Market Commentary & News Coverage - August 29, 2018

Canada Leads the Way as North America Embraces a Diverse Cannabis and Hemp Industry

New York, NY  -- August 29, 2018 -- CannabisNewsWire News Coverage:  The pending legalization of recreational cannabis and the extraction of cannabinoids from hemp in Canada is only one in a series of changes bringing expectations of new growth to these industries.

• Legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada is set to establish an industry worth billions of dollars every year.
• American companies can make the most of this change through cross-border partnerships and Canadian subsidiaries.
• Industrial hemp offers another option for companies in this sector, producing and extracting cannabinoids, including CBD and other cannabinoids, from the flowers and leaves will become legal on October 17, 2018.

Marijuana Company of America (OTCPK: MCOA) is making the most of these changes, developing CBD products and industrial hemp cultivation processes alongside its Canadian partner, Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE:GHG) (OTC:GBHPF). Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (The) (NYSE:SMG) has acquired Sunlight Supplies to give it a larger hold in the hydroponic cultivation market. GrowGeneration Corporation (OTC:GRWG) is also specializing in hydroponics, which it expects to become a $4.5 billion industry. Micron Waste Technologies, Inc. (OTC:MICWF) (CSE:MWM) is creating a specialist onsite waste management system for cannabis farmers. And as hemp cultivation appears to be on the cusp of expansion, Future Farm Technologies (OTC:FFRMF) (CSE:FFT) is producing millions of seeds with which to get farmers started.

New Laws and New Crops

The legalization of recreational use cannabinoids in Canada is set to make waves in the market this year. As the first G7 country to legalize recreational cannabis on a national scale, Canada is leading the world in taking this lucrative trade out of the hands of criminal gangs and making it part of the legitimate economy. With the global cannabis market to reach a value of $57 billion by 2027, Canada provides a great opportunity for companies to capture a piece of this rapidly emerging market.

With sales worth close to $6 billion, the Canadian cannabinoid industry has plenty of potential. It’s drawing the attention of big business, with Corona’s parent company investing billions in a cannabis beverage partnership. It is also opening a new market for companies in the related industrial hemp industry. On October 17, 2018, farmers who hold valid hemp cultivation licenses will be allowed to begin to “harvest and store flowering heads, leaves and branches of the industrial hemp plants cultivated during the 2018 growing season.” Companies will now also be able to transport, sell, import and export any part of the industrial hemp plant legally. This allows those involved in the industry to take advantage of an entirely new product market utilizing hemp-derived cannabinoids. For companies already invested in this sector, changes in Canada may open the way for a vast increase in revenues.

The Canadian Cannabis Market

It’s easy to see the appeal of the Canadian hemp and cannabis markets for the companies moving into those markets, such as  Marijuana Company of America (OTCPK: MCOA). Estimates by Statistics Canada indicate that Canadians spent around $5.5 billion on cannabinoids in 2017. As many commentators have pointed out, this places cannabinoid-based product potential in the market on par with alcohol for value to Canadian businesses, and close to the total spent on wine each year.

With around 450,000 people using hemp and cannabis products each day in Canada, this promises to be a stable market with a steady stream of income. It’s one on which businesses can reliably build. And it’s not just about the sale of smokable cannabis. There’s potential for hemp and cannabis-based food and drink, as well as all the paraphernalia used in consumption and the supporting functions needed by the industry and retailers.

Hemp is used in a growing list of products, including dietary supplements and skin products, and even clothing and accessories. Overall, hemp is known to have more than 25,000 possible applications. And Marijuana Business Daily reported that the U.S. market for hemp-derived CBD hit $291 million last year and is projected to explode to $1.65 billion by 2021.

Cross-Border Work

The existence of a government regulatory framework for the medical cannabis industry has made it easier for companies to prepare for full legalization in Canada. Companies, such as MCOA with its joint venture partner Global Hemp Group Inc., are already cultivating industrial hemp and have production in place that can be increased to cater to a growing market.

Though MCOA is an American company, it has gained a solid foothold in Canadian hemp cultivation through a partnership with Global Hemp Group, a Canadian public company. The companies have established two agricultural projects together — one of them in New Brunswick and the other south of the border in Oregon. Both sites are being used to develop better techniques for growing industrial hemp.

At the New Brunswick site, the work is being supported by government research investment to help advance the local hemp industry. Aided by drone technology, the companies are gathering data on the impact of pests on hemp production, ways of correcting soil acidity for better growth, and the impact of nitrogen fertilizers. The resulting crops will provide materials for MCOA’s branded hempSMART™ products as well as a rich harvest of data.

In Oregon, the focus is on growing hemp strains with a high yield of cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is one of the active chemicals in cannabis that does not get users high, unlike marijuana’s tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), though CBD still can be used for a variety of medicinal uses. Using a mixture of seeded and cloned plants, staff at the Oregon facility are growing high-CBD-yielding crops while gathering data on their progress.

The Potential of Hemp

MCOA’s investment in industrial hemp means that the company may be set to benefit from a revival in this long-suppressed superior crop as well as the changing U.S. and Canadian laws. A century ago, hemp fiber was used in the production of rope and cloth. Laws aimed at outlawing marijuana killed the industry, but as the interest in other strains of cannabis has grown in recent years, so too has attention on hemp.

In the United States, the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill is set to strike hemp from the definition of “marijuana” under the Controlled Substance Act. This would mean the revival of an industrial agricultural crop that has been repressed for almost 100 years. Language within the Farm Bill could ease regulations for CBD companies such as MCOA by allowing extracts from the hemp plant to now become legalized.

Hemp’s financial potential now lies in its use as a source of CBD oil and other cannabinoids such as CBC, CBN and CBG. The industrial applications of hemp in areas such as textiles, bio-composites and building materials will become increasingly viable as more biomass is generated in the cultivation of hemp to produce cannabinoids.

CBD has become a hot ingredient in medicine and wellness products in recent years, offering great potential for farmers. Even with the growth of hemp tightly restricted, farmers in the United States have predicted revenues of as much as $90,000 per acre from producing hemp oil. For struggling farmers, that compares favorably with the $600 per acre they can get for alfalfa and other traditional and specialty crops. CBD is the oil that goes into MCOA’s hempSMART products. There are currently less than 300,000 acres of hemp grown worldwide, compared to traditional crops such as wheat and corn, with hundreds of millions of acres of each being grown. With the potential disruptive applications for hemp from industrial to medicinal, it will ultimately compete with traditional crops as it is adopted by many sectors of the economy.

In addition, hemp has the advantage of being good for the environment as well as for business. It uses less water than many other crops, needs little in the way of pesticides and herbicides, sequesters significant carbon dioxide and can be rotated with other crops to improve the fertility of fields. Using hemp fibers for paper may reduce the number of trees chopped down, thereby protecting woodland and maintaining carbon dioxide at healthy levels.

A Growing Industry of Growing Things

The spread of cannabis legalization, alongside the increasingly well-recognized potential of hemp, is spurring growth for a number of companies.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (The) (NYSE:SMG) is one of several companies providing the support services that cannabis companies need. It recently expanded by acquiring Sunlight Supply, Inc., the United States’ foremost distributor of hydroponic equipment. Hydroponics is fundamental to growing cannabis in indoor facilities, which are often more effective and secure than outdoor cultivation. The $450 million deal will double the company’s share of the market in cannabis growing equipment.

GrowGeneration Corporation (OTCQX:GRWG) also provides equipment needed by cannabis growers in the form of hydroponic systems, nutrients and materials for hydroponic cultivation. The growth of the legal cannabis market in North America caused an 80 percent increase in the company’s sales in 2017. GrowGeneration predicts that this continuing market growth will turn hydroponics into a $4.5 billion industry in the United States alone by 2020. To make the most of this growth, GrowGeneration has acquired several smaller companies.

Like most industries, cannabis cultivation produces waste. Micron Waste Technologies, Inc. (OTCPK:MICWF) (CNSX:MWM) is developing specialist technology to deal with this concern. A producer of onsite waste management systems, Micron’s products create clean water out of organic waste. With cannabis cultivation growing, the company is targeting this sector with a purpose-built cannabis waste digester. It even ran a competition with a $2,000 prize for the person who came up with the best name for the waste digester, a move that helped to publicize cannabis cultivation.

Future Farm Technologies (OTCQX:FFRMF) (CNSX:FFT) provides another of the pieces of specialist equipment needed for indoor cultivation: lighting. The company makes indoor lighting and vertical farming setups suitable for cannabis cultivation. Future Farm is also preparing for the expansion of the hemp market in the United States by producing millions of hemp seeds ready to be sold to farmers. If expected changes to the federal law in the United States make it easier for farmers to cultivate hemp, then the company will be in a position to equip new entrants to the market, letting them quickly get in on a valuable cash crop.

Between the revival of hemp and legal changes, the cannabis sector is growing. It’s an increasingly diverse industry, covering medical and recreational cannabis, industrial hemp and CBD food products. Canada now provides an ideal area for companies to build up their presence in the industry, but the potential for growth is international.

For more information about Marijuana Company of America, please visit Marijuana Company of America (OTCPK: MCOA).

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Conversations Between Cars and Their Environment Complement Sensor Systems for a Safer Self-Driving Future

New York, NY  -- August 22, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage:  The designers of self-driving vehicles are creating cars that will talk with each other and their surrounding environment.

• Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) systems allow vehicles to gather information from each other, from local communication networks and even from urban infrastructure.
• V2X systems allow self-driving cars to travel more safely and efficiently.
• The V2X technology could reduce accidents, congestion and pollution.
• Early versions of this technology are now being tested.

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX) is developing the Eye-Net cellular V2X system, through Eye-Net Mobile, its subsidiary company. Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has called upon urban authorities to create infrastructure to support V2X. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is taking big steps forward in self-driving technology, using the batteries of its electric cars to power sensors, processors and other self-driving systems. NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:NXPI) is producing secure connectivity systems for vehicles to combat the threat of someone hacking the controls. Qualcomm, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) is providing electronic components for autonomous systems to major car manufacturers.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.  

Bringing Together Self-Driving Technologies

Self-driving technology is no longer a science fiction vision of the future. Not only are motor companies years into trials of automated vehicles, but some of the technology used in that testing is already on the roads. Sensors and processors — the core technology of self-driving vehicles — are being incorporated into modern cars through systems such as adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and collision detection.

Though incredibly useful, these sensors have limitations, including the ability to detect only what’s within a direct line of sight. This can create potentially dangerous situations as the systems fail to detect other vehicles or pedestrians temporarily hidden or outside the sensor’s field of view. Fortunately, advances in technology will allow self-driving systems to “see” more of their environment and even gather information that’s unavailable to human drivers.

Cars That Talk to the World

The key to unlocking this potential is vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technology, which is being developed by companies such as Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX).

V2X is a system where vehicles not only sense the environment around them but also communicate with it. These systems can sense and communicate with:

• Other vehicles

• Infrastructure such as buildings, roads and traffic lights

• Pedestrians

• Homes (the car can be connected to a smart home system)

• Networks (gathering and sharing information over cellular networks)

The most immediate use of V2X systems such as Foresight’s Eye-Net comes in providing a car with more information about its surrounding environment. No longer reliant just upon its own sensors, the vehicle can detect hidden hazards, obstacles outside the reach of its own sensors, and upcoming issues hidden around corners and junctions.  By doing so, V2X systems offer a complementary layer of protection beyond traditional advanced driver assistance systems and extend protection to road users who are not in direct line of sight.

This ability to see beyond the immediate road ahead means that V2X can do things that a human driver couldn’t. If other vehicles and networks are sharing information about the roads ahead, then the car can plan the smartest route based on current conditions. It can slow down to avoid slamming on the brakes when hitting congestion or better yet find a route to avoid the congestion entirely.

Equipped with sensors and V2X, self-driving vehicles appear to offer three clear benefits:

Safer roads: Better information and the removal of human error could reduce collisions, making the streets safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. V2X can give a car more accurate information about when to apply the brakes in an emergency or when a neighboring lane is clear enough for the car to move into it. In fact, cellular V2X systems such as Eye-Net can be incorporated into regular smartphones and warn road users of potentially dangerous situations on the road.
 

·         A smoother, faster ride: Self-driving cars will automatically space themselves and select a speed that supports the smooth flow of traffic. This removes the irregularities of traffic flow that lie behind congestion, allowing for quicker, smoother traveling.

·         Fuel efficiency: This smoother ride, together with the ability to accurately balance fuel consumption against speed, may make for more efficient vehicles that use less fuel, helping both the environment and costs to the driver.

Building a Better System

Though companies such as Foresight are already working on the systems that will make V2X a reality, these companies are dependent upon the quality of the supporting technology and available components. Fortunately, as the number of automated systems in cars increases, other companies have an incentive to support these advances.

Several companies have been developing new sets of microchips to incorporate in V2X systems. The likes of Autotalk, NXP and Qualcomm are producing the sophisticated components that V2X and its sensor systems need. This is likely to reduce costs for these systems, as the market for components becomes more competitive.

Improvements to city infrastructure could also help to make V2X systems more effective. There have been calls for city governments to consider self-driving cars in their urban planning. If public transport, traffic lights, car parks and other elements of the transport network were plugged into a large communication grid of V2X systems, cars could receive a better picture of what is happening across a whole city. This could lead to better traffic flows, less congestion and fewer accidents.

For urban planners to take these requests seriously, V2X has to prove its value in practice. When a sizable number of V2X-equipped cars hit the road, local authorities will likely pay more attention to the impact the systems could have and consider building infrastructure for them.

That’s where companies such as Foresight come in.

Stronger Sensor Systems

Foresight specializes in sensor and guidance systems for autonomous vehicles. Its QuadSight system is a state-of-the-art multi-spectral vision system that lets a vehicle detect obstacles in all weather and lighting conditions. To complement these sensors, Foresight is also developing Eye-Net.

Deployed on smartphones and cloud-based servers, Eye-Net makes use of existing networks to share information that may prevent accidents. A device using Eye-Net keeps track of where a vehicle is in the environment and transmits this information to Eye-Net servers. These servers are also gathering details from other devices in the vicinity. The servers then share the information and details that have been gathered with the devices on the system, even when the actual obstacles aren’t visible. If a potential collision is detected, Eye-Net warns users with both audio and visual signals, helping them to avoid an accident.

In March, Foresight carried out the first successful pilot of Eye-Net. Since then, work on the project has been spun off into a wholly owned subsidiary company with a focus on advancing this V2X technology.

Eye-Net currently acts as an independent system that can provide great safety for any road user. But the system is also helping lay the groundwork for more integrated systems. By providing real-time information and past analysis on traffic, as well as examples of V2X in action, it could give urban planners the information they need to start building more V2X-friendly environments. With systems such as Eye-Net on the road, the foundations will be laid for sophisticated cities attuned to the self-driving industry.

Working Towards a Self-Driving World

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is one of the biggest companies pushing city planners to consider self-driving cars. Ford CEO Jim Hackett has called upon urban authorities to plan for these vehicles. His case is based upon the same points made by so many others, particularly the importance of reducing pollution and congestion in densely populated urban centers. The intervention of such a major player in the car market could get more people to pay attention.

Electric car company Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is heavily committed to self-driving technology, as befits the forward vision of its CEO, Elon Musk. The company’s fame has ensured that setbacks such as accidents in testing have drawn attention, but it’s still taking some of the biggest steps forward in self-driving technology. Efforts to innovate new battery solutions for electric engines give Tesla’s cars an advantage in powering technology such as sensors and V2X systems.

One company whose technology supports V2X systems is NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:NXPI). A world leader in secure connectivity solutions, one of NXP’s major focuses is on securely connected vehicles. For vehicles to rely on communications systems such as V2X, users will have to be sure that the systems are safe from hackers and other malicious actors. A focus on security in this area is vital.

Technology company Qualcomm, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) is producing the automotive processors and modems that manufacturers need to build self-driving cars. Designed to take into account future advances in connectivity, these are already being used by some of the world’s leading car manufacturers. These components are what V2X systems are built on and may soon become a standard part of how we drive.

Allowing vehicles to communicate with each other and with their environment opens the way for a safe, efficient self-driving future. As sensor systems combine with V2X, both cars and the cities they drive through are likely to change, creating a less-congested, less-polluted world.

For more information about Foresight Autonomous Holdings, please visit Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX). 

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From Sunshine to Snow: Self-Driving Car Manufacturers Face the Tough Weather Challenge

New York, NY  -- August 8, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage:  Self-driving cars are reliant on their sensors to see the world around them. After years of testing in favorable conditions, these cars are now being assessed in bad weather conditions.

• Self-driving cars use a wide variety of different sensors.
• Most testing has taken place until now in areas with good weather to work out the fundamentals of self-driving more easily.
• More manufacturers are now testing their self-driving cars in adverse weather conditions.
• This is revealing the strengths and weaknesses of different sensor systems.
  Challenge

Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX) has developed a sensor system that uses visible light and thermal imaging to see through fog, rain and snow, and has sold a prototype of the sensor to a leading global Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer. Thermal camera manufacturer FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLIR) has adapted its technology to the needs of self-driving cars and recently released data to help all manufacturers test the effectiveness of thermal sensors. Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has established a subsidiary specializing in self-driving and was the first to carry out tests on snowy roads. Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), has established a self-driving technology center in Michigan for adverse weather testing. And critical software needed to support these essential sensors is being developed by companies such as nuTonomy, a subsidiary of autonomous vehicle specialist Aptiv PLC (NYSE:APTV).

Self-Driving Whatever the Weather

Foresight’s QuadSight sensor system uses two pairs of infrared/thermal and visible spectrum cameras. Far-infrared cameras are much less affected by adverse weather than other sensors. They can see through fog and rain, providing a better view of the environment than other sensors — or even the human eye. Combining this thermal data with information from the visible light spectrum means that QuadSight produces a powerful range of data for a self-driving car.

The potential of this technology has led to significant successes for Foresight. The company has sold several prototypes to automotive manufacturers, including a recent sale to a Chinese company. With China becoming one of the largest markets for electric and autonomous vehicles, this sale is a major coup for Foresight.

The Self-Driving Sensor Sector

Thermal camera manufacturer FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLIR) is keen to draw attention to the potential of these cameras for self-driving cars. The company produces thermal cameras with many uses, including in smartphones and drones. Its sensors are used in driver warning systems by General Motors, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The company recently released a free dataset of annotated thermal imagery to help researchers and designers create better equipment and evaluate the effectiveness of sensors.

One of the automotive industry greats, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has invested heavily in self-driving vehicles. The company recently reaffirmed that commitment through the creation of Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, a subsidiary designed to push forward its automated vehicle work and make the most of the market opportunities this sector provides. Ford has taken a lead in preparing self-driving vehicles for difficult weather conditions. In January 2016, it was the first company to test an autonomous vehicle on snow-covered roads, and its recent introduction of further testing in Michigan shows its determination to solve the problems weather creates.

Google’s parent company Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is heavily involved in self-driving vehicles through its Waymo subsidiary. Like Ford, Waymo has made use of Michigan to test self-driving systems in difficult weather conditions, including rain, snow and sleet. The company’s self-driving technology center at Novi, set up in 2016, gives Waymo the chance to work with local tech talent to develop better sensors and driving systems. With its efforts to develop self-driving trucks as well as cars, Waymo has the potential to bring automation to commercial hauling as well as passenger travel.

Autonomous vehicle specialist Aptiv PLC (NYSE:APTV) is making significant advances in self-driving technology, not least through its nuTonomy subsidiary. While Aptiv is involved in various aspects of automation, nuTonomy specializes in software for driverless fleets. Such software is vital to safe self-driving, as it processes the information coming from sensors, thus allowing vehicles to make driving decisions. The recent opening of a new technology center in Boston will help Aptiv and nuTonomy to develop the cars of the future, capable of driving in all conditions.

As self-driving cars are tested in a wider range of driving conditions, they face new challenges. Some sensors are proving more useful than others in adverse weather, and this may decide what technology eventually guides these cars of the future.  

For more information about Foresight Autonomous Holdings, please visit Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX).

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Brand Network (IBN).

About IBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com

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Gamification Unleashes Big Data and Bigger Markets for E-Commerce 

• Gamification uses the psychology of video games to encourage shoppers to spend money and share information.

• The addition of analytics lets retailers better understand their customer base.

• China and India will soon have nearly 2 billion smartphone users, vastly increasing the e-commerce market.

DeepMarkit, Inc. (TSX.V:MKT) (OTC:MKTDF). is tapping into all these trends, creating an adaptable gamification app for online retailers that provides analytics while attracting customers. This app can be used on the platform provided by Shopify, Inc. (NYSE:SHOP), which is now one of the biggest online retail venues and actively encourages its merchants to make use of gamification and analytics. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has made effective use of gamification from early on, with ratings systems that encourage sellers and reviewers. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) supports online retail through its cloud solutions and has recently teamed up with Walmart to challenge Amazon for online dominance. For any online retailer, Alphabet, Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google Analytics is a crucial tool, providing insight into customers and their behavior.

The Power of Making Shopping Fun

Gamification is one of the most powerful tools in the world of modern marketing. It’s the application of game-like features to a nongame platform to allow people to engage utilizing a video game industry concept. For marketing, that means getting potential consumers to pay attention to a company, buy its products and services, and even provide that company with valuable information. This innovative tool is expected to make the gamification market worth $2.8 billion during the next two years.

Gamification works by tapping into human psychology. Games are rewarding for a variety of reasons. They allow players to feel a sense of achievement, master part of their environment and express themselves. Games can be an opportunity to socialize through playing together, in addition to talking about the experience with others. Games even provide opportunities for players to gain status among others in the same playing circle. If customers experience those same opportunities while shopping with a company, they are more likely to hand over their cash and information in exchange for the thrill gaming brings.

Getting into Gamification

Eighty-seven percent of American retailers plan to use gamification over the next five years. One of the companies helping these companies achieve this goal is DeepMarkit, Inc. (TSX.V:MKT) (OTC:MKTDF).

DeepMarkit provides easily accessible gamification for e-commerce stores. Its range of games is customizable, allowing retailers to customize their approach to follow and reinforce their brand. Compatible with major website providers such as Shopify, WordPress and Wix, DeepMarkit’s platform allows anyone running an e-commerce site to add a game element to their shopping experience. Shoppers can then play games that offer discounts chosen by the retailer.

Some of the benefits of this approach come from the shopping experience. People using Gamify games enjoy their experience and are more likely to return. And when customers win a discount, they may buy more products to make the most of the opportunity.

But Gamify does more than motivate customers to return to a business site. It provides a way for retailers to encourage shoppers to join the site’s mailing list, opening up one of the most powerful marketing channels available. It also provides real-time analytics, providing retailers with invaluable feedback that helps them better understand activity on their sites.

The popularity of gamification is reflected in DeepMarkit’s sales. The company is seeing an average of 61 percent month-on-month growth in its customer base, with hundreds of new customers adopting Gamify games each month.

Adding Analytics

Gamification is useful in itself but becomes more powerful when it’s combined with analytics, such as those included with Gamify’s games.

Collecting and analyzing customer data isn’t new, but it’s an area that has seen significant new growth over the past 10 years as the internet has made it easier to collect information on customers and more sophisticated analytical tools allow businesses to make sense of what they’re seeing. For marketing campaigns in particular, this is a powerful tool that allows businesses to gain an understanding of where their customers come from and what marketing they respond to best.

The use of analytics is vital for any modern business looking to get ahead of its competitors. Revealing which sales and marketing channels are the most effective helps a business identify and work with its strengths to leverage the most efficient use of its resources.

Gamify makes the most of this by adding analytics to its games. Sites using the app track in real time how many people are using the games and how many of those are converting to marketing leads. By changing the setup of the game, administrators of the sites can test what works best in attracting customers and how much value they’re seeing from this approach. By drawing attention to the game in different channels then looking at when the most users arrive to play the game, Gamify can reveal how people are finding out about the site, an invaluable source of marketing data.

Tapping into Emerging Markets

Now is a critical time for engaging with customers online. Thanks to mobile phone accessibility, emerging markets are seeing a huge growth in the number of people with access to the internet. According to one estimate, nearly 2 billion people will be using smartphones in China and India alone by the end of this year. This widespread adoption of mobile technology is creating a huge opportunity for businesses.

Gaming is one of the most popular pastimes for mobile users. They’re often looking for entertainment through their phones, drawing them to sites with games. By becoming a source of entertainment through a product such as Gamify, retailers can draw in more customers and — even more importantly —more repeat customers.

Now is a good time for businesses to get a foothold in emerging markets, as many smartphone users are just starting to build their habits and online brand loyalties. Gaining consumer attention during this developmental stage could potentially put businesses ahead of the game. The interest in leveraging the opportunity to be part of this burgeoning business in Asia is illustrated by the decision made by Allstate Enterprise Consulting, a private Hong Kong company specializing in discovering and creating quality assets. Last year, Allstate purchased enough shares in DeepMarkit to become a 10 percent owner of the gamify business.

Big Business and Gamification

As the power of gamification becomes more widely recognized, big businesses are making use of it, sometimes subtly, sometimes less so. LinkedIn contains examples of relatively subtle gamification. The site displays the strength of a user’s profile, providing a scoring system for how well the site doing. It also offers users ways to increase this score. This encourages those who use the site to build stronger profiles by displaying the behavior that LinkedIn wants, sharing more information and building stronger networks.

Pokémon Go is at the other extreme. The whole app is a game designed to encourage increased play, connections, and ultimately spending of real-world money on digital products. By providing different ways for players to achieve and connect, it has become one of the most widely used apps in the world.

Smaller businesses can’t achieve these same giddy heights. But with companies such as DeepMarkit making gamification accessible to all, anyone can incorporate games into their marketing strategies.

The World as a Playground

The adoption of gamification by a wide range of companies means that people are constantly playing, even when they don’t know it.

As one of the world’s leading retail platforms and home to more than 600,000 merchants, Shopify, Inc. (NYSE:SHOP) is a company that clearly understands what sells. The company has not only made gamification possible through its platform but has also offered guidance to merchants on how to use it. From progress bars to competitions to adding fun design elements, it covers the fundamentals of making these techniques work for a business. The platform also allows programmers to add new gamified elements, with companies such as DeepMarkit creating gamified apps for Shopify.

The rise of global retail giant Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has been driven in part by the gamified elements of the site. Allowing people to rate reviews encourages reviewers to write better and more often because of the sense of achievement and public recognition this brings. Top reviewers write regular, informative reviews to get to the top of the reviewing game. This can even lead to more substantial rewards as companies offer incentives to top reviewers.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) has now become a major player in the online retail game, thanks to a strategic partnership with Walmart. As the two work on competing with Amazon for retail dominance, these companies will have to use every trick and tactic available. Microsoft’s cloud solutions promise to make online shopping quicker and easier. Behind the scenes, the company has the technology to gather incredible amounts of data and use that data to direct effective marketing.

Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) provides one of the most important tools for e-commerce in the form of Google Analytics. This service allows businesses to see where their customers are coming from, who they are, and what they’re doing on the site. It’s so central to modern commerce that few retailers can get by without it, and Shopify offers guidance on setting it up for all its merchants.

As the world increasingly goes online, e-commerce will only continue to grow. Gamification and analytics are valuable tools in creating customer engagement. When they’re tied together, they can be particularly powerful.

For more information on DeepMarkit, please visit DeepMarkit, Inc. (TSX.V:MKT) (OTC:MKTDF).

 About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Brand Network (IBN).

About IBN

Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com

Corporate Communications Contact:

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)

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www.NetworkNewsWire.com 

212.418.1217 Office

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Source:  NetworkNewsWire

Self-Driving and Electric Vehicles Are Combining to Make the Cars of the Future

• ·         Investment in self-driving vehicles is growing, leading to the emergence of specialist companies.

• ·         Electric cars are also on the rise, supported by the infrastructure of apps and charging points.

• ·         Both engineering and human factors suggest that these technologies are likely to combine.

• ·         Support from the Chinese government is pushing these technologies forward in one of the world’s most important markets.

The growth of advanced automotive technology has led to the rise of companies such as Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX), an innovator in advanced vision sensor systems for assistant driving, semi and fully autonomous vehicles. Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is pairing sensor technology with electric motor vehicles and has recently found a foothold in China. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) will start mass production of self-driving vehicles next year and has been pushing its latest electric SUV to the Chinese market. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is developing a sophisticated self-driving system that fuses multiple sensor inputs. And Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) has joined the sector by acquiring Mobileye, bringing its technological clout to sensor technology.

Two Trends Becoming One

Two important trends in car design have been emerging over the past 20 years. One is the shift toward electric vehicles. Driven by a desire for cleaner air, better health and a more sustainable planet, designers have been creating vehicles that can reduce pollution by running on electricity instead of gas.

The other trend is a shift toward autonomous vehicles. These self-driving cars will not only save travelers from the laboriousness of driving, they are also expected to reduce traffic accidents and increase the efficiency of traffic flows by removing human error from decision-making on the road. For years, these two developments have existed in parallel. Now they’re coming together.

Parallel Developments

Though many people still see self-driving cars as science fiction dreams, such vehicles are coming close to reality. Big players such as Tesla and General Motors are pushing forward with this technology, showing their faith in the market. Alongside them, a wealth of smaller specialist businesses, including Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX), are emerging to provide critical components.

Foresight’s growth provides an example of how the market has matured. Founded in 2015, the company designs, develops and commercializes vision sensor systems for assistant driving, semi and fully autonomous vehicles. These systems include sensors, processors and software that allow a vehicle to make sense of that information. As explained in a CNBC article on “What Driving Will Look Like in 2028,” these systems serve as the eyes of a self-driving vehicle and will be vital to the automated-driving industry’s success. There’s enough interest in automated driving not only to support a specialist company such as Foresight but to also see it flourish.

Meanwhile, electric cars are already on the streets in commercial production. Hybrids have become the first choice of environmentally conscious drivers. Charging points are springing up in cities across the world, with specialist apps available to help drivers find charging points. While both sectors are diversifying individually, with specialist services such as these apps and Foresight’s passive sensors, they are also growing closer together.

