EBC FINANCIAL GROUP KICKS OFF 2025 MILLION DOLLAR TRADING CHALLENGE

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 (Bernama) -- EBC Financial Group (EBC), a financial brokerage leader, has announced the return of its flagship Million Dollar Trading Challenge (MDTC) for its second edition.

According to EBC in a statement, the 2025 edition of MDTC comes at a time when traders are seeking greater accountability and access to proven strategies amid increasingly volatile markets.

From March 1 to May 30, thousands of traders worldwide will compete for a US$1 million trading account in a challenge that integrates real-time strategy sharing and zero-fee copy trading, setting a new standard for competitive trading. (US$1=RM4.41)

For the first time, top traders will be invited to an exclusive awards ceremony at the FC Barcelona Museum (Barça Immersive Tour), marking a historic moment as a global trading event is recognised within one of football’s most prestigious institutions.

The partnership reflects a growing convergence between financial markets and elite sports, reinforcing trading as a profession that demands the same level of skill, precision, and discipline as world-class athletics.

MDTC II is structured into two categories, namely Rising Stars for traders with balances of at least US$500, and Dream Squad for experienced traders managing between US$10,000 and US$200,000, to ensure accessibility and fair competition.

Beyond financial rewards, winners will also gain industry recognition and a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the FC Barcelona Museum, bridging the worlds of trading and sports. EBC highlights the importance of transparency and education, encouraging traders to learn from both their successes and mistakes in a real-time, open environment.

The first MDTC in 2023 saw 431,827 trades and a total profit of over US$1 million, proving the growing interest in structured, skill-based trading competitions. With MDTC II, EBC continues to redefine the landscape of competitive trading by integrating cutting-edge technology, diverse asset classes, and community engagement.

-- BERNAMA

CAPCOM’S NEW MONSTER HUNTER WILDS ROARS PAST 8 MILLION UNITS SOLD WITH FEROCIOUS SPEED!

 

^{Monster Hunter Wilds (Graphic: Business Wire)}


– Global initiatives help Capcom clear sales milestone in just 3 days, a company record –

OSAKA, Japan, March 5 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Capcom Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:9697) today announced that worldwide sales of Monster Hunter Wilds, released on February 28, 2025, surpassed 8 million units in 3 days, which is the fastest a title has reached this milestone in the company’s history.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304186922/en/ 

Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest entry in the Monster Hunter series and is set in a dynamically changing world that is in one moment a severe wilderness, swarming with packs of attacking monsters, and in the next transforms into a rich natural environment teeming with life. Monster Hunter Wilds features grand, beautiful visual depictions made possible by the RE ENGINE, Capcom’s proprietary game development engine, and cross-play, allowing players to enjoy the game together regardless of their game platform.

Following the game’s announcement, Capcom promoted the appeal of Monster Hunter Wilds to a broad audience worldwide, exhibiting the title at global video game events and holding an online open beta test to give many players a chance to try it, while also providing updates on game information via the online events such as Monster Hunter Wilds Showcase. As a result of these continuous global initiatives, Monster Hunter Wilds has evoked massive excitement and achieved sales of 8 million units in 3 days, the fastest any game has done so in Capcom’s history.

Capcom remains firmly committed to satisfying the expectations of all users by leveraging its industry leading game development capabilities in order to create highly entertaining gameplay experiences.

About the Monster Hunter series:
The Monster Hunter series consists of hunting action games that pit players against giant monsters in beautiful natural environments. Beginning with the first title in 2004, the series established a new genre in which players cooperate to hunt ferocious monsters with their friends, growing into a global phenomenon with cumulative sales of the series exceeding 108 million units (as of December 31, 2024).

ABOUT CAPCOM

Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including groundbreaking franchises Resident Evil™, Monster Hunter™, Street Fighter™, Mega Man™, Devil May Cry™ and Ace Attorney™. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Tokyo, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom can be found at https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250304186922/en/

Contact

Capcom Public Relations & Investor Relations Section
+81-6-6920-3623

Source : CAPCOM CO., LTD.

BITGET SPREADS KINDNESS THIS RAMADAN BY PROVIDING 100,000 MEALS TO THOSE IN NEED

 

VICTORIA, Seychelles, March 3 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is partnering with world-renowned humanitarian organizations, including the UN Refugee Agency, UN World Food Programme, ShareTheMeal, and the One Billion Meals Endowment, to distribute up to 100,000 meals to individuals in need during Ramadan. This initiative targets vulnerable communities in regions facing significant challenges, aiming to alleviate hunger during the holy month.

Each meal will support families and individuals during the holy month. The effort is strengthened by contributions from the Bitget community, emphasizing collective action and compassion. To achieve the fundraising target, Bitget has introduced initiatives encouraging participation from users, VIP clients, and influencer partners.

