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Source: https://born2invest.com/feed/

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23. <title>EnBW Invests €1 Billion in National Hydrogen Network</title>
24. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/enbw-invests-1bn-hydrogen-network/</link>
26. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Valerie Harrison]]></dc:creator>
27. <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jul 2024 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
28. <category><![CDATA[Impact Investing]]></category>
29. <category><![CDATA[Mining & Energy]]></category>
30. <category><![CDATA[decarbonization]]></category>
31. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
32. <category><![CDATA[Germany]]></category>
33. <category><![CDATA[Hydrogen]]></category>
34. <category><![CDATA[pipeline]]></category>
35. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634332</guid>
36.  
37. <description><![CDATA[EnBW is investing €1 billion to develop a national hydrogen transport network in Germany with 9,666 kilometers of pipelines by 2032 to support the country's decarbonization goals. The project includes converting existing natural gas pipelines and building new ones and aims to position Germany as a leader in the hydrogen economy, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and create new market opportunities.]]></description>
38. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
39. <p>EnBW, a major player in the German energy sector, is investing €1 billion in the development of the national hydrogen transport network. This network, designed to transport both locally produced and imported hydrogen, is crucial for reducing Germany&#8217;s reliance on fossil fuels.</p>
40.  
41.  
42.  
43. <p>Download the free Born2Invest news app for more of the latest <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/born2invest/id1048044533" rel="noreferrer noopener">crowdfunding news</a>.</p>
44.  
45.  
46.  
47. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">EnBW Planning and Approval Process</h2>
48.  
49.  
50.  
51. <p>The industrial association FNB Gas, representing gas network operators, has submitted a national planning request to the Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency). This project plans to construct 9,666 kilometers of pipelines by 2032, with a total estimated cost of €19.7 billion. These pipelines will transport 278 terawatt-hours (TWh) of hydrogen annually, approximately one-third of Germany&#8217;s gas consumption in 2021.</p>
52.  
53.  
54.  
55. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">EnBW Hydrogen Network Objectives and Planning</h2>
56.  
57.  
58.  
59. <p>The German energy regulator, Bundesnetzagentur, has received FNB Gas&#8217;s detailed plans, which include converting existing natural gas pipelines to hydrogen pipelines and building new infrastructure. Regulatory approval is expected in September 2024, with construction slated to begin in 2025. Germany aims to position itself as a leader in the hydrogen economy in Europe.</p>
60.  
61.  
62.  
63. <p>Limited wind and solar energy resources in Germany compel the country to import around 70% of its future hydrogen from regions capable of producing it abundantly and at low cost. Thus, this national hydrogen network project fits into a broader energy transition strategy to decarbonize the economy.</p>
64.  
65.  
66.  
67. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Funding and Outlook</h2>
68.  
69.  
70.  
71. <p>The funding for this infrastructure will be managed through amortization accounts, spreading costs across multiple generations. Network operators will invest from their own balance sheets and recoup expenses mainly through network fees, with the potential to attract investment from financial markets. About 60% of the infrastructure projects involve converting existing natural gas pipelines to transport hydrogen, while new pipelines will also be constructed.</p>
72.  
73.  
74.  
75. <p>EnBW, along with its subsidiaries VNG and terranets, plans initial investments to connect regional transport lines in eastern and southwestern Germany. These investments will then extend beyond these regions to create an integrated and efficient network for hydrogen transport.</p>
76.  
77.  
78.  
79. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic and Environmental Impact of Hydrogen Network</h2>
80.  
81.  
82.  
83. <p>Hydrogen, when produced by electrolysis using renewable electricity, represents a clean alternative to fossil fuels. Given Germany’s limited wind and solar resources, the country plans to import around 70% of its future hydrogen from regions where it can be produced in abundance and at low cost.</p>
84.  
85.  
86.  
87. <p>The hydrogen network project is integral to Germany’s efforts to meet its climate goals and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, while promoting the transition to a low-carbon economy. The initiative also offers new market opportunities for investors and businesses in the energy sector.</p>
88.  
89.  
90.  
91. <p>EnBW and its subsidiaries play a key role in this project, with plans to convert existing pipelines and build new infrastructure to create an efficient and integrated hydrogen transport network. Berlin Gasag’s involvement, including the conversion of 60 kilometers of city gas pipelines to hydrogen, underscores the national commitment to this transition.</p>
92.  
93.  
94.  
95. <p>This ambitious project marks a significant step toward decarbonizing the German economy. The construction of the hydrogen network, expected to start in 2025, is a crucial phase in this transition. EnBW&#8217;s investment in this national project highlights the strategic importance of hydrogen for Germany&#8217;s energy future.</p>
96.  
97.  
98.  
99. <p>__</p>
100.  
101.  
102.  
103. <p><em>(Featured image by <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-train-traveling-through-a-forest-filled-with-lots-of-trees-el8EOJhVjEU" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wolfgang Weiser</a> via&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/license" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unsplash</a>)</em></p>
104.  
105.  
106.  
107. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclaimer</a> for more information.</em></p>
108.  
109.  
110.  
111. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">important disclosures</a>.</em></p>
112.  
113.  
114.  
115. <p><em>First published in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://energynews.pro/enbw-investit-1-milliard-deuros-dans-le-reseau-national-dhydrogene/" rel="noreferrer noopener">energynews</a>. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.</em></p>
116.  
117.  
118.  
119. <p><em>Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us</em></p>
120. ]]></content:encoded>
124. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/wolfgang-weiser-el8EOJhVjEU-unsplash-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by Wolfgang Weiser via Unsplash)</photo_credit><tags>decarbonization,featured,Germany,Hydrogen,pipeline</tags> </item>
125. <item>
126. <title>Mercury Bank Locks Out Fintech Founders from Nigeria, Ukraine, and a Dozen Other Countries</title>
127. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/mercury-bank-locks-out-multiple-countries/</link>
129. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Angelique Moss]]></dc:creator>
130. <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
131. <category><![CDATA[Africa]]></category>
132. <category><![CDATA[Fintech]]></category>
133. <category><![CDATA[banking]]></category>
134. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
135. <category><![CDATA[Mercury Bank]]></category>
136. <category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
137. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634333</guid>
138.  
139. <description><![CDATA[Mercury Bank will stop supporting fintech startups based in or founded by individuals from 14 African countries and six non-African nations, including Ukraine, due to increased regulatory pressures. CEO Immad Akhund acknowledged the challenges of monitoring compliance in high-risk regions like Ukraine. This decision affects clients with deposits totaling less than 1% of the bank's total.]]></description>
140. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
141. <p>U.S.-based fintech company Mercury is set to remove startups whose founders are based in or whose companies are headquartered in any one of at least 14 African countries and another six non-African states. Mercury Bank CEO Immad Akhund stated that this decision, while involving many countries, will have a limited impact on the bank, with affected client deposits making up less than 1% of Mercury&#8217;s total deposits.</p>
142.  
143.  
144.  
145. <p>Download the free Born2Invest news app for more of the latest <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/born2invest/id1048044533" rel="noreferrer noopener">fintech news</a>.</p>
146.  
147.  
148.  
149. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Deposits Affected Represent Less Than 1% of Mercury&#8217;s Total</h2>
150.  
151.  
152.  
153. <p>Mercury Bank, a U.S. bank catering to fintechs, has announced that it will be withdrawing support from startups based in or founded by individuals residing in 14 African countries and six non-African nations. The bank said it made this decision to alleviate ongoing pressure on its operational teams and financial partners due to difficulties keeping up with regulatory compliance.</p>
154.  
155.  
156.  
157. <p>In a statement published on X, Mercury Bank CEO Immad Akhund cited a stricter regulatory environment as the driving reason behind this “difficult decision.” However, Akhund noted that the decision impacts a limited number of clients, with the deposits of those affected by the decision only accounting for less than 1% of Mercury&#8217;s total deposits.</p>
158.  
159.  
160.  
161. <p>Countries such as Mozambique, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zimbabwe are among the affected African nations. Ukraine is included in the list of non-African countries.</p>
162.  
163.  
164.  
165. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">CEO Promises to Reevaluate Policy in the Future</h2>
166.  
167.  
168.  
169. <p>Regarding the difficult decision to include Ukraine on the list — a home to many successful startups — Akhund provided the following comment detailing Mercury Bank&#8217;s reasoning:</p>
170.  
171.  
172.  
173. <p><em>&#8220;Ukraine in particular was challenging. There are many excellent startups in Ukraine, but about 20% of Ukraine is under sanctions. Verifying and monitoring where someone lives within a country to a high standard becomes very complex on a large scale, and the penalty for making even a single mistake is severe.&#8221;</em></p>
174.  
175.  
176.  
177. <p>Despite the current policy, Akhund has promised to review and potentially revise the policy in the future. The goal is to balance regulatory compliance with supporting a diverse range of global startups.</p>
178.  
179.  
180.  
181. <p>__</p>
182.  
183.  
184.  
185. <p><em>(Featured image by <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-close-up-of-a-metal-door-with-a-lock-tEP6TI8pXW4" rel="noreferrer noopener">David Trinks</a> via&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/license" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unsplash</a>)</em></p>
186.  
187.  
188.  
189. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclaimer</a> for more information.</em></p>
190.  
191.  
192.  
193. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">important disclosures</a>.</em></p>
194.  
195.  
196.  
197. <p><em>First published in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://news.bitcoin.com/fr/mercury-bank-bloque-les-fondateurs-de-fintech-du-nigeria-dukraine-et-dune-douzaine-dautres-pays/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin.com News</a>. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.</em></p>
198.  
199.  
200.  
201. <p><em>Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us</em></p>
202. ]]></content:encoded>
206. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/david-trinks-tEP6TI8pXW4-unsplash-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by David Trinks via Unsplash)</photo_credit><tags>Africa,banking,featured,Mercury Bank,Ukraine</tags> </item>
207. <item>
208. <title>The Hidden Truth Everyone Is Missing: SurancePlus, Zoniqx, and the Future of RWA Tokenization</title>
209. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/zoniqx-xrp-suranceplus-rwa-tokenization/</link>
211. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Jermaine Cards]]></dc:creator>
212. <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
213. <category><![CDATA[Crypto]]></category>
214. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
215. <category><![CDATA[OXBR]]></category>
216. <category><![CDATA[PwC]]></category>
217. <category><![CDATA[RWA tokenization]]></category>
218. <category><![CDATA[XRP]]></category>
219. <category><![CDATA[Zoniqx]]></category>
220. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634326</guid>
221.  
222. <description><![CDATA[There's something massive happening in plain sight that nobody's fully understanding: RWA tokenization. That's despite the fact that BlackRock is throwing $10 trillion at it as institutional giants like PwC pair up with innovative startups in the space like Zoniqx. Meanwhile, issuers like Oxbride Re's SurancePlus are providing investors with ungodly returns. This should clear things up.]]></description>
223. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
224. <p>Recently, my family and friends (or, at least, the small handful who actually read my articles) have been asking me the same question.</p>
225.  
226.  
227.  
228. <p>“Michael, I don’t get it. You’ve been talking a lot about this Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization thing lately. You say it’s going to be huge. But why is it such a big thing?”</p>
229.  
230.  
231.  
232. <p>At first, my standard response was always to just highlight the important bits from past articles. You know. Things like <a href="https://born2invest.com/articles/blackrock-oxbridge-tokenizing-the-world/">BlackRock committing $10 trillion to RWA tokenization</a>. Or how blockchain democratizes access to new asset classes like the <a href="https://born2invest.com/articles/blackrock-rwa-tokenization-oxbr-going-multibagger/">reinsurance tokens issued by SurancePlus</a>, a subsidiary of Oxbridge Re [NASDAQ: <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/OXBR/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OXBR</a>]. Or how the holy trinity of <a href="https://born2invest.com/articles/a16z-goldman-sachs-oxbridge-re-rwa-tokenization/">Zoniqx, PwC, and Oxbridge Re is bigger news than AI</a>.</p>
233.  