Related Developments

Analysis by Lux research indicates that battery-powered engines and sensor-equipped self-driving vehicle manufacturing will almost inevitably merge with each other. There are practical engineering reasons for this, tied to the batteries of electric vehicles. It will be far easier for a self-driving car to drive into a wireless charging station than to refuel at a gas station where a human being must be available to pump gas.

In addition, the voltage and storage capacity of an electrical vehicle’s battery are better suited than the capacity of a conventional fossil fuel-powered car’s battery for sustaining self-driving equipment such as Foresight’s sensors and processors. This gives designers more freedom to create the best possible sensor and processing technology for self-driving vehicles.

Automated driving could help to solve one of the biggest drawbacks of electric cars: driving distance ranges. Automated driving leads to more efficient driving, reducing a vehicle’s fuel consumption and allowing electric cars to travel farther before they need to recharge.

The behavior of consumers will also play a part in this merging trend. Early adopters who pay a high price for Tesla’s electric cars are more likely to try out other innovations, such as the self-driving vehicles that use vision sensors like Foresight’s. They will want to see these features combined, and manufacturers will be keen to fulfill this request because winning the support of this group is vital to the success of any product.

Both technologies are expected to mature enough for mainstream use around the same time. They are forecast to hit the mass market together, and so it will make commercial sense to combine them.

And finally, the behavior of governments will push the technologies together. The increased safety of self-driving vehicles will lead governments to encourage implementation of the vehicles. Many governments are already encouraging the use of electric cars over vehicles that use petroleum or diesel. As legislation enforces these changes, manufacturers will have to adopt both technologies.

Big in China

China is emerging as the dominant economic power of the 21st century, and therefore, the adoption of these technologies in that country will be critical. China’s leaders are eager to be at the forefront of emerging technologies. This is reflected in the way they have encouraged the country’s car manufacturers to adopt electric engines. Chinese manufacturers BAIC and Geely have both made recent pushes in this direction, while Chinese tech giant Baidu is accelerating the development of its self-driving vehicle platform.

This is good news for many tech companies outside of China, as it creates opportunities to sell self-driving and electric car technology in a rapidly growing market. A leading global Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer has already ordered a prototype of QuadSight vision system. If that company’s evaluation of QuadSight is positive, the system may then be built into a new range of autonomous electric vehicles, putting Foresight at the heart of these combined systems.

The Road to Electric and Automation

As interest in electric and automated vehicles grows, companies are tackling the resulting challenges in a range of different ways.

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is already exploring both self-driving vehicles and electrics and, therefore, is one of the front-runners in the race to get an automated electric car to market. Its self-driving systems have suffered some setbacks in field testing as a result of accidents on the road, but the company has also scored some notable successes. Tesla recently reached a deal with the Chinese government to set up a factory in China, giving it access to that large and growing market. With capacity to produce 500,000 cars per year, this could easily become one of the most important car manufacturing plants in the world.

Established automotive giants are adapting to the changing consumer climate. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) has announced that it will start mass production of a self-driving car for the first time next year at a plant in the United States. The company also has an eye on the Chinese market, where it recently showed off its latest electric car design for the first time. The Buick Enspire SUV went on display at Auto China 2018 in Beijing in April, drawing attention with its powerful and fast-charging technology.

Always striving to be at the forefront of technology, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has been working on both electric and self-driving cars. Secrecy shrouds much of its work, but it is generally known that the company started on an electric car in 2014 before scaling back its operations to focus on self-driving systems for use with other manufacturers. A recent legal case has revealed some details about what Apple is doing, including fusing multiple inputs into a single sensor system to create a more sophisticated self-driving vehicle.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), another company not known for working with cars, has become a significant player through its recent acquisition of Mobileye. This subsidiary specializes in the production of advanced driver assistance systems, using sensors and processors to help people drive more safely and efficiently. This is the sort of technology that has laid the groundwork for self-driving and that is now being utilized in automatic vehicle systems.

Both self-driving and electric vehicles are developing quickly, thanks to the efforts of a growing number of companies. The two sectors appear certain to combine, giving both spaces a better chance to thrive. The adoption of both types of vehicles in China will only add to the momentum, increasing the chances that today’s drivers may live to see the cars of the future.

For more information about Foresight Autonomous Holdings, please visit Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ:FRSX).

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Brand Network (IBN).

About IBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com

Corporate Communications Contact:

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)

New York, New York

www.NetworkNewsWire.com 

212.418.1217 Office

Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Media Contact:

FN Media Group, LLC

NNW@FinancialNewsMedia.com  

+1-(954)345-0611

News Source: NetworkNewsWire

$7 Trillion Annual Market Projected for Autonomous Autos by 2050

• Fleets (trucks, buses, taxis, deliveries) likely first movers in autonomy uptake.

• Advanced vehicle vision and detection systems essential for industry advancement.

• Multiple system tests already under way in cityscapes across the world.

The study predicts autonomous vehicles will create a massive economic opportunity that will scale from $800 billion in 2035 to $7 trillion by 2050, taking into consideration the value of all products and services derived from fully autonomous vehicles, including tangential savings such as time. The study also postulates that because of greatly enhanced safety, autonomous vehicles will save more than 580,000 lives between 2035 and 2045. The future increasingly looks like it will be chauffeured by intelligent, pilotless vehicles. Companies that don’t engage now and prepare for autonomous transportation risk failure or possibly even extinction. However, though the potential and opportunity are exciting for this burgeoning industry, technological hurdles must still be overcome. If history is any indicator, the complexities of autonomous transportation will be solved like all other technical challenges in emerging industries that have come before, and outsized rewards will be delivered to those who provide solutions. At the vanguard of innovative autonomous transportation technologies, Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX) uses proprietary and field-proven stereoscopic technology to create advanced detection solutions that mimic human depth perception — one of the robotic “senses” necessary to move autonomous vehicles into the mainstream. FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLIR) designs and delivers technologies to enhance perception and awareness, producing an automotive-qualified passive infrared sensor currently offered on several vehicles. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), started testing self-driving cars in 2009 and is recognized as a leader in the field. Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is aggressively testing autonomous vehicles to identify then target the most lucrative business model, while Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is leveraging its current semi-autonomous system, Autopilot, to collect real-world data about how those vehicles might perform fully autonomously.

From Silicon Valley to Detroit – Fleet First

Although the rosy predictions that self-driving cars will generate a $7 trillion market need to be tempered with the realities and limitations of current technology, the race is most definitely on. Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) have been around for quite a while, assisting drivers and increasing safety. ADAS systems are already well integrated into cars and the public psyche, and no one disputes the importance or effectiveness of anti-lock brakes. GPS navigation, automatic parking, lane guidance controls, tire pressure monitors and automatic braking are now rather commonplace.

It took years for automotive innovations that were first introduced in the luxury car segment to finally trickle down to most of the cars on the road. Some assume that autonomous driving will follow a similar path, but all indications are that self-driving vehicles will adopt a different dynamic. The first fully autonomous vehicles are most likely to appear within commercial fleets of trucks, taxis, buses and delivery-dependent services where technology costs could be offset by fleet efficiencies. Pizza companies are already testing the use of autonomous vehicles to deliver their products and reduce costs. The impact might be most significant in trucking — nearly every item sold in the United States touches a truck at some point between manufacture and purchase.  The benefits of autonomous fleets become obvious when the costs for a truck driver represent about a one-third of the total transport costs. Fully autonomous fleets could dramatically increase operating margins, providing compelling impetus for rapid adoption. However, reaching that point is dependent on robotic vehicles being able to “see” clearly and accurately detect and avoid obstacles.  

The Vision

A recognized innovator in automotive vision systems and driver assistance technology, Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX) has set new standards with its passive sensor system that uses multiple visual light and infrared cameras in stereoscopic technology to interpret surroundings. Mimicking human depth perception, synchronized cameras produce a three-dimensional image that can anticipate possible collisions with other vehicles or objects. Foresight’s leading product, QuadSight™, achieves near 100 percent obstacle detection with near zero false alerts.

Based on mature, proprietary stereoscopic image technology, QuadSight doesn’t rely on pattern recognition to identify obstacles. Rather, any object can be detected regardless of material, color or shape, providing a competitive advantage to other sensors that must be programmed and trained to identify specific hazards. The breakthrough system includes stereo and quad camera systems as well as the software that interprets the signals from the cameras, thereby delivering vision to vehicles that allows them to “see “and react to situational conditions. With two sets of stereoscopic infra-red and visible-light cameras, QuadSight delivers highly accurate and reliable obstacle detection fusing visible light and infra-red for 24/7 seamless vision.

Bypassing any potential signal interference or hazards, Foresight’s QuadSight passive detection system employs non-emitting sensors that use visible light and infrared cameras that deliver optimal results day or night in all weather conditions. The automatically calibrating system utilizes 3-D image analysis with advanced algorithms for accurate depth analysis and obstacle detection contributing to its near perfect “vision” and the ability to “see” farther and clearer than a human driver.

“At Foresight, we believe that a car’s vision system should be nothing less than perfect,” stated Haim Siboni, CEO of Foresight. “Vision is the foundation of passenger safety, and vision perfection under all weather and lighting conditions is clearly the breakthrough that vehicle makers need to build consumer confidence in order to accelerate autonomous vehicle adoption.”

The Eyes

In addition to QuadSight, Foresight has developed two other primary products. The company’s Eyes-On™ solution provides an ADAS with unique stereo vision.The system can detect objects about the size of a legal pad from 100 meters away and all other potential obstacles — stationary or in motion, regardless of shape, form or material — with nearly 100 percent accuracy and reliability.

Foresight’s Eye-Net is a cellular-based accident prevention solution designed to provide real-time, precollision alerts to both vehicles and pedestrians. Optimized for urban environments and high-speed scenarios, the system provides a complementary layer of protection to advanced driver assistance systems and extends this protection to road users who are not in direct line of sight. Foresight recently completed a successful multi-user trial of its Eye-Net accident prevention solution involving 120 users of Android and iOS cell phones located across Israel.

The Opportunity

The company has garnered a wealth of industry and media attention. Foresight demonstrated its QuadSight forward-facing camera solution at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 to great reviews, and QuadSight was lauded by EE Times for the first-of-its-kind quad camera multispectral vision solution that operated in all weather and lighting conditions. Foresight was also featured in CNBC’s article on “What Driving Will Look Like in 2028,” while Electronic Design presented an article that went into detail on the Foresight system.

From every angle, each of the articles and accolades highlight Foresight’s technology breakthroughs and contributions to the advancement of autonomous transportation. Foresight has distinguished itself from other automotive vision systems with its state-of-the-art technology, accuracy and reliability. Foresight has established a new standard in vehicle vision and initiated the next giant step forward in the adoption of an autonomous future.

Other companies are also seeing the potential for this exciting industry. FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLIR) designs, develops, manufactures, markets and distributes technologies that enhance perception and awareness. The company specializes in thermal imaging systems, visible-light imaging systems, locator systems, measurement and diagnostic systems, and advanced threat detection systems. Thermal sensors can see up to four times the distance of typical headlights and are well suited for pedestrian and animal detection. As the auto industry's only automotive-qualified passive infrared sensor currently in production, FLIR sensors are offered today on numerous factory vehicles and as an aftermarket system.

Waymo is an autonomous car development company and subsidiary of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG). Google began testing self-driving cars in 2009 and announced that it plans to allow everyone in Phoenix to request a driverless ride before the end of year. Since 2009, Waymo’s fleet has self-driven more than 7 million miles, mostly on city streets, which builds on 2.7 billion miles driven in simulation in 2017 alone. Parent company Alphabet describes Waymo as "a self-driving tech company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around."

One of America’s oldest automakers, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), is aggressively testing autonomous vehicles and recently launched a pilot program in Miami. The pilot test will separate delivery and self-driving products, and gauge what works for both customers and companies. The iconic automaker plans for a self-driving car network to be running "at scale" by 2021.

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) says that all vehicles produced in its factory, including Model 3s, have the hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver. Tesla is moving toward autonomy by using customer-owned cars to gather important data. The company collects information about how well its Autopilot feature performs then extrapolates that to autonomous vehicles.

For more information about Foresight Autonomous Holdings, please visit Foresight Autonomous Holdings (NASDAQ:FRSX) (TASE:FRSX).

About NetworkNewsWire
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E-Commerce Growth Potential Supercharged by Gamification 

• E-Commerce has high growth rate and considerable room to grow
• Customer conversion tech such as gamification spreading fast due to efficacy
• China and Asia-Pacific have highest e-commerce growth rates

DeepMarkit Inc. (TSX-V:MKT) (OTCQB:MKTDF) is at the forefront of the trend toward gamification for e-commerce with offerings such as the recently released multiplatform slide-out app Gamify, which helped accelerate month-over-month growth of the company’s merchant base by 61 percent. Shopify, Inc. (NYSE:SHOP) recently released Shopify Ping, a message consolidation app for iOS that unifies messaging from social media, email and other sources with a merchant’s online storefront to create a seamless real-time conversation space. E-Commerce giant Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) reportedly handled 44 percent of all e-commerce sales in the United States last year (4 percent of all retail), according to One Click Retail. In addition, a recent Alpine.AI and InfoScout study shows the company pulling down 8 percent higher sales from owners of the company’s gamified and Alexa skills-enabled Bluetooth speaker, the Echo. Often called the Amazon.com of China, Alibaba Group Holding, Ltd. (NYSE:BABA) has some 552 million active users via Taobao and Tmall, and the company has established a nice relationship with the Chinese middle-class consumer with offerings such as the augmented reality shopping game “Catch the Cat,” which launched last Singles’ Day (November 11) at the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival. Alibaba’s up-and-coming rival JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD), via partnership with Tencent’s (OTC:TCEHY) multipurpose messaging, social media and mobile payment app WeChat, has also seen major success in this general area with group-buying platform Pinduoduo’s gamified shopping app sweeping the platform. Pinduoduo recently filed for a $1 billion U.S. IPO. 

E-Commerce Driven by Mobile Proliferation, Especially in Asia 

While e-commerce’s chunk of the retail market grew around 1.6 percent last year to make up 10.2 percent of the global retail pie, the Asia-Pacific region handily outstripped the baseline, with 14.6 percent of retail in that region being attributable to e-commerce spending. Overall, global e-commerce grew by 24.8 percent last year to just over $2.3 trillion on the strength of mobile technology proliferation, with m-commerce now representing just shy of 60 percent of digital sales.  

China alone was just over 67 percent of global m-commerce last year, owing in large part to the massive mobile-first internet audience. With over half the country using mobile internet and a whopping 97.5 percent of internet users having employed a mobile device to get online, it is little wonder that m-commerce sales are expected to triple in China by 2021. Gobbling up the retail pie at an amazing rate, e-commerce still has a ton of room to grow at only approximately 10 percent of overall retail sales; the China e-commerce boom in particular looks set to steam on mightily. The country rocketed past the United States in terms of overall retail sales in 2016 and continues to dominate the e-commerce landscape, with over $1.149 trillion in online sales last year. In addition, there will be an astonishing 1.3 billion smartphone users in China before the year is out, a telling statistic that colors the potential for gamification in retail. 

Gamification Done Right Is Key 

DeepMarkit Inc. (TSX-V:MKT) (OTCQB:MKTDF) appears to be on the cutting edge of smart customer conversion technology with offerings such as the company’s advanced, highly customizable slide-out Gamify app, which launched for free on Shopify in February. The app has subsequently become available on fast-growing e-commerce platform BigCommerce, as well as seeing incarnation as a plug-in for WordPress. An arguably slick-looking gamification platform for e-commerce sites, Gamify is a real testament to DeepMarkit’s constant drive toward developing new and compelling ways to engage audiences such as the retail consumer.  

Gamify has been winning over merchants due to ease of setup, the multiple brandable game types available and the ability to offer enticing, tailorable rewards using custom odds. As is evident from the demo, gameplay and potential rewards are made accessible to the user upon simply supplying an email address. Such approaches to the implementation of gamified customer conversion technology have seen great successes in recent history and are continuing to find favor due to their readily observable efficacy. A key element in all of this appears to be an inherent human compulsion to play games and solve puzzles, due in part it seems to the kinds of direct cognitive and creative benefits such activity can produce. 

Why Gamification Works, Particularly in E-Commerce 

Gamify puts an intuitive reward game front end on the digital shopping experience. The platform does so in a world of increasingly prevalent e-commerce as a means of consistently converting visitors into entries on the mailing list, as well as new checkout orders. Giving people the chance to win a prize they can apply to merchandise they were likely thinking of purchasing anyway helps create a greater sense of added value for consumers.  

Receptivity to Gamify among merchants has been robust, generating positive feedback about the platform’s demonstrated capacity to rapidly increase email generation and build better customer relationships through more meaningful interactions. The company’s merchant base growth outside North America, combined with extremely positive overall customer feedback on the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)-compliant Gamify solution, has set up DeepMarkit nicely to fully exploit the recent $1.5 million private placement from Hong Kong-based software solutions provider Allstate Enterprise.  

The DeepMarkit team is reportedly hard at work developing what users have asked for, with more games, gamified surveys and an even richer feature set to be launched with the paid version of the app coming out in coming months. Gamify currently supports full customization of all text fields, making the solution a perfect fit for multilanguage deployment around the globe. Hence the recent partnership with ITN International, which works directly with corporate event producers, marketing agencies, tradeshow managers and exhibitors across six continents.  

A top mobile NFC and cloud-based event solutions provider that services upwards of 15,000 exhibitors and 1.5 million attendees each year, ITN was a natural choice for DeepMarkit to partner with in a joint marketing agreement because of its status as a trade show data capture and analytics heavyweight. Through 125 events a year and some of the biggest trade shows around the globe, DeepMarkit’s innovative platform solution is acquiring quite an audience. The two companies are currently integrating the platform into ITN’s exhibitor portal, where it will be promoted by ITN and made available for purchase.  

Broad-Spectrum Gamification at the Heart of Future Retail  

Whether they are trying to drive consumers to the digital shopping basket or entics web surfers to visit a brick-and-mortar location, e-commerce entities are embracing the full spectrum of gamification in order to advance customer retention and build brand identity.  

JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD) is confidently banking on m-commerce and even online-to-offline conversion, as evidenced by the company’s upscale 7Fresh Chinese grocery stores’ heavy use of QR codes, electronic shelf labeling and RFID-driven info tags and readers. The $550 million strategic partnership/cash investment from Google in mid-June leverages JD’s supply chain and logistics expertise nicely, as well as its strong ground game in Asia. The strategic investment sets the companies up for retail ecosystem building that will reportedly lead beyond Southeast Asia into the United States and Europe. 

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA), which posted a 56 percent increase in third-quarter revenue and recently displaced International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) in cloud computing prowess, holds about 51 percent of the Chinese e-commerce market (compared to JD.com’s 33 percent or so). The company’s sheer scale, number of products and influence has made it a one-stop shop for top brands. This is important to remember considering the recent data from China's National Bureau of Statistics showing online retail sales hit $205.8 billion for the first two months of 2018, soaring 38 percent from last year’s figure.  

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), which some analysts are starting to refer to as the American Alibaba, is still arguably the most influential global e-commerce player and seemingly still has the power to set the tone when it comes to gamification. Estimates by Alpine.AI of around 50 million Alexa-enabled devices sold puts a bold underline beneath the growing body of evidence showing Echo owners spend more. It may not seem like an immediate connection to think of Echo as a virtual intelligence with a gamified personality that is fun to interact with, but sales numbers don’t lie. Again, one of the real strengths of this company is the sheer number of products on offer, something which allows brands to feel confident they are reaching the largest possible audience.  

Shopify, Inc. (NYSE:SHOP) also makes good use of the power of size to draw in new brands. A recent article in Investor's Business Daily expressed well how emergent brands are building foundations on Shopify, even as more established brands continue to gravitate toward the e-commerce venue. The spread of Shopify to 600,000-plus merchants in more than 175 countries means the company does a lot of turnover setting up e-commerce sites for small businesses all over the world, a trend that has been a real boon for gamification. Shopify even provides a good amount of educating online retailers about the benefits of gamification with Shopify Blogs on the subject.  

Gamification helps merchants establish a rapport with customers and drive visitor conversion, resulting in a better, data-driven understanding of the end users. Simultaneously, gamification can juice already compounding growth in e-commerce by involving customers in a participatory reward loop that gives them a sense of earned and added value, typically before a purchase is even made.  

For more information on DeepMarkit Inc., please visit DeepMarkit Inc. (TSX-V:MKT)(OTCQB:MKTDF). 

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

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The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Innovators Poised to Reap Rewards as Fintech Reshapes How Money Is Used

Fintech Cutting Out the Middleman 

The stage has been set for a genuine sea change in relevant areas of the financial industry. From payment technologies to lending and raising capital, even insurance and the kinds of accounts or wallets people use — a bevy of alternatives are already live or are coming online in the near future. The number of options available to end users in particular has multiplied seemingly overnight, providing a whole slew of new ways to deal directly with other people or entities, cutting out the financial institution middlemen altogether. Global fintech funding was more than $31 billion last year, with the United States representing around half of that figure, according to KPMG Fintech. Analysts see the sector maturing away from experimentation into value-driven opportunity hunting based on proven solutions. 

With more than 2,446 Bitcoin (Crypto:BTC) ATMs currently installed across North America, it is now easier than ever for people to purchase and convert money via cryptocurrency such as BTC and then cash out into traditional fiat currency. However, only around 36 percent of existing Bitcoin ATMs allow users to exchange crypto for cash, with the majority considered one-way machines that only allow users to directly purchase crypto. Transaction fees and times have been the biggest gripe by end users, and it is now understood by many in the industry that eliminating these two barriers will likely trigger an even more massive influx of new crypto participants. 

Crypto Tech, a Peer-to-Peer Revolution 

The global crypto ATM market is on track to surpass $285 million within the next eight years, running at a smoking hot 45.8 percent CAGR on the strength of increased crypto awareness and popularity – popularity bolstered by the public’s receptivity toward key ideological elements such as decentralization of the underlying blockchain network(s), as well as transaction security and constant technological innovation. A striking example of such emergent fintech transforming the financial industry is evident in a report where Steve Forbes recently touted crypto as the future of raising money in the $40.6 billion global film industry. A seemingly bold claim, until you notice that initial coin offerings (ICOs) raised a record $5.6 billion last year.  

Building a Better Crypto Mousetrap 

With the official launch of the company’s proprietary API-driven Bit4Sure cryptocurrency transaction confirmation solution in early May, Virtual Crypto Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP) has effectively annihilated the 10 minutes to 24 hours it can take to confirm the purchase or sale of bitcoins. Alon Dayan, co-founder and CEO of Virtual Crypto, noted how strategic this achievement was for the company, characterizing it as a major step towards VRCP’s overarching goal of building consumer confidence in the cryptocurrency marketplace. By removing much of the risk associated with such autonomous transactions through real-time transparency, Virtual Crypto has indeed taken out one of the aforementioned barriers to bringing more people into the space. Bit4Sure essentially allows users to confirm a transaction before it is included in a mined block on the chain, and it does so via a readily available and intuitive app that works with Android and iOS. It is also available via web browser at bit4sure.com. 

The solution is a compelling proof of concept, exposed to the average user through easy-to-use protocols. However, the API is the real gem here and is attractive to exchanges, payment processors and wallet developers who can subscribe, thereby gaining access to the company’s proprietary algorithm model. The Bit4Sure API lets developers integrate real-time transaction confirmation as well as the ability to actively track the market activity of any cryptocurrency, empowering end users and shielding them from digital payment risks such as double-spending fraud or delayed transaction hassles.  

Broad Ranging Vision and the Tech to Back It Up   

The company has a clear vision of becoming a driving force for the widespread adoption of crypto, with a hardware/software umbrella spanning ATMs, tablets, PCs and mobile devices. Virtual Crypto’s two-way NetoBit ATM supports most local currencies, multiplexes together several exchanges to provide the best prices/rates, and allows for real-time withdrawal and transfer of funds in mere seconds. NetoBit Pay closes the gap on the merchant end of the spectrum with a simple-to-use retail POS. And because every transaction is guaranteed up to $3,000, businesses  can rest easy, leaving their minds free to engage in crypto-based transactions without fear of being ripped off.  

The company has a clear vision of becoming a driving force for the widespread adoption of crypto, with a hardware/software umbrella spanning ATMs, tablets, PCs and mobile devices. Virtual Crypto’s two-way NetoBit ATM supports most currencies, multiplexes together several exchanges to provide the best prices/rates and allows for real-time withdrawal and transfer of funds in mere seconds. NetoBit Pay closes the gap on the merchant end of the spectrum with a simple to use retail POS. And because every transaction is guaranteed up to $3,000, most consumers can rest easy, leaving their minds free to engage in crypto-based transactions without fear of being ripped off.  

Virtual Crypto has established itself as a business-oriented developer that dramatically improves the cryptocurrency trading experience for individuals and businesses — those who benefit the most from faster execution and lower costs. The company may seem like a small fish in a gigantic pond, but it may provide offerings and competencies that even the biggest fintech players are taking note of.  

Among those fintech giants, Square (NYSE:SQ) garnered attention recently when it hit an all-time high (and held it) on news of its approval for a BitLicense from the New York Department of Financial Services, opening up the commerce of Bitcoin in that location via the company’s popular Cash App. The Cash App solution is a direct competitor to PayPal’s (NASDAQ: PYPL) mobile payment service Venmo. The fact that Square barely eked out a profit in Q1 from BTC buying and selling activity and yet still doubled down on its objectives showcases how hotly contested the digital-first money-transfer services market is. With prepaid and private label cards accounting for some $6.4 trillion last year alone, such crypto-powered e-payment systems could make a killing by alleviating the inconvenience of card minimums for customers, as well as lowering and stabilizing merchant’s swipe fee rates.  

Since the J.P. Morgan (NYSE: JPM)-assisted acquisition by Vantiv, Worldpay (NYSE:WP) has become one of the most actively traded payment processors in the game today. Worldpay handles over 40 billion transactions a year via 300 payment types, in 146 countries, across 126 different currencies. The company has recently drawn attention as a high-profile publicly traded target amid an outbreak of market participants looking to lock down the underexposed fintech space, which has seen very few public listings despite record levels of venture capital funding. Those participants include Augmentum Capital, the venture group backed by Lord Rothschild, which recently deployed a well-capitalized VC arm. Worldpay drew heat in February alongside Visa (NYSE: V) when major crypto exchange Coinbase laid the blame at their feet after the exchange’s customers were charged multiple times for the same transaction because of a merchant category code glitch. 

Long hailed as a pioneer in marketplace lending, LendingClub (NYSE:LC) uses technology to spur faster credit decisioning and drive loan origination to new user experience highs. The company has seen its model stall somewhat as competition comes into the market from sources like Marcus, the lending and deposit-taking digital consumer platform launched by Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) in 2016. LendingClub’s aggressive model has been groundbreaking, with rapid origination of unsecured personal loans and the generation of revenue as the loans are eventually sold or offered to investors, traded and then serviced. However, this aggressive model has led to loan stacking by fraudsters and desperate borrowers, putting increasing pressure on the Icarus-like LendingClub to fall back to earth and act just like every other digital lending platform, with its primary emphasis on competition for the most creditworthy customers. 

A global fintech player with its roots in blockchain tech, Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR) recently completed a second practical pilot use of blockchain for investor voting alongside Santander (NYSE:SAN) at the annual general meeting, in collaboration with J.P. Morgan and Northern Trust (NASDAQ:NTRS). This event followed fast on the heels of Broadridge receiving a new patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that allowed the company to begin implementing distributed ledger technology in its proxy voting product suite, ProxyVote. ProxyVote could revolutionize aspects of corporate governance in capital markets, particularly when it comes to tackling new issues, including compliance with the EU’s Shareholder Rights Directive 2. 

The Big Boys Could Learn a Lot from Smaller Developers 

It is plain to see that with innovation and first-mover advantages can come unforeseen risks and model implementation issues. As cutting-edge fintech enabled by cryptocurrencies and their underlying blockchain technology works its way into more and more practical applications, it may be essential for innovators to remain grounded in proven solutions like those offered by companies such as VRCP. With more than 1,000 cryptocurrencies on the market today and only minimal uptake by end users, delivering confidence will be a key concern moving forward and fintech developers must remain laser focused on creating positive user experiences through transparency, ease of use and affordable fees. 

For more information on Virtual Crypto Technologies, please visit Virtual Crypto Technologies (OTCQB: VRCP).

 About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer 

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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i

Crypto Companies Prepare for Inevitable Regulation that Could Be the Sector’s Biggest Boon Yet

Regulatory Outlook Apparently Bullish to Many 

Many players regard crypto-friendly and mutually beneficial regulation to be the best bet for promoting the industry’s ability to flourish and ensuring that bad actors cannot exploit crypto for illicit activities such as money laundering, evading sanctions or financing terrorism. The recent Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) advisory statement on listing virtual currency derivative products noted that close outreach to market participants and coordination with regulators was key to striking the correct balance (http://nnw.fm/1XnW4). Most countries are headed toward open regulatory frameworks based on educating market participants and establishing guidelines. Even in countries such as India, where banks are banned from processing crypto exchange activity (http://nnw.fm/D5Lh4) and where 10 percent or more of all bitcoin transactions occur, regulations appear to be paving the way toward eventual adoption (http://nnw.fm/s4Dt6). China seems to be on a similar trajectory. 

In the estimation of many sector analysts, banning or simply failing to regulate cryptocurrencies has resulted in black markets and fostered the proliferation of scams (http://nnw.fm/B3Mlm). To many, the virtual/crypto currency genie is already out of the bottle. Exchanges are currently handling a roughly $300 billion market cap, and the crypto ATM market is on track to clock a 45.8 percent CAGR through 2025, at which point this niche crypto industry market alone should be worth over $285 million (http://nnw.fm/KGa1A).  

