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James Harden Celebrates First Anniversary of Launching J-Harden Wines

J-Harden Wines

NBA superstar James Harden is celebrating the first anniversary of launching J-Harden Wines by expanding distribution internationally, giving back to his fans around the globe, and elevating his support for female minority-owned businesses. Harden launched J-Harden Wines through a partnership with Accolade Wines in the summer of 2022 to make quality wine more accessible to all consumers. “I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished in our first year of J-Harden Wines, starting with massive success in the U.S. and now expanding worldwide,” said Harden. “As a black-owned business owner, I want to make wine more available to all communities. I want people to know they can enjoy some of the finer things in life and do it at an affordable price.” Harden added, “As you’ve probably seen on TikTok and across social media, I’m literally doing cartwheels over the response we’ve seen for J-Harden Wines. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish in year two.” Harden recently wrapped up a tour of China, which joined the United States, Canada, Japan, Philippines, and Malaysia as countries that distribute J-Harden Wines. With Harden in the market for a series of appearances, China’s initial allocation of 16,000 bottles of J-Harden Wines sold out in minutes when it was released this week. J-Harden Wines plans to restock the supply in China to match demand. The success of J-Harden Wines internationally is a result of the momentum that Harden created in his first year in the wine business. He will visit with his U.S. fans during a visit to Houston’s Total Wine & More (2857 Katy Freeway, Suite 100) on Thursday, Aug. 24, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. J-Harden Wines and Harden will also support business grants for female minority-owned businesses, which will be given away at the Women’s Empowerment Brunch at Harden’s Thirteen Restaurant in Houston on Sunday, Aug. 20. J-Harden Wines will then participate in JH-Town Weekend, a series of fundraising events that support the Impact 13 Foundation, happening at the end of the month. “James has brought an elevated energy and enthusiasm to the wine industry through the launch of J-Harden Wines and its success over the last year,” said Enrique Morgan, Accolade’s Managing Director of the Americas. “We’ve accomplished so much together in a short period of time, and the response from his fans and our consumers has been incredible. We plan to continue making the wine more accessible in the United States and grow its distribution internationally.” Harden’s involvement in the J-Harden label goes far beyond an equity stake. Combining his love for fashion, art, style, and wine, Harden worked closely with the Accolade team to offer his input on the taste, look, and feel that matched his personality. Harden plays a significant role in the wine’s creative direction, design, and style. As a 10-time NBA All-Star and third-leading three-point scorer in NBA history, Harden continues to share his wine journey with fans across the country. Available in a California Cabernet Sauvignon, California Red Blend, and Prosecco, J-Harden Wines is available through leading retailers across the United States, including Total Wine & More, Kroger, Albertson’s/Safeway, H-E-B, BevMo!, and Target. Learn more at jhardenwines.com. About Accolade Wines Accolade Wines is a leading global wine company with famous wine brands loved around the world, including Hardys, St Hallett, Grant Burge, Banrock Station, Mud House, Petaluma, and many others. Accolade is a fully integrated business, managing the entire supply chain from grape to glass. With more than 1,400 employees in over 40 continents around the world, Accolade delivers approximately 276 million liters of wine to 130 countries every year. Contact Details Eric Nemeth nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://j-hardenwines.com/

August 17, 2023 01:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time

News Release

XRP's Legal Triumphs Are Good For Crypto: Pomerdoge Predicted To Be The Top Altcoin Of 2023