234.  
235.  
236. <p>But it was always at this point most of my family would interject, “But I still don’t get it!”</p>
237.  
238.  
239.  
240. <p>So instead, I started replying, “Think of it like this. You have an issuer of an ultra-lucrative asset class (Oxbridge Re’s SurancePlus subsidiary <a href="https://born2invest.com/articles/oxbridge-re-returns-way-better-than-expected/">just netted investors a 49% return</a>). Now you add in a platform (Zoniqx) that’s about to massively democratize access to that asset. And then you have some very big institutional partners like <a href="https://www.zoniqx.com/resources/zoniqx-joins-elite-ranks-in-pwc-scale-tokenisation-digital-assets-program-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PwC buddying up with that very platform</a>. Doesn’t that sound like something big?”</p>
241.  
242.  
243.  
244. <p>“Yeah, sort of,” they’d respond.</p>
245.  
246.  
247.  
248. <p>But then they’d ask, “But why does it have to be crypto? And besides, I looked into this Zoniqx company and saw they’re also partnered with Ripple (XRP)&#8230; and aren’t they having problems with the SEC?”</p>
249.  
250.  
251.  
252. <p>“Well, yes, but no, you’re getting things mixed up,” I’d respond. “It’s complicated… but also kinda simple… here, I’m gonna go write another article. Get back to me later if you still have questions.”</p>
253.  
254.  
255.  
256. <p>And thus, this article was born.</p>
257.  
258.  
259.  
260. <p>An article that should clear up any remaining confusion around the future of Ripple, Zoniqx, and why this is all such a big deal for RWA token issuers like Oxbridge Re’s [NASDAQ: <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/OXBR/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OXBR</a>] SurancePlus subsidiary.</p>
261.  
262.  
263.  
264. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Ripple Is Dominating RWA Tokenization — What it Means for Zoniqx and SurancePlus</h3>
265.  
266.  
267.  
268. <p>Right off the bat, let’s get one thing straight — no matter what happens with the Ripple token (XRP), it’s not going to impact Zoniqx, or SurancePlus and its reinsurance tokens. (<em>**Alright, there might be some impact… see my note at end of the article.</em>)</p>
269.  
270.  
271.  
272. <p>The simple fact is, Ripple, the “token”, is a bit different from Ripple, the “ledger”, which is fast becoming the go-to for RWA tokenization.</p>
273.  
274.  
275.  
276. <p>If you don’t know what this means, here’s a simple way of thinking about it.</p>
277.  
278.  
279.  
280. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">A Quick Ledger vs Token Example</h4>
281.  
282.  
283.  
284. <p>Imagine you have a business and you sign up with <a href="https://topranked.io/all-listings/quickbooks-affiliate-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">QuickBooks</a> to keep a ledger of your business activity.</p>
285.  
286.  
287.  
288. <p>That’s a little like using XRP Ledger. All you’re doing is using the underlying technology to record a bunch of information. (But maybe don’t use XRP Ledger as a QuickBooks alternative… they’re not designed to do the same thing.)</p>
289.  
290.  
291.  
292. <p>Thus, so long as you’re using it like that — as a ledger — the SEC couldn’t care less.</p>
293.  
294.  
295.  
296. <p>But now let’s say QuickBooks gets ambitious and decides to use their software to mint their own token. That is, to make a record of how many tokens they created out of thin air. And then they use their software to record who’s buying and selling it.</p>
297.  
298.  
299.  
300. <p>Let’s call it QuickQoin, just for fun.</p>
301.  
302.  
303.  
304. <p>At this point, the SEC might start to have a problem. That’s because by offering “QuickQoin” to investors, they just potentially created a security — and an unregistered, unregulated one at that.</p>
305.  
306.  
307.  
308. <p>Do you see the difference here? QuickBooks is the ledger. QuickQoin is the security.</p>
309.  
310.  
311.  
312. <p>And this is a little like the difference between XRP the “token”, and XRP the “ledger”.</p>
313.  
314.  
315.  
316. <p>The former’s getting heat from the SEC. The latter’s no different from a wet paper bag as far as the feds are concerned.</p>
317.  
318.  
319.  
320. <p>Now wait… I know what you’re thinking here.</p>
321.  
322.  
323.  
324. <p>Isn’t SurancePlus going to be using XRP Ledger to mint tokens now it’s partnered up with Zoniqx? Isn’t this a bit like using QuickBooks to mint QuickQoins?</p>
325.  
326.  
327.  
328. <p>Well, yes, and no.</p>
329.  
330.  
331.  
332. <p>First things first — unlike the XRP token or our imaginary QuickQoin, the SurancePlus reinsurance tokens are already fully compliant with SEC regulations. Specifically, they meet the full requirements for a Reg D offering for US investors, and Reg S for international investors.</p>
333.  
334.  
335.  
336. <p>Secondly, the SurancePlus tokens are actual, “Real-World Assets” (RWA). Unlike “crypto”, these are old-school reinsurance contracts that existed in the real world well before crypto was even a thing.</p>
337.  
338.  
339.  
340. <p>The only thing that changed is using “crypto” to “tokenize” what is otherwise a very normal, real-world security. Hence the name RWA tokenization.</p>
341.  
342.  
343.  
344. <p>In this way, using XRP Ledger to issue tokenized reinsurance contracts is not that much different in principle from using QuickBooks to track inventory and issue invoices.</p>
345.  
346.  
347.  
348. <p>But that’s in principle.</p>
349.  
350.  
351.  
352. <p>In practice, RWA tokenization is a whole other beast.</p>
353.  
354.  
355.  
356. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">So Why’s RWA Tokenization Such a Big Thing?</h3>
357.  
358.  
359.  
360. <p>Okay, so I’m going to start with a warning here — I’m about the talk about the oldest cliche in the crypto handbook.</p>
361.  
362.  
363.  
364. <p>Democratization.</p>
365.  
366.  
367.  
368. <p>But here’s what I’m going to do differently so my friends and family can finally get it — I’m not just going to give the usual empty “democratization” spiel.</p>
369.  
370.  
371.  
372. <p>Instead, I’m going to give real, concrete examples of how RWA tokenization is truly democratizing access to products like SurancePlus’s reinsurance tokens.</p>
373.  
374.  
375.  
376. <p>Really.</p>
377.  
378.  
379.  
380. <p>If you don’t “get it” by the end of this, then I’ll finally accept that maybe I’m wrong about how big RWA tokenization is.</p>
381.  
382.  
383.  
384. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">1) Driving the Cost of Issuing and Trading Assets to Zero</h4>
385.  
386.  
387.  
388. <p>Let’s start with the big problem with the old way we used to issue and trade securities — old-school stock exchanges.</p>
389.  
390.  
391.  
392. <p>Now, I’m sure we all know that most public stock exchanges are private, for-profit companies. But, for those who didn’t know, now you know… go forth and buy shares in Nasdaq [NASDAQ: <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/NDAQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NDAQ</a>] (the company) on the Nasdaq (the exchange)… or don’t.</p>
393.  
394.  
395.  
396. <p>This already throws up our first “democratization” problem.</p>
397.  
398.  
399.  
400. <p>These “proprietary” exchanges hold such a monopoly over public markets that they can more or less charge whatever fees they want.</p>
401.  
402.  
403.  
404. <p>And boy oh boy do they charge.</p>
405.  
406.  
407.  
408. <p>For example, let’s take a humble small-cap company that wants to list on the Nasdaq CM. They’re already looking at a $5000 application fee just for the privilege of submitting some paperwork.</p>
409.  
410.  
411.  
412. <p>Then, if Nasdaq approves, there are entry fees and ongoing “all-inclusive listing fees” that run at tens of thousands of dollars a pop. And then there are the ongoing administrative and other assorted junk fees just to top it all off.</p>
413.  
414.  
415.  
416. <p>All told, that means the total cost of listing over the course of, let’s say, 3 years, can easily run into the multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars, even for a small cap at the lower end of things.</p>
417.  
418.  
419.  
420. <p>Now let’s think about how this plays out with SurancePlus’s reinsurance tokens.</p>
421.  
422.  
423.  
424. <p>The first issuance, the DeltaCat Re token, was capped at $5 million. The second issuance, the EpsilonCat Re token, was capped at $10 million. Both of these are separate “listings”.</p>
425.  
426.  
427.  
428. <p>As such, if Nasdaq would even list either of these offerings, it would have already eaten into multiple percentage points of the total value just with its exorbitant application, listing, and admin fees.</p>
429.  
430.  
431.  
432. <p>And that’s just the beginning.</p>
433.  
434.  
435.  
436. <p>Nasdaq, after all, is a two-sided marketplace.</p>
437.  
438.  
439.  
440. <p>So now let’s talk about how it milks the other side of this marketplace — the investors.</p>
441.  
442.  
443.  
444. <p>Take something really basic. For example, intraday retail equities flow — you know, data about how much retail traders are buying and selling.</p>
445.  
446.  
447.  
448. <p>If you want access to that data, too bad. That’s a <a href="https://data.nasdaq.com/databases/UREFINT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">premium institutional product</a> over at Nasdaq, meaning it’ll cost you a very pretty penny to access it.</p>
449.  
450.  
451.  
452. <p>And, if you somehow access that data via a third party, chances are, you’re still paying in one way or another. That’s because Nasdaq is charging whoever’s giving you access multiple fees, like per-terminal access fees, monthly membership fees, and a thousand other junk fees to boot.</p>
453.  
454.  
455.  
456. <p>Now compare this with XRP Ledger — an open-source, public blockchain.</p>
457.  
458.  
459.  
460. <p>As an open-source product, the cost to use it is practically zero.</p>
461.  
462.  
463.  
464. <p>Dito for the cost of trading any tokens issued on the XRP Ledger.</p>
465.  
466.  
467.  
468. <p>And, as it’s a public blockchain, the cost to view whatever data you want is also, practically zero.</p>
469.  
470.  
471.  
472. <h4 class="wp-block-heading">2) Solving the Trust Problem</h4>
473.  
474.  
475.  
476. <p>Now, of course, you could theoretically achieve cut-price asset listings with the same old tech that’s been used by old-school exchanges for decades.</p>
477.  
478.  
479.  
480. <p>And, theoretically, old-school exchanges could expand their product offering to open up access in the same way blockchain and RWA tokenization have.</p>
481.  
482.  
483.  
484. <p>But that would be a little like telling old-school telcos back in the day to give their customers access to cheaper alternatives like VOIP. In other words, if it cuts profit margins, it’s not gonna happen until there’s a major disruption in the marketplace.</p>
485.  
486.  
487.  
488. <p>And that’s where the new wave of crypt innovators comes in.</p>
489.  
490.  
491.  
492. <p>Now, usually, this would cause a bit of a trust issue. After all, while you can probably trust Nasdaq, the NYSE, or any other large exchange to properly manage your trades and not to tamper with anything, you can’t say the same about every “move fast and break things” startup that bursts onto the scene.</p>
493.  
494.  
495.  
496. <p>Tokenizing RWAs using blockchain, however, solves this trust problem. With everything recorded on an immutable blockchain that’s out in the public for anyone to see, it’s practically impossible for anyone to tamper with anything.</p>
497.  
498.  
499.  
500. <p>Long story short, tokenizing RWAs on the blockchain changes the game completely.</p>
501.  
502.  
503.  
504. <p>Low costs mean it’s now feasible to list just about any security.</p>
505.  
506.  
507.  
508. <p>And open source, open access means everything’s out there for anyone to access and use.</p>
509.  
510.  
511.  
512. <p>See why this new wave of RWA tokenization is such a big deal by now?</p>
513.  
