Latest news with #embedded
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Exodus taps Worldpay to enable crypto purchase using cards
Self-custodial wallet provider Exodus has announced the launch of a new feature XOPay, in partnership with paytech company Worldpay. XOPay is a feature that permits consumers to buy cryptocurrencies within the self-custodial wallet using credit or debit cards. Worldpay will facilitate a native checkout experience for users. Set up in 2015 and based in Omaha, Exodus has offered a secure platform for individuals to store digital assets away from exchanges. The firm's user base, now at over five million, can use their preferred payment cards to purchase digital currencies directly within their Exodus wallet. This move aims to streamline the cryptocurrency acquisition process, enabling users to natively purchase and retain digital currencies within a single platform. Furthermore, Exodus will leverage Worldpay's flagship fraud detection system, FraudSight, to enhance security and transaction authorisation rates. At present, the card purchase functionality is accessible to Exodus customers in the US, with intentions to broaden the service to other regions in the forthcoming months. Worldpay fintech growth and financial partnerships head Nabil Manji said: 'Worldpay's card payments capabilities for crypto purchases have been making it easier for consumers to buy their favourite assets for more than a decade, and companies like Exodus are working to empower consumers to protect their assets through self-custody. 'Meanwhile, Exodus's customers will enjoy even easier ways to buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies directly within their own wallets.' Exodus CEO JP Richardson stated: 'Our number one focus is on delivering the best customer experience in the market, which is why we wanted to work with Worldpay to bring this critical feature to our platform. 'We couldn't be happier to be the first self-custodial wallet to enable native card payments directly embedded in our platform by working with Worldpay.' Recently, Worldpay collaborated with BVNK to provide stablecoin payout services to Worldpay's global clientele. "Exodus taps Worldpay to enable crypto purchase using cards " was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NEC X Opens Applications for Elev X! Ignite, Batch 14, Offering Startups $250k and a Path to Global Scale
Applications for NEC's Silicon Valley Venture Studio Surged 35%, With Strong Growth Among B2B Software and SaaS Innovators Developing GenAI, Computer Vision, Predictive Analytics and More Elev X! Batch 13 Group Photo This embedded content is not available in your region. PALO ALTO, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NEC X, the Silicon Valley venture studio backed by NEC's advanced technologies and global businesses, is now accepting applications for Batch 14 of its flagship startup program, Elev X! Ignite. Designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into seed-ready startups, Elev X! Ignite offers access to expert mentorship, tech R&D support, startup-building resources and up to $250K in equity funding. The program's accelerating growth, including a 35% increase in applications from Batch 12 to Batch 13 and over 20% from Batch 11 to Batch 12, underscores the increasing demand for NEC X's unique value proposition: direct collaboration with NEC's world-class innovation network, access to unparalleled resources and a clear pathway to global markets. Startups have until June 30, 2025, to apply for the upcoming cohort, with the first phase of the program beginning in August 2025, following a multi-phase selection process. 'The rapid growth of Elev X! proves that visionary founders need more than just capital,' said Shintaro Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. 'With Batch 14, we're not just continuing a trajectory; we're amplifying our commitment to provide unparalleled access to both NEC's R&D and business prowess and growing global ecosystem, empowering innovators to build truly transformative and scalable enterprises.' Why Join Elev X! Ignite Unlike traditional venture studios and accelerators, Elev X! Ignite is a hands-on twelve-month venture studio program tailored for entrepreneurs in the problem discovery and validation phase. Startups work closely with NEC X's multidisciplinary team including engineers, researchers, business coaches and advisors to accelerate product development, validate market fit and prepare for seed-stage investment. NEC is a global AI leader in visual recognition, generative tech and real-world applications such as security, agriculture, logistics and public services. Ideal candidates are building B2B software and SaaS businesses that enhance business processes, decision-making or operational efficiency. NEC X is especially interested in startups leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as Generative AI, Computer Vision and Predictive Analytics. While NEC X has deep experience in sectors like climate research, AgTech, digital health and public safety, it remains sector-agnostic—as long as participants' innovations align with NEC X's mission to create meaningful social impact through