Adapt and Overcome 

Regardless of the future of the regulatory landscape, adaptability will most likely be paramount for ATMs and exchanges when it comes to defining KYC (Know Your Customer- customer identification) rules as. This is where Virtual Crypto Technologies (OTCQB:VRCP) shines, having shrewdly anticipated how crucial adaptability is as the industry learns to embrace regulations such as Europe’s sweeping new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), designed to protect consumer’s privacy and prevent fraud. VRCP boasts such vital technologies as NetoBit, a cryptographically secure and proprietary transaction validation algorithm engineered to provide real-time values for any cryptocurrency at the time of purchase and sale. NetoBit can predict, with a high degree of accuracy, if a cryptocurrency transaction will be approved immediately by a blockchain at the moment of the transaction, before the block is digitally signed. This can slash the typical transaction time, which can take anywhere from 10 minutes up to 24 hours, down to mere seconds.  

NetoBit software and hardware has wide-ranging implications for the industry, spanning multiple applications and device types ranging from ATMs to PCs and mobiles/tablets. The company recently launched its innovative b-idirectional NetoBit ATM at the TechCrunch event in Tel Aviv. This debut marks a significant watershed moment for the industry and stands in stark contrast to most other ATMs in existence today because the VRCP machine allows users to instantly buy and sell bitcoins in exchange for their fiat currencies. As the world's first and only ATM that permits such real-time conversion, the NetoBit ATM is also living proof of VRCP’s underlying AI and machine-learning enhanced technology, which can also perform sophisticated Big Data, multiplatform and predictive analytics tasks. 

Regulator Confidence and Consumer Confidence 

NetoBit ATM is a strong showing for a second product by VRCP. The company’s first product was a retail point-of-sale device called NetoBit Pay, which enables businesses worldwide to receive secure, real-time payments in bitcoin. NetoBit Pay also demonstrates the platform’s ability to protect operators/business/merchants against factors such as exchange rate volatility. Furthermore, because all NetoBit Pay trades and exchanges are insured up to $3,000 each, the kind of user friendliness that has driven the virtual/crypto boom thus far is taken to a whole new level, where ease of use meets consumer confidence. 

The explosive growth of bitcoin ATMs in recent years has impressed many in the sector and is currently running at just over eight new installations per day, with most installations (over 75 percent) being in the United States. However, only half of the devices support altcoins, and the space is currently dominated by only three major companies — Genesis Coin, General Bytes and Lamassu. Virtual Crypto’s highly adaptive NetoBit platform appears superbly positioned to capture increasing market share in this environment. Whether it is hardware or software, NetoBit can help businesses adapt to the prevailing regulatory environment, regardless of the country or currency. That same adaptability brings powerful awareness horizons to the table as well, which could easily satisfy the conditionalities likely to be brought in via regulations. Even if legislation changes throughout time, already installed NetoBits can adapt to the new terms.  

This kind of future-proofed advantage is a selling point for VRCP, and big payment processors currently making substantial inroads into crypto are starting to take notice as the word spreads.  

Key Industry Players 

In an effort seen by many as a move designed to head future regulations off at the pass, PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ:PYPL) recently announced the implementation of new rules to crack down on unverified accounts. Those rules include restricted account usage based on amount of identification provided, as well as higher transaction fees and even new debit charges. This move could pave the way for crypto payment services, with international payments becoming more expensive than BTC, funneling many new users into crypto (http://nnw.fm/o93eY), a trend that could ignite a firestorm of activity and bring down the regulatory hammer more quickly. This is especially true considering recent comments from the International Monetary Fund indicating that cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly competitive with central bank fiat currencies, particularly in the case of cross-border transactions where they handily outperform fiats.  

Square (NYSE:SQ) recently highlighted the lack of certainty when it comes to accounting rules for publicly traded companies that deal in cryptocurrencies. In the company’s annual SEC filing, Square argues that standard Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) rules offer no specific guidance for cryptos. Square has joined big names such as Bank of America (BAC), JPMorgan Chase ( JPM) and Goldman Sachs (GS) in adding such discussions to their “risk factors” section of annual filings. Such uncertainty about regulations is an understandably daunting issue for the company. Such regulatory eventualities are perhaps increasingly significant if investors further consider the low profits that Square recently reported from BTC trading via the Cash App (http://nnw.fm/lXHs8). 

Green Dot (NYSE:GDOT), the company behind prepaid credit cards purchased at gas stations and pharmacies, has been doing solid business in recent years with its GreenDot Prepaid Debit Card, which many users are finding a convenient method for purchasing bitcoins instantly. Long a staple of people with poor credit or teenagers who cannot quality for credit cards, prepaid debit cards are emerging as a preferred means of accessing crypto. However, regulatory changes could force a player such as $3.7 billion-plus market cap Green Dot into the arms of developers that can help the company satisfy more stringent requirements without having to miss a beat. 

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR) recently made headlines when the company leveraged its end-to-end proxy solution suite ProxyVote to execute a pilot program focused on blockchain-based bilateral repo agreements. Using this private permissioned blockchain system for repo agreements is a clear example of the potential for blockchain tech to resolve the frustration in an area like typically opaque and intermediary-laden corporate governance. Such a demonstration also proves-up the value of blockchain tech when it comes to meeting the kinds of comprehensive demands that prevailing regulations could impose. Cryptographically secured distributed data management, in what Broadridge describes as an “Ethereum-like environment,” is an exciting example of how blockchain tech can streamline such a complex and nebulous process, while also providing rigorous oversight and minimizing costs (http://nnw.fm/Bqz6i).  

Regulators have a big opportunity to embrace crypto, provide meaningful structure that can help cement crypto in the mainstream as a transaction channel and bring better services to many consumers, including ones that are often overlooked. Similarly, the industry has a unique opportunity to get out ahead of regulations with technologies and solutions that anticipate the kinds of demands most likely to occur.   

For more information on Virtual Crypto Technologies, please visit Virtual Crypto Technologies (OTCQB:VRCP). 

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Brand Network (IBN).

About IBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com

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News Source: NetworkNewsWire

.

Self-Driving Car Companies Face Choice Between Active and Passive Sensors

New York, NY  -- June 13, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Self-driving cars are close to becoming a reality. When this happens, the sensors they use will be particularly important. Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) is developing a sensor system that uses multiple visual light and infrared cameras in stereoscopic technology to interpret its surroundings. Google’s parent company Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is installing a wide range of sensors in its cars, combining their different inputs to create a fuller picture. Ford (NYSE:F) is focusing on other aspects of the future of driving, with its app-controlled Chariot commuting system. General Motors (NYSE:GM) is about to enter mass production of a car that uses LIDAR to test its surroundings. Meanwhile Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), the business most famous for work in this area, is using pattern recognition to help its cars interpret the input from their sensors.

The Variety of Sensors

Autonomous vehicles – more often referred to as self-driving cars and trucks – are close to becoming a regular feature of the world’s streets. Several companies, automotive insiders, and tech innovators like Valeo and Bosch are working on the technology needed to make them a reality. From complex driving software to steering equipment, an industry is growing in the cars of the future.

Among the most important features of these cars are the sensors they use to read the world around them. These fall into two groups – passive and active. Active sensors project energy into the world and then use the reflections they get back to understand what’s there. Passive sensors using energy that’s already in the world, particularly light or heat. There are a variety of sensors of each type being tested, and a variety of different technologies that could come out on top. But the most important distinction may be whether the sensors we get are active or passive.

A Focus on Sensors

Specialist companies have started to emerge in this field, focusing entirely on car sensor technology. One of these is Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX).

Founded in 2015, Foresight is committed to designing, developing, and commercializing a range of sensor systems and associate technologies for use in autonomous vehicles. This includes stereo and quad camera systems and the software that will allow a car to interpret the signals from those cameras. These can be used to help avoid accidents between cars and will eventually allow self-driving cars to see and act on objects in their surrounding environment.

The company has already drawn attention with its advanced technology. It has acquired leading investors from the local automotive industry and reached a market cap of $100 million as of January 2018. It was featured in CNBC’s article on “What Driving Will Look Like in 2028.” Resources to continue its ambitious research and development program was assured by the recent announcement of a merger agreement with Tamda Ltd. (http://nnw.fm/b7nNy).

Foresight’s leading product is the QuadSight system. This drew positive press attention when it was displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year.

One of the distinctive features of the QuadSight system is that it doesn’t rely on pattern recognition to identify when there is an obstacle in its way. Any object can be detected, regardless of its material, color or shape. This gives the system an advantage over competitors whose sensors have to be programmed or trained to identify specific hazards.

The Power of Passive Sensors

QuadSightis based on passive rather than active sensors. Its cameras don’t project any sort of energy into the world, but instead absorb the light that’s already available, some of it invisible to the human eye. Passive sensors have two major benefits over act ive sensors.

Mutual Interference

One of the most serious problems with active sensors is interference. As a growing number of autonomous vehicles hit the streets, the number of sensors increases. As long as they use active sensors, this means an increase is the amount of energy being put out into the world by these sensors. As a result, they can end up interfering with each other, and this problem is only going to grow while people uses active sensors. This could lead to objects with low radar cross sections going undetected.

Health Hazards

Although active sensors are certified according to safety regulations (FCC / FDA / IEC etc.) and are thus safe, it is important to keep in mind that each device is certified as a separate unit. At this stage, it is too early to measure the effects of energy exposure emitted by hundreds of vehicles and road infrastructure on road users. Active sensors (especially radars) might pose a health hazard.

QuadSight’s sensors don’t project any sort of energy. As such, they are unaffected by the interference problem and don’t contribute to it. This makes QuadSight a more reliable option than many others available.

“At Foresight, we believe that a car’s vision system should be nothing less than perfect,” said Haim Siboni, CEO of Foresight. “Vision is the foundation of passenger safety, and vision perfection under all weather and lighting conditions is clearly the breakthrough that vehicle makers need to build consumer confidence in order to accelerate autonomous vehicle adoption.”

Autonomous Vehicle Market Heats Up

As the potential of driverless cars grows, a number of companies are making advances in the sector.

Google’s parent company Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is exploring the potential of automated vehicles through its subsidiary Waymo. It is experimenting with a wide range of sensors on its vehicles, including active sensors such as sonar, lasers, lidar, and radar, and stereo cameras on the passive side. One of the distinct features of Waymo’s cars is the way that these different sensors are used together, each contributing something different to the car’s understanding of the world around it.

Ford (NYSE: F) is approaching the future of driving from a different angle. Its acquisition of Chariot has put it in the business of providing transport to busy commuters, who can book rides in Chariot vehicles. An app lets its users book a ride with Chariot and propose new routes for the vehicles. Such apps could eventually be used to provide access to driverless transport, with vehicles following pre-programmed routes to pick up travelers without cars of their own.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) has announced that it will begin mass production of its first autonomous vehicle next year. The design of the Cruise AV was acquired by the company in 2016 when it absorbed startup Cruise Automation. The car will have a dedicated production line of its own at a facility at Orion Township, integrating LIDAR sensors produced at its Brownstone plant. When a powerhouse like GM starts mass production of self-driving cars, it’s a sure sign that these vehicles will soon be a major feature of our streets.

The company most recognized for its work in self-driving cars is Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA). Like other companies, it is using a range of different sensors, including visible light cameras. The information is processed using pattern recognition software, which looks for familiar shapes and colors to identify hazards. Though it has suffered some setbacks due to accidents, Tesla is still leading the way in both developing and publicizing the potential of self-driving vehicles.

Self-driving cars will soon be an important part of the transport landscape. As that happens, different types of sensors will hit the streets, giving people a chance to see which work best.

For more information on Foresight Autonomous Holdings, visit Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX)

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Brand Network (IBN).

About IBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com

Corporate Communications Contact:
NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com 
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

 Media Contact:
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Lithium Producers Expand Amid Market Supply Squeeze

New York, NY  -- June 12, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire presents CryptoCurrencyWire commentary: There is a massive, underserved target market out there for cryptocurrency – a market succinctly delineated by World Bank statistics that indicate 2 billion or more people worldwide are unbanked, as well as by FDIC data that shows more than 23 million Americans are either unbanked or underbanked. Such data illustrates how cryptocurrency is poised to potentially disrupt the digital payments landscape by ensuring an alternative to traditional banking; and, of course, all merchants are eager to avoid transaction fees regardless of where they do business in the world, which is a primary driver of ongoing growth in merchant acceptance. The underlying potential and increasing acceptance of cryptocurrencies has sent many different kinds of demographics racing to find the “Bitcoin 2.0” killer coin. Contenders such as the community-centric SmartCash (Crypto: SMART) (SMART Profile), with its self-replenishing SmartHive Project Treasury and ongoing innovation, are gaining more attention. Major market players in the crypto-asset movement like payment-focused Square, Inc. (NYSE:SQ), PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) and Visa, Inc. (NYSE:V) are becoming increasingly aware of such attractive crypto-assets as SmartCash, and blockchain-focused juggernauts such as International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) are lining up as well. 

Crypto Can Serve as Superior Substitute for Outdated Payment Systems 

Even before scalability issues in the Bitcoin (Crypto: BTC) blockchain are resolved (a situation that would help put BTC more center stage when it comes to consumer choice for buying everyday goods and services), the benefits of crypto for tasks such as value transfer are becoming increasingly apparent. Because crypto-assets leverage the power of blockchain technology to clear and quickly settle transfers without the need for an intermediary, comparatively antiquated banking networks are beginning to look like dinosaurs; particularly when it comes to cross-border payments. IMF Monetary and Capital Markets Department Deputy Director Dong He even recently asserted that the increasing prominence of crypto-assets stands to reduce demand for the fiat currencies issued by central banks themselves (http://www.ccw.fm/VAE1u).  

True Innovators are the Long-term Darlings 

The ever-growing interest among merchants to adopt immediate settlement-capable cryptocurrency tech that is also universal, decentralized and fraud-resistant is exciting news. It’s notable to mention that the addition of direct buying and selling of bitcoins in Square’s wildly popular Cash App has played a part in doubling the rate of downloads (http://www.ccw.fm/4vWMs). Needless to say, it is easily understandable why retailers across multiple industries would be pushing Square to accept bitcoins for transactions considering the benefits of using crypto instead of payment systems like credit cards.  

European cryptocurrency payment gateway Coingate recently partnered with opensource ecommerce developer Prestashop, enabling 80,000 new merchants across Europe to accept crypto payments (http://www.ccw.fm/3Az2V). Merchant services provider BitPay’s CEO Stephen Pair recently touted the $40 million secured in a Series B round to expand services in Asia, where merchant adoption appears to be accelerating handily (http://www.ccw.fm/P8Heo). South Korean internet giant Kakao, which runs major cryptocurrency exchange UpBit, also recently announced crypto integration, opening payment acceptance to 12,000 merchants and 3 million-plus registered KakaoPay users (http://www.ccw.fm/hV75l). 

SmartCash is Holding the “SmartCard” 

Increasing the merchant adoption rate is one area where SmartCash (Crypto: SMART) really shines with a host of innovative features. A growing network of SmartNode servers, currently totaling more than 12,000, will enable SmartCash’s soon-to-be released feature InstantPay for real-time transactions (Bitcoin often takes 10 minutes or more). Achieving such a large, decentralized network of servers as this is a direct result of a significantly more community-focused approach by the SmartCash project. Notably, 70 percent of mined block rewards are set aside to help fund projects submitted by community members and bolster the SmartHive teams who maintain and promote the network. SmartNodes help to future-proof the SmartCash project as well, due to their inherent ability to add new services and bypass the kinds of performance and scalability issues that have plagued Bitcoin. Just last year there were many troubling reports of transactions that went dormant for days on end as a severe backlog left transactions unconfirmed and users furious. 

A key element for merchant adoption of crypto is consumer confidence and receptivity to usage, because merchants want their customers to feel satisfied. SmartCash offers such user-friendly features as username-based addresses that make it easy to make any sort of transaction, including tipping and donating. Custom username-based addresses also do away with the complex and worrying addresses like those used by BTC, which often leave customers biting their nails at transaction time, wondering if they correctly entered the lengthy alphanumeric code and sent crypto to the correct party.  

Feature-Rich, Community-Powered 

SmartCash also offers handy features like send-to-email that lets anyone with an email address receive SMART coins, even if they don’t have a wallet, making it very easy for experienced users to send payment to new users who have no experience with cryptocurrencies. SmartCash’s SmartRewards program also grants a reward to holders of 1,000 SMART or more in a wallet at a set time every month – a measure that was implemented to help reduce price volatility by reducing the amount of coins constantly traded, characteristically benefiting the whole community. Additionally, because transaction fees are less than a tenth of a penny ($0.001), SmartCash is very attractive to both merchants and buyers (http://www.ccw.fm/13WmG).  

To further facilitate merchant adoption, the SmartCash project will release a physical card-ready platform called the SmartCard within several weeks that will work similarly to the way the company’s already-available SmartBand does today. The card format is familiar to consumers and allows them to skip taking out their phone to load up an app. In fact, no Internet connection is needed at all by the consumer, which means never having to worry about dead batteries or lack of signal in remote areas. SmartCard will also be usable in places where traditional banking services are only partially available, or even absent entirely. With SmartBand already accepted by some 2.5 million merchants in Brazil and an estimated 726 billion digital payments to be facilitated per year by payments processors of all types by 2020 (according to a recent study by Capgemini and BNP Paribas), the SmartCard system stands ready to gobble up significant market share. 

Uniquely Future-Proofed 

SmartCash is a truly unique crypto project because of the heavy emphasis on being community-driven. This is a serious departure from most other cryptos and the individual SMART holders get to have a real voice. Furthermore, the self-funded SmartHive Project Treasury and accessibility of block mining to standard PCs means that anyone can support the network. The SmartHive governance portal approach does away with the traditional hierarchy and inefficiencies of a company structure and represents a management structure as distributed and decentralized as blockchain technology itself.  

SmartCash seems to scratch all the right places where the digital payments market is ripest for disruption. And while some players have made noises about moving away from crypto altogether, focusing instead on enterprise-scale blockchain tech and standard fiat currencies to handle things like cross-border payments, the use of innovative crypto like SmartCash or Stellar’s Lumens (Crypto: XLM) could change all that. The payment-focused players could also be swayed by such rich feature sets, moving away from Bitcoin and into next-generation cryptos that threaten to become “Bitcoin killers” by offering a bevy of procedural advantages. 

Square, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) has seen its share price soar by some 60 percent since the merchant services aggregator’s announcement about allowing bitcoins to be purchased via the Cash App (http://www.ccw.fm/Vq4Wm). And, notably, a recent Nomura (NYSE: NMR) survey reveals 60 percent of business owners using Square’s technology for rapid payment via smartphone would accept bitcoin as a form of payment (http://www.ccw.fm/3aUAm). Dan Dolev, a top analyst at Nomura’s independent equity trading arm, Instinet, put a $64 price target on Square this March, due in large part to the strength of the company’s crypto adoption. However, many analysts grow increasingly concerned about Bitcoin’s ability to fulfill the vital crypto role in this equation, given outstanding transaction time, price volatility and high transaction fees.  

PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) was in the news recently due to comments from ousted CEO Bill Harris, who downplayed merchant adoption rates of Bitcoin, citing some of the aforementioned concerns, even going so far as to call Bitcoin a scam. Little wonder he got his walking papers, given the pro-crypto attitude of PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and more recent developments such as a patent application filing in March by the company for a system to speed up handling those long private keys used to transact BTC. The patent application details a means of creating secondary wallets with their own unique user keys for buyer and seller, practically eliminating the wait time payees currently experience when trying to ensure they will receive a given virtual currency payment. 

Visa, Inc. (NYSE: V) former CEO of UK and Ireland operations Marc O'Brien recently joined Estonian crypto startup Crypterium, which raised $52 million last year via an initial coin offering. Crypterium is laser-focused on eliminating the difficulties associated with using crypto for everyday transactions and seeks to streamline the entire process, hoping to eventually partner with Visa to roll out crypto and/or virtual cards attached to proprietary wallets. This is an area that Visa already has considerable experience in, with offerings such as Virtual VISA credit cards. O'Brien was keen to highlight the potential here in a recent Business Insider interview, noting how Crypterium and Visa could provide a haven for consumers in high-inflation markets such as Argentina or Turkey. 

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), whose new head of blockchain development recently acknowledged cryptocurrency talks with about 20 central banks from various countries (including G20 nations), is predicting that some will dare to toy with crypto, with the most potential shown by Sweden, North America and Asia (http://www.ccw.fm/2Mn0V). IBM’s crypto-friendly policies mark an evolution in the juggernaut’s rhetoric. The company is now doubling-down on its use of Lumens (XLM), and it has significant first-mover advantage in the space with the capacity to be a real king-maker for innovative cryptos.  

On the Cusp of a Digital Sea Change  

Any way you slice it, cryptocurrency is knocking on the door of the sprawling $3 trillion-plus global digital payments market (http://www.ccw.fm/0yd1W), demanding to be let in (if it doesn’t simply tear the door off). True innovators on the coin and blockchain ends of the market stand to be the biggest winners, with user-friendliness and merchant adoption in the driver’s seat.  

For more information on SmartCash, please visit SmartCash (Crypto: SMART). 

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Lithium Producers Expand Amid Market Supply Squeeze

New York, NY  -- June 5, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage:  Driven by an unprecedented ramp-up of the electric vehicle industry in China, fears of a lithium shortage nearly tripled the metal’s price over the last couple years. Although in a temporary lull, demand and price pressures are expected to consolidate then accelerate at breakneck speed as several nations advance similar plans to increase EV use. Insatiable demand and inadequate market supply have intensified the global quest to bring new lithium sources to market and have created a seldom-seen opportunity. Lithium-related stocks and ETFs have proved to be the best way to play the electric future powered by lithium-ion batteries. With wholly owned prime properties and a plethora of potential lithium assets, prospective junior miner Lithium Chile (TSX-V:LITH) (OTC:LTMCF)  may possibly have the largest upside of any lithium miner this year. Other companies investing in the full lithium cycle, from raw resource to battery production, include the Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (NYSE:LIT), while producers such as FMC Corporation (NYSE:FMC), Orocobre Ltd. (ASX:ORE) (TSX:ORL) and Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) are expanding production.

Salt on the Salad

Lithium is, as Tesla co-founder Elon Musk called it, “the salt on the salad” — an interesting analogy since the bulk of the world’s lithium comes from salt brines. More importantly, Tesla and every other company dependent on lithium need to be certain there’s a steady supply. Even if the market triples, there are still about 185 years’ worth of lithium reserves, according to Deutsche Bank estimates. Unmined lithium is so abundant that the next dozen years of production will drain less than 1 percent of global reserves. Lithium is plentiful but critical and in critically short supply. By 2030, lithium miners will have to supply enough lithium to feed the equivalent of 35 battery plants the size of the Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada. Like the salt on a salad, the cost of lithium is negligible — absolutely nothing compared to the current price of an electric vehicle — but it is critical for the future.

Fueling the Future

Located in the heart of South America’s “lithium triangle,” Lithium Chile (TSX-V: LITH) (OTCQB: LTMCF) is about to unearth what may be a mother lode of the scarce metal. Quietly and strategically, Lithium Chile has managed to amass over 152,900 hectares (590 square miles) across 15 properties in the middle of the world’s foremost lithium reserves. Lithium Chile’s holdings represent the largest wholly owned lithium land package of any private operating company in all of Chile.

About half the world’s lithium reserves are in Chile, predominantly in the arid Atacama Plateau. Lithium Chile’s assets include 66 square kilometers directly on the Salar de Atacama, Chile’s largest mineral salt flat and home to about 30 percent of the world’s lithium production. The Salar de Atacama offers multiple competitive advantages in lithium production including good infrastructure, high concentrations of salar brines, low processing costs, superior evaporation rates and favorable year-round weather.

Results of field tests announced in April (http://nnw.fm/N9SHl) identified multiple high-priority target areas at both Lithium Chile’s Salar De Atacama and Salar Ollague properties. Large, multiple lithium brine targets of 20 to 25 square kilometers were discovered at both properties. The Atacama property contains near-surface lithium brine values up to 1330 mg/L of lithium and the Ollague Property contains near-surface Li brine values up to 1140 mg/L of lithium. By comparison, typical lithium concentration needed for production in the United States is between 190 to 200 milligrams of lithium per liter.

Lithium Chile plans to commence drilling post-haste. Lithium Chile’s President and CEO Steve Cochrane stated, “We are delighted with the discovery of such impressive drill target areas at Atacama and Ollague. The results also follow the recent discovery of a 60km2 target area at another of our top Chilean projects – Helados. . . . We have an aggressive multi-project drill program planned for this year, which includes all three of these exciting projects and we look forward to sharing drill results as they come through.”

For a Song

Amazingly, Lithium Chile acquired its large property reserves for a song. Land prices in lithium-rich Chile are currently pegged at $1,500 per hectare, but over the last three years Lithium Chile accumulated large tracts of prime lithium-bearing properties for only $3 dollars per hectare. Terry Walker, vice president of exploration and the chief geologist, spearheaded the company’s procurement of these properties. Using a 1970s French technical report overlaid on a national database of water well hydrology and water chemistry, he meticulously matched their information with an extensive lands claim database. With full financial backing and support from the company, Terry identified and Lithium Chile acquired the best salars in proximity to the highest lithium concentrations and closest to needed infrastructure such as roads and power.  The result may be the most promising lithium-rich land package in Chile.

Quick math shows that Lithium Chile paid less than a half million dollars for its entire 152,900 hectares encompassing 14 salars and one laguna, and the company currently trades at a market valuation of just over $70 million. If Lithium Chile were able to sell all its properties today at the current ask price of $1,500 per hectare, the imputed value would be over $222 million. Obviously, that’s not about to happen, but it does give cause to consider what the company may be worth if the promising field tests turn into positive drilling results. Proved lithium reserve parcels sell for north of $10,000 per hectare.

Demand Drivers

Commonly recognized as power sources for portable electronics, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are lighter and smaller than lead acid batteries, have a high tolerance for movement and temperature changes, recharge much faster and, importantly, maintain their power delivery during use. These attributes are what make Li-ion batteries essential to electric vehicles (EVs). Driving demand much faster that anyone foresaw, the global transition to electric vehicles has created a serious squeeze on lithium. Miners can’t deliver it fast enough to satisfy the tsunami of EVs about to hit the road. The world's fleet of electric vehicles grew 54 percent year over year to about 3.1 million in 2017. By 2030, the International Energy Agency forecasts (http://nnw.fm/Ju510) that a minimum of 125 million and as high as 220 million electric vehicles will be on the road around the world.

Ubiquitous EVs are no pipe dream. Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasts electric car production will increase more than thirtyfold by 2030, and China is leading the way. China wants a sevenfold increase in electric vehicle sales by 2025 and is plotting a course for phasing out fossil-fuel vehicles altogether.

Tripling its demand forecast for lithium, Roskill, a respected leader in international metals and minerals research, raised its projection of lithium carbonate equivalent (http://nnw.fm/P6y7p) to more than 1 million tons in the next eight years. With electric vehicles suddenly competing against laptops and smartphones for lithium-ion batteries, the demand for lithium isn’t expected to slacken anytime soon. The planet has plenty of lithium reserves, but battery makers need massive new lithium sources to support production, and they need it much more quickly than anyone thought.

Where Will the Lithium Come From?

With the world racing to an electric future, there’s no doubt that more lithium must be produced. Established producers such as FMC Corp. (NYSE: FMC) have announced plans to aggressively expand production, but it won’t be nearly enough to meet demand. Estimated to be the fourth- or fifth-largest lithium producer in the world, FMC Corporation primarily serves the agricultural industry, providing solutions to enhance crop yield and quality. FMC is planning to sell off around 15 percent of its lithium business in an IPO late this year, giving the business a market value of more than $3 billion.

Listed on the Australia and Toronto Stock Exchanges, Orocobre Ltd. (ASX: ORE; TSX: ORL) is a global lithium carbonate supplier and an established producer of boron. Orocobre has announced expanded production at its Olaroz Lithium Facility in northern Argentina. The company also owns Borax Argentina, an established Argentine boron minerals and refined chemicals producer, and a 29 percent interest in Advantage Lithium. Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE: LAC) is also advancing several lithium projects. In a joint venture with Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile, it is advancing its Cauchari-Olaroz project with target production of 50,000 tpa of LCE expected to come on line in 2020.

If there is any doubt at all about the lithium shortage, look at any lithium mining company — every single one is working to rapidly expand production. The shortage won’t end any time soon, and increased production isn’t likely to keep pace with the burgeoning demand. It appears that a company with vast promising resources in the heart of the lithium triangle may be in for a promising upside ride.

For more information about Lithium Chile, visit Lithium Chile (TSX-V: LITH) (OTCQB: LTMCF).

 About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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Enabling Cryptocurrency Transactions Key to Going Mainstream

New York, NY  -- May 31, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage:  Whenever bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies are discussed, two primary predictions seem to prevail. Either cryptocurrencies are history’s greatest bubble about to burst, or they’re new undervalued global mediums of exchange worth untold millions. The actual outcome is likely to rest somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Some pundits have compared the rise of cryptocurrency to the dot-com bubble, suggesting the fintech trend is worthless and on the precipice of a titanic bust. Remember, however, that even though the dot-com boom produced plenty of fiascos, it also gave birth to the likes of Amazon and Google. As cryptocurrency markets become more standardized and regulated, both winners and losers will shake out. Realizing these digital mediums of exchange will likely integrate into the global financial system in a significant fashion, evaluating companies that enable cryptocurrency transactions makes sense. Companies at the vanguard of facilitating global cryptocurrency transactions such as Virtual Crypto Technologies Inc. (OTCQB:VRCP), PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL), Square, Inc. (NYSE:SQ), Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) and Green Dot Corporation (NYSE:GDOT) will not only accelerate universal adoption but also have the potential to emerge among the biggest winners in the entire crypto universe.

