion, like water through a garden hose.

    By thinking of the flow of anger, you can unpack its key dimensions: its path and strength. Understanding whether the hose is pointed effectively and whether the strength of the stream is appropriate are critical for knowing when, how and why to focus or redirect the anger and amplify or weaken its intensity.

    When tempers flare, sometimes innocent bystanders take the heat.
    RapidEye/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    The direction of anger

    Imagine a co-worker charges into your office, yelling, breathing heavily, face reddened, veins bulging. Even if you are simply an unsuspecting colleague who happened to have your door open, your attention is undoubtedly now fixed on your co-worker.

    Are you the target of their anger for something you did, or merely an observer of their anger at someone else?

    If you are an undeserving target, do you try to reframe the issue so that the angry person will realize the anger is better directed elsewhere?

    If you are the observer, you also have a choice about whether to ignore your co-worker’s anger or help them redirect it to a more effective outlet. You might simply listen empathetically while they let off steam, perhaps pointing out the relative risks and benefits of their taking their complaints to the supervisor.

    You are deciding, in effect, what suggestions to make about the direction of this person’s anger.

    The key to effectively managing the direction of anger is to manage the attention of those in the room. Reshaping how angry people attribute blame, for example, can help people take another person’s perspective or understand the situation in a new way, directing the flow more productively.

    The intensity of anger

    When an angry co-worker approaches you as the target, do you ignore the signal or offer to work with the person so a similar situation doesn’t happen in the future? Both are ways to tamp down the intensity of the emotion coming at you.

    When you are angry, do you try to distract yourself from the anger, let it simmer, or embrace it? You are essentially deciding how you want to manage the intensity of your own angry feelings.

    It is important to recognize that managing the intensity of anger can go in both directions. Sometimes high-intensity anger should be turned down and sometimes subtle anger should be amplified.

    For example, consider an instance in which you feel anger at what you perceive to be an unfair change to a company policy. In this case, simply going for a walk outside to avoid expressing your frustration may result in the leadership not realizing that you and others on the team feel this way, leaving little opportunity to discuss and update the policy to more reasonable standards.

    Learning to self-regulate your thoughts and behaviors can help you manage the intensity of any anger you find yourself feeling. Rather than impulsively reacting, you can practice handling your emotions so you control whether you crank up your expressed anger or dial it down. Part of this process is thinking carefully about the cost-benefit trade-offs of expressing your anger. In these ways, you more effectively manage the strength of the flow without unnecessarily just turning it off.

    The decision whether or how to intervene depends on the specifics of the situation.
    FG Trade/E+ via Getty Images

    Controlling anger

    Knowing when, how and why to shape the direction and intensity of anger is no small feat. Some of this decision is rightly based on the situation. For example, is it safe to step in? Do you feel personally skilled at intervening?

    But it is within everyone’s power to learn how to manage their own and others’ anger more effectively.

    To do so, you need to understand your role and whether the flow is a one-time situation or a persistent problem. Understanding whether you’re holding the hose, standing in its path or observing from a distance is the first step to effectively managing the direction and intensity of the flow.

    Second is deciding whether and how to intervene: Can you reframe the initial trigger so that the faucet is never turned on, or turned on more or less powerfully? If anger is already too strong and you cannot or do not want to avoid it, can you help the angry person regulate the direction and intensity of their anger to overcome the issue in some way?

    You can get better at controlling the flow of anger in ways that can improve rather than harm relationships and outcomes. Research supports working on your emotional intelligence and building belief in your own capability to handle anger. Manage factors that tend to wrest control of the hose away from you, including becoming defensive, feeling shame or even suffering from a lack of sleep.

    Taking these steps and practicing controlling the hose’s path and intensity can help address problems in the short term and prevent anger from becoming a destructive pattern in the long term.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Anger is a flow of emotion like water through a hose − at work, it helps to know when to turn it up or down and how to direct it – https://theconversation.com/anger-is-a-flow-of-emotion-like-water-through-a-hose-at-work-it-helps-to-know-when-to-turn-it-up-or-down-and-how-to-direct-it-243670

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: As tuberculosis cases rise in the US and worldwide, health officials puzzle over the resurgence of a disease once in decline

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Karen Dobos, Professor of Microbiology, Colorado State University

    A microscopic view of _Mycobacterium tuberculosis_, the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. koto_feja/E+ via Getty Images

    An outbreak of tuberculosis, or TB – a lung disease that is often accompanied by a hacking cough – began in January 2024 in Kansas City, Kansas, and two nearby counties and continues as of early March 2025. To date, 147 people have been reportedly diagnosed with TB in the outbreak, with 67 becoming ill. The remaining 80 people diagnosed with TB in Kansas contracted the illness but showed no symptoms, which is called a latent infection.

    TB is the leading infectious cause of death around the world, outpaced only by COVID-19 during the first three years of the pandemic.

    The Conversation asked microbiologists Karen Dobos and Marcela Henao-Tamayo, both from Colorado State University, to explain why this ancient disease seems to be making a comeback.

    What’s the history of TB?

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the organism that causes the disease tuberculosis in humans. The disease has been infecting humans for thousands of years. Researchers found evidence of the disease 9,000 years ago in the excavated remains of people who lived in the Eastern Mediterranean region during that time.

    Reports of TB date back to around 410-400 B.C.E., when the physician Hippocrates termed the disease phthisis, an archaic word that means a progressive “wasting away,” due to the way people with the disease become emaciated.

    TB was also known as consumption for the same reason. Similarly, it was called the white plague or white death – due to anemia from the disease, with people appearing pallid or chalky – leading to near-certain death. Untreated active TB, meaning cases that are symptomatic, is highly lethal.

    About half of all people with untreated active TB die from the disease, whereas treatment reduces the death rate to 12%.

    One of the more colorful phrases describing TB is “the king’s evil.” This is a form of TB that also causes neck swelling and lesions, a condition called scrofula. During the Middle Ages, people believed that the touch of a king could cure a person from this form of TB through miraculous intervention.

    TB infections, which are typically found in the lungs, have risen since the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

    Finally, TB was most ominously called the “robber of youth” due to its historical propensity to afflict people 15 to 30 years old.

    In 1865, Jean Antoine Villemin, an army physician in Paris, demonstrated that TB could be transmitted from infected animals to healthy ones through inoculation. Before these studies, the cause of TB was presumed to be primarily constitutional, by either an inherent predisposition or from unhealthy or immoral lifestyles.

    The microorganism causing TB was ultimately discovered in 1882 by the German physician Robert Koch. Koch announced his findings on March 24, 1882, a day globally recognized as World TB Day.

    How does TB spread?

    Tuberculosis is spread by small infectious droplets in the air. A TB patient may emit these droplets by coughing, singing and potentially from regular breathing that occurs during sleep or resting.

    One form of TB can be spread through unpasteurized dairy products. While rare, there have been reports of TB transmission through bone graphs, in which healthy, donated bone material is used to replace damaged bones.

    Close-up view of an infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
    Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

    The origin of the TB outbreak in Kansas remains unknown as of early March 2025. The outbreak has disproportionately affected those in low-income communities, and two people have died from it.

    Importantly, a patient with untreated TB can infect 10 to 15 others.

    Could the COVID-19 pandemic be a factor?

    The COVID-19 pandemic has played a pivotal role in the resurgence of TB. Cases increased globally by 4.6% from 2020 to 2023, reversing decades of steady declines in the disease. In the U.S. alone, TB cases rose by more than 15% from 2022 to 2023.

    During mandatory shutdowns, people were less able to access health care centers for early diagnosis of TB or to fill prescriptions for treatment, perhaps due to the fear of contracting COVID-19 while visiting a medical care facility. COVID-19-related disruptions in care resulted in nearly 700,000 excess deaths from TB.

    Access to health care may not be the only factor behind this uptick. Medical supply shortages and delays in shipment may have also played a role. For example, the U.S. experienced shortages of one of the primary TB drugs between 2021 and 2023.

    As illustrated by this 1963 photo, TB is often detected by an X-ray of the chest.
    Smith Collection/Gado/Archive Photos via Getty Images

    What are the main treatments?

    Multidrug treatment is currently the only way to cure TB and stop its spread.

    Prior to the late 1930s, when the first antibiotic for TB treatment was developed, TB treatments included bloodletting and consumption of cod liver oil. The most popular treatment involved isolated sanatoriums in high-altitude areas such as the Adirondacks and the Rocky Mountains, where the cold, dry air was believed to be a cure. Scholars at the time suggested that the potential for cure was due to these environments being more invigorating for the body and providing more restful sleep. There is no evidence to support these beliefs.

    Streptomycin was the first antibiotic treatment to become available for TB, in the 1940s. However, the microorganism quickly became drug resistant. A second antibiotic, called isoniazid, was developed as a first-line treatment against TB in the 1950s. Again, the microorganism became drug resistant.

    Two- and four-drug combinations are now used to treat both latent infections and active disease. Treatment of active TB requires at least six months of uninterrupted therapy. Disruptions in treatment result in further spread of TB and the emergence of multidrug resistant TB, which requires additional drugs and more than nine months of treatment.

    All TB drugs are toxic; the quality of life for TB patients deteriorates during treatment and remains so throughout their lives. Finding cases and treating TB illness early, before symptoms begin, is important because it not only reduces the spread of disease but also greatly reduces drug toxicity.

    What should people be aware of?

    People should be aware that TB is still a public health problem across the globe. Education on the transmission, treatment and need for active work to eradicate TB is the best defense.

    One of the reasons why education and awareness about TB are so important is that a person with latent TB may be unknowingly harboring the microorganism for years. In the absence of symptoms, these people are unlikely to seek care and will not be diagnosed and treated unless identified as part of an outbreak, as was the case for more than half of the patients in Kansas.

    Karen Dobos receives funding from NIAID, NIH and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Marcela Henao-Tamayo receives funding from NIAID, NIH and OEDIT.

    ref. As tuberculosis cases rise in the US and worldwide, health officials puzzle over the resurgence of a disease once in decline – https://theconversation.com/as-tuberculosis-cases-rise-in-the-us-and-worldwide-health-officials-puzzle-over-the-resurgence-of-a-disease-once-in-decline-249450

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 2025

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $131.4 billion in January, up $33.3 billion from $98.1 billion in December, revised.

    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit
    Deficit: $131.4 Billion  +34.0%°
    Exports: $269.8 Billion  +1.2%°
    Imports: $401.2 Billion  +10.0%°

    Next release: Thursday, April 3, 2025

    (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, March 6, 2025

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    January exports were $269.8 billion, $3.3 billion more than December exports. January imports were $401.2 billion, $36.6 billion more than December imports.

    The January increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $33.5 billion to $156.8 billion and an increase in the services surplus of $0.2 billion to $25.4 billion.

    Year-over-year, the goods and services deficit increased $64.5 billion, or 96.5 percent, from January 2024. Exports increased $10.6 billion or 4.1 percent. Imports increased $75.2 billion or 23.1 percent.

    Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)

    The average goods and services deficit increased $19.2 billion to $102.6 billion for the three months ending in January.

    • Average exports increased $1.2 billion to $270.0 billion in January.
    • Average imports increased $20.4 billion to $372.5 billion in January.

    Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit increased $37.1 billion from the three months ending in January 2024.

    • Average exports increased $11.4 billion from January 2024.
    • Average imports increased $48.5 billion from January 2024.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods increased $2.7 billion to $172.8 billion in January.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis increased $2.8 billion.

    • Capital goods increased $4.2 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft increased $1.1 billion.
      • Semiconductors increased $0.7 billion.
      • Computers increased $0.5 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft engines increased $0.5 billion.
    • Consumer goods increased $1.7 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $0.8 billion.
      • Jewelry increased $0.6 billion.
    • Other goods decreased $1.3 billion. (See the “Notice” for more information.)
    • Foods, feeds, and beverages decreased $1.0 billion.
      • Soybeans decreased $0.8 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.1 billion.

    Exports of services increased $0.6 billion to $97.0 billion in January.

    • Financial services increased $0.2 billion.
    • Telecommunications, computer, and information services increased $0.1 billion.
    • Other business services increased $0.1 billion.
    • Transport increased $0.1 billion.
    • Maintenance and repair services increased $0.1 billion.
    • Government goods and services decreased $0.3 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods increased $36.2 billion to $329.5 billion in January.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis increased $36.2 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials increased $23.1 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes increased $20.5 billion.
    • Consumer goods increased $6.0 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $5.2 billion.
      • Cell phones and other household goods increased $1.2 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $4.6 billion.
      • Computers increased $3.0 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $1.2 billion.
      • Telecommunications equipment increased $1.1 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.1 billion.

    Imports of services increased $0.4 billion to $71.7 billion in January.

    • Charges for the use of intellectual property increased $0.2 billion.
    • Other business services increased $0.1 billion.
    • Travel decreased $0.1 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit increased $30.8 billion, or 27.5 percent, to $142.9 billion in January, compared to a 27.4 percent increase in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods increased $0.6 billion, or 0.4 percent, to $142.3 billion, compared to a 1.6 percent increase in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods increased $31.4 billion, or 12.4 percent, to $285.2 billion, compared to a 12.5 percent increase in nominal imports.

    Revisions

    Exports and imports of goods and services were revised for July through December 2024 to incorporate more comprehensive and updated quarterly and monthly data. In addition to these revisions, seasonally adjusted data for all months of 2024 were revised so that the totals of the seasonally adjusted months equal the annual totals.

    Revisions to December exports

    • Exports of goods were revised down $0.1 billion.
    • Exports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Revisions to December imports

    • Imports of goods were revised up $0.2 billion.
    • Imports of services were revised down $0.6 billion.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)

    The January figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Netherlands ($4.3), South and Central America ($4.3), Belgium ($0.6), and Brazil ($0.6). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($29.7), European Union ($25.5), Switzerland ($22.8), Mexico ($15.5), Ireland ($12.4), Vietnam ($11.9), Canada ($11.3), Germany ($7.6), Taiwan ($7.5), Japan ($7.4), South Korea ($5.4), India ($4.2), Italy ($3.5), Malaysia ($2.5), Australia ($2.0), Hong Kong ($1.4), France ($1.0), Singapore ($1.0), Israel ($0.6), United Kingdom ($0.5), and Saudi Arabia ($0.1).

    • The deficit with Switzerland increased $9.8 billion to $22.8 billion in January. Exports increased $0.6 billion to $1.8 billion and imports increased $10.3 billion to $24.6 billion.
    • The deficit with Ireland increased $6.2 billion to $12.4 billion in January. Exports increased less than $0.1 billion to $1.2 billion and imports increased $6.2 billion to $13.6 billion.
    • The surplus with South and Central America increased $0.7 billion to $4.3 billion in January. Exports increased $0.3 billion to $18.0 billion and imports decreased $0.5 billion to $13.7 billion.

    Goods and Services by Selected Countries and Areas: Quarterly – Balance of Payments Basis (exhibit 20)

    Statistics on trade in goods and services by country and area are only available quarterly, with a one-month lag. With this release, fourth-quarter figures are now available.

    The fourth-quarter figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with South and Central America ($19.1), Netherlands ($18.6), Australia ($7.1), Singapore ($7.0), Brazil ($7.0), United Kingdom ($4.9), Hong Kong ($4.3), Saudi Arabia ($3.4), and Belgium ($1.5). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($68.8), Mexico ($48.0), European Union ($38.5), Vietnam ($32.7), Germany ($21.1), Taiwan ($18.9), Japan ($17.0), Switzerland ($15.7), India ($13.2), South Korea ($12.5), Italy ($11.1), Canada ($10.5), Ireland ($7.8), Malaysia ($7.4), France ($4.5), and Israel ($2.1).

    • The deficit with Switzerland increased $12.1 billion to $15.7 billion in the fourth quarter. Exports decreased $1.6 billion to $18.8 billion and imports increased $10.6 billion to $34.5 billion.
    • The deficit with India increased $3.4 billion to $13.2 billion in the fourth quarter. Exports decreased $0.2 billion to $20.6 billion and imports increased $3.2 billion to $33.8 billion.
    • The deficit with the European Union decreased $5.8 billion to $38.5 billion in the fourth quarter. Exports decreased $0.9 billion to $164.8 billion and imports decreased $6.7 billion to $203.3 billion.

    All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau’s Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA’s website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.

