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WonderFi Announces Closing of Landmark Bitbuy Acquisition

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Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – March 25, 2022) – WonderFi Technologies Inc. (NEO: WNDR) (OTC Pink: WONDF) (WKN: A3C166) (FTX: WNDR) (the “Company” or “WonderFi“) today announced that it has closed the previously announced acquisition (the “Acquisition“) of First Ledger Corp., (“FLC“) the parent company of Bitbuy Technologies Inc. (“Bitbuy“), a leading cryptocurrency platform and the first approved crypto marketplace in Canada.

On Friday, March 25 at 11:00AM Eastern Time, the NEO Exchange will host a live event with Ben Samaroo, CEO of WonderFi, Michael Arbus, CEO of Bitbuy and Kevin O’Leary, strategic investor in WonderFi, to discuss the landmark acquisition and future plans of WonderFi. To register for the event, please visit: https://bit.ly/3wjKXIj.

Michael Arbus, CEO of Bitbuy commented: “The combination of Bitbuy, Canada’s largest approved crypto trading marketplace, and WonderFi’s decentralized product line-up creates an innovative experience for our Clients, and a globally competitive platform, positioned to enter new markets.”

“The integration of WonderFi and Bitbuy is a huge step forward in our mission of democratizing finance through easy and secure access to DeFi and crypto,” said Ben Samaroo, CEO of WonderFi. “A licensed marketplace serves as a crucial gateway to the digital asset economy, and facilitates a robust end-to-end, unified client experience.”

Kevin O’Leary, globally renowned investor, ambassador and strategic advisor to WonderFi commented: “This is a combination of two management teams with excellent executional skills that now have the bandwidth, assets and licenses to provide an institutional grade compliant crypto platform to investors interested in exposure to centralized and decentralized financial services.”

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Key Transaction Benefits

  • WonderFi now owns Canada’s largest approved crypto marketplace, and one of fastest growing crypto platforms.
  • This transaction diversifies WonderFi’s business lines to now including a regulated crypto marketplace, OTC business and liquidity provider which services retail, corporate and institutional clients.
  • WonderFi has now further vertically integrated its business, introducing a strong front-end business line and enabling licensed fiat on-ramp and other features amidst growing market demand.
  • Bitbuy’s over 400,000 registered users are now a part of the growing WonderFi ecosystem, bringing over $455 million of assets under custody as at December 31, 2021.
  • The combined company, with over 120 on staff, will be exclusively focused on introducing new features, offerings and functionality, creating Canada’s largest talent pool of crypto tech professionals.
  • The combination of two experienced Canadian teams will bring material revenue and cost synergies through user base integration, cross-selling services and a combined global offering with new innovative products.
  • With the capital markets expertise of seasoned advisors such as Kevin O’Leary, the company is positioned to expand beyond the Canadian borders and is targeting expansions into other high growth markets.

Transaction Details

Under the terms of the Acquisition, among other things, the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of FLC. The consideration paid to former shareholders of FLC consisted of 70 million newly issued common shares of WonderFi, most of which were subject to certain lock-up requirements, $20 million in upfront cash and $30 million in deferred cash via a vendor-takeback note due in 12 months, which is subject to a working capital adjustment. A portion of the deferred cash was included in the upfront cash payment pursuant to the terms of the definitive agreement with respect to the Acquisition, available on the Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Other Matters

The Company will issue 450,000 Common Shares to each of LDL Corp. and O’Leary Productions Ltd. for strategic growth, merger and acquisition and capital market advisory services provided to the Company and 100,000 Common Shares to Nancy Cheung for public relations and media advisory services, through the period ending July 31, 2022.

In a press release dated February 4, 2022, the Company announced that certain officers and directors of the Company intended to sell an aggregate of 500,000 Common Shares, on a block trade, prospectus-exempt basis, for total gross proceeds to the Selling Shareholders of $1.2 million. The officers and directors decided not to proceed with such sale, and accordingly no sale of shares occurred.

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Additional Information
For additional information, please contact:

WonderFi Technologies Inc.
Ben Samaroo, CEO
ben@wonder.fi
(778) 843-9637

Investor Relations Contact: invest@wonder.fi
Media Contact: press@wonder.fi

Bitbuy Technologies Inc.
Dean Skurka, President
dean@bitbuy.ca
Media Contact: binu.koshy@bitbuy.ca

ABOUT WONDERFI

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WonderFi is a leading technology company with the mission of creating better access to digital assets through compliant centralized and decentralized platforms. WonderFi has a multi-pronged business strategy which includes a high-growth consumer finance app which will serve as a trusted gateway to the new financial system, and a digital asset portfolio which consists of leading crypto and DeFi assets. WonderFi’s executive team and Board of Directors have an established track record in finance and crypto, with previous experience at Amazon, Shopify, PayPal, Galaxy Digital and Hut 8. WonderFi’s core team of engineers and technologists believe that everyone should have equal access to finance, and are aligned in the mission to empower people around the world to access DeFi in a simple, smart and secure way. For more information, visit www.wonder.fi.