The Internet of Money

Imagining the potential of cryptocurrencies is like trying to imagine the potential of the internet in 1992. In less than 20 years, the internet transformed interactions around the world and has permanently impacted lives. Reflecting the envisioned potential of cryptocurrency, the fintech creation has been christened “the internet of money” by Andreas Antonopoulos, a world-leading bitcoin and blockchain expert. He and many others believe that the decentralized technology of cryptocurrency has potential far exceeding the label of digital currency and will contribute to solving global social, political and economic problems.

Of four key factors Antonopoulos identified that need development, fair and functional ATMs are among the most important to nurture industry growth. ATMs with reasonable fees are required for cash and instant transactions, but many users currently find when they arrive at an ATM that it’s simply not working or that the premiums are incredibly high, he argued in a March discussion of bitcoin’s development (http://nnw.fm/p1lRL). 

Barrier Breakthrough

Using proprietary, algorithmic technology to audit bitcoin and its crypto equivalent transactions in real-time, Virtual Crypto Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP) looks to become an integral player in the global crypto revolution. Breaking down barriers of crypto complexity, Virtual Crypto’s exclusive technological conduit between the three primary pillars of the cryptocurrency ecosystem — exchanges, wallets and payments — allows global access to instant cash exchanges for people, businesses and even machines. The global cryptocurrency ATM market is expected to reach nearly $300 million by 2025, with a CAGR of 45.8 percent, yet only 30 percent of the machines now allow two-way trades.

No less than U.S. Comptroller of the Currency Joseph Otting has stated that cryptocurrency has the potential to go mainstream (http://nnw.fm/XxI9H). To achieve such import, the cryptocurrency market must grow, simplify, then become ubiquitous, much as the internet did. Spendability is a critical feature cryptocurrency must have for industry development; it must attain the ability to access and spend virtual money at merchants and retailers as quickly and easily as regular cash. There must also be a system to manage payments with the inherent ability to handle different payment options, both fiat and cryptocurrencies. Without overcoming these barriers, widespread acceptance is likely to implode.

Resolving the logjam of crypto transactions, which can take from 10 minutes to 24 hours, Virtual Crypto’s transformative trading platform, NetoBit, instantly confirms the purchase or sale of bitcoin and its crypto equivalents. All trades and exchanges are insured up to $3,000 per trade. 

Differentiated from Competition

Until now crypto payment methods have relied on banking cards and crypto wallet technology. Using cards creates more problems than it solves, however. In almost every case, a specific token is created to bridge between crypto and fiat. But this creates a huge problem: every financial entity within the transaction chain, whether consumers, merchants, retailers or even countries, needs to agree upon and accept a certain token. Beyond the challenges such requisite unanimity entails, the system places power and control in the hands of the token creator, which is antithetical to the underlying premise of cryptocurrency.

Virtual Crypto Technologies Inc. (OTCQB:VRCP) has created a disruptive market gateway — not a transactional token — that reinforces the decentralization and expansion of cryptocurrencies. Virtual Crypto’s NetoBit market gateway eliminates the standard moribund hardware environment of requiring a credit/debit card to be present. NetoBit Pay allows crypto payments to take place without a card, making funds broadly accessible worldwide even to businesses that don't have credit clearing.

Crypto wallet payments require customers to download and open a specific crypto wallet to pay a business. The business must then wrestle with the fiat-crypto exchange. If the business wants real-time exchange rates from crypto to fiat currency, it must immediately sell the crypto on an open exchange subject to market risks and fluctuations.

With Virtual Crypto’s NetoBit, cryptocurrency holders get instant confirmation of bitcoin and its crypto equivalents at the best crypto exchange rate at the point of transaction, facilitating a quantum leap in the quest to bring cryptocurrencies to the mass market. Virtual Crypto’s cryptocurrency ATM, embedded with currency exchange transaction validation (CETV) in its hardware and software, accepts and dispenses cash and cryptocurrency in seconds.

NetoBit ATM over-the-counter, two-way transaction solution is uniquely available through one app, providing online cryptocurrency transactions at ecommerce and gaming portals. The app provides easy buying and selling of bitcoin with cash, enables traders to buy and trade crypto, and allows gamers to transfer cryptocurrency into cash after play. Crypto users can withdraw funds from their crypto accounts through a NetoBit cryptocurrency ATM or software-enabled tablet, and consumers can purchase retail with crypto from businesses that offer and use the NetoBit software.

Virtual Crypto’s NetoBit solution delivers maximum flexibility. Antiquated technology such as Bitpay Checkout and its product Bitpay Card are more like prepaid cards, where a customer is limited to the amount of money preloaded in the specific wallet. The NetoBit solution provides a way for consumers to pay from any wallet at any business using NetoBit and empowers businesses to receive payments at the best possible exchange rate.

Payment Processing on Steroids

Companies that facilitate global fiat payment processing command enormous market valuations. Most in the sector have billions in market capitalization, and future payment processing values may be astronomical. A quick look at just a few fiat processors shows market caps that range from $3.7 billion to $96 billion. Virtual Crypto has developed what may become an industry standard crypto processing solution yet trades at a market cap of just over $11 million. It seems that somewhere between that $11 million and the fiat sector’s $96 billion could be an opportunity on steroids.

With a market capitalization over $96 billion, PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) enables digital and mobile payments on behalf of consumers and merchants worldwide. It also offers gateway services that enable merchants to accept payments online with credit or debit cards. The company's platform allows consumers to shop by sending payments, withdraw funds to their bank accounts and hold balances in their PayPal accounts in various currencies.

Square, Inc. (NYSE:SQ) has a market valuation of more than $22 billion from providing payment and point-of-sale solutions throughout the world. The company's commerce ecosystem includes point-of-sale software and hardware that enables sellers to turn mobile and computing devices into payment and point-of-sale solutions. The company provides hardware as well as Square POS software, which provides access to the financial system and allows customers to electronically send, store and spend money.

With market capitalization of nearly $14 billion, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) is a leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, mutual funds and corporate issuers globally. Broadridge's processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. Its Global Technology and Operations segment offers computerized real-time transaction processing services. 

With a market value of $3.7 billion, Green Dot Corporation (NYSE:GDOT) engages in the provision of prepaid cards, debit cards, checking accounts, secured credit cards, payroll debit cards, consumer cash processing services, wage disbursements and tax refund processing services. It operates through Account Services and the Processing and Settlement Services segments. The Account Services segment offers deposit account programs that can be acquired through omni-channel distribution platform. The Processing and Settlement Services segment comprises products and services that all specialize in facilitating the movement of funds on behalf of consumers and businesses.

Crypto payment processors have the potential to emerge among the biggest winners in the entire crypto ecosystem despite apocalyptic “bubble” concerns, thanks to the wide-open potential of a cryptocurrency market that mirrors the promise the internet showed during its nascient era.

For more information on Virtual Crypto Technologies, please visit Virtual Crypto Technologies (OTCQB: VRCP).

About NetworkNewsWire
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Everything Wireless Approach Key to Capturing Nascent 5G Market

New York, NY  -- May 23, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: The multibillion-dollar internet, voice, video and data services markets are poised to be rapidly transformed by the deployment of next-generation wireless technologies such as 5G. As this transition occurs over the next decade, 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) will give way to 5G amid skyrocketing demand for greater bandwidth. While many companies are already providing some form of fixed wireless for high-speed triple play services (internet, TV and phone) using standard technologies, Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTCQB:HMMR)stands out with its patented Hammer Wireless® AIR point-to-multipoint wireless system, which could revolutionize the entire industry’s approach to wireless. This would be no small feat considering that other big companies in this space today are operators such as Windstream Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:WIN) or veritable household names such as Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG).

IoT and Demand for Faster Data Driving 5G Expansion

Key drivers of the transition to 5G include a burgeoning IoT (internet of things) ecosystem spurred on by the growth of connected smart homes and cities, as well as increasing smartphone use, M2M (mobile to mobile) demands and the need to bridge the so-called digital divide that has left nearly 40 percent of rural Americans without access to broadband internet (http://nnw.fm/aI8P9). The extremely aggressive deregulatory stance of the FCC under Chairman Ajit Pai is increasingly focused on eliminating unnecessary barriers to the efficient deployment of wireless infrastructure. This is great news for the telecom industry, and the $118 billion U.S. ISP (internet service provider) market could be the biggest beneficiary (http://nnw.fm/eAj9N).

IoT and other digital networking advancements in agritech, for instance, allow farmers across rural America to perform a wide variety of sophisticated tasks, such as monitoring the health of individual animals or plants. But without broadband wireless connectivity, the fruits of such advancements are nearly impossible to fully realize. Global outlays for IoT infrastructure are on track to hit a whopping $1.7 trillion by 2020, according to a recent report by IDC (http://nnw.fm/cyQ4D), maintaining a 19.2 percent CAGR, even as telecoms here in the United States spend $150 billion or more upgrading to 5G (http://nnw.fm/dT9uA).

Unique, Patented Hardware Sets Innovators Apart

Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTCQB:HMMR) patented AIR System was designed around and is based on ultra-high-frequency MMDS (multichannel multipoint distribution system), utilizing frequency division duplexing for upstream and downstream (200 MHz spacing). This enables a single transmission to be shared by multiple independent signals. With such efficient use of the spectrum, Hammer’s AIR System can handle two separate signals at once across a wide range of frequencies (from 3 GHz to 39 GHz), meaning spectrum in different frequencies and channels can be processed by one transceiver. This pre-5G platform is DOCSIS 3.0 compliant and is scalable to DOCSIS 3.1, allowing for speeds of 1 Gb/s and up.

Using a simple, roof-mounted, bidirectional transceiver dish that is then connected to standard in-home hardware such as a cable modem or gateway via coaxial cable, Hammer Fiber Optics’ solution is an ingenious marriage of cutting-edge wireless transmission technology and the kind of equipment most consumers already have in their homes. The company has already deployed this technology on Absecon Island, including Atlantic City, N.J., with happy customers seeing speeds around 300-plus Mbps downstream (100 Mbps upstream). The recent announcement that the company concluded initial development of its advanced LTE fixed wireless system means Hammer is now poised to become a leader in 5G as the standard emerges (http://nnw.fm/jE6Et).

Designed to complement Hammer’s core business of home residential services, this Fixed LTE version of its already successful DOCSIS platform will enable the company to offer ultra-high capacity cellular broadband applications. This development puts Hammer in the running to provide wholesale services including backhaul support for cellular network operators to both mainstream LTE operators and competitive carriers. Moreover, the company further distinguished itself with a recent move to acquire 1stPoint Communications, LLC, and its subsidiaries, a company that is focused on providing integrated messaging, voice, data and mobile services to the small business, enterprise and carrier markets.

Forget Fixed and Mobile 5G

The subsequent announcement that Hammer and 1stPoint have launched an MNSP (mobile network service provider) program aimed at wireless internet service providers and cable operators in second- and third-tier markets means that the company should be able to quickly expand its subscriber base by offering high-speed wireless triple play service to residential communities and small businesses. Hammer’s founder, Mark Stogdill, was keen to point out how the company now stands ready to support not only residential access networks but also empower customers such as carriers and municipalities to deploy a variety of applications through the company’s network. The MNSP program enables an “everything wireless” approach that could potentially shatter the existing triple play-saturated market paradigm.

This is a watershed moment for Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTCQB:HMMR) as the company may be in a great position to springboard off its successful deployment of the AIR System into a data-hungry nationwide, as well as global, market. Hammer’s AIR System is now looking to many industry analysts like it may be the ideal solution for everything from bridging the digital divide in underserved rural communities to addressing increasingly abundant data roaming opportunities and M2M concerns. This innovative, patented technology represents what could be a major advantage for the company, as no one in the industry today offers what Hammer is already doing.

The global 5G market is set to run at an astounding 97 percent CAGR from 2020, when it is predicted to largely supplant 4G, climbing to around $251 billion by 2025 (http://nnw.fm/O3UrW). With its strong footing due to its advanced hardware offering, Hammer may be able to carve out a sizeable piece of this pie. Investors may want to keep an eye on this compelling up-and-comer.

Other Major Players’ Efforts Accelerating Towards 5G

FORTUNE 500 advanced network communications and technology solutions provider Windstream Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: WIN) recently announced a $2 million investment in high-speed Kinetic Internet services for Lexington, Kentucky. This regional market is bedrock for Windstream, and the company is shrewdly doubling down by increasing the number of households receiving 50 Mbps connections to some 80,000 households. Windstream also joined several other high-profile signatories recently in the submission of a compromise approach proposal to the FCC for priority access licenses in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) 3.5 GHz spectrum, a move that would arguably make the CBRS band an important vehicle for helping the United States sustain leadership in communications technologies such as 5G.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) announced plans in 2017 to implement fixed 5G services in three to five U.S. cities this year. Verizon is chomping at the bit to beat rivals to the 5G market trough and will be deploying the company’s solution to customers’ homes and offices via nearby standard cell sites. Verizon also recently announced plans to launch residential broadband services through 5G fixed wireless in more than the initial proposed five geographies starting sometime in 2019. Verizon will reportedly be targeting the sprawling L.A. market, as well as Sacramento, for the 5G rollout starting in the fourth quarter of this year, in conjunction with the rollout of the carrier’s proprietary V5GTF customer premises equipment.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) CFO John Stephens recently cast some doubts on the value of fixed 5G services for the company, arguing that while AT&T had tested fixed 5G, the opportunity is something that the company would have to “prove out.” Apparently, Stephens sees backhaul, a key component to any fixed wireless 5G service, as something more easily addressed for AT&T via the company’s growing fiber network. Nevertheless AT&T has spent two years preparing for the 5G launch and plans to have 5G-capable devices to customers this year. The company launched its first enterprise 5G trial in Austin, Texas, a year and a half ago and subsequently expanded those services to three other cities across the country. AT&T announced plans in April to launch the company’s proprietary 5G Evolution technology to an upwardly revised total of 141 markets and said last year that the company would deploy mobile 5G to customers in a dozen cities.

Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) was recently mentioned as a potential streaming partner for Verizon via Google's YouTube TV, a partnership that would help accelerate 5G adoption. The company also supports the Citizens Broadband Radio Service and appears to many analysts to be intent on advocating for a new way to divvy up spectrum that would promote innovative business models and shared infrastructure. A shared use spectrum model makes sense for the company, as Alphabet would otherwise have to compete directly with wireless and wired ISPs that already possess sizeable fiber networks and wireless spectrum licenses.

While many companies tout new user hardware and 5G innovation, Hammer Fiber Optics stands out as a technological innovator in distribution technology, and the company appears to have a distinct advantage even compared to sector majors. The race to capture fixed and mobile 5G market share is clearly on, and investors should be watching the activities of a company such as Hammer that may have a transformative impact on the entire industry.

For more information on Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation, please visit: Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTCQB:HMMR)

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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Sensor System Companies Take Center Stage in a Self-Driving Future

New York, NY  -- May 22, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Self-driving cars are already appearing on our roads. One of the main technological barrier holding them back from full use is the creation of effective sensor systems, and several companies are conducting specialist research in this area. Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) has created a unique system that combines infrared and visible light cameras in stereo technology that can detect obstacles under all weather and lighting conditions. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), is developing driverless cars through its Waymo subsidiary, using a wide range of different sensors. The work of Tesla, Inc. (N ASDAQ: TSLA) in this area is well-known and heavily reliant on a range of visible light cameras. Automotive safety specialist Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE: ALV) has created a range of separate detection systems using different technologies. Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), on the other hand, is focusing on the potential of a single complex lidar system. It’s a diversity of approaches that shows a technology approaching maturity.

The Future of Driving

Technology commentators are predicting big things for self-driving cars. These autonomous automobiles are not just expected to save car users from the effort of driving. By making the most of efficient computing and by removing human error, these cars have the potential to improve the flow of traffic, reduce fuel usage and increase mobility for those who can’t drive themselves, such as the elderly and disabled. Despite alarmed responses to the idea of not having a human behind the wheel, self-driving cars are also expected to increase road safety and reduce accidents.

All of this — especially the reduction of accidents — is reliant upon the development of effective systems for the vehicles to sense what is going on around them and respond appropriately. Both the sensors and the processors dealing with this input are vital to making autonomous cars safe and effective. Radar and lidar have drawn the most attention, thanks to advances in these areas. Camera-based vision sensors have also seen significant advances.

New Detection Technology

Such a crucial area of technology needs specialist research and design to ensure that the best solutions are found. Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) is a company focused on this specialism. Working through wholly owned subsidiary Foresight Automotive Ltd., Foresight is designing, developing and commercializing a range of technologies around detection systems for automated cars. These include stereo/quad-camera vision systems based on 3D video analysis, advanced algorithms for image processing and sensor fusion.

• The company’s leading product is its QuadSight detection system. This stereoscopic automotive vision system uses two sets of stereo cameras — one infrared and the other working with visible light — to detect any obstacles on the road. It can detect obstacles regardless of adverse weather or extreme lighting conditions, making it a highly reliable option for self-driving cars regardless of the circumstances. It detects all obstacle, regardless of shape, form or material and color with near zero false alerts that are the downside of highly sensitive detection equipment.

“At Foresight, we believe that a car’s vision system should be nothing less than perfect,” said Haim Siboni, the company’s CEO. “Vision is the foundation of passenger safety, and vision perfection under all weather and lighting conditions is clearly the breakthrough that vehicle makers need to build consumer confidence in order to accelerate autonomous vehicle adoption.”

Founded in 2015, Foresight has already completed a feasibility study for the QuadSight system, carried out extensive testing, and developed and produced a demo version. The company is creating a prototype for pilot projects so that the system can be tested out on the roads. It expects to see that system completed and commercialized during the second half of next year.

The first quad-camera multi-spectral vision solution of its kind, QuadSight uses advanced and proven image-processing algorithms and is derived from its major shareholder Magna B.S.P’s field-proven Homeland Security vision technology that has been deployed worldwide for almost two decades and is IP-protected by patents. With a fully developed system ready for demonstrations, 2018 is the year that QuadSight goes out into the world. So far, the company has done so with style.

A Strong Showing at CES

The QuadSight system drew a lot of positive press for Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) during the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018. Given the focus on self-driving cars in recent years, a lot of public and press attention was on what detection systems could bring to the autonomous vehicle game, and QuadSight’s unique features caught people’s eyes.

Electronic Design presented an article that went into detail on the Foresight system (http://nnw.fm/ym4Us). The article discussed the range of the detection system and the fact that it can detect details better than the human eye, with the detection of small objects allowing it to operate at high speeds. The site also covered the key technical difference between QuadSight and many of its potential competitors — the fact that it uses a passive system that processes all the visual information already available in the world around it rather than having to send out signals as lidar and radar do.

Automotive World highlighted the cost benefits of Foresight’s system ( http://nnw.fm/wT5F4). Using multiple sensory technologies increases the cost of a self-driving vehicle, both through the sensors themselves and through the processors needed to deal with the information they provide. QuadSight provides a complete detection system based on purely visual inputs, the could eliminate the need for complementary sensors and their processing support.

For EE Times, the focus was on the unique combination of infrared and visible spectrum cameras (http://nnw.fm/cf6RI). The fusion of these two technologies allows QuadSight to detect obstacles both day and night and at any weather condition. They also combine to achieve both ranging and imaging, allowing the car detect how far away the object is without any need for additional sensors.

The Pattern Recognition Problem

The way that QuadSight uses its sensory data may give it another advantage compared with leading competitors. Some self-driving initiatives rely on pattern recognition as a means of detection and to help the car judge whether or not there is a hazard. This is believed to be the technology used in Tesla’s efforts to create autonomous vehicles. It relies on the system recognizing the form of an object as a mean of detection and then using this information to judge how to react. If this is true, then the pattern-recognition technology may be behind the crashes (http://nnw.fm/w2gqD) that have brought unwelcome attention to Tesla’s on-road testing.

QuadSight does not use pattern recognition as a mean of detection but uses unique algorithms to detect any obstacle regardless of shape, form, material or color. It’s a technology that gives the system an advantage in responding to unexpected events — one that might have detected the fire truck involved in the most recent Tesla crash this month.

Finding Solutions for Self-Driving Sensors

A number of companies are working on sensor technology for automated cars, whether in isolation or as part of developing whole vehicles.

Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), the parent company of Google, is one of the leading players in the creation of driverless cars through its Waymo subsidiary. Its vehicles detect objects through a wide range of technologies, including sonar, stereo cameras, lasers, lidar and radar. These systems serve different purposes, from generating a map of the vehicle’s surroundings to identifying the presence of other vehicles and judging the speed at which they are moving. It’s by bringing these data points together that the system can judge what is going on.

One of the great modern tech innovators, Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA), is famous for its work in developing autonomous cars. Cameras play a big part in Tesla’s detection technology. These are always mono-visible light cameras, so the system doesn’t have the ability to see in conditions where only infrared sensors can detect objects. Recent experiments with trifocal mono cameras are expanding the system’s detection capacity by considering views at varying distances.

Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE: ALV), the world’s largest automotive safety supplier, has developed a wide range of detection systems designed as additions to the information available to a driver, as well as options for increasingly automated cars. Its technology includes radar, lidar and a variety of camera technologies such as mono vision, stereo vision and infrared. This range of sensors provides car manufacturers with a variety of options to detect hazards on the road. Its various styles of camera currently exist as separate solutions, not an integrated system bringing their data together.

Starting in 2014, Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) began work on producing an electric car. This project has since been scaled back to the creation of autonomous driving systems that could be applied to other manufacturers’ cars. The company has been tight-lipped about its efforts, but revealed last year that it is working with a lidar-only system (http://nnw.fm/lzyL4). Some have argued that lidar alone can’t provide sufficient information, but Apple aims to use complex computing and artificial intelligence to make a complete lidar-based solution.
As various companies race to develop self-driving cars, their sensor systems will be vital. A company whose system can operate safely in all conditions, without the extra costs of multiple sensor types of massive processing, will have an edge in dominating this important market.

For more information about Foresight Autonomous Holdings, visit Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX)

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.
NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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News Source: NetworkNewsWire.

Companies Race to Spread the Benefits of Cryptocurrency

New York, NY  -- May 10, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Cryptocurrencies and their underlying blockchain technology continue to grow in popularity. To make the most of this, a variety of tech-based companies are racing to put blockchain in the hands of ordinary businesses and consumers. Virtual Crypto Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP) is a technology company providing cryptocurrency payment solutions for retailers and consumers. BTCS, Inc. (OTC: BTCS) is creating a portfolio of companies that will bring cryptocurrency to a wider arena through ATMs and support for crypto in business. Others, such as British-Canadian company BTL Group, Ltd. (TSX-V: BTL), are using blockchain as a basis for differing forms of software, with BTL’s platform providing extra speed, security and resilience to the work of programmers. International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE: IBM) offers a business blockchain that provides a permissioned network with known identities and no need for cryptocurrency exchange. And Daimler AG (OTC: DDAIF) has launched blockchain-based digital currency MobiCoin to encourage eco-friendly practices among drivers using its cars.

The Future of Money?

Until a decade ago, businesses had been tied to one methodology of payment solutions in the form of traditional banking processes. Even as the world entered the electronic age, banks were weighed down with processes born out of habit, tradition and regulation. The inefficiencies of the system slowed payment processing and introduced risks through single points of potential failure.

Cryptocurrencies have provided an alternative, but utilizing them requires innovative new payment solutions. Though cryptocurrencies fix and improve upon the current limitations of conventional payment methods, they are not currently integrated into the average person’s life. Until a few changes take place, businesses working with financial transactions will have to deal with extra complexity and risk. Companies that provide solutions to these complexities could profit from being the first in an important niche and, in doing so, empower both businesses and consumers.

Making Cryptocurrency Accessible

Virtual Crypto Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP) is among the few companies working in this area. Its NetoBit range of products offers an innovative option for those wanting to access cryptocurrency payments both as businesses and as consumers. A bridge between exchanges, wallets and payments — the three main elements of the cryptocurrency sector — the NetoBit products make it easier for anyone to take advantage of the potential offered by alternative payment systems. The foundation of NetoBit is a proprietary, algorithmic technology that can confirm cryptocurrency transactions in real time. This makes it easier to make transfers between cryptocurrencies, as well as to and from fiat currency.

The cryptocurrency market is huge. As of mid-April 2018, it was worth a total of $320 billion. The chance to tap into the wealth of this market is one that many businesses seek. Accessible through ATMs, tablets, mobile devices and computers, NetoBit makes that simple. It allows retailers and businesses to take payments from customers using cryptocurrency.

Many potential customers have proven their forward-looking outlook by acquiring cryptocurrency early, and many have made substantial earnings off that decision. As cryptocurrencies continue to grow in value and popularity, companies that don’t accept them risk being left behind. Services such as NetoBit offer the exciting opportunity to access this technology at an early stage.

Managing Risk

For many companies, the biggest thing holding them back from investment in cryptocurrency is risk. Like any new technology, the cryptocurrency industry is going through a period of rapid change. It has only existed for a decade, and already thousands of currencies have sprung up.

Though prices have generally risen, particularly for the most famous examples such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, they haven’t always been stable. Earlier this year, Bitcoin saw a huge crash in value, only to enter a fresh period of growth in the aftermath. In addition, the threat of scammers leaching off the hype around cryptocurrency has tarnished the reputation of the effective underlying principles, making businesses even more hesitant to take advantage of the opportunity to make the most of the technology.

One of the advantages of Virtual Crypto’s system is that it reduces the risks associated with fraud and market mood swings. Businesses are less vulnerable to cryptocurrency market fluctuation because Virtual Crypto’s system allows them to accept cryptocurrency and then, if they choose, change the cryptocurrency on the spot to real-time local currency. That customization provides businesses with power, flexibility and customization.

Another element to Virtual Crypto’s system is security. System software provides businesses with real-time confirmation of cryptocurrency transactions, as well as the ability to monitor the trading market of any cryptocurrency. This ability protects Virtual Crypto’s subscribers from delay, double spending and fraud.

Cryptocurrency for the Masses

In its early days, cryptocurrency was limited to a small number of online traders. Now its use is expanding to the masses with a growing adoption around the world. People are interested in using cryptocurrency, and all that’s standing in their way is access to it.

Virtual Crypto Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP) is tapping into that demand by making cryptocurrency payments easy. The company’s ATMs and apps allow two-way trades between crypto and local currencies, unlike 70 percent of current cryptocurrency ATMs. What may truly differentiate Virtual Crypto from other cryptocurrency payments solutions is that its software allows customers to make trades or payments through the system using any crypto wallet; other companies require customers to use an in-house cryptocurrency.

This means that customers can use the system wherever they are, integrating cryptocurrency into their everyday lives. All of this is achieved within seconds, unlike many other systems, which can see delays of minutes or even hours while trades are carried out. And recent updates have made the company’s offerings more accessible than ever.

“Our primary objective is to make cryptocurrencies accessible to everyone, and that was the motivation for our redesign,” Virtual Crypto CEO Alon Dayan said. “The updated content provides real value for our customers, shareholders and employees, showcasing our products and services, in an intuitive, easy to navigate way.”

A March 2018 study, published by Transparency Market Research, predicts a compound annual growth rate of 31 percent for the cryptocurrency hardware and software market, increasing from $574 million to $6.7 billion between 2017 and 2025. As an early entrant into that market, Virtual Crypto is tapping into an expanding sector and supporting its continued growth.

Bridging the Crucial Gap

One of the big challenges facing cryptocurrency is integration with regular financial markets. The two currently exist as separate entities, with cryptocurrencies being traded separately from other currencies, stocks and shares. As cryptocurrencies rise in value and acceptability, the divide between the two will start to break down. Adena Friedman, the CEO of Nasdaq, recently said that the exchange would consider trades in digital currencies, which is a huge step for the world’s second largest stock exchange.

By supporting two-way exchange between crypto and fiat currencies, Virtual Crypto is already at the forefront of this integration. As the markets collide, the company may be well-positioned to seize the moment and become a major player in the world of commercial cryptocurrency payments.

Building a New Financial Ecosystem

As the popularity of cryptocurrency grows, companies are springing up to work with it. Together, these companies are creating an increasingly integrated ecosystem of financial and support services.

BTCS, Inc. (OTCQB: BTCS) is the first American publicly traded company focused entirely on cryptocurrency and blockchain, the technology underlying these digital assets. Its strategy is one of financial growth, creating a portfolio that features digital assets including bitcoin and other tokens. It has invested in companies that will bring cryptocurrency to a wider arena, including through ATMs and support for the adoption of crypto by businesses. As with Virtual Crypto, this will put it in a position to profit from consumer adoption of cryptocurrencies and their integration into the wider commercial sector.

British-Canadian company BTL Group, Ltd. (TSX-V: BTL) is a technology platform provider using blockchain to deliver innovative software solutions. It has recently made Interbit, its next generation blockchain platform, available for testing and feedback. Easy to use and build upon, Interbit uses blockchain to provide a more secure computing environment that ensures data privacy. Users can employ multiple blockchains to build fast, resilient, scalable applications that make the most of the cutting edge of programming technology.

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE: IBM) offers IBM Blockchain Platform, which allows companies to develop in a quick, easy-to-use local environment that has been created to build blockchain skills. The extensive, lightweight platform leverages open-source Hyperledger tools and includes everything needed to code, test locally and then deploy on the IBM Cloud. The platform simplifies the blockchain journey of developing, governing and operating a network.

Automotive giant Daimler AG (OTC: DDAIF) presented what has been called the MobiCoin project at the Mobile World Congress 2018. The virtual currency is in its testing phase and will be awarded to those who care about eco-driving. The new coin is designed to reward drivers who drive safely and smoothly at low speed. The initial group of participating drives can receive MobiCoins by reaching a high “environmental score,” which would take into account things such as smooth acceleration and braking. Drivers will receive the MobiCoins on a mobile application.

The growth of cryptocurrency and the underlying technology is currently limited by accessibility. As companies create a whole ecosystem of blockchain products, they will draw more users towards this exciting, innovative technology. By empowering others, these companies are also placing themselves to become leaders in an exciting and important field.

For more information on Virtual Crypto Technologies, please visit Virtual Crypto Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP).

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.
NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Brand Network (IBN).

About IBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.
Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com
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News Source: NetworkNewsWire
c

Telecommunications Companies Modernize, Diversify in Face of Competition

New York, NY  -- May 9, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Telecommunications companies are under threat (http://nnw.fm/BrM3f) from over-the-top (OTT) services that enable consumers to communicate over the internet via streaming content and apps such as Skype, WhatsApp and Viber. These services currently handle over 80 percent of messaging traffic, and more than a third of all global voice traffic is channeled through Skype. This astounding level of competition demands that telecommunications companies focus on modernizing their operations and creating strategies to develop new products or services if they hope to achieve sustainable growth. One of the companies at the forefront of innovative strategy implementation is Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTC:HMMR), a telecommunications company investing in the future of wireless technology and fiber optics. Other significant players in this industry include Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA). 

Recent Restructuring 

Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTC:HMMR) is an internet service provider (ISP) offering internet, voice, video and data services in New Jersey, as well as carrier services in Philadelphia and New York. It serves both residential and commercial markets with high-capacity broadband, voice and video through direct fiber as well as its wireless fiber platform, Hammer Wireless® AIR technology. 

The holdings of Hammer Fiber Optics include Hammer Fiber Optic Investments, Ltd., D/B/A Hammer Communications. This company formerly traded under the name of Hammer Fiber but was renamed, restructured and rebranded in April 2018.  

Hammer Communications manages the company’s residential and SME services delivered by terrestrial fiber optics and its proprietary fixed wireless technology, as well as its VoIP services. The company also has two separate business units under its control: Hammer Fiber and Hammer Sphere. Hammer Fiber is responsible for the delivery and management of the company’s fiber optics services. Hammer Sphere manages the company’s rapidly growing platform for cloud services and hosting. 

Following the restructuring announcement Hammer Communications CEO Mark Stogdill said, “We are excited about this evolution for Hammer. Hammer is quick to respond to the market’s needs and ensure the best quality of service for our customers. This move will help us to better communicate the services we offer and commit our resources where they can best serve the customer experience as we continue to grow and expand our service offerings (http://nnw.fm/8q5PJ).”

 First Acquisition 

In addition to restructuring, Hammer Communications announced yesterday that a letter of intent to acquire the stock of 1stPoint Communications, LLC, and its subsidiaries, including Open Data Centers, LLC, and Endstream Communications, LLC, has been executed by all parties (http://nnw.fm/bqy1Y). 1stPoint is a competitive local exchange carrier operating nationwide with intellectual property in services such as SMS/texting, collaboration tools and carrier switching. Endstream Communications offers wholesale voice services worldwide. Open Data Centers operates a carrier-neutral colocation facility in Piscataway, N.J., and will provide the brick-and-mortar capacity to further Hammer’s growth.

 This the first acquisition for Hammer Communications. Adding these assets and related entities position Hammer Communications as a bona fide player in the cloud services arena. The assets, revenue, client base and strong management team at 1st Point position Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTC:HMMR) for significant growth moving forward. 

Hammer’s Proprietary Fixed Wireless Technology 

Finally, Hammer Communications recently completed the initial development phase of its advanced LTE fixed wireless system, designed and built using its proprietary wireless technology. In conjunction with technology partners in Europe, the company has been running both laboratory and field trials on the live network of a prominent LTE mobile operator for the past 12 months, and the results have surpassed all expectations. This expansion adds ultra-high capacity cellular broadband applications to the company’s product portfolio, which includes wholesale services including backhaul support for cellular network operators.  

This latest innovation was designed to complement Hammer Communications’ core business of residential service. With the large amount of bandwidth the system can deliver, as well as the large number of users it can connect, the company expects this initiative to position it as a leader in future 5G technology. This new service will leverage the fixed LTE system in conjunction with Hammer’s Fixed Wireless DOCSIS 3.1 system, already in place, to deliver high-capacity broadband to markets across the Unites States at substantially lower costs than traditional wireline mechanisms, including fiber. The company will start live field testing of the new system in early 2018, with service availability anticipated later in the year. 

Michael Cothill, Executive Chairman of Hammer Communications, noted that “5G is the inevitable next step in the evolution of telecommunications, and we are proud to be on the front lines of developing the technology to support the vision of things to come. We believe this system fits perfectly into our overall ecosystem, and pairing this platform with our existing DOCSIS platform is going to expand our reach, and extend our next generation fixed LTE initiative to included wholesale services to both the mainstream LTE operators and competitive carriers across the USA (http://nnw.fm/Yc0NX).” 

Expanding Services into the Cloud 

Hammer recently formed a new business unit, Hammer Sphere, under the Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTC:HMMR) Communications umbrella. This unit will have responsibility for the company’s expanded IaaS cloud services that will enable its clients to host their products via the company’s leading-edge server infrastructure, fiber network and data center.  

Hammer Sphere will provide a robust and modern server infrastructure, fiber network architecture and data center that enable efficient hosting and fast delivery of clients’ products. Its range of services will enable client companies to eliminate the extensive costs associated with the establishment and maintenance of a corporate data center, while harvesting the benefits of cloud-based services. 

All these initiatives indicate Hammer Communications’ commitment to deploying strategies to provide modern and cutting-edge telecommunications solutions that will enable it to grow and prosper. The company is ably supported in its endeavors by a seasoned leadership team with extensive experience and understanding of the telecommunications industry, including sales, marketing, engineering, construction and business development. 

Other Companies in the Telecommunications Space 

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) — With a market cap of almost $198 billion, Verizon is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. The company offers communications, information and entertainment products and services to consumers and businesses around the globe. Its wireless segment provides wireless, voice and data, internet access, multimedia, international travel and IoT network access services.  

Verizon is gearing up to invest in 5G network capability following the Federal Communications Commission’s recent decision to remove regulatory roadblocks to the implementation of this technology. Along with Cisco and Juniper Networks, the company is using software-defined networking (SDN) technology to combine all its existing service edge routers for Ethernet and IP-based services into a single platform to improve network operational efficiency and increase functionality and flexibility. 

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) — Through its subsidiary, Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company provides on-demand cloud computing platforms to individuals, companies and governments on paid subscription basis. Its technology enables subscribers to access a fully-fledged virtual cluster of computers 24/7 through the internet via server farms throughout the world.  

AWS offers over 90 services, including computing, data storage, networking, database, analytics, application services, deployment, mobile, developer tools and a platform for IoT. AWS was the standout performer of Amazon’s stable of subsidiaries in the last quarter of 2017. Amazon reported net sales of $51 billion, a massive increase of 42.9 percent over 2016, with net sales increasing by 39 percent over the previous quarter. 

Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) — Alphabet is the newly formed holding company for Google and other subsidiaries. The Google segment of Alphabet’s business includes internet products such as Ads, Android, Chrome, Commerce, Google Cloud, Google Maps, Google Play, Hardware, Search and YouTube. It offers digital content, enterprise cloud services, hardware products and other miscellaneous products and services. 

Google is also launching a new investment program aimed at early-stage startups to provide financial resources, access to Google features and tools, and the Google Cloud Platform. In addition, the company will offer promotional support to young companies. This investment program will support startups using Google Assistant’s in the travel, hospitality and gaming industries. 

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) — Comcast is the largest cable company in the United States. Its cable communications segment offers video, high-speed internet, voice, security and automation services to both residential and business customers via its XFINITY brand. The company also provides business services that include Ethernet network and cellular backhaul services to mobile network operators. Comcast’s high-speed internet segment is growing rapidly, reaching $4.2 billion in the last quarter, representing an increase of 8.2 percent year-over-year. 

On May 2, 2018, the company announced a multimillion dollar investment in the expansion of its fiber-based network in Arlington and Alexandria, providing access to an additional 350 businesses directly and benefiting hundreds more. Comcast is one of the fastest growing Ethernet providers in the United States and serves 20 of the top 25 markets. 

These companies are all striving to improve their telecommunications offerings in an ongoing drive to provide high-quality products and services for their customers. Their efforts to provide the highest quality services will lead to company growth and stave off the competition from OTTs, which are often beset by poor connectivity and communication quality problems. 

For more information on Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation, please visit Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corporation (OTC:HMMR)

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Brand Network (IBN).

About IBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com
Corporate Communications Contact:NetworkNewsWire (NNW)New York, New Yorkwww.NetworkNewsWire.com  212.418.1217 Office

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 News Source: NetworkNewsWire

Smart Money Flowing into Lithium Market

New York, NY  -- May 1, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Venture capitalists have been placing enormous bets on lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. These high-tech batteries now power everything from smart phones and power tools to electric vehicles. Demand for lithium is certain to surge as vehicles become greener, new devices flourish and electricity becomes cleaner. In a testament to the immense opportunity created by the batteries’ versatility, venture capital firms have already pumped a record $1 billion-plus into battery technology this year, more than double all of last year’s total (http://nnw.fm/3TuqE). Surging demand and inadequate market supply have intensified the hunt for new sources of this critical mineral by Lithium Chile, Inc. (TSX-V: LITH) (OTC: LTMCF) and other interested mining companies such as Albemarle Corp. (NYSE: ALB), Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (OTC: LACDF), FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) and Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM).

Lithium has myriad uses, from lubricating grease to fabricating glass and traditional ceramics, but most important is its use in the development of high-density storage batteries. Indicative of its importance, Goldman Sachs identified lithium as “the new gasoline,” essential to fueling the burgeoning electric vehicle market. The transformative impact of lithium-based batteries is likely to be greater than the titanic shift that occurred when society transitioned from whale oil to petroleum-based energy sources. Little wonder that smart money is piling into the sector.

Some of the money is earmarked for research on new technology, but by far the largest recent capital influx has poured into existing lithium-ion battery technology, and nothing is more critical to this essential energy source than lithium. The market has grown from $244 million in 2014 to more than $394 million in 2017. That’s only the beginning of a burgeoning industry — its 17.4 percent annual growth is expected put the market at over $684 million within the next four years (http://nnw.fm/d5ZRK).

A Race for the Prize

Unabated demand and material shortages have driven up prices and sparked a global quest for new sources of lithium. Located in the heart of the world’s foremost reserves for the metal, Lithium Chile, Inc. (TSX-V: LITH) (OTC: LTMCF) is well positioned to exploit the market imbalances and sky-rocketing demand. Chile is currently the largest producer of lithium in the world and first in lithium reserves. Lithium Chile is developing one of the largest lithium-rich exploration portfolios in the country encompassing more than 148,000 hectares (over 570 square miles) across 15 properties. Their land acquisition began in 2015, exploration got underway in 2017, geochemical programs are complete, geophysics is underway, and the company is targeting 2018 for drilling and an initial resource estimates on two projects.

Through strategic acquisition, Lithium Chile has amassed the largest lithium land package in Chile of any private operating company. Utilizing over 26 years of mining experience in the country, Vice President of Exploration and Chief Geologist Terry Walker has spearheaded the company’s procurement of vast prime lithium resources. An extraordinary field geologist, Mr. Walker can precisely identify the status, ownership and viability of every claim in the country with nothing more than GPS coordinates. Current land prices hover around $1,500 per hectare, but Mr. Walker’s acumen and experience proved invaluable Lithium Chile accumulated large tracts of prime lithium-bearing properties well before the land rush for only $3 per hectare.

The company’s potential lithium resources are held in salar brines, which are underground reservoirs containing high concentrations of dissolved salts, such as lithium. Testing on Lithium Chile properties has shown some of the highest sample grades reported throughout Chile. The typical lithium concentration needed for production in the United States is between 190 and 200 milligrams of lithium per liter. Some of Lithium Chile’s properties have tested at more than 1,000 milligrams per liter, and one sample returned 1,400 milligrams per liter taken within three feet of the surface.

Lithium Chile’s wholly owned assets include 66 square kilometers on the Salar de Atacama, Chile’s largest mineral salt flat, which is the source of about 30 percent of the world’s lithium production. The Salar de Atacama offers multiple competitive advantages in lithium production, including good infrastructure, high concentrations of salar brines, low processing costs, superior evaporation rates and favorable year-round weather. Chile also is mining friendly and provides a clear, streamlined permitting process that contributes to the country being the lowest-cost lithium producer in the world.

Priority Prospects

Field testing has identified multiple high-priority target areas at Lithium Chile’s Salar De Atacama and Salar Ollague properties where near-surface brine values of up to 1,330 milligrams per liter of lithium and 1140 milligrams per liter of lithium, respectively, have been discovered. Drilling is expected to commence this year (http://nnw.fm/85Lu2). Steve Cochrane, president and CEO of Lithium Chile, commented, “We are delighted with the discovery of such impressive drill target areas at Atacama and Ollague. The results also follow the recent discovery of a 60km2 target area at another of our top Chilean projects — Helados. . . .We have an aggressive multi-project drill program planned for this year, which includes all three of these exciting projects, and we look forward to sharing drill results as they come through.”

Cochrane has more than 36 years of investment industry experience and helped raise over $500 million for public companies in various industry sectors including mining. Totally committed to company success, Mr. Cochrane and his clients are “all in,” and his extensive capital market experience will be an inestimable asset as Lithium Chile, Inc. (TSX-V: LITH) (OTC: LTMCF) continues rollout and expansion of its development strategy. The management team is rounded with seasoned professionals in finance and resources including Executive Chairman Al J. Kroontje and directors Ken Booth and Andrew Bowering. The company is well funded and driven by a top-tier team with more than 150 years of combined experience in finance, mining exploration and development in the natural resources sector.

A Competitive Field

Among the world’s major lithium producers, Albemarle Corp. (NYSE: ALB) is the largest and derives nearly 39 percent of its total revenue from lithium sales. Long a global leader in the specialty chemical business, Albemarle’s lithium business segment mines lithium and converts it into different forms along the value chain, such as lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, or value-added specialties such as butyl lithium and lithium aluminum hydride. With its acquisition of Rockwood Holdings in 2015, the company now controls one of the only operating lithium brines in North America and operates one lithium brine in Chile. ALB also holds a 49 percent share in Talison Lithium in Australia and plans to expand production there in 2019 under a joint venture.

Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (OTC: LACDF) is focused on development of two lithium development projects: the Cauchari-Olaroz project located in the Jujuy province of Argentina and the Lithium Nevada project located in northwestern Nevada. Its segments are Organoclay, Lithium Nevada, Cauchari-Olaroz and Corporate. Its geographical segments are Canada, the United States, Germany and Argentina. The Cauchari-Olaroz project is a lithium brine mineral project. The Lithium Nevada project is a smectite clay-based lithium project.
Primarily serving the agricultural industry, FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) provides solutions to enhance crop yield and quality by controlling a broad spectrum of insects, weeds and disease, as well as providing pest control to nonagricultural markets. The company’s lithium products are utilized in energy storage, specialty polymers and pharmaceutical synthesis. FMC has been in business for over a century and acquired a significant portion of DuPont's Crop Protection business in 2017. FMC employs approximately 7,000 people throughout the world and operates its businesses in two segments: FMC Agricultural Solutions and FMC Lithium.

Chile-based Sociedad Quimica y Minera S.A. (NYSE: SQM) is an intriguing player in the global scramble to secure greater supplies of lithium. SQM produces over 45,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent per year and plans to expand lithium carbonate capacity to 63,000 metric tons in 2018. In addition to lithium, the company produces specialty plant nutrients, iodine derivatives, potassium chloride, potassium sulfate and industrial chemicals. The Chilean government announced it plans to block the possible $4 billion purchase of 32 percent of the company by Tianqi Lithium Corporation and any other Chinese company. The deal was blocked to prevent China from controlling the lithium resources needed by electric car makers.

From the very first spark of fire forward, humans have sought out new energy sources. At each step along the way, quality of life improved. There’s little doubt that lithium will play a major role in powering the future and it appears to be just the beginning of another major transformation in the way we live.

For more information on Lithium Chile, visit Lithium Chile, Inc. (TSX-V: LITH) (OTC: LTMCF)

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Fast-Growing Cannabis Industry Drives Biotech Research, Innovative Medical Therapy Development

New York, NY  -- January 25, 2018 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: The rapidly growing cannabis industry has spawned a range of diverse companies focusing on innovative technologies for cannabis cultivation, as well as the development of cannabis-based medical therapies for an array of diseases and ailments. The market has given rise to biotech companies with exciting advances in product formulation and delivery. At the cutting-edge of innovation, PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (OTC: PRVCF) (CSE: PREV) (FSE: 18H) has developed an innovative cannabidiol (CBD)-based nose-to-brain delivery system for the relief of a number of medical conditions. Another company, Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (OTCQB: LXRP) has developed its own proprietary system for CBD-based therapy delivery. And with a market cap of over $3.6 billion, GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) is an established giant in the cannabis biotech space developing plant-derived cannabinoid therapeutics. Canadian cultivator Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) is an example of yet another company that could benefit from its therapeutic advances as the anticipated commercial availablity of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products is met by greater demand.

The cannabis market is likely to surpass $31 billion by 2021, billowing from its value of $6.5 billion in 2016, according to a Brightfield Group report quoted by Forbes (http://nnw.fm/b75xW). A different report by investment bank Cowen & Co. estimates that the market will increase to $50 billion by 2026 (http://nnw.fm/wmv6C). This caliber of growth, to a large extent, is fueled by the increasing legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational use in Canada and in many states across the United States. As demand for cannabis-based medications grows, the market will become increasingly competitive, compelling companies to develop innovative therapies and delivery systems to gain more traction in the marketplace.

Diverse Portfolio Creates Multiple Market Opportunities

Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (OTC: PRVCF) (CSE: PREV) (FSE: 18H) started out in 2009 as a partnership between established businessman and venture capitalist Stephen Van Deventer, and entrepreneur Kimberley Van Deventer. The synergy of the pair’s respective aptitudes led to the creation of Cornerstone Global Partners, a venture capital and business development company.

Today, PreveCeutical is a life science company that researches and develops innovative solutions for preventative and curative therapies through a combination of organic and Nature Identical™ products. With the preventative healthcare technologies market expected to reach $432 billion by 2024 (http://nnw.fm/UF8u8), the company has made a strategic decision to focus on warding off illness in the medically acute areas of diabetes, obesity, pain management, neurological disorders and cancer.

By maintaining a diverse portfolio of novel compounds and products, PreveCeutical is able to compete in several niches of the health care industry, including immunity-boosting sciences and medicinal cannabis.

PreveCeutical has a product, CELLB9®, an oral dilute solution utilizing select peptides from the blue scorpion, found only in the Caribbean region. PreveCeutical’s “Nature Identical” research team is building on proprietary chemistry to produce controlled venom peptides that it hopes will be able to halt the progression of cancers, while also exploring the peptides’ potential in responding to other medical concerns related to pain management, metabolic disorders, cancers, cardiovascular conditions and infectious diseases.

PreveCeutical is currently in a joint venture with Sports 1 Marketing to focus on the therapeutic potential of the Natural Identical venom’s peptides and proteins to treat mild brain injury concussions in athletes.

The company is also currently working with four leading Australian research centers to develop a curative therapy for diabetes and obesity. This is a novel four-year program selectively targeting the gene that encodes for the protein PTP-1B, implicated and over-expressed in both Type-2 diabetes and obesity.

Globally, over $800 billion is spent on diabetes, with one person dying every six seconds from the disease (http://nnw.fm/2OqnS) in 2014, presenting to PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (OTC: PRVCF) (CSE: PREV) (FSE: 18H) significant market opportunity and the potential to alter the diabetes landscape.

Notably, PreveCeutical’s innovative gene-silencing technology would effectively disable the genetic signal that leads to over-production of PTP-1B. This would bring this protein down to safe, normalized levels that would prevent the body from storing excessive fat.

PreveCeutical’s Groundbreaking Sol-Gel Delivery System

PreveCeutical in November announced its approval from the Environmental Hazards Unit of the Queensland Government (the Australian state-level authority) to acquire, store and use high-quality dried cannabis plant extracts, paving the way for the company to advance its R&D program for the commercialization of a new system for administering the drug (http://nnw.fm/47wwI).

The company believes its Sol-gel platform will be the first FDA-approved, CBD-based nose-to-brain delivery system of its kind to provide relief for pain, inflammation, seizures and neurological disorders. PreveCeutical’s proprietary nasal formulations will be designed for use by both adults and children. The company expects to have this delivery platform fully tested, approved and primed for deployment to licensed medical cannabis companies in 2019.

PreveCeutical’s Sol-gels are taken via nasal administration. They gel rapidly on contact with mucosal tissue, paving the way for direct nose-to-brain delivery. By circumventing first-pass metabolism in the stomach, intestines and liver, bioavailability may be dramatically improved, even compared to other nasal sprays and alternative delivery systems. The gel stays in the nasal passages, providing controlled CBD release while maintaining activity for up to seven days. Its ease of application, long-lasting effects and absence of negative side-effects may make it attractive for patients over other delivery systems.

The Company’s Development and Management Team

PreveCeutical Medical’s research team is led by Dr. Harendra Parekh, Ph.D., based at the Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (PACE) at the University of Queensland. He is joined by Chief Science Officer Dr. Makarand Jawadekar, Ph.D., who has 28 years of experience in R&D with Pfizer Inc. They are supported by research collaborators, Dr. Rakesh Veedu and Professor Grant Ramm. Dr. Veedu is an emerging international expert in molecular medicine, while Professor Ramm is currently head of a leading medical research institute in Brisbane, Australia.

PreveCeutical also partners with industry experts and companies in its drive to establish a leadership position in the preventative health sciences sector. Its research and development partnership with the University of Queensland’s commercialization company, UniQuest, grants PreveCeutical rights to all intellectual property arising from projects created by the partnership.

The Company’s management team has extensive experience in research, product development, deep corporate strategy development and leadership in capital markets. PreveCeutical is re-capitalizing to fund its ambitious research and development program. Following a private placement completed in July 2017, the company expects the next round of financing to close in mid-February.

A recent Crystal Equity Research report summarizes the company’s differentiated endeavors in health care, highlighting PreveCeutical’s ability to raise the capital needed to execute its business plans.

“Our bullish view on PreveCeutical Medical is influenced by the Company’s plans to bring novel therapeutic compounds to the market at a time when the preventative health care market is entering a period of rapid growth. Management has demonstrated the ability to garner investor support and raise capital at a critical time in its development agenda, a recognized key to success for any health sciences company. Management has also been successful in securing research and development talent through a strategic relationship with a respected and successful academic institution,” reads the report (http://nnw.fm/Ho4v2).

Industry Comparables

Another innovative biotech, LLexaria Bioscience Corp. (OTCQB: LXRP), has developed disruptive delivery technology that facilitates healthier ingestion methods, lower overall dosing and higher effectiveness of lipophilic active molecules. The company out-licenses its delivery platform, which has multiple patents pending in more than 40 countries. Patents have been granted in the United States and Australia for the use of its DehydraTECH™ delivery technology. This provides increased intestinal absorption rates, faster delivery to the bloodstream and taste-masking benefits for orally administered cannabinoids, vitamins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), nicotine and other molecules.

London-headquartered GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) focuses on discovering, developing and commercializing new therapeutics across a wide range of disease areas using its proprietary cannabinoid product platform. The company commercialized the world’s first plant-derived cannabinoid prescription drug, Sativex®, for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. Together with its U.S. subsidiary, Greenwich Biosciences, GW is proceeding with an orphan drug program for childhood epilepsy. It has filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the FDA for its CBD-based drug Epidiolex for the adjunctive treatment of Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) and Dravet Syndrome. Other products in its development pipeline include compounds in Phase 1 and 2 trials for glioblastoma, schizophrenia and epilepsy.

Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) offers distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and capsule form. The company operates seven cannabis production sites with more than 665,000 square feet of production capacity, which includes over 500,000 square feet of GMP-certified production area. It has global reach, with operations in seven countries across four continents. Canopy Growth educates healthcare practitioners and the public on cannabis. Through its partly owned subsidiary Canopy Rivers Corporation, the company builds its portfolio of stable investments by incubating new entrants to the cannabis market. Canopy Health Innovations, another partly owned subsidiary, focuses on research for commercial opportunities and IP development.

These companies are rising to the challenges presented by the increasing consumer demand for cannabis-based products. They are positioning themselves to assume leadership positions in their respective sectors of the cannabis industry to realize maximum value for their shareholders.

For more information on PreveCeutical Medical Inc., please visit: PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (OTC: PRVCF) (CSE: PREV) (FSE: 18H)

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The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.
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Investors are Powering Up on Cobalt Stocks as Price Hits 9-Year High

New York, NY  -- December 21, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Cobalt is a key component of lithium-ion batteries, with cobalt sulfate the preferred feedstock for the cathodes in these batteries. During 2017, the spot price of cobalt has seen an upward trend, surging more than 120 percent on the London Metal Exchange (LME) since the beginning of the year to a nine-year high (http://nnw.fm/f38iT). Predictions are that 2018 will see growing demand for cobalt in line with the increased production of electric vehicles (EVs) worldwide and the increasing adoption of lithium-powered mobile technology in developing countries, and Bloomberg New Energy Finance forecasts that the shift toward these batteries will continue to increase, sending demand for cobalt up an astounding 30-fold by 2030 (http://nnw.fm/dArn3). Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B) is gearing up to take advantage of this surge in demand for the metal by developing its cobalt interests in North America. With recent significant exploration results, Quantum is pacing alongside other companies looking to scale up their exploration, development and production endeavors, including Cobalt 27 Capital Corp. (TSX-V: KBLT), First Cobalt Corp. (TSX-V: FCC) (OTC: FTSSF), eCobalt Solutions Inc. (TSX: ECS) (OTC: ECSIF) and Katanga Mining Limited (TSX: KAT).

The biggest market for electric vehicles is China, where the number of EVs sold in 2016 was double the amount in Europe and triple the amount in the United States. Sales of electric vehicles are likely to increase exponentially on the back of China’s requirement that one in five cars sold by 2025 must be powered by alternatives to fossil fuels. France and Britain have also announced their intention to ban combustion engines for vehicles by 2040. As signatories to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, more countries will follow suit, leading to an even higher expected global demand for cobalt. Lithium-ion batteries account for a third of the cost of producing an electric vehicle. To date, battery prices have made EVs cost-prohibitive, but the price fell by 35 percent in 2015 and has continued to decrease each year since. Bloomberg reported on a prediction that EVs will be as affordable as combustion-driven vehicles by 2022, and that EVs will account for over a third of all new vehicle sales by 2040 (http://nnw.fm/bc0hI).

While impressive, these predictions are saddled with worrisome controversy. Today, China generates 80 percent of the world’s cobalt products; a large percentage of its feedstock is sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where more than 50 percent of the world’s cobalt is mined despite a long history of volatile political instability and serious ethical concerns. To say circumstances in the DRC are “troubling” is putting it mildly. Human rights activists and NGOs are ramping up their efforts to abolish forced labor, child labor and financial corruption concerns in the DRC, while industry leaders Apple and Tesla – both of which heavily rely on cobalt for their lithium batteries - are walking away from “Conflict Cobalt” and looking for alternatives supplies outside of the DRC (http://nnw.fm/ay9B1 http://nnw.fm/2AmMj).

Increasing global awareness also has many cobalt producers pursuing opportunities to develop safer alternatives in North America rather than risking their investments in the DRC. And herein lies the opportunity for Canada.

Well-aware of the shifting supply scene, Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B) is focusing its attention on developing its mining interests in Canada (http://nnw.fm/0uPqp), where the company owns three properties tucked into the core of Ontario’s cobalt belt.

Quantum earlier this week announced significant results from an exploration program at its wholly owned Kahuna Property near the town of Cobalt. At Kahuna, the exploration program focused on prospecting, geological mapping and geochemical sampling included 166 soil samples and 28 grab samples. According to the press release (http://nnw.fm/B4Vhp), Kahuna produced assay samples as high as 10.59 percent cobalt. Keep in mind that the discovery of 2 percent cobalt is considered “high grade” – samples at 10.59 percent put Quantum in a favorable position to consider its options to produce cobalt from the historic workings to potentially capture its share of surging demand for cobalt.

Quantum also recently published the results of assays from its exploration program at its Nipissing Lorrain mine (http://nnw.fm/2LX5n), reporting that from 28 grab samples collected and 15 submitted for analysis, the average grade at the pile was found to be over 2.33 percent cobalt, with a peak value of 8.33 percent. Based on these positive results, the company says it is considering options to produce cobalt from the historic workings.

Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B) in late November acquired the Nipissing Lorrain Project, which includes two separate claims in land packages around the mining town of Cobalt, a historically mined area with rich deposits of cobalt, nickel and silver, and easy access to infrastructure, power and road transport. Past production at this property included over 16,500 pounds of cobalt and 5,500 pounds of silver.

Located in the epicenter of past producing cobalt mines in Ontario, Quantum is gearing up to breathe life into Canada’s supply line, potentially providing investors and automakers an alternative outside the ethically-crippled DRC. With Tesla alone pushing to roll-out 500,000 electric vehicles by the year 2020 – which would require roughly 6 percent of cobalt produced worldwide annually - global demand is rapidly outpacing supply, triggering what many are calling a modern-day “exploration rush.”

Leading Quantum’s aggressive push forward is CEO Greg Burns, who has more than two decades of corporate and technical experience in mineral exploration. He is also currently the director of M&A for Capital Investment Partners, an investment bank headquartered in Western Australia. Burns previously was the previous managing director of Xenolith, which was taken over by Cline Group in 2015, and was also formerly the director of White Canyon Uranium before the company was taken over by Denison Mines in 2010. He has also held senior operations roles with Goldstream Mining, Adamus Resources Limited and Platinum Australia Limited.

With Burns at the helm, this CAD$45+ million mining company is gaining ground on its larger counterparts.

Cobalt 27 Capital Corp. (TSX-V: KBLT) is one of the few pure-play companies in the cobalt sector. The company holds physical cobalt stock and is focused on developing a portfolio of revenue streams, royalties and direct interests in cobalt mineral properties through acquisitions. It has a high-quality management team and advisory board experts in the fields of mining, investment management and streaming/royalty companies. Cobalt 27 holds just over 2,160 tons of physical cobalt, consisting of 1,488 tons of premium grade and 672 tons of standard grade cobalt. It does not intend to actively speculate with its physical holdings, which are stored at secure warehouses certified by the LME. Cobalt 27 provides an investment alternative for investors interested in direct cobalt investment without the risks associated with exploration and processing companies.