technology, particularly in areas connected to NEC's proprietary capabilities. Startup Success Stories More than 150 startups have launched or grown through NEC X's Elev X! venture programs. These alumni illustrate the program's impact: SeafoodAI, featured in Business Insider, uses AI biometrics to promote seafood sustainability via its CrabScan360 technology."NEC X's expertise in image recognition and AI was instrumental in accelerating our core technology," noted Rob Terry, CEO of SeafoodAI. "Their backing has been invaluable to our growth and success." Qualitative Intelligence (QI), utilizes NEC's Semantic Model Technology to transform advertising with predictive analytics for real-time message testing."Elev X! has been the most transformative experience in our startup journey," said JD Rico, CEO of QI. "The level of resources, insights and hands-on support simply cannot be found elsewhere." LandWise Analytica uses AI and sustainability maps to drive smarter land use in agriculture and has seen considerable interest from real estate groups, farmers, crop insurance companies, agricultural mortgage providers and land investors."With the help of NEC X, we've been able to accelerate the launch of our pilot program and streamline the process of identifying and acquiring new users," said Patrick McMillan, Co-founder of LandWise Analytica. "Their capabilities and results have been beyond our expectations." Selection ProcessApproximately 30 startups will be invited to participate in the initial 'Business Model Design' phase—a no-cost, equity-free pre-program of workshops and mentorship. A select group of ten teams will then advance to the full Elev X! Ignite program. Program Highlights: Up to $250K in equity funding Access to NEC's global R&D ecosystem and business units Strategic partnerships and customer development Proven track record: over 150 startups participated since 2018 For application information, materials and deadlines, click here. All essential details needed to successfully apply for the program will be covered in upcoming webinars scheduled for June 11, June 18 and June 25. For more information about Elev X!, please visit: About NEC X NEC X is an innovation powerhouse and curator of disruptive startups backed by the global technology leadership of NEC. Leveraging 125 years of IT and network technologies expertise, NEC X's startup-focused approach transforms visionary ideas into commercial successes that revolutionize how we work and live. Since its inception in 2018, NEC X has helped launch and grow more than 150 startups. Their Silicon Valley programs – Elev X! Ignite and Elev X! Boost – equip early-stage startup founders with the tools to fast-track their tech development and adoption. Elev X! fuels startup success from inception to launch, connecting innovators with NEC's 45,000 patents; global network of partners, mentors and advisors; reach into 55+ international markets; and $8 billion R&D ecosystem. For more information, visit and About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of 'Orchestrating a brighter world.' NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Other product or service marks mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. ©2025 NEC Corporation. Media Contact: Robert BrownlieBob Gold & Associates310-320-2010necx@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at A video accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Maverick
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Crime rates show hopeful decline — Is South Africa turning the corner on violence?
New official statistics showing decreased violent crime should provide the impetus for expanding holistic violence prevention strategies. South Africa's serious violent crime problem has received unprecedented global attention since President Cyril Ramaphosa met United States President Donald Trump last week in the White House. However, new data suggests that there could be cause for optimism. The January-March 2025 crime statistics released by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on 23 May 2025 show that while violent crime remains high, notable decreases occurred in key categories such as murder. If South Africa is indeed turning a corner, what could be the cause, and how can we sustain the trend? The long-term trend for murder rates (Chart 1) suggests a strong correlation between levels of good governance and crime. The sharp increase between 1979 and 1993 reflects political violence during the last decade of apartheid, much of which occurred with the complicity or involvement of the state. The rate peaked in 1993 at around 70 murders per 100,000 people. The equally dramatic decrease between 1994 and 2011 was an expected consequence of settling political strife as South Africa adapted to a new democracy. The lowest rate on record in 2011 was associated with the 2010 Soccer World Cup — which united South Africans behind a government determined to host a safe international event. The negative turnaround since then started two years after Jacob Zuma took office as president in 2009. Persistent increases over the next 13 years were associated with a weakening of state institutions and rule of law during State