ABOUT BITBUY

Bitbuy is a Canadian owned and operated digital asset marketplace, and the first licensed crypto marketplace in Canada. Bitbuy’s mission is to provide its clients the best global prices, the deepest liquidity, and the most digital asset products in Canada with a convenient, dependable, and secure platform. Bitbuy is proudly registered as a restricted dealer and is Canada’s first registered digital asset marketplace in Canada. Bitbuy’s head office is in downtown Toronto, with over 85 employees. In addition to its registration as a Marketplace and Restricted Dealer, Bitbuy is also registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business under the Virtual Asset Service Provider category. Bitbuy was founded in 2016 and is currently one of Canada’s largest cryptocurrency platforms by trading volume. Bitbuy offers crypto trading services to beginners, advanced traders, and corporations making it The crypto destination of investors.TM

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company’s beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such “could”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated”, or variations of such words, and includes the appointment of certain board members of Bitbuy and the timing of the conference call.

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By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: the inability of the Company and Bitbuy to integrate successfully such that the anticipated benefits of the transaction are realized; the inability of the Company to work effectively with strategic investors; and material adverse changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets, changes in applicable laws, and compliance with extensive government regulation. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.

Neither NEO Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the NEO Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118112

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From Onboarding to Settlement in Minutes: TransFi Launches BizPay to Redefine Global Business Payments

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Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – May 22, 2025

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The blockchain universe never sleeps. From pioneering cross-border payment systems in Central America to city-wide crypto strategies in New York City, today’s headlines reveal an industry maturing at breakneck speed. In this edition of Blocks & Headlines, we explore five landmark developments:

  1. Guatemala’s Banco Industrial integrates blockchain for seamless cross-border remittances.

  2. NYC Mayor’s Office unveils a comprehensive crypto and blockchain roadmap.

  3. OSR Holdings, BCM Europe & Taekwondo Cooperative sign an MOU to launch the OSRH token.

  4. Bybit’s “Chicken Trader” livestream—crypto meets poultry in the world’s first poultry-powered trading showdown.

  5. FIFA taps Avalanche to build a dedicated blockchain for its NFT platform.

These stories underscore three key trends reshaping the ecosystem:

  • Institutional Adoption & Regulation: From national banks to municipal governments, legacy institutions are embracing decentralized technologies.

  • Tokenization & Community Engagement: Strategic partnerships are launching specialized tokens that bridge niche communities with global markets.

  • Innovative Use Cases: Whether gaming, entertainment, or live-stream events, blockchain’s versatility spawns ever-more creative applications.

Join us as we unpack the implications, weigh the opportunities, and forecast where these trajectories might lead.

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1. Guatemala’s Largest Bank Integrates Blockchain for Cross-Border Payments

What Happened
Guatemala’s Banco Industrial, the country’s biggest financial institution, announced the deployment of a private‐permissioned blockchain network to streamline remittances from the U.S. into Guatemala City and beyond. The solution reduces settlement times from days to minutes, cuts fees by up to 60 %, and offers real-time traceability for senders and receivers.
Source: Cointelegraph

Analysis & Commentary

  • Financial Inclusion Boost: Remittances account for over 12 % of Guatemala’s GDP. By minimizing friction and cost, blockchain integration will extend financial services to remote communities reliant on diaspora funds.

  • Risk & Compliance: Permissioned networks allow Banco Industrial to retain AML/KYC controls, mitigating concerns around illicit flows. This hybrid approach demonstrates that enterprise blockchain can balance decentralization with regulatory rigor.

  • Regional Ripple Effects: Neighboring Central American banks are watching closely. Should Guatemala’s pilot succeed, we can expect a domino effect across El Salvador, Honduras, and Costa Rica—each seeking to capitalize on faster, cheaper cross-border rails.

Implications
Legacy banks worldwide should view this as a blueprint: private blockchains can coexist with existing compliance frameworks while delivering transformative user benefits. Early movers will capture remittance market share and cultivate fintech partnerships across the Latin American corridor.


2. NYC Mayor Unveils Ambitious Crypto & Blockchain Agenda

What Happened
New York City Mayor Eric Adams detailed his administration’s multi-pronged strategy to make NYC a global crypto hub. Key initiatives include:

  • A regulatory sandbox for crypto startups to pilot DeFi, NFTs, and token-based fundraising under city supervision.

  • Partnerships with CUNY and Columbia University for blockchain research and talent development.

  • Deployment of a blockchain-based public record system for land titles and business registrations.
    Source: GovTech

Analysis & Commentary

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  • Regulatory Harmony vs. Overreach: By offering a controlled sandbox rather than blanket deregulation, NYC signals a nuanced stance—encouraging innovation without sacrificing consumer protection.

  • Talent Pipeline: Academic partnerships aim to remedy the talent shortage plaguing blockchain firms. Local graduates trained in distributed ledger technologies (DLT) will feed startups, financial institutions, and government agencies.