Bitget will first pledge 10,000 meals to the people in need, followed by a series of Iftar dinners in key locations, including Dubai and Istanbul, fostering unity and philanthropy. Attendees can contribute through donations, with Bitget matching each dollar raised. Exclusive auctions featuring memorabilia from partnerships with La Liga will also contribute to the fundraising, and Bitget will direct all proceeds toward the cause. 100% of the proceeds will go towards the fundraiser.

"Ramadan is a time for generosity and unity," said Vugar Usi Zade, COO of Bitget. "By leveraging our global network, we aim to create a meaningful impact in communities facing adversity. This initiative demonstrates kindness from the crypto space and aligns with our mission to drive positive change through collaborative efforts."

The campaign, featuring the 10,000-meal pledge from Bitget, donation matching, and exclusive auctions, will be supported by local teams organizing community engagement events. It is set to launch on the first day of Ramadan, in alignment with the Islamic calendar.

About Bitget

Established in 2018, Bitget is the world's leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 100 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.

Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World's Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM market, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a48343fc-044d-45ce-afe2-a4ff26395657 

SOURCE : Bitget Limited

DISCLAIMER: BERNAMA MREM are not accountable for any causes of website defacement, misuse, or illegal activities connected to cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenisation, or bitcoin. This material should not be considered as guidance or an opinion, as it does not constitute financial or investment advice. Use this information at your own risk; we are not liable for any losses or damages caused by the republication of this article.

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS FROM ASEAN AND JAPAN DRIVE INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND INCLUSIVITY AT THE ASEAN-JAPAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ SUMMIT IN KUALA LUMPUR

^{Speakers and organizers during the ASEAN-Japan Women Entrepreneurs Summit (Photo: Business Wire)}


KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb 14 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC), in collaboration with the ASEAN Youth Organization and with the support of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and Women Leadership Foundation Malaysia, successfully hosted the ASEAN-Japan Women Entrepreneurs’ Summit in Kuala Lumpur. The Summit emphasized the pivotal role of women entrepreneurs in driving economic innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity across the ASEAN-Japan region. This milestone event, held in alignment with Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship, highlighted the critical role of women entrepreneurs in advancing economic innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity across the region. ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn, Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Investment (METI) Director Yumiko Hata, and Malaysia Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Co-operatives Development Minister Ybhg. Ewon Benedick delivered the Welcome Remarks, Opening Remarks, and Message of Support to Women Entrepreneurs, respectively, through video messages.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250213749547/en/ 

Bringing together over 100 women entrepreneurs, investors, business accelerators, and ecosystem enablers from across the ten ASEAN Member States and Japan, the Summit fostered dynamic discussions on the challenges and opportunities in the evolving business landscape. The Summit takes stock of where we currently are in enabling the 60 million women entrepreneurs in the ASEAN region in scaling their contribution to economic and social growth.

Dato’ Munirah Looi, Board Member of MyDigital Corp and Advisor and Regional CEO of BlueOnion delivered an inspiring keynote, emphasizing agility, resilience, customer experience, and employee engagement as essential factors in building business adaptability—particularly in navigating economic disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic.

A key session, “Harnessing AI and Digital Skills,” explored how technology can drive growth for women-led enterprises. Lennise Ng, CEO of Borong, Malaysia, stressed that digitalization must precede AI adoption, highlighting the urgent need for stronger digital infrastructure. The speakers voiced the role of governments in crafting policies to make innovation accessible and available for women entrepreneurs across geographical and socio-economic boundaries.

The session on “Strategic Access to Finance and Gender-Lens Investment”, highlighted the remaining need for investment literacy for women entrepreneurs, from understanding various forms of grants and funds to accessing the right network of investors and business accelerators that can expand their access to finance. Equally important is women representation within investment companies, that truly understands the unique financial challenges of women-led businesses.

The session on “Easing Women’s Burden: Innovations in the Care Economy” showcased transformative solutions that are reshaping care services. Malaysia-based Kiddocare, for example, utilizes digital platforms to efficiently match care providers with families in need, significantly reducing search time and ensuring quality in the caregiving sector. Equally important is the recognition of the role of fathers in sharing the caring responsibilities of parents in families, as emphasized in the work of Better Dads Malaysia, a community of fathers who actively empower fathers to actively partake in the caregiving burden and change the narrative towards inclusive parenting and caring.

The session on “Leveraging Sustainability for Growth and Impact”, reveal the value of business mentors and networks for women to grow their businesses, and how mentorship is instrumental in empowering women entrepreneurs. Capping off the Summit, the session on “Closing the Gender Divide and Enabling Women-owned Enterprises to Scale” encapsulated the remaining steps to scaling up women owned enterprises in the region. Finance, access to market and mentorship are key resources for women to scale their businesses. The speakers offered that entrepreneurial and innovative mindset should start from an early age, as becoming part of the educational curriculum to change the sociocultural narrative and create a culture of women empowerment.

