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T-RIZE, a prominent creator of blockchain-powered AI infrastructure, has officially joined the Flower Pilot Program, a three-month project to scale federated learning in real-world settings.

The startup will offer a production-grade blueprint that allows institutions to train transformer models on sensitive rental data while maintaining privacy, auditability, and regulatory compliance.

The initiative, which is supported by Flower's globally known federated AI ecosystem, allows T-RIZE to demonstrate the possibilities of its Rizemind framework, an open-source toolkit that incorporates blockchain verification and economic coordination into distributed AI processes.

A Real-World Approach to Secure and Decentralized AI

T-RIZE's plan will concentrate on tabular data applications like as KYC, underwriting, and due diligence—all areas where data sensitivity and accuracy are critical. The solution combines Flower's federated training infrastructure with Rizemind's on-chain accountability, utilizing blockchain to record training outcomes and assure verifiability among participants.

"This blueprint isn't just theoretical—it's built for operational teams," said Madani Boukalba, CEO of T-RIZE Group. "We're bridging AI and blockchain not for hype, but to solve real enterprise problems, starting with due diligence workflows where privacy and proof matter equally."

The blueprint includes model code on GitHub, Docker images for deployment, schema validation tools, and step-by-step setup and monitoring instructions. It uses encryption, role-based access, and network limitations to meet high security standards.

Token Utility Provides Transparent Training

A crucial innovation is the blueprint's usage of the $RIZE token, T-RIZE's native digital asset. The coin acts as a unit of account for compute utilization, compensates contributors for model training, and stores results on the Rizenet blockchain. This adds economic coordination to AI activities while also providing transparent performance tracking.

According to the business, this strategy lowers the cost of inter-institutional collaboration, eliminates the need for centralized audits, and opens up new income prospects for data providers and validators.

The blueprint's release is carefully timed: as global organizations face AI compliance demands, federated learning solutions that combine privacy and accountability are becoming not just desirable—but also necessary.

A Strategic Collaboration with Broad-Reaching Impact

The Flower ecosystem, which is already being trusted by Mozilla, Owkin, Banking Circle, and MIT, serves as an excellent basis for this collaborative effort. T-RIZE's contribution adds a Web3-native layer of verifiability to federated learning, enabling traceable outcomes and trustless coordination.

Beyond the pilot, T-RIZE intends to expand Rizemind with zero-knowledge machine learning (zkML), multi-party computing (MPC), and dynamic noise injection—techniques designed to improve privacy while meeting future legal needs.

"AI regulation is coming fast, and enterprises need infrastructure that's not just compliant—but provable," Madani said. 

Availability and Participation

The blueprint will be provided at the end of the three-month Flower Pilot Program, with early access accessible to universities using rental datasets or compliance-heavy tabular data. Interested parties are encouraged to contact T-RIZE directly or stay updated via Flower's official channels.

About T-RIZE

T-RIZE is a Montreal-based AI and blockchain company focused on privacy-preserving computation and tokenized machine learning. Backed by research at École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS), T-RIZE enables enterprises to unlock the value of sensitive data through decentralized, verifiable AI systems. For more information, visit rizenet.io.

About Flower

Flower, the top open-source federated AI platform, allows safe, decentralized model training and assessment. Flower offers collaborative AI without sacrificing data protection or governance, trusted by researchers and organizations worldwide. To learn more, visit flower.ai.

With the rapid growth of the cryptocurrency market, BTC Miner is leading the way in cloud mining by providing a hassle-free, high-return platform for earning passive income through Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced investor, BTC Miner makes it easy to start earning—no technical knowledge required.

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ugee, a leading digital hardware developer and trailblazer in creative technologies, is now stepping into the audio world with the debut of FreSound Inspiration Open Earbuds. Staying true to its mission of escorting creative expression, ugee keeps close connections with artists to explore more possibilities. This move marks another new chapter for ugee, empowering creatives by merging inspiration with technology to deliver the exclusive experience tailored for creative community.

Comfy Without Pressure Over Time

For those creatives, wearing audio devices for an extended time is pretty common. From this, ugee stay uncompromising to pursue the comfort. Crafted from skin-friendly liquid silicone, the earbuds naturally fit ears, cradling them without feeling like they’re in the way. Weighing a mere 8.7 grams, it ensures that even during long listening sessions, one will barely notice them but the gentlest embrace. Whether immersed in creative tasks, engaged in a rigorous workout, or just moving around the city, these earbuds deliver lasting comfort and lingering aesthetic that reflects ugee’s artistic touch.

Safe With Sound Around Ears

FreSound stands out from the crowded market with its open-ear design. Unlike in-ear and over-ear devices, this feature lets outside sounds mix naturally with your favorite tunes, keeping you connected with your surroundings without sacrificing audio immersion. Especially for those who lead an dynamic, on-the-go lifestyle, the open-ear concept ensures that while every beat inspires you, safety remains paramount.

Expertly Tuned for Pure Audio and Art

True to ugee’s storied legacy of precision and creativity, the FreSound Inspiration Open Earbuds offer an exclusive HiFi experience expertly tuned by a dedicated team of audio specialists. Through the integration of a bespoke frequency response curve and advanced sound balance technology, these earbuds capture every nuance of your picked tracks — from the softest piano keys to the bold moments in a pop song, ensuring that the music not only fills your ears but also resonates with your very soul. Empowered by the 12 mm biological diaphragm driver unit, FreSound breathes life into soundscapes, creating more dynamic and lifelike sound.

FreSound Inspiration Open Earbuds are far more than just another audio gadget — they are a bold leap forward for ugee. By marrying the unmatched comfort with latest open-ear design and custom-built HiFi sound, these earbuds deliver an experience that is as reassuring as it is inspiring. With FreSound, ugee warmly welcome every creative spirit to join in on a new era where arts meet sounds, coming together to spark boundless inspiration.

SKYX Platforms Corp. (NASDAQ: SKYX) (“SKYX” or the “Company”), a highly disruptive smart home platform technology company with more than 97 issued and pending patents globally, today provided a comprehensive corporate update ahead of several key milestones. The Company also operates a growing portfolio of over 60 lighting and home décor e-commerce sites, reinforcing its mission to make homes and buildings smart, safe, and advanced as the new standard.

SKYX announced that it will officially be added to the Russell 2000 Index following the market close on June 27, 2025. This inclusion represents a significant milestone and reinforces the Company’s visibility among institutional investors and the broader financial community.

In parallel, SKYX revealed its central role in enabling a transformative $3 billion mixed-use Smart Urban City project in Miami’s Little River District. As part of this initiative, SKYX will deploy over 500,000 units of its advanced plug & play smart home technologies, including its AI-powered smart ecosystem, across the entire 63-acre development. The project will include more than 5,700 condos and apartments, a significant allocation for workforce and affordable housing, over 350,000 square feet of retail space, 1.5 million square feet of green walkways, parks, bike paths, shuttle lanes, and a $35 million Tri-Rail station. World-renowned architectural firm Arquitectonica is leading the project’s design, while development is spearheaded by SG Holdings—a joint venture between the Swerdlow Group, SJM Partners, and Alben Duffie, each with a legacy of major urban developments.

Financially, SKYX continues to gain strong backing from U.S. and international manufacturers in support of its large-scale product deployments. This support underscores investor confidence in the scalability and market demand for SKYX’s smart home innovations. As of March 31, 2025, SKYX reported $35 million in cash, sufficient to execute its near-term strategic goals and achieve cash-flow positivity in 2025. In the first quarter of 2025, the Company generated record revenues of $20.1 million, up from $18.9 million in the same period the previous year, while also reducing general and administrative expenses by 17%, from $7.9 million to $6.6 million. SKYX also improved its gross margins and gross profit sequentially.

Anticipating strong seasonal demand, SKYX is preparing for a Q3 launch of its disruptive All-In-One Smart Turbo Heater & Ceiling Fan, with manufacturing already underway through long-term partners. The Company will launch two models of the patented product, targeting the multi-billion-dollar ceiling fan and space heater market. SKYX expects its products to be in 30,000 U.S. and Canadian homes by the end of the second quarter of 2025, with tens of thousands more to follow in the second half of the year.

To further support its growth, SKYX secured $15 million in preferred stock investments at $2 per share from strategic investors led by The Shaner Group, a major global Marriott Hotels chain owner. The round also saw significant participation from company insiders, including President Steve Schmidt and co-CEOs Lenny Sokolow and John Campi, signaling strong internal confidence in the Company’s vision and trajectory.

In a major manufacturing development, SKYX announced a strategic U.S. partnership with Profab Electronics, a premier electronic contract manufacturer based in Pompano Beach, Florida. This collaboration complements the Company’s manufacturing operations across Vietnam, Taiwan, China, and Cambodia, strengthening SKYX’s commitment to building a resilient and efficient supply chain.

