Connect with us
MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit 2024

Blockchain

Upco International Inc. Announces the Launch of UpcoPay Test Phase, October 29th, 2020

Published

on

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – October 29, 2020) – Upco International Inc. (CSE: UPCO) (OTC Pink: UCCPF) (FSE: U06) (“Upco”) is pleased to announce the launch of UpcoPay first phase test. These documents can be accessed from the SEDAR web site at www.sedar.com.

Upco has been working to launch in the coming months UpcoPay which, initially, is an innovative, highly secure and convenient direct payment solution to make person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) payments. In the second stage, when e-wallet implemented, users will be able to view multiple account balances, load funds, settle payments and initiate peer-to-peer and Foreign Exchange transfers instantly within the app without the need to create an account or input any bank details.

Beginning 2021, Upco users in Europe will be able to use UpcoPay to send and receive money easily, securely and without the use of any credit or debit card. This service will be expanded into other jurisdictions over time.

UpcoPay allows transfer between Upco users and vendors that subscribe to the service, protecting individual privacy while being compliant with regulatory frameworks. UpcoPay will also be able to deliver substantially reduced transaction fees over conventional services provided by major existing payment networks, delivering significant savings to vendors and ultimately to consumers.

Thanks to its strategic partner Token.io to leverage its open banking platform for mobile transaction processing. Under the terms of the agreement, UpcoPay, an extension of Upco Mobile Messenger, will use Token Pay™ to enable the delivery of account-to-account (A2A) transfer services and account-to-merchant (A2M) payment services. Token.io is a leading open banking platform provider, connected to more than 6,000 banks throughout Europe. Their platform enables PSD2 compliance, data aggregation and bank direct payments driven by Smart Token technology for banks and TPPs.

Integration with Token’s open banking platform significantly enhances the options that are available via Upco Mobile Messenger, while simplifying A2A and A2M transaction processing. Token’s API provides pan-European bank connectivity, so that Upco can quickly and cost effectively establish a connection to any bank to initiate payments and data requests on behalf of its customers. Using Token’s interface, payments are confirmed instantly, and transaction fees are reduced by up to 50%.

Starting from December 2020, UpcoPay will be available, as testing phase, to execute payments or transfer for Upco users which has bank account with UniCredit and ING bank in Italy.

The Company is excited about rolling out its new POS payments system given the expected global growth in FinTech, especially within mobile payments. According to Statista, in 2020, global transaction volume in the mobile Point of Sale payments space was expected to reach approximately US$1,500 billion and projected to increase to over US$4,150 billion by 2024, a 29.4% CAGR.

Complementary to the goals for the wholesale telecom business unit, in B2B segment, the Company already provides with the APP communication facilities, which offering its users free text and call, but also at reasonable pricing on high-quality on-network international calls, with preliminary calculations estimating savings across the value line of up to 40% on these types of calls, but also with international airtime top-up capabilities (the ability to add talk-time/data to a user’s pre-paid mobile phone plan), and other social media features present in most over-the-top applications around the world.

Upco’s new business model is to build a Federated Business Platform for the Telco- digital industry. While such platforms are becoming the predominant business model in the digital era, their application to the Telco business is very limited worldwide, and substitute services are gaining momentum. Upco’s model responds to an opportunity to leverage this approach and play a lead role in this new era in the Telco-digital industry.

Upco International is also pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Osvaldo Navarro as CFO Supporting the new M&A strategy, the Federate Carrier Program and company growth based on his experience in significant companies such as: Delta Energia, Baf Capital, Cargill, Enel-Endesa.

Mr. Navarro hold an MBA at IAE Business School, and he is a Civil Engineer, graduated at University of Buenos Aires.

Mr. Andrea Pagani Chief Executive Officer, Upco International Inc., commented, “Upco International is demonstrating with its new management a significant turn around and I’m pleased to start working with Mr. Navarro. I am thrilled to see the result of UpcoPay test and its new User Interface and User Experience.

We have selected a strategic graphics company in Germany to best suit the European Market.”

