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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / Every great industry eventually faces the same showdown. Not over who builds the best technology or who moves the fastest, but over who writes the rules. VHS vs. Betamax. Windows vs. Mac. iOS vs. Android. History is peppered with examples where setting the standard meant owning the market. Few would have predicted that recycling – once dismissed as a regulatory afterthought and a cost of doing business – would be the next arena for such a battle.

Yet here it is, and SMX (NASDAQ:SMX) is positioning itself as the referee everyone else will have to play by. That claim is no exaggeration when you consider that SMX and BT-Systems’ Competence Center REDWAVE just pulled off a successful two-day demonstration before heavyweight influencer NAFRA. The trials proved what no one else has managed: real-time sorting and certification of food-grade plastics, flame-retardant plastics, and even carbon black plastics, long considered impossible to recycle at scale.

The bigger story, however, is not the breakthrough itself, but what it unlocks. For decades, recycling has been mired in fragmentation, with each country, and often each city, writing its own patchwork of rules for what counts as recycled. Audits were inconsistent, compliance was more paperwork than proof, and the result was confusion for companies and skepticism for consumers. That’s changed.

What SMX has just demonstrated is that the patchwork method of recycling can finally be replaced by a unified framework built on molecular traceability and block-chain-backed digital passports. And the best part of that proposition is that it is no longer theory. It is a system running at industrial speed, ready to be scaled.

This System Changes The Rules of Recycling

And here is why that matters. Whoever sets the recognized standard for certified recycling will control the flow of billions, even trillions, in global trade. Companies that want to sell into compliant markets will have to meet that standard. Governments that want to enforce recycling mandates will have to rely on that standard. Investors who want to price the value of recycled content will have to look to that standard. This is not just about recycling. It is about market dominance.

The Plastic Cycle Token (PCT) is the financial proof point. Once plastics are verified through SMX’s system, they can be tokenized and traded. That means standards are not just about compliance. They are about creating an entirely new asset class that regulators, companies, and investors can all agree on. Without proof, recycling is an expense. With proof, it becomes a tradable commodity. The PCT makes that shift possible, and standards make it inevitable.

By demonstrating their system to NAFRA, SMX and REDWAVE effectively handed an influential body a blueprint for global adoption. NAFRA represents European interests in flame-retardant and high-performance materials where compliance is non-negotiable. Their validation signals that SMX’s system is not just about recycling bales of plastic. It is about meeting the toughest safety standards on an industrial scale. That opens doors across Europe’s regulatory corridors, from automotive and construction to consumer electronics, where flame-retardant plastics are mission-critical. When institutions like these validate a system, it moves from experiment to inevitability. That is how standards are born.

SMX is Creating Global Material Economics

SMX has made no secret of its ambition to turn proof into the foundation of global material economics. With REDWAVE, it now has an industrial partner with the scale and credibility to take that vision out of the lab and onto the production line. Their joint system does not just recycle plastics. It certifies them, embeds trust into them, and sets them apart as compliant across any jurisdiction. That is exactly how VHS became the global norm and how GDPR reshaped privacy law. Standards start with proof, and SMX has just provided it.

The next phase is deployment, and with the LOI already in place, industrial rollouts are coming. That will not just raise the bar for recycling. It will force competitors, regulators, and entire industries to measure themselves against the SMX-REDWAVE system. Standards are never polite suggestions. They are the rules of the game. And the company that writes them is the one that defines the market.

Recycling is no longer about who can collect the most bottles or cut the most emissions. It is about who controls the certification that makes those efforts valuable. With NAFRA watching closely, SMX and REDWAVE are not just in the recycling business. They are in the business of setting the standard. And in the history of markets, that is always where the real power lies.

About SMX

As global businesses face new and complex challenges relating to carbon neutrality and meeting new governmental and regional regulations and standards, SMX is able to offer players along the value chain access to its marking, tracking, measuring and digital platform technology to transition more successfully to a low-carbon economy.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, for example: matters relating to the Company’s fight against abusive and possibly illegal trading tactics against the Company’s stock; successful launch and implementation of SMX’s joint projects with manufacturers and other supply chain participants of gold, steel, rubber and other materials; changes in SMX’s strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans; SMX’s ability to develop and launch new products and services, including its planned Plastic Cycle Token; SMX’s ability to successfully and efficiently integrate future expansion plans and opportunities; SMX’s ability to grow its business in a cost-effective manner; SMX’s product development timeline and estimated research and development costs; the implementation, market acceptance and success of SMX’s business model; developments and projections relating to SMX’s competitors and industry; and SMX’s approach and goals with respect to technology. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release, and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing views as of any subsequent date, and no obligation is undertaken to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the ability to maintain the listing of the Company’s shares on Nasdaq; changes in applicable laws or regulations; any lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on SMX’s business; the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and identify and realize additional opportunities; the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which SMX operates; the risk that SMX and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize SMX’s products or services, or experience significant delays in doing so; the risk that the Company may never achieve or sustain profitability; the risk that the Company will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; the risk that the Company experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations; the risk that third-party suppliers and manufacturers are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations; the risk that SMX is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property; the possibility that SMX may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties described in SMX’s filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

EMAIL: info@securitymattersltd.com

SOURCE: SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

HONOLULU, HI / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / Harold Clarke isn’t a traditional realtor. As CEO of MegaCapital Hawaii Corp.-a private real estate office specializing in discreet acquisitions and long-term holdings in Hawai‘i-he works with ultra-high-net-worth families seeking privacy, permanence, and legacy. But Clarke’s philosophy around real estate was shaped decades ago, far from the islands.