SKYX continues to pursue national safety standardization of its ceiling outlet and receptacle technology. Its Safety Code Standardization Team, led by Mark Earley (former head of the National Electrical Code) and Eric Jacobson (former president and CEO of the American Lighting Association), is now backed by a prominent new leader from a key government safety organization. SKYX has already secured ANSI/NEMA approval and has been voted into 10 segments of the NEC Code Book. The Company expects that its technology, once the full range of product variations is complete, will be recommended by insurance companies due to its potential to reduce fires, ladder falls, and electrocutions.

SKYX continues to build recurring revenue streams through a “Razor & Blades” business model. The Company’s ceiling electrical outlet (Razor) serves as the foundation for a range of plug & play smart products (Blades), including lighting, fans, recessed lights, emergency fixtures, chandeliers, and more. The Company’s technology enables high-rise buildings and hotels to complete installations in days rather than months, providing an efficient and scalable solution for large-scale construction projects.

With an addressable market of approximately $500 billion in the U.S. and over 4.2 billion ceiling applications, SKYX is expanding both in the retail and professional segments. The Company generates revenue through product sales, licensing, royalties, subscriptions, monitoring, and global country rights. In addition to leveraging its 60+ e-commerce platforms, SKYX collaborates with major retailers including Home Depot and Wayfair to distribute its full suite of advanced and smart plug & play products.

Strategic partnerships also continue to accelerate SKYX’s market reach. These include collaborations with leading lighting manufacturers such as Kichler, Quoizel, EGLO, and Ruee, as well as integration into premium homes built by Cavco Homes, a top U.S. prefabricated home builder. SKYX’s technology will be installed across three luxury Forte Developments in Florida, totaling over 12,000 products across more than 400 units. Additionally, a 1,000-unit mixed-use project by Jeremiah Baron Companies will incorporate SKYX’s technologies, with initial deliveries to 140 units and more throughout the construction cycle.

To support distribution, SKYX has entered a strategic agreement with JIT Electrical Supply, a leading builder supplier that has served over 100,000 U.S. homes. JIT will distribute SKYX’s lighting and smart products beginning in early 2025.

In a key leadership move, SKYX welcomed Huey Long, former Amazon e-commerce director and executive at Walmart and Ashley Furniture, as the new head of its e-commerce division. Long will work closely with SKYX’s existing team to expand market penetration across its digital platforms and leading North American e-commerce channels.

About SKYX Platforms Corp.

As electricity is a standard in every home and building, our mission is to make homes and buildings become safe-advanced and smart as the new standard. SKYX has a series of highly disruptive advanced-safe-smart platform technologies, with over 97 U.S. and global patents and patent pending applications. Additionally, the Company owns over 60 lighting and home decor websites for both retail and commercial segments. Our technologies place an emphasis on high quality and ease of use, while significantly enhancing both safety and lifestyle in homes and buildings. We believe that our products are a necessity in every room in both homes and other buildings in the U.S. and globally. For more information, please visit our website at www.skyplug.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are not based on historical facts, but are forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “could,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “evaluate,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “objective,” “ongoing,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “probable,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target” “view,” “will,” or “would,” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements reflect the Company’s reasonable judgment with respect to future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which have outcomes difficult to predict and may be outside our control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include statements relating to the Company’s ability to successfully launch, commercialize, develop additional features and achieve market acceptance of its products and technologies and integrate its products and technologies with third-party platforms or technologies; the Company’s efforts and ability to drive the adoption of its products and technologies as a standard feature, including their use in homes, hotels, offices and cruise ships; the Company’s ability to capture market share; the Company’s estimates of its potential addressable market and demand for its products and technologies; the Company’s ability to raise additional capital to support its operations as needed, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern; the Company’s ability to execute on any sales and licensing or other strategic opportunities; the possibility that any of the Company’s products will become National Electrical Code (NEC)-code or otherwise code mandatory in any jurisdiction, or that any of the Company’s current or future products or technologies will be adopted by any state, country, or municipality, within any specific timeframe or at all; risks arising from mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other collaborations; the Company’s ability to attract and retain key executives and qualified personnel; guidance provided by management, which may differ from the Company’s actual operating results; the potential impact of unstable market and economic conditions on the Company’s business, financial condition, and stock price; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. There can be no assurance as to any of the foregoing matters.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws.

CoinsPaid, a licensed Estonian cryptocurrency payment platform, is expanding its services into the real estate sector, offering developers and agencies a secure, fast, and cost-effective way to accept cryptocurrency payments. As the future of real estate transactions increasingly involves cryptocurrency, CoinsPaid is at the forefront of this transition, enabling real estate businesses to meet the growing demand for alternative payment methods.

"The future of buying houses with crypto is here. The demand from investors to make payments with cryptocurrency is growing, and our goal is to make every transaction secure for both buyers and sellers. With this, we aim to set a new standard for transparent and efficient property transactions," says Max Krupyshev, CEO of CoinsPaid.

By providing an easy-to-use solution for processing crypto payments, CoinsPaid enables developers and real estate professionals to accept cryptocurrencies with instant conversion into fiat currencies. This ensures that both buyers and sellers experience an efficient, transparent, and secure transaction process from start to finish.

Key Features of CoinsPaid’s Real Estate Payment Solution

• Regulatory compliance: CoinsPaid adheres to strict AML and KYC regulations, ensuring that all crypto transactions are conducted securely and in compliance with global financial standards.
• Global reach for cross-border transactions: CoinsPaid supports over 20 cryptocurrencies and 40+ fiat currencies, enabling real estate professionals to seamlessly complete international transactions, expanding their market reach and facilitating global real estate deals in all the jurisdictions where cryptocurrency can be used as means of payment if agreed by sellers and buyers.
• Efficient transactions for buyers and sellers: CoinsPaid simplifies the payment process by offering for property owners and developers a Crypto Business Wallet. Buyers can pay with cryptocurrency, while sellers receive immediate fiat conversion, eliminating the complexities of traditional digital payments.
• Mitigating market volatility risks: CoinsPaid’s fast crypto-to-fiat conversion ensures sellers gain access to liquidity without exposure to crypto market fluctuations, providing a stable and secure transaction process.
• Transaction reporting: Transaction reporting provides comprehensive insights into every payment processed through the platform, ensuring transparency and accuracy for all real estate transactions. It delivers detailed data, including transaction IDs, timestamps, amounts (in both crypto and fiat), sender and receiver details, and transaction statuses. This feature enables real estate businesses to monitor payment activity in real-time.
• Transparent and competitive fee structure: CoinsPaid offers transparent pricing, ensuring that property owners and agencies can plan and manage their budgets. The fee of around 1% is competitive within the crypto payment space.
• Designed for every real estate business: No matter if you’re selling properties, managing transactions, or developing real estate projects — our crypto payment gateway can accommodate all your real estate payment needs.
• Supporting large deals: CoinsPaid’s infrastructure is designed to handle high-value transactions, making it ideal for large-scale property deals.
• A fully integrated support ecosystem: With over a decade of industry presence, CoinsPaid has built a robust support ecosystem for any business, regardless of their prior experience with cryptocurrency, meaning no need to be crypto experts to begin accepting crypto payments. The support system includes dedicated account managers, who translate business goals into scalable business strategies, and technical experts that support daily transaction oversight, issue resolution, and system improvements.

Roland Berger in partnership with the Manufacturers Alliance Foundation released a report, "Navigating Uncertainty: The geopolitical impact on manufacturing trends in 2025,” finding that at a time marked by geopolitical tensions and trade and economic uncertainty, manufacturers are reassessing their strategies to navigate an increasingly volatile climate.

The study, the second in an in-depth research series looking at the evolving forces shaping the manufacturing sector, is based on a survey of more than 150 US-based manufacturing executives, as well as in-depth interviews with nearly two dozen CEOs, in sectors including machinery, computers and electronics, chemicals, food, plastics and rubber.

Stephen Gold, president of Manufacturers Alliance Foundation and president and CEO of Manufacturers Alliance shared, “Our latest research shows a sector grappling with complex challenges—ranging from policy uncertainty to talent shortages—but also uncovering opportunities to gain competitive advantage through technology, regionalization and agility.”

The research reveals a shift in mindset from long-term investment to risk management as companies adapt to heightened global instability.