514.  
515.  
516. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Putting This Into Context: Why the SurancePlus Partnership With Zoniqx Is Huge</h3>
517.  
518.  
519.  
520. <p>Now, for all this talk about democratization through public trust and zero-cost asset listing, there are a couple of holes we still need to fill in.</p>
521.  
522.  
523.  
524. <p>The biggest is the simple “technology” cost.</p>
525.  
526.  
527.  
528. <p>Even if something is technically free, it doesn’t exclude the fact there are still large implementation, infrastructure, and ongoing support costs.</p>
529.  
530.  
531.  
532. <p>And then there’s also the problem that comes with all the ancillary services needed to manage the full lifecycle of an asset.</p>
533.  
534.  
535.  
536. <p>A really basic example of this is the dozens of exchanges that cropped up to facilitate the buying and selling of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.</p>
537.  
538.  
539.  
540. <p>Technically, they weren’t necessary — anyone with a computer, the technical know-how, many hours of free time, and the willingness to network with other Bitcoin buyers/sellers could trade Bitcoin without an exchange.</p>
541.  
542.  
543.  
544. <p>And that’s exactly how people bought and sold Bitcoin back in the old days.</p>
545.  
546.  
547.  
548. <p>And that’s kinda how SurancePlus issued its first two rounds of reinsurance tokens — with a little bit of steam power.</p>
549.  
550.  
551.  
552. <p>But we all know that approach doesn’t scale. Most people just don’t want to operate like that. There’s simply too much time, admin, and technical know-how involved.</p>
553.  
554.  
555.  
556. <p>In the case of cryptocurrencies, that’s where players like Coinbase [NASDAQ: <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/COIN/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COIN</a>] stepped in and truly opened up the market to anyone with a bank account.</p>
557.  
558.  
559.  
560. <p>And that’s more or less where Zoniqx steps in — to provide basically everything that’s needed to take SurancePlus’s tokens out of the crypto dark ages and into their rightful, scalable future.</p>
561.  
562.  
563.  
564. <p>To steal the words from Zoniqx, they provide a “comprehensive, compliant, and regulated solution for asset tokenization, encompassing all phases from issuance to liquidity and trading.”</p>
565.  
566.  
567.  
568. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Putting Two and Two Together</h3>
569.  
570.  
571.  
572. <p>Now, in case it’s not starting to become clear just how big all of this is, let me spell it out in another way.</p>
573.  
574.  
575.  
576. <p>In their first year, SurancePlus’s <a href="https://born2invest.com/articles/oxbridge-re-returns-way-better-than-expected/">DeltaCat Re tokens netted investors a 49% return</a>. Now their second issuance, the Epsilon Cat Re token, is on track for a similar result, with a <a href="https://born2invest.com/articles/blackrock-oxbridge-tokenizing-the-world/">target 42% annualized return</a>.</p>
577.  
578.  
579.  
580. <p>Now, think about what happens when you go out and massively democratize access to something like this with a platform like Zoniqx.</p>
581.  
582.  
583.  
584. <p>And then think about what happens when old institutional heavyweights throw their weight behind the whole movement, whether it be BlackRock’s $10 trillion pledge or PwC’s partnership with Zoniqx.</p>
585.  
586.  
587.  
588. <p>Just in case you’re lost for words by now, here are a few adjectives that might help you out: huge, massive, colossal, gargantuan…</p>
589.  
590.  
591.  
592. <p>Take your pick.</p>
593.  
594.  
595.  
596. <p>Either one of them describes the future of RWA tokenization and the outcomes for the investors and companies getting involved.</p>
597.  
598.  
599.  
600. <p><em>** </em><strong><em>Final Note: </em></strong><em>If all goes well, then XRP probably goes on to get a BlackRock ETF:</em></p>
601.  
602.  
603.  
604. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
605. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 RIPPLE &amp; BLACKROCK CREATING <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24XRP&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$XRP</a> ETF !?! CEO DROPS A BOMBSHELL ON BLOOMBERG CRYPTO🚨📈<br><br>Ripple CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, hints at a game-changing connection between BlackRock and Ripple launching an <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24XRP&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$XRP</a> ETF in the USA 🇺🇸 &#8230; <br><br>Stating: “We think it makes sense for the XRP… <a href="https://t.co/f7Uct0GyLC" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/f7Uct0GyLC</a></p>&mdash; Good Morning Crypto (@AbsGMCrypto) <a href="https://twitter.com/AbsGMCrypto/status/1815856456467354064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
606. </div></figure>
607.  
608.  
609.  
610. <p><em>Result — XRP gains major credibility and does wonders for everything in its ecosystem by bringing even more eyeballs onto Zoniqx, SurancePlus, and the whole RWA tokenization movement. But if not, it’ll just be business as usual for XRP Ledger. Also, see this for </em><a href="https://x.com/AbsGMCrypto/status/1815856456467354064" target="_blank"><em>BlackRock XRP ETF news</em></a><em>.</em></p>
611.  
612.  
613.  
614. <p>__</p>
615.  
616.  
617.  
618. <p><em>(Featured image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/ripple-cryptocurrencies-crypto-6237041/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">salesblog_at</a> via <a href="https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pixabay</a>)</em></p>
619.  
620.  
621.  
622. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclaimer</a>&nbsp;for more information.</em></p>
623.  
624.  
625.  
626. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">important disclosures</a>.</em></p>
627. ]]></content:encoded>
631. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ripple-6237041_1280-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by salesblog_at via Pixabay)</photo_credit><tags>featured,OXBR,PwC,RWA tokenization,XRP,Zoniqx</tags> </item>
632. <item>
633. <title>New York&#8217;s Approach to Cannabis Legalization Isn&#8217;t Working</title>
634. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/new-york-failed-cannabis-legalization/</link>
636. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Ross]]></dc:creator>
637. <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
638. <category><![CDATA[Cannabis]]></category>
639. <category><![CDATA[cannabis]]></category>
640. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
641. <category><![CDATA[legalization]]></category>
642. <category><![CDATA[New York]]></category>
643. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634318</guid>
644.  
645. <description><![CDATA[New York's approach to cannabis legalization includes a complex licensing system aimed at promoting equity by prioritizing licenses for individuals most affected by the war on drugs. However, frequent changes in application processes and high operational costs have limited legal market entry, favoring larger investors with significant capital. The result is a proliferation of unlicensed stores.]]></description>
646. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
647. <p>Over the last twelve years, dozens of American states have legalized recreational cannabis. Colorado and Washington led the way in 2012, with Florida, Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota possibly following suit if voters approve legislative proposals in the November elections. In New York, legalization has been gradual: in 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis for recreational use, which until then could lead to imprisonment. This change allowed approximately 600,000 previously arrested individuals to seek a review and amendment of their criminal records.</p>
648.  
649.  
650.  
651. <p>Download the free Born2Invest news app for more of the latest <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/born2invest/id1048044533" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis news</a>.</p>
652.  
653.  
654.  
655. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The 2021 Legislation</h2>
656.  
657.  
658.  
659. <p>In 2021, a law fully legalizing cannabis took effect, permitting individuals over 21 to possess up to 3 ounces (about 85 grams) and to grow up to six plants for personal use. Today, the pervasive scent of cannabis at nearly every intersection in New York underscores how normal and accepted public consumption has become.</p>
660.  
661.  
662.  
663. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Licensing Challenges</h2>
664.  
665.  
666.  
667. <p>However, deciding who gets the right to open an authorized recreational cannabis store has been significantly more complicated. While many states opened their markets to any company or individual with the capital and desire to invest post-legalization, New York established the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to oversee the CAURD program (&#8220;Cannabis at Retail by Adults under Certain Conditions&#8221;). This program aimed ambitiously to initially grant most licenses to individuals disadvantaged by the &#8220;war on drugs&#8221;—a harsh federal campaign that disproportionately affected ethnic minorities, leading to the incarceration of thousands of African American youth. A portion of the taxes collected from authorized stores was also intended to be reinvested into further social programs for these marginalized communities.</p>
668.  
669.  
670.  
671. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Implementation Issues</h2>
672.  
673.  
674.  
675. <p>Over the last three years, the implementation of the CAURD program has been fraught with difficulties, leading Governor Kathy Hochul in March to label it a &#8220;disaster&#8221; and dismiss the department&#8217;s director, who will leave in the fall. The guidance on application timing, costs, and methods has frequently changed, with the schedule further disrupted by a court order temporarily blocking parts of the program for not adhering to the text of the 2021 law.</p>
676.  
677.  
678.  
679. <p>\As a result, currently, there are only 85 authorized cannabis stores statewide, with over two thousand operating illegally in New York City alone, not waiting to apply for and receive a license.</p>
680.  
681.  
682.  
683. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Roots of New York&#8217;s Cannabis Policy</h2>
684.  
685.  
686.  
687. <p>Understanding why New York opted for an approach centered on equity and socioeconomic reintegration requires a look at history. Until 2019, possessing a small stock of cannabis was not a problem in New York State, but smoking it or even being seen in possession of it in public was illegal under a 1977 law. For decades, this law did not lead to significant consequences: the number of people arrested annually for public possession rarely exceeded a thousand, and in 1992 there were only 722. However, the situation changed with Mayor Rudy Giuliani&#8217;s administration in the 1990s, which encouraged the &#8220;stop-and-frisk&#8221; practice: police could stop anyone on vague suspicions and ask them to empty their pockets, leading to arrests if cannabis was found.</p>
688.  
689.  
690.  
691. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Disproportionate Impact on African Americans</h3>
692.  
693.  
694.  
695. <p>This practice particularly affected young African Americans, who were statistically stopped far more often than their peers of other ethnicities: between 2002 and 2017, it was 12 times more likely that a Black New Yorker would be arrested for cannabis possession than a white one. This issue was frequently raised by organizations and campaigns against racism in the following years, and many New Yorkers (a city that tends to be politically more progressive than much of the rest of the United States) began to see the legalization of cannabis not only as a personal freedom issue but also as a way to remedy, at least in part, the damage and years of imprisonment inflicted on marginalized communities.</p>
696.  
697.  
698.  
699. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic and Social Dynamics of Legalization</h2>
700.  
701.  
702.  
703. <p>The 2021 law, in addition to legalizing recreational cannabis, stipulated that 40% of the fiscal revenues related to cannabis sales be reinvested in communities where police had disproportionately carried out drug possession arrests, and aimed to assign half of all sales licenses to women, non-white people, disabled veterans, struggling farmers, and residents of overcrowded neighborhoods. The CAURD program introduced further restrictions, initially issuing licenses only to individuals previously incarcerated for cannabis possession or their family members.</p>
704.  
705.  
706.  
707. <p>According to a report published in March, however, many executives at the Office of Cannabis Management had never previously led a regulatory agency and pursued goals in a chaotic manner. For instance, they changed the application process so often that 90% of applications were sent back at least once for formal corrections.</p>
708.  
709.  
710.  
711. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Struggle with Legalization&#8217;s Structure</h2>
712.  
713.  
714.  
715. <p>As Jia Tolentino explained in The New Yorker, &#8220;investing in legal cannabis is typically a sport for those with substantial capital.&#8221; Opening a store can cost millions of dollars, and taxes are particularly high because cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, so owners cannot claim refunds for most of their business expenses. The 2021 law also prohibited vertical integration—meaning a single company could not own the cultivation, distribution, and stores, essentially controlling the entire supply chain—and required companies already in the medical cannabis market to wait three years from the passage of the law before they could apply for a license.</p>
716.  
717.  
718.  
719. <p>The CAURD was supposed to help small entrepreneurs enter the industry by offering store spaces at advantageous prices and access to a $200 million fund, but none of this materialized. The cost of merely applying for a license was $2,000, non-refundable even if refused. Furthermore, the new law did not provide a pathway for those involved in the black market to transition to the legal market, thus excluding many traders and growers who had never been arrested.</p>
720.  