Blockchain Digest

The world of cryptocurrencies is rapidly evolving. Being a roller coaster ride full of ups and downs, it is a highly volatile landscape. The crypto market often faces regulatory enforcement and legal battles. Ripple (XRP), which was entangled in a long-time battle with the SEC, has emerged victorious, setting a valuable precedent. The ruling in this landmark case holds the potential to transform the crypto landscape and the industry’s future. While Ripple (XRP) basks in its legal triumph, Pomerdoge (POMD) has been gaining significant traction, making it possibly the next big thing amongst altcoins. Summary Ripple (XRP) gets a big win in its long-stretched case with the SEC. Pomerdoge, the latest meme coin priced at just $0.008, is gaining momentum. Click Here To Find Out More About The Pomerdoge (POMD) Presale Ripple (XRP) basks in the glory of its landmark victory For the past 3 years, Ripple (XRP) has been in a legal battle with the SEC. The Securities Exchange Commission had raised concerns regarding Ripple’s (XRP) status as a security, and unregistered security offering to its investors. The SEC stated that Ripple (XRP) raised over $1 billion through the sale of these illegal tokens. Ripple (XRP) denied these allegations, stating that, being a cryptocurrency, it cannot be classified as a security. As a result of this feud, a shadow of doubt hangs over Ripple (XRP), and the overall crypto industry. However, with the court ruling in favor of XRP’s parent company, Ripple Labs, the air of ambiguity has been cleared. This landmark ruling will consequently serve as an important precedent in multiple cases. Firstly, it enforces that not all cryptocurrencies are securities. Furthermore, it establishes the legitimacy of cryptocurrencies as a financial class, leading to a path toward mainstream adoption. Lastly, the clarity due to this victory has prompted optimism regarding the increased adoption of Ripple (XRP) as well as other cryptocurrencies. In the past month, Ripple (XRP) has rose by 32.31%. However, despite its big win, Ripple (XRP) has witnessed a drop of 4.55% in its weekly charts. Ripple (XRP) is currently trading at 0.629. Pomerdoge (POMD) is ready to take the market by storm Pomerdoge is becoming a rising star in the altcoin universe. Based on the meme-driven cryptocurrency culture, Pomerdoge has been gaining investor attention for its unique offerings. Being a part of the P2E gaming industry that holds the potential to reach USD 3,618.4 million by 2028, Pomerdoge is a solid and revolutionary project. It will connect players from all around the world, providing both networking opportunities and a competitive platform. Pomerdoge will combine the much-talked-about Doge meme with its innovative features, such as locked-in liquidity for life along with a revenue share from the game, proportional to token ownership in presale. Thus, it is all set to dethrone its contenders, which include Dogecoin, Pepe, Shiba Inu, etc. Further, during the months of August/ September, Pomerdoge is all set to launch a collection of 7,777 NFTs that can be bought using POMD tokens exclusively. Priced at just $0.0035, Pomerdoge offers investors an attractive opportunity to make big gains by investing early. Find out more about the Pomerdoge (POMD) Presale Today Website: https://pomerdoge.com/ Telegram Community: https://t.me/pomerdoge Contact Details Pomerdoge Press Team marketing@pomerdoge.com Company Website https://pomerdoge.com/

August 16, 2023 11:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time

Make Going Back to College Convenient

YourUpdateTV

As the end of summer approaches, college students nationwide are preparing to head back to campus, which can often be a stressful time. Recently, Allison Stadd, SVP of Brand, Culture, and Media at Shipt, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to share her top tips for saving and shopping this back-to-college season. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/4zjgeS_FMUc College students have enough to worry about while maintaining a good GPA, participating in extracurriculars and adapting to living away from home. Making time to shop for the essentials they need shouldn’t take away from focusing on what matters most. Allison shared three tips to help students’ budget for back-to-school: 1) Stay focused on saving during the summer months! Starting off the year with some fallback cash is important in case of emergencies and before you get that next paycheck from your student union job. 2) There’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of savings opportunities! When your favorite stores and shopping solutions are offering discounts, like Shipt’s $4.99 per month student membership for same-day delivery, take advantage! Savings solutions really should be a course at college! 3) Split the costs of groceries and activities. If you’re sharing with roommates, make a budget tracker or phone notes doc to keep track of expenses to make sure it’s equitable. Shipt is the perfect shopping solution and resource that provides more than just one benefit. As an affordable resource, you can rest assured knowing that you aren’t breaking the bank to have access to reliable shoppers with Shipt that are there to help you get all your needs. Another benefit is that Shipt is a resource that gives you more time back in your day to spend on however you want! By relying on trusted shoppers with Shipt, you’ll have help gathering your essentials for you and recommending swaps if something is out of stock. This Back to College season, Shipt is partnering with actress and entrepreneur, Issa Rae, to curate a list of her must-have student essentials from Target, such as: Wooden Letter Board: Perfect for welcoming guests or jotting down notes in a creative way! Power Bank: So you don’t get caught on campus without a charged phone! Ballpoint Affirmation Pens: Level up your ballpoint pens with inspiring words of affirmation to get you through your work! Cheez-its: A timeless late night study snack! For information about Shipt’s new student membership, now available for just $4.99 per month, please visit shipt.com/student or download the Shipt app. About Allison Stadd Allison Stadd is the Senior Vice President of Brand, Culture, & Media at Shipt, where she brings her domain expertise in brand building, social media, and digital marketing to connect with consumers. Over the course of her career, she has held a variety of leadership roles, developing and executing creative strategies to forge real human connection. Allison received her undergraduate degree from University of Pennsylvania. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