In the 1980s, when Clarke was growing up in Peru, real estate was viewed through the lens of legacy. “Where I came from, homes weren’t trophies in the superficial sense,” he explains. “They were generational estates-deeply considered, quietly held, and built to last. The scale and intentionality of those properties shaped how I think about permanence today.”

Today, Clarke is one of the most discreet and influential figures in Hawai‘i’s luxury real estate market. His clientele consists almost exclusively of ultra-high-net-worth individuals who buy not from public listings, but from whispered conversations and private dossiers, often without a property ever touching the open market. He does not advertise. His clients do not scroll.

For decades, the prevailing myth around wealth and real estate in America, especially in places like Hawai‘i, the Hamptons, and Malibu, has been centered on the trophy: the gated estate, the panoramic pool, the beachside architectural marvel featured in glossy spreads and watched from behind velvet ropes.

That era, Clarke argues, is quietly closing. What’s replacing it isn’t louder. It’s quieter. More intentional. And far more permanent.

A Shift in Function, Not Just Form

“Real estate is no longer about display. It’s about insulation.” That’s how Clarke frames what he’s seeing, and facilitating, every day. Over the last five years, a noticeable shift has taken hold among the wealthiest families: the move away from high-visibility, high-vanity purchases toward holdings that are invisible by design.

Data from private wealth consultancies supports this. More than 70% of family offices surveyed in 2024 said they are now prioritizing real estate as an intergenerational asset over short-term appreciation. In the U.S., luxury properties are increasingly being acquired by trusts rather than individuals – structures structured not for liquidity but for permanence.

These transactions are rarely publicized. They occur in legal offices, not online portals. The buyers aren’t chasing acclaim. They’re protecting bloodlines.

Clarke’s firm, MegaCapital Hawaii Corp, manages both public and private real estate platforms – Luxury Big Island and Private Listings. The distinction isn’t about price point. It’s about intention. Trophy properties are often sold for the reaction they create. Generational holdings are secured for the silence they offer.

“When someone asks me to find them a home,” Clarke says, “I ask what they want to protect. Because that’s what the purchase is really about.”

Why the Market You See Isn’t the One That Moves

It’s tempting to look at listing sites or high-profile property sales and assume that’s where the action is. But Clarke would disagree.

His Private Listings platform contains several of the most valuable residential properties in Hawai‘i – none of which have ever been seen by the public. Access is invite-only. Viewings happen quietly. Transactions are conducted directly between families, with no trace online.

“By the time something’s visible,” Clarke says, “it’s already passed through the hands of people who chose not to take it.”

This model, he believes, reflects how serious capital actually moves. The majority of real estate wealth in Hawai‘i, as in much of the world, is not trading hands through public spectacle. It’s moving through lineage. Through trust. Through the silent mechanisms of generational planning.

And it’s not just anecdotal. Institutional investors have followed suit. In 2025, Carlyle raised $9 billion for U.S. real estate, focusing almost entirely on properties with multigenerational potential – logistics hubs, residential land, and safe-haven estates. The flash is fading. The function is ascending.

The Moral Imperative of Stability

It’s easy to dismiss this shift as another iteration of the ultra-rich protecting their assets. But to reduce it to that is to miss something deeper-something Clarke has witnessed across continents, from Lima to Miami to Kona.

“For many of our clients, wealth came from volatility,” he says. “What they’re looking for now isn’t luxury. It’s control. Not control over others. Control over uncertainty.”

In this sense, real estate becomes a moral decision. A decision about where children will return after the storms. A decision about keeping something untouched by chaos, whether economic, environmental, or political. For UHNW families, property becomes a perimeter , against exposure, against fragility, against the unpredictable edges of the future.

And that, perhaps, is why Clarke’s message resonates so deeply now. In a world gripped by climate risk, institutional erosion, and algorithmic noise, the idea of permanence carries weight. Not permanence in concrete, but permanence in intention. In protection. In silence.

No Signage, No Spotlight, No Applause

Harold Clarke doesn’t place signs on the properties he represents. His clients don’t want them. They don’t need them. And increasingly, they see those signs not as a badge of opportunity, but as a signal that the opportunity has already passed.

“We’re not selling homes,” Clarke says. “We’re helping people place their history. Their future.”

That may not make for flashy headlines. But it creates something far more lasting. Something that doesn’t seek attention, because it already has what matters: roots.

Contact Information:

Name: Harold X. Clarke

Company: MegaCapital Hawaii Corp.

Website: luxurybigisland.com and Private Listings by Harold Clarke

Email: harold@private-listings.com

SOURCE: Harold X. Clarke

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / Every industry has its white whale, the problem that defies solution year after year. For the recycling world, that problem has always been carbon black plastics. Their dark pigmentation absorbs the infrared and laser signals used by sorting systems, making them virtually invisible on conveyor belts. Billions of tons of this material flow into landfills and incinerators every year because no one could figure out how to separate and certify them at scale. Until now.