The ASEAN-Japan Women Entrepreneurs’ Summit underscored the power of collaboration between businesses, investors, governments, and communities in empowering women-led MSMEs. By fostering inclusivity, innovation, and sustainable practices, the Summit paves an important step toward achieving stronger economic integration and long-term growth in the region.

For more information about the Summit and the ASEAN-Japan Centre’s ongoing initiatives on women entrepreneurs, please contact: info_rpa@asean.or.jp

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250213749547/en/

Contact

Research and Policy Advocacy Team
ASEAN-Japan Centre
TEL: +81-(0)3-5402-8001
E-mail: info_rpa@asean.or.jp

Source : ASEAN-Japan Centre

ONLYONE TRAVEL, A PIONEER IN UNIQUE CUSTOM-MADE JOURNEYS, RAISES 100 MILLION YEN

^{Victoria falls tour operated by ONLYONE TRAVEL (Graphic: Business Wire)}


Launching Curated Adventurous Tours and Hotel Management Business to Bring "Life-Changing" Travel Experiences to More People


TOKYO, Feb 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Only One Corp. (Headquarters: Tokyo; CEO: Yosuke Yamada), which specializes in planning and attending custom-made journeys, has successfully raised 100 million yen through more than 20 individual investors.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250203345155/en/

The Company operates as a travel agency that curates unique, one-of-a-kind experiences worldwide. Our vision is to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime journey by blending "the beauty of our one and only planet" with "your one and only life." We provide entirely bespoke travel experiences tailored to our clients’ family structures, life stages, and financial situations. Founded in 2012 in Panama, we expanded into Africa in 2018 and now offer tours across Latin America, Africa, and inbound travel to Japan.
 

In the travel industry, it is common for different entities to handle tour planning, sales, and on-site service operations, often leading to increased costs due to multiple intermediary fees. By managing planning, sales, and operations in-house, our Company reduces customer costs while enhancing the value we deliver.

CEO Yosuke has traveled the world for over 20 years and deeply believes that "life-changing" travel experiences enrich lives. Inspired by these personal experiences, our Company has designed "only one" unique travel experiences worldwide while extensively researching "experiential luxury," which prioritizes the value derived from experiences over material wealth.

The funds raised will be utilized for business expansion and to maximize experiential value, aiming to provide "life-changing" travel experiences to a broader audience.

Purpose of Fundraising:

(1) Launch of "Curated" Adventurous Tours
Leveraging our expertise in custom-made tours, we will introduce small-group curated tours. These tours will offer exclusive access to remote locations and extraordinary experiences that are difficult to reach independently. By the end of 2025, we aim to launch at least three small-group tours per country across 30 countries, totaling 100 tours.

(2) Commencement of Hotel Management Business
In addition to tour services, we are launching a hotel management business, covering safari lodges in Kenya, estates with vast landscapes, and beach resorts. This initiative will establish a new revenue stream while offering our signature "experiential luxury" in collaboration with partner hotels.

(3) Expansion into New Global Markets
We will establish offices in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and India to attract more travelers from these regions.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250203345155/en/

Contact

Company Name: Only One Corp.
PR: Aya Kashiwagi
Contact: sales@onlyone.travel

Source : Only One Corp.

SALIENCE LABS CLOSED SERIES A ROUND LED BY APPLIED VENTURES AND ICM HPQC FUND

^{Image by Shabbir Bashar}


Appointment of Dr. William Jeffrey to the Board and Bonnie Tomei as CFO


OXFORD, England, Feb 7 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Salience Labs Limited, a leader in photonic solutions targeting connectivity for AI datacenter infrastructure, today announced the successful close of $30 million in Series A financing led by ICM HPQC Fund and Applied Ventures, LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc., to further the development of its optical switches for large scale AI connectivity. Applied Ventures and ICM HPQC Fund are joined by Strategic Investment Fund, Braavos, and continued participation from existing investors Oxford Sciences Enterprises, Cambridge Innovation Capital, and leaders from the global semiconductor industry including Silicon Catalyst and Jalal Bagherli.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250207290130/en/

 

“What our customers want is a photonic switch to connect their AI clusters that is compatible with existing infrastructure while delivering high bandwidth, low latency and significant power savings. The completion of this round will further our development and help us bring our product to customers to enable not just the savings, but large cluster connectivity,” said Vaysh Kewada, Co-founder and CEO of Salience Labs. “We are also excited to be working closely with our strategic investors who are industry leaders to advance our go-to market schedule.”

“Silicon photonics is a promising technology to deliver significant advancements in energy-efficient performance for AI data centers,” said Anand Kamannavar, Vice President and Global Head of Applied Ventures. “Salience's optical switch solution has the potential to enable a new generation of interconnect network architectures for faster and more efficient AI systems.”