    Next release: April 3, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, February 2025

    Notice

    Impact of Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Release of CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM)

    The CBSA introduced a new accounting system (CARM) on October 21, 2024. As a result, importers in Canada have experienced delays in filing shipment information. These delays affected the compilation of statistics on U.S. exports of goods to Canada for September 2024 through January 2025, which are derived from data compiled by Canada through the United States – Canada Data Exchange. A dollar estimate of the filing backlog is included in estimates for late receipts and, following the U.S. Census Bureau’s customary practice for late receipt estimates, is included in the export end-use category “Other goods” as well as in exports to Canada. This estimate will be replaced with the actual transactions reported by the Harmonized System classification in June 2025 with the release of “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, Annual Revision.” Until then, please refer to the supplemental spreadsheet “CARM Exports to Canada Corrections,” which provides a breakdown of the late receipts by 1-digit end-use category for statistics through 2024. This spreadsheet will be updated as late export transactions are received to reflect reassignments from the initial “Other goods” category to the appropriate 1-digit end-use category. Any 2025 impacts will be revised in June 2026.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on 800-549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov.

    Upcoming Changes to the Real (Chained-Dollar) Series

    Effective with the release of the February 2025 statistics on April 3, 2025, the Census Bureau will continue to use the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes to calculate the chained-dollar series (exhibits 10 and 11). The BLS will be implementing changes to the indexes with the release of the February 2025 U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes on March 18, 2025. The changes to the indexes could impact the chained-dollar values. Please refer to the BLS notice for additional information on the Upcoming Change to Data Source for Import and Export Price Indexes: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Statistical Methods Division, International Trade Statistical Methods Branch, on 301-763-3080.

    Upcoming Updates to Goods and Services

    With the releases of the “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services” report (FT-900) and the FT-900 Annual Revision on June 5, 2025, statistics on trade in goods, on both a Census basis and a balance of payments (BOP) basis, will be revised beginning with 2020 and statistics on trade in services will be revised beginning with 1999. The revised statistics for goods on a BOP basis and for services will also be included in the “U.S. International Transactions, 1st Quarter 2025 and Annual Update” report and in the international transactions interactive database, both to be released by BEA on June 24, 2025.

    Revised statistics on trade in goods will reflect:

    • Corrections and adjustments to previously published not seasonally adjusted statistics for goods on a Census basis.
    • End-use reclassifications of several commodities.
    • Recalculated seasonal and trading-day adjustments.
    • Newly available and revised source data on BOP adjustments, which are adjustments that BEA applies to goods on a Census basis to convert them to a BOP basis. See the “Goods (balance of payments basis)” section in the explanatory notes for more information.

    Revised statistics on trade in services will reflect:

    • Newly available and revised source data, primarily from BEA surveys of international services.
    • Corrections and adjustments to previously published not seasonally adjusted statistics.
    • Recalculated seasonal adjustments.
    • Revised temporal distributions of quarterly source data to monthly statistics. See the “Services” section in the explanatory notes for more information.

    A preview of BEA’s 2025 annual update of the International Transactions Accounts will be available in the Survey of Current Business in April 2025.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on (800) 549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov or BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at InternationalAccounts@bea.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Bybit Becomes the First Exchange to List USDtb, Bringing Institutional-Grade Stability to Crypto Traders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, becomes the first platform to include USDtb, a blockchain-based USD stablecoin created and managed by Ethena Labs, on its Spot exchange. USDtb combines the liquidity of stablecoins with the security and transparency of institutional-grade U.S. Treasury assets, marking a pivotal innovation in the evolution of digital dollars.

    USDtb is backed primarily by BlackRock’s USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund Token (BUIDL), which holds 100% of its assets in cash, U.S. Treasury Bills, and other short-term U.S. government obligations. This conservative and transparent backing makes USDtb a compelling option for investors seeking both stability and yield in the digital asset ecosystem.

    A New Chapter in Stablecoins
    Unlike traditional stablecoins, USDtb blends tokenized U.S. Treasury fund products with a stablecoin reserve, delivering a unique combination of stability, flexibility, and instant liquidity. This next-generation stablecoin enables faster, cheaper transactions compared to traditional banking systems, while offering users stable returns with principal protection — echoing the success of Ethena Labs’ USDe.

    Key Timeline

    • USDtb Listing on Spot Trading: Mar 4, 2025, 8AM UTC
    • USDtb Withdrawals Open: Mar 5, 2025, 8AM UTC
    • USDtb 5% Airdrop: 1st Snapshot on Mar 6, 2025
    • First Reward Distribution: Before Mar 7, 6AM UTC

    Deposits and withdrawals will be available via the ETH network. 

    Exclusive 5% APR Boost for Bybit Users
    To celebrate the listing, Bybit is offering 5% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on USDtb holdings for new and existing eligible users with no lock-up requirements. From Mar. 6 to Apr. 4, eligible Bybit users may join the Bybit exclusive event to enjoy the limited-time 5% APR on USDtb holdings, starting at a minimum of 0.00005 USDtb. Holders will continue to enjoy 95% of the yield on Treasury Bills after the 1st month.

    Rewards will be distributed in USDtb on a first-come, first-served basis, and capped at a total of 200 million in USDtb tokens. The APR will be gradually decreasing after the cap is reached. However, all USDtb holders on Bybit will continue to earn rewards indefinitely after the promotional period ends.

    “By listing USDtb, Bybit is pioneering a new frontier for stablecoins — bridging traditional finance and digital assets with unprecedented transparency and institutional-grade security,” said Jerry Li, Head of Earn & Wealth Management at Bybit. “We are proud to be the first to introduce this innovative asset to our users, expanding their options for both secure savings and dynamic trading opportunities, all while maintaining the seamless experience Bybit is known for.”

    About Bybit
    Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

    For more details about Bybit, please visit: Bybit Press
    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com 
    For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

    DiscordFacebookInstagramLinkedInRedditTelegramTikTokXYouTube

    Contact

    Head of PR
    Tony Au
    Bybit
    tony.au@bybit.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbe9d825-7bdc-4f56-90dd-e629f5a744c0

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Two Nord Security products integrated with ConnectWise through the Invent program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nord Security, a provider of advanced cybersecurity solutions, announces that its product NordLayer, a toggle-ready network security platform for business, has successfully integrated with ConnectWise, the world’s leading software company dedicated to the success of IT solution providers, completing all necessary security certifications. NordLayer is Nord Security’s second product to integrate with ConnectWise fully — the first product, NordPass, a next-generation password manager, was integrated in early 2024.

    This collaboration through the ConnectWise Invent program will integrate NordLayer license usage reports to offer MSPs hassle-free organization billing as it has done with NordPass. The integration allows MSPs to:

    • Import and map the companies already in ConnectWise PSA to NordLayer and NordPass.
    • Automatically synchronize monthly subscription usage data for each mapped company with ConnectWise PSA agreements.
    • Streamline billing and invoicing processes by reconciling them with real-time usage data, eliminating the need for manual data entry.

    The ConnectWise Invent program is a robust and secure integration program for third-party software providers seeking to merge their solutions with groundbreaking software from ConnectWise. The program strives to support managed service providers (MSPs) globally in growing their businesses by harnessing the power of innovative technologies and by fostering mutual productivity, including Tier 1 integration support from ConnectWise. To directly integrate with ConnectWise APIs and platform through the Invent program, integrators must pass an independent security review that ensures their integration is safe and secure.

    With this integration, Nord Security demonstrates its commitment to ensuring a seamless and efficient experience. Now, partners can more easily onboard new organizations to NordLayer and NordPass by syncing them from ConnectWise PSA.

    “We’re excited to have Nord Security join our certified integration program, ConnectWise Invent,” said Chris Timms, EVP of Ecosystems at ConnectWise. “We anticipate positive impacts on our partners’ businesses from these two certified integrations and look forward to future integrations from this collaboration.”

    “From the beginning, our focus has been on small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which naturally positions us to prioritize MSPs as key partners. We are dedicated to delivering convenient solutions that simplify and enhance the daily operations of our partners,” says Justas Morkunas, chief commercial officer for B2B at Nord Security. “ConnectWise is a trusted tool for so many MSPs, and integrating it with Nord Security Business Suite means a smoother and more efficient experience. This partnership further reinforces Nord Security’s commitment to empowering MSPs with seamless and efficient tools to secure businesses.”

    For more information on NordLayer and NordPass visit https://marketplace.connectwise.com/vendors/nord-security/nordlayer/ and https://marketplace.connectwise.com/nordpass.

    About ConnectWise Invent (Certified Integrations Program)
    The ConnectWise Invent program offers vendors the opportunity to collaborate with the ConnectWise API team to scope, develop, secure, and certify their integrations, providing MSPs with peace of mind and full integration support. To learn more and to enroll in the Invent program as a third-party integrator, contact Invent@ConnectWise.com.

    This application uses the ConnectWise API but is not a ConnectWise product or service and is licensed separately from ConnectWise products and services. The term ‘ConnectWise’ is a trademark of ConnectWise, LLC.

    About Nord Security
    Nord Security is home to advanced cybersecurity solutions that share the Nord brand and values, including the world’s most advanced VPN service NordVPN, the next-generation password manager NordPass, the file encryption tool NordLocker, threat exposure management platform NordStellar, the toggle-ready network security platform for business NordLayer, an all-around identity theft protection service NordProtect and Saily, an eSIM service. Established in 2012, Nord Security’s products are now acknowledged by the most influential tech sites and IT security specialists. More information: nordsecurity.com.

    About ConnectWise
    ConnectWise is the world’s leading software company dedicated to the success of IT solution providers (TSPs) through unmatched software, services, community, and marketplace of integrations. ConnectWise offers an innovative, integrated, and security-centric platform—Asio—which provides unmatched flexibility that fuels profitable, long-term growth for partners. ConnectWise enables TSPs to drive business efficiency with automation, IT documentation, and data management capabilities and increase revenue with remote monitoring, cybersecurity, and backup and disaster recovery technologies. For more information, visit connectwise.com.

    Contact:
    skirmante@nordsec.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: American Rebel Light Beer Continues Rapid National Retailer Rollout Momentum with Multi-Case Placement Throughout Balls Food Stores, a Leader in the Kansas City Metro Market for Over 100 Years 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nashville, TN, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) (“American Rebel” or the “Company”), creator of American Rebel Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) and a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded safes, personal security and self-defense products and apparel (americanrebel.com), proudly reports that American Rebel Premium Light Lager Beer (“Rebel Light”) continues the ongoing rollout with Balls Food Stores (ballsfoods.com) under the Price Chopper, Hen House, Sun Fresh Market and Payless Discount Foods brands throughout the Kansas City metro market area.

    • American Rebel Light Beer Multi-Case Product Displays to Feature 12oz cases and our 16oz Stand Tall, Stand Proud, Be Loud Premium Light Lager.
    • American Rebel Light Beer is a Premium Domestic Light Lager with a crisp, clean and bold taste. Rebel Light Beer is all natural, with no added supplements.
    • Balls Food Stores Customers will be able to enter the “Scan to Win Promotion” With a Chance to Win an American Rebel Collectible Safe.

    Three Price Chopper (pricechopper.com) and two Hen House (henhouse.com) grocery store locations will have the collectible American Rebel safe on display to promote the American Rebel Light Beer Scan to Win promotion. Other participating locations will have a QR code in a display to enter to win the safe. All participating locations will have plenty of Rebel Light Beer stocked around the safe or the contest display.

    “We’ve had tremendous success in Tennessee with the Scan to Win promotion and when I brought the idea to David Ball, CEO of Balls Food Stores, he loved it and wanted to roll it out in all of his Kansas City area locations,” said American Rebel CEO Andy Ross. “Price Chopper is the official grocery store of the Kansas City Chiefs and their focus on fresh foods and local partnerships made them a perfect fit for supporting Rebel Light. My family has deep roots in the Kansas City area just like David’s family does. David’s grandfather, Sidney Ball, and his grandmother, Mollie Ball, started a small neighborhood grocery store on the corner of 16th and Stewart in Kansas City, Kansas in 1923. My dad, Bud Ross, started Kustom Electronics in Chanute, Kansas, in 1964. Balls Food Stores under the Price Chopper and Hen House brands and Rebel Light are a perfect match.”

    “I love what American Rebel stands for and I’m very excited to support this great product,” said David Ball, CEO Balls Food Stores (ballsfoods.com). “Andy’s energy and passion for his product is contagious and my job is sharing that energy and passion with our 3,000+ amazing teammates that are a part of the Balls Food Stores family. Our grocery store, as my grandfather said decades ago, is only as good as the people who work there. We are very blessed to have dedicated teammates who have created a great culture in our stores for our customers. And I think our customers will love Rebel Light!”

    “I wasn’t surprised that David Ball understood what American Rebel was all about,” said Andy Ross. “David is a true patriot and an American Rebel!”

    About American Rebel Light Beer

    Produced in partnership with AlcSource, American Rebel Light Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) is a premium domestic light lager celebrated for its exceptional quality and patriotic values. It stands out as America’s Patriotic, God-Fearing, Constitution-Loving, National Anthem-Singing, Stand Your Ground Beer.

    American Rebel Light is a Premium Domestic Light Lager Beer – All Natural, Crisp, Clean and Bold Taste with a Lighter Feel. With approximately 100 calories, 3.2 carbohydrates, and 4.3% alcoholic content per 12 oz serving, American Rebel Light Beer delivers a lighter option for those who love great beer but prefer a more balanced lifestyle. It’s all natural with no added supplements and importantly does not use corn, rice, or other sweeteners typically found in mass produced beers.

    About Balls Food Stores

    Balls Food Stores have come a long way since opening their first store in 1923. Today Balls Food Stores currently run 26 stores under the Price Chopper, Hen House, Sun Fresh Market, and Payless Discount Foods brands that spread throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. Balls Foods’ ongoing commitment to fresh foods, partnering with local suppliers and outstanding customer service has enabled the company to not only grow, but thrive. For more information, visit ballsfoods.com.

    About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) has operated primarily as a designer, manufacturer and marketer of branded safes and personal security and self-defense products and has recently transitioned into the beverage industry through the introduction of American Rebel Light Beer. The Company also designs and produces branded apparel and accessories. To learn more, visit www.americanrebel.com and www.americanrebelbeer.com. For investor information, visit www.americanrebel.com/investor-relations.

    Media Inquiries:
    Matt Sheldon
    Matt@Precisionpr.co
    917-280-7329

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc.
    info@americanrebel.com

    American Rebel Beverages, LLC
    Todd Porter, President
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. American Rebel Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: AREB; AREBW) (the “Company,” “American Rebel,” “we,” “our” or “us”) desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “forecasts” “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include benefits of placements in Balls Food Stores, benefits of the Scan to Win program, success and availability of the promotional activities, our ability to effectively execute our business plan, and the Risk Factors contained within our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    Company Contact:
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com
    info@americanrebel.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Stocktwits Announces 2025 Cashtag Awards Nominees and eToro as Title Partner

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    The Awards celebrate the best people and products shaping the future of trading and investing.
    Stocktwits, the leading social platform for investors and traders, is excited to announce the nominees for the highly anticipated 2025 Cashtag Awards and eToro, the trading and investing platform that empowers you to invest, share and learn, as the event’s inaugural Title Partner. The annual awards celebrate the individuals, products, and platforms shaping the future of digital finance and trading. 

    Award winners will be decided by the passionate Stocktwits community of 10 million registered users and a panel of industry leaders will serve as tiebreakers. Voting on category winners begins today at Stocktwits.com or on the Stocktwits app. Winners will be honored at the 2025 Cashtag Awards Presented by eToro event on April 30, 2025, at The Stand in New York City, with a live stream available for Stocktwits’ global audience. The event will honor the best in financial content, market analysis, and retail investing, reinforcing Stocktwits’ role as the premier platform for real-time financial conversations.

    “At Stocktwits, we’re proud to celebrate the visionaries and platforms shaping the future of finance,” said Howard Lindzon, Founder and CEO of Stocktwits. “With eToro as our globally respected Title Partner, we’re taking the Cashtag Awards to new heights by bringing together the investing community for an unforgettable celebration of innovation in the financial world.”

    Co-founder and CEO of eToro, Yoni Assia, commented: “eToro’s vision is a world where everyone can trade and invest. We believe there is power in shared knowledge and that we can become more successful by investing together. This latest collaboration with Stocktwits celebrates the growth of retail investing and the power of community.”

    eToro shares Stocktwits’ mission of empowering retail investors through community-driven insights and innovative tools. For more information, to purchase tickets, and to follow the event, users can visit https://cashtag.stocktwits.com.

    The award categories and nominees for the 2025 Cashtag Awards are as follows:

    • Cashtag of the Year

    Honoring the stock or ticker symbol that captivated the online investing community through unparalleled engagement, remarkable company performance, or both. As the signature award, it highlights the fusion of market impact and social media resonance, showcasing the power of digital discourse.

