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WonderFi Announces Agreement to Acquire Blockchain Foundry

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Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – September 1, 2022) – WonderFi Technologies Inc. (TSX: WNDR) (OTCQB: WONDF) (WKN: A3C166) (FTX: WNDR) (the “Company” or “WonderFi“) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement (the “Agreement“) to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Blockchain Foundry Inc. (“BCF“) (CSE: BCFN), a leading North American blockchain development firm (the “Transaction“).

“This acquisition further solidifies WonderFi as the Canadian leader in the digital asset space,” commented Ben Samaroo, CEO of WonderFi. “BCF is on a great trajectory with a diverse set of intellectual property, brand partnerships, and a revenue generating track-record. The current economic conditions in the crypto market have made it attractive for WonderFi to be able to acquire companies like BCF which carry the potential to compliment our core operating crypto asset trading platforms Bitbuy and Coinberry, while also adding cash, liquid digital assets, and a portfolio of private emerging crypto investments to WonderFi’s balance sheet.”

BCF reported revenue of approximately $1.67 million for the fifteen months ended March 31, 2022, and had cash and liquid digital assets of approximately $7.24 million, in addition to a portfolio of private emerging crypto investments of $500,000 as publicly reported as at June 30, 2022.

In January 2022, BCF launched LastKnown, a non-fungible token (“NFT“) minting platform and marketplace for unique NFT drops from artists and collections. BCF has deployed three collections through the platform to date from a range of award-winning artists.

In May 2022 BCF launched a beta version of Metacademy, a learn-to-earn educational platform focused on hands-on learning in an easy to use environment, teaching users how to set up a crypto wallet, how to mint, buy and sell NFTs, the differences between Web2 and Web3, and how to better understand the metaverse, amongst others.

Key Transaction Benefits

  • Adds unique assets to the WonderFi ecosystem directed towards unifying the Web3 experience
  • Accelerates growth of full service Web3 retail platform through addition of LastKnown
  • Furthers WonderFi’s strategic goal of making Web3 more accessible by education and awareness via Metacademy
  • Creates additional opportunities for WonderFi to develop bridges between its decentralized finance, and centralized finance platforms offered through its regulated crypto asset operating platforms Bitbuy Technologies Inc. and Coinberry Limited.

Dan Wasyluk, CEO of BCF commented, “We are thrilled to be joining the WonderFi team, which has deep expertise in Web3 and a complementary product mix to BCF’s current products and development initiatives. There are numerous operational and consumer synergies which we can capitalize on to enhance opportunities across a range of Web3 experiences.”

Transaction Details

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, WonderFi will acquire all of the 121,975,844 issued and outstanding common shares of BCF on the basis of 0.2155 common shares of WonderFi for each share of BCF held (the “Exchange Ratio“). Warrants and options of BCF will be adjusted or exchanged to become warrants and options, respectively, of WonderFi based on the Exchange Ratio. As of the date hereof, WonderFi has 193,875,490 issued and outstanding common shares, and it is anticipated approximately 26,285,794 common shares of WonderFi will be issued to shareholders of BCF as consideration (the “Consideration Shares“), representing approximately 13.4% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company, which will be subject to a customary working capital adjustment. It is anticipated that approximately 6,544,840 Consideration Shares (the “Holdback Shares“) will be subject to holdback for the working capital adjustment and the Holdback Shares will be issued, if at all, once the closing working capital is determined between the parties. If the closing working capital is below the target closing working capital amount, WonderFi shall be entitled to reduce the consideration payable to shareholders of BCF by an amount equal to working capital shortfall multiplied by 1.5, which will be satisfied by WonderFi not issuing an equivalent number of Holdback Shares. If the closing working capital is above the target closing working capital amount, all of the Holdback Shares shall be issued to shareholders of BCF and the aggregate consideration payable to shareholders of BCF shall be increased by an amount equal to excess working capital, subject to a maximum amount of $3 million, which will be satisfied by WonderFi issuing additional common shares to BCF shareholders. An aggregate of 5,260,039 shares of WonderFi will be issuable to the principals of BCF (the “Principal Shares“), which Principal Shares will be subject to a contractual escrow arrangement pursuant to which the Principal Shares will be released from escrow 1/5th on closing and in subsequent tranches of 1/5th every 3 months thereafter.

The Transaction was negotiated at arm’s length, will be carried out by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The Transaction is subject to a number of conditions being satisfied or waived by one or both of WonderFi and BCF at or prior to closing of the Transaction, including approval of BCF shareholders, receipt of all necessary regulatory, stock exchange and court approvals, and the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions customary for a transaction of this nature.

The Agreement includes customary provisions, including non-solicitation, right-to-match and fiduciary out provisions, as well as certain representations, covenants and conditions that are customary for a transaction of this nature. A termination fee of $350,000 may be payable by BCF to WonderFi in the case of certain terminating events. Further information regarding the Transaction will be contained in management information circular to be prepared by BCF and mailed to its shareholders in connection with a special meeting of shareholders to consider and approve the Transaction and related matters. The special meeting of shareholders is expected to be held on or before October 31, 2022. All shareholders of BCF are urged to read the information circular once available, as it will contain important additional information concerning the Transaction.

Board Recommendations and Voting Support

The Transaction has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of both WonderFi and BCF. Directors and officers of BCF holding in aggregate 20.01% of its issued and outstanding common shares have entered into customary voting support agreements agreeing to vote in favour of the Transaction.

Sequeira Partners has provided a fairness opinion to the board of directors of BCF that, as of the date hereof, and based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated therein, the consideration to be paid by WonderFi to the shareholders of BCF under the Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to shareholders of BCF.

Additional Transaction Matters

Halpern & Co. Limited provided strategic merger and acquisition services to the Company in connection with the Transaction.

This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase, a solicitation of an offer to sell any shares or a solicitation of a proxy. Some of BCF’s anticipated products and services may be subject to regulatory review. The regulatory environment for certain blockchain and cryptocurrency related products is evolving quickly and WonderFi will assess its regulatory requirements associated with any products or services acquired from BCF in due course. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022. A copy of the Agreement will be available on BCF’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Update to AGM Materials

On August 9, 2022 WonderFi filed its annual general meeting (AGM) materials on SEDAR. The Company wishes to provide shareholders an update to its disclosure in its management information circular dated July 28, 2022 (the “Circular“). The slate of directors standing for election will be formally amended at the meeting and will include the following nominees as previously listed in the Circular, namely: Ben Samaroo, Dean Skurka, Andrei Poliakov, Stephanie Li, Ameer Rosic, and Asha Daniere. Alexia Hefti will not be standing for election at the AGM. The remainder of the matters to be put before WonderFi shareholders at the AGM remain unchanged.

Additional Information

For additional information, please contact:

WonderFi Technologies Inc.
Ben Samaroo, CEO
[email protected]
(778) 843-9637

Investor Relations Contact: [email protected]

Media Contact:
Binu Koshy, Communications Director
[email protected]

Dan Wasyluk
Chief Executive Officer
(647) 792-8782
[email protected]

ABOUT WONDERFI

WonderFi is a leading technology company with the mission of creating better, unified access to digital assets through centralized and decentralized platforms. 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 finance in a simple, smart and secure way. For more information, visit www.wonder.fi.

ABOUT BLOCKCHAIN FOUNDRY INC.

Blockchain Foundry develops and commercializes blockchain-based business and consumer solutions, with a focus on infrastructure for digital assets and NFTs. BCF also provides blockchain consulting services to corporate clients.

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 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. 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.

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: WonderFi’s and BCF’s ability to complete the proposed Transaction; BCF’s ability to secure the necessary securityholder approval of the proposed Transaction; WonderFi’s and BCF’s ability to secure the necessary legal and regulatory approvals, required to complete the Transaction; WonderFi’s ability to achieve the synergies expected as a result of the Transaction; BCF’s ability to meet the working capital target and the adjustment to the consideration payable to BCF shareholders pursuant to the proposed Transaction; 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. All values stated in this release are in Canadian dollars.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not approved or disapproved of the information contained in this release.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the “United States”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/135645

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

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

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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.

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Blockchain

ASIC cracks down on blockchain mining firms

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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

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Blockchain

Crypto and Blockchain Weave Deeper Into the Biometrics Space – Identity News Digest

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AuthID Inc. has formed a strategic partnership with the National Notarial Centralized Verification System (NNCVS) to integrate biometric identity verification into NNCVS’s online notary platform. NNCVS, a provider of nationwide online services for notaries, aims to transition from a local, in-person framework to a more secure, digital model. By leveraging AuthID’s platform, NNCVS will authenticate the identities of notarial agents and their clients using biometric checks that compare selfies with ID document photos. This enhancement ensures heightened security throughout users’ interactions with the service.

iVALT has introduced a mobile app called OnDemandID, designed to enable users to verify the identity of individuals during phone calls, video calls, or online interactions with a single click. The app employs multiple verification elements, including biometrics, device ID, and location-based parameters like geofencing and time windowing, to prevent deepfake attacks and identity fraud. OnDemandID prioritizes user privacy by storing biometric data locally on the device and refraining from tracking user movements. Additionally, iVALT offers integration into existing enterprise mobile apps, providing a solution to enhance caller verification processes within corporate environments.

Keyless, a company specializing in secure facial recognition, has partnered with EnQualify, an AI-powered Know Your Customer (KYC) verification provider, to enhance online identity verification. Keyless’s privacy-centric ZKB technology will integrate with EnQualify’s AI for initial user verification, enabling a seamless and secure authentication process. This collaboration eliminates the need for repetitive steps and data storage, offering a faster and more user-friendly verification experience while ensuring robust security measures.

Australian fintech Waave has launched its Wallet app to enhance security and convenience for online payments. Integrated with Waave’s Pay by Bank system, Wallet utilizes fingerprint or facial recognition for secure authentication, eliminating the need for passwords and card details. This approach addresses concerns about online fraud, providing a streamlined payment process for consumers and merchants alike. Additionally, Wallet will introduce expense tracking features later in 2024, further enhancing its utility for users.

BeatBit Wellness Lab has introduced the CUDIS ring, a wearable device focused on user-controlled health data management. Powered by Solana blockchain technology, CUDIS tracks biometric data and offers personalized health insights using AI algorithms. Users can contribute anonymized data to a research network and earn rewards, emphasizing data ownership and privacy. The CUDIS ring integrates securely with other Solana and Web3 products, offering users a comprehensive health monitoring solution within the decentralized ecosystem.

Worldcoin has unveiled World Chain, a new blockchain platform designed to prioritize verified human users over bots, aiming to reduce network congestion and transaction fees. Integrated with the Worldcoin protocol’s Proof of Personhood, World Chain provides verified users with priority blockspace and gas allowances. This Layer 2 solution, secured by Ethereum, offers developers access to a large pool of verified users for deploying utility applications. World Chain is set to be open source and permissionless, with plans for community-based governance in the future.

New South Wales (NSW) has launched an Australia-first trial to test digital birth certificates, involving over 18,000 children associated with specific educational institutions. Led by the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in collaboration with the Department of Customer Service, the pilot explores the use of digital certificates with the same legal validity as traditional paper versions. Digital birth certificates aim to simplify administrative tasks and offer enhanced security and convenience, particularly in disaster-prone areas where paper documents could be compromised.

Source: findbiometrics.com

The post Crypto and Blockchain Weave Deeper Into the Biometrics Space – Identity News Digest appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

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