  • Public Services on Chain: Land registries and business filings on blockchain promise greater transparency and fraud reduction. If scaled effectively, NYC could set a global standard for government-blockchain integration.

Implications
Other major cities—London, Singapore, Dubai—will feel pressure to match NYC’s playbook. Municipal leaders should prioritize sandbox frameworks and academia-industry liaisons to nurture homegrown crypto ecosystems.


3. OSR Holdings, BCM Europe & Taekwondo Cooperative Launch OSRH Token

What Happened
OSR Holdings, BCM Europe, and the Taekwondo Cooperative signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding to co-develop the OSRH token, a blockchain-based digital asset aimed at supporting global Taekwondo practitioners. Features include:

  • Membership Rewards: Tokens earned through event participation, coaching certifications, and tournament wins.

  • Decentralized Governance: Athletes vote on sponsorship allocations and rule-change proposals via on-chain ballots.

  • Marketplace Integration: A dedicated NFT marketplace for Taekwondo memorabilia, from digital belts to highlight reels.
    Source: PR Newswire

Analysis & Commentary

  • Niche Tokenization: OSRH token exemplifies the power of community-focused tokens. By aligning incentives with passion points—training, competition, governance—stakeholders gain ownership and engagement.

  • Governance Innovation: Athlete-driven decision-making on sponsorship and funding disrupts top-down federation models. This could democratize sports governance across disciplines.

  • Commercial Ecosystem: The NFT marketplace offers monetization channels for athletes and federations alike. Strategic royalties on secondary sales ensure sustainable funding.

Implications
Other sports federations and niche communities should explore token models that blend rewards, governance, and commerce. Successful launches will hinge on clear utility, user education, and regulatory compliance in key jurisdictions.


4. Bybit Presents “Chicken Trader”: The World’s First Poultry-Powered Trading Showdown

What Happened
Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit debuted “Chicken Trader,” a live-streamed event where two contestants trade crypto pairs—and manage live chickens—to earn “Egg Points.” Viewers can stake on their favorite trader, earning NFTs and token rewards based on performance.
Source: PR Newswire

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Analysis & Commentary

  • Gamification Meets DeFi: Chicken Trader’s fusion of live-stream engagement, staking mechanics, and NFTs exemplifies Web3’s playful ethos—turning trading into interactive entertainment.

  • User Acquisition Strategy: Bybit gamified acquisition funnels, leveraging viral social content to onboard nontraditional crypto audiences intrigued by the novelty factor.

  • Regulatory Tightrope: Combining staking with competition and livestock raises jurisdictional questions around gambling, securities, and animal welfare. Bybit must navigate diverse regulations to scale globally.

Implications
Other exchanges will replicate gamified formats to differentiate UX and grow communities. Yet long-term viability demands balancing flashy live-events with rigorous compliance, sustainable tokenomics, and authentic value for participants.


5. FIFA Taps Avalanche to Power Its NFT Platform

What Happened
Global soccer body FIFA selected the Avalanche blockchain to launch its official NFT marketplace, featuring digital collectibles—from World Cup highlights to player-card packs. Avalanche’s high throughput and low fees were cited as decisive factors.
Source: TradingView (via Cointelegraph)

Analysis & Commentary

  • Scalability & Sustainability: Avalanche’s consensus mechanism delivers sub-second finality and carbon-offset commitments, aligning with FIFA’s environmental pledges.

  • Fan Engagement: Tokenized highlights and limited-edition digital memorabilia expand revenue streams beyond broadcast rights, offering fans verifiable ownership and collectible provenance.

  • Interoperability: Avalanche’s growing DeFi ecosystem enables future integrations—staking fan tokens, launching prediction-market games, or embedding NFT rewards in FIFA’s mobile apps.

Implications
Major sports leagues and entertainment brands eyeing NFT forays will scrutinize Avalanche’s performance under FIFA’s global load. Blockchain platforms must prove they can handle spikes during marquee events—kickoff times, finals, transfer windows—while preserving UX and sustainability goals.

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Conclusion

Today’s Blocks & Headlines illustrate blockchain’s multifaceted evolution:

  • Legacy institutions like banks and city governments are unlocking new efficiencies and transparency through private and public DLT networks.

  • Community-driven tokens are redefining governance and monetization in sports and niche domains.

  • Innovative engagement—from poultry-fueled trading spectacles to global soccer NFTs—demonstrates blockchain’s capacity for gamification, fan loyalty, and novel revenue models.

Yet with opportunity comes responsibility: scalable architectures must coexist with robust compliance; token economies require thoughtful design to sustain value; and regulators, academia, and industry must collaborate to craft frameworks that balance innovation with consumer protection.

As blockchain weaves deeper into finance, governance, entertainment, and sports, stakeholders who embrace strategic partnerships, prioritize user education, and invest in resilient infrastructures will lead the charge into Web3’s next frontier.

The post Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – May 22, 2025 appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.

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Freeman Quantitative Trading(FQAI) 5.0 Is Coming—Ushering in a New Wave of Intelligent Investing

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