    • $NVDA
    • $PLTR
    • $TSLA
    • $MSTR
    • Cashtag Legend Award

    Awarded to an individual whose groundbreaking contributions have permanently shaped the investing landscape. This honoree embodies innovation, thought leadership, and the profound impact on how investors engage with the markets. Reserved for someone whose influence will be remembered for generations to come.

    • Vlad Tenev
    • Brian Armstrong
    • Stocktwits Community Member of the Year 

    Awarded to the member who exemplifies what it means to be a cornerstone of the Stocktwits community. This person fosters connection, shares invaluable insights, and elevates discussions to empower fellow traders and investors.

    • G Paisa
    • DonCorleone77 
    • Microm
    • Professor 
    • Financial Content Creator of the Year

    Honoring the individual, podcast, or live show that sets the gold standard for financial content. This award celebrates exceptional storytelling, insightful market analysis, and actionable advice delivered through engaging and accessible formats. The winner demonstrates an unparalleled ability to educate, entertain, and inspire investors while elevating the conversation around the financial world.

    • Josh Brown and Michael Batnick
    • Austin Hankwitz and Robert Croak
    • Shay Boloor
    • Charlie Bilello
    • Crypto Investor of the Year

    Awarded to the individual whose insights, strategies, and community engagement have made the most significant impact on the cryptocurrency space. This influencer represents the forefront of innovation, education, and leadership in the fast-evolving world of crypto.

    • Joe McCann
    • Raoul Pal
    • Michael Saylor
    • Chris Dixon
    • Investing Product of the Year 

    Recognizing the trading software that provides unparalleled tools, analytics, and user experience. This award highlights the platform that empowers traders to execute their strategies with precision, speed, and confidence.

    • TradingView
    • Quartr
    • Koyfin
    • MarketSurge
    • Best AI Financial Product

    This award recognizes the most innovative and impactful AI-driven financial product that is revolutionizing how investors, traders, and institutions navigate the markets. The winner leverages artificial intelligence to enhance decision-making, optimize trading strategies, improve risk management, or unlock new insights from financial data. Whether through predictive analytics, automation, or next-generation research tools, this award celebrates the product that best showcases AI’s potential to reshape the financial landscape.

    • Finchat
    • Perplexity
    • Fintool
    • ChatGPT
    • Best Retail Brokerage

    Awarded to the brokerage that provides the best overall experience for retail investors. The winner excels in offering a seamless trading platform and cutting-edge tools. Whether through innovative features, educational resources, or superior execution, this brokerage empowers traders of all levels to succeed in today’s markets.

    • Robinhood
    • eToro
    • WeBull
    • Moomoo
    • Market Newsletter of the Year

    This award recognizes the market newsletter that delivers the most insightful, timely, and engaging content to investors and traders. The winner demonstrates excellence in market analysis, actionable insights, and a unique perspective that helps readers navigate financial trends with confidence. Whether through deep dives into economic forces, stock market breakdowns, or expert commentary, this award honors the go-to newsletter that investors trust.

    • Bloomberg Money Stuff
    • Daily Rip
    • Opening Bell Daily
    • Kobeissi Letter
    • Chartist of the Year

    Honoring the technical analyst who demonstrated exceptional skill in reading and interpreting charts. The winner of this award uses their expertise to uncover trends, predict movements, and provide valuable insights that guide others in navigating the markets.

    • Helene Meisler
    • Dr. Stoxx
    • J.C. Parets 
    • Larry Thompson
    • Best Educational Content Creator

    Awarded to the individual or organization that has provided the most valuable, engaging, and accessible educational content for traders and investors. This winner demonstrates a commitment to demystifying the markets and empowering audiences with knowledge that drives better decision-making.

    • Brad Freeman
    • Bob Elliott
    • Wolf Financial
    • Brian Shannon
    • Best New ETF

    Awarding the ETF that made the most significant impact on the market or filled an innovative niche. The winner demonstrates exceptional performance, unique positioning, and alignment with current investor interests, representing the cutting edge of fund innovation.

    • iShares Bitcoin Trust – $IBIT 
    • T-Rex 2X Long MSTR Daily Target ETF – $MSTU 
    • YieldMax MSTR Option Income Strategy ETF – $MSTY 
    • Fundstrat Granny Shots US Large Cap ETF – $GRNY
    • Best Trade of the Year

    Recognizing the single most exceptional trade of the year, this award celebrates strategic brilliance, impeccable timing, and a bold vision that led to outstanding returns. The winner exemplifies mastery of market dynamics and risk-taking that redefines success.

    • ACInvestorBlog – PLTR Long since $20
    • Splicinglass – ASTS Bull, +800% since messages
    • TheHonestAbe – RKLB Bull since $5 average
    • GPaisa – APP Bull, up 400% in 8 months

    About Stocktwits
    Stocktwits is the premier social media platform dedicated to investors and traders. With an active community of over 10 million users, Stocktwits has established itself as a leading voice in the investing world. Driven by the mission to help investors enhance their returns, Stocktwits offers a rich ecosystem of community interaction, data, content, and tools that empower investors to connect, learn, and have fun in the process. For more information, users visit stocktwits.com.

    About eToro
    eToro is the trading and investing platform that empowers you to invest, share and learn. We were founded in 2007 with the vision of a world where everyone can trade and invest in a simple and transparent way. Today we have over 38 million registered users from 75 countries. We believe there is power in shared knowledge and that we can become more successful by investing together. So we’ve created a collaborative investment community designed to provide you with the tools you need to grow your knowledge and wealth. On eToro, you can hold a range of traditional and innovative assets and choose how you invest: trade directly, invest in a portfolio, or copy other investors. You can visit our media centre here for our latest news.

    Contact

    Michael O’Connor
    moconnor@stocktwits.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4298eee2-6797-4fbf-b657-399ae3aca92e

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Africa: ARISE IIP secures $450 million Afreximbank facility for industrial parks, Special Economic Zones development

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

    Download logo

    In a significant move aimed at boosting industrial development across Africa, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) signed a US$450 million global credit facility with ARISE IIP, the leading pan-African developer and operator of world-class industrial parks. This financing will support the development of industrial parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZ), while also providing crucial trade finance support to businesses operating within the ARISE IIP ecosystem. 

    The US$ 450 million, granted in the context of Afreximbank’s strategic objective of promoting, facilitating, and supporting Africa’s industrialisation ecosystems, is part of a proposed US$ 800-million facility to support ARISE IIP in developing Industrial Parks (IPs) and SEZs in such countries as Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Malawi, among others. 

    Under the terms of the facility agreement, ARISE IIP will deploy US$ 300 million to finance working capital requirements for its operating Industrial Parks (GDIZ-Benin, PIA-Togo, LAHAM TCHAD-Chad, PEIA-Cote d’Ivoire and BSEZ-Rwanda) and for capital expenditures for the development of new industrial parks in DRC, Kenya, Chad, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. 

    ARISE IIP will deploy the remaining US$ 150 million to develop an industrial park in Lilongwe, Malawi, and as trade finance for the activities of its export trading company in Malawi under Afreximbank’s Export Agriculture for Food Security initiative. 

    Signing the agreement on behalf of ARISE IIP was Arvind Arora, the Chief Treasury Officer, while Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, signed on behalf of Afreximbank. 

    Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development Bank said: “The facility reflects Afreximbank’s ongoing commitment to mobilising financial and technical resources towards the promotion of industrialisation across Africa. This is our way of supporting value addition and structural transformation of African economies. We remain eager to collaborate with key stakeholders to build trusted partnerships and to industrialise African countries. Afreximbank strongly believes that IPs and SEZs are veritable tools that Africa can deploy to fast-track industrial infrastructure development and to promote intra-African trade and export development. With ARISE IIP as an established developer and operator of IPs and SEZs on the continent, we are confident that this facility will contribute to supporting the continental industrialisation agenda.” 

    Arvind Arora, Chief Treasury Officer of ARISE IIP remarked: “The US$450 million facility represents a major step forward in supporting Africa’s industrialisation efforts. This financing covers critical working capital and capital expenditure needs across various countries, addressing the diverse requirements for industrial development. Africa’s infrastructure investment gap, currently exceeding US$100 billion annually, significantly impacts the continent’s living conditions and its global competitiveness. At ARISE IIP, we are committed to working with strategic partners around the world to bridge this gap and accelerate industrialisation across the continent.” 

    The development of the new IPs and SEZs, along with the expansion of activities in the existing IPs, is expected to result in the attraction of 230 tenants, bringing in an estimated investment of US$ 1.7 billion over the next five years, while total exports from the new IPs and SEZs, once in operation, would reach US$ 5 billion over the five-year period, with domestically-sourced goods and services reaching US$ 3.4 billion. 

    In addition, the new investments in the IPs and SEZs are expected to contribute to the creation of 32,000 direct jobs and 138,000 in-direct jobs. 

    Afreximbank has been working with ARISE IIP as a strategic partner, focusing on industrialisation initiatives across Africa. The collaboration has seen the Bank and Arise working together on various projects including a USD 5 Billion Africa Textile Renaissance Plan, which intends to create 500,000 MT of African cotton transformation capacity and 500,000 jobs. 

    The Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), Afreximbank’s development impact investment arm, invested USD 300 million in the latest fundraising round, which concluded in October 2024. During this round, Arise IIP raised a total of USD 443 million. 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

    Contact details: 
    Vincent Musumba 
    Manager, Communications and Events (Media Relations) – Afreximbank 
    press@afreximbank.com   

    Audrey Mebaley 
    Global Head of communications – Arise IIP 
    audrey.mebaley@arisenet.com   

    About Afreximbank: 
    African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$37.3 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$6.1 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. www.Afreximbank.com  

    About FEDA (Fund for Export Development in Africa): 
    The Fund for Export Development in Africa (“FEDA”) (https://apo-opa.co/3F2Rttw) is the impact investment subsidiary of the African Export-Import Bank (“Afreximbank” or the “Bank”) set up to provide equity, quasi-equity, and debt capital to finance the multi-billion-dollar funding gap (particularly in equity) needed to transform the Trade sector in Africa. 

    FEDA pursues a multi-sector investment strategy along the intra-African trade, value-added export development, and manufacturing value chain which includes financial services, technology, consumer and retail goods, manufacturing, transport & logistics, agribusiness, as well as ancillary trade enabling infrastructure such as industrial parks. www.FEDAGroup.org 

    About ARISE IIP: 
    ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP) (https://apo-opa.co/43vSJzc) est un développeur et opérateur panafricain de parcs industriels de classe mondiale. Arise IIP identifie des opportunités dans les chaînes de valeur commerciales et industrielles à travers l’Afrique, conçoit, finance, construit et opère l’infrastructure nécessaire, jouant un rôle catalyseur pour soutenir les pays dans leur transition vers une économie industrielle. Animé par la recherche de la croissance verte l’ambition de Arise IIP est d’accompagner au développement du potentiel industriel du continent tout en neutralisant ses émissions de carbone et son impact climatique. ARISE IIP est actuellement présent dans 12 pays, dont le Bénin (GDIZ), le Togo (PIA), le Gabon (GSEZ), la Côte d’Ivoire (ZIC), le Nigéria (IPRFZ), la République du Congo (PIC), la République Démocratique du Congo (CIP), la Sierra Leone (SIZ), le Malawi (MIP), le Rwanda (BSEZ), le Tchad et le Cameroun. www.ARISEIIP.com 

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI imposes monetary penalty on Vanchinad Finance Pvt. Ltd., Ernakulam, Kerala

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated March 03, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.00 lakh (Rupees One Lakh only) on Vanchinad Finance Pvt. Ltd., Ernakulam, Kerala (the company) for non-compliance with certain provisions of ‘Non-Banking Financial Company – Non-Systemically Important Non-Deposit taking Company (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2016’ read with ‘Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Non-Banking Financial Company-Scale Based Regulation) Directions, 2023’ issued by RBI. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 58G(1)(b) read with Section 58B(5)(aa) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

    The correspondence pertaining to the intimation of declaration of an interim dividend to parent company revealed, inter alia, non-compliance with RBI directions. Based on the same, a notice was issued to the company advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the company’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia that the following charge against the company was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:

    The company had declared dividend in excess of the prescribed dividend payout ratio.

    This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the company with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the company.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2319

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ Introduces New Weekly Pay R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO and MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ announced the launch today of the following ETF:

    YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF (Nasdaq: RDTY)

    RDTY Overview
    RDTY follows an active management approach that utilizes a synthetic covered call strategy designed to generate weekly income while also providing exposure to the price return of an Index.

    • RDTY is designed to generate weekly income, while also providing exposure to the price return of the Russell 2000 Index (the “Index”).
    • RDTY seeks to generate income primarily by utilizing zero days to expiry (“0DTE”) options on the Index and/or passively managed ETFs that tracks the Index’s performance (the “Index ETFs”).

    Index

    The Russell 2000 Index is a widely recognized benchmark index that tracks the performance of approximately 2000 small-cap companies in the United States. These are the smallest companies listed in the Russell 3000 Index, representing about 10% of that index’s total market capitalization. The Russell 2000 Index is diversified and includes companies from various sectors such as financial services, healthcare, technology, consumer discretionary, industrials, and others.

    RDTY’s Option Strategy

    RDTY employs a synthetic covered call strategy by selling and purchasing call options on the Index or Index ETFs. Each business day, typically at market open, the Fund sells out-of-the-money (OTM) call options with zero days to expiration (“0DTE”), which expire the same day they are sold. OTM options have a strike price above the current Index value. RDTY’s synthetic covered call strategy is established by combining the call options sold to generate income with buying call options for exposure to the Index.

    RDTY’s Return Profile and Index Performance

    RDTY earns income by selling out-of-the-money 0DTE call options daily. The premiums from these options add to income but limit participation in Index gains. If the Index rises past the strike price, losses on sold options can offset gains. This strategy balances income generation with limited Index upside exposure while premiums can help mitigate losses if the Index declines.

    RDTY’s Distribution Schedule
    Like all YieldMax™ ETFs, RDTY aims to generate income for investors. With respect to distributions, RDTY aims to make distributions on a weekly basis, and its first weekly distribution is expected to be announced on March 19, 2025.
            
    Why Invest in RDTY?

    • RDTY seeks to generate weekly income, which is not dependent on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs).
    • RDTY aims to participate in a portion of the Index gains, which may be capped.

    Please see the table below for distribution information for all outstanding YieldMax™ ETFs as of March 5, 2025.

    ETF
    Ticker
    1
    ETF Name Distribution
    Frequency
    Distribution
    per Share
    Distribution
    Rate
    2,4
    30-Day
    SEC Yield3
    ROC5
    TSLY YieldMax™ TSLA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5793 80.76%   4.69%   93.03%  
    OARK YieldMax™ Innovation Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4269 62.70%   3.25%   93.84%  
    APLY YieldMax™ AAPL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3625 28.83%   3.15%   88.56%  
    NVDY YieldMax™ NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $1.6118 121.96%   4.02%   96.84%  
    AMZY YieldMax™ AMZN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5480 40.96%   3.79%   0.00%  
    FBY YieldMax™ META Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4767 33.09%   3.47%   0.00%  
    GOOY YieldMax™ GOOGL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3877 38.11%   4.12%   0.00%  
    NFLY YieldMax™ NFLX Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4008 28.95%   3.23%   0.00%  
    CONY YieldMax™ COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5989 76.38%   4.56%   94.78%  
    MSFO YieldMax™ MSFT Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.2845 22.22%   3.53%   83.81%  
    DISO YieldMax™ DIS Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4574 37.39%   4.48%   90.80%  
    XOMO YieldMax™ XOM Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.2541 23.76%   3.38%   0.00%  
    JPMO YieldMax™ JPM Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.2951 21.95%   3.40%   0.00%  
    AMDY YieldMax™ AMD Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.2533 40.36%   4.02%   92.00%  
    PYPY YieldMax™ PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3773 34.96%   4.20%   90.73%  
    SQY YieldMax™XYZ Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5840 61.30%   5.21%   93.58%  
    MRNY YieldMax™ MRNA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.2308 87.29%   5.01%   95.55%  
    AIYY YieldMax™ AI Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3710 90.28%   4.64%   94.49%  
    YMAX YieldMax™ Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.2405 83.31%   85.03%   48.89%  
    YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1514 47.70%   61.87%   55.46%  
    MSTY YieldMax™ MSTR Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $2.0216 116.16%   0.21%   33.44%  
    ULTY* YieldMax™ Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4653 80.34%   0.00%   78.20%  
    YBIT YieldMax™ Bitcoin Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5506 66.36%   1.61%   0.00%  
    CRSH YieldMax™ Short TSLA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.3810 69.54%   3.00%   12.68%  
    GDXY YieldMax™ Gold Miners Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4424 37.46%   3.08%   92.35%  
    SNOY YieldMax™ SNOW Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.9210 64.27%   2.45%   89.86%  
    ABNY YieldMax™ ABNB Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.4805 41.86%   2.98%   92.39%  
    FIAT YieldMax™ Short COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.6834 105.59%   3.52%   96.91%  
    DIPS YieldMax™ Short NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.5845 61.48%   2.90%   31.40%  
    BABO YieldMax™ BABA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $1.9190 116.35%   2.36%   0.00%  
    YQQQ YieldMax™ Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.2498 18.88%   3.79%   0.00%  
    TSMY YieldMax™ TSM Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $0.6019 47.96%   3.59%   47.33%  
    SMCY YieldMax™ SMCI Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $2.0901 110.65%   2.63%   97.65%  
    PLTY YieldMax™ PLTR Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $5.9377 121.00%   2.63%   0.00%  
    BIGY YieldMax™ Target 12™ Big 50 Option Income ETF Monthly $0.5025 12.55%   0.03%   100.00%  
    SOXY YieldMax™ Target 12™ Semiconductor Option Income ETF Monthly $0.4883 12.77%   0.00%   46.21%  
    MARO YieldMax™ MARA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $1.5575 72.45%   4.21%   95.82%  
    FEAT YieldMax™ Dorsey Wright Featured 5 Income ETF Every 4 weeks $1.9096 63.70%   122.88%   0.00%  
    FIVY YieldMax™ Dorsey Wright Hybrid 5 Income ETF Every 4 weeks $1.1203 36.49%   67.34%   0.00%  
    LFGY YieldMax™ Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.4637 58.67%   0.00%   0.00%  
    GPTY YieldMax™ AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.3094 37.23%   0.00%   0.00%  
    CVNY YieldMax™ CARVANA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 weeks $3.9149     96.80%  
    SDTY YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF Weekly $0.1709     100.00%  
    QDTY YieldMax™ Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call Strategy ETF Weekly $0.1580     33.90%  


    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling 
    (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH and YQQQ are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs.”