721.  
722.  
723. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Tale of Two Markets</h2>
724.  
725.  
726.  
727. <p>By early 2022, about 900 people had applied for a license: only 36 were approved. The first legal cannabis store in the state opened on December 29, 2022, near Washington Square Park in New York. Tolentino reports that &#8220;the line spanned an entire block.&#8221; &#8220;As 2023 began,&#8221; she summarizes, &#8220;New York therefore had one authorized store selling weed and about 1,400 places doing the same thing illegally.&#8221;</p>
728.  
729.  
730.  
731. <p>Illegal stores vary greatly in appearance: some are spacious, well-lit, and clean in a way that somewhat resembles an Apple retail outlet, while others have replaced the small and characteristic neighborhood bodegas, thus being small, chaotic, and seemingly shady. Many have also appeared in other states where cannabis has been legalized: for example, in California, it is estimated that about half of the cannabis produced by legal growers is introduced into the illegal market.</p>
732.  
733.  
734.  
735. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Unregulated Market&#8217;s Explosion</h2>
736.  
737.  
738.  
739. <p>&#8220;The explosion of unlicensed weed stores in New York City, however, is unmatched,&#8221; writes Tolentino. &#8220;This is due, among other things, to the vast number of stores and the city&#8217;s hyperactive entrepreneurial culture, where vending machines are perpetually in bloom. But also to the fact that the city police no longer have the right to search cars or people on suspicion of smelling &#8216;cannabis,&#8217; and thus seem to have lost all interest in monitoring its use.&#8221; In theory, illegal stores can be sanctioned in various ways. In practice, however, the rare times they are fined or raided by police, the owners close for a few days and then reopen shortly after.</p>
740.  
741.  
742.  
743. <p>__</p>
744.  
745.  
746.  
747. <p><em>(Featured image by <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/aerial-photography-of-city-high-rise-buildings-surrounded-body-of-water-during-daytime-BIpoEHJtuN4" rel="noreferrer noopener">Troy Jarrell</a> via&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/license" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unsplash</a>)</em></p>
748.  
749.  
750.  
751. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclaimer</a> for more information.</em></p>
752.  
753.  
754.  
755. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">important disclosures</a>.</em></p>
756.  
757.  
758.  
759. <p><em>First published in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ilpost.it/2024/07/17/problemi-legalizzazione-marijuana-new-york/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Il Post</a>. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.</em></p>
760.  
761.  
762.  
763. <p><em>Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us</em></p>
764. ]]></content:encoded>
768. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/troy-jarrell-BIpoEHJtuN4-unsplash-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by Troy Jarrell via Unsplash)</photo_credit><tags>cannabis,featured,legalization,New York</tags> </item>
769. <item>
770. <title>Why Indiegogo Is Launching an E-Commerce Platform</title>
771. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/indiegogo-launch-indieshop-ecommerce/</link>
773. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Donaghue]]></dc:creator>
774. <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:43:42 +0000</pubDate>
775. <category><![CDATA[Crowdfunding]]></category>
776. <category><![CDATA[crowdfunding]]></category>
777. <category><![CDATA[eCommerce]]></category>
778. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
779. <category><![CDATA[indiegogo]]></category>
780. <category><![CDATA[IndieShop]]></category>
781. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634317</guid>
782.  
783. <description><![CDATA[Indiegogo has introduced IndieShop, an e-commerce platform for products developed through crowdfunding, with plans to bring some projects to physical stores. The platform now offers new tools including customer insights and installment payment options for backers to help support innovators and their supporters. The platform has also reduced its fees to 4% for campaigns until the end of 2024.]]></description>
784. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
785. <p>The crowdfunding platform Indiegogo has introduced a range of new services aimed at “supporting the entire innovation journey,” including a new e-commerce offering, IndieShop, which allows users to purchase products developed through crowdfunding. An announcement about a partnership to bring “the most successful projects to physical stores” is expected soon.</p>
786.  
787.  
788.  
789. <p>Download the free Born2Invest news app for more of the latest <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/born2invest/id1048044533" rel="noreferrer noopener">crowdfunding news</a>.</p>
790.  
791.  
792.  
793. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Origins and Purpose of Indiegogo</h2>
794.  
795.  
796.  
797. <p>Indiegogo, founded in 2008 in San Francisco, California, by Slava Rubin, Danae Ringelmann, and Eric Schell, began with the goal of democratizing access to funding. It enables entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators to raise funds for their projects directly from the public.</p>
798.  
799.  
800.  
801. <p>Unlike other crowdfunding platforms, Indiegogo offers both flexible funding campaigns, where organizers can keep the funds raised even if they do not reach their goal, and fixed funding campaigns, where funds are returned to backers if the goal is not met.</p>
802.  
803.  
804.  
805. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Diverse Categories and Global Reach</h2>
806.  
807.  
808.  
809. <p>The platform covers a wide range of categories, including technology, film, music, art, and social causes. Over time, Indiegogo has expanded its services by introducing marketing and analytics tools to support project creators throughout the journey from idea to realization. Today, Indiegogo is one of the leading crowdfunding platforms globally, having helped fund thousands of projects worldwide.</p>
810.  
811.  
812.  
813. <p>In Italy, participants can engage with Indiegogo campaigns both as supporters and innovators. Italian innovators can create campaigns to raise funds for their projects, whether they are technological, artistic, social, or otherwise, and access the platform’s tools and services to promote and manage their campaigns.</p>
814.  
815.  
816.  
817. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">How IndieShop Works</h2>
818.  
819.  
820.  
821. <p>IndieShop is now live on Indiegogo’s site, having been launched in beta in May, and currently features over 40 products.</p>
822.  
823.  
824.  
825. <p>According to The Retail Touchpoints Network, the in-store retail experience will include a curated selection of products with a live unboxing event: for the first time, supporters will be able to try and test Indiegogo campaign products in real life before investing.</p>
826.  
827.  
828.  
829. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Expanding the Crowdfunding Concept</h2>
830.  
831.  
832.  
833. <p>“The new Indiegogo is designed to bring more customers to our campaigns while introducing the concept of crowdfunding to a new audience,” said Becky Center, CEO of Indiegogo.</p>
834.  
835.  
836.  
837. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Watch the Announcement Video</h2>
838.  
839.  
840. <figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube"><a href="https://born2invest.com/articles/indiegogo-launch-indieshop-ecommerce/"><img decoding="async" src="//i.ytimg.com/vi/KyVLxc0U54M/hqdefault.jpg" alt="YouTube Video"></a><br /><br /><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
841.  
842.  
843. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">New Services and Lower Fees</h2>
844.  
845.  
846.  
847. <p>The platform has also launched a series of new services to assist both inventors and their supporters. These include customer insights for innovators preparing their crowdfunding requests and a payment installment feature for backers.</p>
848.  
849.  
850.  
851. <p>To promote its expanded service, Indiegogo is lowering its platform fees to 4% for crowdfunding campaigns until the end of 2024.</p>
852.  
853.  
854.  
855. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Commitment to Innovators</h2>
856.  
857.  
858.  
859. <p>“Over the past 16 years,” added Center, “Indiegogo has helped nearly one million entrepreneurs and businesses build their brands, create go-to-market strategies, engage their communities, and expand their global reach. Since I took the helm of Indiegogo two years ago, my goal has been not only to keep Indiegogo the highest-quality crowdfunding platform but also to expand support for the innovator’s journey beyond the traditional 30-60 day crowdfunding campaign cycle.”</p>
860.  
861.  
862.  
863. <p>__</p>
864.  
865.  
866.  
867. <p><em>(Featured image by <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-toy-shopping-cart-BQ9usyzHx_w" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bastian Riccardi</a> via&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/license" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unsplash</a>)</em></p>
868.  
869.  
870.  
871. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclaimer</a> for more information.</em></p>
872.  
873.  
874.  
875. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">important disclosures</a>.</em></p>
876.  
877.  
878.  
879. <p><em>First published in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.economyup.it/retail/crowdfunding-perche-indiegogo-lancia-un-ecommerce/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Economy Up</a>. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.</em></p>
880.  
881.  
882.  
883. <p><em>Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us</em></p>
884. ]]></content:encoded>
888. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/bastian-riccardi-BQ9usyzHx_w-unsplash-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by Bastian Riccardi via Unsplash)</photo_credit><tags>crowdfunding,eCommerce,featured,indiegogo,IndieShop</tags> </item>
889. <item>
890. <title>Sartorius Stedim Biotech Attempts a Modest Rebound After Plunge</title>
891. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/sartorius-stedim-biotech-rebound/</link>
893. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeremy Whannell]]></dc:creator>
894. <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
895. <category><![CDATA[Biotech]]></category>
896. <category><![CDATA[biotech companies]]></category>
897. <category><![CDATA[biotech investing]]></category>
898. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
899. <category><![CDATA[Sartorius Stedim Biotech]]></category>
900. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634299</guid>
901.  
902. <description><![CDATA[Sartorius Stedim Biotech reported a slight revenue decrease and significant drops in net profit and EBITDA for the first half of 2024, leading to a cautious outlook and adjusted financial forecast. The company anticipates improved effects from cost reduction programs but lowered its EBITDA margin expectations and revised its investment and debt ratio objectives through to 2028.]]></description>
903. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
904. <p>Sartorius Stedim Biotech attempts a modest rebound of 0.9% to 148 euros this Monday after its 16% plunge on Friday.</p>
905.  
906.  
907.  
908. <p>Download the free Born2Invest news app for more of the latest <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/born2invest/id1048044533" rel="noreferrer noopener">biotech investing news</a>.</p>
909.  
910.  
911.  
912. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sartorius Stedim Biotech Faces Challenging Market Conditions</h2>
913.  
914.  
915.  
916. <p>In a market environment that remains very challenging and volatile for the life sciences sector, Sartorius Stedim Biotech concluded the first half of the year with positive revenue growth.</p>
917.  
918.  
919.  
920. <p>During the first half, Sartorius Stedim achieved a revenue of 1.373 billion euros, a slight decrease of 1.2% at constant exchange rates (organic decline: -3.8%; reported decline: -2%).</p>
921.  
922.  
923.  
924. <p>Current EBITDA decreased by 6.8% to 387 million euros in the first half, mainly due to volume and product mix effects. The corresponding margin remained at a high level of 28.2% (same period last year: 29.7%).</p>
925.  
926.  
927.  
928. <p>The current net profit for Sartorius Stedim amounted to 165 million euros (242 million euros in the first half of 2023). The net profit was 104 million euros (244 million euros in the same period last year), while current net profit per share amounted to 1.71 euros (previous year: 2.62 euros) and net profit per share was 1.08 euros (2.65 euros in the previous year).</p>
929.  
930.  
931.  
932. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sartorius Stedim Biotech Maintains Cautious Outlook for the Future</h2>
933.  
934.  
935.  
936. <p>Given the high volatility and limited predictability, Sartorius Stedim Biotech is issuing more cautious guidance for the second half and has adjusted its forecasts for the fiscal year 2024.</p>
937.  
938.  
939.  
940. <p>In the context of continued moderate demand, Sartorius Stedim Biotech now expects revenue for the 2024 fiscal year to remain at the level of the previous year, with a range of revenue growth between a low single-digit negative percentage and a low single-digit positive percentage (previously: mid to high single-digit revenue growth). The acquisition of Polyplus by Sartorius Stedim Biotech is expected to contribute approximately 2 percentage points to non-organic sales growth.</p>
941.  
942.  
943.  