Key Research Highlights

• Shift Toward Localization: Manufacturers are rethinking globalization. The current climate favors “capex-light” strategies, repurposing existing sites or forming regional partnerships, to localize operations efficiently.
• Changing Production Geography: Companies are increasingly turning to lower-risk markets like the UK and Japan over traditional low-cost hubs such as China and Mexico, favoring stability over cost savings.
• Talent as a Critical Pressure Point: 88% of executives expect workforce challenges to worsen due to geopolitical risk. In response, manufacturers are doubling down on workforce development, upskilling, and automation to build resilience.
• Accelerated Digitalization: Leaders in the industry are twice as likely to turn to digital tools as a strategic buffer against uncertainty, signaling a decisive move toward Industry 4.0.
• Rise of Customization: 72% of manufacturers are prioritizing product development to better match local demand, further supporting regionalization trends.
• Sustainability Takes a Limited Hit: While many foresee a pullback in sustainability investments due to geopolitical distractions, companies with sustainability embedded in their core offerings remain on their goals.

“Manufacturers are entering a new strategic era, one where geopolitical risk isn’t just influencing decisions, it’s rewriting the playbook,” says Michelle Drew Rodriguez, partner at Roland Berger. “Now more than ever, resilience, adaptability and regional relevance are the rising indicators of global manufacturing competitiveness.”

About Roland Berger

Roland Berger is one of the world's leading strategy consultancies with a wide-ranging service portfolio for all relevant industries and business functions. Founded in 1967, Roland Berger is headquartered in Munich. Renowned for its expertise in transformation, innovation across all sectors and performance improvement, the consultancy has set itself the goal of embedding sustainability in all its projects. Roland Berger's revenues stood at more than 1 billion euros in 2023. For more information, visit www.rolandberger.com.

About Manufacturers Alliance Foundation

Manufacturers Alliance Foundation is the 501(c)(3) partner of Manufacturers Alliance. The Alliance Foundation provides educational opportunities for the manufacturing community and its stakeholders through insights, events, and tools for today’s most critical business decisions. The Alliance Foundation focuses on talent, technology, digital transformation, and competitiveness. Learn more about the Alliance Foundation at www.manufacturersalliance.org/foundation.

About Manufacturers Alliance

Manufacturers Alliance powers leaders. We bring together an unparalleled network of manufacturing executives to advance their careers, grow their companies, and support the whole community. We accomplish our mission through peer communities, education, and business insights on the topics that matter most to the sector. In our 91st year, we continue to drive the manufacturing community to be smarter, faster, and better. Learn more at www.manufacturersalliance.org.

eMerge Americas, a strategic convener, catalyst, and global tech conference + expo uniting global enterprises, startups, investors, and government leaders to accelerate innovation, announced today the acquisition of Miami AI Hub, a leading community and initiative focused on advancing artificial intelligence in South Florida. As part of the acquisition, Burhan Sebin, founder of Miami AI Hub, has been appointed as eMerge Americas' first-ever Chief AI Officer — a groundbreaking executive role that reflects the organization's long-term commitment to AI innovation.

This strategic move reflects eMerge Americas' unwavering commitment to positioning Miami and the South Florida region as an epicenter for artificial intelligence innovation and development. The appointment of a Chief AI Officer marks a bold step forward in shaping AI policy, partnerships, and programming across eMerge's global initiatives.

"We are thrilled to welcome Burhan Sebin to the eMerge Americas team," said Melissa Medina, CEO of eMerge Americas. "Burhan has played a key role in fostering a strong AI community here in South Florida of over 4,000 people. His vision aligns perfectly with our mission to elevate Miami as a global destination for deep tech and emerging technologies."

In a very short time frame, Miami AI Hub became a central force in uniting AI startups, researchers, technologists, and business leaders. Under Sebin's leadership, the Hub launched impactful community initiatives, educational programs, and collaborative projects that advanced ethical and accessible AI development in the region.

"Joining eMerge Americas is an incredible opportunity to scale our efforts and put South Florida on the map as a leader in the global AI ecosystem," said Burhan Sebin. "Together, we'll build bridges across sectors and borders to drive responsible AI innovation from Miami."

This milestone comes as excitement builds around the launch of the inaugural Miami AI School; a new eMerge Americas flagship program that will fast-track founders, operators, and creatives into becoming AI-native leaders. The immersive program features three high-impact phases, each culminating in real demos, strong portfolio pieces, and applied case studies — designed to help participants not only understand AI but actively shape its future across industries.

In addition to the Miami AI School and new initiatives rolling out this year, eMerge Americas will significantly expand its AI programming at its flagship global tech conference in April 2026. Highlights include:

• A larger eMerge AI Pavilion, showcasing cutting-edge startups, research, and applications
• Interactive demo zones where attendees can experience applied AI in real time
• A curated track of world-class AI content, panels, and workshops led by leading researchers, entrepreneurs, and technologists

The acquisition, executive appointment, as well as the launch of new AI initiatives underscore the rapid growth and momentum of the South Florida tech and innovation ecosystem and further solidify eMerge Americas' role at the forefront of the region's transformation. These expansions will assist in making AI a central pillar of the conference experience, drawing innovators and thought leaders from across the globe to Miami and South Florida. 

AI is one of the many areas eMerge Americas is bolstering and expanding in 2026. The company will also be rolling out strategic programming, investments and partnerships in national security, finance and healthcare in the coming weeks.

About Miami AI Hub

Miami AI Hub fosters innovation and collaboration in artificial intelligence within the city’s vibrant tech ecosystem. Its mission is to make Miami a global AI powerhouse and to build bridges across the AI ecosystems of the United States, Italy, Spain, and Latin America.

Miami AI Hub has convened over 4,000+ participants, supported more than 50 AI startup showcases, and hosted speakers from major companies including NVIDIA, Apple, Google, AWS, and others. As an innovation catalyst, the Hub champions AI solutions that improve lives and transform industries. As a community platform, it brings together enthusiasts and experts to grow a shared knowledge base. And as a startup launchpad, it supports early-stage ventures with mentorship, funding access, and growth resources.

For more information, visit www.miamiaihub.com.

About eMerge Americas

eMerge Americas is a strategic convener and catalyst for innovation, bringing together global enterprises, startups, investors, and government leaders to accelerate advancements in AI, Finance, Health, and National Security. Through year-round programming and its annual global tech conference + expo in Miami, eMerge Americas connects capital, talent, and ideas to drive impactful progress, strengthen industries, and bring transformative and emerging technologies to market. Since 2014 the global tech conference + expo has attracted 20,000+ attendees annually from over 50 countries and catalyzed billions in venture investment. For more information, visit www.emergeamericas.com.

As financial uncertainty reshapes the face of America in 2025, the ways people access emergency funding are undergoing rapid transformation. Today, 7 out of 10 experience financial anxiety, creating unprecedented demand for fast and simple lending solutions. Responding to this urgent need, 1F Cash Advance is significantly expanding its nationwide presence, redefining how quickly and conveniently short-term financial assistance can be obtained.

Unlike traditional lenders burdened by lengthy and complicated procedures, 1F Cash Advance leverages advanced technology to provide nearly instant approvals and clear loan terms. Moreover, support is available to individuals with a range of credit scores. The company aims to ensure that essential funds reach clients as quickly as possible, but approval and funding times may vary by applicant, eligibility, and bank processing.

Financial writer and personal finance expert at 1F Cash Advance, Marsha Welch, highlights the growing importance of accessible financial tools:

"Today's financial reality demands flexibility and availability. We offer more than just convenience. We serve thousands of people nationwide who are facing unexpected financial challenges."

Striving to help millions bridge financial gaps, 1F Cash Advance continues to innovate, offering fast financial aid exactly when and where it is needed most. This has led to an expansion of the product line, tailoring loans to meet the diverse needs of individuals.

• Payday Loans for All Credit Types: Secure funds easily regardless of credit history. 
• Same-Day Loans: Get paid the same day if you qualify. Approval and funding times vary by applicant and bank processing. 
• Quick Cash Loans: Obtain emergency money within one business day. 
• No Credit Check Loans: Access quick loans without credit verification. 
• Bad Credit Loans: Borrow confidently with your low credit score. 

Quick cash loans are short-term financial solutions that give people fast access to small amounts of money—usually between $100 and $1,000—especially when traditional loans just aren’t an option.

What sets these loans apart is how quick and accessible they are. Unlike standard personal loans from banks, they don’t rely on credit scores. Instead, approval is based on your current income and whether you can pay the loan back within a short period—often by your next paycheck or within a few weeks. That’s why they’re a good option for people with limited credit history or lower credit scores.

The whole process takes place online and is built for speed. The application form is simple and takes just a few minutes to complete. In many cases, you’ll get a decision within an hour—or even right away. Once approved, funds are typically sent to your bank account within 24 hours, depending on the timing of your application and the bank's processing. That kind of turnaround can make all the difference when you’re dealing with an unexpected expense and need a quick solution.