    Distributions are not guaranteed.   The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    *Starting March 12, 2025, ULTY intends to distribute weekly income to shareholders. The dates for ULTY ’s future distributions will be those set forth in the YieldMax Distribution Schedule.

    1 All YieldMax™ ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, YMAG and FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.   

    2The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on March 5, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.

    3 The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended February 28, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.

    4 Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.

    5ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage is the portion of the distribution that represents an investor’s original investment.

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Standardized Performance

    For YMAX, click here. For YMAG, click here. For TSLY, click here. For OARK, click here. For APLY, click here. For NVDY, click here. For AMZY, click here. For FBY, click here. For GOOY, click here. For NFLY, click here. For CONY, click here. For MSFO, click here. For DISO, click here. For XOMO, click here. For JPMO, click here. For AMDY, click here. For PYPY, click here. For SQY, click here. For MRNY, click here. For AIYY, click here. For MSTY, click here. For ULTY, click here. For YBIT, click here. For CRSH, click here. For GDXY, click here. For SNOY, click here. For ABNY, click here. For FIAT, click here. For DIPS, click here. For BABO, click here. For YQQQ, click here. For TSMY, click here. For SMCY, click here. For PLTY, click here. For BIGY, click here. For SOXY, click here. For MARO, click here. For FEAT, click here. For FIVY, click here. For LFGY, click here. For GPTY, click here. For CVNY, click here. For SDTY, click here. For QDTY, click here.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Referenced Index Risk. The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs). This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of companies that comprised the Index or an ETF that tracks the Index, even though it does not.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way. Investors in the Fund will not have the right to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the companies that comprise the Index but will be subject to declines in the performance of the Index.

    Russell 2000 Index Risks. The Index, which consists of small-cap U.S. companies, is particularly susceptible to economic changes, as these firms often have less financial resilience than larger companies. Market volatility can disproportionately affect these smaller businesses, leading to significant price swings. Additionally, these companies are often more exposed to specific industry risks and have less diverse revenue streams. They can also be more vulnerable to changes in domestic regulatory or policy environments.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other Index (or ETFs that track the Index’s performance)holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary Index (or ETFs that track the Index’s performance) securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next. Additionally, monthly distributions, if any, may consist of returns of capital, which would decrease the Fund’s NAV and trading price over time.

    High Index (or Index ETF) Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high Index (or Index ETF) turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax™ ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Marex Group plc announces record fourth quarter and full year 2024 results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Marex Group plc (‘Marex’ or the ‘Group’; Nasdaq: MRX) a diversified global financial services platform, providing essential liquidity, market access and infrastructure services to clients in the energy, commodities and financial markets, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter (‘Q4 2024’) and year ended 31 December 2024 (‘2024’).

    Ian Lowitt, Group Chief Executive Officer, stated, “I’m pleased to confirm that robust levels of client activity and positive market conditions led to another strong performance in the fourth quarter, typically a slower quarter seasonally. This delivered a full year Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 of $321.1 million, up 40% year-over-year. Our performance in 2024 demonstrates the strength and scalability of our diversified global platform, as we delivered strong organic growth, gained market share and continued our track record of sequential profit growth. We have continued to execute our strategy of expanding our geographic footprint and product capabilities through both organic growth initiatives and strategic acquisitions, increasing our relevance to a growing client base, and are confident of achieving sustainable growth through a variety of market conditions. We have had a strong start to 2025 with positive momentum continuing into the first two months of the year, reflecting strong levels of client activity on our platform consistent with higher exchange volumes.”

    Financial and Operational Highlights:

    • Strong Q4 performance: robust client activity and supportive market conditions drove positive momentum and strong organic growth across the business. Average invested assets grew 12% over the quarter to $15.5bn delivering net interest income of $62.6m, broadly in line with the third quarter
    • Record full year 2024 profit: Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased 40% to $321.1m on a 28% increase in revenue, extending our track record of sequential profit growth to 10 years, as we continued to scale our platform
    • Executed growth strategy: expanded our geographic footprint and product capabilities through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions, increasing our market share and relevance to a broader client base
    • Successful IPO and secondary placing, supported by strong investor demand: publicly listed on Nasdaq in April, with successful first follow-on transaction in October increasing public float to 52%
    • Prudent approach to capital and funding: maintained a strong capital and liquidity position and further diversified funding sources with a $600m senior unsecured issuance
    • Dividend: $0.14 per share to be paid in the first quarter of 2025
    Financial Highlights: ($m) 3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023   Change   Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023   Change
          Restated2                
    Revenue 415.6   325.6   28%   1,594.7   1,244.6   28%
    Profit Before Tax 77.8   39.4   97%   295.8   196.5   51%
    Profit Before Tax Margin (%) 19%   12%   700 bps   19%   16%   300 bps
    Profit After Tax 56.7   28.1   102%   218.0   141.3   54%
    Profit After Tax Margin (%) 14%   9%   500 bps   14%   11%   300 bps
    Return on Equity (%) 23%   15%   800 bps   25%   19%   600 bps
    Basic Earnings per Share ($)3 0.76   0.37   105%   2.96   1.94   53%
    Diluted Earnings per Share ($)3 0.70   0.35   100%   2.72   1.82   49%
                           
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 81.4   52.6   55%   321.1   230.0   40%
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin (%)1 20%   16%   400 bps   20%   18%   200 bps
    Adjusted Profit after Tax
       Attributable to Common Equity1
    57.8   38.2   51%   231.0   162.6   42%
    Adjusted Return on Equity (%)1 27%   23%   400 bps   30%   26%   400 bps
    Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share ($)1,3 0.82   0.58   41%   3.34   2.46   36%
    Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share ($)1,3 0.76   0.54   41%   3.07   2.31   33%
    1. These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable non-IFRS measure. The Group changed the labelling of its non-IFRS measures during 2024 to better align to the equivalent IFRS reported metric and enhance transparency and comparability.
    2. During 2023 an impairment of goodwill was recorded against the Volatility Performance Fund S.A. CGU (‘VPF’) . This impairment was previously disclosed in the Group’s discrete Q4 2023 numbers as part of the Group’s Q1 2024 earnings release update. Subsequent to this, management reassessed the impairment triggers as part of the Group’s interim results and concluded that the impairment triggers existed also as at 30 June 2023 and restated accordingly.  There has been no impact to the Group’s year to date 31 December 2023 impairment, only that the VPF impairment was restated to be reflected in three months ended Q2 2023 rather than the three months ended Q4 2023.
    3. Weighted average number of shares have been restated as applicable for the Group’s reverse share split (refer to Appendix 1 for further detail).
      Conference Call Information:
    Marex’s management will host a conference call to discuss the Group’s financial results today, 6 March 2025, at 9am Eastern Time. A live webcast of the call can be accessed from Marex’s Investor Relations website. An archived version will be available on the website after the call. To participate in the Conference Call, please register at the link here https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/59s7enfq.

    Investor Day:
    Marex plans to host an investor day 2 April 2025 in New York City to provide investors with a further understanding of its four businesses.

    Enquiries please contact:
    Marex
    Investors – Robert Coates
    +44 7880 486 329  / rcoates@marex.com

     

    Financial Review

    The following table presents summary financial results and other data as of the dates and for the periods indicated:

    Summary Financial Results

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023       Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023    
          Restated2                
      $m   $m   Change   $m   $m   Change
    – Net commission income 226.0   181.4   25%   856.1   704.9   21%
    – Net trading Income 128.1   111.5   15%   492.4   411.4   20%
    – Net interest income 62.6   30.2   107%   227.1   121.6   87%
    – Net physical commodities income (1.1)   2.5   (144)%   19.1   6.7   185%
    Revenue 415.6   325.6   28%   1,594.7   1,244.6   28%
                           
    Compensation and benefits (243.5)   (206.9)   18%   (971.1)   (770.3)   26%
    Depreciation and amortisation (7.1)   (6.1)   16%   (29.5)   (27.1)   9%
    Other expenses (90.3)   (71.7)   26%   (306.3)   (237.4)   29%
    Impairment of goodwill     n.m.3     (10.7)   n.m.3
    Provision for credit losses (1.1)   (2.4)   (54)%   1.7   (7.1)   (124)%
    Bargain purchase gain on acquisitions     n.m.3     0.3   n.m.3
    Other income 4.2   0.9   367%   6.3   3.4   85%
    Share of results in associates and joint ventures     n.m.3     0.8   n.m.3
    Profit Before Tax 77.8   39.4   97%   295.8   196.5   51%
    Tax (21.1)   (11.3)   87%   (77.8)   (55.2)   41%
    Profit After Tax 56.7   28.1   102%   218.0   141.3   54%
                           
    Profit Before Tax 77.8   39.4   97%   295.8   196.5   51%
    Goodwill impairment charge2     n.m.3     10.7   n.m.3
    Acquisition related costs   1.2   n.m.3     1.5   n.m.3
    Amortisation of acquired brands and customer lists 1.7   0.7   143%   5.5   2.1   162%
    Shareholder related activities   3.4   n.m.3   9.3   9.1   2%
    IPO preparation and public offering of ordinary shares 1.9   7.9   (76)%   10.5   10.1   4%
    Adjusting items 3.6   13.2   (73)%   25.3   33.5   (24)%
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 81.4   52.6   55%   321.1   230.0   40%
                
    1. These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
    2. During 2023 an impairment of goodwill was recorded against the Volatility Performance Fund S.A. CGU (‘VPF’). This impairment was previously disclosed in the Group’s discrete Q4 2023 numbers as part of the Group’s Q1 2024 earnings release update. Subsequent to this, management reassessed the impairment triggers as part of the Group’s interim results and concluded that the impairment triggers existed also as at 30 June 2023 and restated accordingly.  There has been no impact to the Group’s year to date 31 December 2023 impairment, only that the VPF impairment was restated to be reflected in three months ended Q2 2023 rather than the three months ended Q4 2023.
    3. n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

    Costs and Group Headcount

    The Board and Senior Management also monitor costs split between Front Office Costs and Control and Support Costs to better understand the Group’s performance. The table below provides the Group’s management view of costs:

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023       Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023    
      $m   $m   Change   $m   $m   Change
    Front office costs1 (231.8)   (188.0)   23%   (881.5)   (690.4)   28%
    Control and support costs1 (100.1)   (76.0)   32%   (376.1)   (294.2)   28%
    Total (331.9)   (264.0)   26%   (1,257.6)   (984.6)   28%

    1) Management review Front Office Costs and Control and Support Costs when assessing Adjusted Profit Before Tax performance. These costs are included within compensation and benefits, other expenses and depreciation and amortisation in the Statutory Income Statement provided above.

    The following table provides a breakdown of Front Office and Control and Support Headcount

    Full Time Equivalent (‘FTE’) headcount1 2024   2023       2024   2023    
      Average   Average   Change   End of Year   End of Year   Change
    Front Office 1,250   1,028   22%   1,265   1,195   6%
    Control and Support 1,084   886   22%   1,160   972   19%
    Total 2,334   1,914   22%   2,425   2,167   12%

    1) For analysis purposes, average headcount is used in the performance commentary outlined below. 

    Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

    Revenue grew by 28% to $415.6m (Q4 2023: $325.6m) with strong organic growth across all businesses driven by robust client activity, market share gains and supportive market conditions. We continued to strengthen our position in the market outpacing growth in overall volumes in almost all markets in which we operate, particularly in Securities.

    Net commission income increased by 25% to $226.0m (Q4 2023: $181.4m). The growth was driven mainly in Agency and Execution, which grew 22% to $160.7m (Q4 2023: $131.3m), reflecting higher client activity in Energy, as well as in Securities, driven primarily by our acquisition of TD Cowen’s prime services business in December 2023.

    Net trading income rose by 15% to $128.1m (Q4 2023: $111.5m). The growth was driven mainly by Hedging and Investment Solutions which grew 24% to $52.6m (Q4 2023: $42.3m) as client demand grew for financial products.

    Net interest income increased by 107% to $62.6m (Q4 2023: $30.2m). This growth was primarily driven by higher average balances.

    Front office costs increased by 23% to $231.8m (Q4 2023: $188.0m), largely reflecting a 14% increase in average front office headcount and increased compensation on higher revenues.

    Control and Support costs increased 32% to $100.1m (Q4 2023: $76.0m), primarily reflecting investment in our Finance, Risk, Technology and Compliance functions, as we continue to invest in our systems and processes to support future sustainable growth.

    Reported Profit Before Tax increased by 97% to $77.8m (Q4 2023: $39.4m), driven by strong revenue growth and improved operating margins.

    Adjusting items reduced by $9.6m to $3.6m (Q3 2023: $13.2m). These costs are primarily related to corporate activities and are recognised within our Corporate segment. Adjusting items reduced mainly due to the non-recurrence of costs incurred in preparation for and associated with our successful IPO and owner fees in the prior period.

    As a result of the revenue and cost trends noted above, Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased 55% to $81.4m (Q4 2023: $52.6m) and Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 improved to 20% (Q4 2023: 16%). In addition, as a result of the revenue, cost trends and adjusting items noted above, Profit After Tax Margin increased to 14% (Q4 2023: 9%). 

    Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

    Revenue grew by 28% to $1,594.7m (2023: $1,244.6m) driven by momentum across all our business, continued market share gains and a supportive market backdrop. Growth during 2024 was predominantly organic as we continued to invest in our businesses, as well as benefiting from the integration of our prior acquisitions.

    Revenue growth was driven by net commission income which increased by 21% to $856.1m (2023: $704.9m). The increase occurred mainly in Agency and Execution, which increased by 28%, reflecting increased customer activity in Energy as well as strong performance in Credit and our prime services business, which we acquired from TD Cowen in December 2023. Net commission income also increased in our Clearing segment, up 11%, driven by our Metals business.

    Net trading income rose by 20% to $492.4m (2023: $411.4m). Within our Market Making segment net trading income was significantly higher, primarily from Metals, reflecting exceptional market conditions and market sentiment in the second quarter across Copper, Aluminium and Nickel.

    Net trading income was also driven by our Hedging and Investment Solutions business, which increased by 27% to $210.3m (2023: $165.7m) as demand grew for commodity hedging and financial products.

    Net physical commodities income increased by 185% to $19.1m (2023: $6.7m). This increase was primarily due to an increase in sales volumes from physical recycled metal, largely driven by growth in demand for recycled metals.

    Front office costs represent staff, systems and infrastructure costs associated with running our revenue generating operations. These costs increased 28% to $881.5m (2023: $690.4m), largely reflecting a 22% increase in average front office headcount.