With a market cap of over $232 million, First Cobalt Corp. (TSX-V: FCC) (OTCQB: FTSSF) is in the process of completing mergers with Cobalt One Ltd. and CobalTech Mining Inc., which will enable it to control over 10,000 hectares of prospective land and 50 historic mining operations around the town of Cobalt, Ontario. Currently, the company owns 4,300 hectares that include the historic Keeley-Frontier, Drummond, Silver Banner and Bellellen mines. These mines historically produced more than 3.3 million pounds of cobalt and 19.1 ounces of silver. First Cobalt’s mission is to build the largest pure-play cobalt exploration and development company in the world. On Dec. 7, 2017, the company announced that it had purchased four contiguous mining claims located near the historically producing Caswell Mine within the Cobalt Camp.

eCobalt Solutions (TSX: ECS) (OTC: ECSIF) has interests in base and precious metals, as well as uranium projects, in Canada, the United States and Mexico. It has made a conscious decision to distance itself from the risks associated with unethical mining operations in the DRC. The company has focused its cobalt efforts on its wholly owned Idaho Cobalt Project, which is one of the few predominant cobalt deposits in the world. This means that mining feasibility is unaffected by the nickel and copper markets. Engineering studies have indicated that this project has the potential to produce high-purity cobalt and is at advanced-stage, near-term production.

Katanga Mining Ltd. (TSX: KAT) is a well-established mining company that began exploring opportunities in the DRC in 1997. It operates a large-scale copper-cobalt project with substantial high-grade mineral reserves and integrated mineral processing operations. In January 2008, the company merged with Nikanor PLC and also holds a 75 percent stake in two joint ventures with Gecamines, a DRC-owned mining company. Although it conducts all its operations in the DRC, Katanga Mining is fully committed to the socio-economic development of the community within its sphere of influence.

Due to the surge in demand for cobalt and expectations for a continuing trend, industry experts predict a looming cobalt deficit, which would likely push the price of the metal even higher. These companies are scaling up their efforts in exploration and development to take advantage of this rising global demand.

For more information on Quantum Cobalt Corp., visit: Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B)
About NetworkNewsWire
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The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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Blockchain-Powered Cryptocurrency Revolution Boosts Early Adopters

New York, NY  -- December 20, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: The astounding surge in the price of cryptocurrencies in 2017, most notably bitcoin’s rise from around $1,000 at the start of the year to over $19,000 currently, has been powered by the innovative distributed ledger technology known as the blockchain. The blockchain supports cryptocurrencies and other applications where a secure, transparent record of transactions is required. It enables these transactions by using distributed computer networks to record and store transaction data, eliminating the need for third-party validation. This revolutionary technology has enabled the ever-widening adoption of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin, while leading to big gains in the stocks of companies which support or develop blockchain technology. Among the companies which stand to benefit from the increasing acceptance of the blockchain and cryptocurrencies are Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6), Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT), Hive Blockchain Technologies LTD. (OTC: PRELF)( TSX.V: HIVE), MGT Capital Investments, Inc. (OTC: MGTI) and Glance Tech (CSE: GET).

Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC: VSQTF) (FWB:6F6) creates, funds and supports entrepreneurs with potentially disruptive technologies in the fields of blockchain technology, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, personalized health, gaming and film. Throughout its history, the company has demonstrated a knack for incubating successful innovators.

Victory Square was ahead of the crowd in realizing the blockchain represented a breakthrough investment opportunity, enabling the company to engage in multiple early partnerships and investments in the space. Victory Square scored a big win in the sector by investing three years ago in BTL Group (TSXV: BTL) (OTC: BTLLF), the first publicly traded blockchain technology company.

With BTL’s market capitalization now exceeding $200 million, Victory Square’s investment in the pioneering blockchain startup has paid off in a big way. From under $2 at the start of 2017, BTL’s U.S-traded shares have more than quintupled this year, surging to a new 52-week high of $12.76 December 19. BTL Group offers blockchain solutions for multiple industries, focusing particularly on the finance, energy, and gaming sectors. The company’s best-known product is Interbit, a blockchain platform designed to support the speedy development of business applications that significantly improve efficiency. A number of the largest institutions in the world currently use Interbit to investigate opportunities with private blockchains.

BTL co-founder Guy Halford-Thompson recently joined Victory Square’s advisory board where he will assist the company in growing and scaling its current portfolio of companies and play a vital role in its new partnership with Blockchain Investment Consortium.

“Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6) played a key part helping BTL scale in its early days, and I’m extremely excited to join the team as an advisor. The leadership group at Victory Square has consistently shown an ability to identify large market opportunities, as well as the right teams to capitalize on them. They give them the funding, resources and relationships required to accelerate their growth and allow them to scale internationally,” Halford-Thompson stated in the press release (http://nnw.fm/MWFv6).

Victory Square provides its portfolio companies with access to education, a global mentorship network, and the expertise of its experienced management team, which possesses more than 100 years of successful entrepreneurial experience. Shafin Diamond Tejani, the company’s CEO, has launched more than 40 start-ups in 21 countries over the past two decades. He has been named both EY Technology Entrepreneur of the Year and Canadian Angel Investor of the Year.

Victory Square combines the keen eye of its executives for spotting entrepreneurial talent with its ability to offer those entrepreneurs access to its retinue of services designed to enable them to accelerate the growth of their companies. In addition to the services already mentioned, this includes distribution partners to help them move from conceptualizing products to marketing them. The company provides its portfolio firms with access to its impressive global network of over 80 business accelerators, with 20 accelerator partnerships in developing tech hubs.

The company’s wholly owned subsidiary, FansUnite Media, Inc., is developing a new social sports betting platform. FansUnite Media is a social sports data platform that offers its members data that helps them collaborate in trying to pick sporting event winners using a free virtual currency sponsored by the company. Integrating blockchain technology into FansUnite’s platform has to the potential to spur blockchain initiatives developed by associated Victory Square divisions. Regarding its blockchain efforts, Darius Eghdami, co-founder and CEO of FansUnite, said, “Blockchain technology and the inherent security it provides will enable us to push every envelope we can to build the most dynamic and responsive social sports betting platform.”

The Victory Square Health Inc. division of Victory Square serves as a venture division for the parent company, developing solutions focused on personalized health technologies. Victory Square has also invested in V2 Games, which develops and publishes high-quality mobile games. V2 Games is best known for successfully launching PAC-MAN Bounce and Beast Brawlers, two popular releases which have garnered millions of downloads. In addition, Victory Square has acquired 40 percent of United Film Fund II, LLC, which plans to produce three major motion pictures in 2017 and 2018.

In a recent press release, Victory Square announced its admission to the Blockchain Investors Consortium (BIC), a market-leading organization dedicated to pioneering professional investment activities into digital assets worldwide. The group totals in excess of $2 billion of digital assets across its members, which pool their expertise to perform due diligence with the objective of identifying opportunities in innovative blockchain-oriented companies.

“By joining this elite investment group Victory Square gains access to promising early-stage blockchain companies, bolstering Victory Square’s position as a pioneering investor in Blockchain companies in Canada and globally,” Victory Square CEO Shafin Diamond Tejani stated in the news release.

On December 11, Victory Square introduced a portfolio company VS Blockchain Assembly Inc., focused on providing financial, technical and management services to assist in the development of early-stage blockchain technology companies and to help existing technology companies integrate blockchain integration to spur growth.

“Blockchain Assembly will act as a services firm providing guidance on technology architecture and development, and will facilitate banking, legal and commercialization services,” Tejani said. “Further, Blockchain Assembly assists these companies with their fund-raising objectives, whether they pursue capital through token generation events, private funding, or raising money through the public markets. We are using our expertise at company building to identify, incubate, advise and invest in the best blockchain entrepreneurs, helping build the tech titans of the next century."

The tremendous demand from investors for the shares of companies involved in the cryptocurrency revolution can be seen in the rapid ascent of the price of the stock of Riot Blockchain (NASDAQ: RIOT). After changing its name from Bioptix Pharma and reorienting its focus from biopharmaceuticals to the blockchain, RIOT stock has soared from under $7 early in November to a high above $46 in mid-December.

The company’s goal is to brand itself as a leading blockchain authority and offer investment exposure to the blockchain environment. Riot has announced a strategic investment in Verady, LLC, which provides accounting standards and auditing services to the cryptocurrency market. Riot also owns a stake in Coinsquare, the Canadian digital currency exchange, as well as a majority ownership position in TessPay, which serves as a blockchain-based payment resource for wholesale telecom carriers. Cresval Capital Corp. recently signed a merger agreement with TessPay which, when completed, would make TessPay Riot’s first investment to be spun off into an independent public company.

Another segment of the cryptocurrency space which has attracted intense interest from investors is cryptocurrency mining. HIVE Blockchain Technologies (OTC: PRELF)( TSX.V: HIVE) is an early mover in the sector which has amply rewarded investors in its shares. Its stock traded on the OTCPK exchange has exploded from $0.07 at the start of the year to over $3 at one point this year, and $2.68 as of December 15. Cryptocurrency miners operate by verifying transactions using blockchain technology, and are commonly rewarded with digital coins for their services. To build the next generation of infrastructure for blockchain transactions, HIVE has entered into a strategic partnership with Genesis Mining LTD. HIVE has advanced digital currency mining operations in Iceland that work 24/7 producing digital currency. Low energy costs at the location enable reduced working capital requirements giving the company the flexibility to sell coins to optimize profits when it feels the time is right.

MGT Capital Investments (OTCQB: MGTI) is a U.S. based bitcoin miner that has seen its shares skyrocket recently, rising from under $1 in April of this year to $4.20 as of December 15. The company plans to expand, and is working on the development of a portfolio of cyber security applications with the assistance of security software luminary John McAfee. The goal is to create advanced protection technologies for corporate networks and devices for personal use. MGT Capital has reported that it plans to purchase a further 500 S9 Antminer rigs from Bitmain Technologies, with delivery to be completed early in 2018. Once the new cryptocurrency rigs have been added to the company’s existing rigs, MGT Capital will have over 5,000 Bitmain S9s mining bitcoins, generating millions of dollars of monthly revenue.

Glance Technologies (CSE: GET:CN) is another firm positioning itself to benefit from the adoption of cryptocurrencies. The company operates Glance Pay, which is a payment system designed to allow smartphone users to choose where they want to eat, order goods and services, send payments, access receipts, and earn rewards and interact with merchants. The company is focused on building an extensive network of merchants and consumers who can use its targeted in-app marketing, digital coupons, and other services. Glance Pay is currently working on a rewards-based cryptocurrency it plans to integrate into its platform. The Glance Pay mobile payment app functions as a secure, streamlined method of paying restaurant bills. Glance Technologies announced in December that it had completed its purchase of the Blockimpact cryptocurrency and blockchain solution from Ztudium Inc. The company intends to integrate Blockimpact into the Glance Pay mobile payment platform.

With the cryptocurrency-led blockchain revolution still in the early innings, the potential for forward-thinking companies to disrupt existing industries and processes has captured the attention of investors around the world. The companies named in this article have all positioned themselves to play a part in the explosion of innovation that has been unleashed by the rise of cryptocurrencies and the blockchain.

For more information on Victory Square, visit Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6).

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.
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Companies Enabling the Blockchain Revolution Offer Diverse Investment Opportunities

New York, NY  -- December 14, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: The cryptocurrency revolution has redefined the concept of money and facilitated the adoption of the distributed ledger system known as the blockchain that makes digital money feasible. At the same time, it has presented investors in the stocks of companies linked to the blockchain revolution with the opportunity to reap substantial profits. With the market for blockchain technology projected to experience blistering growth, from $210 million in 2016 to as much as $2.3 billion by 2021, investors are identifying tremendous potential for both established and emerging companies like Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6), Overstock (NASDAQ: OSTK), HIVE Blockchain Technologies (OTC: PRELF) (TSX.V: HIVE), Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA).

The growing popularity of cryptocurrencies and the blockchain, partly spurred by bitcoin’s astounding rise from around $1,000 at the start of the year to above $16,000 currently, has caused related stocks to soar, with some doubling, tripling, and even quadrupling or more as investors rush to capitalize on their potential.

Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6) recognized early the possibilities of the blockchain for changing transaction tracking by using a distributed network of computers to eliminate the need for third-party auditors. The company, which operates as a venture builder and technology incubator creating, funding and empowering entrepreneurs in a variety of emerging fields, made its first blockchain-related investment approximately three years ago by providing funding and business guidance to the BTL Group, the first publicly traded blockchain company.

BTL has since developed into a TSX-listed company with a market capitalization in excess of $250 million that provides blockchain solutions to multiple industries with an emphasis on the finance, energy and gaming sectors. The product BTL is best known for, Interbit, is a blockchain platform that makes it possible to rapidly develop business applications designed to boost efficiency. Today some of the largest institutions in the world utilize the Interbit platform to explore the potential of private blockchains.

A look at Victory Square’s overarching business model shows that the company invests in game-changing entrepreneurs and offers them access to a global mentor network along with distribution partners and other resources to help them accelerate the growth of their business. Victory Square offers its portfolio companies access to more than 80 business accelerators globally, and has a network of over 20 accelerator partnerships located in developing tech hubs. In addition to its investments in blockchain-based companies, Victory Square has investments in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, personalized health, gaming and film. The company’s business model enables it to benefit from monetization opportunities when its portfolio companies are acquired.

Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6)  is led by a seasoned management team with more than 100 years of combined award-winning entrepreneurial experience. The company’s CEO, Shafin Diamond Tejani, is a visionary entrepreneur and business builder with two decades of experience growing companies. In his career, he has successfully launched over 40 start-ups in 21 countries. He has been named EY Technology Entrepreneur of the Year, Canadian Angel Investor of the Year, and won the Startup Canada Award for Entrepreneur Support.

The company’s wholly owned subsidiary, FansUnite Media, Inc. is developing a new social sports betting program (http://nnw.fm/e9QtX). The division serves as a social sports data platform providing its members with relevant data to assist them in trying to pick sporting event winners using a free virtual currency. Integrating blockchain technology into FansUnite’s data platform has the potential to spur blockchain initiatives developed by associated Victory Square divisions.

The platform can be accessed by members anywhere in the world on any device, for any sport. Users of the platform can place wagers using FAN Tokens that can be purchased with the cryptocurrency Ethereum or earned via participation in various networking activities. Regarding the platform, Darius Eghdami, co-founder and CEO, said, “blockchain technology and the inherent security it provides will enable us to push every envelope we can to build the most dynamic and responsive social sports betting platform.”

Victory Square was recently admitted to the Blockchain Investors Consortium (BIC), a market-leading organization dedicated to pioneering professional investment activities for digital assets worldwide. The group has more than $2 billion of digital assets altogether among its members, who pool their expertise to perform collaborative due diligence aimed at identifying investment opportunities in promising blockchain-enabled enterprises. Investments made by BIC members include Coinbase, Tether, Ethereum’s initial crowd funding, and a number of early BTC investors.

“As an early proponent of Blockchain entrepreneurs and companies, the Victory Square team is excited to participate in this exclusive group of successful crypto investors,” CEO Tejani stated in the press release (http://nnw.fm/8VgDy).

By joining this elite investment group Victory Square gains access to promising early-stage blockchain companies, bolstering its position as a pioneering investor in blockchain companies in Canada and globally.

On Dec. 11, Victory Square introduced a portfolio company, VS Blockchain Assembly Inc., focused on providing financial, technical, and management services to assist in the development of early-stage blockchain technology companies and to help existing technology companies integrate blockchain integration to spur growth.

"Recognizing that technology companies are prioritizing the integration of blockchain into their core technology, and utilizing token generation events (TGE) or initial coin offerings (ICO) as new ways to raise capital and acquire customers and early adopters, Blockchain Assembly has been built to service this market opportunity,” Tejani said in the press release (http://nnw.fm/cuw6D). He added that the division will also help the companies it assists with their fund-raising objectives. “We are using our expertise at company building to identify, incubate, advise and invest in the best blockchain entrepreneurs, helping build the tech titans of the next century."

Overstock (NASDAQ: OSTK) is another early adopter of blockchain-related applications. The e-commerce company’s subsidiary Medici Ventures serves as the umbrella organization for its blockchain businesses, which include tZERO, which aims to put blockchain technology to work in the financial markets. Overstock plans to launch an ICO (initial coin offering) on Dec. 18, which has helped drive the run-up in its share price. Overstock has played a part in the burgeoning trend of using cryptocurrencies for transactions by accepting bitcoin as a means of acquiring products it sells.

HIVE Blockchain Technologies (OTCPK: PRELF) (TSX.V: HIVE) focuses on cryptocurrency mining. Miners verify transactions using the blockchain, and are rewarded for their services by coins. When miners have completed verifying a transaction, it is added to the chain of transactions in the form of a block, hence the name “blockchain.” HIVE has entered into a strategic partnership with Genesis Mining LTD. for the purpose of creating the next generation of blockchain infrastructure. HIVE’s advanced digital currency mining operations in Iceland work to produce digital currency 24/7, with its low working capital requirements providing it with the flexibility to strategically sell coins to maximize its profit. The company has been rewarded for capitalizing on the bitcoin trend early – its stock on the OTCPK exchange has exploded from $0.07 at the start of the year to over $3 at one point this year, and still at $2.54 as of Dec. 8, demonstrating the potential of the cryptocurrency trend to handsomely reward investors.

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is a less obvious play on the rise of the blockchain that is nevertheless positioned to benefit from the growth of the sector. The company is one of the largest global professional services companies, offering a variety of strategic, consulting, digital, and technological solutions. To stay on top of emerging technologies, Accenture has engaged in a number of blockchain initiatives, including overseeing a test for the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Association of Banks in Singapore of settlement functionalities for interbank payments using a decentralized blockchain-based ledger system. The report demonstrated that designs based on the blockchain can be effective in preserving privacy when conducting such transactions. In June of this year Accenture rolled out a prototype blockchain biometric identity solution developed in partnership with Microsoft for the ID2020 Alliance, which is a public-private partnership that strives to improve lives through digital identity. The company’s blockchain efforts have not gone unnoticed by the market, where the company’s stock has leaped to a 52-week high above $150 a share.

Another sector that stands to benefit from this trend is the market for graphics cards, given the substantial computing resources needed to mine cryptocurrencies. On a broader level, companies that either supply graphics chips for use with blockchain applications or improve its efficiency in some way are positioned to benefit from the intense investor interest in blockchain-related investment opportunities.

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) has been on a roll for the past couple years, driven by the growth of the gaming, datacenter, automotive and artificial intelligence applications. After seeming to hit a plateau for a time, the company’s stock has been on a tear again recently, likely driven by the realization that the graphics processors and chips the company makes are essential to the cryptocurrency mining process. Cryptocurrency miners need advanced hardware in order to efficiently utilize parallel processing, and the graphics processing units built by NVIDIA are seen as among the best available when it comes to mining bitcoin. While cryptocurrency mining revenues are currently only a small part of the company’s revenues, that hasn’t stopped NVIDIA stock from continuing its ascent in recent months, moving from just below $150 at the end of June to over $190 currently.

With the advent of the blockchain era, investors have been snapping up the shares of companies that offer investment opportunities related to this innovative technology. The blockchain’s ability to disrupt existing practices and industries offers the potential for early adopters of the technology to gain significant market share. The increased computing power demanded by cryptocurrency mining stands to benefit firms that can help meet this demand, whether by making chips to facilitate the trend, helping design and optimize blockchain networks, using high power computing systems to mine cryptocurrencies, or by performing any other tasks that enhance the ability of the blockchain to work its magic. All of the named companies have positioned themselves to benefit from the growth of the blockchain going forward, making them worth a look by investors interested in capitalizing on opportunities in this rapidly growing sector.

For more information on Victory Square, visit Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6)

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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Revolutionizing Sports Betting by Harnessing the Power of Blockchain Technology

New York, NY  -- December 13, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Which sporting industry is enjoying explosive growth, both on and off the field? Would you be willing to place a wager on your guess? If you said, “Yes,” to that proposition, you aren’t alone. According to a market research report from Technavio, the sports betting market occupies the largest share in the overall gambling market, accounting for around 40 percent of gambling revenue generation around the globe (http://nnw.fm/4lcAh). Annual revenues are in the region of $400 billion each year, according to the report, but it is also well-known that some critics are concerned about betting’s purported lack of security and transparency. Companies willing to forge a new path and create innovations in this highly lucrative industry are betting blockchain technology has the winning answer for critics and players alike. Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6)  is joining a growing list of blockchain technology companies willing to put money on the table, such as Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT), NetCentsTech (CSE: NC), BTL Group (TSXV: BTL) (OTC: BTLLF), and HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd., (formerly Leeta Gold Corp.) (OTC: PRELF).

Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are taking the world by storm, and the multilevel gaming worlds of live and fantasy sports venues are entering that vortex with a vengeance.

In a report on the global online gambling market, Statista notes a consistent growth rate over the last few years from around US $20 billion in 2009 to more than US $40 billion last year (http://nnw.fm/W3vW8). Blockchain provides the sports betting community with the security of knowing its investments are being guaranteed by smart contracts underpinned by a secure and trusted payment platform. Fantasy sports enthusiasts, as well as those who attend live gaming events, are part of an active, online social network of people who enjoy the excitement, banter and potential winnings of betting and playing a part in the world of sports. What is often lacking in sports betting, however, is convenient payment options for sports fans.

Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6), a venture builder that creates, funds and empowers entrepreneurs, is one company addressing this need.

As an initial investor and incubator of companies utilizing blockchain technologies — the powerful and transformative technology behind cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and bitcoin — Victory Square is well positioned to be at the forefront of an industry that, according to numerous research reports (http://nnw.fm/tm9lT), has nowhere to go but up — especially as online gaming stretches its reach across the globe.

Blockchain technology is a form of distributed ledger technology that employs an encrypted or encoded database of transactions in the form of blocks arranged in chains. The technology makes transactions virtually immutable, and has the potential to increase transparency for regulatory reporting, to minimize risk and to improve contractual performance — exactly what millions of sports enthusiasts betting on their favorite teams want when jumping into the game.

Victory Square’s early investment into FansUnite, a leading social sports betting network readying an ICO with a sports betting token called a “FAN,” is a prime example of Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6)’s increasing reach in the market.

"Blockchain technology and the inherent security it provides will enable us to push every envelope we can to build the most dynamic and responsive social sports betting platform," FansUnite co-founder and CEO Darius Eghdami stated in a press release (http://nnw.fm/UKz3N). "The opportunity to secure data through Blockchain certainly appeals to the accountant in me and we are confident it will become the gold standard among sports betting sites around the world."

FansUnite is also breaking new ground with the introduction of Fan Tokens, an in-game currency purchased with the cryptocurrency Ethereum (http://nnw.fm/9jBcu).

These aren’t Victory Square’s first moves to take advantage of market opportunities created by blockchain technology. The company made several early partnerships and investments in the space, including its incubation and investment in BTL Group (TSX-V: BTL) (OTC: BTLLF) three years ago. BTL, which was the first public blockchain technology company, is now a $250 million company offering blockchain solutions across multiple industries with particular focus on the finance, energy and gaming sectors. BTL’s showcase product — Interbit — is a blockchain platform that facilitates the rapid development of business applications that dramatically improve efficiency. Some of the world’s largest institutions are using Interbit to explore new opportunities on private blockchains.

Riot Blockchain (NASDAQ: RIOT) is a like-minded company focused on developing the future with blockchain technology and the use of cryptocurrencies, with a focus on the bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains. In an announcement Dec. 4, Riot reported that one of its strategic portfolio holdings, goNumerical Ltd (dba “Coinsquare”) had closed a CAD $10.5 million investment at a CAD $110.5 million post-money valuation. The new valuation for Coinsquare, a leading Canadian digital currency exchange, is over 3 times the valuation from Riot’s investment in September 2017 (http://nnw.fm/2Vnl4).

Also supporting cryptocurrencies and other innovative payment methods is NetCents Technology (CSE: NC:CN), a next generation, electronic online payment processor that also supports multiple traditional currencies. NetCents states it is utilizing its existing delivery ecosystem to introduce a proprietary coin, the NetCents Coin, that will have its initial releases in Canada and Europe. The digital coin will be operated under a structured coin release to prevent price speculation, will be backed by a Treasury Reserve Account, and will be structured with counterfeiting prevention and fraud risk detection, leveraging next-generation algorithms (https://net-cents.com/).

Another company in the arena is HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd., rebranded from its former name, Leeta Gold Corp. (OTC: PRELF), a cryptocurrency mining firm that is drawing attention from all quarters because of its exclusive partnership with Genesis Mining, the world’s leading cryptocurrency mining hashpower provider (https://www.hiveblockchain.com/). Hive continues to pursue further blockchain opportunities, which includes holding onto the option to acquire at least three additional data centers in Iceland and/or Sweden from Genesis.

As these blockchain players continue to carve their niche in the industry, Victory Square is widening its reach. Earlier this week the company unveiled its most recent portfolio company, VS Blockchain Assembly, Inc. This Victory Square-incubated company is a dedicated blockchain and crypto investment and advisory services firm providing financial, technical and management services to developing early-stage blockchain technology companies. Blockchain Assembly also aims to enable existing technology companies to accelerate the integration and implementation of blockchain into their growth plans.

“Recognizing that technology companies are prioritizing the integration of blockchain into their core technology, and utilizing token generation events (TGE) or initial coin offerings (ICO) as new ways to raise capital and acquire customers and early adopters, Blockchain Assembly has been built to service this market opportunity,” Victory Square CEO Shafin Diamond Tejani stated in the press release (http://nnw.fm/4Uluc).

The company’s initiatives represent a portion of the incredible opportunities of blockchain technology for application in sports betting and a variety of other high-demand industries. Blockchain technology and the development of digital currency payment solutions could be a promising investment option available to those wagering on flexible innovations.

For more information on Victory Square, visit Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6)

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Based Brand Network (IBBN).
About IBBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.
Please feel free to visit the Investor Based Brand Network (IBBN) www.InvestorBasedBrandNetwork.com
Corporate Communications Contact:
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NNW@FinancialNewsMedia.com
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Source: NetworkNewsWire

Cultivating the Cannabis Lifestyle: Canadian Cannabis Players Gear Up for Recreational Marijuana Legalization

New York, NY  -- December 12, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Public acceptance and legislative approval of cannabis use, both for medicinal and recreational purposes, continue to spread internationally. In Canada, where medicinal cannabis has been legal since 2001, the federal government is moving toward its goal of adding recreational marijuana legalization nationwide by July 2018. The turning tide in public sentiment and the advancement of legalization, both in Canada and throughout the world, are gradually destigmatizing marijuana use and giving rise to new cannabis subcultures and brands. This evolution of the cannabis lifestyle is creating big market potential for Canadian cannabis producers like DOJA Cannabis Ltd. (CSE: DOJA) (OTC: DJACF), MYM Nutraceuticals, Inc. (CSE: MYM) (OTC: MYMMF), Emblem Corp. (TSX-V: EMC) (OTC: EMMBF), ABcann Global (TSX-V: ABCN) (OTC: ABCCF) and Cannabis Wheaton Income Corp. (TSX-V: CBW) (OTC: CBWTF) as these players see increased opportunities to meet the rising demand for quality cannabis.

A recent market research report has predicted that the international cannabis market, currently worth approximately $7.7 billion, will reach $31.4 billion by 2021 (http://nnw.fm/EpTH9), spurred on by the continued liberalization of marijuana laws across the globe. As Canada prepares for recreational cannabis legalization, companies like DOJA Cannabis Ltd. (CSE: DOJA) (OTC: DJACF) are right in line to profit.

DOJA is a premium cannabis lifestyle brand and licensed marijuana producer in Canada, based in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. DOJA believes “lifestyle” is where the medical and recreational cannabis markets converge, and the company’s central focus is on creating a revolutionary cannabis lifestyle brand. DOJA, in fact, stands out as Canada’s first licensed cannabis producer to focus on building a high-end lifestyle cannabis brand in this way.

DOJA’s wholly owned subsidiary is a licensed cannabis producer under Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), and the company has further applied for a cannabis sales license through the ACMPR, which is expected to be issued soon. On Nov. 2, DOJA announced that its subsidiary had successfully completed initial marijuana harvests and had requested a pre-sales license inspection from Health Canada, which is the final step prior to receiving a cannabis sales license under the ACMPR.

DOJA Cannabis Ltd. (CSE: DOJA) (OTC: DJACF) also recently closed its acquisition of a 22,850-square-foot commercial building in Kelowna, where the company intends to build a state-of-the-art extraction facility, called the FUTURE LAB, and for which it plans to obtain an oil production license. When this facility is completed, DOJA expects its corporate cannabis production capacity will exceed 5,000 kg annually.

“The acquisition is a game changer for DOJA,” DOJA CEO Trent Kitsch stated in a recent press release (http://nnw.fm/Sp1BX). “It allows us to expand our production capacity by almost 8 times, diversify our strain production, integrate a world class extraction lab and leverage the economies of scale that come from a larger growing-space. Our strategy has always been to reach 5,000 kg of cannabis production per year by the end of 2018; with the addition of the FUTURE LAB we project we will reach (our) goal in less time and for less capital investment than previously budgeted. The FUTURE LAB has 325 feet of highway frontage, which will be utilized to promote DOJA’s cannabis lifestyle brand to the 1.9 million plus visitors to the Okanagan each year and the 40,000 commuters that drive past the facility each day.”

DOJA brings a handcrafted approach to the cannabis space, with a focus on branding premium flower and extracts. The company grows its cannabis indoors and hand trims and hang-dries all flower, which are techniques that coax greater flavor and result in enhanced quality and higher crystal content.