Borrowers can select from preset loan amounts depending on their needs:

• $100 loans: Ideal for covering small, urgent expenses like transportation or groceries.
• $500 loans: Useful for mid-level needs such as minor repairs or medical services.
• $1,000 loans: Suitable for larger emergencies, such as rent shortfalls or home maintenance.

Loan terms are transparent, with clear repayment dates and total cost disclosures upfront. This minimizes confusion and helps borrowers avoid hidden fees or long-term debt traps. As a licensed service, 1F Cash Advance complies with all relevant federal and state lending laws, providing protections such as rate caps, clear repayment terms, and consumer-friendly practices. Loan approval, APR, repayment period, and loan amount are subject to eligibility, income verification, and applicable state laws. Late or missed payments may result in additional fees and affect your credit report.

Caroline Banton, a seasoned financial analyst and personal finance expert, explains the significance of this product in the current economic environment:

“Quick cash loans are an important part of modern lending. They provide people with a fast, legal, and organized way to address short-term financial difficulties. When used wisely, these loans can help avoid late fees, overdraft charges, or more expensive options, such as credit card advances or unlicensed lenders. According to data from the Federal Reserve, 40% of adults cannot afford an unexpected $400 expense, making these loans a real necessity.”

In short, quick cash loans online from 1F Cash Advance provide an efficient and reliable way to handle short-term financial disruptions. They are not long-term financial tools, but when used correctly, they allow borrowers to stay afloat and regain control until their next paycheck arrives. For those seeking speed, clarity, and accessibility, this product delivers all three—backed by a company that prioritizes compliance and consumer trust.

To better understand the shifting financial needs of Americans and ensure its loan products remain relevant and impactful, 1F Cash Advance conducted an internal analysis of customer behavior and application trends across 2024. The findings shaped both product development and outreach strategies, proving that fast-access lending is no longer a niche service—it’s a structural necessity for millions.

In 2024, the demand for short-term financial assistance rose significantly in several states. According to internal data from 1F Cash Advance, applications increased by 37% in Texas, 32% in Florida, 28% in Georgia, and 26% in California compared to 2023. In these regions, the company has paid out more than $200,000, and more than 5,000 applicants have been approved within an hour. Approximately 74% of these households were able to cover pressing expenses such as rent, utility bills, and groceries, thanks to the speed and accessibility of these loans.

The company's internal usage data also revealed the top reasons borrowers needed fast cash in 2024:

• 41% for rent and household bills
• 27% for unexpected medical expenses
• 15% for car repairs and essential transportation
• 9% for grocery needs and basic living costs
• 8% for emergency family situations or relocation

These figures reinforce a critical insight: Americans aren’t borrowing for luxuries. They are using short-term loans to resolve real, urgent, and often unavoidable financial challenges.

Looking ahead, it seems clear that the need for flexible credit will keep growing. According to the FedWatch model, inflation is expected to stay between 3.8% and 4.5% through early 2026, which means the pressure of everyday expenses isn’t going away anytime soon. At the same time, banks are tightening their lending rules, which could leave nearly 30% of people without access to credit—especially those with unpredictable income, little credit history, or freelance and gig jobs.

The rise in gig work and self-employment, which now accounts for a larger portion of the U.S. workforce, also means more income fluctuations. Without regular paychecks or benefits, many workers are left with few options when unexpected expenses arise. That’s why there’s a growing need for lending solutions that are fast, flexible, and built to meet people where they are financially.

As Marsha Welch, finance writer and personal finance expert, explains:

“Our research shows that more than 45 million adults in the U.S. now depend on income that isn’t steady—whether from freelance work, seasonal jobs, or working for themselves. These people often encounter financial gaps not because they’re careless but because the system wasn’t designed to support their way of earning. Fast-access loans, when built with clear rules and fairness, offer an essential financial safety net for today’s more independent workforce. It’s not just about getting money quickly—it’s about making sure everyone has a fair shot.”

To keep up with people’s changing needs, 1F Cash Advance is taking a forward-thinking approach. The company is enhancing its risk evaluation process, expanding its team of local lending advisors, and exploring flexible repayment options—all to make short-term borrowing safer, smarter, and more tailored to each individual’s situation.

But providing loans is only part of what they do. 1F Cash Advance is also committed to helping individuals develop better financial habits in the long run.

Every approved borrower gets clear, practical advice on how to manage their loan responsibly. There are also helpful tools that cover budgeting, planning repayments, and using short-term credit without getting stuck in a cycle of debt. According to the results of an internal user survey by 1F Cash Advance for 2024, over 80% of users say these resources have made a real difference in how they handle their finances.

As Adrienne Bailey, public relations specialist at 1F Cash Advance, notes:

“We believe that fast loans shouldn’t come with blind spots. That’s why we go beyond approval—our blog offers in-depth guides on repayment strategies, and our regional managers ensure that every borrower understands exactly what they're signing up for. Transparent, informed lending is what builds real customer trust—and that’s what we stand for.”

With a product rooted in real-life needs, backed by data, and built around responsible support, 1F Cash Advance continues to lead the way in making quick cash loans with no credit check both accessible and empowering—for today and for what’s ahead.

About 1F Cash Advance

1F Cash Advance provides quick and hassle-free access to short-term loans. The service ensures a fast and transparent process for receiving the necessary funds, often within the same day of the request. Instead of relying solely on credit scores, it prioritizes stable income and the borrower's ability to repay.

By adapting to local regulations, laws, and the real financial needs of Americans, the organization offers a consistent and responsible borrowing experience across Maryland, Georgia, Idaho, and other states. It also actively invests in technology, customer support, and educational tools—empowering individuals to borrow responsibly and stay in control of their finances.

For more information, visit 1firstcashadvance.org.

Legal Disclaimers and Forward-Looking Statements

1F Cash Advance LLC (a former 1FirstCashAdvance Financial Help LLC) is not a lender in all states. We connect borrowers with our lender partners in their respective states. All loans are subject to approval upon meeting standard underwriting criteria. Rates and terms are subject to change based on the state of residency. Not all applicants will be eligible for a loan or for the full loan amount. Specific terms and conditions apply.

Submitting an application for a loan does not guarantee approval of an applicant for any offer or approval for the maximum loan amounts available. Your information will be reviewed to assess if it meets their lending criteria. By using this website, the user acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agreed with the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Rates, and Disclaimer.

You express your interest in obtaining a loan by completing and submitting the loan application. The company verifies the applicant's information using alternative credit reporting agencies and may also request credit information to evaluate eligibility and repayment capacity. Determining your credit application may rely entirely or partially on data from a national database, including major credit bureaus, such as TransUnion, Equifax, LexisNexis, or FactorTrust, Inc.

Aqua 1 Foundation, a pioneering Web3-native fund, announced a $100 million strategic World Liberty Financial (WLFI) governance token purchase to participate in governance of the decentralized finance platform inspired by President Donald J. Trump. This commitment is intended to help accelerate the creation of a blockchain-powered financial ecosystem centered on blockchain development, Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization, and stablecoin integration, aiming to set new benchmarks for global capital efficiency.

This collaboration pioneers the institutional migration of traditional finance to decentralized finance by accelerating the adoption of tokenized real-world assets. Together, WLFI and Aqua 1 are building the definitive bridge between legacy systems and blockchain innovation — an institutional-grade marketplace delivering unparalleled access to traditional assets.

“We’re excited to work hand-in-hand with the team at Aqua 1,” said Zak Folkman, co-founder of World Liberty Financial. “Aligning with Aqua 1 validates our blueprint for global financial innovation, as we have a joint mission to bring digital assets to the masses and strengthen our nation’s standing as a champion and leader of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.”

Capitalizing on Aqua 1's institutional expertise, the partnership will seek to synergize USD1 infrastructure to ignite adoption across commercial payment gateways and treasury management systems.

"WLFI and Aqua 1 will jointly identify and nurture high-potential blockchain projects together," stated Dave Lee, founding partner of Aqua 1. "WLFI's USD1 ecosystem and RWA pipeline embody the trillion-dollar structural pivot opportunity we seek to catalyze — where architects merge traditional capital markets with decentralized primitives to redefine global financial infrastructure.”

Beyond the U.S. market, Aqua 1’s global investment and compliance teams will assist WLFI in expanding across South America, Europe, Asia, and emerging markets to accelerate digital asset ecosystem development.

