Blockchain
Ageras targets ‘1-2 major acquisitions’ amid growing revenue, profits and market appetite for a pan-European consolidation of fintechs to catch its ‘camel ride’
Danish fintech Ageras, a leading provider of accounting, banking and business software solutions for more than 300,000 European small businesses, is ready to respond to a ‘growing market appetite’ for a pan-European consolidation in the fintech and business software sector, targeting to complete 1-2 major acquisitions before a potential IPO in 2026. And according to its CEO, the company is already in ‘advanced talks’ with prospects that can fulfil its vision of becoming Europe’s largest in its industry, aiming to execute on its ambitions as early as 2024, as the publication of Ageras’ 2023 annual report shows its first-ever profitable EBITDA and continued revenue growth of 53% to support its further expansion plans:
“As a result of our transformative and strategic ‘One Company’ initiative, we grew our revenue by 53% and reached the important milestone of becoming profitable, ending the year at an EBITDA margin of +30%. This accomplishment not only validates the effectiveness of our strategic direction, but also underpins our position as a resilient player in the market. This is a unique platform for consolidation and further growth and with other European fintechs and SaaS companies having been hit in the wake of the last couple of years’ financial turmoil, we believe there is now both supply and demand for a pan-European consolidation on our platform for accounting and banking software; together we can own the niche,” says Rico Andersen, CEO and co-founder of Ageras.
A financial ‘camel ride’
According to Ageras’ 2023 annual report, the 53% revenue growth amounted to a turnover of EUR 31.7 million in a fiscal year labelled its ‘most exciting year ever’ which also included the Danish fintech’s first-ever profitable EBITDA of EUR 1.2 million. More importantly, an upward trend in Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the past five years of a similar 53% underlines that Ageras is on a stable and strong growth trajectory defying the financial environment. Thus a unique market position that serves as a clear call-to-action for other fintechs and business software companies wanting to consolidate and join the journey, Rico Andersen argues:
“Last year we spoke about Ageras being a camel, a financial term coined by Alex Lazarow. Camels can survive the scorching heat of the desert sun, sandstorms, as well as the freezing desert nights. Unlike unicorns, camels are not imaginary creatures living in fantasy worlds. They are real, resilient, and can survive in the harshest places on Earth. Our 2023 metrics and market position proved that we are mission-critical and resilient. We can survive turbulent times. It is this financial ‘camel ride’ we want to offer Europe’s fintechs and business software companies servicing SMEs with accounting, banking and tax solutions,” elaborates Rico Andersen.
Timing ‘couldn’t be better’
Earlier in the spring of 2024, Ageras raised EUR 82 million in fresh equity for new acquisitions with overwhelming commitments from the existing investor Investcorp and new investors including Norwegian state pension fund Folketrygdfondet and American asset manager Lazard. And with the European tech sector showing stabilisation and the ECB having just announced easing on interest rates, Ageras’ investors too feel confident that the timing is right for Europe’s accounting and banking software suppliers to come together to service the continents’ almost 25 million SMEs on a central platform under the Ageras brand:
“We are continuing to successfully execute our strategy to acquire and consolidate the fintechs and business software companies servicing Europe’s millions of SMEs. On the Ageras platform, they will benefit from economies of scale, cross-border reach and thus the ability to tap seamlessly into new markets across the continent, and with the macroeconomic environment easing its grip on Europe’s tech sector combined with Ageras’s unique market position, both financially speaking and concept-wise, timing couldn’t be better,” says Gilbert Kamieniecky, Head of Private Equity Europe at Investcorp, who entered Ageras as investor in 2017.
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Blockchain
World Chess and the Algorand Foundation propose leveling the playing field with a “chess passport”
In a whitepaper published today, World Chess (LSE: CHSS) and the Algorand Foundation (ALGO) conceptualize a new blockchain-based system that would establish secure, private, and verifiable credentials for global sports organizations, including chess. Grandmaster Evgenij Miroshnichenko contributed to the paper alongside the Algorand Foundation and World Chess.
The move comes as interest in chess hits a new high, driven by popular television series on Netflix and the BBC, the 2024 awarding of the youngest-ever world chess champion, and the inclusion of chess for the first time in the Esports World Cup later this year.
If adopted, the system would allow chess players to independently manage their identity and credentials across all chess platforms and organizations with a single decentralized ID, and one login credential for everywhere they play. They could then easily “port” their identity, achievements, records of play, rankings, and rewards across online chess platforms, as well as seamlessly from the digital world to in-person games and tournaments. This provides them with a much easier way to prove their identity, no matter their status or documentation; it would also reduce tournament application times significantly. Chess organizations would then be able to welcome even more players to their competitions, including those who have built their chess career solely online, as well as players who have previously only competed in tournaments held by other organizations.
Among other benefits, the adoption of a “global chess passport” would make it much easier for organizers and chess clubs and federations alike to onboard and register players, both online and offline.
Another benefit of the proposed system is to safeguard fair play. As chess becomes increasingly integrated into e-sports and online competitions, the use of AI programs or player fraud (one player representing another) is an increasing concern. Being able to confirm player integrity (including whether they have been banned for cheating on any other platform) ensures credibility of chess contests and competitions. These verifiable credentials also preserve player privacy. They can be used to confirm player eligibility and relevant identity data without providing access to sensitive documentation, such as passports. Finally, identity verification also prevents fraud in tournament payouts. Phishing and other attempts to steal winnings are on the rise; this ensures only the rightful winner can access their prize funds.
“I think that chess needs its version of the global e-version of drivers license. It’s a global game, and using blockchain for the benefit of having one universal independently verifiable ID is something that both players and organizers will certainly benefit from,” says Ilya Merenzon, CEO of World Chess.
“This initiative is not just about chess; it’s about the future of fair play and verifiable achievement across all sports and esports,” said Bruno Martins, principal architect at the Algorand Foundation and co-author of the whitepaper. “Chess has a rich history of proving the usefulness of new technologies. In this case, World Chess is showing the integrity, privacy, and portability of records in any competitive arena is not only possible – it’s in the best interest of every player, everywhere.”
Statista estimates that the market for esports should reach $4.8 billion in 2025, with nearly 900 million players by 2029 (source), all of which could benefit from better cross-platform registration for online and in-person competitions.
The full whitepaper and more information about the proposed open-source system can be found here. Chess platforms, esports organizations and other parties interested in contributing to the project can get involved by contacting [email protected].
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Blockchain
Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 23, 2025 – EDPB, Binance, MicroCloud, Nile Coin, TruaBroker
Welcome to Blocks & Headlines, your daily op-ed–style briefing on the most significant developments in blockchain technology and the cryptocurrency industry. Today’s dispatch spotlights landmark privacy guidelines from the European Data Protection Board, Malaysia’s engagement with Binance’s founder to turbocharge digital finance, a groundbreaking blockchain reconstruction solution from MicroCloud Hologram, the impending launch of Nile Coin on Solana by Hyperscale Data’s subsidiary BitNile.com, and Trua’s AI-driven TruaBroker compliance platform. These stories underscore how regulation, infrastructure innovation, token launches, and compliance automation are shaping Web3’s next chapter.
1. EU’s Privacy Guardrails: EDPB Proposes Blockchain Data Access Guidelines
Source: Decrypt
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has published draft guidelines aimed at reconciling blockchain’s immutable architecture with GDPR’s privacy mandates. Key directives include avoiding on-chain storage of personal data when it conflicts with Data Protection by Design and by Default, conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk processing, and implementing organizational and technical measures to limit default data access to an “indefinite number of persons” Decrypt.
Op-Ed Insight:These guidelines mark a pivotal moment. By mandating privacy-by-design and off-chain anchoring of sensitive information, the EDPB effectively pressures projects to adopt hybrid architectures—where on-chain transparency coexists with off-chain confidentiality. While defenders of pure decentralization decry potential censorship, privacy advocates hail these guardrails as essential to prevent authoritarian misuse of immutable ledgers. Ultimately, projects that bake data protection into their smart contracts and storage layers will secure both regulatory compliance and user trust.
2. Malaysia Taps Binance’s CZ for a Blockchain Finance Overhaul
Source: Bitcoin News
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has initiated high-level discussions with Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Binance’s founder and former CEO, to position Malaysia as Southeast Asia’s preeminent hub for tokenization and digital finance. The dialogue focuses on leveraging blockchain to modernize capital markets, streamline cross-border payments, and foster regulatory sandboxes that attract global Web3 startups Beamstart.
Op-Ed Insight: Engaging CZ signals Malaysia’s ambition to leapfrog legacy financial architectures by importing Binance’s exchange expertise and compliance playbooks. Yet success hinges on crafting balanced regulations that encourage innovation without compromising investor protection. If Malaysia can marry CZ’s technical insights with proactive oversight—such as clear licensing pathways for decentralized exchanges—it could catalyze a shift in regional capital flows from traditional finance hubs like Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
3. MicroCloud Hologram’s VSS-Powered Blockchain Reconstruction Solution
Source: PR Newswire
MicroCloud Hologram Inc. (NASDAQ: HOLO) unveiled an innovative blockchain reconstruction solution that employs Verifiable Secret Sharing (VSS) technology to split and distribute private key shares across distributed nodes. Four core components—VSS-based key sharding, redundant node storage, dynamic participant verification, and incentive-driven reward/penalty mechanisms—enable rapid, trustless restoration of blockchain data integrity following attacks or node failures PR Newswire.
Op-Ed Insight: As DeFi and on-chain finance proliferate, uninterrupted availability and data consistency have become paramount. MicroCloud’s VSS approach transforms reconstruction from a centralized recovery process into a decentralized protocol, minimizing reliance on any single custodian. This paradigm could redefine disaster-recovery benchmarks: imagine an exploited smart contract whose state is instantly rebuilt through pre-sharded secrets, preserving transactional continuity without manual key escrow.
4. BitNile.com to Launch Nile Coin on Solana Blockchain
Source: GlobeNewswire
Hyperscale Data, Inc. (NYSE American: GPUS) announced that its social gaming subsidiary BitNile.com will launch Nile Coin on Solana on May 1, 2025. Solana’s high throughput and low fees position it as an optimal platform for BitNile’s gaming ecosystems, where Nile Coin will fuel in-game economies, reward completions, and facilitate peer-to-peer transactions. Further details on tokenomics and utility are expected in the coming weeks GlobeNewswire.
Op-Ed Insight: While new token launches are ubiquitous, Nile Coin’s Solana-native design leverages one of the fastest blockchains for scalable micro-transactions—a critical requirement for social gaming. Success will depend on robust token utility, partnership integrations, and community incentives. If BitNile.com can embed Nile Coin across multiple entertainment verticals (e-sports, virtual concerts, NFTs), it could ignite a network-effect flywheel, bolstering both user engagement and on-chain liquidity.
5. TruaBroker: Automating Compliance with AI-Powered Trust Credentials
Source: PR Newswire (via Benzinga)
Trua, a leader in digital trust credentials, launched TruaBroker
, a cloud-based platform that automates compliance for broker-dealers and Registered Investment Advisors. Built on Trua’s patented Continuous Evaluation engine, TruaBroker delivers real-time monitoring of FINRA, SEC, and NFA records; identity verification; and continuous credential checks—all without IT integration. Its AI algorithms flag licensing gaps, disciplinary histories, and civil actions, enabling firms to maintain audit readiness and mitigate risk proactively Benzinga.
Op-Ed Insight: In an era when on-chain transactions intersect with regulated financial activities, seamless compliance is non-negotiable. TruaBroker’s model—issuing reusable, verifiable digital credentials anchored by blockchain—offers a blueprint for how KYC/AML processes can evolve into dynamic, trustless workflows. As DeFi platforms eye tokenized securities and on-ramps, integrating similar continuous-evaluation mechanics could become a competitive differentiator, blending self-sovereign identity with regulatory assurance.
Conclusion
Today’s headlines illustrate blockchain’s multifaceted evolution: from regulatory frameworks enforcing privacy and consumer rights, to infrastructure innovations that ensure resilience; from national strategies enlisting industry titans to drive tokenization, to platform launches forging new digital economies; and from compliance automation transforming institutional trust to AI-powered credentialing.
As the space matures, successful projects will be those that:
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Embed privacy and compliance by design—aligning with GDPR and global regulations.
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Invest in self-healing architectures—leveraging cryptographic primitives like VSS.
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Cultivate vibrant token ecosystems—anchored on high-performance chains.
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Adopt continuous, AI-driven governance—bridging the gap between Web3 innovation and traditional financial oversight.
Stay tuned to Blocks & Headlines for incisive commentary and daily updates on the blockchain stories that shape tomorrow’s decentralized future.
The post Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 23, 2025 – EDPB, Binance, MicroCloud, Nile Coin, TruaBroker appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.
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