About Upco International Inc.

Upco International Inc. is a cloud-based mobile service company which provides high-quality voice termination to a market driven by the growing activity in online communications and commerce. Upco is a licensed Global Telecom Carrier within the international VoIP (voice over IP) wholesale business. Upco has designed a software application for Apple iOS and Android, similar to SKYPE and WhatsApp. With the forthcoming addition of the Upco e-Wallet using Blockchain Payment Services, users will be able to: send invoices, approve payments, transfer international funds, convert international currencies, and track transfers and payments. The application will also allow vendors to securely share account information with their clients.

Please visit www.upcointernational.com for further information.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Andrea Pagani, CEO and Director
[email protected]
212-461-3676

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively “forward- looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward- looking information is typically identified by words such as: “will” “may” “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “estimate”, “development”, “forthcoming”, “potentially” and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Upco cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by Upco is not a guarantee of future results or performance.

Newsfile is a customer-focused newswire team that delivers press releases and corporate announcements to the global financial community. Approved by all stock exchanges, Newsfile offers broad access to media, analysts, investors and market participants. With agile services, proactive customer care and affordable pricing; Newsfile makes it easy for companies to tell their story to the audiences they need to reach.

Blockchain

Supply Chain Finance Market Forecast to Reach $9.4 Billion by 2029: Increasing Emphasis on Sustainable Sourcing

Published

on

supply-chain-finance-market-forecast-to-reach-$9.4-billion-by-2029:-increasing-emphasis-on-sustainable-sourcing

Global Supply Chain Finance Market

Continue Reading

Blockchain

Web3 Startups Raise Nearly $1.9B in Q1 2024 Despite Overall Downtrend in Crypto VC Interest

Published

on

web3-startups-raise-nearly-$1.9b-in-q1-2024-despite-overall-downtrend-in-crypto-vc-interest

Venture capital funding for cryptocurrency and blockchain projects has seen a notable resurgence in the first quarter of 2024, marking its first quarterly rise since 2021. Crunchbase data released today indicates that Web3 startups secured nearly $1.9 billion in funding across 346 deals during this period. This represents a substantial 58% increase from the previous quarter, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the ongoing downward trend in overall crypto VC interest.

The recent surge in funding can be attributed to investors adopting a more long-term perspective on Web3, as opposed to the hype-driven “tourist investors” predominant in recent years. Chris Metinko, the author of the report, notes that investors are shifting their focus to the AI sector, indicating a change in investment strategy. There is a growing interest in supporting the foundational infrastructure of the decentralized internet, rather than solely concentrating on crypto wallets and lending platforms, which attracted significant investments during the peak period of 2021 to 2022.

While large funding rounds were relatively uncommon in Q1, several notable investments stood out. Exohood Labs, a company integrating AI, quantum computing, and blockchain, secured a remarkable $112 million seed round at a valuation of $1.4 billion. EigenLabs, an Ether token “restaking” platform, raised $100 million in a Series B round led by a16z crypto. Additionally, Freechat, a decentralized social network leveraging blockchain technology, secured $80 million in a Series A round. These investments, among others, contributed to the increase in valuations and the emergence of four new Web3 unicorns in Q1.

Despite the recent progress, the future trajectory of Web3 remains uncertain. Metinko suggests that the next few quarters will be pivotal in determining the industry’s direction. While investors anticipate a rebound in investment as the decentralized internet evolves, it may take another year for venture capital activity to stabilize after the exuberance of 2021. Factors such as the approval of U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds and the upcoming Bitcoin halving could also influence the market, given the rising prices of Bitcoin and Ether.

A noteworthy example of significant funding in the Web3 space is Monad Labs’ recent successful funding round, which secured $225 million led by Paradigm. Monad Labs is a layer-1 blockchain compatible with Ethereum, offering faster transaction processing. This funding round harkens back to the golden era of crypto funding in 2021-2022, when L1 solutions attracted substantial investments.