SMX (NASDAQ:SMX) and BT-Systems’ Competence Center REDWAVE just demonstrated that the unsolvable problem is finally solved. Over two days of live trials in front of NAFRA from Europe, the partners showed that food-grade plastics, flame-retardant plastics, and yes, even carbon black plastics, can be detected, sorted, and certified in real time –with an accuracy rate of 99% to 100% at 2m/s – a pace at the high end of sorting speeds. That showing was more than a technical success. It was the moment recycling’s toughest problem, carbon black plastics, met its match.

The breakthrough comes from SMX’s molecular marking technology, which embeds invisible markers at the sub-molecular level into the products themselves. Unlike traditional systems that rely on surface imaging or paperwork, SMX makes proof inseparable from the plastic itself. When paired with REDWAVE’s high-speed detection systems, those digital markers can be read and acted on instantly. And it does something few thought possible. For the first time, carbon black plastics are no longer ghosts in the recycling stream. SMX makes them visible, verifiable, and valuable.

Unleashing Massive Untapped Plastics Value

The implications for industries are enormous. Automotive and electronics manufacturers depend heavily on carbon black plastics because of their strength, durability, conductivity, and resistance to UV light. Yet the inability to recycle them has created supply bottlenecks and added costs. With SMX’s breakthrough, recycled carbon black plastics can flow back into supply chains, reducing reliance on expensive virgin materials. That lowers costs, improves sustainability, and provides regulators with compliance tools they have never had before.

Flame-retardant plastics, another complex category, were also addressed in the trials. These materials are vital for safety but nearly impossible to recycle without contaminating other streams. SMX’s markers allow them to be identified, separated, and reused with confidence. This opens the door to closed-loop recycling systems for electronics and automotive components that were previously off-limits.

And then there is food-grade plastic, the most sensitive and tightly regulated of all. For years, companies have been forced to blend recycled content of questionable quality into packaging or pay a premium for virgin material. SMX and REDWAVE just proved that food-grade plastics can be reliably separated and certified, creating a secure pipeline of recycled content that meets global safety standards. That is not just a technical win. It is a commercial unlock worth billions.

SMX, the PCT, and Layers of Proof

The Plastic Cycle Token (PCT) opens that door to turn proof into financial power. Once plastics are certified through the SMX system, they can be tokenized and traded on open markets. That means recycled carbon black plastics, flame-retardant plastics, and food-grade plastics are no longer liabilities. They are assets. Governments can enforce quotas with real-time data, companies can show compliance without red tape, and investors can treat recycled content as a new class of tradable commodity. Waste becomes wealth, and the hardest problems in recycling become the biggest opportunities.

By embedding value into the material itself, the PCT closes the gap between sustainability promises and economic performance. Instead of chasing subsidies or surviving on regulatory pressure, companies now have a commercial reason to scale circular practices. The more they recycle and certify, the more value they unlock. That feedback loop transforms recycling from a cost burden into a competitive advantage and even a profit center, aligning stakeholder interests with environmental outcomes.

The PCT also lays the groundwork for a transparent global marketplace in recycled materials. Every token represents certified proof tied to actual plastic, eliminating the guesswork that has plagued sustainability reporting for decades. This standardization enables spot pricing, cross-border trading, and verifiable accounting for recycled content. With investors, regulators, and consumers demanding certainty, the PCT provides it by turning proof into performance and making recycling a measurable, bankable part of the material economy.

Why NAFRA Matters

What makes these demonstrations so important is not just the science but the setting. They were conducted under the eyes of NAFRA, a respected European industry body for flame retardants and critical safety materials. These institutions are not casual observers. They influence policy, standards, and industry adoption.

For SMX, showcasing its Plastics Passport technology in front of NAFRA is especially significant. This is the body that speaks directly to regulators, manufacturers, and safety authorities across Europe. It validates SMX’s ability to tackle flame-retardant materials, a challenge first explored in technical work as far back as 2021. To return in 2025 with a live demonstration that proves the concept at industrial speed is a door-opener to new markets and regulatory frameworks. By impressing NAFRA, SMX is not just solving a plastics problem. It is creating credibility that can accelerate adoption across the automotive, electronics, and packaging industries where safety standards rule the game.

Don’t under-appreciate the accomplishment. Carbon black plastics have been the Achilles heel of recycling for decades. Many companies and governments have tried to solve the problem, and every effort has fallen short. With this breakthrough, SMX and REDWAVE have done what no one else could. They have made the invisible visible, the unsortable sortable, and the worthless valuable. And they did more than unlock recycling.

By embedding molecular proof directly into all types of plastics, SMX now provides manufacturers and regulators with a system that verifies both recycling integrity and flame-retardant compliance in a single scan. Don’t under-appreciate that result, either. That is more than a technical milestone. SMX just proved that even the most complex and chemically treated plastics can finally play by the rules.