Strategically, WLFI also plans to support the launch of Aqua 1’s Aqua Fund — a UAE-domiciled investment fund developed in partnership with leading regional stakeholders. The fund will be dedicated to accelerating the Middle East’s digital economy transformation through advanced blockchain infrastructure, artificial intelligence integration, and global Web3 adoption. Aqua Fund aims to serve as a gateway for capital, talent, and technology to converge, positioning the region at the forefront of the next digital wave. Aqua Fund intends to partner with a secondary trading venue within ADGM to list the fund and facilitate secondary market liquidity for investors.

Furthermore, both parties plan to jointly develop and incubate BlockRock, an institutional RWA tokenization platform, focused on digitizing and integrating premium traditional assets into the Web3 ecosystem.

About Aqua 1 Foundation

Aqua1 Foundation is a Web3-native fund based in UAE with a global outlook. Driven by professionalism, stability, and innovation, Aqua1 focuses on both primary market investments and secondary asset management in the Web3 sector. We are seeking the next generation of early-stage startups in fields such as infrastructure, financial protocols, and user applications. Within the secondary market, our objective is to deliver stable returns to asset holders and act as a key enabler of liquidity and growth for crypto assets. We are not only a capital provider, but an ecosystem co-builder. We partner with industry founders, advancing with the times. Learn more at www.aqua1.foundation.

About World Liberty Financial

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is a pioneering decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol and governance platform inspired by the vision of President Donald J. Trump. WLFI develops transparent, secure, and accessible financial tools, including institutional-grade products designed to broaden participation in decentralized finance. Learn more and follow updates at x.com/worldlibertyfi.

Legal Disclaimers and Forward-Looking Statements

USD1 is a stablecoin redeemable on a 1:1 basis for the U.S. Dollar (USD). USD1 is 100% backed by a reserve containing short term U.S. government treasuries, U.S. dollar deposits, and other cash equivalents, and all such reserve assets are held or maintained by BitGo Trust Company, Inc., a South Dakota-chartered trust company ("BitGo Trust"), and/or by BitGo Technologies LLC, a federally registered money services business and state-licensed money transmitter ("BitGo Tech", together with BitGo Trust and their other affiliates, "BitGo"). BitGo issues USD1, and World Liberty Financial, Inc. and its affiliated entities, own the World Liberty Financial USD1 brand and provide certain services.

No legal, tax, investment, or other advice is provided by any entity. Please consult your legal, tax, and investment professionals for questions about your specific circumstances. Digital assets are subject to several risks, including price volatility. Transacting in digital assets could result in significant losses and may not be suitable for some consumers. Digital asset markets and exchanges are not regulated with the same controls or customer protections available with other forms of financial products and are subject to an evolving regulatory environment. Digital assets do not have legal tender status and are not covered by deposit protection insurance. The past performance of a digital asset is not a guide to future performance, nor is it a reliable indicator of future results or performance. Additional disclosures can be found at https://www.bitgo.com/legal/disclosures.

DitchIt, a company that specializes in disrupting the online marketplace industry, today announced that in a stunning move, they have purchased and demolished the original 560-pound Twitter bird sign that once adorned their San Francisco headquarters.

The stunt, captured on camera in the Nevada desert with a 15-person crew, four Tesla Cybertrucks, and a Hollywood explosives expert, symbolized a farewell to outdated tech giants and introduced DitchIt's mission: building a local marketplace prioritizing people over profits.

Ditchit's spokesman, James Deluca, drew parallels between Elon Musk's Twitter rebranding and Ditchit's goals, stating, "Today's platforms prioritize businesses, but Ditchit is different — free, ad-free, and community-focused."

The 12-foot Twitter logo, affectionately known as "Larry," was bought at auction for $34,000 and transformed into a disruption symbol. The explosive demolition video, now live on YouTube, showcases a cinematic moment generating buzz. Fragments of the sign will be auctioned on the DitchIt app, with proceeds supporting the Center for American Entrepreneurship.

China International Import Expo (CIIE) remains a vital platform for openness and cooperation amid growing global uncertainty and anti-globalization sentiment. A UN-hosted event in Geneva on June 25, themed “Working Together to Implement the UN 2030 Agenda—How China International Import Expo Helps,” showcased its role in fostering inclusive growth.

At the event, representatives from dōTERRA, and Warmpaca shared how the CIIE has opened doors for them in the Chinese market. Since 2018, dōTERRA has partnered with Guizhou through the CIIE, using innovation to boost the value of traditional Chinese plants and raise local farmers’ incomes. Warmpaca made its breakthrough at the inaugural CIIE. By partnering with over 1,000 families to produce handmade alpaca wool goods, it has successfully expanded into both the Chinese and global markets—creating jobs and empowering local communities along the way.

As the expo approaches, preparations have entered a new and dynamic phase. On May 22, a dedicated matchmaking event was held in Chongqing, bringing together nearly 40 exhibitors and over 110 local buyers. The event laid a solid foundation for deeper cooperation in the lead-up to the CIIE. To date, an exhibition area of over 280,000 square meters has been booked for this year’s CIIE. This year, the exhibition layout has been further optimized to spotlight innovation, advanced technologies, and cutting-edge services.

Building on this momentum, the upcoming China-Central Asia Summit will boost exchanges and cooperation. As regular participants in the CIIE, Central Asian countries have continued to strengthen ties with China through this key platform. For instance, at the seventh CIIE, Kazakh businesses took part in an unprecedented scale, presenting a broader range of high-quality products to the Chinese market.

The upcoming eighth CIIE is set to attract a broader spectrum of exhibitors, professional buyers and visitors across sectors. Meanwhile, the HQF will serve as a key venue for dialogue on open economies and inclusive globalization. For more information, visit CIIE official website: https://www.ciie.org/zbh/en/

Lawrina, a trusted legal resource, announces an expanded mission and a new name: Loio. From a legal tech company, it transforms into a full-featured platform offering smart document drafting tools for everyone, from lawyers and business owners to individuals who seek reliable legal solutions. Loio is a powerful workspace where users can create, edit, complete, and sign documents without the need for additional software.

“It is a major step forward for our platform,” says Yehor Melnykov, CEO and co-founder of Loio. “Our mission is to change people’s perception of document workflow as something complicated and exhausting. With Loio tools, the whole process of document creation is intuitive and takes only a few minutes.”

The updated Loio gives users access to a range of tools that enable them to work with documents of any complexity, anytime, and from any device.

A growing collection of legal templates for any need — from personal to business — allows users to obtain professionally drafted contracts and forms without hiring a legal expert. Each of the available forms is created and reviewed by experienced lawyers, which grants more confidence and saves time. Lawyers spend 40-60% of their time drafting and reviewing contracts, whereas for a person without a legal background, creating even one document can take several days. Loio templates reduce this time considerably. 

For quick template completion, Loio offers a unique interview feature that guides users through the document by asking them simple questions. Based on the answers, the system automatically prepares a finished contract for further reviewing, signing, or downloading.

With a newly launched PDF tool, users can either edit forms from Loio’s 2,500+ pre-made templates or their own files. Adding and removing clauses, comments, initials, lists, and signatures takes a few clicks, and the insertion function allows one to complete documents with images and charts directly within the browser. 

Once the document is completed, users can instantly sign it online with a secure electronic signature system that follows U.S. laws, including the ESIGN Act, UETA, and ESRA. 

Loio also has an extensive library of legal guides that cover plenty of topics — from starting a business to what to include in a rental agreement. Written in plain language and regularly updated, these texts support users as they work through complex legal matters.

Loio puts the right document drafting tools and information directly into the hands of those who need them, making the whole workflow easier, more comprehensible, and more secure.

Flowable, recognized globally as a leading provider of enterprise automation software, has once again been named as a representative vendor in the latest Gartner® Market Guide for Business Process Automation Tools. This recognition highlights Flowable’s comprehensive capabilities in helping large organizations streamline operations by utilizing AI, structured workflows, and decision automation grounded in open standards.

As enterprise environments become increasingly dynamic, automation platforms must support varied use cases across departments and systems. Modern business process automation (BPA) solutions now integrate intelligent agents, rule engines, and human-led decisions to improve speed, consistency, and adaptability. A key takeaway from this report is that it recommends evaluating platforms that integrate these inputs into a single system governed for visibility and accountability.

Flowable meets this guidance by offering an open framework that supports regulatory needs while enabling fast, process-driven outcomes.

Flowable’s Role in Intelligent Automation

Flowable’s inclusion in the Market Guide acknowledges its unified platform’s ability to coordinate AI models, people, and business logic through a low-code, open-standards framework.

This approach directly supports enterprise teams managing high-stakes processes like claims handling, customer onboarding, and risk management.

The platform allows users to manage both predictable tasks and unstructured work in the same environment. Insurance claims, loan origination, and service escalations, for instance, can all be addressed without jumping between tools or sacrificing oversight.