    Control and Support Costs primarily reflect staff and property related costs, along with professional fees and other administrative expenses associated with support functions. These costs increased 28% to $376.1m (2023: $294.2m), primarily reflecting investment in our Finance, Risk, Compliance and Technology functions, as we continue to invest in our systems and processes to support future sustainable growth. Total control and support average FTE grew 22% to 1,084 for 2024 (2023: 886).

    Reported Profit Before Tax increased 51% to $295.8m (2023: $196.5m), driven by strong revenue growth and improved operating margins.

    Adjusting items decreased by 24% to $25.3m (2023: $33.5m). These costs are primarily related to corporate activities and are recognised within our Corporate segment. Adjusting items decreased primarily due to the non-recurrence of goodwill impairment recognised in 2023. For full year 2024, adjusting items were mainly costs incurred in preparation for and associated with our successful IPO, including growth shares, owner fees and secondary sell down costs.

    As a result of the revenue and cost trends noted above, Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased 40% to $321.1m (2023: $230.0m) and Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 improved to 20% (2023: 18%) demonstrating our platform’s ability to deliver scale benefits. Profit after Tax Margins increased to 14% (2023: 11%).

    Net interest income increased by 87% to $227.1m (2023: $121.6m). This growth was driven by higher average balances and investment returns, as well as the acquisition of Cowen’s prime services business in December 2023.

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023   Change   Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023   Change
    Average Fed Funds rate 4.7%   5.3%   (60)bps   5.2%   5.0%   20bps
                           
    Average balances1 15.5   11.3   4.2   13.5   12.9   0.6
                           
    Interest income ($m) 185.2   141.5   43.7   702.4   520.4   182.0
    Interest paid out ($m) (62.4)   (60.6)   (1.8)   (257.7)   (219.0)   (38.7)
    Interest on balances ($m) 122.8   80.9   41.9   444.7   301.4   143.3
                           
    Net yield on balances 3.1%   2.8%   30bps   3.3%   2.3%   100bps
                           
    Average notional debt securities ($bn) (3.2)   (2.3)   (0.9)   (2.8)   (2.1)   (0.7)
    Yield on debt securities % 7.5%   8.6%   (110)bps   7.8%   8.4%   (60)bps
                           
    Interest expense ($m) (60.2)   (50.7)   (9.45)   (217.6)   (179.8)   (37.8)
                           
    Net Interest Income ($m) 62.6   30.2   32.4   227.1   121.6   105.5
    1. Average balances are calculated using an average of the daily holdings in exchanges, banks and other investments over the period. Previously, average balances were calculated as the average month end amount of segregated and non-segregated client balances that generated interest income over a given period.

    Segmental performance

    Clearing

    Marex provides clearing services across the range of energy, commodity and financial markets. We face the exchange on behalf of our clients providing access to 60 exchanges globally.

    Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

    Our Clearing business performed well with revenue increasing 48% to $124.7m (Q4 2023: $84.1m). This was driven by net interest income which rose by 81% to $56.4m (Q4 2023: $31.2m) primarily reflecting higher average balances, and commission income.

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased by 68% to $65.8m (Q4 2023: $39.2m). Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 increased by 600 bps to 53% (Q4 2023: 47%).

    Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

    Our Clearing business performed well in 2024, benefiting from higher levels of client activity on our platform as we continued to gain market share, with the total number of contracts cleared up 30% to 1,116.0m in 2024 (2023: 856.0m). This increase reflects a combination of factors, including an increase in the number of higher volume clients as well as a larger mix of clients transacting in financial securities.

    Revenue increased 25% to $466.3m (2023: $373.6m), driven by net interest income which rose by 45% to $198.1m (2023: $136.2m) as a result of both higher average interest rates in 2024 compared to 2023 and higher average balances. Net commission income also grew by 11% to $263.0m (2023: $236.2m). Average balances increased 5% to $13.5bn in 2024 (2023: $12.9bn). This growth was driven by a record number of new Clearing clients combined with a high retention of existing clients.

    Revenue growth was supported by investment in staff with average front office headcount increasing by 10% to 278 (2023: 253).

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased by 34% to $247.3m (2023: $185.0m) while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 increased by 300bps to 53% (2023: 50%).

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023       Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023    
      $m   $m   Change   $m   $m   Change
    Net commission income 65.6   52.5   25%   263.0   236.2   11%
    Net interest income 56.4   31.2   81%   198.1   136.2   45%
    Net trading income 2.7   0.4   575%   5.2   1.2   333%
    Revenue 124.7   84.1   48%   466.3   373.6   25%
    Front office costs (40.2)   (29.2)   38%   (149.2)   (117.1)   27%
    Control and support costs (18.6)   (15.7)   18%   (69.6)   (67.7)   3%
    Recovery/(provision) for credit losses   0.1   —%   0.1   (3.6)   (103%)
    Depreciation and amortisation (0.1)   (0.1)   —%   (0.4)   (0.3)   33%
    Other Income and share of results of associates 0.1     n.m.3   0.1   0.1   n.m.3
                           
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax ($m)1 65.8   39.2   68%   247.3   185.0   34%
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 53%   47%   600 bps   53%   50%   300 bps
                           
    Front office headcount (No.)2 284   259   10%   278   253   10%
    Contracts cleared (m) 290.0   228.0   27%   1,116.0   856.0   30%
    Market volumes (m) 2,853.0   2,677.0   7%   11,471.0   10,220.0   12%
    1. These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
    2. The headcount is the average for the period. Management have re-assessed headcount for Clearing and Market Making and re-allocated for FY24, FY23, 4Q24 and 4Q23.
    3. n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

    Agency and Execution

    Agency and Execution provides essential liquidity and execution services to our clients primarily in the energy and financial securities markets.

    Our energy division provides essential liquidity to clients by connecting buyers and sellers in the OTC energy markets to facilitate price discovery. We have leading positions in many of the markets we operate in, including key gas and power markets in Europe; environmental, petrochemical and crude markets in North America; and fuel oil, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and middistillates globally. We achieve this through the breadth and depth of the service we offer to customers, including market intelligence for each product we transact in, based on the extensive knowledge and experience of our teams.

    Our presence in the financial markets is growing as we integrate and optimise recent acquisitions, enabling Marex to diversify its asset class coverage away from traditional commodity markets. We are starting to see a maturation of our offering across all asset classes, contributing to enhanced revenue growth and margin expansion for the overall business.

    Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

    Revenue increased by 22% to $192.2m (Q4 2023: $157.9m). This was driven by Securities revenues, up 25% to $119.0m (Q4 2023: $95.3m) reflecting growth in prime services. There was also strong organic revenue growth in the quarter, notably in Rates and FX owing to higher volumes and a new structured rates desk which commenced in 2024. This was further supplemented by the strong growth in our Energy business where revenues increased 17% to $72.7m (Q4 2023: $62.4m), reflecting a combination of increased activity levels in European Energy markets, good demand for our environmentals offering and the benefit of our bolt-on acquisitions.

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased 29% to $37.4m (Q4 2023: $28.9m) while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 increased 100 bps to 19% (Q4 2023: 18%).

    Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

    Revenue increased by 28% to $695.2m (2023: $541.5m), reflecting the benefit of recent acquisitions, primarily the prime services business we acquired from TD Cowen that completed in December 2023, as well as positive market conditions in the energy markets.

    Energy revenue increased 30% to $286.3m (2023: $219.8m). This growth was a reflection of strong levels of demand for our environmentals offering as we continue to support our clients’ transition toward a low carbon economy, investments in new desks and capabilities and continued improvement in activity levels in European Energy markets.

    Securities revenue increased by 27% to $407.2m (2023: $319.8m), driven by our prime services business, as well as growth across Equities, FX and Rates.

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased 50% to $107.9m (2023: $71.9m) while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 increased 300bps to 16% (2023: 13%), as we continued to optimise and integrate our acquisitions.

    Average front office headcount increased by 20% to 666 (2023: 553).

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023       Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023    
      $m   $m   Change   $m   $m   Change
    Securities 119.0   95.3   25%   407.2   319.8   27%
    Energy 72.7   62.4   17%   286.3   219.8   30%
    Other revenue 0.5   0.2   150%   1.7   1.9   (11)%
    Revenue 192.2   157.9   22%   695.2   541.5   28%
    Front office costs (138.7)   (121.4)   14%   (524.5)   (417.1)   26%
    Control and support costs (16.5)   (7.5)   120%   (62.0)   (51.1)   21%
    Provision for credit losses 0.2   (0.3)   —%   (0.1)   (0.9)   (89)%
    Depreciation and amortisation 0.1   (0.1)   (200)%   (0.8)   (0.8)   0%
    Other Income and share of results of associates 0.1   0.3   n.m.3   0.1   0.3   n.m.3
                           
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax ($m)1 37.4   28.9   29%   107.9   71.9   50%
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 19%   18%   100 bps   16%   13%   300 bps
                           
    Front office headcount (No.)2 657   603   9%   666   553   20%
    Marex volumes: Energy (m) 13.8   13.6   0%   57.4   44.7   27%
    Marex volumes: Securities (m) 73.7   64.7   14%   295.3   239.5   23%
    Market volumes: Energy (m) 442.3   376.7   17%   1,721.0   1,404.8   22%
    Market volumes: Securities (m) 2,744.0   2,601.0   5%   10,920.6   9,969.6   10%
    1. These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
    2.  The headcount is the average for the period.
    3. n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

    Market Making

    Our Market Making business provides direct liquidity to our clients across a variety of products, primarily in the energy, metals and agriculture markets. This ability to make prices and trade as principal in a wide variety of energy, environmentals and commodity markets differentiates us from many of our competitors.

    Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

    Revenue increased by 19% to $44.5m (Q4 2023: $37.5m). Higher revenue in Agriculture, Securities and Energy was partly offset by a more subdued operating environment in Metals.

    Revenue growth was supported by Front Office hiring, with average headcount increasing by 14% to 131 (2023: 115).

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased to $9.0m (Q4 2023: $8.3m), while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 decreased 200 bps to 20% (Q4 2023: 22%).

    Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

    Revenue increased by 35% to $207.8m (2023: $153.9m). This was driven by Metals trading which benefited from unusual market conditions across Copper, Aluminium, Nickel in the second quarter. While this activity normalised in the third quarter, we continued to see strong performance. Revenue from Securities also grew primarily reflecting a stronger performance from Equities.

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased by 97% to $65.6m (2023: $33.3m), while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 increased 10 percentage points to 32% (2023: 22%) reflecting strong revenue growth.

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023       Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023    
      $m   $m   Change   $m   $m   Change
    Metals 5.7   26.5   (78)%   105.9   69.3   53%
    Agriculture 15.7   0.3   5,133%   33.8   27.5   23%
    Energy 12.7   7.3   74%   32.5   31.6   3%
    Securities 10.4   3.4   206%   35.6   25.5   40%
    Revenue 44.5   37.5   19%   207.8   153.9   35%
    Front office costs (27.2)   (19.9)   37%   (111.4)   (88.5)   26%
    Control and support costs (8.2)   (9.0)   (9)%   (30.4)   (32.7)   (7)%
    Depreciation and amortisation (0.1)   (0.1)   0%   (0.4)   (0.3)   33%
    Other Income and share of results of associates   (0.2)   n.m.3     0.9   n.m.3
                           
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax ($m)1 9.0   8.3   8%   65.6   33.3   97%
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 20%   22%   (200) bps   32%   22%   1,000 bps
                           
    Front office headcount (No.)2 131   115   14%   129   109   18%
    Marex volumes: Metals (m) 11.3   6.8   57%   44.6   26.8   67%
    Marex volumes: Agriculture (m) 8.2   7.1   14%   35.1   28.1   25%
    Marex volumes: Energy (m) 0.7   0.6   17%   2.2   2.1   0%
    Marex volumes: Financials (m) 0.2   1.4   (86)%   1.6   5.3   (60)%
    Market volumes: Metals (m) 98.6   92.4   8%   422.7   343.5   23%
    Market volumes: Agriculture (m) 146.8   127.9   15%   581.3   521.1   12%
    Market volumes: Energy (m) 442.3   376.7   17%   1,721.0   1,404.8   22%
    Market volumes: Financials (m) 2,744.0   2,601.0   5%   10,920.6   9,969.6   10%
    1. These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
    2. The headcount is the average for the period. Management have re-assessed headcount for Clearing and Market Making and re-allocated for FY24, FY23, 4Q24 and 4Q23.
    3. n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

    Hedging and Investment Solutions

    Our Hedging and Investment Solutions business provides high quality bespoke hedging and investment solutions to our clients.

    Tailored commodity hedging solutions enable corporates to hedge their exposure to movements in energy and commodity prices, as well as currencies and interest rates, across a variety of different time horizons.

    Our financial products offering allows investors to gain exposure to a particular market or asset class, for example equity indices, in a cost-effective manner through a structured product.

    Performance for the three months ended 31 December 2024

    Revenue grew 20% to $39.9m (Q4 2023: $33.2m) driven by an expansion of the sales team leading to the onboarding of new clients.

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased by 47% to $8.7m (Q4 2023: $5.9m), while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 increased by 400 bps to 22% (Q4 2023: 18%).

    Performance for the year ended 31 December 2024

    Revenue grew 26% to $161.5m (2023: $128.1m) driven by increased client activity across both businesses. Hedging Solutions increased 12% to $69.2m (2023: $62.0m) benefiting from volatility across Cocoa and Coffee and favourable market events, while Financial Products increased 40% to $92.3m (2023: $66.1m) benefiting from positive investor sentiment and equity market performance. We also expanded our product coverage with custom index and FX capabilities and our global footprint which now includes business from Australia and the Middle East, bringing new clients onto our platform.

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax1 increased by 24% to $42.0m (2023: $33.8m), while Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 remained at 26% as we continued to invest in the business infrastructure and distribution network. We have also invested in our people with average front office headcount up 57% to 177 (2023: 113). Other income and share or results of associates represents the tax credit from qualifying research and development costs.

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023       Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023    
      $m   $m   Change   $m   $m   Change
    Hedging solutions 7.7   16.0   (52)%   69.2   62.0   12%
    Financial products 32.2   17.2   87%   92.3   66.1   40%
    Revenue 39.9   33.2   20%   161.5   128.1   26%
    Front office costs (25.7)   (17.5)   47%   (96.4)   (67.7)   42%
    Control and support costs (7.3)   (6.1)   20%   (27.2)   (23.7)   15%
    Recovery/(provision) for credit losses (0.6)   (3.6)   (83)%   2.2   (3.8)   (158)%
    Depreciation and amortisation (0.2)   (0.1)   100%   (0.7)   (0.3)   133%
    Other Income and share of results of associates 2.6     n.m.4   2.6   1.2   n.m.4
                           
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax ($m)1 8.7   5.9   47%   42.0   33.8   24%
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin1 22%   18%   400 bps   26%   26%   0 bps
                           
    Front office headcount (No.)2 184   128   44%   177   113   57%
    Structured notes balance ($m)3 2,667.4   1,850.4   44%   2,667.4   1,850.4   44%
    1. These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
    2. The headcount is the average for the period.
    3. The structured notes portfolio consisted of 4,029 notes with an average maturity of 17 months and a total value of $2,667.4m at the end of 2024 compared to a total value of $1,850.4m in 2023 with an average maturity of 15 months.
    4. n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage.

    Corporate

    The Corporate segment includes the Group’s control and support functions. Corporate manages the resources of the Group, makes investment decisions and provides operational support to the business segments. Corporate net interest income is derived through earning interest on house cash balances placed at banks and exchanges. Revenue in Q4 2024 was $14.3m (Q4 2023: $12.9m), while full year Revenue in 2024 was $63.9m (2023: $47.5m), driven by net interest income primarily reflecting higher average balances.    

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023       Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023    
      $m   $m   Change   $m   $m   Change
    Revenue 14.3   12.9   11%   63.9   47.5   35%
    Control and support costs4 (49.5)   (37.7)   31%   (186.9)   (119.0)   57%
    (Provision)/recovery for credit losses (0.7)   1.4   n.m.3   (0.5)   1.2   (142%)
    Depreciation and amortisation (5.1)   (7.0)   (27%)   (21.7)   (25.4)   (15%)
    Other Income and share of results of associates 1.4   0.7   100%   3.5   1.7   106%
                           
    Adjusted Loss Before Tax ($m)1 (39.6)   (29.7)   33%   (141.7)   (94.0)   51%
                           
    Control and support headcount (No.)2 1,145   947   21%   1,084   886   22%
    1. These are non-IFRS financial measures. See Appendix 1 “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” for additional information and for a reconciliation of each such IFRS measure to its most directly comparable IFRS measure.
    2. The headcount is the average for the period.
    3. n.m. = not meaningful to present as a percentage
    4. Control and support costs are presented on an unallocated basis.