944. <p>In terms of profitability, Sartorius Stedim Biotech expects its cost reduction program to have increasingly positive effects, amounting to more than 85 million euros as the year progresses, although these effects will not fully offset the impact of lower volume forecasts. Additionally, measures to reduce inventory are expected to result in further dilution of EBITDA due to lower utilization of production capacities.</p>
945.  
946.  
947.  
948. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Adjusted Margin Expectations</h2>
949.  
950.  
951.  
952. <p>In this context, Sartorius Stedim Biotech now anticipates a current EBITDA margin of 27 to 29% (previously: over 30%) for the entire year of 2024.</p>
953.  
954.  
955.  
956. <p>Following adjustments to its investment plans in light of current business developments, the ratio of capital expenditures to revenue is now expected to be around 12% (approximately 13% previously) in 2024, while the ratio of net debt to current EBITDA is expected to be around 2.5 to 3 (a bit less than 2.5 previously). Consequently, Sartorius Stedim Biotech has not altered its medium-term targets through 2028.</p>
957.  
958.  
959.  
960. <p>__</p>
961.  
962.  
963.  
964. <p><em>(Featured image by <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/white-and-black-plastic-bottle-lot-ZdToNCVLpOg" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testalize.me</a> via&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/license" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unsplash</a>)</em></p>
965.  
966.  
967.  
968. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclaimer</a> for more information.</em></p>
969.  
970.  
971.  
972. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">important disclosures</a>.</em></p>
973.  
974.  
975.  
976. <p><em>First published in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.boursier.com/actions/actualites/news/sartorius-stedim-biotech-tente-un-timide-rebond-apres-sa-chute-934311.html" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boursier</a>. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.</em></p>
977.  
978.  
979.  
980. <p><em>Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us</em></p>
981. ]]></content:encoded>
985. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/testalize-me-ZdToNCVLpOg-unsplash-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by Testalize.me via Unsplash)</photo_credit><tags>biotech companies,biotech investing,featured,Sartorius Stedim Biotech</tags> </item>
986. <item>
987. <title>African Energy Investments: Namibia and Guyana Are Outpacing Historic Producers</title>
988. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/african-energy-investment-guyana-namibia/</link>
990. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Angelique Moss]]></dc:creator>
991. <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
992. <category><![CDATA[Africa]]></category>
993. <category><![CDATA[Mining & Energy]]></category>
994. <category><![CDATA[energy investment]]></category>
995. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
996. <category><![CDATA[Guyana]]></category>
997. <category><![CDATA[Namibia]]></category>
998. <category><![CDATA[Nigeria]]></category>
999. <category><![CDATA[oil]]></category>
1000. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634300</guid>
1001.  
1002. <description><![CDATA[Guyana has become a significant player in energy with its recent large oil discoveries and investor-friendly policies, serving as a model for Namibia, which is also attracting substantial investments due to similar promising discoveries and proactive government measures. Nigeria, on the other hand, is struggling to attract necessary investments due to security issues and legal uncertainties.]]></description>
1003. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
1004. <p>The major players in global energy production are well-known, especially in the oil and gas sector, where many have been established for a long time, with African countries like Algeria, Nigeria, Libya, Egypt, and Angola having been in the market for decades, even though much of their resources remain untapped.</p>
1005.  
1006.  
1007.  
1008. <p>When new discoveries are made in previously unexplored or under-explored countries, one might think that these more experienced nations would be able to outpace them in attracting investments. However, recent experience shows that this is not always the case.</p>
1009.  
1010.  
1011.  
1012. <p>Download the free Born2Invest news app for more of the latest <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/born2invest/id1048044533" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">African energy sector news</a>.</p>
1013.  
1014.  
1015.  
1016. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Guyana On a Rapid Ascent in the African Energy Sector</h2>
1017.  
1018.  
1019.  
1020. <p>If there were a Rookie of the Year award in the energy sector, it would go to the South American country of Guyana, hands down. Although it is the immediate neighbor of Venezuela, a founding member of OPEC, most of Guyana&#8217;s 11 billion barrels of potential were only discovered in 2015. Less than five years after the initial discovery of the Stabroek block, American oil giant ExxonMobil began producing oil as part of the first phase of its Liza project, remarkably fast by industry standards. By April of this year, ExxonMobil had already approved its sixth oil project in Guyana, putting this African country of 800,000 inhabitants on track to one day surpass Venezuela in terms of total crude production. Today, this Latin American country is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.</p>
1021.  
1022.  
1023.  
1024. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Namibia Shows Promising Potential</h2>
1025.  
1026.  
1027.  
1028. <p>This is not the first time Guyana has been mentioned in energy discussions about the African energy sector, and there is a reason for that. Namibia is currently in the same situation that Guyana was in just a few years ago, ready to choose its path.</p>
1029.  
1030.  
1031.  
1032. <p>Recent discoveries in the Orange Basin in Namibia suggest that it could contain up to three billion barrels of oil and 8.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and the country&#8217;s total oil reserves could be almost equal to those of Guyana, with about 11 billion barrels. The excitement over these newly discovered resources is great, and although oil and gas production is still to come, Namibia has become a leader in oil and gas sector investments in Africa.</p>
1033.  
1034.  
1035.  
1036. <p>Shell (UK) and TotalEnergies (France), who made the major discoveries in the Orange Basin with partner companies, have both committed substantial shares of their 2024 exploration budgets to ongoing activities in Namibia.</p>
1037.  
1038.  
1039.  
1040. <p>African offshore exploration plans have also been announced by Chevron (US), Azule Energy (a joint venture between Italy&#8217;s Eni and Britain&#8217;s BP), and the Portuguese energy group Galp. Additionally, Reconnaissance Energy Africa (Canada) and the Namibian national oil company NAMCOR have started drilling an onshore oil and gas exploration well in northeastern Namibia.</p>
1041.  
1042.  
1043.  
1044. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">African Energy Lessons from Nigeria: What Not to Do</h2>
1045.  
1046.  
1047.  
1048. <p>The enthusiasm for the resources in Guyana and Namibia is significantly different from what is observed in other resource-rich African countries. Take Nigeria, by far Africa&#8217;s largest oil producer, for example. Despite colossal proven reserves of nearly 37 billion barrels (the global total is 1.73 trillion), Nigeria is currently struggling to attract the $25 billion in annual investments needed to maintain its production at around 2 million barrels per day (bpd). Major oil companies are disengaging from Nigerian assets and redirecting their future investments to other countries, as TotalEnergies did by announcing $6 billion for new projects in Angola. No new exploration wells have been drilled in Nigeria for over 12 years. Why?</p>
1049.  
1050.  
1051.  
1052. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Security Concerns</h2>
1053.  
1054.  
1055.  
1056. <p>The most obvious reason is security. Nigeria is known for its disastrous environmental spills caused by oil theft, vandalism, and sabotage. The country&#8217;s inability to protect its most valuable economic asset, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of Nigeria&#8217;s revenues, poses a constant threat to the security of employees as well as the profits of oil producers, not to mention that it does no favors for public relations. There may be a ton of money under Nigerian soil, but it&#8217;s going nowhere, so it makes more sense to extract it in a safer place until these issues are resolved.</p>
1057.  
1058.  
1059.  
1060. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Legal Uncertainty</h2>
1061.  
1062.  
1063.  
1064. <p>Another major problem related to exploitation in Nigeria is legal uncertainty. As Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, stated, the Nigerian legislature loves to debate oil policy but never resolves anything, resulting in inconsistent decision-making and an unstable, erratic political environment. The lack of transparency in licensing cycles, the slow and complex contractual procedures that expire too quickly, insufficient incentives for gas projects, and local labor requirements not supported by the educational system are all significant obstacles. Additionally, local companies taking over abandoned assets are held to less stringent environmental standards than international companies, meaning problems worsen before they improve. Nigeria is belatedly trying to address some of these issues (the 2021 Nigerian Industry Act was a huge step in the right direction, but its implementation is advancing at a snail&#8217;s pace), but it has already exhausted much of the goodwill it once enjoyed.</p>
1065.  
1066.  
1067.  
1068. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Charting a Better Path: Guyana Implements Success Strategy</h2>
1069.  
1070.  
1071.  
1072. <p>What are Guyana and Namibia doing right, and what lessons can be drawn for Nigeria and other African countries? Let&#8217;s start with Guyana.</p>
1073.  
1074.  
1075.  
1076. <p>First, it recognized the urgency of taking action to rapidly develop its resources. The global energy transition to renewables will eventually reduce the demand for fossil fuels, but for now, the transition is just beginning, and demand for fossil fuels remains high. With much of the country covered by rainforest and limited open land for wind farms, Guyana simply does not have the same potential for renewables as many other countries and must leverage what it has. Guyana was determined to sell while the market was still buying, before it was too late. It focused on accelerating development and updating laws and regulations to speed up the development process and create a stable, investor-friendly regulatory environment.</p>
1077.  
1078.  
1079.  
1080. <p>One of the most immediate advantages offered by Guyana is the inclusion in its oil contracts of a clause protecting energy companies from the negative consequences of legislative or regulatory changes made by the government, such as new tax codes. This is a fiscal stability clause, which can significantly reduce the time needed for contract negotiations and the risk of costly project delays by preventing sudden and radical changes in regulatory status. (As I wrote, Namibia does not currently offer fiscal stability clauses in its agreements, but it would be wise to do so if it wants to speed up the development of its newly discovered oil fields).</p>
1081.  
1082.  
1083.  
1084. <p>The Guyanese Petroleum Activities Bill, passed by the National Assembly in August 2023 to update the 1986 Petroleum Act, grants the Minister of Natural Resources broad powers to oversee exploration, production, and licensing, as well as responsibility for enforcing the law and imposing fines. It addresses gaps in the old legislation, particularly regarding the transport and storage of hydrocarbons from offshore to onshore and access to crude oil for future refineries to keep them running if domestic production falls short. The bill also provides for safety and emergency response measures, oversight and control requirements, capacity-building requirements for energy companies, and a cross-border unitization framework for exploiting reserves that cross international borders.</p>
1085.  
1086.  
1087.  
1088. <p>Additionally, Guyana&#8217;s assembly also passed local content legislation in 2021, which allows international oil companies to effectively communicate their needs to local businesses, creating opportunities for them to grow and provide producers with qualified and educated services and personnel. This contrasts with Nigeria&#8217;s local content laws, which include quotas for hiring locals but do not provide means for compliance. Guyana continues to refine this policy with the help of the Ministry of Natural Resources.</p>
1089.  
1090.  
1091.  
1092. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Namibia Makes Strong Start as Rising African Energy Star</h2>
1093.  
1094.  
1095.  
1096. <p>Although Namibia is still in the early stages of its development, it has not been content to observe from afar. The government has already begun updating its fiscal legislation and creating a favorable environment for upstream activities. NAMCOR representatives traveled to Guyana in 2023 to learn more about oil exploitation, including how to involve local businesses, raise public awareness, and expand port facilities. They also learned from Guyana&#8217;s growing pains, noting that one of the best pieces of advice they received was to take their time and properly assess infrastructure needs.</p>
1097.  
1098.  
1099.  
1100. <p>The country is also getting a head start on diversification, with the major law firm ENS helping the government develop a regulatory framework for green hydrogen development and energy transition strategies. While much remains to be done, Namibia is already well-positioned to offer energy companies exiting Nigeria and elsewhere a smooth landing.</p>
1101.  
1102.  
1103.  
1104. <p>__</p>
1105.  
1106.  
1107.  
1108. <p><em>(Featured image by <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/sunset-GrmwVnVSSdU" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zbynek Burival</a> via&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/license" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unsplash</a>)</em></p>
1109.  
1110.  
1111.  
1112. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclaimer</a> for more information.</em></p>
1113.  
1114.  
1115.  
1116. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">important disclosures</a>.</em></p>
1117.  
1118.  
1119.  
1120. <p><em>First published in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://energychamber.org/comment-les-nouveaux-venus-comme-la-namibie-et-la-guyane-depassent-les-producteurs-africains-historiques-en-matiere-dinvestissement-dans-lenergie/" rel="noreferrer noopener">African Energy Chamber</a>. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.</em></p>
1121.  
1122.  
1123.  
1124. <p><em>Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us</em></p>
1125. ]]></content:encoded>
1129. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/zbynek-burival-GrmwVnVSSdU-unsplash-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by Zbynek Burival via Unsplash)</photo_credit><tags>Africa,energy investment,featured,Guyana,Namibia,Nigeria,oil</tags> </item>
1130. <item>
1131. <title>Crypto Could Be Heading For an Inevitable Price Regression</title>
1132. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/crypto-price-regression-analysts-predict/</link>
1134. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Leah Marie Angelou]]></dc:creator>
1135. <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
1136. <category><![CDATA[Crypto]]></category>
1137. <category><![CDATA[analysis]]></category>
1138. <category><![CDATA[bitcoin]]></category>
1139. <category><![CDATA[crypto]]></category>
1140. <category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>
1141. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634298</guid>
1142.  
1143. <description><![CDATA[Analysts have expressed skepticism about the current crypto price rebound, noting Bitcoin's trading value is significantly above its estimated production cost of $43,000, thus suggesting a potential price regression towards the volatility-adjusted value of gold at $53,000. On the other hand, political changes, such as a potential Trump presidency, could favorably influence the crypto sector.]]></description>
1144. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
1145. <p>As the crypto market experiences a period of fluctuating valuations, JPMorgan analysts provide a crucial perspective on the sustainability of this recovery. In a recent report, they expressed skepticism regarding the durability of the current rebounds, especially for Bitcoin.</p>
1146.  
1147.  
1148.  
1149. <p>Download the free Born2Invest news app for more of the latest <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/born2invest/id1048044533" rel="noreferrer noopener">finance and investing news</a>.</p>
1150.  
1151.  
1152.  
1153. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Strategic Rather Than Durable Crypto Rebound</h2>
1154.  
1155.  
1156.  
1157. <p>According to JPMorgan analysts, the current rebound in crypto asset prices, particularly BTC, appears more tactical than indicative of a sustainable bullish trend. Bitcoin is currently trading around $67,500. The analysts believe that this BTC value is well above its estimated production cost of $43,000.</p>
1158.  
1159.  
1160.  
1161. <p>Moreover, they use a special method to compare the price of the crypto asset to that of gold. They adjust prices by considering volatility, meaning the price fluctuations of both assets. According to their calculations, gold, when adjusted for its volatility, would be worth around $53,000. They explain that the current price of Bitcoin is quite high compared to this value. This suggests a regression towards this average.</p>
1162.  
1163.  
1164.  
1165. <p>In other words, in the long term, large jumps in BTC prices could be limited. The crypto asset would tend to stabilize around this gold comparison adjusted for volatility, according to them.</p>
1166.  
1167.  
1168.  
1169. <p>The analysts report that Bitcoin futures contracts have been recently weakened by significant liquidations. Notably, those carried out by the creditors of Gemini and Mt. Gox, as well as the sale of bitcoins seized by the German government. These factors are temporary, according to them. They anticipate a recovery of these futures contracts by August.</p>
1170.  
1171.  
1172.  
1173. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Potential Political Influence on Crypto</h2>
1174.  
1175.  
1176.  
1177. <p>Additionally, they consider that the potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency could favor crypto assets and gold. Trump is perceived as more favorable than the current Biden administration for the crypto sector.</p>
1178.  
1179.  
1180.  
1181. <p>Trump&#8217;s trade policy prospects could also prompt central banks in emerging markets to further diversify their reserves into gold. These political and economic developments could significantly reshape future market trends.</p>
1182.  
1183.  
1184.  
1185. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cautious Optimism for Immediate Prospects</h2>
1186.  
1187.  
1188.  
1189. <p>In summary, the immediate prospects for BTC and other cryptocurrencies seem promising. However, an overly optimistic interpretation of current trends would be detrimental. Therefore, the analysts recommend increased vigilance on the part of investors.</p>
1190.  
1191.  
1192.  
1193. <p>__</p>
1194.  
1195.  
1196.  
1197. <p><em>(Featured image by <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-pills-floating-in-the-air-vFhsyAMbHkE" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arthur Mazi</a>&nbsp;via&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/license" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unsplash</a>)</em></p>
1198.  
1199.  
1200.  
1201. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclaimer</a> for more information.</em></p>
1202.  
1203.  
1204.  
1205. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/" rel="noreferrer noopener">important disclosures</a>.</em></p>
1206.  
1207.  
1208.  
1209. <p><em>First published in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cointribune.com/bitcoin-une-regression-inevitable-du-prix-en-vue/" rel="noreferrer noopener">CoinTribune</a>. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.</em></p>
1210.  
1211.  
1212.  
1213. <p><em>Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us</em></p>
1214. ]]></content:encoded>
1218. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/arthur-mazi-vFhsyAMbHkE-unsplash-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by Arthur Mazi via Unsplash)</photo_credit><tags>analysis,bitcoin,crypto,finance</tags> </item>
1219. <item>
1220. <title>Dow Jones Defies Odds as Bull Market Rages On</title>
1221. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/dow-jones-defies-odds-bull-market/</link>
1223. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Lundeen]]></dc:creator>
1224. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
1225. <category><![CDATA[Markets]]></category>
1226. <category><![CDATA[Dow Jones]]></category>
1227. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
1228. <category><![CDATA[gold]]></category>
1229. <category><![CDATA[markets]]></category>
1230. <category><![CDATA[silver]]></category>
1231. <category><![CDATA[Trump]]></category>
1232. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634273</guid>
1233.  
1234. <description><![CDATA[Despite midweek volatility following the Trump assassination attempt, the Dow Jones closed the week with three new all-time highs, demonstrating impressive market resilience and bullish trends. Analysts remain optimistic about the stock market's continued growth, highlighting the Dow Jones' strong performance and the potential for future gains despite economic and political uncertainties.]]></description>
1235. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
1236. <p>I usually post non-financial commentary at the end of my articles.  But last Saturday’s failed political assassination, intentionally on live TV for everyone to witness, sending a message to all who dare to challenge the Deep State, is sufficient reason to lead this week with the link below. </p>
1237.  
1238.  
1239.  
1240. <p>The Deep State crossed a line, from which there is no return, as King Richard III discovered in Shakespeare’s play.</p>
1241.  
1242.  
1243.  
1244. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="529" height="239" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-165.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634277" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-165.png 529w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-165-300x136.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-165-100x45.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 529px) 100vw, 529px" /></figure>
1245.  
1246.  
1247.  
1248. <p>For the Deep State to survive; Trump must go.&nbsp; After last Saturday, planet Earth is no longer big enough for the two of them.&nbsp; Speaking for myself; I’m on Team Trump.</p>
1249.  
1250.  
1251.  
1252. <p>After their failed attempt to murder Donald Trump, where I believe divine intervention saved his life, these evil people are now cornered animals.&nbsp; They know the many crimes they have committed, could never be forgiven if shown to the public.&nbsp; With Trump once again in the oval office, he will demand, and get justice for all they have done to him, his family, and supporters.</p>
1253.  
1254.  
1255.  
1256. <p>So, we should expect additional assassination attempts, and future take downs in other forms; such as cyber failures, power outages, market crashes, and worse to disrupt the election of November 2024.&nbsp; The video below is an hour long, and well worth your time to watch in full.</p>
1257.  
1258.  
1259.  
1260. <div class="ifw-player" data-video-id="669ad508caa24005646c9b0e"></div><script src="https://infowarsmedia.com/js/player.js" async></script>
1261.  
1262.  
1263.  
1264. <p>This video covers the irregularities of Trump’s Secret Service protection during last week’s assassination attempt.&nbsp; They didn’t try to hide what they were doing.</p>
1265.  
1266.  
1267.  
1268. <div class="ifw-player" data-video-id="66999e6ac6334569ff907d6b"></div><script src="https://infowarsmedia.com/js/player.js" async></script>
1269.  
1270.  
1271.  
1272. <p>Like the 9/11 take down of the twin towers in 2001, just days before they attempted to take down Donald Trump, suspicious, and very large positions were taken in the financial markets.&nbsp; Insiders knew what was coming.&nbsp; Knowing how to profit from their wickedness, that is what they did.</p>
1273.  
1274.  
1275. <figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube"><a href="https://born2invest.com/articles/dow-jones-defies-odds-bull-market/"><img decoding="async" src="//i.ytimg.com/vi/Lz0r9nGabVw/hqdefault.jpg" alt="YouTube Video"></a><br /><br /><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
1276.  
1277.  
1278. <p>Some people will bury their heads in the sand, and pretend we are still living in a normal world.&nbsp; We are not.&nbsp; Now is the time to get right with the Lord, and recognize things aren’t as they should be.&nbsp; But be brave.&nbsp; Now is not the time to stay in the back of the pack, peeing with the puppies.&nbsp; Now is the time to stand up with the big dogs, by simply writing Congress, demanding a full investigation of what happened last week.&nbsp; Get them all on record.</p>
1279.  
1280.  
1281.  
1282. <p>That said, how did the Dow Jones do this week?&nbsp; Just looking at its BEV chart below, it closed 2.21% below its last all-time high.&nbsp; But this week the Dow Jones made three new all-time highs (BEV Zeros), #27-29 since it began its current advance last November, pushing the Dow Jones up 1,194 points by&nbsp;Wednesday’s close.</p>
1283.  
1284.  
1285.  
1286. <p>Such an impressive advance, is something a Bear’s Eye View chart can never properly display.&nbsp; It is what it is.&nbsp; This week’s last two trading days were not as kind to the bulls as they could have been, a loss of 910 points from the highs&nbsp;of Wednesday’s new all-time high close.&nbsp;</p>
1287.  
1288.  
1289.  
1290. <p>Though the Dow Jones dropped 910 points at week’s close, it still closed the week with a BEV of -2.21%, which is still well within scoring position.&nbsp; So, I’m remaining bullish on the stock market, it’s as simple as that.&nbsp; Why make it any harder than it has to be?</p>
1291.  
1292.  
1293.  
1294. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="936" height="680" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-166.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634278" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-166.png 936w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-166-300x218.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-166-768x558.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-166-100x73.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></figure>
1295.  
1296.  
1297.  
1298. <p>The chart below plotting the Dow Jones in its daily bars, is a superior view of this week’s exciting market action, than is the BEV chart above.&nbsp; Though the FOMC continues draining “liquidity” from the financial system, or so they claim to be doing, this week still saw impressive gains early on.&nbsp; So much so, I’m not surprised seeing a sharp correction on&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;and&nbsp;Friday.</p>
1299.  
1300.  
1301.  
1302. <p>So, what to expect for the Dow Jones next week?&nbsp; I personally expect a continuation of the post&nbsp;Wednesday&nbsp;pullback seen below, but I don’t believe we’ve seen the last Dow Jones all-time of this advance.&nbsp; Why not?&nbsp; The first thing that would have to happen for me to even consider such a thing, would be for the Dow Jones to close below its BEV -5% line, and stay there in the chart below.&nbsp;</p>
1303.  
1304.  
1305.  
1306. <p>Note: this key BEV -5% line was raised this week’s by the three new all-time highs, from last week’s 38,000, to now 39,138.&nbsp; Also, last week’s get the hell out of Dodge City’s BEV -10% line was at 36,000.&nbsp; As seen in the table in the BEV chart above, the Dow Jones new BEV -10% line is now 37,078.</p>
1307.  
1308.  
1309.  
1310. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="935" height="680" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-167.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634279" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-167.png 935w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-167-300x218.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-167-768x559.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-167-100x73.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 935px) 100vw, 935px" /></figure>
1311.  
1312.  
1313.  
1314. <p>Moving on to my table listing BEV values for the major market indexes I follow, below, it’s obvious how bullish&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;was, with eleven new BEV Zeros, and indexes in scoring position going down to #16.&nbsp; By&nbsp;Friday, these indexes saw no new all-time highs, but everything down to #12 closed in scoring position (BEVs of -0.01% to -4.99%).</p>
1315.  
1316.  
1317.  
1318. <p>Keep in mind, most daily closes in any market’s bull-market advance, close in scoring position, * NOT * at a new all-time high.&nbsp; It’s not hard for a market index, a single stock, or an ounce of gold or silver closing in scoring position, to move up a few percentage points and close at a new all-time high.&nbsp; This is just how all market advances work, so I remain bullish on the stock market at this week’s close.</p>
1319.  
1320.  
1321.  
1322. <p>One thing I find very odd about this advance, is how the banking index (#20 in the table below) continues bouncing off its lows of May 2023.&nbsp; In May of 2023, big banks were closing their doors in Silicon Valley, due to their reserves being eroded away from rising bond yields.&nbsp; Since then, what has changed that would make these companies once again attractive to the investing public?&nbsp; Nothing that I can see.&nbsp; Still, their valuations continue rising, recovering over half of their 2023 losses at the close of this week.&nbsp; I don’t like the banks.</p>
1323.  
1324.  
1325.  
1326. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="936" height="680" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-168.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634280" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-168.png 936w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-168-300x218.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-168-768x558.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-168-100x73.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></figure>
1327.  
1328.  
1329.  
1330. <p>The table below was commented on above.</p>
1331.  
1332.  
1333.  
1334. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="739" height="1024" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-169-739x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634281" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-169-739x1024.png 739w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-169-216x300.png 216w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-169-72x100.png 72w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-169.png 759w" sizes="(max-width: 739px) 100vw, 739px" /></figure>
1335.  
1336.  
1337.  
1338. <p></p>
1339.  
1340.  
1341.  
1342. <p>In the performance tables above, gold remained at #1, as silver and the XAU each slipped down a row in this week’s table.&nbsp; No matter, I remain positive on precious metal assets.</p>
1343.  
1344.  
1345.  
1346. <p>Looking at NYSE 52Wk Highs and Lows in the table below, since June 5<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;the market in terms of making new 52Wk Highs and Lows, was for the most part marched-in-place.&nbsp; Then came July 11<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;(inside red square), when the NYSE began seeing an increase in new 52Wk Highs, just as the Dow Jones began with its latest three BEV Zeros.&nbsp; If the market can keep this up in the weeks to come, this would be a very positive development in the market.&nbsp; Will it?&nbsp; I’ll let you know in the weeks to come.</p>
1347.  
1348.  
1349.  
1350. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="807" height="939" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-170.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634282" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-170.png 807w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-170-258x300.png 258w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-170-768x894.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-170-86x100.png 86w" sizes="(max-width: 807px) 100vw, 807px" /></figure>
1351.  
1352.  
1353.  
1354. <p>Moving to gold’s BEV chart below, gold looks good.&nbsp; In other words; this week gold not only closed in scoring position, but also saw another BEV Zero on Tuesday, its 24<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;since it began its current advance last November.</p>
1355.  
1356.  
1357.  
1358. <p>Sometime in the future, gold, silver and their miners are going to see a huge increase in daily volatility, BIG daily moves up.&nbsp; Unfortunately, we’re not there just yet.&nbsp; But looking at what gold has done since it bottomed in October 2022 below, and especially since last November when it close in scoring position, and remained there since, I can’t fault what is happening in the gold market.&nbsp;</p>
1359.  
1360.  
1361.  
1362. <p>Though truth be told; I want much more, such as gold closing well over $3000 and silver closing well over $50.&nbsp; It will happen.&nbsp; We just have to wait – damn it.</p>
1363.  
1364.  
1365.  
1366. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="936" height="681" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-171.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634283" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-171.png 936w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-171-300x218.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-171-768x559.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-171-100x73.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></figure>
1367.  
1368.  
1369.  
1370. <p>Next is a chart I publish every now and then, silver’s BEV chart going back to 1969.&nbsp; This week silver close with a BEV value of -40.04%, or 40.04% from its last all-time high.&nbsp; And when was silver’s last all-time high?&nbsp; January 1980, forty-four years ago.&nbsp; When silver finally breaks above $50 an ounce, with authority, what follows that close should be something to see.&nbsp; But don’t expect to see anything exciting in silver’s BEV chart, as any, and all new all-time highs are only equal to 0.00%, each a big fat zero to Mr Bear.</p>
1371.  
1372.  
1373.  
1374. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="936" height="680" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-172.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634284" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-172.png 936w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-172-300x218.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-172-768x558.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-172-100x73.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></figure>
1375.  
1376.  
1377.  
1378. <p>Below is an excellent chart for seeing gold and silver rise to stunning new all-time highs, where I’ve indexed both to 1.00 = January 1969.&nbsp; Doing so allows us to directly compare their performance to each other.&nbsp; Silver in 1980 outperformed gold, but has fallen far behind since.&nbsp; This week closed with gold up by a factor of 55.16 from January 1969, while silver is up by only a factor of 15.78.</p>
1379.  
1380.  
1381.  
1382. <p>Many market commentators I follow believe silver will ultimately catch up to gold, and then exceed it.&nbsp; I’m all for that!&nbsp; But for the past four years, silver has been struggling with clearing its resistance at 15.5.&nbsp; That can change in a single day, where suddenly silver is well above its 20-factor line, hopefully soon.</p>
1383.  
1384.  
1385.  
1386. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="936" height="680" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-173.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634285" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-173.png 936w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-173-300x218.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-173-768x558.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-173-100x73.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></figure>
1387.  
1388.  
1389.  
1390. <p>Next is gold’s step sum table.&nbsp; I note gold’s daily volatility’s 200D M/A closed the week at 0.69%, up from 0.64% from June 13<sup>th</sup>.&nbsp; I like that, as precious metal bull markets are exciting markets, markets with BIG daily moves, both up and down.&nbsp;</p>
1391.  
1392.  
1393.  
1394. <p>On July 10<sup>th</sup>, gold became overbought when its 15-count increased to a +7.&nbsp; Markets don’t like being overbought, so I’m not surprised seeing an increase in daily declines in the gold market.&nbsp; At week’s close, gold closed with a 15-count of +5.&nbsp; Seeing gold’s 15-count decline a bit more, with additional down days would not be a bad thing in the next few weeks.</p>
1395.  
1396.  
1397.  
1398. <p>On the Dow Jones side of the step sum table, its daily volatility’s 200D M/A is also inching upward, but not enough to think much of it.&nbsp; That is bullish, as the worse thing that can happen to a bull market for stocks, is to see daily volatility rise for the Dow Jones.</p>
1399.  
1400.  
1401.  
1402. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="935" height="576" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-174.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634286" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-174.png 935w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-174-300x185.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-174-768x473.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-174-100x62.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 935px) 100vw, 935px" /></figure>
1403.  
1404.  
1405.  
1406. <p>This week, let’s go deeper into the a step sum’s 15-count, when gold and the Dow Jones are overbought or oversold, in the tables below.&nbsp; The base data used in constructing these tables are daily advances and daily declines, since 31 December 1970.&nbsp; Each daily decline is = -1, daily advances = +1.</p>
1407.  
1408.  
1409.  
1410. <p>The 15-count is a running 15-day sample, a sum of the daily steps (-1s &amp; +1s), as seen in the tables below.&nbsp;</p>
1411.  
1412.  
1413.  
1414. <p>A 15-count of +15, is a sample of fifteen daily closes, each a daily advance of +1.&nbsp; In the tables below, since December 1970, neither gold or the Dow Jones have seen fifteen consecutive daily advances.</p>
1415.  
1416.  
1417.  
1418. <p>A 15-count of -15, is a sample of fifteen daily closes, each a daily decline of -1.&nbsp; In the tables below, since December 1970, neither gold or the Dow Jones has seen fifteen consecutive daily declines.</p>
1419.  
1420.  
1421.  
1422. <p>But both gold, and the Dow Jones have seen one 15-count of +13, which are 15-counts with fourteen daily advances, and one daily decline, in their running fifteen day samples.&nbsp; They’ve also seen one 15-counts of -13, which are 15-counts of fourteen daily declines, and one daily advance, in their running fifteen-day samples.</p>
1423.  
1424.  
1425.  
1426. <p>Take a moment to study these tables.&nbsp; They’re not hard to understand, but they are interesting.&nbsp; Note; this week both gold and the Dow Jones saw their 15-counts at a +7 (Red Circles).</p>
1427.  
1428.  
1429.  
1430. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="936" height="505" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-175.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634287" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-175.png 936w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-175-300x162.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-175-768x414.png 768w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-175-100x54.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></figure>
1431.  
1432.  
1433.  
1434. <p>Why should anyone care about running samples for daily advances and declines?&nbsp; The table below will answer that question.&nbsp;</p>
1435.  
1436.  
1437.  
1438. <p>Since 02 January 1900, to 19 July 2024 (124 years) the NYSE has seen 33,604 trading sessions.&nbsp; Of which, 17,627 saw the Dow Jones advance, and 15,977 saw the Dow Jones decline.&nbsp; That is a net of only 1,650 daily advances in the past 124 years.&nbsp; 1,650 net daily advances that has taken the Dow Jones from 68.13 on the close of 02 January 1900, to 40,287.53 on the close of 19 July 2024.</p>
1439.  
1440.  
1441.  
1442. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="616" height="374" src="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-176.png" alt="" class="wp-image-634288" srcset="https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-176.png 616w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-176-300x182.png 300w, https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-176-100x61.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 616px) 100vw, 616px" /></figure>
1443.  
1444.  
1445.  
1446. <p>In other words; come bull or bear markets, the Dow Jones sees about as many daily advances, as it does daily declines.&nbsp; In terms of a 15-count, the Dow Jones has seen a 15-count of about +1, for the past 124 years of Dow Jones history.&nbsp; I find it interesting when the Dow Jones, or gold’s 15-count finds itself in extremes, which in the 15-count tables above, I’ve defined as any 15-count above +5, or below -5.</p>
1447.  
1448.  
1449.  
1450. <p>This week, both gold and the Dow Joens’ 15-counts were +7, which I’ve defined as being overbought, for the good reason gold has seen a 15-count of +7 on only 566 of its 13,461 daily closings since 1970, and the Dow Jones only 744 of its 13,461 daily closings since 1970.</p>
1451.  
1452.  
1453.  
1454. <p>I’ve found following a market’s 15-count provides a good, but not perfect insight of what is to come on a short-term basis.&nbsp; Seeing gold, or the Dow Jones’ 15-count at an +7, or worse, an extreme of +9, or +11, strongly suggest the market is due for a pullback.&nbsp; As would seeing a 15-count of -7, or an extreme of -9 or -11 strongly suggesting a bounce, in a market decline.</p>
1455.  
1456.  
1457.  
1458. <p>Seeing a 15-count of +/-13, or higher is very rare, suggesting something important in the market may be soon at hand.&nbsp; Gold’s one 15-count of -13 happened on 17 November 2015, at the bottom of the August 2011 to December 2015, 45% bear market.&nbsp; Gold’s 15-count of -13 in November 2015, signaled the four-year bear market was at a point of exhaustion, and would soon bottom.&nbsp;</p>
1459.  
1460.  
1461.  
1462. <p>It&#8217;s interesting noting silver, on 18 November 2015, saw its 15-count decline to an incredible -15: fifteen consecutive down days, three weeks of uninterrupted daily price declines in the silver market!&nbsp; Silver, like gold, soon bottomed, and began an advance that continues to this day.</p>
1463.  
1464.  
1465.  
1466. <p>__</p>
1467.  
1468.  
1469.  
1470. <p><em>(Featured image by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-newspaper-with-a-picture-of-a-man-on-it-IT6aov1ScW0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annie Spratt</a> via <a href="https://unsplash.com/license" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unsplash</a>)</em></p>
1471.  
1472.  
1473.  
1474. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;</em><a href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/"><em>disclaimer</em></a><em>&nbsp;for more information.</em></p>
1475.  
1476.  
1477.  
1478. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions, including with regards to potential earnings in the Empire Flippers affiliate program. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;</em><a href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/"><em>important disclosures</em></a><em>.</em></p>
1479. ]]></content:encoded>
1483. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/annie-spratt-IT6aov1ScW0-unsplash-scaled-e1721637568151-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by Annie Spratt via Unsplash)</photo_credit><tags>Dow Jones,featured,gold,markets,silver,Trump</tags> </item>
1484. <item>
1485. <title>How Small Businesses Play A Role In The Future Of AI Investments</title>
1486. <link>https://born2invest.com/articles/ai-investments-small-businesses-future/</link>
1488. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacob Wolinsky]]></dc:creator>
1489. <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jul 2024 14:00:09 +0000</pubDate>
1490. <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
1491. <category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
1492. <category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
1493. <category><![CDATA[small business]]></category>
1494. <category><![CDATA[tech]]></category>
1495. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://born2invest.com/?p=634241</guid>
1496.  
1497. <description><![CDATA[Investment in AI has reached stratospheric levels. However, not everything is set to fall into place for some business owners, as a recent Slack survey of 2,000 small business owners has found that many of those operating in the tech and retail space believe that this year could be their “make or break” year. For some owners, the future of their business is looking increasingly uncertain.]]></description>
1498. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
1499. <p>Investment in artificial intelligence (AI) has reached stratospheric levels in recent years with multinational companies and big-box retailers allocating millions of dollars to new technology and automation tools to help them break into the next frontier of economic prosperity.&nbsp;</p>
1500.  
1501.  
1502.  
1503. <p>As large companies are all competing to adopt the latest and most innovative technological tools, by outcompeting one another, the driving force for artificial intelligence in the future could become smaller enterprises as they begin to seek new ways in which artificial technology can help scale their business and allow them to leverage more capital and market opportunities.&nbsp;</p>
1504.  
1505.  
1506.  
1507. <p>However, not everything is poised to fall into place for some business owners, as a recent survey by Slack of 2,000 small business owners has found that many of those operating in the tech and retail space, believe that this year could be their “make or break” year.&nbsp;</p>
1508.  
1509.  
1510.  
1511. <p>Many business owners have become increasingly concerned about current inflationary and economic conditions, with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danestangler/2024/02/15/what-do-new--recent-data-tell-us-about-small-business-fortunes/#:~:text=A%20similar%20share%20of%20respondents,optimism%20according%20to%20business%20size." target="_blank" rel="noopener">32 percent of surveyed business owners</a> saying they will likely need to raise prices in the coming months.&nbsp;</p>
1512.  
1513.  
1514.  
1515. <p>Along with the results, 16 percent of business owners have said that updating their technology and digital systems is a key priority for their business this year. However, budgetary constraints and, and too much reliance on outdated technology have held them back in the past.&nbsp;</p>
1516.  
1517.  
1518.  
1519. <p>For some owners, the future of their business is looking increasingly uncertain. Nearly a third of owners believe that their business might not survive until the end of the year, an alarming number considering small businesses employ about half of the American workforce.&nbsp;</p>
1520.  
1521.  
1522.  
1523. <p>However, despite the tumultuous outlook, perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel, should business owners be willing to adapt to the changing consumer and economic market conditions by leveraging the possibilities of artificial intelligence.&nbsp;</p>
1524.  
1525.  
1526.  
1527. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">A shoe for every foot&nbsp;</h2>
1528.  
1529.  
1530.  
1531. <p>Unlike in the past where digital systems were designed to fit and work for each business independently, technology has allowed us to remove those barriers and instead create a multi-dimensional system that allows each person to customize networks based on their business needs.&nbsp;</p>
1532.  
1533.  
1534.  
1535. <p>We’ve already seen how companies are all using social media to advertise their products and services, but use it to engage with the audience and their customers more effectively.&nbsp;</p>
1536.  
1537.  
1538.  
1539. <p>There are plenty of other examples where this is taking place, and for small businesses, it’s becoming ever-so-clear why artificial intelligence could help keep their business afloat as they try to navigate the unruly waters.&nbsp;</p>
1540.  
1541.  
1542.  
1543. <p>The reality is that small business investment in AI applications has been rising at astronomical rates, despite only accounting for a small percentage of usage.&nbsp;</p>
1544.  
1545.  
1546.  
1547. <p>Overall, there’s been a steady increase in the number of firms using AI tools in the production of goods and services. Percentage-wise, the number of firms using AI technology rose from 3.7 percent in the late fall of 2023 to nearly 5.4 percent by February 2024 this year.&nbsp;</p>
1548.  
1549.  
1550.  
1551. <p>And this is only the beginning. Experts estimate that the number of U.S. firms now divesting their operations to AI tools will climb to 6.6 percent by the end of summer this year.&nbsp;</p>
1552.  
1553.  
1554.  
1555. <p>These estimates are in line with what researchers from Deloitte and Stanford University have uncovered, which concluded that around <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/deloitte-analytics/us-ai-institute-generative-artificial-intelligence.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25 percent of small businesses</a> are currently using AI in some form, either as part of their production, customer relationship management, or finance.&nbsp;</p>
1556.  
1557.  
1558.  
1559. <p>While there’s plenty of research that can help support the fact that more small businesses have been adapting to a changing landscape in recent years, looking beyond this it’s important to consider how these tools are saving them time and money, and whether this technology is worth their investment.&nbsp;</p>
1560.  
1561.  
1562.  
1563. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The cost of becoming digital&nbsp;</h2>
1564.  
1565.  
1566.  
1567. <p>A NewVantage Partners survey found that around 92 percent of large companies had registered a successful return on AI data investments back in 2022. Similarly, those who had reported a return had indicated that they are planning on boosting their investments in AI and data-centered tools.&nbsp;</p>
1568.  
1569.  
1570.  
1571. <p>Across most business functions, artificial intelligence has the potential to reduce costs and the need to invest in additional resources, something that could help struggling businesses worried about not making it through the year.&nbsp;</p>
1572.  
1573.  
1574.  
1575. <p>McKinsey analysts noted a steady decline in several business-related categories following the investment and adoption of Generative AI tools. Across all business functions, companies reported a 39 percent decrease in cost and an overall 44 percent improvement in revenue since adopting AI tools.</p>
1576.  
1577.  
1578.  
1579. <p>Business functions that witnessed the strongest decline in costs were human resources, supply chain and inventory management, service operations, and IT, among others. Areas such as risk, legal, and compliance witnessed a 60 percent increase in revenue since adopting AI tools.&nbsp;</p>
1580.  
1581.  
1582.  
1583. <p>Across the board, it’s possible to see the value artificial intelligence is bringing to the table, and for small businesses, this could be their winning ticket.&nbsp;</p>
1584.  
1585.  
1586.  
1587. <p>However, the proof is in the pudding. Business owners want to see the actual numbers before they can make a decision that would place their business and financial future on the line.&nbsp;</p>
1588.  
1589.  
1590.  
1591. <p>Fortunately, some research has shown that quite a number of businesses have saved some money over the past few months, and expect to save even more in the coming years as they adopt and bring new automation tools onboard.&nbsp;</p>
1592.  
1593.  
1594.  
1595. <p>In fact, one Constant Contract report found that there is a strong correlation between the implementation of AI or automation tools and a business’ frequency of success. Those surveyed by Constant Contracts not only had higher levels of success but over a quarter of respondents said that they expect artificial intelligence and automation tools to help save them roughly $5,000 over the next 12 months.&nbsp;</p>
1596.  
1597.  
1598.  
1599. <p>For small business owners, cutting down on manual mistakes and automating certain tasks to help free up their time could help them grow faster and become more efficient.&nbsp;</p>
1600.  
1601.  
1602.  
1603. <p>However, obtaining these results often comes at the expense of the business owner, seeing as they are likely responsible for taking up the responsibility to source and implement appropriate AI tools while developing an AI strategy that suits their business needs.&nbsp;</p>
1604.  
1605.  
1606.  
1607. <p>Implementing effective use of artificial intelligence comes at the expense of business owners, both in terms of financial investment and investing their time in perfecting these systems to meet their demands.&nbsp;</p>
1608.  
1609.  
1610.  
1611. <p>For some, it’s worth their time and money to add another job responsibility onto their plate or take on longer working hours. However, not many have been entirely convinced that being more proactive with their approach to developing a working AI strategy will yield the desired returns.&nbsp;</p>
1612.  
1613.  
1614.  
1615. <p>This seemingly demanding cycle of events could mean that some owners would rather ignore the importance of long-term scalability due to their inability to recognize the near-term value of AI.&nbsp;</p>
1616.  
1617.  
1618.  
1619. <p>Instead, some business owners might rely on legacy systems, or decide to invest their capital either in human resources or additional products and services to help remain competitive in the current market.&nbsp;</p>
1620.  
1621.  
1622.  
1623. <p>The potential benefits of artificial intelligence are near endless, but these opportunities have created increasing challenges for small business owners who are not yet quite ready to adopt or bring AI technology into their business.&nbsp;</p>
1624.  
1625.  
1626.  
1627. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Looking forward</h2>
1628.  
1629.  
1630.  
1631. <p>The business landscape is changing rapidly, and for small businesses, this presents challenges and opportunities to redefine how they can remain competitive in the current economic climate and with a surge in new competitors entering at a staggering pace.&nbsp;</p>
1632.  
1633.  
1634.  
1635. <p>Being at the forefront of AI development is a crucial element that can become the driving force for small and medium enterprises, however without proper consideration of near-term actions could lead to a greater risk of experiencing major losses, both financially and in the availability of resources.&nbsp;</p>
1636.  
1637.  
1638.  
1639. <p>Business owners are constantly confronted with making important decisions that will determine the future of their business and the long-term success of their services. Being able to combine these efforts with digital capabilities could help them drive their business toward better success, improved revenue, and competitiveness.&nbsp;</p>
1640.  
1641.  
1642.  
1643. <p>However, without proper planning, their investment will return dismal outcomes, and only increase their near-term risks, creating more challenges within their daily activities, and leading to an overall decline in support for digital tools that can completely transform their business from a startup to a multi-million dollar organization.&nbsp;</p>
1644.  
1645.  
1646.  
1647. <p>__</p>
1648.  
1649.  
1650.  
1651. <p><em>(Featured image by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/code-projected-over-woman-3861969/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ThisIsEngineering</a> via <a href="https://www.pexels.com/license/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a>)</em></p>
1652.  
1653.  
1654.  
1655. <p><em>DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our&nbsp;</em><a href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/"><em>disclaimer</em></a><em>&nbsp;for more information.</em></p>
1656.  
1657.  
1658.  
1659. <p><em>This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions, including with regards to potential earnings in the Empire Flippers affiliate program. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these&nbsp;</em><a href="https://born2invest.com/disclaimer-policy/"><em>important disclosures</em></a><em>.</em></p>
1660. ]]></content:encoded>
1664. <imageurl>https://born2invest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pexels-thisisengineering-3861969-740x490.jpg</imageurl><photo_credit>(Featured image by ThisIsEngineering via Pexels)</photo_credit><tags>AI,featured,small business,tech</tags> </item>
1665. </channel>
1666. </rss>
1667.  

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