About SMX

As global businesses face new and complex challenges relating to carbon neutrality and meeting new governmental and regional regulations and standards, SMX is able to offer players along the value chain access to its marking, tracking, measuring and digital platform technology to transition more successfully to a low-carbon economy.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, for example: matters relating to the Company’s fight against abusive and possibly illegal trading tactics against the Company’s stock; successful launch and implementation of SMX’s joint projects with manufacturers and other supply chain participants of gold, steel, rubber and other materials; changes in SMX’s strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans; SMX’s ability to develop and launch new products and services, including its planned Plastic Cycle Token; SMX’s ability to successfully and efficiently integrate future expansion plans and opportunities; SMX’s ability to grow its business in a cost-effective manner; SMX’s product development timeline and estimated research and development costs; the implementation, market acceptance and success of SMX’s business model; developments and projections relating to SMX’s competitors and industry; and SMX’s approach and goals with respect to technology. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release, and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing views as of any subsequent date, and no obligation is undertaken to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the ability to maintain the listing of the Company’s shares on Nasdaq; changes in applicable laws or regulations; any lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on SMX’s business; the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and identify and realize additional opportunities; the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which SMX operates; the risk that SMX and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize SMX’s products or services, or experience significant delays in doing so; the risk that the Company may never achieve or sustain profitability; the risk that the Company will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; the risk that the Company experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations; the risk that third-party suppliers and manufacturers are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations; the risk that SMX is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property; the possibility that SMX may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties described in SMX’s filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

EMAIL: info@securitymattersltd.com

SOURCE: SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

While 95% of companies face AI setbacks, a new survey reveals the root cause is a breakdown in the quality practices that once enabled safe, high-velocity development.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / The race to deploy AI has dangerously decoupled development speed from software quality, leading to a near-universal rate of project setbacks across the tech industry. This is the central finding of a new report, “The 2025 Software Testing Vibe Check: Agentic AI Edition,” from Sauce Labs, the leading platform for continuous quality.

The report, based on a survey conducted by Wakefield Research, argues that the core principles of the DevOps movement-which successfully bonded speed and quality together over the last decade-have been diminished in the AI gold rush. This has created a capability gap, with the survey revealing that 82% of companies lack the appropriately skilled testers or adequate tools to manage their AI initiatives safely.

“For a decade, the best tech companies proved you could move fast and be stable,” said Prince Kohli, CEO at Sauce Labs. “But now we’re seeing a potentially dangerous decoupling of speed from quality. This survey reveals a deep chasm between the few companies equipped to manage AI and the many who are unprepared.”

Set amongst the survey data lies a sobering statistic: Most professionals (61%) report their own leadership doesn’t understand the fundamentals of software testing. This leadership blind spot results in teams being tasked with implementing powerful AI without proper support, creating a culture where employees are set up to fail. Consequently, 60% of respondents believe employees will take the blame for AI’s mistakes.

Other Key Findings from ‘The Great Decoupling’ Report:

• A Universal Toll: The capability gap is exacting a heavy price. A near-universal 95% of companies have experienced setbacks from their AI initiatives, a consequence of deploying complex technology without the right support structures in place.

• An Acceleration into the Gap: Despite these setbacks, nearly half of companies (48%) are “doubling down” on their AI investments. This high-stakes gamble suggests market pressure is forcing them to accelerate even when they lack the internal capability to do so safely, widening the chasm between ambition and reality.

• A Reality Distortion Field: The industry is operating with an optimistic timeline that ignores the quality gap. While 72% believe in full autonomous testing by 2027, 60% of companies haven’t even established the basic accuracy benchmarks needed to measure success.

• The Innovator’s Dilemma: The industry is split on how to proceed. While nearly half (47%) have slowed or paused AI initiatives due to poor results, a nearly equal number (48%) are “doubling down,” accelerating into the problem in a high-stakes bet that they can fix quality issues mid-flight.

“The next great challenge isn’t building more powerful AI; it’s building the quality frameworks to control it,” Kohli added. “The goal is to re-couple speed and quality for the AI era. You need a platform that provides a safety net to let your developers innovate at full speed – and even help them accelerate – without fear of breaking everything.”

For a deeper analysis, download the complete report here: http://www.saucelabs.com/resources/report/agentic-ai-survey-in-software-testing

The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 400 US-based tech professionals, including executives and software engineers, in June 2025.

###

About Sauce Labs

Sauce Labs is the leading platform for continuous quality, trusted by the world’s top enterprises – like Walmart, Bank of America, and Indeed. More than 8 billion tests have been run on the Sauce Labs platform, and over 300,000 users depend on Sauce Labs to help them quickly deliver the highest quality software experiences. Our unified platform powers continuous quality across the SDLC – using AI-driven analytics to identify key quality signals from development through production. With over a decade of expertise and deep roots in the Selenium and Appium open-source communities, Sauce Labs helps teams test on thousands of different devices, browsers, and operating systems – anywhere, any time, and at any scale. For more information, please visit saucelabs.com.

Media Contact

Justin Mauldin
Salient PR
achievemore@salientpr.com
737.234.0936

SOURCE: Sauce Labs

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Initial projects include tokenized fund and other private products and shared mission to transform public markets through tokenization.

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / tZERO Group, Inc., a pioneer in blockchain-powered capital markets, today announced a strategic relationship with Alpha Ledger Technologies, Inc. (Alphaledger) that unites two leaders at the forefront of financial innovation.