    Summary Financial Position

    The Group’s equity base increased during the year with total equity increasing by $201.0m, 26% to $976.9m as a result of strong profitability during the year and an increase in the share premium balance reflecting the primary issuance of shares as part of the IPO.

    Total assets and total liabilities have grown significantly during 2024 as a result of client activity driving customer balances and in addition our funding activities to support this increase. Our balance sheet continues to consist of high-quality liquid assets which underpin client activity on our platform. Total assets increased from $17.6bn as at 31 December 2023 to $24.3bn as at 31 December 2024 with the growth largely due to the increase in the Securities, Cash and liquid assets, balances with exchanges offset by a reduction in the reverse repurchase agreement balances.

    Securities balances increased to $6.5bn, up $2.5bn from December 2023 driven by hedging activity to support our prime brokerage clients and increased stock lending activity within our Agency and Execution business.

    Cash and liquid assets increased by $1.7bn primarily reflecting cash placed by clients, the Group’s US Senior issuance and growth in structured notes issuance under the Financial Products Program.

      31 December 2024   31 December 2023    
          Restated1    
      $m   $m   Change
    Cash & Liquid Assets² 6,213.0   4,465.9   39%
    Trade Receivables 7,553.2   4,789.8   58%
    Reverse Repo Agreements 2,490.4   3,199.8   (22%)
    Securities³ 6,459.7   4,022.7   61%
    Derivative Instruments 1,163.5   655.6   77%
    Other Assets⁴ 199.7   258.2   (23%)
    Goodwill and Intangibles 233.0   219.6   6%
    Total Assets 24,312.5   17,611.6   38%
    Trade Payables 9,740.4   6,785.9   44%
    Repurchase Agreements 2,305.8   3,118.9   (26%)
    Securities⁵ 6,656.7   4,248.1   57%
    Debt Securities 3,604.5   2,216.3   63%
    Derivative Instruments 751.7   402.2   87%
    Other Liabilities⁶ 276.5   64.3   330%
    Total Liabilities 23,335.6   16,835.7   39%
    Total Equity 976.9   775.9   26%
    1. Prior period comparatives have been restated. Refer to note 3(b) and note 37 in our Group Annual Report for further information.
    2. Cash & Liquid Assets are cash and cash equivalents, treasury instruments pledged as collateral, treasury instruments unpledged and fixed income securities.
    3. Securities assets are equity instruments and stock borrowing.
    4. Other Assets are inventory, corporate income tax receivable, deferred tax, investments, right-of-use assets, and property plant and equipment.
    5. Securities liabilities are stock lending and short securities.
    6. Other Liabilities are short term borrowings, deferred tax liability, lease liability, provisions and corporation tax.

    Liquidity

      31 December   31 December
      2024   2023
      $m   $m
    Total available liquid resources 2,439.8   1,369.8
    Liquidity headroom 1,060.0   738.8

    A prudent approach to capital and liquidity and commitment to maintaining an investment grade credit rating are core principles which underpin the successful delivery of our growth strategy. As at 31 December 2024, the Group held $2,439.8m of total available liquid resources, including the undrawn portion of the RCF (2023: $1,369.8m).

    Group liquidity resources consist of cash and high-quality liquid assets that can be quickly converted to meet immediate and short-term obligations. The resources include non-segregated cash, short-term money market funds and unencumbered securities guaranteed by the U.S. Government. The Group also includes any undrawn portion of its committed revolving credit facility (‘RCF’) in its total available liquid resources. The unsecured revolving credit facility of $150m remains undrawn as at 31 December 2024 (2023: $150m, undrawn). Facilities held by operating subsidiaries, and which are only available to that relevant subsidiary, have been excluded from these figures as they are not available to the entire Group.

    Liquidity headroom is based on the Group’s Liquid Asset Threshold Requirement, which is prepared according to the principles of the UK Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR). The requirement includes a liquidity stress impact calculated from a combination of systemic and idiosyncratic risk factors.

    In October, the Group successfully completed an offering of $600m 5-year senior unsecured notes, further diversifying its funding sources and supporting future growth. The notes have a coupon of 6.404%, mature in November 2029 and have been rated BBB- by both S&P and Fitch. This latest senior note issuance adds to the existing €300m notes issued in February 2023 under the Euro MTN programme.

    Regulatory capital

    The Group is subject to consolidated supervision by the UK Financial Conduct Authority and has regulated subsidiaries in jurisdictions both inside and outside of the UK.

    The Group is regulated as a MIFIDPRU investment firm under IFPR. The minimum capital requirement as at 31 December 2024 was determined by the Own Funds Threshold Requirement (‘OFTR’) set via an assessment of the Group’s capital adequacy and risk assessment conducted annually.

    The Group and its subsidiaries are in compliance with their regulatory requirements and are appropriately capitalised relative to the minimum requirements as set by the relevant competent authority. The Group maintained a capital surplus over its regulatory requirements at all times.

    The Group manages its capital structure in order to comply with regulatory requirements, ensuring its capital base is more than adequate to cover the risks inherent in the business and to maximise shareholder value through the strategic deployment of capital to support the Group’s growth and strategic development. The Group performs business model assessment, business and capital forecasting, stress testing and recovery planning at least annually. The following table summarises the Group’s capital position as at 31 December 2024 and 2023:

      31 December
    2024
      31 December
    2023
      $m   $m
    Core equity Tier 1 Capital1 623.9   437.7
    Additional Tier 1 Capital (net of issuance costs) 97.6   97.6
    Tier 2 Capital 1.6   3.1
    Total Capital resources 723.1   538.4
           
           
    Own Funds Threshold Requirement2 308.8   235.1
    Total Capital ratio3 234%   229%
    1. The own funds threshold requirement is the amount of own funds (i.e. capital) that a firm needs to hold at any given time to comply with the overall financial adequacy rule under the Investment Firm Prudential Regulation. The overall financial adequacy rule requires a firm to hold the amount of own funds for its ongoing business operations, taking into account potential periods of financial stress during the economic cycle. This is determined based on Group’s latest annual internal assessment.
    2. Own Funds Requirement presented as Own Funds Threshold Requirement based on the latest approved Group Internal Capital Assessment.
    3. The Group’s total capital resources as a percentage of Own Funds Requirement.

    At 31 December 2024, the Group had a Total Capital Ratio of 234% (2023: 229%), representing significant capital headroom to minimum requirements. The increase in the Total Capital Ratio resulted from an increase in total capital resources due to profit (unaudited) in 2024.

    Dividend

    The Board of Directors approved an interim dividend of $0.14 per share, expected to be paid on 31 March 2025 to shareholders on record as at close of business on 17 March 2025.

    Forward looking statements:

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including expected financial results and Adjusted Profit Before Tax and Reported Profit Before Tax, expected growth and business plans, expected investments and dividend payments. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions.

    These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which are beyond our control. In addition, these forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual outcomes may differ materially from the information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, without limitation: subdued commodity market activity or pricing levels; the effects of geopolitical events, terrorism and wars, such as the effect of Russia’s military action in Ukraine, on market volatility, global macroeconomic conditions and commodity prices; changes in interest rate levels; the risk of our clients and their related financial institutions defaulting on their obligations to us; regulatory, reputational and financial risks as a result of our international operations; software or systems failure, loss or disruption of data or data security failures; an inability to adequately hedge our positions and limitations on our ability to modify contracts and the contractual protections that may be available to us in OTC derivatives transactions; market volatility, reputational risk and regulatory uncertainty related to commodity markets, equities, fixed income, foreign exchange and cryptocurrency; the impact of climate change and the transition to a lower carbon economy on supply chains and the size of the market for certain of our energy products; the impact of changes in judgments, estimates and assumptions made by management in the application of our accounting policies on our reported financial condition and results of operations; lack of sufficient financial liquidity; if we fail to comply with applicable law and regulation, we may be subject to enforcement or other action, forced to cease providing certain services or obliged to change the scope or nature of our operations; significant costs, including adverse impacts on our business, financial condition and results of operations, and expenses associated with compliance with relevant regulations; and if we fail to remediate the material weaknesses we identified in our internal control over financial reporting or prevent material weaknesses in the future, the accuracy and timing of our financial statements may be impacted, which could result in material misstatements in our financial statements or failure to meet our reporting obligations and subject us to potential delisting, regulatory investments or civil or criminal sanctions, and other risks discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our final prospectus filed pursuant to 424(b)(4) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on 31 October 2024 and our other reports filed with the SEC.

    The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this press release. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

    In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this press release, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

    Appendix 1

    Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators

    This press release contains non-IFRS financial measures, including Adjusted Profit Before Tax, Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin, Adjusted Earnings per Share, Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share, Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity and Adjusted Return on Equity. These non-IFRS financial measures are presented for supplemental informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for profit after tax, profit margin, return on equity or any other financial information presented in accordance with IFRS and may be different from similarly titled non-IFRS financial measures used by other companies. The Group changed the labelling of its non-IFRS measures during 2024 to better align to the equivalent IFRS reported metric and enhance transparency and comparability.

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax (formerly labelled Adjusted Operating Profit)

    We define Adjusted Profit Before Tax as profit after tax adjusted for (i) tax, (ii) goodwill impairment charges, (iii) acquisition costs, (iv) bargain purchase gains, (v) owner fees, (vi) amortisation of acquired brands and customer lists, (vii) activities in relation to shareholders, (viii) employer tax on the vesting of Growth Shares, (ix) IPO preparation costs and (x) fair value of the cash settlement option on the Growth Shares. Items (i) to (x) are referred to as “Adjusting Items.” Adjusted Profit Before Tax is the primary measure used by our management to evaluate and understand our underlying operations and business trends, forecast future results and determine future capital investment allocations. Adjusted Profit Before Tax is the measure used by our executive board to assess the financial performance of our business in relation to our trading performance. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure is profit after tax. We believe Adjusted Profit Before Tax is a useful measure as it allows management to monitor our ongoing core operations and provides useful information to investors and analysts regarding the net results of the business. The core operations represent the primary trading operations of the business.

    Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin (formerly labelled Adjusted Operating Profit Margin)

    We define Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin as Adjusted Profit Before Tax (as defined above) divided by revenue. We believe that Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the profitability of our business in relation to revenue. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure is profit margin, which is Profit after Tax divided by revenue.

    Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity (formerly labelled Adjusted Operating Profit after Tax Attributable to Common Equity)

    We define Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity as profit after tax adjusted for the items outlined in the Adjusted Profit Before Tax paragraph above. Additionally, Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity is also adjusted for (i) tax and the tax effect of the Adjusting Items to calculate Adjusted Profit Before Tax and (ii) profit attributable to Additional Tier 1 (“AT1”) note holders, net of tax, which is the coupons on the AT1 issuance and accounted for as dividends, adjusted for the tax benefit of the coupons. We define Common Equity as being the equity belonging to the holders of the Group’s share capital. We believe Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the profitability of the equity belonging to the holders of the Group’s share capital. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure is profit after tax.

    Adjusted Return on Equity (formerly labelled Return on Adjusted Operating Profit after Tax Attributable to Common Equity)

    We define the Adjusted Return on Equity as the Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity (as defined above) divided by the average Common Equity for the period. Common Equity is defined as being the equity belonging to the holders of the Group’s share capital. Common Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital. For the years ended 31 December 2024, Common Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital as at 31 December of the prior year, 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December of the current year. For the year ended 31 December 2023, Common Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital as at 31 December of the prior year and 31 December of the current year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 Common Equity is calculated as the average of 30 September and 31 December of the current period. For the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023, Return on Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity is calculated as Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity for the year divided by average Common Equity for the year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023, Adjusted Return on Equity is calculated for comparison purposes on an annualised basis as Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity for the period multiplied by four and then divided by average Common Equity for the period. It is presented on an annualised basis for comparison purposes.

    We believe Adjusted Return on Equity is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the return on the equity belonging to the holders of the Group’s share capital. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure for Adjusted Return on Equity is return on equity, which is calculated as profit after tax for the period divided by average equity. Average equity for the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 is calculated as the average of total equity s at 31 December of the prior year, 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December of the current year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 Average Equity is calculated as the average of 30 September and 31 December of the current year. For the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023, return on equity is calculated as profit after tax for the year divided by Average Equity for the year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023, Adjusted Return on Equity is calculated for comparison purposes on an annualised basis as Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Equity for the period multiplied by four and then divided by Average Equity for the period. It is presented on an annualised basis for comparison purposes.

    Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share

    Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share is defined as the Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity (as defined above) for the period divided by weighted average number of ordinary shares for the period. We believe Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the profitability of our business per share. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards metric is basic earnings per share. This metric has been designed to highlight the Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity over the available share capital of the Group. Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share is defined as the Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity for the period divided by the diluted weighted average shares for the period. We believe Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share is a useful measure as it allows management to assess the profitability of our business per share on a diluted basis. Dilution is calculated in the same way as it has been for diluted earnings per share. The most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards metric is diluted earnings per share.

    We believe that these non-IFRS financial measures provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain items that management believes are not indicative of our ongoing operations. Our management uses these non-IFRS financial measures to evaluate our business strategies and to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period. We believe that these non-IFRS financial measures provide useful information to investors because they improve the comparability of our financial results between periods and provide for greater transparency of key measures used to evaluate our performance. In addition these non-IFRS financial measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in their evaluation of companies comparable to us, many of which present related performance measures when reporting their results.

    These non-IFRS financial measures are used by different companies for differing purposes and are often calculated in different ways that reflect the circumstances of those companies. In addition, certain judgments and estimates are inherent in our process to calculate such non-IFRS financial measures. You should exercise caution in comparing these non-IFRS financial measures as reported by other companies.

    These non-IFRS financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of our results as reported under IFRS Accounting Standards. Some of these limitations are:

    • they do not reflect costs incurred in relation to the acquisitions that we have undertaken;
    • they do not reflect impairment of goodwill;
    • other companies in our industry may calculate these measures differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures; and
    • the adjustments made in calculating these non-IFRS financial measures are those that management considers to be not representative of our core operations and, therefore, are subjective in nature.

    Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on these non-IFRS financial measures.

    We also use key performance indicators (“KPIs”) such as Average Balances, Trades Executed, and Contracts Cleared to assess the performance of our business and believe that these KPIs provide useful information to both management and investors by showing the growth of our business across the periods presented.

    Our management uses these KPIs to evaluate our business strategies and to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period. We define certain terms used in this release as follows:

    “FTE” means the number of our full-time equivalents as of the end of a given period, which includes permanent employees and contractors.

    “Average FTE” means the average number of our full-time equivalents over the period, including permanent employees and contractors.

    “Average Balances” means the average of the daily holdings in exchanges, banks and other investments over the period. Previously, average balances were calculated as the average month end amount of segregated and non-segregated client balances that generated interest income over a given period.

    “Trades Executed” means the total number of trades executed on our platform in a given year.

    “Total Capital Ratio” means our total capital resources in a given period divided by the capital requirement for such period under the IFPR.

    “Contracts Cleared” means the total number of contracts cleared in a given period.