Capture. Corruption at all levels of government rose, and local criminal groups became embedded in many communities, leading to more illicit firearms, drugs, robberies, extortion and kidnapping. A 2024 Institute for Security Studies (ISS) analysis of firearm crime indicated that the availability of illegal guns in the hands of criminals fuelled violence. The ISS' Protest and Public Violence Monitor shows how South Africans feel about crime and governance. Since 2013, there have been more than 1,250 protests over crime nationwide, often concentrated in cities. These demonstrations represent just over 11% of all protests recorded, and frequently occur in cities where violent crime is high. Many of these protests were against the police or local authorities, often intensified by poor governance and service delivery, including water and electricity woes. The latest police statistics show notable drops in major violent crimes when comparing January-March 2025 with the same quarter in 2024 (Chart 2). Murder levels decreased by 12.2% to 5,727 murders, or an average of 64 per day. Aggravated robbery dropped by 10.4% to 31,749 cases — an average of 353 a day. This decrease was driven mainly by the fall in non-residential robberies and carjacking, which are among the types of robbery making up the aggravated robbery category. Attempted murders were down 5.8% to 6,985 incidents, and serious assaults fell 5.3% to 43,776. Overall, sexual offence levels remained largely unchanged at 13,452 (six more cases), though rape increased by 36 cases. Kidnappings were the most significant exception to the downward trend for violent crime, rising by 6.8% to reach 4,571 cases. This suggests that kidnapping is increasingly being adopted as a low-risk, high-reward offence. The reduction in murder rates is good news, but it's too early to know whether this is an outlier in an ongoing upward trend or the start of a sustained decrease underpinned by stronger governance. As promising as this is, better governance alone won't address persistently high violence levels. Even at its lowest point in 2011, the murder rate was more than five times higher than the international average. A deeper look at the latest statistics shows that two key factors drive violent crime in South Africa. The first is the prevalence of organised crime, which drives most robberies, kidnappings and gun violence. Organised and syndicated crimes can be reduced by intelligence-driven, targeted policing. The second factor is interpersonal violence. Half of all murders occur over weekends, and many are associated with the excessive use of alcohol, drugs or both. Violent crime is highest in the metropolitan areas, which account for over half of these offences nationwide. The four most populous provinces — Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Eastern Cape — contribute 72% of murders nationally. Though murder and attempted murder rates in Gauteng are comparable with the province's share of the national population, the province (especially Johannesburg) is a focal point for two violent crime types. Gauteng accounts for 36% of armed robberies (including 55% of all car hijackings) and 53% of kidnappings nationally. Regarding rural safety, the statistics show that six people were murdered on farms or smallholdings in the past quarter, two of whom were farmers. Mchunu said both were black farmers. The other four victims were employed or resident on farms (one was white). A high number of children are killed in South Africa, often in crossfire or at the hands of their caregivers. The SAPS estimates that 1,100 children were murdered between April 2024 and March 2025. A 2015 Save the Children South Africa and University of Cape Town study showed that violence against children costs the country R238-billion annually — combining direct and opportunity costs. Exposure to violence in childhood increases the chance of further victimisation later in life, and child victims could become adult perpetrators — sustaining intergenerational cycles of interpersonal violence. Poor mental health Experiencing violence in childhood is also associated with unemployment, dependency on grants, alcohol dependence and poor mental health. Better leadership and commitment by the government to curb violence could be starting to yield results. There is a renewed effort to strengthen the criminal justice system and strong turnaround strategies in the National Prosecuting Authority and South African Police Service, including partnerships with civil society organisations and the private sector. Good, trustworthy government, strong rule of law and effective criminal justice and civilian oversight institutions are key to reducing crime and violence. But they aren't enough to increase safety to the extent needed for a strong, healthy, more equitable society. A holistic approach is vital, such as in the Presidency's 2022 Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy. The strategy applies lessons from research, showing that a caring state supporting caregivers and families is key to breaking cycles of violence in the long term. This requires strong, sustained partnerships across sectors and the involvement of all South Africans.
Business Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Sustainable investing is no passing fad
[SINGAPORE] After moderating a panel discussion recently on sustainable investing, I walked away both reassured and reinvigorated. The conversation underscored a clear takeaway: While political leadership, especially in major economies, can influence the pace of change, the structural drivers behind sustainable investing remain intact and are increasingly global in scope. Policy shifts and long-term momentum Changes in government policy, whether in the US, Europe or Asia, can affect the near-term operating environment for clean energy and sustainability-linked sectors. For instance, new trade measures and industrial strategies are being implemented in various countries, sometimes introducing complexity for technologies such as solar panels or electric vehicles. While these may slow near-term deployment and increase costs of clean energy projects, they also underscore just how central sustainability-linked sectors have become to national economic competitiveness and energy security. Such shifts may lead to greater localisation of supply chains and increased investments in domestic clean energy capabilities, sparking new waves of domestic investments as companies seek to reduce dependency on foreign supply chains. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up This evolution is reshaping but not reversing the global sustainability agenda. In fact, the push for economic resilience and self-sufficiency may ultimately accelerate investments in sustainable infrastructure across the regions. Large-scale policy frameworks, such as the European Green Deal and the Japan Green Transformation initiative, are funnelling substantial capital into climate-related sectors. In the US, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), is playing a similar transformative role – directing hundreds of billions of dollars into clean energy, manufacturing and climate resilience over the next decade. With its embedded incentives and bipartisan economic benefits, the IRA is helping to catalyse investments and innovations across both red and blue states, reinforcing the structural shifts underway. Investors are watching these developments closely, but they are not standing still. Many continue to allocate towards climate and sustainability opportunities based on sound economics, long-term risk mitigation and structural market trends. Structural drivers are stronger than ever Urbanisation and population growth are driving global electricity demand, which is expected to double over the next 20 years. Meeting this demand will require more energy of all types. But renewable energy – particularly solar and wind – stands out as the most cost effective. Today, solar and wind energy are the cheapest sources of new electricity in most of the world, making it the preferred choice for new capacity, according to BloombergNEF. As a result, global investment in renewables is nearly twice that of fossil fuels. Another powerful driver is the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI). AI models are extremely energy and water-intensive. For instance, generating a 100-word e-mail with OpenAI's GPT-4 model can consume the equivalent of a 500 ml bottle of water and enough energy to power 14 LED light bulbs for an hour, according to a study conducted by The Washington Post in collaboration with the University of California, Riverside. As AI adoption grows worldwide, global demand for energy-efficient data centres and low-carbon infrastructure solutions rises. Sustainability here to stay Across markets, from Asia to Europe to the Americas, investors are integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors not due to the desire for political alignment, but because the financial materiality of climate risk, evolving regulatory frameworks and consumer preferences are undeniable. Many companies are also accelerating their own transitions, integrating ESG into their risk management frameworks and net-zero strategies. Governments are reinforcing this momentum through supportive frameworks. Whether it is the European Union taxonomy and carbon pricing, the Singapore Green Plan 2030, or China's Carbon Neutrality plan, public policies are aligning with long-term sustainability goals. This convergence of public and private capital is a key enabler of the transition. Sustainable investing has become increasingly accessible as awareness grows and more investment solutions become available. Beyond simple exclusions, investors today are also considering the following approaches to sustainable investing: ESG integration: Process of considering ESG factors alongside financial considerations in investment decision-making, potentially enhancing the risk-adjusted returns of investments. Thematic investing: Focused on sustainability-related areas such as renewable energy, circular economy or water solutions. These are often satellite strategies that complement core holdings. Impact investing: Targeting measurable environmental or social outcomes, such as emissions reduction or biodiversity protection. Transition alignment: Building portfolios that benefit from the shift to a low-carbon economy, including companies enabling or adapting to the transition. Aligning with a changing world For investors looking to begin or deepen their sustainable investing journey, the key is clarity. Define what you want to achieve – whether it is managing risk, capturing growth or contributing to real-world change. Then choose the right mix of tools, which may be ESG integration, thematic strategies or impact-oriented solutions. Sustainable investing is not a passing trend. It is a reflection of a world in transition – in our economy, environment and society. Regardless of political cycles, the transition is underway. Investors who recognise this early will be better positioned for long-term success. The writer is head of asset allocation at Standard Chartered Bank's wealth solutions chief investment office
Techday NZ
22-05-2025
- Techday NZ
Defending the Cloud from the Edge
As bot, DDoS, and Layer 7 application attacks evolve to bypass cloud-native security, organisations need to take a more holistic and centralised view of securing their web applications. Most companies started their cloud journey with a single provider judged to best fit their needs. But as specific goals and use cases evolve, it's become increasingly common for companies to have enterprise applications distributed across a diverse mix of public and private clouds. Initially, this trend towards multi-cloud was driven by a desire to avoid vendor lock-in and to adopt best-of-breed cloud solutions. Today, the overriding concern is very much in the latter camp: matching the characteristics of an individual application to the cloud ecosystem judged best suited to that type of workload and cost. Different cloud ecosystems are acknowledged to have particular strengths. Assuming an organisation's cloud policies are flexible enough to take advantage of these strengths, the result is an application estate underpinned by a complex multi-cloud environment. Security is not an acknowledged 'strength' of these structures and arrangements. The freedom of development teams to choose the public cloud they use on a per application basis has led to fragmentation in the way security and visibility is implemented at a whole-of-organisation level, and opened the door to security-related misconfigurations and attacks. Just as every cloud ecosystem has made different architectural decisions to run certain application workloads, its approach to native, embedded security capabilities also varies. Every cloud ecosystem has its own native web application firewall (WAF) service to protect web applications from malicious traffic and threats. While some are built around a common open-source engine, such as OWASP Core Ruleset, each cloud provider has made its own choices about default configurations and what settings can and can't be modified or customised. So, multi-cloud means organisations are now often multi-WAF, with varying levels of protection and capabilities to detect and thwart attacks on an application-by-application basis. This is problematic for application security at an organisation-wide level, particularly as well-known threats evolve to bypass baseline protections offered by the cloud-native security tools. In the event that a new or evolved vulnerability or type of attack against web applications surfaces, the first question that business and technology leaders have is the degree to which they're protected or susceptible across the expanse of their cloud environments. For organisations running multi-cloud, multi-WAF environments, this will be hard to gauge. It is not the kind of environment that is conducive to keeping pace with evolving threats. A consistent security inspection and enforcement layer at the edge, independent of origin infrastructure, is better suited to create better protections across web applications, clouds and users. An actionable path to security control standardisation Recent research by Fastly shows that security solution consolidation is a priority among Australian and New Zealand organisations, with 51% attributing their interest in consolidation to improving control over security, and 44% looking for better integration of tools and data. This is supported by the findings of Fastly's annual global security report, which found that, on average, organisations rely on 7.85 network and application security solutions, of which well over a third (37.7%) of these tools overlap. While a natural consequence of cybersecurity strategies that evolved in a piecemeal fashion over time - in this case as more clouds were added to the mix, it has saddled organisations with cybersecurity 'franken-stacks' of fragmented and overlapping tools that are expensive and complex to integrate, and that are overall ill-suited to the changing threat landscape. For organisations in this situation, two things need to happen. First, they should build their understanding of how the threats targeting web applications have evolved and are continuing to evolve. Three-quarters of Australian organisations have increased their use of web applications in recent years. This has coincided with a period of rapid evolution of threats against these applications, including the rise of AI-driven threats. AI has lowered the barrier of entry for attackers to evolve existing threat vectors, making it more important for organisations to have a holistic approach to application security across their application estate and infrastructure stack. Second, organisations need to prioritise consistent, scalable, and automated defences to secure their multi-cloud environments and web application estates. Rather than continuing to run multiple cloud ecosystem-specific WAF services, it makes sense to re-architect this to have a single edge-deployed security service layer that provides consistent protections regardless of where applications reside. Accompanying this, organisations will need to simplify and consolidate firewall policies and controls, such that there is standardisation in the way controls are applied to web applications, regardless of where they are hosted. While this will require effort for all currently-deployed web applications, consistent controls can be implemented for future web applications using DevOps tools like Terraform and GitHub to automate the deployment of security controls as part of the CI/CD pipeline. Edge cloud platforms afford organisations an 'umbrella' of security regardless of how many origins or clouds are being used to run applications. By running WAF, bot or DDoS mitigation solutions at the edge of the network, organisations can capture the majority of the noise before it reaches their cloud infrastructure, and attain full visibility via a single ingress point into their environment, reducing complexity while providing significant improvements to application security.