“Salience Labs has done a tremendous job in developing a portfolio of innovative silicon photonics products that addresses critical needs in data center and AI infrastructure market,” said Dr. Jalal Bagherli, investor of Salience Labs and former CEO of Dialog Semiconductor that was acquired by Renesas. “Their customer focused approach in addition to the technology that are based on over a decade of research makes Salience Labs a clear leader to win in this enormous market.”

“Salience Lab’s optical switches will enable unprecedented bandwidth and scalability for the next generation of AI and high-performance data centers. By leveraging light, they will unlock the full capability of modern servers while decreasing power consumption and cost. ICM HPQC is excited to work with Vaysh and the Salience team as lead of the Series A raise,” said Dr. William Jeffrey, Chairman of the technical advisory committee on the ICM HPQC Fund and newly appointed Board Member of Salience Labs.

Appointment of Dr. William Jeffrey as new Board Member

In conjunction with the closing of the Series A financing, Salience Labs is appointing Dr. Jeffrey to the Board of Directors, where he joins Jack Edmondson, Chief Investment Officer of Oxford Sciences Enterprises, and Daniel Armbrust, co-founder of Silicon Catalyst, CEO of the SEMATECH semiconductor consortium and appointee to the Industrial Advisory Committee, which advises the Department of Commerce on the R&D strategy for the CHIPS Act.

Dr. Jeffrey is an astronomer with a career spanning the Executive Office of the President of the United States, to leading HRL (known for its groundbreaking innovations such as the invention of the laser, integrated circuits and liquid crystal displays), to being the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an institution boasting three Nobel prize laureates and ties to a dozen more, and he served as the CEO of SRI International. Dr. Jeffrey earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in astronomy from Harvard University.

Appointment of Bonnie Tomei as Chief Financial Officer

Salience Labs is also announcing its appointment of Bonnie Tomei, a certified public accountant and an industry veteran located in Silicon Valley, California, as Chief Financial Officer.

“With over 20 years of experience including initial public offerings, de-SPAC and a strong business operations background, Ms. Tomei will be a key member of the executive team to realize our strategic and operational objectives, including expanding to the U.S. to serve our key customers,” said Ms. Kewada.

About Salience Labs

Salience Labs Limited is a leader in photonic solutions targeting connectivity for AI datacenter infrastructure. Founded in 2021 and backed by over a decade of research from the University of Oxford in the UK and University of Münster in Germany, Salience’s innovative developments in photonic switching technology enable high-speed, ultra-low latency networking fabrics that remove infrastructure bottlenecks for AI workloads. Learn more at http://www.saliencelabs.ai

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250207290130/en/

Contact

Bonnie Tomei
bonnie.tomei@saliencelabs.ai
+1 669 212-1089


Source : Salience Labs

LENDLEASE GLOBAL COMMERCIAL REIT REPORTS LOWER DPU, REVENUE FOR 1H FY2025

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- Lendlease Global Commercial Trust Management Pte Ltd, the manager of Lendlease Global Commercial REIT (LREIT) reports a 14.3 per cent drop in distribution per unit (DPU) to 1.8 cents for the first half financial results for 2025 (1HFY2025) ended Dec 31 2024, compared to 2.1 cents in the previous year.

According to a statement, the decline in DPU was primarily driven by higher finance costs, lower net property income (NPI), and an enlarged unit base.

Gross revenue for the period fell 13.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY), dropping from SG$119.9 million to SG$103.6 million. This led to a 19.8 per cent decrease in NPI, from SG$93.4 million in the same period last year to SG$74.9 million. (SG$1=RM3.27)

This was mainly attributed to the absence of supplementary rent in relation to the lease restructure of Sky Complex that was received and recognised upfront in December 2023.

On a proforma basis, after adjusting for this factor, gross revenue for 1HFY2025 was 0.4 per cent higher, while NPI was 2.2 per cent lower YoY.

LREIT’s portfolio committed occupancy improved to 92.3 per cent, with retail at 99.9 per cent while office at 86.6 per cent, with a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of 7.2 years by net lettable area (NLA) and 4.6 years by gross rental income (GRI).

The rental reversion remained positive at 10.7 per cent, while office rental uplift was 1.2 per cent. Tenant retention rate was also maintained at a rate of 86.1 per cent.

Construction of a 48,200 square feet multifunctional event space adjacent to 313@somerset has commenced, with completion expected in the second half of 2026 with an estimated seating capacity of 3,000, the state-of-the-art music hall will feature multiple rooms and stages set up to host international tours as well as local artistes.

LREIT has secured SG$560 million in unsecured sustainability-linked loan facilities to refinance loans maturing in 2025. As of Dec 31, 2024, gross borrowings stood at US$1.565 billion, with a gearing ratio of 40.8 per cent.

--BERNAMA