Earlier this year, Balance, a digital asset custodian based in Canada, announced that it had once again reached $2 billion in assets under custody (AUC) amidst the recent market recovery. Similarly, Korea Digital Asset (KODA), the largest institutional crypto custody service in South Korea, has experienced remarkable growth in crypto assets under its custody, expanding by nearly 248% in the second half of 2023.

Analysts at Bernstein Research project that crypto funds could reach an impressive $500 billion to $650 billion within the next five years, representing a significant leap from the current valuation of approximately $50 billion. This forecast underscores the growing optimism and potential for substantial growth within the crypto industry in the coming years.

Source: cryptonews.com

The post Web3 Startups Raise Nearly $1.9B in Q1 2024 Despite Overall Downtrend in Crypto VC Interest appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

Continue Reading

Blockchain

ASIC cracks down on blockchain mining firms

Published

on

asic-cracks-down-on-blockchain-mining-firms

Three blockchain mining companies – NGS Crypto, NGS Digital, and NGS Group – along with their directors, Brett Mendham, Ryan Brown, and Mark Ten Caten, are facing legal action from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for allegedly operating without a license, in violation of Australia’s Corporations Act. ASIC initiated legal proceedings against these entities on April 9, citing concerns about their non-compliance with financial regulations and their solicitation of Australian investors.

According to ASIC, the NGS companies promoted blockchain mining packages with fixed-rate returns to Australian investors, encouraging the transfer of funds from regulated superannuation funds to self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) for conversion into cryptocurrency. Approximately 450 Australians invested a total of around USD 41 million in these packages, raising concerns about potential financial losses.

The legal action filed by ASIC alleges that the companies violated section 911A of the Corporations Act, which prohibits companies from providing financial services without a valid Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). ASIC is seeking interim and final court orders to prohibit the NGS companies from offering financial services in Australia without an AFSL.

ASIC Chair Joe Longo emphasized the importance of investors carefully considering the risks before investing in crypto-related products through their SMSFs. Longo stated that ASIC’s actions send a message to the crypto industry about the regulator’s commitment to ensuring compliance with regulations and protecting consumers.

In a separate development, the Federal Court appointed receivers for the digital currency assets associated with the NGS companies and their directors to safeguard these assets amid concerns about the risk of dissipation. Mendham was also issued a travel restriction order, preventing him from leaving Australia.

While a court date for the proceedings has not been set, ASIC’s investigation is ongoing, with the regulator continuing to gather evidence and build its case. It is worth noting that the investigated companies share a similar name with NGS Super, a legitimate Australian pensions provider, leading to potential confusion among investors. NGS Super clarified that it is not involved in selling cryptocurrency or related products and has taken legal action to protect its trademark and members’ interests.

Source: iclg.com

The post ASIC cracks down on blockchain mining firms appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Latest News

Recent Listings

  • Global Payout, Inc.

    Since the Company’s inception in 2009, Global Payout, Inc. has been a leading provider of compreh...

  • MTrac Tech Corp.

    MTrac Tech Corporation, a Nevada Corporation, is a privately held, wholly owned subsidiary of Glo...

  • Net1

    Net1 is a leading provider of transaction processing services, financial inclusion products ...

  • uBUCK Technologies SEZC

    Based in Georgetown, Cayman Islands, uBUCK Tech is a fintech enterprise that specializes in digit...

  • LiteLink Technologies Inc.

      LiteLink is a major player in developing world-class enterprise platforms that utilize ar...

  • Good Gamer Corp.

      Good Gamer Corp. is a privately-held technology company focusing on gamers and streamers....

  • BitPay

      Founded in 2011, BitPay pioneered blockchain payment processing with the mission of trans...

  • About Net1

      Net1 is a leading provider of transaction processing services, financial inclusion produc...

  • Blockchain Foundry Inc.

    Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Blockchain Foundry (CSE:BCFN)(FWB:8BF)(OTC:BLFDF) is a global b...

  • Sixgill

    Sixgill provides a full suite of universal data automation and authenticity products and services...

Trending on TBE