    “Market Volumes” are calculated as follows:

    • All volumes traded on Marex key exchanges (CBOT, CME, Eurex, Euronext, ICE, LME, NYMEX COMEX, SGX)
    • Energy volumes on CBOT, Eurex, ICE, NYMEX, SGX
    • Financial securities (corporate bonds, equities, FX, repo, volatility) on CBOE, CBOT, CME, Eurex, Euronext, ICE, SGX
    • Metals, agriculture and energy volumes on CBOT, CME, Eurex, Euronext, ICE, LME, NYMEX COMEX, SGX

    Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators:

      3 months ended 31 December 2024   3 months ended 31 December 2023   Year ended 31 December 2024   Year ended 31 December 2023
          Restated1        
      $m   $m   $m   $m
    Profit After Tax 56.7   28.1   218.0   141.3
    Taxation charge 21.1   11.3   77.8   55.2
    Profit Before Tax 77.8   39.4   295.8   196.5
    Goodwill impairment charge1       10.7
    Bargain purchase gains2       (0.3)
    Acquisition costs3   1.2     1.8
    Amortisation of acquired brands and customer lists4 1.7   0.7   5.5   2.1
    Activities relating to shareholders5   2.2   2.4   3.1
    Employer tax on vesting of the growth shares6     2.2  
    Owner fees7   1.2   2.4   6.0
    IPO preparation costs8   7.9   8.6   10.1
    Fair value of the cash settlement option on the growth shares9     2.3  
    Public offering of ordinary shares10 1.9     1.9  
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax 81.4   52.6   321.1   230.0
    Tax and the tax effect on the Adjusting Items11 (20.43)   (11.1)   (76.8)   (54.1)
    Profit attributable to AT1 note holders12 (3.3)   (3.3)   (13.3)   (13.3)
    Adjusted Profit After Tax Attributable to Common Equity 57.8   38.2   231.0   162.6
                   
    Profit after Tax Margin 14%   9%   14%   11%
    Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin13 20%   16%   20%   18%
                   
    Basic Earnings per Share ($) 0.76   0.37   2.96   1.94
    Diluted Earnings per Share ($) 0.70   0.35   2.72   1.82
                   
    Adjusted Basic Earnings per Share ($)14 0.82   0.58   3.34   2.46
    Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share ($)15 0.76   0.54   3.07   2.31
                   
    Common Equity16 870.7   662.6   775.6   629.2
    Return on Equity 23%   15%   25%   19%
    Adjusted Return on Equity (%) 27%   23%   30%   26%
    1. Goodwill impairment charges in 2023 relates to the impairment recognised for goodwill relating to the Volatility Performance Fund S.A. CGU (‘VPF’) largely due to declining projected revenue.
    2. A bargain purchase gain was recognised as a result of the ED&F Man Capital Markets division acquisition.
    3. Acquisition costs are costs, such as legal fees incurred in relation to the business acquisitions of ED&F Man Capital Markets business, the OTCex group and Cowen’s prime services and Outsourced Trading business.
    4. This represents the amortisation charge for the period of acquired brands and customers lists.
    5. Activities in relation to shareholders primarily consist of dividend-like contributions made to participants within certain of our share-based payments schemes.
    6. Employer tax on vesting of the growth shares represents the Group’s tax charge arising from the vesting of the growth shares.
    7. Owner fees relate to management services fees paid to parties associated with the ultimate controlling party based on a percentage of our EBITDA in each year, presented in the income statement within other expenses.
    8. IPO preparation costs related to consulting, legal and audit fees, presented in the income statement within other expenses.
    9. Fair value of the cash settlement option on the growth shares represents the fair value liability of the growth shares at $2.3m. Subsequent to the initial public offering when the holders of the growth shares elected to settle the awards in ordinary shares, the liability was derecognised.
    10. Costs relating to the public offerings of ordinary shares by certain selling shareholders.
    11. Tax and the tax effect on the Adjusting Items represents the tax for the period and the tax effect of the other Adjusting Items removed from Profit After Tax to calculate Adjusted Profit Before Tax. The tax effect of the other Adjusting Items was calculated at the Group’s effective tax rate for the respective period.
    12. Profit attributable to AT1 note holders are the coupons on the AT1 issuance, which are accounted for as dividends.
    13. Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin is calculated by dividing Adjusted Profit Before Tax (as defined above) by revenue for the period.
    14. The weighted average numbers of shares used in the calculation for the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 were 69,231,625 and 66,018, 514 respectively. The weighted average numbers of shares used in the calculation for the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 were 70,290,886 and 66,018,514 respectively. Weighted average number of shares have been restated as applicable for the Group’s reverse share split.
    15. The weighted average numbers of diluted shares used in the calculation for the years ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 were 75,279,454 and 70,323,467 respectively. The weighted average numbers of shares used in the calculation for the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 were 76,338,715 and 70,323,467 respectively. Weighted average number of shares have been restated as applicable for the Group’s reverse share split.
    16. Common Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital. For the years ended 31 December 2024, Adjusted Return on Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital, as at 31 December of the prior year, 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December of the current year. For the years ended 31 December 2023, Adjusted Return on Equity is calculated as the average balance of total equity minus additional Tier 1 capital, as at 31 December of the prior year and 31 December of the current year. For the three months ended 31 December 2024 and 2023 Common Equity is calculated as the average of 30 September and 31 December of the current period.

    Appendix 2 – Supplementary Financial Information

    Revenue

    The following tables presents the Group’s segmental revenue for the periods indicated:

    3 months ended 31 December 2024 Clearing   Agency and Execution   Market Making   Hedging and Investment Solutions   Corporate   Total
      $m   $m   $m   $m   $m   $m
                           
    Net commission income/(expense) 65.6   160.7   (0.3)       226.0
    Net trading income 2.7   21.1   51.7   52.6     128.1
    Net interest income/(expense) 56.4   9.5   (4.9)   (12.7)   14.3   62.6
    Net physical commodities income   0.9   (2.0)       (1.1)
    Revenue 124.7   192.2   44.5   39.9   14.3   415.6
    3 months ended 31 December 2023 Clearing   Agency and Execution   Market Making   Hedging and Investment Solutions   Corporate   Total
      $m   $m   $m   $m   $m   $m
                           
    Net commission income/(expense) 52.5   131.3   (2.4)       181.4
    Net trading income/(expense) 0.4   23.2   45.9   42.3   (0.3)   111.5
    Net interest income/(expense) 31.2   3.4   (8.5)   (9.1)   13.2   30.2
    Net physical commodities income     2.5       2.5
    Revenue 84.1   157.9   37.5   33.2   12.9   325.6
    Year ended 31 December 2024 Clearing   Agency and Execution   Market Making   Hedging and Investment Solutions   Corporate   Total
      $m   $m   $m   $m   $m   $m
                           
    Net commission income/(expense) 263.0   597.1   (4.0)       856.1
    Net trading income 5.2   61.3   215.6   210.3     492.4
    Net interest income/(expense) 198.1   34.6   (20.7)   (48.8)   63.9   227.1
    Net physical commodities income   2.2   16.9       19.1
    Revenue 466.3   695.2   207.8   161.5   63.9   1,594.7
    Year ended 31 December 2023 Clearing   Agency and Execution   Market Making   Hedging and Investment Solutions   Corporate   Total
      $m   $m   $m   $m   $m   $m
                           
    Net commission income/(expense) 236.2   473.4   (4.7)       704.9
    Net trading income/(expense) 1.2   62.1   182.8   165.7   (0.4)   411.4
    Net interest income/(expense) 136.2   6.0   (30.9)   (37.6)   47.9   121.6
    Net physical commodities income     6.7       6.7
    Revenue 373.6   541.5   153.9   128.1   47.5   1,244.6

    Consolidated Income Statement

    For the Year Ended 31 December 2024

        2024 2023
        $m $m
    Commission and fee income   1,618.1 1,342.4
    Commission and fee expense   (762.0) (637.5)
    Net commission income   856.1 704.9
    Net trading income   492.4 411.4
    Interest income   765.2 591.8
    Interest expense   (538.1) (470.2)
    Net interest income   227.1 121.6
    Net physical commodities income   19.1 6.7
    Revenue   1,594.7 1,244.6
           
    Expenses:      
    Compensation and benefits   (971.1) (770.3)
    Depreciation and amortisation   (29.5) (27.1)
    Other expenses   (306.3) (237.4)
    Impairment of goodwill   (10.7)
    Provision for credit losses   1.7 (7.1)
    Bargain purchase gain on acquisitions   0.3
    Other income   6.3 3.4
    Share of results in associates and joint ventures   0.8
    Profit before tax   295.8 196.5
    Tax   (77.8) (55.2)
    Profit after tax   218.0 141.3
           

    Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

    As at 31 December 2024

        31 December 31 December
        2024 2023
        $m $m
          Restated1
    Assets      
    Non-current assets      
    Goodwill   176.5 163.6
    Intangible assets   56.5 56.0
    Property, plant and equipment   20.8 16.6
    Right-of-use asset   59.9 40.6
    Investments   24.0 16.2
    Deferred tax   46.7 21.4
    Treasury instruments (unpledged)   53.5 60.8
    Treasury instruments (pledged as collateral)   46.1 300.4
    Total non-current assets   484.0 675.6
           
    Current assets      
    Corporate income tax receivable   12.5 0.1
    Trade and other receivables   7,553.2 4,789.8
    Inventory   35.8 163.4
    Equity instruments (unpledged)   231.4 189.6
    Equity instruments (pledged as collateral)   4,446.6 1,331.7
    Derivative instruments   1,163.5 655.6
    Stock borrowing   1,781.7 2,501.4
    Treasury instruments (unpledged)   556.2 481.8
    Treasury instruments (pledged as collateral)   2,912.9 2,062.6
    Fixed income securities (unpledged)   87.7 76.7
    Reverse repurchase agreements   2,490.4 3,199.8
    Cash and cash equivalents   2,556.6 1,483.5
    Total current assets   23,828.5 16,936.0
    Total assets   24,312.5 17,611.6
    1. Prior period comparatives have been restated. Refer to note 3(b) and note 37 in the Group Annual Report for further information.

    Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

    As at 31 December 2024

        31 December 31 December
        2024 2023
        $m $m
          Restated1
    Liabilities      
    Current liabilities      
    Repurchase agreements   2,305.8 3,118.9
    Trade and other payables   9,740.4 6,785.9
    Stock lending   4,952.1 2,323.3
    Short securities   1,704.6 1,924.8
    Short-term borrowings   152.0
    Lease liability   10.5 13.2
    Derivative instruments   751.7 402.2
    Corporation tax   41.9 7.6
    Debt securities   2,119.6 1,308.4
    Provisions   0.6 0.4
    Total current liabilities   21,779.2 15,884.7
    Non-current liabilities      
    Lease liability   67.0 39.4
    Long-term borrowings  
    Debt securities   1,484.9 907.9
    Deferred tax liability   4.5 3.7
    Total non-current liabilities   1,556.4 951.0
    Total liabilities   23,335.6 16,835.7
    Total net assets   976.9 775.9
           
    Equity      
    Share capital   0.1 0.1
    Share premium   202.6 134.3
    Additional Tier 1 capital (AT1)   97.6 97.6
    Retained earnings   722.4 555.3
    Own shares   (23.2) (9.8)
    Other reserves   (22.6) (1.6)
    Total equity   976.9 775.9
    1. Prior year comparatives have been restated. Refer to note 3(b) and note 37 in the Group Annual Report for further information.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Biz2Credit’s Women-Owned Business Study Reports Women Are Closing The Funding Gap

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In its annual analysis of over 53,000 companies, the Biz2Credit Women-Owned Business Study found that the funding percentage (36%) for women-owned businesses that applied for financing in 2024 increased from 35% in 2023. In comparison, the funding rate for male-owned businesses in 2024 was just 29%.

    Additionally, that the average funding amounts women received jumped by 25% from 2023 to 2024. In 2023, the average funding amount for women-owned businesses was $53,678. A year later, in 2024, the average amount was $67,035.

    Further analysis showed that the average annual revenue of women-owned firms in 2024 increased 15% to nearly $520,000, although expenses rose as well.

    The Biz2Credit Women-Owned Business Study examined financial indicators including annual revenue, operating expenses, earnings, age of business, credit scores, funding rates, and funding amounts of companies that applied for credit on Biz2Credit’s online platform in 2024.

    “The funding rate and average loan amount for women-owned businesses rose in 2024, which is good news,” said Rohit Arora, CEO and co-founder of Biz2Credit and one of the nation’s leading experts in small business finance. “The percentage of funding applications from women was 36%, compared to 29% for men last year. Women-owned businesses have also shortened the gap in average funding size to just 20% less than men-owned businesses, a significant improvement compared to last year’s difference of 40%.”

    “All is not rosy, however,” Arora added. “Women business owners, along with their male counterparts, saw expenses rise significantly largely because of inflation in 2024. SMBs are hoping that costs will come down, although it has not happened yet.”

    Key Findings:

    • The Funding Rate for women-owned businesses rose from 35% in 2023 to 36% in 2024. In contrast to their male counterparts, the funding rate for men-owned firms was 29% in 2024.
    • The Average Funding Size for women-owned businesses was $67,035 in 2024, a 25% increase from $53,678 in 2023. In comparison, men-owned businesses saw an increase of 7% in average loan sizes, up from $75,045 in 2023 to $80,140 in 2024.
    • The Average Age of Business (in months) for women-owned businesses increased 10 months YoY, from 62 in 2023 to 72 months (6 years) in 2024, but remains 14 months lower than men-owned businesses, up from 72 in 2023 to 86 (slightly more than 7 years) in 2024.
    • The Average Credit Score for women business owners increased by 10 points, from 643 in 2023 to 653 in 2024. Credit scores for male business owners also increased 10 points, from 660 in 2023 to 670 in 2024.
    • Financing Applications by State: California had the highest percentage (12.8%) of funding applications of women-owned businesses, followed by the 2023 leader, Florida (12.5%) and Texas (10%).
    • Financing Applications by Industry: Services (except Public Administration) was the largest industry represented by women-owned companies (14.9%) in the Biz2Credit study, followed by Healthcare and Social Assistance (14.5%), Retail Trade (13.5%) Accommodation and Food Services (12.1%), and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Service (9.5%).
    • Average Annual Revenue for women-owned businesses increased 15%, from $451,443 in 2023 to $519,886 in 2024, while male-owned businesses rose 8%, from $688,611 in 2023 to $743,643 in 2024. The revenue gap between women-owned and men-owned businesses was $223,757 in 2024.
    • Average Operating Expenses of women-owned businesses increased 38%, from $363,909 in 2023 to $503,8426 in 2024. Men-owned business also saw a 31% increase in average operating expenses.

    Comparing Women-Owned and Men-Owned Businesses: A Year-over-Year Analysis

      2023 2024
    Categories Women Men Women Men
    Average Revenue $451,443 $688,611 $519,886 $743,643
    Average Operating Expenses $363,909 $541,602 $503,426 $711,670
    Average Age of Business (months) 62 72 72 86
    Average Credit Score* 643 660 653 670
    Average Funding Size $53,678 $75,045 $67,035 $80,140
    Funding Rate 35 30 36 29


    Comparison of Women-Owned and Men-Owned Businesses Year-over-Year (YoY)

    Categories Women
    YoY Difference
    Men
    YoY Difference
    Average Revenue +15% +8%
    Average Operating Expenses +38% +31%
    Average Age of Business (months) +10 +14  
    Average Credit Score* (points) +10 +10
    Average Funding Size +25% +7%
    Funding Rate +3% -3%

    *Average credit score is derived from the personal FICO credit scores of business owners.

    Top 5 Financing Applications by State in 2024 for Women-Owned Businesses

    States Women
    California 12.8%
    Florida 12.5%
    Texas 10%
    Georgia 6.6%
    New York 5.1%


    Top 5 Financing Applications by Industry in 2024 for Women-Owned Businesses

    Industries Women
    Other Services (except Public Administration) 14.9%
    Health Care and Social Assistance 14.5%
    Retail Trade 13.5%
    Accommodation and Food Services 12.1%
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 9.5%


    Importance of Women-Owned Businesses

    During 2024, women-owned businesses had an estimated $2.1 trillion in receipts, 11.4 million employees, and $508.5 billion in annual payroll, as reported by Census Bureau (Nov. 2024).

    According to the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) Annual Report, there are 14.5 million women-owned businesses that account for 39.2% of all businesses in the U.S. This number is a 11.5% increase from 2019 to 2024 and demonstrates that women-owned firms emerged stronger from the COVID pandemic than they did from the 2008 financial crisis.

    Methodology

    The dataset for Biz2Credit’s Women-Owned Business Study comprises over 53,000 completed commercial funding applications received via the Biz2Credit platform in 2024. The four most important variables in the analysis were: annual revenue, operating expenses, age of business, and personal credit score. The data was then tabulated to examine women-owned and men-owned businesses based on annual revenue, operating expenses, age of business, personal credit score, funding rate, and average loan size. The study looked at 20 different industries, as well as geography.

    About Biz2Credit

    Founded in 2007, Biz2Credit has helped thousands of companies access more than $10 billion in small business financing. The company is expanding its industry-leading Biz2X technology in custom digital platform solutions for banks and other financial institutions, investors, and service providers. Visit www.biz2credit.com, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).

    Media Contact: John Mooney, (908) 720-6057, john@overthemoonpr.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Everything Blockchain Announces Plan to Tokenize Stock Following Coinbase’s Groundbreaking Move

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Jacksonville, FL, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Everything Blockchain (OTC: $EBZT), a leader in the intersection of blockchain technology and traditional finance, today announced its intent to closely follow Coinbase’s pioneering decision to tokenize its stock. The company is positioning itself as one of the first publicly traded entities to take advantage of tokenized securities, marking a monumental step towards revolutionizing shareholder engagement and increasing market efficiency.