By bringing together Alphaledger’s expertise in digital product development with tZERO’s leading end-to-end, regulated primary and secondary infrastructure and tokenization leadership, the collaboration aims to fast-track the tokenization, distribution, and secondary trading of assets on blockchain. The two organizations also intend to lead discussions regarding broader and faster public market adoption of blockchain technology.

Under the framework, tZERO and Alphaledger will:

• Bring tokenized equities to market by developing and distributing securities created by Alphaledger and made available for trading on a regulated platform operated by tZERO’s broker-dealer subsidiaries, and tokenized using leading Layer 1 and Layer 2 protocols.

• Launch the next generation of funds by working to tokenize Alphaledger’s forthcoming Government Money Market Fund, and to enable seamless distribution and trading through the regulated platform operated by tZERO’s broker-dealer subsidiaries.

• Expand investor access to yield products by working to quote tokenized shares of the Alphaledger/Simplify Target 12% Distribution Fund to the regulated platform operated by tZERO’s broker-dealer subsidiaries.

• Champion the future of tokenization through joint advocacy for public market adoption of blockchain technology and developing products and solutions for tokenization of public equities, while exploring integration and partnership opportunities with a range of blockchain ecosystems.

On-chain securities are critical to the next generation of internet capital markets – regulated, transparent, and always on. They enable continuous access, fractional ownership, and programmable settlement – capabilities that traditional infrastructure cannot efficiently support. With blockchain scalability, regulatory clarity, and institutional participation converging, Alphaledger – together with tZERO – is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation.

“No one can do it alone in the tokenization space. Success demands best of breed partners. And that is the goal that we set for ourselves. This initiative is about combining Alphaledger’s proven product innovation with tZERO’s market-leading expertise in compliance and digital marketplaces to deliver the next wave of tokenized investment opportunities,” said Alan Konevsky, Chief Executive Officer of tZERO. “Together, we are building the bridge between traditional finance and blockchain-powered markets. tZERO’s genesis is grounded in using blockchain and smart contracts to evolve the public capital markets. That mission has been reignited. We look forward to partnering with Manish and his team on these product, infrastructure and advocacy initiatives.”

“The market is hungry for transparency, efficiency, and access to innovative products. By teaming up with Alphaledger, we’re fast-tracking the arrival of tokenized funds and equities across blockchain ecosystems, while ensuring they trade on a regulated, trusted marketplace. This is a pivotal step in making digital securities a mainstream reality,” said Al Swimmer, Chief Strategic Relationships Officer at tZERO.

Founded by former PIMCO executive, Manish Dutta, Alphaledger has a track record of pioneering blockchain-based regulated financial products, including tokenized municipal bonds and the recently launched private alternative income fund T12 with Simplify Asset Management. Its securities tokenization platform, Vulcan Forge, integrates SEC-registered transfer-agent recordkeeping, an SEC/FINRA/MSRB-registered broker-dealer, and an exempt investment advisor – providing issuers and investors with a unified path from origination to secondary trading. Together, Alphaledger’s deep product expertise and industry reach complement tZERO’s regulated infrastructure, compliance, and secondary market capabilities.

“The market needs industrial-grade rails for the next generation of on-chain investors,” said Manish Dutta, Co-Founder & CEO of Alphaledger. “tZERO demonstrated the promise of tokenization in equity markets, and we are now at the precipice of a new era – 24/7 tokenized securities markets that expand access, increase transparency, and lower costs. At Alphaledger, we are standardizing how regulated securities live on Solana, while tZERO provides the regulated infrastructure and investor access. Together, we’re making tokenization real: day-one production for issuers and day-one liquidity for investors.”

“Institutions don’t need hype; they need throughput, controls, and exits,” added Chris Wade, Co-Founder & CTO at Alphaledger. “With tZERO, we’re delivering all three: high-performance issuance on Solana, transfer-agent discipline, and a regulated venue for secondary liquidity.”

–END–

Media Contact:

Julie Ros, Head of Marketing & Communications
jros@tzero.com | 646-468-6550

About tZERO

tZERO Group, Inc. (tZERO) and its broker-dealer subsidiaries provide an innovative liquidity platform for private companies and assets. We offer institutional-grade solutions for issuers looking to digitize their capital table through blockchain technology, and make such equity available for trading on an alternative trading system. tZERO, through its broker-dealer subsidiaries, democratizes access to private assets by providing a simple, automated, and efficient trading venue to broker-dealers, institutions, and investors. All technology services are offered through tZERO Technologies, LLC. For more information, please visit our website.

About tZERO Digital Asset Securities

tZERO Digital Asset Securities, LLC is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and a member of FINRA and SIPC. It is the broker-dealer custodian of all digital asset securities offered on tZERO’s online brokerage platform. It operates in accordance with the SEC’s statement, dated December 23, 2020, regarding the Custody of Digital Asset Securities by Special Purpose Broker-Dealers. Digital asset securities may not be “securities” as defined under the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA)-and in particular, digital asset securities that are “investment contracts” under the Howey test but are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission are excluded from SIPA’s definition of “securities”-and thus the protections afforded to securities customers under SIPA may not apply. More information about tZERO Digital Asset Securities may be found on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

About tZERO Securities

tZERO Securities, LLC is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and a member of FINRA and SIPC. It is the operator of the tZERO Securities ATS. More information about tZERO Securities may be found on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Investor Notice

Digital asset securities, as well as any particular investment, may not be suitable or appropriate for everyone. Investors should note that investing or trading in securities could involve substantial risks, including no guarantee of returns, costs associated with selling and purchasing, and no assurance of liquidity which could impact their price and investor’s ability to sell, and possible loss of principal invested. There is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities. There are also unique risks specific to digital asset securities, including, without limitation, fraud, manipulation, theft, and loss.