Championing Agentic AI for Adaptive Business Processes

Flowable is a front-runner in “agentic” automation, a method of embedding AI agents, systems, and people into a single operational layer. Businesses today require platforms that connect diverse endpoints—AI models, RPA bots, and human input—into coordinated, auditable flows.

Flowable’s approach is grounded in dynamic case management, allowing organizations to manage both routine operations and irregular scenarios in the same interface, driving operational clarity and flexibility.

Focused Governance and Built-in Transparency

Flowable integrates oversight directly into process design. Its system includes model tracking, rule enforcement, version control, and auditing features that are vital for industries like banking and healthcare.

Every decision can be traced and evaluated, allowing organizations to meet stringent internal standards and regulatory demands without slowing down operations. This is in direct response to industry demand for transparent, governed automation, where oversight cannot be compromised.

Integration Without Vendor Lock-in

By supporting global automation standards of BPMN, CMMN, and DMN, Flowable aligns with open enterprise connectivity and avoids proprietary constraints. Its architecture is designed to connect with existing infrastructure, allowing organizations to expand automation without overhauling what already works. This approach ensures that companies can scale automation projects while maintaining flexibility in technology decisions.

Delivering Business Value to Key Decision Makers

Choosing the right enterprise automation platform impacts every area of an organization. Flowable reflects practical benefits for operations, transformation, risk, and finance leaders across large enterprises, including:

• Operational Efficiency: Flowable automates entire departmental processes, reducing manual hand-offs and errors. Operations leaders gain a unified view of workflows, improve productivity, and enable teams to focus on high-value work while the platform manages routine and exception-driven tasks.
• Agility and Continuous Improvement: Transformation directors and CXOs benefit from the platform’s flexibility. New AI tools or policy changes can be incorporated quickly, allowing rapid response to evolving business needs without extensive retraining or redevelopment.
• Governance and Compliance: Every automated decision is fully traceable, auditable, and governed, meeting the rising need for “new forms of management and governance” recently identified by Forrester. Audit trails, policy enforcement, and approval checkpoints are embedded into workflows to meet internal and regulatory standards.
• Customer Experience and Financial ROI: Coordinated automation helps deliver better outcomes at lower operating costs. Tasks like customer onboarding, account updates, and claims can be resolved faster through consistent, AI-personalized processes that operate 24/7 across omnichannel touchpoints.

Flowable empowers enterprises to move faster, operate smarter, and maintain governance at scale. Its enterprise automation platform focuses its design for transparency, adaptability, and real-world value.

For further details and insights, access the full report reprint page on Flowable’s website.

Gartner Disclaimer

Gartner, Market Guide for Business Process Automation Tools, 20 May 2025, Tushar Srivastava, et. Al.

Gartner is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

On Friday, June 20, Arc70 Capital closed Arc70 2025-1, a private-label securitization of $175.3 million of 4% affordable housing bonds issued through the National Finance Authority (“2025-1 Securitization”). The 2025-1 Securitization financed a pool of bonds associated with 13 affordable housing properties in 10 states including, California, Texas, and New York. All of the properties operate under the federal low-income housing tax credit program and seven properties have project-based Section 8 rental subsidies. In total, these properties provide over 1,500 units affordable to households at 60% of area median income or below at an average rent that is 34% less than typical market rents. The 2025-1 Securitization consists of three tranches: Class A-1 certificates rated AA- (S&P), Class A-2 certificates rated BBB+ (S&P), and first-loss Class B certificates retained by Arc70.

“We are excited to continue to partner with sophisticated municipal investors with our most recent securitization,” said Denny Hou, co-founder of Arc70. “The closing of this transaction will drive a meaningful return of capital to our limited partners and support the development of affordable housing.”

“This transaction further solidifies Arc70’s presence as a consistent, highly-regarded issuer in the private-label, affordable housing securitization market,” said Matt Engler, Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets. “Thank you to our underwriting syndicate led by Wells Fargo, our counsel Kutak Rock, underwriter’s counsel Orrick, and Wilmington Bank as trustee.”

There has been undeniable progress in public discourse surrounding mental health awareness. Yet, the conversation still feels clinical, sanitized, or overly performative. Believing that destigmatizing mental health doesn't translate to talking more but talking better, Alicia Racine Fink launched Xanyland, a Los Angeles-based mental health podcast. "Xanyland: Comedians on the Couch" creates a space for genuine therapeutic exploration.

Xanyland unpacks the surreal, typically contradictory landscape of modern mental health through candid, hilarious, and sometimes emotional conversations with comedians. It combines humor and reflection to dismantle stigma, question prevailing mental health narratives, and invite audiences to reflect, laugh, and feel seen.

The podcast's name is a double entendre. On the surface, it's playful, suggesting a whimsical, slightly chaotic world à la Candyland. Digging deeper, it presents a critique about how mainstream mental health discourse has become increasingly dominated by diagnoses and symptom management. “Land,” in particular, signals the broader mental health ecosystem, which Fink has observed to be controlled more by metrics and mass marketing than by human nuance. Xanyland’s mission is to help people view mental health as a shared human experience—messy, hilarious, and worth exploring with curiosity and care, instead of a product or performance.

The podcast is known for unfiltered conversations with comedians about mental health, identity, trauma, and healing. Here, humor becomes a tool to voice the “shadow” aspects of the self that typically go unspoken. The conversations are structured to feel accessible and human, allowing listeners to reclaim the depth of psychoanalysis and frame it through the lived experiences of those willing to speak the unspeakable, often with a punchline.

The voice behind Xanyland makes it more compelling. Fink has a dual background that enables her to hold space for emotional nuance and creative expression. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting and a master’s in counseling, she has always been drawn to storytelling that lies at the intersection of therapy and the arts.

The beginnings of Xanyland stem from Fink's experience in stand-up comedy. After moving to Los Angeles and before starting her private practice as a therapist, she sought an outlet for expression and found it in a local stand-up comedy class. “Comedy helped me reconnect with my voice,” she says. “I also appreciated comedians more as the cultural truth-tellers that they are.”

It wasn’t just their wit and timing that stood out to Fink—it was their vulnerability. “The comedians I met are people unafraid to vocalize the contradictions we all carry—the love and resentment we feel for our families, the absurdities of anxiety, the loneliness behind laughter,” Fink remarks. The therapist saw this as a bridge between the couch and the stage, two worlds she knew intimately.

Xanyland was, therefore, born as a platform where these raw, unfiltered exchanges could live. Fink developed the podcast to reflect nuance, emotional complexity, and above all, honesty. These are the very things she felt were missing from mainstream mental health narratives. The comedians on her show are viewed as collaborators, offering insights that are as emotionally intelligent as they are funny.

This structure enables the podcast to delve into various topics. Early episodes tackle the bewildering process of finding a therapist, including what to look for, how to communicate one's needs, and how to develop a meaningful relationship with a mental health provider. Other episodes explore the broader conversation around psychiatric medication. Fink approaches this subject with balance, acknowledging both the over-medicalization of mental health and the life-saving potential of psychiatric drugs. “Xanyland doesn't take a polarized stance. We value empathy and individual context,” says Fink.

Subsequent episodes delve into issues like bipolar disorder, ADHD, sobriety, and hypnotherapy, with guests who speak from personal and professional experience. Another episode breaks down the concept of narcissism, a term that has become so overused that its clinical meaning is often lost. Yet, another will examine grief and how people talk—or avoid talking—about loss.

Overall, the unifying thread across all these episodes is a commitment to realism and relational depth. Fink isn't afraid to correct misconceptions or bring in fresh perspectives. However, she does so with a grounded, conversational, and humorous tone. This approach highlights Xanyland’s impact.

The podcast aims to redefine how people engage with therapy and mental health topics more broadly. “We hope that listeners walk away with new language for their own experiences and understand that they're not alone,” Fink states.

Ultimately, Xanyland advocates for more truthful, nuanced, and human conversations about mental health. Fink plans to expand the scope of the podcast with a series of bonus episodes. These will address hot-button mental health issues beyond the world of comedy, bringing in specialists to break down complex topics like hypnotherapy and couples therapy. Another planned subseries will analyze popular TV shows through a psychological lens. Future episodes will continue exploring how mental health is portrayed in the media, shedding light on the narratives that shape public perception.

The podcast is available on all major platforms. For more information, visit aliciaracine.com or follow @xanylandpodcast on Instagram.

Kratom Consumer Advisory Council (KCAC) today released a comprehensive position paper, "Fact Check on Synthetic 7 Solving the Opioid Crisis," refuting the Holistic Alternative Recovery Trust’s (HART) claim and that of its National Policy Director Jeff Smith (media clip here) that synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (“synthetic 7”) products have reduced the opioid mortality death rate in the United States.