August 16, 2023 02:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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News Release

Odd Burger looking for major US expansion following deal signed in Washington State

Odd Burger Corporation

Odd Burger CEO James McInnes has announced the company's plans for expansion beyond Canada after signing a franchise deal in the United States. Odd Burger is a food technology company known for operating vegan fast-food restaurants and producing plant-based protein and dairy alternatives under the brand Preposterous Foods. The company's first franchise deal in the US involves the development of 20 Odd Burger locations in Washington State over the next 8 years. This expansion is part of Odd Burger's growth strategy, which involves partnering with area representatives for territory development in various states. The area representatives are individuals or entities familiar with the local market who can facilitate growth in those regions. Odd Burger intends to continue its expansion across the US through this territory development strategy. The company is actively seeking territory developers for numerous states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. By partnering with local experts through Area Representatives, Odd Burger aims to establish a strong presence and grow its brand in various markets across the US. Contact Details Proactive Investors +1 604-688-8158 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

August 16, 2023 01:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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THE AMERICAN RODEO ANNOUNCES RETURN TO GLOBE LIFE FIELD IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS, MARCH 8 – 9, 2024 WITH NEW THREE-YEAR VENUE PARTNERSHIP

Teton Ridge

Following action-packed entertainment and a sold-out crowd soaking up the very best in western sports in March 2023, Teton Ridge, an omnichannel Western lifestyle and entertainment company devoted to elevating the iconic American western way of life, announced today that The American Western Weekend will again call Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas its home on March 8-9, 2024 as part of a newly signed three-year partnership. Teton Ridge will also proudly partner with Concerts West and AEG Presents to produce the event in 2024 and bring fans world-class musical talent. Concerts West and AEG Presents are world leaders in the music and entertainment industries with an unparalleled commitment to artistry, creativity, and community. Their tentpole festivals – including Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, British Summer Time Hyde Park, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – continue to set the bar for the live music experience. Global tours include The Rolling Stones, Roger Waters, Celine Dion, Luke Combs and more. “Since acquiring The American Rodeo, Teton Ridge has built out this iconic event to fully live up to being the U.S. Open of Rodeo,” said Joe Loverro, President of Teton Ridge Sports. “We are thrilled to continue working with our incredible partners at the City of Arlington, the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, Globe Life Field and REV Entertainment as we look forward to the next three years bringing the best in rodeo to fans nationwide. The new partnership with Concerts West will further heighten the momentum to include the very best in entertainment- creating a truly unforgettable weekend.” Having made the move to Globe Life Field in 2023 as the iconic sporting event celebrated its 10 th anniversary, the world-class 1.8 million square foot multipurpose sports and entertainment venue boasts the distinctive capabilities to allow for both of the weekend’s marquee events- The Crown Jewel of Rodeo™ and The American Performance Horseman - to have a single, landmark destination throughout the two-day national sporting event. “The American Western Weekend is one of the biggest event weekends we’ll host all year,” said Sean Decker, President of REV Entertainment. “It brings a tremendous amount of people and economic impact to the community and will be something we look forward to every year at Globe Life Field.” The American Rodeo is the only rodeo where the Champions in each of the eight rodeo disciplines compete against the Contenders - everyday hardworking cowboys and cowgirls and those that fell outside of the Top 5 (6-20) in the end-of-year standings. In a powerful showdown at the 2023 event, Breakaway roping Contender Jackie Crawford and Tie Down Roping Contender Ty Harris both unseated their individual discipline’s champion therefore splitting $1 million in winnings. Before all eyes turn to Globe Life Field in March 2024, the road to The American Rodeo will take Contenders through a tournament-style format and ultimately regional finals in Las Vegas, Nevada (Jan. 11-13), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Jan. 18-20) and Lexington, Kentucky (Jan. 25-27). Their efforts will culminate as qualifying Contender athletes in each rodeo discipline punch their ticket to The American Contender Tournament Finals in Abilene, Texas on Saturday, Feb. 10 at Taylor Telecom Arena- just one short month before making their way to Arlington and striding out onto the floor of Globe Life Field. Following its 2023 industry-defining debut, The American Performance Horseman will again transform Globe Life Field on Friday, March 8, 2024 as the Top 15 horsemen and women in the world take to the dirt. As the other marquee event of The American Western Weekend, this newly launched phenomenon fuses the elements of history and competition in an ode to the past, present, and future of western performance horse sports. The top five year-end money earning professionals from the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA), National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) and National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) will converge for a competitive exhibition format, created by Teton Ridge. The unprecedented team concept pairs five teams of three athletes, partnered with some of the most well-known and respected Quarter Horses in the industry. In addition to the inaugural launch of the Teton Ridge-created The American Performance Horseman with more than 18,000 in attendance in 2023, The American Western Weekend recorded a multitude of successes: A 25% increase over 2022 in live broadcast viewership- with more than 1.3 million viewers tuning in live on national cable network INSP More than $6 million in prize money on the line for everyday cowboys and cowgirls A sold-out crowd on Saturday, March 11 Subscriber base growth of more than 400% for Teton Ridge Plus, the digital platform that tracks every nuance and detail of western sports. Livestreamed more than 21 hours of live competition, for free, during The American Western Weekend and more than 80 hours of live competition during The American Contender Tournament Regionals and saw more than 700 rodeo and performance horse athletes join the community. Ticketing information for The American Western Weekend 2024, headlining music talent lineup and on-sale dates for March 8-9, 2024 will be announced later in 2023. Fans can subscribe to Teton Ridge Plus for alerts, advance ticketing offers and exclusive presales. For more information on March 8-9, visit www.americanrodeo.com. ### About The American Western Weekend: The American Western Weekend March 8th & 9th, 2024 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas features action-packed entertainment, world-class talent and western sports that culminates with The American Rodeo. Hailed as The Crown Jewel of Rodeo™, The American Rodeo is an unrivaled celebration of the pioneering spirit of the American West. The national sporting event offers fans a unique choice - to cheer on western sports’ finest, champion athletes, or root for the underdog “Contenders” chasing a $1 million bonus – through every rodeo, roping and riding effort. Added to the festival line-up in 2023, The American Performance Horseman brings together the western equine sports disciplines of reining, reined cow horse and cutting for a $1 million prize. All combined with star-studded music, a western festival and more. For more information on The American Western Weekend, please visit americanrodeo.com or @TheAmerican.TR on Instagram @TheAmericanTR on Facebook and Twitter. About Teton Ridge: Teton Ridge is the first omnichannel Western lifestyle and entertainment company that brings the best the American West has to offer, altogether in one place. Teton Ridge brings audiences and businesses together through content, products and experiences originating from the great American West. Teton Ridge operates across several business lines including a 24/7 digital media network with www.tetonridgeplus.com at the company’s core; content production and distribution for scripted and non-scripted programming; print publishing through Cowboys & Indians magazine; fantasy gaming with Professional Fantasy Rodeo; apparel and fashion including Hyer Boots; western sports experiences with featured event The American Rodeo, ownership of the Arizona Ridge Riders Professional Bull Riding team, and Rodeo Vegas, the premier after-party of National Finals Rodeo; an exceptional American Quarter Horse breeding and training program informed by technology-leading equine genetics from Etalon Diagnostics; and a dedicated commitment to youth and indigenous-focused initiatives. For more information about Teton Ridge, please visit tetonridge.com or @tetonridge on Instagram @tetonridgeusa on Facebook. Contact Details MMGNV Mandi McCary mandi@mmgnv.com Company Website http://americanrodeo.com

August 16, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Hacks Have Taken Billions From Both Centralized And Decentralized Crypto Exchanges — Is Swopblock The Answer?

Benzinga

By James Wells, Benzinga Learn more about and invest in Swopblock via Wefunder The crypto community has faced a series of unfortunate incidents over the past two years, punctuated by the collapse of FTX, a large centralized exchange (CEX). These situations have led many investors – who are still awaiting compensation – to question the reliability of CEXs. Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) propose a solution by removing third parties and allowing users to handle their own assets. Nevertheless, many DEXs still rely on centralized components such as bridges and pipes, limiting their reach to full decentralization. Swopblock, a pioneering decentralized crypto exchange, stands out by enabling cross-chain trading with 100% liquidity distribution across user wallets. This could surpass the limitations of existing DEXs and CEXs, potentially positioning Swopblock as a leader in the decentralized finance (DeFi) field. Centralized Exchanges: A Double-Edged Sword Centralized Exchanges (CEXs) such as Binance, Coinbase and Kraken are popular cryptocurrency platforms known for their reliability and a range of benefits, including liquidity, fast transactions and user-friendly interfaces. However, these advantages come with a downside: CEXs have a custodial nature, which means they hold users' assets on their behalf. This setup increases the risk associated with relying on the exchange as an intermediary. The increased counterparty risk in CEXs can lead to potential problems. For example, some exchanges like Celsius have faced insolvency issues, while others like FTX experienced irretrievable losses of funds due to unethical practices. While CEXs offer convenience by simplifying asset management through exchange-managed wallets, it requires users to place significant trust in the exchange, making them vulnerable to these risks. Transition To Decentralization: Not The Ultimate Solution Yet Cross-chain Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs) attempt to mitigate CEXs' counterparty risk by compartmentalizing custodial control into pipes and bridges, but this does not completely eliminate the risk of custodial control failure. This can lead to single points of failure, causing significant losses if compromised (hacks, bugs, etc.). DEXs like Uniswap mitigate CEXs' counterparty risk by prohibiting cross-blockchain trading altogether, this requires using these CEXs to gain access between DEXs on other blockchains. According to Binance Research, DEXs were the most used type of decentralized application (dApp) among institutions in Q2 2023. While CEXs are an established technology, DEXs retain most centralized exchange capabilities and often provide access to more niche and experimental projects. The Swopblock Solution: Distributed Liquidity for Complete Decentralization Swopblock is a trailblazer in the DEX industry as the first fully decentralized exchange. Unlike its competitors, such as Thorchain or PancakeSwap, Swopblock ensures an impressive 100% liquidity distribution across all user wallets, significantly reducing vulnerability to liquidity pool and bridge hacks. Despite liquidity pools being decentralized, these remain susceptible targets for attacks due to the accumulation of assets. The alarming $2.1 billion lost to hacks and exploits in 2022 alone emphasizes the urgent need for more decentralized liquidity distribution. The true innovation of Swopblock lies in its decentralized liquidity distribution, setting it apart from other platforms. Powered exclusively by SWOBL, users contribute liquidity individually for their trades while retaining full control within their wallets. This approach not only addresses self-custody issues typically associated with Centralized Finance (CeFi) but also eliminates the 'honeypot' risks inherent in traditional DEXs like Trader Joe, Uniswap, and PancakeSwap. Swopblock: Ushering in a New Era of Genuine Decentralization in Crypto Exchanges As the DEX sector continues to thrive in the aftermath of the FTX fallout, and with the increasing focus on self-custody, it's crucial that both investors and developers maintain their focus on the overarching goal of crypto: decentralization. Many decentralized projects, despite their emphasis on improving capital efficiency, user-friendliness, and other metrics, have overlooked the enormous flaw of integrating any kind of single-point custodial-control failure into a decentralized exchange system. Swopblock, with its innovative technology emphasizing distributed liquidity powered by its protocol driven medium of exchange, stands as a truly disruptive force that prioritizes decentralization. As the demand for a genuinely decentralized exchange method grows, Swopblock stands ready to meet it, raising the bar across the industry. Learn more about and invest in Swopblock via Wefunder. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

August 15, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

OLB Group (NASDAQ: OLB) Acquires Controlling Interest In Prepaid Phone Platform, Potentially Expanding Its Services For The Underbanked To An Additional 31,000 Locations

Benzinga

By David Willey, Benzinga OLB Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: OLB) is a diversified payment and omnicommerce technology services provider that provides the benefits of traditional banking to financially underrepresented communities. It is boosting its services to the underbanked through the acquisition of a controlling interest in Cuentas SDI LLC, a company that owns the platform of Black011.com along with a network serving over 31,000 convenience stores. OLB acquired an 80% share in the company and will offer its services, including the prepaid General Purpose Reloadable (GPR) program, to the stores and customers already on SDI’s network. The company has appointed a new Vice President (VP) of Sales, Jeff Jorgge, to lead the expansion. Jorgge has over 15 years of experience leading similar projects with other major companies. His campaign will involve rebranding the SDI platform under the OLB Payment Platform and ECO payment system and offering OLB’s services to the 31,600 convenience stores currently part of SDI’s network. The campaign will highlight the ability of members on the Black011 platform network to use one integrated Point-of-Sale (POS) system so their customers can purchase products and reload their phones from the same system. Jorgge commented, “I have been involved in indirect channel distribution for the past 15 years in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area and am very excited about all the additional unique services that OLB will bring to the merchants on the SDI network. The OLB Group applications of in-store and on-mobile online App and will help to bridge the digital divide for the unbanked, underbanked, and underserviced population.” OLB’s Current Focus – The First 1,000 Locations OLB believes this controlling acquisition of SDI will increase its service to convenience stories and their customers. The company is starting its campaign by targeting 1,000 prime locations, including convenience stores and ‘bodegas,’ in the tri-state area. These locations often serve unbanked or underbanked households, which represent almost 18% of America’s more marginalized communities. There are over 150,000 convenience stores in the U.S., and it is estimated that over 90% of Americans live within a short distance of one of these stores. However, these stores can struggle in the changing economic environment, and OLB’s acquisition will allow it to better serve this significant market. OLB Group CEO Ronny Yakov commented on the acquisition, “We are excited to move forward with this exciting next step in our relationship with Cuentas. Our plan is to immediately focus on adding as many as 1,000 new stores to the network in the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut area and then ramp up from that initial base.” Expanding SDI Services Cuentas Inc. (NASDAQ: CUEN), which used to own Cuentas SDI, still owns almost a 20% share of the company. It will continue helping SDI serve financially underrepresented communities and plans to add the network to its new Cuentas Mobile Wireless Service. It will also continue working with the leading global financial services company InComm, to add innovative digital solutions to the SDI network in aid of the underbanked. OLB will be able to offer these locations numerous benefits, including access to OLB’s network of customers, wallets with instant credit and the ability to issue loans and other financial services. The acquisition of the SDI network will also enhance OLB’s GPR program. GPR cards function like debit cards, except they are pre-paid and reloadable, and unlike debit cards, they are not connected to a bank. Integrating the SDI network with OLB’s financial services means owners of merchant locations will be able to reload funds to their accounts as well as use OLB’s electronic portal to offer customers instant access to digital products. Other companies that offer services similar to OLB, including integrated fintech/payment, are large-cap names like Shopify, Inc. (NYSE: SHOP) and BigCommerce Holdings (NASDAQ: BIGC). This initiative to expand into a very large underserved market could be a major contributor to OLB’s revenue and income growth going forward as the company executes on their roll out plan to the new market sector of bodegas and convenience stores. Want to read more about what OLB Group is doing to serve the underbanked? Check out its website. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

August 15, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Sekur’s Suite Of Encrypted And Private Communication Tools Will Now Be Available To Morocco’s Largest Telecommunications And Banking Companies Thanks To New Agreement

Benzinga

By Rachael Green, Benzinga This month, Sekur Private Data Ltd. (OTCQB: SWISF) (CSE: SKUR) (FRA: GDT0) announced a new distribution agreement with Digital Smart Solution Sarl (DSS), a Morocco-based IT services consulting company. The agreement will see Sekur’s suite of privacy solutions, including SekurMesenger, SekurVPN and SekurMail offered to some of Morocco’s largest companies in the telecommunications and banking sectors. Sekur Is A Leader In Developing Truly Private And Secure Communication And Internet Access Among the solutions that will be distributed under the new agreement is SekurMessenger. The proprietary chat, voice-message and file-sharing app allows users to communicate via a secure and very private channel without disclosing their phone number or other contact information. It also comes with a self-destruct timer that users can set to automatically clear message history at regular intervals. That’s true even when using the app to chat with someone who doesn’t have SekurMessenger through its chat-by-invite feature. The enterprise version archives all communications at server level for compliance, and offers full users’ permissions and onboarding, offering a compliant true private closed loop communications solution for businesses and their client base and offering an alternative to other non-compliant messaging applications in use today by many employees in the financial, legal and medical sectors. According to a CNBC article dated Aug 8th, 2023, U.S. regulators announced a combined $549 million in penalties against Wall Street firms that failed to maintain electronic records of employee communications. That level of privacy and data protection could be a game changer in a market that currently suffers from a lack of robust cybersecurity. “Approximately 90% of African businesses are operating without cybersecurity protocols in place, making them vulnerable to cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing, and malware attacks,” said Sekur CEO Alain Ghiai. Privacy is still an issue even within the cybersecurity services market, though. Data mining and third-party leaks are major issues among virtual private network (VPN) providers, for example. VPNs are meant to offer users a way to browse the internet while concealing their IP address and making the rest of their data less vulnerable to hackers. But many VPN providers structure their service in a way that leaves glaring loopholes for data leaks. In July, for example, Meta (NASDAQ: META) was fined AU$20 Million by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission after its subsidiary, Onavo Protect VPN, was found to be monitoring and logging user activity and sharing that data with its parent company. Even when a VPN provider promises that it doesn’t log user activity, it might use third-party servers or bundle its VPN with third-party services like ad blockers or anti-virus software that don’t make the same data privacy guarantees. That’s what Sekur wanted to solve with its SekurVPN launched in April. The VPN service is hosted entirely on Sekur’s own servers based in Switzerland, where data privacy laws are especially strict. It’s also a pure VPN service with no other third-party add-ons bundled into the plan. The result is a no-frills, easy-to-use VPN that not only guarantees that it won’t monitor or log user data but avoids the risk of third-party providers tracking or sharing that data as well. This level of privacy and security is especially important for businesses that are often handling not just their own data but that of customers and, as a result, are more likely to be targeted by cybercriminals. DSS Distribution Agreement Aligns With Sekur’s Recent Push Into Enterprise Security Market Under the new deal, DSS will start by approaching two of the largest telecom operators in Morocco which serve a combined mobile subscriber base of well over 20 million users. This comes as Sekur takes major steps to grow its enterprise services segment, including plans to launch major marketing campaigns by the fourth quarter of this year targeting the 30 million small businesses in the United States, where two-thirds of today’s VPN users are based. Alongside its expanded distribution and marketing strategy, the company is also developing a suite of Sekur Enterprise solutions to better cater to this segment as its network of enterprise customers grows. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

August 15, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Fintech MoneyLion (NYSE: ML) Reports Growth In Q2 2023 Earnings, Surpasses Guidance Fueled By Combined Consumer & Enterprise Ecosystem

Benzinga

By James Wells, Benzinga MoneyLion (NYSE: ML) is a leader in financial technology and embedded finance that has received multiple awards for its services, including the 2019 Fintech Award For Innovation In Personal Finance from Benzinga. The company offers multiple AI-powered consumer services including digital banking, cash advances, automated investing, credit-building loans, budgeting and financial tracking and rewards. It also offers enterprise marketplace solutions and boasts a network of more than 1,000 enterprise partners. The company recently announced its Q2 financial results for 2023, showcasing robust performance across both enterprise and consumer segments. Below are the essential details. Financial Performance MoneyLion reported record revenue of $107m, a significant increase of 22% year-over-year. The revenue exceeded guidance of $95m -$100m, reflecting strong growth in its core business segments. The second quarter gross profit margin was 59%, surpassing the expected range of 54-58%. Additionally, the company posted an adjusted EBITDA of $9 million, marking the second consecutive quarter of positive performance and exceeding the projected guidance of $1 million to $8 million. Both achievements reflect advantages in the consumer and enterprise ecosystems. “Revenue, gross profit margin, and Adjusted EBITDA all exceeded the high end of our guidance. For the third quarter of 2023, we expect revenue of $110 to $115 million, gross profit margin of 55% to 60% and Adjusted EBITDA of $6 to $10 million,” said Rick Correia, MoneyLion’s Chief Financial Officer. Customer and Product Growth The company reported 10 million total customers, with a record addition of two million in the second quarter, reflecting 114% growth year-over-year. Alongside this, the company's total products expanded by 71% year-over-year, showcasing MoneyLion's capacity to connect more customers with suitable financial solutions. Future Outlook MoneyLion's co-founder and CEO, Dee Choubey, emphasized the solid diversification of products and anticipates continued growth throughout the year. He stated, “Performance in the second quarter was driven by product diversification and margin expansion in our Enterprise marketplace business and continued momentum and robust credit performance in our Consumer business. With this platform strength, a robust balance sheet and our pipeline of innovative product releases and features, MoneyLion is poised to build on its momentum of scaling profitably.” MoneyLion: Growing Revenues In A Fast-Growing Market MoneyLion operates in a growth market – according to Allied Market Research, the global embedded finance market was worth $66.8 billion in 2022, and it is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.4% between 2023 and 2032 to reach a value of $622.9 billion in 2032. The rising trend of digital transformation in several sectors including finance is a key factor driving the market’s growth. Embedded finance is revolutionizing the way financial services are delivered and consumed, and MoneyLion seems well-placed to continue to be a part of the growth of this sector. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

August 14, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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