No Offer, Solicitation, Investment Advice or Recommendations

This release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation for any security, nor does it constitute an offer to provide investment advisory or other services by tZERO or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors or employees. No reference to any specific security constitutes a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold that security or any other security. Nothing in this release shall be considered a solicitation or offer to buy or sell any security, future, option or other financial instrument or to offer or provide any investment advice or service to any person in any jurisdiction. Nothing contained in this release constitutes investment advice or offers any opinion with respect to the suitability of any security, and the views expressed in this release should not be taken as advice to buy, sell or hold any security. In preparing the information contained in this release, we have not taken into account the investment needs, objectives, and financial circumstances of any particular investor. This information has no regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs of any specific recipient of this information and investments discussed may not be suitable for all investors. Any views expressed in this release by us were prepared based upon the information available to us at the time such views were written. Changed or additional information could cause such views to change. All information is subject to possible corrections. Information may quickly become unreliable for various reasons, including changes in market conditions or economic circumstances.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time, tZERO, its subsidiaries, or its representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. These forward-looking statements are based on expectations and projections about future events, which is derived from currently available information. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, including financial performance and projections; growth in revenue and earnings; and business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “hopes” or the negative of these or similar terms. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including, without limitation: the ability of tZERO and its subsidiaries to change the direction; tZERO’s ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; performance of individual transactions; regulatory developments and matters; and competition. These and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are only predictions. The forward-looking events discussed in this release and other statements made from time to time by tZERO, its subsidiaries or their respective representatives, may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. tZERO, its subsidiaries, and its representatives are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this release and other statements made from time to time by tZERO, its subsidiaries or its representatives might not occur.

About Alpha Ledger Technologies, Inc.

Alpha Ledger Technologies, Inc. is a technology company specializing in blockchain financial products, focused on providing technology to its subsidiaries and prospective clients. Alphaledger is the marketing name of Alpha Ledger Technologies Inc., and its subsidiaries, who provide blockchain technology, smart blockchain-related products, and blockchain support services.

Affiliates of Alphaledger Technologies include an SEC registered transfer agent, Alpha Ledger TA, LLC (“ALTA”), Alphaledger Markets, Inc., (“ALM”), a broker dealer, registered with SEC, FINRA, the MSRB and SIPC, and an investment manager, Alphaledger Investment Management, LLC (“ALIM”). Check the background of ALM and ALIM on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. 

The information provided herein is not directed at any investor or category of investors and is provided solely as general information about our products and services and to otherwise provide general education. It is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument or as an official confirmation of any transaction. Furthermore, no information contained herein should be regarded as a suggestion to engage in or refrain from any investment-related course of action as none of Alphaledger nor any of its affiliates is undertaking to provide investment advice, act as an adviser, or give advice in a fiduciary capacity with respect to the materials presented herein. If you are an investor, contact your financial advisor or other fiduciary unrelated to Alphaledger about whether any given investment idea, strategy, product, or service described herein may be appropriate for your circumstances.

SOURCE: tZERO Group, Inc

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

SAN FRANCISCO, CA AND BRENTWOOD, TN / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / Ardent Health, a leading provider of healthcare in growing mid-sized urban communities across the U.S., has partnered with Ambience Healthcare to launch an enterprise-wide deployment of its AI platform across Ardent’s ambulatory network.

Ardent clinicians now have access to Ambience’s AI platform to generate comprehensive and compliant documentation, reduce burnout, and enhance high-quality care delivery. This expansion follows a high-performing pilot across 17 specialties and 7 languages, achieving clinician utilization rates of 90%.

“Ambience is a centerpiece of our efforts to reduce clinician burnout while enhancing patient care,” said Ardent Health Chief Medical Officer FJ Campbell, MD. “We’re empowering providers to focus on patients, instead of constantly typing into the EHR, while ensuring each of their notes meet the highest clinical and compliance standards.”

Reducing clinician burnout and enhancing compliance

• Clinician well-being & satisfaction

  • 70% of Ardent’s pilot clinicians reported reduced cognitive load, improving focus on patient care

  • 100% of pilot clinicians stated that Ambience improved their job satisfaction

• Clinician productivity & efficiency

  • 45% decrease in documentation time (Epic UAL data)

  • 5 hours/week saved in documentation time per clinician

• Scalability

  • 90% overall encounter usage rate among Ardent pilot providers

  • More than 140,000 patient encounters documented using Ambience to date

“This technology is life changing,” said Theresa Horton, MD, pediatrician at Ardent’s Utica Park Clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “I see myself enjoying my practice longer and am no longer considering early retirement.”