This claim, which HART has presented in testimony to lawmakers in multiple states and to media outlets, is not supported by any published clinical trials or peer-reviewed observational studies. In contrast, the KCAC’s position paper outlines overwhelming evidence pointing to community naloxone distribution and public health partnerships as the true drivers of reduced opioid deaths.

“HART’s argument isn’t just scientifically unsupported—it’s dangerous,” said Dr. C. Michael White, Pharm.D., FCP, FCCP, FASHP, a pharmacist, distinguished professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, and KCAC chair. “The reduction in opioid mortality in recent years correlates most clearly with community-based naloxone access and training initiatives, not the rise of potent, unregulated synthetic opioids being sold in gas stations and smoke shops.”

The KCAC white paper highlights well-documented evidence from public health literature:

• A 2021 study in North Carolina estimated 352 deaths were avoided due to naloxone distribution, showing a clear relationship between kit access and reduced fatalities. (Study link)
• In Southwestern Pennsylvania, expanding naloxone access through additional sites, including syringe exchanges, led to a 65% drop in opioid deaths. (Study link)
• A meta-analysis of 44 studies found survival rates above 90% in programs distributing naloxone to at-risk communities, families, and police. (Study link)
• Economic modeling also confirms naloxone programs are cost-effective, with benefits measured in lives saved and reduced healthcare costs. (Study link)

Unlike whole-leaf kratom and natural mitragynine—which preclinical studies suggest have a low risk of respiratory depression—synthetic 7 and similar analogs (including tianeptine and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl) have been shown in multiple animal studies to significantly depress respiratory function at high doses. These effects mirror those of morphine and respond poorly to naloxone reversal—underscoring their danger to public health.

Further, anecdotal reports suggest that synthetic 7 products have caused severe addiction, and the rapid tolerance requires consumers to escalate doses over time. In addition, their bright packaging and candy-like branding (e.g., “Perks,” “Opia,” “Rave”) may appeal to children and teens—raising additional concerns among parents and policymakers.

Leading kratom researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Florida have issued urgent warnings about the proliferation of 7 products and their potential for abuse, dependence, severe withdrawal, and even respiratory depression—dangers that run directly counter to it being marketed as a treatment for opioid addiction. A leading forensic research center has published public alerts on 7 products. 

Dr. White cautions, “Selling potent opioid receptor-stimulating 7 products in gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops in unlimited quantities within arm’s reach of candy bars and energy drinks is a public health recipe for disaster. It allows a whole new generation of consumers to potentially get hooked on opioids, and we know where that leads.”

The KCAC’s position papers in total provide lawmakers a roadmap based on the best available published evidence to protect consumers while still maintaining access to natural kratom products and runs counter to unsubstantiated pseudo-scientific claims.

Download the full position paper here.

As smart advances through 2025 — the year of enhancing global operation — the premium electric automotive brand continues to drive innovation across global markets through strategic partnerships and product excellence.

Highlights

• In the first half of 2025, smart continued to expand its global footprint and make its entry into seven new markets.
• Significant R&D advancements in future products and technologies have been made, solidifying the company’s long-term value proposition and meeting diverse customer needs. 
• With the launch of “Open Your Mind Experiences” global campaign, smart keeps sharpening its renewed brand image and forged collaborations with iconic brands and Intellectual Properties, including BRABUS, Sennheiser, TREK, Keith Haring globally and Disney’s Mickey & Friends and Peet’s Coffee in China.

Accelerating Global Growth With Bold Expansion and Innovation

smart has made significant inroads into the global market landscape, successfully entering seven new markets across the MENA region and Latin America in the first half of 2025. The business footprint has now expanded to 38 countries and regions, with exceeding 580 stores worldwide.

With the launch of "Open Your Mind Experiences" global campaign, smart is sharpening its renewed brand image, and initiating various crossover collaborations. In addition, the brand continues to enrich its product offerings, with plans to unveil more latest R&D technology and product results in the coming months.

Mr. Tong Xiangbei, global CEO of smart, said: "In the first half of 2025, smart has accelerated global expansion by entering new markets and expanding our product offerings with innovative models. Meanwhile, significant R&D advancements in future products and technologies have been made, solidifying the young global company’s long-term value proposition and enabling us to meet diverse customer needs worldwide."

Sharpening the Brand Image through Inspirational Co-Creation

During Auto Shanghai 2025, smart officially launched the "Open Your Mind Experiences" global campaign, which was built around the "Power of Firsts" — the belief that first-time experiences create powerful emotional connections and unlock new possibilities. Embodying more first-time creative experiences, smart has forged collaborations with several iconic brands and Intellectual Properties throughout the first half of 2025.

The partnership with the Keith Haring Foundation aligns street art with smart's urban mobility vision, debuting the smart #3 Keith Haring Art Car, with plans for a production version later this year. The collaboration with Disney in China enhances smart’s inspiration with imagination and fun. This marks smart's second partnership with Mickey & Friends following the smart fortwo electric drive Disney edition from 11 years ago. smart and Peet’s Coffee co-created the #1 Crema Edition for the Chinese market which features distinctive black-gold coloring and exclusive interior elements.

Ms. Mandy Zhang, global CMO of smart, said: "We actively bring the 'Open Your Mind' brand claim to life through innovative collaborations with iconic global brands and IPs. From high-performance upgrades with BRABUS and immersive audio experiences with Sennheiser to embedding Keith Haring's iconic art in product designs, our partnerships span automotive, art, and lifestyle realms—including co-creations with TREK, Mickey & Friends, Peet's Coffee, and many more. These partnerships embody our commitment to breaking boundaries and continuing sharpening our distinctive brand image across diverse cultures. As we grow our brand presence, we are working closely with partners across 38 countries and regions to deliver enhanced service experiences to our customers."

Mindful Technology Advancements: Enhanced ADAS and Intelligent Cabin

smart continued to enhance its mindful technology offerings in the first half of 2025. The smart #5's Navigation on smart Pilot (NSP) function has been activated in the Chinese mainland, providing enhanced driving assistance for local customers. Additionally, smart achieved the first implementation of AI-powered interactions in the smart #5, advancing its intelligent cabin experience.

Featuring these mindful technologies, the smart #5 continues its global rollout. The smart #5 BRABUS made its world premiere during Milan Design Week in Italy, followed by successful launches in the European markets, Hong Kong China, and making its premiere in Malaysia, receiving positive feedback from global media and customers.

As smart progresses through the year of enhancing global operation, the brand remains committed to delivering exceptional experiences for customers worldwide. Through continued market expansion, innovative partnerships, and product excellence, smart will keep inspiring customers to discover what happens when you open your mind to new possibilities.

Doktar, a technology company uniquely positioned at the intersection of data-driven agriculture and scalable sustainability, has closed a €7.5 million funding round co-led by the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF)—Europe’s first private venture capital fund dedicated to accelerating the bioeconomy and biobased circular innovations—and Pymwymic, a pioneering Dutch impact investor focused on regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems, with participation from existing investor Diffusion Capital Partners (DCP). The investment will support the expansion of Doktar’s integrated product portfolio and enable the company to scale its holistic execution model globally.

Empowering the Future of Agriculture

Founded in 2017, Doktar is an agtech company that leverages proprietary digital products and AI to transform the agricultural value chain. What sets Doktar apart is its end-to-end digital platform that addresses all core farming needs, from real-time monitoring and decision support to verifiable sustainability outcomes. Through an integrated ecosystem of connected IoT devices, smart software, and AI-powered insights, Doktar delivers actionable intelligence and full-farm traceability.

Doktar’s approach combines full-farm digitization, farmer engagement, and measurable impact reporting, enabling organizations to achieve turnkey, verifiable climate resilience outcomes. Its Climate Sustainability Impact (CSI) platform empowers farmers, agribusinesses, and global food producers to implement sustainability strategies with traceability, efficiency, and proven environmental results.

Global Presence and Regenerative Reach

Headquartered in the Netherlands with offices in Turkey, Doktar operates in over 10 countries through its partner networks. The company currently supports 250,000 hectares of regenerative farmland, delivering actionable insights and scalable outcomes across diverse crop systems and geographies. Today, six of the ten largest global food and beverage companies leverage Doktar's platform to advance their sustainability and supply chain goals. This enables these partners to make measurable progress towards their public 2030 sustainability commitments, turning ambitious targets into verifiable achievements.

Sustainability at the Core of Growth

Sustainability remains a strategic priority for the company, which aims to empower its partners and customers to implement regenerative agriculture, water stewardship, and traceability practices at scale. With this new investment, Doktar will continue to enhance its platform with more advanced solutions and technologies that enable global stakeholders to achieve measurable environmental and business outcomes.

Investor Confidence and Market Validation

The funding round drew strong support from investors aligned with Doktar’s mission to scale practical, climate-smart agriculture.

“We invested in Doktar because their approach uniquely combines agronomic expertise, scalable technology, and measurable environmental outcomes,” said Isabelle Laurencin, partner at ECBF. “They are enabling regenerative agriculture at scale with real-world applicability.”

Rogier Pieterse, partner at Pymwymic, added: “We believe Doktar has a unique position in supporting both farmers and food corporates in making smarter choices from an efficiency and impact perspective. We are excited to work with the Company and our co-investors to bring this impact to the next level.”

"We have witnessed firsthand Doktar's exceptional ability to deliver measurable agricultural transformation through innovative technology," said Merve Akgun, partner at Diffusion Capital Partners. "We are proud to continue supporting their global expansion as they bring scalable solutions that create both environmental impact and business value to farmers and food producers worldwide."

Fueling Global Expansion and Regional Depth

With the new funding, Doktar is poised to expand into more markets while deepening its operational capacity.

“This investment marks an important milestone in our journey to digitally transform agriculture at scale. It enables us to accelerate our expansion across Europe, North America, and South America, while deepening our ability to meet the growing global demand for integrated, data-driven solutions. As agriculture faces mounting pressure to deliver both productivity and sustainability, we are reinforcing the digital backbone that makes a measurable, verifiable impact possible across entire supply chains,” said Tanzer Bilgen and Selim Ucer, co-founders of Doktar.

About Doktar

Doktar is an agtech company driving the digital transformation of agriculture through AI, connected devices, and integrated software. Its Climate Sustainability Impact (CSI) platform enables real-time farm insights and traceable environmental outcomes, helping organizations scale regenerative practices with precision and accountability. Founded in 2017, Doktar operates globally with a mission to make sustainable agriculture both practical and profitable. For more information, visit www.doktar.com.

About European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF)

The European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF) is the first venture fund exclusively dedicated to accelerating the shift from a fossil-based to a bio-based circular economy. With €300 million raised, ECBF invests €2-10 million in growth-stage companies across sectors like agtech, food & nutrition, industrial biotech, and bio-based materials. As an Article 9 fund under SFDR, ECBF screens investments for the highest ESG criteria, aligning with European environmental goals. The fund combines financial support with industry expertise to foster innovation and sustainability in Europe's bioeconomy sector. ECBF is focused on deploying capital in attractive and impactful companies based in the EU-27 or 16 HORIZON 2020 associated countries. To learn more, visit www.ecbf.vc.

About Pymwymic

Pymwymic (Put Your Money Where Your Meaning Is Community) has taken a frontrunner role in the transition towards investing with care for both people and planet since 1994. Backed by over 250 individuals, families, entrepreneurs, and institutional investors, we have launched two Article 9-compliant impact funds, currently investing through the Healthy Food Systems Impact Fund II. This fund focuses on early-stage AgriFood scale-ups that offer pioneering solutions in areas like sustainable farming, reducing food waste, and regenerative agriculture. To learn more, visit pymwymic.com.

About Diffusion Capital Partners (DCP)

Diffusion Capital Partners (DCP) is a venture capital firm that invests in deep tech startups and supports disruptive technologies across emerging markets. For more information, visit www.dcp.vc.

SKYX Platforms Corp. (NASDAQ: SKYX) (“SKYX” or the “Company”), a highly disruptive smart home platform technology company, announced a significant increase in both U.S. and international demand for its newly patented, all-in-one Smart Turbo Heater & Ceiling Fan, ahead of its broad commercial launch expected in Q3 2025.

The innovative product, an integrated ceiling fan and heater, is designed to address consumer comfort across all four seasons and targets a combined ceiling fan and portable heater category valued at several billion dollars annually. Tens of millions of units are sold in the U.S. alone each year, reflecting strong market potential for SKYX’s unique offering.

In response to this rising demand, SKYX confirmed it will launch two distinct models of the Smart Turbo Heater & Fan, available in six to eight color options to suit both residential and commercial applications. Manufacturing has already commenced in collaboration with the Company’s long-standing global partners.

The Company who will be added to the Russell 2000 this week, believes the product’s launch will be a pivotal catalyst in its plan to reach cash-flow positive operations in 2025.

Rani Kohen, founder and executive chairman of SKYX Platforms Corp., stated, “We are experiencing unprecedented interest in our all-in-one smart heater and ceiling fans from both U.S. and global markets. This product exemplifies our commitment to innovation, safety, and global market products. As we prepare for our upcoming launch, we believe this breakthrough solution will drive significant value for our customers, partners, and shareholders.”

SKYX currently holds over 97 issued and pending patents worldwide and owns a growing portfolio of more than 60 lighting and home décor websites. The Company’s mission is to transform homes and buildings into smarter, safer, and more advanced environments.

To view SKYX’s technologies in action, click here.

About SKYX Platforms Corp.

As electricity is a standard in every home and building, our mission is to make homes and buildings become safe-advanced and smart as the new standard. SKYX has a series of highly disruptive advanced-safe-smart platform technologies, with over 97 U.S. and global patents and patent pending applications. Additionally, the Company owns over 60 lighting and home decor websites for both retail and commercial segments. Our technologies place an emphasis on high quality and ease of use, while significantly enhancing both safety and lifestyle in homes and buildings. We believe that our products are a necessity in every room in both homes and other buildings in the U.S. and globally. For more information, please visit our website at www.skyplug.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are not based on historical facts, but are forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “could,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “evaluate,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “objective,” “ongoing,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “probable,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target” “view,” “will,” or “would,” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements reflect the Company’s reasonable judgment with respect to future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which have outcomes difficult to predict and may be outside our control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include statements relating to the Company’s ability to successfully launch, commercialize, develop additional features and achieve market acceptance of its products and technologies and integrate its products and technologies with third-party platforms or technologies; the Company’s efforts and ability to drive the adoption of its products and technologies as a standard feature, including their use in homes, hotels, offices and cruise ships; the Company’s ability to capture market share; the Company’s estimates of its potential addressable market and demand for its products and technologies; the Company’s ability to raise additional capital to support its operations as needed, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern; the Company’s ability to execute on any sales and licensing or other strategic opportunities; the possibility that any of the Company’s products will become National Electrical Code (NEC)-code or otherwise code mandatory in any jurisdiction, or that any of the Company’s current or future products or technologies will be adopted by any state, country, or municipality, within any specific timeframe or at all; risks arising from mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other collaborations; the Company’s ability to attract and retain key executives and qualified personnel; guidance provided by management, which may differ from the Company’s actual operating results; the potential impact of unstable market and economic conditions on the Company’s business, financial condition, and stock price; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. There can be no assurance as to any of the foregoing matters.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws.

As cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, ether and dogecoin continue to experience steady growth, investors are increasingly seeking stable, low-risk ways to earn returns. Cloud mining has emerged as a popular alternative, especially for those aiming to generate passive income without technical complexity.

BTC Miner, a regulated cloud mining platform, says it provides users with a fully automated and accessible way to earn daily crypto income.

Platform Offers $500 Bonus and Up to $50,000 in Referral Rewards

To attract new users, BTC Miner is offering an instant $500 welcome bonus upon registration. The platform also includes a referral program that allows participants to earn up to $50,000 by inviting others to join and invest.

The company says the platform is suited for both beginners and experienced investors, offering a user-friendly interface, smart contract automation and daily payout mechanisms.

Multi-Currency Support and Regulatory Oversight

BTC Miner supports deposits and withdrawals in a variety of leading cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, LTC, USDT, USDC, XRP, SOL, DOGE and BCH. All mining contracts are executed via smart contracts, providing automated and efficient returns without manual action.

As a regulated platform, BTC Miner emphasizes compliance and fund security as key pillars of its offering.

Getting Started With BTC Miner

To begin earning with BTC Miner:

• Visit the official website at www.btcminer.net
• Register for an account and claim the $500 bonus
• Select a mining contract (starting at $200)
• Begin earning daily passive income through automated mining
• Invite others to increase rewards through the referral program

User Testimonials

“I used to trade bitcoin, but the volatility was too stressful,” said Li, a user in Beijing. “Since I started using BTC Miner, I’ve seen stable daily earnings and no longer worry about market swings.”

Helen, a crypto investor in London, added: “As an early DOGE supporter, I was drawn to BTC Miner’s low entry cost and reliable returns. I’ve already recommended it to many friends.”

Contact Information

Visit the company's official website at www.btcminer.net or email info@btcminer.net to learn more.