DOJA recently opened the Doja Culture Café in Kelowna, which is a high-end café and cannabis access center. At present, the establishment hosts events like cannabis information nights and doctor discussions for medical marijuana patients to help promote the development of cannabis culture in Kelowna. The company plans to take steps toward incorporating a cannabis dispensary within the venue once the provincial government in British Columbia settles on which model it will adopt relative to recreational cannabis legalization (http://nnw.fm/ri3PX). DOJA plans to open additional culture cafes in the future.

The management team that leads DOJA is composed of individuals who possess experience working with distributor channels in the liquor industry, and the company’s founders are locked into the company for a three-year period — a testament of their dedication to the company’s mission and to the cannabis space in general. Kitsch built his profile as the founder of Saxx, one of Canada’s premier men’s undergarment brands. He was featured on “Dragon’s Den” and owns Kitsch Wines in Kelowna.

Another Canada-based cannabis player poised to benefit when the country legalizes recreational marijuana is MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. (CSE: MYM) (OTC: MYMMF). MYM is focused on acquiring licenses through Health Canada for producing and selling premium organic medical cannabis supplements and topical products. The company has two production projects in Quebec that will, when they are completed, boast more than 1.5 million square feet of cannabis production space.

Additionally, MYM is a partner in a 1.2 million-square-foot production project in New South Wales, Australia. MYM is actively seeking to acquire complementary businesses and assets within the technology, nutraceutical and cannabidiol sectors of the cannabis market.

Vertically integrated cannabis company Emblem Corp. (TSX.V: EMC) (OTC: EMMBF) is another Canadian marijuana player that is anxious for the advent of recreational cannabis legalization. Emblem is focused on R&D, production and distribution of medical cannabis products, and the company recently announced its growth plans for 2018 (http://nnw.fm/S39p6), which include significantly increasing its cultivation capacity preparatory to recreational marijuana legalization.

Currently, Emblem has more than 8,500 square feet of flowering capacity at its closed-box facility in Paris, Ontario, and operates through a multifaceted approach of employing both “closed box” and greenhouse production facilities.

A significant land acquisition recently completed by the company is paving the way for cutting-edge greenhouse facilities that will substantially expand Emblem’s total production capacity to more than 17,000 kg of dried flower per year. Emblem also has its oils license in place.

Another standout in the Canadian marijuana market is ABcann Global (TSX-V:ABCN) (OTCQB: ABCCF), which was one of the first companies to obtain licensure to produce medical marijuana in Canada. ABcann has been a licensed cannabis producer in good standing since 2014 and has zero history of product recalls to date. The company employs a proprietary computer-controlled indoor growing process that regulates temperature, humidity and water. The result of this unique cultivation approach is the production of cannabis that is high-quality, standardized, organically grown and pesticide-free. ABcann is expanding its line of products to include cannabis oils (http://nnw.fm/Z1LnN), and the company is further pursuing opportunities for partnership and product development both domestically and in select international markets.

Another Canada-based entity is contributing to Canada’s cannabis market in a more unique way. Cannabis Wheaton Income (TSX.V: CBW) (OTCQB: CBWTF) (d/b/a Wheaton Income) is an asset management company that is engaged in investing and supporting a wide variety of licensed cannabis producers in Canada. Cannabis Wheaton has created a platform through which LPs (licensed cannabis producers) and LP applicants can obtain CapEx financing to build or expand their marijuana cultivation facilities.

In exchange, Cannabis Wheaton receives a combination of equity in these streaming partners and a percentage of their cultivation yields over a certain period of time and at negotiated prices per gram. In addition to providing its partners with the funding they need, Cannabis Wheaton also gives them access to its expert management team, which is composed of industry leaders, to assist them in accelerating the growth of their enterprises.

Cannabis Wheaton foresees the worsening problem of cannabis shortages in Canada while marijuana producers race to meet the demands of authorized medical cannabis patients and to also get ready for the increased demands that will come with recreational legalization. Through supporting the successful development of Canadian cannabis producers, Cannabis Wheaton aims to foster the growth of a diverse, robust, innovative and successful cannabis industry.

As the legalization of recreational marijuana use looms in Canada and as public acceptance and legalization move forward throughout the world, the named companies are gearing up for a Canadian cannabis boom that is sure to be substantial. As the cannabis lifestyle gradually takes hold throughout the world, these players are in prime position to profit and expand.

For more information on DOJA Cannabis Ltd., visit DOJA Cannabis Ltd. (CSE: DOJA) (OTC: DJACF)

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Based Brand Network (IBBN).
About IBBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.
Please feel free to visit the Investor Based Brand Network (IBBN) www.InvestorBasedBrandNetwork.com
Corporate Communications Contact:
NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
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www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com


Media Contact:
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NNW@FinancialNewsMedia.com
+1-(954)345-0611

Source: NetworkNewsWire

Innovative Data Solutions Companies on Pace to Change the World

New York, NY  -- December 8, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: The technology driving the Internet of Things (IoT) enables person-to-person, person-to-object and object-to-object connections that facilitate increased productivity, greater operational efficiency and streamlined work processes. Adoption of cloud computing and the ability of IoT technology to reduce costs are the main driving forces behind the growth of this technology. It is estimated that by 2020 there will be over 50 billion things connected globally, and Grand View Research predicts that the industrial IoT market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 28 percent to reach USD $933 billion by 2025. Of course, this level of connectivity will generate a vast amount of data that has to be stored and processed, and Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (OTC: CDTAF)(CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5) is one competitive company well-positioned to take advantage of the anticipated growth in this market. Other companies gearing up to support IoT technology-adopting enterprises include Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), Red Hat, Inc. (NYSE: RHT), Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) and Intuit, Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU).

Data-gathering sensors are critical elements in IoT systems, and the affordability of fully-automated systems improves as the price of sensors continues to fall. Automation is set to have a massive impact on our daily lives, from smart homes to smart applications within city, utility and factory infrastructures. The major challenge presented by the growth in this industry is how to handle the large amounts of data generated.

Focused on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Vancouver-based Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (OTC: CDTAF)(CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5)  facilitates data collection, storage and analytics for data-centric companies. The company leverage its team of data scientists and application developers to build environmental monitoring and modeling technology. Guided by an experienced management team, it has taken advantage of IoT market opportunities through strategic acquisitions to build up its customer base in specific verticals.

In 2015, Carl Data acquired FlowWorks, a company with a proprietary system for SaaS-based monitoring, data collection, alarming and reporting. Further expanding its portfolio, Carl Data earlier this month completed its acquisition of certain intellectual property assets, tangible assets, and intangible assets from AB Embedded Systems Ltd, a company with advanced telemetry technology operating in over 250 pump stations across North America. The acquired assets provide Carl Data the tools needed to provide custom devices for its clients, according to a news release announcing the move (http://nnw.fm/Hma0Q). The included equipment for board prototyping and micro manufacturing also allows the company to pursue complete in-house product development with the shortest possible time to market.

"The AB Acquisition is in line with Carl's commitment to acquire (complementary) companies and technology. In the case of AB, this acquisition will allow our company to be more turn key when implementing our solutions. (Complementary) hardware and telemetry solutions will mean faster integration of our SaaS based applications for customers at a very competitive price point," Carl Data CEO Greg Johnston stated in the press release.

Carl Data’s current portfolio also includes Extend to Social (ETS), a social media application that adds a deep analytics layer to provide clients with valuable insights for new marketing campaigns plus behavioral characteristics for customer service, operations and product development. These strategic acquisitions brought established clients on board in the wastewater and stormwater, oil and gas, dams, reservoirs and tailings ponds sectors, positioning Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (OTC: CDTAF)(CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5)  with market opportunity in a number of growing verticals.

The core of Carl Data’s complete, turnkey, end-to-end solution is its collection of information from billions of data points, which is stored in scalable, customized cloud-computing facilities and then analyzed. Data analysis can take several forms depending on client requirements, including reporting, alarming, predictive analytics and machine learning. The company has the ability to handle any amount of big data, generating reports for plant management and automated alarms when plant conditions need to be corrected. Carl Data uses algorithms for predictive analytics, producing a seven-day forecast of the impact of future events on a company’s assets and enabling it to take preventative measures. The company also has advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities that can be employed for machine learning, enabling equipment to self-diagnose and self-correct.

A quick look at one of the company’s most recent endeavors in the waste management market, which globally is expected to reach $562 billion by 2020, demonstrates a single avenue of its many opportunities. On December 5, 2017, Carl Data announced its continued expansion into the solid waste management sector of the IIoT through a letter of intent with Peak Disposal Services, Inc. for the development of an industrial-grade monitoring system.

Peak Disposal manages hundreds of containers for the Vancouver-area construction and movie industries. The partnership with Carl Data aims to address the need for monitoring systems durable enough to survive the rough treatment common on these work sites. Peak Disposal has as many as 140 containers that would benefit from this system and expects to implement Carl Data's system for automation and data gathering purposes once it is successfully tested. With Carl Data’s ability to analyze data trends, location-based fill-level forecasting and other predictions will help reduce Peak Disposal’s time and monetary expenses.

"In North America and around the world, solid waste management has become a huge concern. The development and launch of this new service allows us to enter a new vertical in need of environmental IIoT monitoring solutions. We are sure Peak Disposal will see a huge increase in overall efficiency when our system is deployed and look forward to rolling out this monitoring system to other companies with similar needs," Kevin Marsh, Carl Data's VP of Business Development, stated in the press release about the LOI (http://nnw.fm/a7GOp).

Additionally, Carl Data has signed up many municipalities to use its technology for water and sewage infrastructure, including some of the biggest cities in North America. The potential for further business is huge, as the United States alone needs to spend an estimated $1 trillion in water infrastructure upgrades over the next 25 years. Companies in the oil and gas industry need predictive analytics on their pipelines to prevent potential environmental disasters. There is a long list of sectors that can benefit from this technology in a future where storing and analyzing big data will be key.

Carl Data’s capabilities place it among the ranks of larger companies like Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO). With a market cap of more than $180 billion, Cisco is the largest networking company in the world with various subsidiaries including OpenDNS, WebEx, Jabber and Jasper. From its headquarters in San Jose, Calif., the company develops, manufactures and markets Internet Protocol-based (IP) networking hardware to specific sectors, including energy management, domain security and IoT. Cisco has done seven acquisitions in 2017, including Springpath, a provider of hyper-convergence software. The company also acquired Perspica, which provides AI and learning-machine technologies.

Red Hat (NYSE: RHT) was founded in 1993 and has headquarters in Raleigh, N.C. With a market cap of just over USD $22 billion, the company provides open source software solutions including virtualization, operating system, cloud, mobile and storage technologies to global enterprises. In addition, it provides a consulting, support and training service to its clients. Red Hat is a strong proponent of open source licensing. On Nov. 27, 2017, the company, together with Facebook, Google and IBM, announced their commitment to extend additional rights to cure open source license compliance errors and mistakes.

Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU) is a Chinese web services company located in Beijing. It is one of the largest Internet companies and also one of the leading AI companies in the world. The company develops innovative products, incorporating ways to interact with technology through AI and mobile devices. Baidu has the second largest search engine in the world and in December 2007 became the first Chinese company to be included in the NASDAQ-100 index.

Best known for its accounting program QuickBooks, Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU) is a business and financial software company that develops and markets financial, accounting and tax software to small businesses and accountants around the world. With a market cap of just under USD $40 billion, the company is in the process of adapting its software to work with IoT and virtual reality technologies. It aims to provide small business owners with the ability to have access to financial information and work remotely with their accounting professionals to facilitate faster and easier business decisions.

The Internet of Things is destined to have a huge impact on industry, business and the way we conduct our daily lives. These companies are well positioned to support enterprises in the adoption of this technology and provide facilities for the collection, storage and analysis of data, creating significant opportunities for investment in an ever-growing sector on the brink of what is widely described as the “fourth industrial revolution,” according to Carl Data Solutions CEO Greg Johnston.

For more information on Carl Data Solutions Inc., visit Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (OTC: CDTAF)(CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5)


About NetworkNewsWire
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The Future’s Next Mega-Trend is Here as Smart Companies Embrace the Industrial Internet of Things

New York, NY  -- December 7, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Famed inventor and engineer Nikola Tesla believed, “The future of our problems does not lie in destroying, but in mastering the machine.” This insightful comment published in a 1935 edition of Liberty magazine (http://nnw.fm/4dNcY) is material to today’s world and the billions of Internet-connected devices, or “machines,” now gathering, analyzing and storing the millions of terabytes of data being created. These multibillions of devices, embedded with electronics, software, sensors and connectivity that enables objects to collect and exchange data, populate what is known as the “Internet of Things,” or “IoT.” Tesla would have felt right at home with the innovations of visionary companies such as Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (OTC: CDTAF)(CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5) ,  Teradata Corp. (NYSE: TDC), Splunk, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLK), Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL), and International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), all of which are transforming key technologies in the digital world of Big Data.

Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5) (OTC: CDTAF), a Canadian developer of Big-Data-as-a-Service (“BDaaS”)-based solutions for data integration, business intelligence and Industrial Internet-of-Things (“IIoT”) applications, turns vast quantities of information into meaningful, actionable insights for any business. The company’s strategic business model, which is scalable to any industry, focuses on environmental sensor monitoring and modeling technology, connecting the IIoT, and collecting and managing data to protect industrial and infrastructure assets.

Who needs this type of protection? Literally any industry that could possibly be affected by costly natural disasters or emergencies, or any industry that routinely faces an overload of data. With respect to the former, since 1980 the United States alone has experienced more than 200 weather and climate-related disasters with cumulative costs exceeding $1.1 trillion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (http://nnw.fm/7RRpb).

Supported by a team of professional and experience data scientists and application developers, Carl Data builds environmental monitoring and modeling technology that collects, connects and manages data to protect industrial and infrastructure assets from natural disaster or other burden.

Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5) (OTC: CDTAF) is well-positioned in key IIoT market segments and offers customized low cost, low power, high quality hardware to collect complete, high accuracy information in near real-time. Custom sensors, data loggers, wireless networks and gateways are designed to meet current and future IIoT standards. Carl Data Solutions and one of its subsidiaries, FlowWorks, provides a prime example of an IIoT solution serving the water and waste water facilities of large and small cities located throughout North America.

Engineering and service companies have also signed on as partners, which allows the FlowWorks system to be used across multiple verticals utilizing data from a wide variety of industries. Carl Data Solutions also adapted its FlowWorks technology to enhance environmental monitoring at mines. The new app is being used at Teck’s Fording River Operations in British Columbia’s Elk Valley, where it helps monitor site water levels and provides predictive modeling to forecast future water levels up to seven days (http://nnw.fm/zie3G).

Greg Johnston, CEO and president of Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5) (OTC: CDTAF), notes that while government and industries around the world clamor for assistance when natural disasters strike, the answer to many of these inevitable problems is adequate preparation based on facts. The company’s predictive analytics, machine learning and web-based applications deliver results that alert its clients to potential danger, so assessments can be made on critical infrastructure. Gathering data from any sensor, monitoring system, historical data or online source before a disaster strikes can provide critical information to decision-makers. The value of collecting data in order to be prepared for any event can’t be overstated and public agencies should incorporate IoT data into their emergency response plans, an article in the Harvard Business Review states (http://nnw.fm/muKT5).

Analysts forecast that business-to-business marketing and spending on IoT technologies and solutions will reach US$267 billion by 2020 as Internet-enabled devices stream more and more data (http://nnw.fm/g6dBm). A BusinessWire article notes that IoT technologies and solutions are anticipated to transform virtually every industry vertical across consumer, enterprise, and industrial segments (http://nnw.fm/Gc0Uk). In a report titled, “Internet of Things (IoT) Technologies, Solutions, and Market Opportunities 2017 – 2022,” a future is outlined that declares successful companies will be those that “understand how and where IoT technologies and solutions will drive opportunities for operational improvements, new and enhanced products and services, as well as completely new business models.”

Carl Data appears to recognize this opportunity, as its predictive analytics, machine learning, and web-based applications can be utilized for waste and storm water management, in the protection of oil and gas pipeline stream crossings, and by hydro-electric dams and toxic tailing ponds, among other industrial uses.

Opportunities in IIoT exist for R&D, technology integration, and development of new solutions and applications, as Carl Data Solutions and its industry peers are well aware. One of those companies, Teradata (NYSE: TDC), based in Dayton, Ohio, provides analytic data products and related services. The firm operates in two segments: data and analytics, which captures, integrates, stores, manages, and analyzes data of all types. Its solutions include components such as data warehousing, big data, discovery tools, integration tools, and business intelligence tools, to manage and integrate the complex data ecosystem (http://nnw.fm/5DsZe).

Splunk (NASDAQ: SPLK) is another company providing software for machine log analysis. The firm’s flagship solution is Splunk Enterprise, used for application management, IT operations and security. The company primarily deploys its solutions on-premises, though the SaaS delivery model is growing in popularity with Splunk Cloud, and recently helped a major client, Heartland Jiffy Lube, to modernize its security while reducing the cost of security operations (http://nnw.fm/zsEC8).

Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), based in Redwood City, California, sells a wide range of enterprise IT solutions, including databases, middleware, applications, and hardware. Oracle recently announced the launch of its 18c database product, which is a major improvement from the company’s legacy database products given that it is entirely cloud-based. The new product is billed as a “self-driving” database because once a problem is identified, the database can repair itself through its artificial intelligence systems (http://nnw.fm/yc2LQ).

International Business Machines Corporation, better known by its ticker (NYSE: IBM), is an IT giant with an operating history dating back more than a century. The company's offerings span a range of services, software, and hardware. IBM operates on a global scale, with operations in over 170 countries. The firm has an entrenched position globally within the largest multinational firms, providing an end-to-end portfolio that helps enterprises' plan, build, manage, and maintain IT infrastructure, platforms, applications, and services. IBM is also reportedly planning to be an industry leader in blockchain technology (http://nnw.fm/NE6mA).

There is no doubt the world is quickly becoming more interconnected and that a concerted shift from “one size fits all” is underway. Companies with experienced leadership and innovative technologies and solutions will be at the forefront of the IoT explosion as it sweeps the globe. A Goldman Sachs equity research paper, titled, “The Internet of Things: Making Sense of the Next Mega-Trend,” describes the potential of IoT to transform the world as a “wide open opportunity” (http://nnw.fm/jIvU1). Making significant advancements since the publication three years ago, the potential of IoT to impact efficiency across a wide range of sub-sectors is enormous and is certain to create new winners in a world where everything is connected. For companies like Carl Data, this hyper interconnectivity is a breeding ground of opportunity.

For more information on Carl Data Solutions Inc., visit Carl Data Solutions, Inc. (CSE: CRL) (FSE: 7C5) (OTC: CDTAF)

About NetworkNewsWire
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Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

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The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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The Electric Vehicle Revolution Will Send This Super Metal Soaring

New York, NY  -- November 20, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: After running a poor second to the internal combustion automobile for a century, the electric vehicle (EV) now looks very likely to win the race. At the beginning of the twentieth century, EVs were on track but they lost position to gasoline automobiles. Now in America, in China and in Europe, EVs are taking to the roads once again. And in response to a more environmentally aware citizenry and government mandates, many car manufacturers plan to phase out fossil-fueled vehicles and increase output of EVs over the next two decades. The increasing adoption of EVs is already beginning to raise demand for the metals that comprise the batteries under their hoods. Chief of these is lithium, naturally, since lithium-ion is the leading EV battery technology. However, equally necessary, is the cobalt used in lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) electrodes, one of the most common lithium ion (Li-ion) technologies. As search for this rare metal intensifies, cobalt miners like Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B), eCobalt Solutions (OTC: ECSIF) (TSX: ECS), First Cobalt Corporation (OTCQB: FTSSF) (TSX-V: FCC), Fortune Minerals Limited (OTC: FTMDF) (TSX: FT) and Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) are likely to see their share prices rise. In the coming months, cobalt looks set to make fortunes.

One of the factors driving the shift to EVs has been the Paris Climate Accord, an international effort to slow global warming by reducing carbon emissions, which became effective on November 4, 2016. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has estimated that transportation is responsible for fourteen percent (14 percent) of global greenhouse gas emissions (http://nnw.fm/4G0m7). On November 7, Syria announced it would sign the agreement, following Nicaragua, which said in October it would join the Accord (http://nnw.fm/S0uWY). The Central American nation had, initially, refused to sign because it wanted the Agreement to go further. This leaves the U.S. as the only country rejecting the pact. However, under its terms, which the White House said it will respect, the soonest any country can withdraw from the landmark agreement is November 4, 2020.

The Accord has prompted a series of initiatives across the globe. Recently, China, France, Germany, India, Norway, the Netherlands and the U.K. all announced measures intended to curb carbon emissions. China, which has the world’s largest vehicle market, is in the lead. With air pollution at crisis levels in Beijing and other major cities, the Chinese government wants to see vehicles using gasoline and diesel phased out. It also, it seems, plans to dominate the global EV market, according to the LA Times (http://nnw.fm/sWsE3). The government in India is facing similar problems. India’s carbon emissions are rising: they rose almost 5 percent in 2016. But now there’s hope that trend will be reversed by replacing fossil fuel cars with EVs by 2030. European nations are also in the vanguard of this battle against global warming. The Norwegian government has said, that after 2025, it will only allow sales of vehicles that are 100 percent electric. And Germany is following suit, albeit with a less rigorous schedule. It plans a total ban on all internal combustion engines by 2030. In Britain, a deadline has been set for 2040, after which time no cars powered by petrol (gasoline) or diesel will be allowed. The Netherlands is also considering similar plans, while France, the host of the Accord, wants all petrol and diesel cars off its roads by 2040.

The big car manufacturers are already making plans to ramp up EV production. Volkswagen, now the largest global automaker by sales, is planning 30 new EV models by 2025. It hopes to garner annual sales of between two and three million units by then. The company has announced it will invest around $84 billion in batteries and electric cars. In addition, No. 2 Toyota has formed a joint venture with Mazda and Denso, the Japanese auto parts manufacturer, to develop EV technologies for the future. The new company, called EV Common Architecture Spirit Co. Ltd., will be 90 percent owned by Toyota, with Mazda and Denso sharing the remaining 10 percent equally. The joint venture will produce models based on Toyota’s Prius and 2018 Camry. And Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, told an investor conference on November 15 that the company plans to launch a new EV platform in 2021 (http://nnw.fm/XP8zF). The modular EV stereotype will be the basis for at least 20 new battery-powered vehicles by 2023 and will be flexible enough to accommodate nine different body styles in multiple sizes, segments and brands in the U.S., China and elsewhere. Meanwhile in July, when Tesla delivered the first Model 3s off the line, its CEO Elon Musk revealed the company had ‘over half a million advance reservations’. The EV revolution seems unstoppable.

Bloomberg has estimated (http://nnw.fm/M3iGb) that EVs will enjoy a 2 percent share of the auto market by 2020. This is expected to rise to 8 percent by 2025, to 20 percent by 2030, and to at least 35 percent by 2040. These statistics have fueled a great deal of anxiety in some corners, with automakers scrambling to secure supplies. They have also given rise to a very tight global cobalt market. Recently, Volkswagen announced it had failed to secure a long-term supplier for cobalt. In September, the German carmaker put out a tender seeking a five-year supply of the strategic metal at a fixed price but there were no takers at the offer price. Demand for cobalt is expected to surge from 2k tonnes in 2017 to over 300k tonnes by 2030, a stupendous 14,900 percent increase that will see prices reach record levels. With the battery industry currently uses 42 percent of global cobalt production, the question arises: where is all this cobalt going to come from?

At present, about 97 percent of the world’s supply of cobalt is a by-product of nickel or copper mining, mostly out of Africa. A lot comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), home to the largest cobalt asset in the world, the Tenke Fungurume mine. However, political instability and charges that child labor is used in the mines is putting pressure on producers to seek less controversial sources. As a result, exploration companies are turning to North America, and particularly Canada, in what must seem like déjà vu, particularly in places like Cobalt, Ontario, so named over a century ago after the mineral was discovered there.

One such exploration outfit is Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B), which has interests in past producing mines with historic assays of 8.76 percent cobalt. Its Nipissing Lorrain Cobalt Project has produced over 16,500 tons of cobalt, as well as 5,500 tons of silver, in the past. The asset consists of 29 claim units covering approximately 464 hectares. Quantum is also working the Rabbit Cobalt property, located 14 km southeast of the town of Temagami near the eastern border of Ontario. The property has in the past produced cobalt assayed at 8.76 percent. A third project is the Kahuna Cobalt-Silver mine, which comprises 77 claims over an area of around 1,200 hectares, and is located 37 km south of Cobalt. These are encouraging metrics considering that cobalt projects with assays as low as 0.05 percent are considered viable. Quantum also has gold projects underway at Grew Creek in the Yukon, Canada and Musgrove Creek in Lemhi County, Idaho.

Driven by an experienced team, Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B) expects more than quantum success. The company’s CEO is Greg Burns, who is also the Director of Mergers and Acquisitions for Capital Investment Partners, a Western Australian investment bank. Mr. Burns was previously Managing Director of Xenolith, subsequently Coalspur Mines Ltd., acquired by the Cline Group in 2015. He was also a director of White Canyon Uranium before that company’s acquisition by Denison Mines in 2010. The rest of Board Members include Ken Tollstam, CPA, formerly of Deloitte Touche, Jerry Huang, CPA, MBA, who has worked in wealth management and in mining, Von Torres, who brings experience in corporate management services, and Quinn Field-Dyte, who comes with a financial services background. Quantum Cobalt was previously Bravura Ventures Corporation. Its name change became effective in November 2017.

eCobalt Solutions (OTCQB: ECSIF) (TSX: ECS) has its primary asset in Idaho. The company claims its Idaho Cobalt Project is the only advanced-stage, near term, environmentally permitted, primary cobalt deposit in the United States. The Idaho Cobalt Project is comprised of the Mine/Mill (M/M) site located in Lemhi County, Idaho, near the town of Salmon, Idaho and the Cobalt Production Facility (CPF), a stand-alone hydrometallurgical facility located in Southern Idaho near the city of Blackfoot. The CPF will process concentrates from the M/M into cobalt, copper and gold end products. The project is slated to produce the equivalent of 1,500 tons of high purity cobalt sulfate annually over a projected mine life of 12.5 years.

Back in Canada, First Cobalt Corporation (OTCQB: FTSSF) (TSX-V: FCC) is currently advancing its 2,100-hectare Silver Centre, Ontario property, which includes the former producing Keely-Frontier mine, a high-grade mine that has produced over 3.3 million pounds of cobalt and 19.1 million ounces of silver. First Cobalt, which pulled out of the DRC just months after signing a copper and cobalt deal with the government, has past-producing assets and a market capitalization of CAD$39 million, expected to reach CAD$156 million pending an acquisition.

Meanwhile, Fortune Minerals Limited (OTCQX: FTMDF) (TSX: FT) is ploughing ahead with its NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth-Copper Project in Canada’s Northwest Territories, which the company is positioning as a dedicated North American cobalt asset. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) is also in hot pursuit of the hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal. Together with Lundin Mining Corporation and La Générale des Carrières et des Mines (Gécamines), it has formed Freeport Cobalt, which will operate the world’s largest cobalt refinery, located in Kokkola, Finland. This will link its global sales and marketing distribution network with output from the Tenke Fungurume Mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The attention cobalt is enjoying at present is pushing up share prices. eCobalt (ECSIF) trading at around $0.40 a year ago has appreciated by over 100 percent and is now at $0.84. First Cobalt (FCC), down at $0.25 a year ago has gone up by 180 percent and currently trades at $0.70. Fortune Minerals (FTMDF) has risen by 67 percent over the past twelve months, from $0.09 to $0.15. It seems like Quantum Cobalt, may be undervalued. Quantum Cobalt is “One to Watch”

Other players to keep your eye on:
Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) traded 15,328,018 shares and closed at $ 13.86 on Friday.
eCobalt Solutions (OTCQB: ECSIF) traded 166,456 shares and closed at $ 0.83 on Friday.
First Cobalt Corporation (CVE: FCC) traded 169,405 shares and closed at $ 0.72 on Friday.
Fortune Minerals Limited (OTCQX: FTMDF) traded 401,789 shares and closed at $ 0.15 on Friday.

For more information about the Quantum Cobalt please visit: Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B)

Other Quantum Cobalt Articles: Quantum Cobalt is “One to Watch”

Cobalt Perfectly Positioned As Global Cobalt Demand Surges

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.
The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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Cobalt Perfectly Positioned As Global Cobalt Demand Surges

New York, NY  -- November 17, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Cobalt, a metal somewhat overlooked by investors, is a critical component of lithium-ion batteries used in mobile devices and essential for the operation of electric vehicles (EVs). The spot price of cobalt has experienced an increase of 150 percent since the start of 2016, largely as a result of the exponential growth in the adoption of mobile technology in emerging economies. However, the real surge in global demand for cobalt will come from the automotive industry as more countries turn away from fossil fuel-driven cars to electric vehicles. To make the most of this surge in demand, Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B) is focusing efforts on developing its Canadian cobalt resources centered near Cobalt, Ontario.

Quick Bullets:

• China, Britain and France phasing out cars driven by fossil fuels in favor of alternatives
• Electric vehicles predicted to be as affordable as cars running on gasoline by 2022
• Cobalt demand projected to surge from current 2,000 tons to 300,000 tons by 2030
• Cobalt price forecast to rise from $60,000 per ton to $100,000 per ton by 2030

The greatest demand for the metal is likely to come from China, currently the world’s top consumer of cobalt and its largest automotive industry. China recently announced a requirement that 20 percent of all cars sold by 2025 must operate on alternatives to fossil fuels. Britain and France have followed suit, declaring a ban on the sale of cars operating on fossil fuels by 2040 (http://nnw.fm/3uWhW). Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is the leading manufacturer of EVs, making a significant contribution to the 2 million electrical vehicles on roads today. Other car manufacturers are scrambling to catch up. General Motors (NYSE: GM) has announced plans to launch a range of 20 EVs by 2023, while Volvo (OTC: VLVLY) is converting its technology to electric power by 2019. Volkswagen AG ADR (OTC: VLKAY) plans on investing $84 billion in car and battery production for the manufacture of 300 EV models by 2030. However, China will remain the world’s largest consumer and producer of EVs for the foreseeable future. Consumers there bought 507,000 EVs in 2016, an increase of 53 percent over the previous year. That’s double the sales in Europe and triple those sold in the U.S. From the current adoption rate of 1 percent of its automotive market, China is expected to see a 12 -fold increase in the number of EVs on its roads in five years’ time.