In addition to improving clinician experience, Ambience’s AI platform also supports downstream administrative teams by enhancing clinical documentation integrity and compliance. While other AI scribing technologies are leading to increased compliance issues and CDI queries, Ambience delivers real-time, audit-ready, coding-aware documentation that improves accuracy while reducing CDI queries and billing risk.

“At a time when documentation accuracy, coding integrity, and clinician burnout are converging challenges, Ardent is setting the standard by investing in AI that’s purpose-built for different care settings and specialties,” said Nikhil Buduma, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Ambience Healthcare. “We’re honored to partner with Ardent Health in scaling this impact across their care network.”

A new standard of care

Ardent Health also observed a measurable patient experience impact. Clinicians who used Ambience during the pilot achieved significant gains in all eight Press Ganey survey patient-satisfaction categories.

“Patient care is at the center of everything we do,” said Brad Hoyt, MD, Chief Medical Information Officer at Ardent Health. “Ambience enables providers to do what they do best, look patients in the eye, listen closely, and focus fully, providing the highest quality care.”

This rollout marks a key milestone in Ardent’s long-term digital transformation strategy, with Ambience positioned as a strategic partner across multiple clinical settings.

“Ambience is one of the leading innovators in healthcare today,” said Anika Gardenhire, Chief Digital and Transformation Officer at Ardent Health. “We’re excited to expand this partnership across our network, supporting nurses, emergency departments and inpatient units with technology that meets the moment.”

About Ardent Health

Ardent Health is a leading provider of healthcare in growing mid-sized urban communities across the U.S. With a focus on people and investments in innovative services and technologies, Ardent is passionate about making healthcare better and easier to access. Through its subsidiaries, the Company delivers care through a system of 30 acute care hospitals and approximately 280 sites of care with over 1,800 affiliated providers across six states. For more information, please visit ardenthealth.com.

About Ambience Healthcare

Ambience Healthcare is the leading ambient AI platform for clinical documentation, coding, and CDI-built to ensure compliance, eliminate administrative burden, and improve care delivery. Trusted by top health systems across North America, Ambience’s platform is live across outpatient, emergency, and inpatient settings, supporting more than 100 specialties with real-time, coding-aware documentation. The platform integrates directly with Epic, Oracle Cerner, athenahealth, and other major EHRs. Founded in 2020 by Mike Ng and Nikhil Buduma, Ambience is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by Oak HC/FT, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), OpenAI Startup Fund, Kleiner Perkins, and other leading investors.

Media Contact:

Karina Stabile
Aria Marketing for Ambience Healthcare
kstabile@ariamarketing.com
516-317-5835

SOURCE: Ambience Healthcare

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Keensight Capital (“Keensight”), one of the leading private equity managers dedicated to pan-European Growth Buyout ^[1] investments, today announced it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Isto Biologics (“Isto”) from Thompson Street Capital Partners (“TSCP”). TSCP will retain a minority stake, alongside Isto Biologics’ management team.

HOPKINTON, MASSACHUSETTS / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / Founded in 2016, Isto Biologics is a regenerative MedTech company developing and manufacturing orthobiologic products to help patients heal faster. Isto’s best-in-class product offering covers six functional areas of unique bone graft solutions, and includes a range of allografts, which are notably used for bone repair in the spine. Isto sells its products to more than 400 hospitals and clinics, which are used in 15,000 surgical procedures per month, primarily in the United States.

With the support of TSCP, Isto has rapidly grown its product offerings and client base, both organically and through select M&A activity, including the acquisition of Advanced Biologics in 2023.

Keensight has a long track record of investments in the MedTech space, including in the spine, orthopedics and orthobiologics fields. Keensight will leverage its experience and expertise to further grow Isto into a global leader in biomaterials for tissue regeneration. Through its extensive international network and with the support of the Keensight Performance team, Keensight will contribute to accelerating Isto’s growth strategy, both organically and through acquisitions.

Don Brown, CEO, and Brian Barnes, President of Isto Biologics, said: “Building on our successful collaboration with TSCP, we are looking forward to working with Keensight as we enter the next phase of our growth. Our focus is on helping patients heal faster, and we are excited to bring our solutions to more hospitals and patients. Keensight’s deep sector expertise and global platform will help us to pursue an ambitious strategy to increase our geographical reach and product offerings.”

Amit Karna and David Piccoli, Partners at Keensight Capital, added: “We have been investors in the biomaterials, orthopedics, spine and bone repair segments for over 20 years, and have been tracking Isto specifically for more than 5 years. Isto is the perfect example of a Keensight healthcare investment: a company that offers proven technology which is improving patient lives, while delivering sustainable and profitable growth. We are very excited to support Isto with its continued domestic success and international expansion.”

Jesse Klein, Managing Director at Thompson Street Capital Partners, concluded: “Our partnership with Isto has been extremely successful. Together, we have been able to grow Isto’s suite of products, both organically and through acquisitions, and better leverage the Company’s commercial engine to expand the customer base. We have been fortunate to partner with the Isto team and are delighted to be continuing our relationship, alongside Keensight, in this exciting next stage of growth.”