    As of today, Coinbase has reignited its plans to tokenize its COIN stock and other securities in the U.S., following the SEC’s formation of a new “crypto task force” aimed at fostering greater clarity and regulatory oversight for digital assets. Tokenized securities offer a wide range of benefits for investors, including but not limited to:

    1. Enhanced Liquidity: Tokenization enables the fractionalization of shares, allowing investors to buy and sell in smaller increments. This opens the door to a broader, more diverse investor base, facilitating higher levels of liquidity and market participation.
    2. Increased Transaction Efficiency: Blockchain technology significantly reduces the need for intermediaries, streamlining transactions and lowering costs associated with traditional methods of trading and settlement.
    3. Improved Transparency and Security: All transactions are recorded on a public ledger, ensuring complete transparency, auditability, and security for investors.
    4. Global Access and 24/7 Trading: Tokenized securities can be accessed from anywhere in the world, offering unparalleled flexibility and real-time market engagement. This accessibility is a significant improvement over traditional markets, which are often bound by time zone restrictions.
    5. Enhanced Voting Rights and Profit-Sharing: Investors in tokenized securities are able to exercise voting rights and participate in profit-sharing schemes through smart contracts, giving them a more direct influence on the company’s future decisions.

    By closely following Coinbase’s strategy, EBZT is positioning itself as a first-mover in this emerging space. The company’s commitment to tokenizing its stock will not only position it as a leader in the blockchain sector but will also drive deeper shareholder engagement, enabling direct participation in company governance.

    Arthur Rozenberg, CEO of Everything Blockchain, commented:
    “The move to tokenize our stock is a natural progression for Everything Blockchain. As the financial world continues to evolve, we believe tokenization represents the future of shareholder engagement, transparency, and market efficiency. By acting as one of the first publicly traded companies to embrace this technology, we are taking a bold step in redefining the future of investing and positioning EBZT at the forefront of the blockchain revolution.”

    First-Mover Advantage:
    With the SEC’s recent regulatory developments creating an ideal environment for tokenization, EBZT’s early adoption of this groundbreaking technology provides a unique opportunity to capitalize on the emerging market for digital securities. Tokenization of EBZT stock will offer numerous advantages, including the potential for increased shareholder participation, the ability to tap into a global investor base, and greater liquidity—all of which are poised to attract both traditional and crypto-savvy investors.

    About Everything Blockchain Inc.
    Everything Blockchain, Inc. (OTCMKTS: EBZT) focuses on identifying key challenges and opportunities in AI, blockchain, and cryptocurrency. The company is dedicated to investing in and innovating solutions that empower investors and advance global industries. For more information, visit https://www.ebzt.info/
    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking statements” which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as “anticipate,” “seek,” intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan” or similar phrases may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company’s reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of blockchain based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations, and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions will prove to be accurate. 
    Contact:
     Arthur Rozenberg
    CEO, Everything Blockchain, Inc.
    arthur.rozenberg@everythingblockchain.io

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Global: Electric shock equipment widely abused by law enforcement agencies due to alarming lack of regulation

    Source: Amnesty International –

    States and companies are manufacturing, promoting and selling electric shock equipment that is being used for torture and other ill-treatment, said Amnesty International, in a new report calling for a global, legally-binding treaty to regulate the unchecked production of and trade in law enforcement equipment.

    “I Still Can’t Sleep at Night” – The Global Abuse of Electric Shock Equipment, documents how law enforcement agencies are using inherently abusive direct contact electric shock weapons – including stun guns and electric shock batons on the street, at borders, in migrant and refugee detention centres, mental health institutions, police stations, prisons, and other places of detention.

    These inherently abusive devices, which deliver painful shocks at the press of a button, have been used against protesters, students, political opponents, women and girls (including pregnant women), children and human rights defenders, among others. Survivors have suffered burns, numbness, miscarriage, urinary dysfunction, insomnia, exhaustion and profound psychological trauma.

    The report also looks at the escalating misuse of Projectile Electric Shock Weapons (PESWs), which can have a legitimate role in law enforcement, but are often misused. Cases include the unnecessary and discriminatory use against vulnerable groups resulting in serious injuries and in some cases even death.

    Direct contact electric shock weapons can cause severe suffering, long-lasting physical disability and psychological distress.

    Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International

    “Direct contact electric shock weapons can cause severe suffering, long-lasting physical disability and psychological distress. Prolonged use can even result in death,” said Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International’s researcher on military, security and policing issues.

    “PESWs are being used against individuals who pose no risk of violence, simply for punishment or compliance with orders. They are also being used in direct contact ‘drive stun’ mode, which should be prohibited. Despite the clear human rights risks associated with their use, there are no global regulations controlling the production of and trade in electric shock equipment. Direct contact electric shock weapons need to be banned immediately and PESWs subject to strict human-rights-based trade controls.”

    The extensive report draws on research carried out by Amnesty International from 2014 to 2024 in over 40 countries across all regions across the world, where cases involving torture and other ill-treatment using electric shock equipment have been documented.

    Vulnerable groups targeted by electric shock weapons

    Testimonies gathered by Amnesty International are harrowing.

    During the 2022 “Woman Life Freedom” uprising in Iran, the military unit IRGC Basijbattalion forced several boys to stand with their legs apart in a line alongside adult detainees and administered electric shocks to their genitals with stun guns.

    In another case, several schoolboys were abducted for writing the protest slogan “Woman Life Freedom” on a wall. One of the boys told Amnesty International: “They hit my face with the back of a gun, gave electric shocks to my back, and beat me with batons on the bottom of my feet and hands…”

    PESWs have often been used as de facto direct contact electric shock weapons when deployed in “drive stun” mode.

    “I was lying on the ground and still they have used tasers on me three times, and at the same time they beat me with the batons.

    Detainee from Sub-Saharan Africa

    Recounting a raid by border guards on the Medininkai detention centre in Lithuania on 2 March 2022, one detainee from Sub-Saharan Africa said: “I was lying on the ground and still they have used tasers on me three times, and at the same time they beat me with the batons.” Another described being threatened by police officers who placed a “taser” on her forehead, telling her “‘Shut up or I will shoot you!’”

    “Even when used as a stand-off weapon, PESWs have been linked to serious injuries and deaths,” said Patrick Wilcken. “These include dart lacerations and penetration of the skull, eye, internal organs, throat, fingers and testis; electrical discharge induced burns, seizures and arrythmias; and a variety of injuries and deaths from falls.”

    Amnesty’s report reveals patterns of PESWs’ discriminatory deployment against racialized and marginalized groups, such as young Black men. In April 2024, police in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, were filmed using a TASER directly on the leg of a Black protester at a Palestine solidarity demonstration while he was pinned to the ground by three police officers and handcuffed.

    “Given the high risks of primary and secondary injuries, the use of PESWs must be set at a high threshold. These weapons should only be used only in situations involving a threat to life or risk of serious injury which cannot be contained by less extreme options,” said Patrick Wilcken.

    The urgent need for prohibitions and trade regulation

    At least 197 companies from all regions manufactured or promoted direct contact electric shock equipment for law enforcement between January 2018 and June 2023 – with most companies based in countries such as China, India and the USA.

    According to US-based Axon Enterprise, Inc., their TASER brand models are currently used by over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in more than 80 countries.

    “There is an urgent need for a legally-binding treaty which would prohibit inherently abusive electric shock equipment and strictly control the trade in PESWs,” said Patrick Wilcken.

    “Companies should implement robust human rights due diligence and mitigation measures to ensure their products and services are not being systematically misused for torture or other ill-treatment. This includes ceasing production of direct contact electric shock devices and removing the ‘drive stun’ function from PESWs.”

    Amnesty International, along with a global civil society network of over 80 organizations worldwide, is campaigning for the negotiation of a Torture-Free Trade Treaty that would introduce global prohibitions and controls on a wide range of law enforcement equipment, including electric shock weapons and equipment.

    Background

    • In September 2017, the EU, Argentina and Mongolia launched the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade at the margins of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The Alliance currently comprises 62 states from all regions of the world pledging to “act together to further prevent, restrict and end trade” in goods used notably for torture or other ill-treatment. In October 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture presented a thematic report on the torture trade at the UNGA which argued for a legally binding instrument to regulate the production of and trade in law enforcement equipment and included lists of goods considered prohibited and controlled.
    • This is one of a series of in-depth research reports showing the devastating human rights impact of law enforcement equipment; previous reports include work on tear gas, batons, rubber bullets, and the trade in less lethal weapons used to repress protesters.

    MIL OSI NGO

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Global: Electric shock equipment widely abused by law enforcement agencies due to alarming lack of regulation – new report

    Source: Amnesty International –

    40 countries including the UK where cases involving torture and other ill-treatment using electric shock equipment have been documented

    197 companies manufactured or promoted direct contact electric shock equipment for law enforcement – most companies based in China, India and the USA

    Survivors have suffered burns, numbness, miscarriage, urinary dysfunction, insomnia, exhaustion and profound psychological trauma

    Harrowing testimonies of people of electric shock equipment used against people

    ‘They hit my face with the back of a gun, gave electric shocks to my back, and beat me with batons on the bottom of my feet and hands…’ – schoolboy in Iran

    In the UK, Tasers were drawn, aimed or discharged 33,232 times between April 2023 to March 2024

    States and companies are manufacturing, promoting and selling electric shock equipment that is being used for torture and other ill-treatment, said Amnesty International in a new report calling for a global, legally-binding treaty to regulate the unchecked production of and trade in law enforcement equipment.

    The 72-page report – “I Still Can’t Sleep at Night” The Global Abuse of Electric Shock Equipment draws on research carried out by Amnesty from 2014 to 2024 in over 40 countries including the UK, where cases involving torture and other ill-treatment using electric shock equipment have been documented.

    Law enforcement agencies are using inherently abusive direct contact electric shock weapons – including stun guns and electric shock batons on the street, at borders, in migrant and refugee detention centres, mental health institutions, police stations, prisons, and other places of detention.

    The devices, which deliver painful shocks at the press of a button, have been used against protesters, students, political opponents, women and girls (including pregnant women), children and human rights defenders, among others. Survivors have suffered burns, numbness, miscarriage, urinary dysfunction, insomnia, exhaustion and profound psychological trauma.

    The report also looks at the escalating misuse of Projectile Electric Shock Weapons (PESWs) which can have a legitimate role in law enforcement but are often misused. Cases include the unnecessary and discriminatory use against vulnerable groups resulting in serious injuries and in some cases even death.

    Trade fairs in the UK

    In September 2024, Amnesty and the Omega Research Foundation found that a British company, The Squad Group Ltd led by retired police officers – including a former Assistant Chief Constable – were caught on camera demonstrating electric-shock torture equipment at a trade fair in Birmingham.

    The revelations raised serious questions about the enforcement of laws in relation to the prohibition of torture equipment as well as the staging of security equipment trade events. The trade in direct-contact and body-worn electric-shock weapons is illegal under laws regulating the arms and security trade, with UK companies and nationals banned from importing, exporting or in any way promoting these goods anywhere in the world. Electric-shock weapons are prohibited under The Trade in Torture etc. Goods (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, and current Government export control guidance clearly states that all trading activity, including promotion and marketing of these goods anywhere in the world, is prohibited.

    More information about The Squad Group Ltd here.

    Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s Chief Executive, said:

    “It’s shocking that prohibited torture equipment is openly being promoted and demonstrated by a UK company.

    “Despite raising this case directly with the UK government in September last year, no satisfactory answers have been provided to shed light on how these electric shock weapons have been able to be advertised, promoted and demonstrated despite seemingly robust legislation banning these activities. Alarmingly, since first alerting the authorities to this case, it has become clear that they have been demonstrated to several UK policing bodies.

    “Bringing any direct-contact electric-shock weapon into the UK must surely be a serious breach of current UK arms trade regulations that have been in place since prohibitions on electric shock weapons were first introduced by then Labour Foreign secretary Robin Cooke in 1997. To this day, these electric shock weapons are still being promoted for sale, suggesting that our existing rules are either not being properly enforced or are riddled with loopholes.”

    Tasers used in the UK

    In the latest use of force figures for England and Wales published by Home Office for April 2023 to March 2024, Tasers were used – that is drawn, aimed or discharged – a total of 33,232 times and police threatened to use Tasers against children 2,895 times with 66 charges. Five of those incidents, officers threatened to use Tasers against children under the age of 11.

    Tasers were used on Black people at a rate of 4.2 times higher than someone from a white ethnic group in England and Wales (excluding the Metropolitan Police). In the MET police area, Tasers were used at a rate of 4.4 times higher when percentages of Taser use by ethnicity were compared with the breakdown of ethnic groups in the general population in the 2021 Census. According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct found that Black people were more likely to be tasered for prolonged periods (over 5 seconds) than white people.

    Sacha Deshmukh added:

    “The police have a disturbing record of misusing Tasers, using them disproportionately against people from minority ethnic communities and those suffering from mental health crises, and also when people have been running away from officers and presenting no risk to them or the public.  

    “Tasers are potentially lethal weapons and they should only be made available to properly-trained specialist officers, and not normalised as a piece of weaponry available to every police officer operating on our streets.”  

    More information about Tasers used in the UK from page 30 in the report.

    Electric shock weapons used around the world

    During the 2022 “Woman Life Freedom” uprising in Iran, the military unit IRGC Basij battalion forced several boys to stand with their legs apart in a line alongside adult detainees and administered electric shocks to their genitals with stun guns. In another case, several schoolboys were abducted for writing the protest slogan “Woman Life Freedom” on a wall. One of the boys told Amnesty:

    “They hit my face with the back of a gun, gave electric shocks to my back, and beat me with batons on the bottom of my feet and hands…”

    PESWs have often been used as de facto direct contact electric shock weapons when deployed in “drive stun” mode. Recounting a raid by border guards on the Medininkai detention centre in Lithuania on 2 March 2022, one detainee from Sub-Saharan Africa said:

    “I was lying on the ground and still they have used tasers on me three times, and at the same time they beat me with the batons.” Another described being threatened by police officers who placed a “taser” on her forehead, telling her “‘Shut up or I will shoot you!’”

    Amnesty’s report reveals patterns of PESWs’ discriminatory deployment against racialised and marginalised groups, such as young Black men. In April 2024, police in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, were filmed using a Taser directly on the leg of a Black protester at a Palestine solidarity demonstration while he was pinned to the ground by three police officers and handcuffed.

    The urgent need for prohibitions and trade regulation

    At least 197 companies from all regions manufactured or promoted direct contact electric shock equipment for law enforcement between January 2018 and June 2023 – with most companies based in countries such as China, India and the USA.

    According to US-based Axon Enterprise, Inc., their Taser brand models are currently used by over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in more than 80 countries.

    Amnesty along with a global civil society network of over 80 organisations worldwide, is campaigning for the negotiation of a Torture-Free Trade Treaty that would introduce global prohibitions and controls on a wide range of law enforcement equipment, including electric shock weapons and equipment.

    Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International’s researcher on military, security and policing issues, said:

    Projectile Electric Shock Weapons are being used against individuals who pose no risk of violence, simply for punishment or compliance with orders.

    “Direct contact electric shock weapons can cause psychological distress, severe suffering, long-lasting physical disability. These include dart lacerations and penetration of the skull, eye, internal organs, throat, fingers and testis; electrical discharge induced burns, seizures and arrythmias; and a variety of injuries and deaths from falls. They are also being used in direct contact ‘drive stun’ mode, which should be prohibited.

    “Despite the clear human rights risks associated with their use, there are no global regulations controlling the production of and trade in electric shock equipment. Direct contact electric shock weapons need to be banned immediately and Projectile Electric Shock Weapons subject to strict human-rights-based trade controls.

    There is an urgent need for a legally-binding treaty which would prohibit inherently abusive electric shock equipment and strictly control the trade in Projectile Electric Shock Weapons.

    “Companies should implement robust human rights due diligence and mitigation measures to ensure their products and services are not being systematically misused for torture or other ill-treatment. This includes ceasing production of direct contact electric shock devices and removing the ‘drive stun’ function from Projectile Electric Shock Weapons.”

    Alliance for Torture-Free Trade

    In September 2017, the EU, Argentina and Mongolia launched the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade at the margins of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The Alliance currently comprises 62 states from all regions of the world pledging to “act together to further prevent, restrict and end trade” in goods used notably for torture or other ill-treatment. In October 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture presented a thematic report on the torture trade at the UNGA which argued for a legally binding instrument to regulate the production of and trade in law enforcement equipment and included lists of goods considered prohibited and controlled.

    This is one of a series of in-depth research reports showing the devastating human rights impact of law enforcement equipment; previous reports include work on tear gas, batons, rubber bullets, and the trade in less lethal weapons used to repress protesters.

    MIL OSI NGO