Batteries account for 33 percent of the cost of manufacturing an electric vehicle. Bloomberg reports that the price of lithium-ion batteries fell by 35 percent in 2015 and is on a downward trajectory, which is predicted to make EVs as affordable as cars driven by fossil fuels by 2022 (http://nnw.fm/vzP0b). Bloomberg also predicts that by 2040, electric vehicles will account for 35 percent of all new vehicle sales.

The major problem is that all these projects demand more cobalt than the world can currently supply. Over 95 percent of the world’s cobalt is mined as a by-product of nickel and copper. As prices of these two metals dropped in recent years, many mining companies cut production, contributing to a rising global cobalt deficit. MacQuarie Bank predicts a cobalt deficit of 885 tons in 2018, over 3,200 tons in 2019 and more than 5,300 tons in 2020. Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B) is positioning itself to take advantage of this market shortage by focusing efforts on the development of its reserves in Canada. Currently, over 50 percent of the world’s cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC presents mining companies with several ethical issues to contend with, including forced and child labor. The country is also affected by armed conflict and political instability, increasing the risk of investment. Consequently, several mining companies have divested their interests in the DRC and are turning to North America to develop alternative, safer and more ethical mining operations.

Quantum Cobalt has concentrated its efforts in the Cobalt Belt, centered near Cobalt, Ontario. Its Nipissing Lorrain Cobalt Project has produced 16,500 pounds of cobalt and 5,500 pounds of silver in the past, and historic samples show cobalt mineralization of one to 10 inches in this mine. Past assays have shown an unusually high grade of 22 percent cobalt in this play, which is exceptional when as little as 0.5 percent is deemed economically viable. The Rabbit Cobalt Project, located 55 kilometers north of Cobalt, has a rich history of both cobalt and gold production, and returned an historic assay of 8.76 percent cobalt. Quantum Cobalt is intent on conducting mapping, prospecting and sampling focused on the mineral showing on the Rabbit Lake Occurrence. Roughly 37 kilometers south of Cobalt is the company’s Kahuna Cobalt Project, which comprises 77 claims over an area of 1,200 hectares and shows historic cobalt mineralization.

The company is geared up to proceed with imminent exploration and development of these properties. On October 25, 2017, the company announced that it had deployed field crews to conduct first pass exploration on both Kahuna and Rabbit Lake properties. This preliminary work entails prospecting, geologic mapping, geochemical surveying and sampling to locate and delineate mineralized structures.

Quantum Cobalt is led by an executive team of industry veterans and innovators. Its CEO, Greg Burns, has more than 22 years of experience in mineral exploration, holding several executive and operational management positions with mining and exploration companies in both Canada and Australia, including Goldstream Mining and Platinum Australia. He was previously managing director of Xenolith, subsequently Coalspur Mining Ltd and taken over by the Cline Group in 2015. Burns also headed up the mergers and acquisitions division of Capital Investment Partners, an investment bank in Western Australia. Director Jerry Huang has held several executive positions with prominent mining companies, including TNR Gold and International Lithium, which received IPO funding from the largest battery company in China. Huang has extensive knowledge and experience in drilling and exploration. Quinn Field-Dyte, director, has over 10 years of experience in the financial industry and currently serves on the boards of several companies in the mining and minerals industry that are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange.

Cobalt is in short supply and is a critical element used as the cathode in lithium-ion batteries, making up 35 percent of the component mix. Current pricing of the metal is expected to soar with Bloomberg forecasting an increase to almost $100,000 per ton by 2030. A massive surge in demand for cobalt is part of that forecast, predicting global growth from the 2,000 tons used now to a startling 300,000 tons in 2030. This represents phenomenal growth in a market where Quantum Cobalt is ideally placed to meet future demand, increase revenues and develop outstanding shareholder value.

Other BIG players to keep your eye on:

Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) traded over 5,757,708 shares and closed at $312.50 yesterday. Tesla released its financial results for the third quarter of 2017 by posting the current Update Letter on its website. Please visit http://ir.tesla.com to view the letter.

General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) traded over 11,234,942 shares and closed at $43.60 yesterday. GM has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, and Wuling brands.

Volvo AB ADR (OTC: VLVLY) traded over 14,987shares and closed at $19.27 yesterday. The Volvo Group has been conducting research into autonomous transport solutions for several years. The company has demonstrated concept vehicles for applications in confined areas like mines and quarries. Now Volvo Group takes the next step towards the future with an autonomous concept truck for hub-to-hub transportations in semi-confined areas like harbours and dedicated lanes on highways.

Volkswagen AG ADR (OTC: VLKAY) traded over 117,742s hares and closed at $ 37.78 yesterday. Volkswagen, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells automobiles primarily in Europe, North America, South America, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates through four segments: Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles, Power Engineering, and Financial Services.

For more information about the Quantum Cobalt please visit: Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B)

Other Quantum Cobalt Articles: Quantum Cobalt Corp. (CSE: QBOT) (FRA: 23B) is “One to Watch”

About NetworkNewsWire
NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is affiliated with the Investor Based Brand Network (IBBN).

About IBBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.
Please feel free to visit the Investor Based Brand Network (IBBN) www.InvestorBasedBrandNetwork.com

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News Source: NetworkNewsWire

Zinc Shows a Silver Lining as Exchange Stocks Fall to Lowest Level in Decades

New York, NY  -- October 4, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Zinc is beginning to shine again. The metal has been a top performer on the London Metal Exchange (LME), breaking through the $3,000 a metric tonne ceiling for the first time in over a decade. With stocks on the three main exchanges (Shanghai Metals Market, COMEX and LME) at record lows, prices are expected to remain elevated, potentially changing the economics of zinc production for Blue Moon Zinc Corp. (OTC: BMOOF) (TSX-V: MOON), Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL), Teck Resources Ltd (NYSE: TECK), Glencore plc (OTC: GLNCY), and Trevali Mining Corp. (TSX: TV).

To everything, there is a season … two years ago, disinvestment and mine closures bedeviled the industry. In 2015, the Australian-Chinese concern MMG Limited (HKEX: 1208), announced the shuttering of its mining operations at Century in Australia. The Century mine was Australia’s largest zinc mine and the third largest in the world. In 2014, it produced 465,696 tonnes and accounted for around 3.5 percent of global zinc output. And in 2015, by the time mining ended in August, it had yielded about 345,000 tonnes of zinc in zinc concentrate after processing. Vedanta Resources also closed its Irish Lisheen mine in 2015. Lisheen was Europe’s second-largest zinc mine with a capacity of around 175,000 tons. Lisheen’s closure reduced global supplies by another 1.3 percent. And Glencore exacerbated the supply constraint after it announced it would cut output from mines in Australia, Peru and Kazakhstan totaling around 500,000 metric tonnes. This removed another 4 percent from global supply in 2015. Those supply cuts have been boosting prices ever since.

With the outlook on zinc in favorable territory, both senior and junior exploration companies are dusting off previously shuttered projects.

In a recent interview, Blue Moon Zinc Corp. (OTC: BMOOF) (TSX-V: MOON) CEO Patrick McGrath retraced the history of the Blue Moon, USA deposit, which dates back to the Second World War. From 1943-1945, the resource was mined by Hecla Mining Company, whose efforts produced 55,656 tons of 12.3% zinc. The mine lay dormant until the early 1980s, when Imperial Metals completed approximately 33,000 feet of diamond drilling. Thereafter, Westmin Resources, now Boliden, one of Europe’s largest zinc producers, undertook about 57,000 feet of diamond drilling, calculated a mineral resource and commenced engineering, metallurgical, hydrological and environment baseline studies. In addition, Westmin obtained a permit and approval of a reclamation plan from Mariposa County for a shaft and certain underground development. By 1991, the resource was in new hands: being explored by Barrick (Lac), who completed approximately 20,000 feet of drilling. Consequently, Blue Moon, USA stands on the shoulders of well-established and well-qualified operators, who have done a lot of the development work.

Blue Moon emerged from the amalgamation of asset disposals by two other junior exploration companies, the first deriving from Yukon Zinc, which had acquired the Blue Moon deposit from Boliden Limited. The second followed a 2007 spinout by Selwyn Resource of its zinc assets. The company, previously known as Savant Explorations Ltd, announced its name change to Blue Moon Zinc Corp on July 5, 2017 (http://nnw.fm/6DxmD).

The Blue Moon project, located in Mariposa County, California, is estimated to have close to 375 million pounds of zinc in the indicated category, and about 400 million pounds on an inferred basis. A high recovery rate (95%) and its location in an area with well-developed infrastructure and access to labor and other resources gives Blue Moon, USA an indisputable commercial advantage over other junior zinc companies. Moreover, the management and advisory team includes two executives, Lutz Klingmann and Larry O’Connor, with extensive experience either building a mine from scratch or re-starting a mine and dealing with the regulatory process.

Lutz Klingmann is the former CEO of Golden Queen, who successfully permitted the open-pit, heap-leach Soledad Mountain gold mine in California. He brings extensive experience in permitting and building mines, including building the Minto mine currently owned by Capstone Mining Corp. (TSX:CS). Lawrence O’Connor is the former VP Operations at Western Goldfields (now New Gold) where he restarted the Mesquite Mine in California. He is also a former general manager of Eldorado Gold Corp’s La Colorada Mine and during his tenure there completed the feasibility study and permitting required for expansion. Blue Moon’s current CEO, Patrick McGrath, is a CPA-CGA (Chartered Professional Accountant), with 20 years of experience in financing and executive roles in junior public companies. As VP Finance of Adriana Resources Inc. (now Sprott Resource Holdings Inc.), he raised $50 million in equity and debt during his tenure. Together officers and directors hold close to 22 percent of Blue Moon’s equity.

Blue Moon also holds interests in the Yava Property in the Mackenzie Mining District, Territory of Nunavut, approximately 450 kilometers northeast of Yellowknife. The Yava Property consists of one mining lease of 1,304 hectares and 16 unpatented mineral claims that taken together cover 4,449 hectares.

The silver lining on zinc should galvanize Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL), which although primarily focused on silver and gold, unearths substantial quantities of zinc ore in its exploration activities. The company is a leading, low-cost silver producer with operating silver mines in Alaska (Greens Creek), Idaho (Lucky Friday), and Mexico (San Sebastian) and is a gold producer with an operating mine (Casa Berardi) in Quebec, Canada. Its Greens Creek and Lucky Friday mines have reported large proven and probable zinc reserves.

In zinc, as in general, the rich get richer. Top producer Glencore (OTC: GLNCY), with output of around one million tonnes of zinc concentrate annually, has struck ‘gold’ in its joint venture with BHP Billiton, Teck Resources and Mitsubishi. The Antamina copper pit in Peru appears to enclose zinc-heavy ore that has already produced an extra 60,000 tons of zinc over the past 12 months.

And Teck Resources (NYSE: TECK), the world’s No. 3 producer (Hindustan Zinc is at No. 2) continues its run of good luck. At its Red Dog operation in Alaska, the largest zinc pit in the world, a vein of hard-to-refine but zinc-rich rock with ore holding about 24 percent zinc (compared to 14 percent in the pit as a whole) has been discovered.

Meanwhile, Trevali (TSX: TV.TO) announced on August 31 it had acquired a portfolio of zinc assets from Glencore and some of its subsidiaries, which include an 80% interest in the Rosh Pinah mine in Namibia, a 90% interest in the Perkoa mine in Burkina Faso, an effective 39% interest in the Gergarub project in Namibia, and an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Heath Steele project in Canada.

As the global economy continues its rebound, the demand for zinc is forecasted to grow. The metal is mainly used to galvanize iron and steel to prevent rusting, essential in infrastructural projects. In addition, supply is way behind demand. In a June 2017 report, the International Lead and Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) found that the ‘worldwide market for refined zinc metal was in deficit during the first five months of the year while total reported inventories declined over that same time frame,’ according to Metal Miner (http://nnw.fm/qCp5K). It looks like zinc is starting to show its true color.

For more information on Blue Moon Zinc Corp. please visit: Blue Moon Zinc Corp. (OTC: BMOOF) (TSX-V: MOON)

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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About IBBN
Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Please feel free to visit the Investor Based Brand Network (IBBN) http://www.investorbasedbrandnetwork.com 
Media Contact e-mail: FN Media Group, LLC - editor@financialnewsmedia.com (954)345-0611

News Source: NetworkNewsWire

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Demand Outpacing Supply as Canadian Cannabis Legalization Looms

New York, NY  -- October 3, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: The Canadian government’s plan to push through legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes by mid-2018 figures to deal a serious blow to the existing black market. However, industry analysts are increasingly skeptical of the ability of the country’s Licensed Producers to keep pace with this forecast spike in demand. As noted in a recent article published by CBC, “Unless something changes quickly, the supply of available pot come legalization next July, will be inadequate, and the black market will continue to thrive.” ABcann Global Corp. (OTC: ABCCF) (TSX-V: ABCN) (ABCCF Profile), with its healthy cash position and aggressive expansion plans, is one company seeking to address these supply concerns, particularly in the medicinal market. Joined in the space by Canopy Growth Corp. (OTC: TWMJF) (TSX: WEED), Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (OTC: ACBFF) (TSX: ACB), Aphria, Inc. (OTC: APHQF) (TSX: APH) and Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA), ABcann’s relatively low market cap and beefy portfolio of pharmaceutical-grade IP have it on the radar of investors looking to capitalize on Canada’s much-anticipated “green” revolution.

Mere months out from its initial public offering, ABcann Global Corp. (OTCQB: ABCCF) (TSX.V: ABCN) has already shown tremendous potential in setting itself apart from other Canadian growers. The backbone of the company’s operations, which focus on the development of consistent pharmaceutical-grade products that are organically grown and pesticide-free, is its proprietary growing technology. As noted on its website, ABcann’s products are always free of chemicals and produced in small batches to ensure high quality standards. This commitment to quality has helped ABcann steer clear of the recent wave of product recalls in the Canadian cannabis market that has affected many of the industry’s biggest names.

Scaling these operations has become a major focus for ABcann’s management team in recent months, as highlighted by the company’s latest strategic moves. In mid-September, ABcann announced its reception of $11.9 million in total proceeds from the exercise of warrants. When combined with an earlier investment from cannabis streaming company Cannabis Wheaton Income Corp., the infusion brought ABcann’s cash position to approximately $45 million. As Aaron Keay, director of ABcann, noted in that news release, “The Company’s main focus in the coming months will be on the deployment of capital towards the expansion of [its] existing Vanluven facility and development and construction of the new Kimmett facility, as well as the pursuit of [its] international expansion plans.” These facilities mark another upside of ABcann’s business model, as the company owns the land it intends to use for these expansion projects, eliminating potentially costly leasing expenses.

Supported by a strong management team and guided by an experienced advisory board featuring the “Father of Cannabis Research” Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, ABcann’s favorable production yields place it at the forefront of an extremely competitive market. In its corporate presentation, ABcann compares its yields with industry averages based on PI Financial estimates. Cannabis industry mainstay Canopy Growth Corp.’s (OTC: TWMJF) (TSX: WEED.TO) indoor yield per square foot is estimated at roughly 100 grams. Comparatively, ABcann’s indoor yield clocks in at nearly 350 grams per square foot, and the company is targeting further refinements that could support yields in excess of 425 grams per square foot in the near future, far outpacing industry averages.

PI Financial, in a May 2017 report, provided some insight into the potential upside offered by ABcann’s proprietary growing techniques as the Canadian cannabis market enters its latest boom period. The analyst firm notes that ABcann is currently on course to reach breakeven as soon as the second quarter of 2018, with a ramp up in sales to $74.2 million forecast for fiscal 2019. These projections came alongside a ‘Buy’ rating and a 12-month price target of C$2.25 for ABcann’s Canada-listed shares, which were trading at C$0.96 as of close of market on September 29.

Promising research reports aside, ABcann’s recent efforts to address the expected shortfall in Canadian cannabis supply place it at the forefront of the blossoming industry. Its strong cash position is being used to both expand its fully-operational Vanluven facility and continue construction of its 150,000-square-foot Kimmett facility. As noted in a July news release, ABcann expects first cultivation from the Kimmett facility in the fourth quarter of 2018, with the project reaching full production capacity by the first quarter of 2019. With this expansion, the company will look to expand on its position in the Canadian market while pursuing a number of global initiatives in Europe, Israel and Australia. “We expect that the increase in production capacity will enable ABcann to increase the sales of our premium, organically grown, pesticide free cannabis products in the current domestic market and position the Company for global distribution in the emerging markets we have targeted,” Keay noted in an August update. “Further, the ability to serve larger and broader markets as a result of the production increase positions ABcann extremely well for the anticipated adult consumer market in July 2018.”

ABcann is joined in the Canadian cannabis sector by a number of companies exploring expansion options of their own. Canopy Growth Corp., widely-recognized as Canada’s first $1 billion weed company, operates a number of core cannabis brands targeting both medicinal and recreational markets. Perhaps most notable in this brand portfolio is Tweed, which Canopy calls “the most recognized marijuana production brand in the world” on its website. The production capacity of the Tweed brand highlights the massive market potential of ABcann’s current construction efforts. Per the Canopy Growth Corp. website, Tweed currently maintains roughly 168,000 square feet of licensed production space, and its campus located at the former Hershey Chocolate factory has about 500,000 square feet of available space for expansion. In other words, ABcann’s 150,000-square-foot Kimmett facility, upon completion, will see the company’s production space surpass one of the world’s most notable cannabis brands, and its superior yields should push ABcann’s production figures well beyond the current limits of Canopy’s flagship label.

Aurora Cannabis (OTCQX: ACBFF) (TSX: ACB.TO), on the other hand, had already set its sights on the forecast supply dearth expected to hit the Canadian market in the coming months. In November 2016, Aurora announced the start of construction on an unprecedented 800,000-square-foot production facility that it’s calling ‘Aurora Sky’. Completion of this project would mark a huge capacity increase from Aurora’s current facility, which clocks in at just 55,200 square feet.

In May, Aphria (OTCQB: APHQF) (TSX: APH.TO) threw its hat into the ring when it announced plans to triple its production capacity as part of its four-part construction effort in Leamington, Ontario. The expansion project is on course for completion in July 2018, according to Aphria CEO Vic Neufeld. Meanwhile, Medical Marijuana (OTC: MJNA), the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States, has continued to fortify its presence on the international cannabis scene, becoming the first company to have cannabis products subsidized by the Mexican government earlier this year.

Legalization of cannabis for recreational use is creating a huge opportunity for Licensed Producers in Canada. While quality concerns and product recalls have impacted the expansion efforts of many of the industry’s most recognizable names, the importance of consistent and dependable growing techniques has been reaffirmed. ABcann’s combination of a promising IP portfolio, a strong cash position, sizable real estate assets and a relatively low market cap – combined with a clean sheet in terms of product recalls and quality blunders – make it an intriguing investment option in the Canadian cannabis industry. Look for big moves as the company approaches ramp up of production at its new facilities in the coming months.

For more information on ABcann Global Corp. please visit: ABcann Global (TSX.V: ABCN) (OTCQB: ABCCF)

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How the Trump Affect Could Boost the Environmental Sector

Green Stocks keep chugging along

New York, NY  -- January 31, 2017 -- NetworkNewsWire News Coverage: Now that the Dow has rallied above 20,000 for the first time, we can step back and review the landscape. Few should be surprised that several infrastructure stocks have been the beneficiary of the new Administration’s policies. Conversely, the conventional wisdom was that we should forget green stocks for the next four to eight years, especially with President Trump nominating ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) CEO Rex Tillerson to be his Secretary of State. It’s worth taking a look at a variety of equities – such as Source Financial, Inc. (OTCQX: SRCF), Tesla Motors’ (NASDAQ: TSLA) and Methanex Corp. (NASDAQ: MEOH) – to see how they fit into the current playing field.

However, that’s not playing out as expected. In fact, the green sector has some of the best performers since the election, and the recent announcement that Source Financial, Inc. and CSES Group, Inc. are entering a merger transaction to bring CSES’s proprietary refrigerant technology, alltemp, to market, is well-timed.

In addition to being the world’s first Montreal and Kyoto Protocol compliant refrigerant, alltemp delivers impressive energy consumption savings, without any loss in capacity, according to tests conducted in several Fortune 500 company facilities.

CSES plans on increasing manufacturing capacity of alltemp to $100 million per month at its plant in Oregon.

The green sector rally really shouldn’t have caught anybody off guard. After all, one of the high-profile meetings that the Trump transition team hosted at Trump Tower was with Leonardo DiCaprio and Terry Tamminen, the CEO of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, to discuss the importance of green sector jobs and how the sector boosts the economy.

Tamminen stated, "Our conversation focused on how to create millions of secure, American jobs in the construction and operation of commercial and residential clean, renewable energy generation."

The Trump Administration also hosted Elon Musk, who reportedly stated that the Trump Administration may "be positive on renewables," and appointed Tesla Motors’ front man to President Trump’s Strategic and Policy forum.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas made the following comment concerning Musk’s appointment, "While we cannot explicitly apply a monetary value to this relationship, we believe this level of coordination with the new administration could actually evolve into greater strategic value than with the prior administration.''
Jonas also believes that the relationship could send Tesla shares 30% higher this year, and said, "To the extent the creation of high tech manufacturing jobs in the United States is a high priority of the administration, we believe Mr. Musk might have some objectives that could be very much in alignment with those of the Trump administration."

On top of boosting the “Made in America” agenda, as the green technologies and renewables sector could become a prime employment driver in the U.S., this also points to President Trump’s belief in smart ecology, where green technologies should be able to compete, and win, on other merits.

In other words, the Trump Administration could help boost environmental technologies, which see massive demand increases with higher energy prices.
Ultimately, the green space products must be compelling without any incentives or subsidies. The space will succeed because the products are becoming more affordable and captivating by the day, with or without government incentives.

The environmental, renewable and alternative fuel space is much more than just Tesla. Among top-moving green sector players is the U.S. Alternative Fuel Index, the second-best performing industry over the past month, led by Methanex Corp., which just reported record quarterly and annual production, as well as the third consecutive quarter of record sales volume. Methanex’s board of directors also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.275 per share that will be payable March 31, 2017, to holders of common shares of record March 17, 2017.

ExxonMobil’s board of directors also declared a cash dividend last week, but at $0.75 per share on the common stock, payable March 10, 2017, to shareholders of record of common stock at the close of business February 10, 2017. ExxonMobil will release its fourth quarter and full year 2016 financial results January 31.

For more information, please visit: Source Financial, Inc. (SRCF)

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______________________
Recent NetworkNewswire Coverage:

Cannabis Industry Sees Cautionary Optimism amid Trump Administration Uncertainty

New York, NY – January 25, 2017 – NetworkNewsWire.com News Coverage:  The election of 2016 will forever mark a historic moment for the cannabis industry, reflecting growing acceptance – and legalization - of cannabis for medical and recreational use. The progression of this market, expected to grow to $50 billion in the next 10 years, has awakened a new era of business opportunities for companies like Singlepoint (OTC: SING), Eco Science Solutions, Inc. (OTC: ESSI), Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA), OWC Pharmaceutical Research (OTC: OWCP) and MassRoots, Inc. (OTC: MSRT).

With specialties ranging from technology to health care, visionary companies are learning how to apply their expertise to meet the increasing and evolving demands for cannabis-based products and services.

A recent report ( http://nnw.fm/iI0ci  ) from the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) calls the 2016 election “a watershed moment for the cannabis industry.” While the report highlights concerns about how the Trump Administration could affect players in the blooming cannabis industry, the cautionary article offers room for optimism.

Among other points, NCIA notes the potential for policy changes at the Department of Justice, which since 2013 has crafted its state marijuana programs around the “Cole Memo.” Written by James Cole, former U.S. deputy attorney general (2010-2015), the memo provides eight priorities concerning federal policy on the cannabis industry.

“Hypothetically, new leadership at the Justice Department could revoke the Cole Memo and return to an era of federal enforcement actions against state-compliant cannabis businesses. However, such an action would almost certainly provoke substantial backlash,” writes NCIA.

Meanwhile, a recent initiative by Senator Elizabeth Warren of the Senate Banking Committee demonstrates growing acceptance of the cannabis industry, and raises hopes that the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) will soon provide updated guidelines for marijuana companies looking for access to banks and credit unions. Earlier guidance provided by FinCEN in 2014 addressed the concerns of businesses that dealt directly in marijuana, like pot shops and marijuana dispensaries. “Indirect businesses that service the marijuana industry” were left in regulatory limbo, not knowing what rules, if any, applied to them.

One “indirect business” of vital importance to the marijuana industry is handled by Singlepoint subsidiary, SingleSeed Payments, which will provide a number of transaction and payment processing services, such as cashless ATM, Pay-by-Text™ and text message marketing to the cannabis industry.

In a recent interview ( http://nnw.fm/lK1Y5 ) with MoneyTV, Singlepoint CEO Greg Lambrecht discussed the value banking services would provide to marijuana businesses, also highlighting his optimism for the industry.

“With Oregon, Washington and Colorado, the cannabis business was roughly somewhere around $5 billion. With Florida, Massachusetts and California, I’ve seen a lot of estimates of it growing to $50 billion, and some estimate saying $100 billion. We’re going to be the merchant processor on that money, so this is a very exciting time for Singlepoint.”

Another business that will feel the ripple effects of industry change is MassRoots, Inc. (OTCQB: MSRT), one of the largest technology platforms for the regulated cannabis industry. The company's mobile apps enable consumers to provide community-driven reviews of cannabis strains and products, enabling consumers to make educated cannabis purchasing decisions.

The cannabis industry is also comprised of other “indirect players” such as Eco Science Solutions, Inc. (OTC Pink: ESSI), an eco-tech company with several smart-device apps and related supplements to natural medication use; and Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC Pink: MJNA), whose HempMeds Mexico® subsidiary recently received approval from Mexico's health authority, COFEPRIS, to import the company’s Real Scientific Hemp Oil-X™ to treat a patient for pain associated with cancer treatments and for general well-being.

Additionally, OWC Pharmaceutical Research (OTCQB: OWCP), through its Israel-based One World Cannabis Ltd. subsidiary, develops cannabinoid-based therapies targeting a variety of different medical conditions and disorders. One World was created to apply pharmaceutical research protocols and disciplines to the medical cannabis industry, and enables OWC Pharmaceutical to take advantage of Israel's position as the global center of medical cannabis research.
Ultimately, the forecast for cannabis business is bright, buoyed by public and congressional support that demands change.

“The 2016 election is a turning point for marijuana policy and the cannabis industry in the United States. Never before have so many Americans lined up to reject the failures of marijuana prohibition and support legal, regulated cannabis programs,” says NCIA.

For more information, please visit: Singlepoint, Inc. (SING)

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This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW & FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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Mounting Support for Marijuana Banking has Widespread Implications

New York, NY – January 18, 2017 – NetworkNewsWire.com News Coverage:  Although 28 states have already legalized marijuana for medicinal or recreational use, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) continues to label marijuana a Schedule 1 substance, along with heroin and LSD, making it illegal on a federal level. As a result, the banking industry has been slow to provide services to marijuana businesses, forcing many of these companies to operate on a cash-only basis. A “bankable” marijuana industry, however, would have widespread implications, including for companies like Singlepoint, Inc. (OTC: SING), Terra Tech Corp. (OTCQX: TRTC), OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp. (OTCQB: OWCP), ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) and financial institutions like Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC)

Cash transaction businesses are a tempting target for thieves, and the lack of oversight at times leads to lost tax revenue. It’s a situation that Senator Elizabeth Warren, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, is anxious to change. As the Associated Press initially reported, Warren and nine other senators have called upon the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to issue new and stronger guidance allowing banks to provide services to marijuana shop vendors. The moves are a significant encouragement to payment processors supporting the cannabis industry, as well as other industry players.

One of the supporters is Singlepoint, Inc. (OTC: SING), a mobile technology and payments provider, which, through its “SingleSeed” Payments subsidiary, provides payment solutions for the cannabis industry. Its mobile marketing and payment solutions include cashless ATM, Pay-by-Text™ and text message marketing. The company is strongly encouraged by the efforts of Senator Warren and others on Capitol Hill, and the significant positive changes they could bring.

Another company that stands to gain with this new market opportunity is ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (CIIX) ChineseInvestors.com, a company that provides investor information to the global Chinese community, and also offers a unique link to this community for growing businesses. The company recently announced plans to launch the “world’s first Cannabidiol (CBD) health products online store in the Chinese language,” through an agreement with a “well-known” CBD health brand.

Other cannabis-related companies in line to benefit from mounting support of a bankable marijuana industry include Terra Tech Corp. (TRTC). Through its subsidiaries, Terra Tech provides a range of hydroponic equipment for indoor cultivation of cannabis products. In addition, the company sells hydroponic cannabis produce and associated products. Another is OWC Pharmaceutical Research Corp. (OWCP), an Israeli company that develops cannabis products for the treatment of diseases, also offering consulting services in the industry.

Previous guidance efforts by the U.S. Department of the Treasury gave banks only limited permission to work with legal marijuana businesses. Along with the DEA’s Schedule 1 listing, it has created a significant gap between state and federal treatment of marijuana. Even though the number of financial institutions willing to provide services to marijuana businesses has grown significantly in recent years, only a small percentage currently serve the industry. It’s still an area dominated by small state-chartered banks and credit unions.

Supporters however see an inevitable day, through efforts such as those now being led by Senator Warren, when large national banks like Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) offer comprehensive services to the cannabis industry, further spurring already rapid industry growth.

For more information, please visit: Singlepoint, Inc. (SING)

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