***

About Keensight Capital

Keensight Capital (“Keensight”), one of the leading European Growth Buyout firms, is committed to supporting entrepreneurs as they implement their growth strategies. With over 25 years of experience and €5.5bn of assets under management, Keensight Capital’s team of seasoned professionals leverages their differentiated private equity experience to invest in profitably growing companies generating revenues in the range of €10 million to €400 million. Drawing on its expertise in the Technology and Healthcare sectors, Keensight identifies the best investment opportunities in Europe and works closely with the management teams providing capital, strategic guidance and operational support. Keensight operates in more than 90 countries across the globe with a presence in Paris, London, Boston, and Singapore. www.keensight.com

About Thompson Street Capital Partners

Thompson Street Capital Partners is a middle-market private equity firm that helps transform already exceptional businesses into market leaders. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, TSCP invests globally in the life sciences and healthcare, software and technology, business and consumer services and products sectors. TSCP partners with management teams to increase value by accelerating growth, both organically and via complementary acquisitions. www.tscp.com

About Isto Biologics

Isto Biologics is a leading biologics and cellular therapy company. Focused on Helping Patients Heal Faster™ through innovative solutions for bone regeneration and cell-based therapies, Isto prides itself on providing the most complete and innovative biologics offerings on the market. From its inception around Isto’s flagship autologous cellular solution, the Magellan® Autologous Platelet Separator, Isto has grown through developing complete bone grafting options touching all categories of bone grafts; InQu® Bone Graft Extender & Substitute; Influx™ Advanced Allograft Technology including Fibrant™ Functional Allograft Constructs, SPARC Integrative Bone Matrix, and ProteiOS Allograft-Derived Proteins. www.istobiologics.com

Press contacts

Keensight Capital
Cindy Giraud, Communications Director – cgiraud@keensight.com +33 (0) 6 37 96 55 37

Headland Consultancy
Stephanie Ellis – sellis@headlandconsultancy.com +44 (0) 73 1136 9804
Ellen Johnson – ejohnson@headlandconsultancy.com +44 (0) 79 0185 3673

Thompson Street Capital Partners
Gregory FCA
Jeremy Milner – jmilner@gregoryfca.com +1 (401) 862-9422

Isto Biologics
Jessica Kemp, Marketing Director – jkemp@istobiologics.com +1 (774) 230-7125

¹Growth Buyout: investment in profitable, private companies experiencing strong growth, in minority or majority positions, with or without leverage, using a flexible approach tailored to the needs of individual entrepreneurs, in order to finance organic growth projects, acquisition strategies or provide historic shareholders with liquidity.

SOURCE: Isto Biologics

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Co-CEO of FinishLine Tax Solutions transformed his life after addiction and prison to launch one of the nation’s fastest-growing financial services companies.

DALLAS, TX / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / From homelessness with $2,000 to a $50M enterprise, Scott Allen Curley‘s journey from addiction and prison to national business leader will be featured on “Trending Today” on Fox Business, Bloomberg, and A&E.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Fraudulent schemes exploiting the IRS Fresh Start Program are on the rise, putting vulnerable taxpayers at risk of financial loss.

IRVINE, CA / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is cautioning taxpayers about a growing wave of scams involving fraudulent “Fresh Start” tax relief offers. Criminals posing as legitimate companies are using phone calls, emails, and online ads to convince individuals they qualify for immediate debt forgiveness – often demanding upfront fees for services that never materialize.

According to Clear Start Tax, a national tax relief firm, the rise in scams mirrors the growing popularity of the IRS Fresh Start Program, which helps qualifying taxpayers reduce or restructure back tax debt.

“The Fresh Start Program is real, but the way scammers are exploiting it is dangerous,” said a Clear Start Tax spokesperson. “We’re seeing fake companies promise blanket debt forgiveness or guaranteed settlements for pennies on the dollar – claims the IRS itself would never make.”

Fraudulent operators often use high-pressure tactics, including threats of arrest or asset seizure, to push taxpayers into signing contracts or sending money. The IRS has warned that such claims are not only false but may expose victims to identity theft and additional financial harm.

“The truth is that the IRS evaluates each case individually,” Clear Start Tax explained. “No legitimate firm can promise you’ll qualify without first reviewing your financial situation. If someone guarantees results before they even look at your documents, that’s a red flag.”

By answering a few simple questions, taxpayers can find out if they’re eligible for the IRS Fresh Start Program and take the first step toward resolving their tax debt.

Tax experts advise consumers to verify credentials, avoid paying large upfront fees, and contact the IRS directly if they are uncertain about an offer.

“Protecting yourself starts with knowing the difference between legitimate tax relief options and too-good-to-be-true promises,” the Clear Start Tax spokesperson added. “If you’re ever in doubt, seek guidance from a reputable firm or go directly to the IRS for confirmation.”

About Clear Start Tax

Clear Start Tax is a trusted national tax relief firm dedicated to helping individuals and businesses resolve IRS and state tax issues. With a focus on education, transparency, and proven strategies, Clear Start Tax has assisted thousands of taxpayers in reducing liabilities, negotiating settlements, and regaining financial stability.

Need Help With Back Taxes?

Click the link below:
https://clearstarttax.com/qualifytoday/
(888) 710-3533

Contact Information

Clear Start Tax
Corporate Communications Department
tech@clearstarttax.com
(949) 800-4011

SOURCE: Clear Start Tax

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire