FEATURED NEWS
- June 27, 2026Automotive
SOUEAST Partners with LEVEL UP FESTIVAL in Kazakhstan, Writing a New “Travel + Music” Story
LEVEL UP FESTIVAL 2026 was recently held in Almaty. As a famous youth culture event, the festival was themed on “creativity, sports, self-expression, and healthy living”. Popular artists including Irina Kairatovna, BAKR, and Lucaveros delivered exciting performances, attracting nearly 10,000 fans to attend. SOUEAST joined the event as the official automotive partner. This event was SOUEAST’s first collaboration with a local cultural IP since its official entry into the Kazakhstan market in April this year. The brand continues to build up its “Travel+” lifestyle worldwide, while music plays an important role to bridge youngsters and promote travel culture. Through its participation in the festival, SOUEAST further connected with local young consumers, advanced its “Travel+” concept localization and strengthened awareness of “EASE YOUR LIFE” . During the event, the host introduced two SOUEAST models, the S06 and S09 in detail. Both vehicles attracted significant attention for their distinctive design and premium quality. The S06 is positioned as an urban stylish SUV. Featuring both a dynamic appearance and family-friendly practicality, this model appeals to young consumers, while its agile control covers diverse scenarios. The S09, as a smart premium SUV, includes wrap-around cockpit, 62-inch ultra-wide panoramic sunroof, and more than 10 ADAS functions, achieving a dual balance of comfort and safety. With four-wheel drive system, both vehicles can cover daily commutes, short-distance trips and outdoor exploration. SOUEAST has established more than 10 outlets across Kazakhstan. Looking ahead, the brand plans to expand its network further in cities such as Almaty and Astana, which will enhance parts supply and after-sales service capabilities to meet diverse mobility needs of Kazakhstan consumers. For more information about SOUEAST, please visit： Brand website： www.soueast-motor.com Facebook: Soueast Global Instagram: soueastglobal TikTok: soueastglobal
- June 27, 2026Business
UC Baby Expands Its Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative Through Partnership with Evertreen
UC Baby, Canada's first and leading provider of 3D, 4D, and HD 5D pregnancy ultrasound experiences, is proud to announce the expansion of its UC Baby Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative , a meaningful program that gives families the opportunity to celebrate the arrival of a new baby by planting a tree in their child's honour. Powered by a new partnership with Evertreen , a global reforestation platform, the initiative connects growing families with carefully selected tree-planting projects around the world—creating a lasting legacy for future generations while supporting environmental restoration. Founded in 2003 by internationally trained physician Dr. Tina Ureten , UC Baby pioneered elective 3D pregnancy ultrasound in Canada and has since welcomed more than 600,000 babies through its network of over 28 clinics across the country. While UC Baby is best known for creating unforgettable bonding experiences during pregnancy, its mission has always extended beyond the ultrasound room. "Every baby represents hope for the future," said Dr. Tina Ureten, Founder and Medical Director of UC Baby . "The Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative gives families another meaningful way to celebrate the arrival of their child. Together with Evertreen, we're helping parents create a living legacy that grows alongside their family while contributing to a healthier planet for generations to come." Every Little Step Makes a Difference Pregnancy is the beginning of an extraordinary journey. Every heartbeat, every ultrasound image, and every milestone marks the start of a new life filled with possibilities. The UC Baby Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative with Evertreen was created to extend that celebration beyond pregnancy by giving families an opportunity to make a positive impact on the world their children will inherit. Each tree planted by Evertreen becomes a symbol of new beginnings, growth, hope, and a shared commitment to future generations. The initiative is part of UC Baby Little Steps , the company's growing social impact platform dedicated to supporting children, families, communities, and the environment through meaningful initiatives that create lasting change. Powered by Evertreen's Global Reforestation Network To expand the reach of the Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative, UC Baby has partnered with Evertreen , a UK-based environmental platform that connects individuals and organizations with high-quality global reforestation and ecosystem restoration projects. Through UC Baby's dedicated Evertreen Forest, families can plant a tree in honour of their baby, celebrate special milestones, or recognize loved ones while supporting carefully selected reforestation projects across South America, Africa, and Europe . Participants can join the initiative using UC Baby's Forest Unique Code 718 , linking every tree planted to UC Baby's growing global forest. Growing a Legacy Beyond Pregnancy The environmental initiatives supported through Evertreen are part of curated restoration and land-use programs designed to restore ecosystems and promote long-term environmental sustainability. These projects are associated with estimated carbon absorption over the lifetime of the trees using recognized scientific methodologies while supporting biodiversity, healthier forests, and climate resilience. For UC Baby, planting a tree represents more than an environmental contribution—it reflects the belief that caring for future generations begins long before birth. Transparency Every Step of the Way Evertreen provides digital monitoring tools that help ensure transparency throughout the tree-planting journey. Trees supported through the UC Baby Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative are tracked using geo-location technology and digital reporting systems, allowing participants to follow project progress and view environmental impact estimates over time. This commitment to transparency gives families confidence that their contribution is part of a meaningful, measurable environmental initiative. Creating a Legacy That Grows With Every Baby For more than twenty-three years, UC Baby has celebrated life's earliest moments by helping families build memories that last forever. Through the Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative, those memories can now extend beyond the ultrasound experience by creating a living legacy that grows alongside each child. As the initiative continues to grow, UC Baby looks forward to sharing the collective impact made by families across Canada through the number of trees planted and the environmental restoration those contributions help support. Join the Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative Every baby leaves footprints on the hearts of those who love them. Through the UC Baby Little Steps Tree Planting Initiative , those footprints can also leave a positive mark on the planet. Whether you're celebrating a pregnancy, welcoming a newborn, honouring a loved one, or simply supporting global reforestation efforts, every tree planted is another little step toward a greener future. Learn more or plant a tree today: https://www.ucbaby.ca/little-steps-tree-planting For corporate partnership opportunities with Evertreen: office@evertreen.com About UC Baby Founded in 2003 by Dr. Tina Ureten, UC Baby is Canada's first and leading provider of elective 3D, 4D, and HD 5D pregnancy ultrasound experiences. With more than 28 locations across Canada and over 600,000 babies welcomed , UC Baby has helped generations of expecting families create unforgettable pregnancy memories through advanced ultrasound technology in a warm, family-centred environment. Beyond providing exceptional ultrasound experiences, UC Baby is committed to making a positive difference through UC Baby Little Steps , its social impact platform supporting initiatives that benefit children, families, communities, and the world future generations will inherit. Learn more at https://www.ucbaby.ca About Evertreen Evertreen is a UK-based digital platform that connects individuals and organizations with high-quality reforestation, ecosystem restoration, and nature-based environmental initiatives worldwide. Through its technology, Evertreen facilitates contributions to a diverse portfolio of environmental projects while providing digital monitoring, impact reporting, and transparency tools that support responsible environmental engagement. For more information, visit https://www.evertreen.com
- June 27, 2026Event Announcement
CitizenPass and CitizenApp Launch Free Bilingual Platforms to Help Canadians Pass Their Citizenship Test
As IRCC application fees rise and citizenship demand surges, two new digital tools offer permanent residents a free, bilingual path to passing the Canadian citizenship exam on the first attempt. With Canadian citizenship applications reaching record highs following landmark immigration reforms and rising IRCC processing fees in 2026, two purpose-built digital platforms have launched to ensure that no permanent resident fails the citizenship test simply due to a lack of accessible, high-quality preparation resources. CitizenPass.ca and CitizenApp.ca are now live, offering fully free, bilingual (English and French) practice test experiences designed specifically for Canada's permanent resident community. Both platforms are built around the official Discover Canada study guide and mirror the format, difficulty, and question distribution of the actual IRCC citizenship exam. A Free Resource Built for Every Applicant The platforms were developed in response to a clear market gap: while the number of citizenship applicants has grown sharply, free and reliable preparation tools — especially those serving Francophone communities — have remained scarce. Existing resources are often outdated, behind paywalls, or available in English only. CitizenPass and CitizenApp change this. Whether accessed on desktop at citizenpass.ca or on mobile via citizenapp.ca , users get immediate access to hundreds of practice questions, instant feedback, and performance tracking — all at no cost, with no registration required. Bilingual by Design, Canadian at Heart One of the defining features of both platforms is their seamless bilingual experience. Users can switch between English and French at any time, making the tools uniquely suitable for applicants across all provinces — from Quebec's Francophone communities to newcomer populations in British Columbia, Ontario, and the Prairie provinces. "We built CitizenPass and CitizenApp because passing the Canadian citizenship test should never be a matter of financial privilege or language barrier," said Youness Haji, founder of both platforms. "Every permanent resident deserves a fair shot at citizenship, and that starts with access to the right preparation tools." What Users Can Expect ✔ Hundreds of practice questions drawn from the official Discover Canada guide ✔ Bilingual interface — full English and French support ✔ Instant scoring and answer explanations after each question ✔ Mobile-optimized — works on all devices without app download ✔ No registration, no fees, no barriers — completely free to use Settlement agencies, immigration consultants, and IRCC-authorized representatives are encouraged to share both platforms with their clients as a trusted, up-to-date preparation resource ahead of the Canada citizenship test. Availability CitizenPass and CitizenApp are available now at no cost. No download or account creation is required. Both platforms are fully accessible on desktop and mobile browsers in English and French. About CitizenPass and CitizenApp CitizenPass ( citizenpass.ca ) and CitizenApp ( citizenapp.ca ) are free, bilingual Canadian citizenship test preparation platforms designed for permanent residents across Canada. Both platforms provide practice questions, instant feedback, and a seamless English/French experience to help applicants prepare for and pass the IRCC citizenship knowledge test. Website: citizenpass.ca | citizenapp.ca
- June 27, 2026Automotive
BAIC International Presents Its Full Brand Lineup and New Global Image at the China-Eurasia Expo
The 9th China-Eurasia Expo recently opened in Urumqi, Xinjiang. As an important economic and trade platform under the Belt and Road Initiative, the Expo brings together business representatives and industry partners from across Eurasia to explore new opportunities for industrial cooperation. Backed by BAIC Group's strong industrial chain and comprehensive product capabilities, BAIC International is showcasing its overseas brands, including STELATO, ARCFOX and BAIC, highlighting its latest global development achievements while further strengthening trade cooperation with partners across Eurasian markets. At this year's Expo, BAIC International presents a diversified product portfolio featuring the STELATO S9, ARCFOX V9, ARCFOX T1, ARCFOX S3, B40 PRO and B30. Covering premium smart luxury mobility, intelligent new energy vehicles, off-road SUVs and urban SUVs, the lineup demonstrates BAIC International's comprehensive product capabilities across multiple market segments. STELATO delivers premium intelligent luxury experiences, ARCFOX focuses on innovative new energy mobility, while BAIC builds on its strong off-road heritage and diversified mobility lineup to provide solutions for city commuting, family travel and outdoor exploration. Leveraging the China-Eurasia Expo as an important platform for international exchange and Belt and Road cooperation, BAIC International is engaging with partners from Central Asia, the Middle East and other Belt and Road markets to explore opportunities in market expansion, channel development, localization and industrial collaboration. During the Expo, the BAIC International booth has attracted strong interest from international visitors, reflecting growing recognition of Chinese automotive brands and strong enthusiasm for future cooperation across Eurasian markets. Supporting BAIC International's steady global growth is BAIC Group's continuously evolving innovation ecosystem. Through six technology centers across China, Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe and the MENA region, BAIC has established a global innovation network covering product development, component engineering, intelligent connectivity, vehicle design and testing. Backed by a portfolio of more than 35,000 patents and advanced technologies including Kosmos AI Chassis, L3 ADAS and Kosmos Cabin, BAIC International continues to enhance its competitiveness in global markets. BAIC International remains committed to the principles of open cooperation and shared growth, working hand in hand with partners across Belt and Road markets to seize opportunities throughout Eurasia and expand its global presence. The company is advancing innovation across six key areas, including sales networks, service support systems, smart factories, delivery capabilities, financial resources and talent development, to ensure the efficient operation of its global business. Committed to promoting trade connectivity and industrial collaboration, BAIC International continues to deepen economic exchanges across Eurasian markets. Looking ahead, the company will further strengthen its diversified product portfolio, global footprint and open partnership ecosystem while expanding its presence in Eurasia and beyond. With a renewed brand image and fresh momentum, it is entering a new stage of global development.
- June 26, 2026Business
LastPass Receives Best All-in-One Secure Access Solution Award from Best Reviews
LastPass, a leading secure access and password management solution, received this distinction from Best Reviews in April 2026. The award highlights LastPass’s ability to bring essential features into one platform. It also reflects the solution’s focus on helping users manage credentials, access apps, share information securely, and maintain stronger security habits across their digital routines. Best Reviews, an independent product review platform, evaluates password managers and secure access tools based on security features, ease of use, platform compatibility, business tools, password sharing, authentication options, customer support, and overall user experience. The all-in-one secure access solution award specifically recognizes platforms that make it easier to protect accounts, simplify access, and support both personal and professional security needs from a single place. "LastPass keeps a strong pulse on the latest shifts in online security and data protection, ensuring it offers a comprehensive set of tools that safeguard sensitive data while making it conveniently accessible whenever users need it,” says Sander Delabie, CEO and founder of Best Reviews. "With reliable data breach detection and smart password lockout solutions, LastPass has proven to be a strong fit for teams like ours at Best Reviews." "Our focus is on making secure access simpler and more unified beyond password management. The recognition as an all-in-one secure access solution reinforces that simplicity and security are essential and achievable together," said a LastPass spokesperson. The recognition reflects LastPass’s broad secure access ecosystem and its focus on reducing the complexity of everyday digital security. The platform offers a variety of features, including secure password storage, password generation, autofill capabilities, password sharing, dark web monitoring, and multi-factor authentication. For businesses, it provides administrative tools such as SaaS Monitoring and SaaS Protect, along with over 100 customizable policies, user management options, Single Sign-On (SSO) support, integrations, account audits, and activity reporting. All features are designed to help users protect sensitive information while maintaining convenient access across devices and accounts. For anyone juggling endless logins, apps, AI tools, and an ever-growing digital workload, LastPass delivers a suite of secure access features that helps transform digital chaos into calm, keeping businesses secure and individuals protected, confident, and stress-free every day. While users can store logins, payment details, notes, and other sensitive information in an encrypted vault, business teams can manage access policies, monitor password health, and support employees with secure sharing and centralized administration. Designed to meet a range of security needs, LastPass offers tailored plans for individuals, families, teams, and larger businesses, with support across desktop apps, browser extensions, and mobile devices. The platform also supports integrations and security features that help organizations strengthen access management without adding unnecessary friction for employees. BestReviews.net performs hands-on testing and in-depth research on multiple password managers and cybersecurity tools. It compares security features, pricing, usability, business capabilities, customer support, and user feedback. The platform publishes comprehensive reviews to support consumers in comparing software and services. The complete password managers guide includes testing results and recommendations for various use cases. More information about LastPass’s secure access solutions and offers is available at lastpass.com .
- June 26, 2026Business
Papaya Global Launches ONE, an Agentic Compliance Intelligence Platform Tailored to Each Organization
Papaya Global, the global leader in workforce management — EOR, AOR, payroll, and embedded real-time workforce payments — today launched ONE, an agentic compliance intelligence platform that works directly from an organization’s own policies, CBA agreements, employment templates, and payroll data. Unlike generic compliance AI that knows the law, ONE knows each organization’s business. It reviews documents against current statute, flags what is out of date, generates payroll summaries and journal entries from source files, and validates data across sources — across 95 countries and all 50 US states. ONE is available at no cost to all organizations, with no Papaya Global contract required. Organizations already on Papaya Global’s platform get access to the full premium plan at no additional cost. Global teams face compliance and payroll questions every day. Most have turned to general-purpose AI. The problem: generic AI describes the law — it cannot apply it to a company’s CBA agreements, company policies, or employment templates. In a domain where a misclassified contractor or an outdated clause carries real financial exposure, a generic answer is not a shortcut. It is a liability. ONE is the operating system for compliance and workforce operations — self-service, out of the box, no expensive HRIS connectors required. Organizations upload their company policies, CBA agreements, and employment templates. ONE reviews every clause, generates every output in the organization’s format, and validates every data source — all tailored to that organization. ONE delivers six capabilities, all working from an organization’s own documents and data. Policy and CBA review: Upload any company document — employment policy, CBA agreement, contractor classification standard, or compensation framework. ONE reviews it against current regulations across 95 countries and all US states, surfaces every gap, and recommends specific updates with statutory citations. Contract and template review: Upload an employment contract or template and receive a structured verdict — Must Fix, Verify, or Compliant — for every clause, with the relevant statute cited and a recommended edit where applicable. Salary update file generation: Generate salary update files designed to the organization’s own template — no HRIS connector, no IT project, no integration cost. Upload the data, get a formatted output ready to load. Expense policy validation: Upload an expense policy and expense data. ONE validates submissions against the organization’s own rules, flags violations, and produces a structured report — no manual review required. Customized GL and journal entry generation: Generate General Ledger entries and journal entries directly from a source file, mapped to the organization’s own chart of accounts and cost center structure. Every output formatted to specification. Payroll intelligence: Generate payroll summaries, validate data before it runs, and compare payroll sources — flagging every discrepancy before it reaches an employee. Every answer runs through Papaya’s proprietary three-stage reasoning system — Read, Reason, Review — before it reaches the user. Outputs are structured by severity, tied to the specific clause or data point in question, and cite the exact statute behind each finding. The knowledge base is built on 15 years of Papaya’s in-country expertise — earned across 2,500+ enterprise clients and 180+ countries. It is not scraped from the internet. It is not a generic model. It is configured to each organization’s own policies, making every answer specific to that business. Coverage spans 95 countries and all 50 US states. “AI is changing the speed of compliance work, but it cannot change who owns the outcome. ONE was built on a single principle: bring the world’s compliance expertise inside your organization — tailored to your policies, your CBA agreements, your templates — so your teams can act faster, with confidence, without transferring accountability to a model that cannot carry it,” said Eynat Guez, Co-Founder and CEO, Papaya Global. ONE is available now at papayaglobal.com/papaya-one/ . The standard plan is available to all organizations immediately, with no Papaya Global contract required. Papaya Global clients receive full premium access — policy and CBA review, salary update file generation, expense validation, GL and journal entry generation, payroll intelligence, and priority coverage across 95 countries and all US states — included at no additional cost. Organizations can get started at papayaglobal.com/papaya-one/ or contact community@papayaglobal.com for an enterprise demonstration. ONE is a compliance decision-support tool. Its outputs are structured findings, not legal advice. Final compliance decisions should be reviewed by qualified legal counsel. Every output carries a mandatory disclaimer to that effect. About Papaya Global Papaya Global is the global leader in workforce management — EOR, AOR, payroll, and embedded real-time workforce payments. The company supports 2,500+ enterprise clients, including Fortune 500 and high-growth technology companies, across 180+ countries through a unified platform. Papaya’s infrastructure handles payroll calculation, contractor management, and workforce payments — with funds held in Tier 1 banking accounts and 90% of payments delivered in real time. Headquartered in New York, with offices in Tel Aviv, London, and Singapore.
- June 26, 2026Business
Furniture Built for Singapore Homes: Megafurniture Brings Design and Manufacturing In-House Across Two New Factories
Megafurniture.sg , a Singapore furniture retailer, now designs and manufactures its products in its own factories — a change the company says lets it build pieces around the way Singaporeans actually live, rather than adapting generic designs ordered from third-party suppliers. The company operates two facilities, one in Batu Pahat (Johor, Malaysia) and one in Foshan (Guangdong, China), both running since the fourth quarter of 2025. Production is ramping in stages over three years, through 2028. The move places Megafurniture among the few furniture retailers in Singapore that manufacture in-house rather than ordering finished goods from original-equipment (OEM) suppliers. A bet that runs against the retail grain The decision cuts against the prevailing retail playbook, which generally favours light balance sheets and outsourced production. Megafurniture has moved the other way, putting capital into owning the line itself. Its reasoning is control. When a company owns the factory, it sets quality from the raw material onward, instead of inspecting a supplier's output after it has already been made and shipped. "Owning the factories lets us control quality at every stage, from the materials we select to the product that reaches a customer's home," said Teck Oon, a spokesperson for Megafurniture. "Outsourcing is simpler. It also hands the part that matters most to someone else." That control is meant to compound over time. The staged ramp through 2028 is intended to bring a growing share of the company's catalogue into its own factories, rather than switching everything across at once. For a retailer, the appeal of vertical integration is consistency and accountability: the same business that designs a piece also builds it, so a flaw on a finished sofa is the manufacturer's to answer for, not a distant supplier's. Designing for the room, not the catalogue The more immediate change, the company argues, is in design. Space in Singapore homes is measured carefully, and furniture sized for a generic catalogue often sits awkwardly in an HDB flat or a compact condominium bedroom. Controlling production lets Megafurniture start from the room instead of the warehouse. In practice, that means a three-seater can be proportioned for a four-room flat, a storage bed can be configured for a bedroom with little floor to spare, and a wardrobe can be built to the height and depth of a condominium room rather than trimmed to fit after it is delivered. For households furnishing a new flat or working through a renovation, the difference is whether a piece is designed for the space or merely squeezed into it. "When you build the furniture yourself, you start from the room instead of the catalogue," Teck Oon said. "A three-seater that fits a four-room flat, a storage bed that works in an HDB bedroom — those decisions happen at the factory, not after the piece arrives." A range built for a Singapore home The in-house range covers the categories that fill a typical Singapore home. Its sofas come in two-seater, three-seater, sectional and sofa-bed configurations, upholstered in fabric, leather, faux leather, velvet and boucle, so a living room can be matched to both its dimensions and its material preferences. Its bed frames span platform, divan and storage designs, the last aimed squarely at bedrooms where under-bed space has to work harder. Its mattresses , sold under the company's own Somnuz brand, are produced in pocket-spring, latex, memory-foam and hybrid constructions. Owning the mattress brand and the factory that makes it allows the company to manage the specification of a product that buyers cannot easily inspect for themselves. Beyond the bedroom and living room, the factories also produce wood furniture, including wardrobes, cabinets, sideboards, TV consoles, bookshelves and dining tables — the pieces that tend to be bought together when a home is set up. Producing across categories under one roof also lets the pieces in a home relate to one another. A buyer furnishing a flat from several importers usually ends up with items that were never designed to sit together: a sofa from one source, a bed from another, storage from a third, each built to its own proportions and finished in its own way. When a single company designs the sofa, the bed frame, the storage and the dining table, those proportions, materials and finishes can be kept consistent from one room to the next. They can also be matched again on a later purchase, when a household adds a piece or furnishes another room, rather than hoping a previous range is still in stock. Two factories, one design brief The two-country footprint gives Megafurniture production bases in both Malaysia and China, two of the regions that supply much of Southeast Asia's furniture. Rather than coordinating between separate external manufacturers in each location, the company now runs both sites itself, designing centrally for the Singapore market and producing across the two facilities. Designing centrally for a single market also shapes what actually gets built. Instead of selecting from whatever a roster of external suppliers happens to offer in a given season, the company can decide which sizes, configurations and finishes to put into production for Singapore homes specifically, and revise that mix as the staged ramp through 2028 brings more of the catalogue in-house. Over time, the company says, that should mean fewer compromises between what a buyer is looking for and what a supplier happened to make. Owning manufacturing also lengthens the part of the chain the company controls. Because the same business designs, builds, delivers and assembles a piece, responsibility for the finished product does not change hands at a factory gate. Professional delivery and assembly are included on qualifying orders, extending that single line of accountability into the customer's home. Seeing the range in person Customers can view the range at Megafurniture's furniture showrooms . The flagship, at 134 Joo Seng Road, occupies roughly 30,000 square feet across two levels; a second showroom operates at 21 Tampines North Drive 2, at Giant Tampines. The company also sells online and delivers across Singapore. The shift to in-house design and manufacturing began in earnest in 2026, the first full year both factories have run under Megafurniture's ownership. As the three-year ramp continues, the company expects an increasing portion of what it sells to be designed and built by the same team — and, it argues, designed for the homes those products are meant to go into. About Megafurniture — Megafurniture designs, sells and manufactures furniture for HDB, condominium and landed homes across Singapore, through its online store and two physical showrooms. The company owns the Somnuz mattress brand and operates its own factories in Malaysia and China for in-house design, manufacturing and quality control. Professional delivery and assembly are included on qualifying orders.
- June 26, 2026Cryptocurrency
Cap Onboarded as a BENJI Client, Adding Franklin Templeton's Tokenized Money Market Fund as a Supported Deposit Asset
Cap , a credit platform backed by financial guarantees, today announced it has been onboarded as a BENJI client and will be able to service Franklin Templeton's tokenized money market fund as a supported deposit asset. The approval is the first step toward enabling BENJI holders to access Cap's infrastructure. BENJI is the longest-running tokenized money market fund in its category, having launched in 2021. As of June 24, 2026, the broader BENJI suite sits on top of $2.5 billion in onchain assets under management. As a permissioned asset, every BENJI integration must be approved by Franklin Templeton Digital Assets directly. To reach this milestone, Cap cleared Franklin Templeton's full compliance review to become a BENJI wallet holder — a high bar for digital asset platforms and a signal of institutional confidence in Cap's system. Franklin Templeton Digital Assets has been building digital asset infrastructure since 2018 and led Cap's seed round in 2025. The two firms intend to continue collaborating to bridge traditional finance and decentralized finance. "Clearing Franklin Templeton's compliance review and supporting BENJI as a deposit asset reflects exactly the kind of institutional rigor Cap was built for. We're proud to deepen our work with a partner that has been investing in this infrastructure since the earliest days," said Benjamin, Founder and CEO of Cap. About Cap Cap is a private credit platform that uses blockchain technology to address the core problems facing legacy private credit systems. Cap’s novel automated credit marketplace ensures every loan is backed by onchain principal protection. Each loan has a dedicated underwriter who puts their own capital behind the decision, making honest underwriting the dominant strategy. Dollar depositors then earn a secured yield that’s insured by underwriters. This innovative approach to private credit mitigates the issues of scalability, incentive alignment, fraud, and illiquidity facing traditional markets. Cap’s investors include Franklin Templeton, Susquehanna, IMC Trading, and other legacy financial institutions. Today, the platform has $4B+ in cumulative volume, over $350M in deposits, and 5–7% annualized yield on dollar deposits. About BENJI / Franklin Templeton Digital Assets BENJI is Franklin Templeton's tokenized money market fund, launched in 2021 and the longest-running fund in its category, with over $800 million held onchain. Franklin Templeton has been building digital asset infrastructure since 2018. Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of capital. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. You are solely responsible for your investment decisions and assume all associated risks. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.
- June 26, 2026Business
"Jom! Hainan, Let's Explore Together" Southeast Asia Inbound Study-Tour Promotion Campaign Fully Launched
Recently, the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports, in partnership with Qunar.com, officially launched the "Jom! Hainan, Let's Explore Together" Southeast Asia inbound study-tour promotion campaign. On June 16, a trilingual study-tour feature page in Chinese, English and Malay, titled "Jom! Hainan, Let's Explore Together", officially went live. The launch of the feature page will further unlock the potential of Southeast Asia's study-tour market, strengthen Hainan's brand as an international study-tour destination, and vividly showcase the new image of the Hainan Free Trade Port as an open and dynamic hub of development. Hainan is geographically close to Southeast Asia, shares close cultural ties and connected traditions with the region, and is seeing its cross-border air route network continue to expand. Cultural and tourism exchanges between the two sides are becoming increasingly active. Drawing on distinctive resources such as the Wenchang Space Launch Site, Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City High-tech Zone, Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park and China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea, Hainan is leveraging its Free Trade Port policies and tropical geographic advantages to promote the deep integration of culture and tourism, education, and technology. It has developed an integrated sea-land-air study-tour product portfolio centered on space science and technology, tropical rainforests and marine ecology. With its rich and distinctive study-tour offerings, Hainan has become a popular choice for Southeast Asian young people seeking overseas educational travel. The newly launched trilingual feature page serves as the campaign's core online service gateway for the Southeast Asian market. Users can access the page through Qunar.com's travel channel by clicking on the Smart Tourism Pavilion. Designed around local language preferences, the page brings together resource showcases, route recommendations, online inquiries and product booking functions. It also offers exclusive cash-voucher benefits: after claiming a cash voucher on the page, users can apply it directly to study-tour orders, creating a smoother consumer experience. The platform highlights four premium themed study-tour routes that precisely match the needs of students of different age groups, families with children and organized study-tour groups. With detailed route content and clear itineraries, the page builds an efficient and convenient digital bridge for Southeast Asian visitors to understand and purchase Hainan's study-tour products. Following the overall campaign plan, a series of targeted promotional activities will be rolled out after the feature page goes live. In July, the campaign will work with leading travel agencies and professional education institutions from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries to select young experience ambassadors with strong community influence for a six-day, five-night in-depth study tour in Hainan. They will visit key study-tour sites, experience featured courses and culture-and-tourism programmes, and share authentic stories from a youth perspective, helping build word-of-mouth benchmarks and promote Hainan's study-tour and tourism resources across Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the campaign will invite local KOLs in the study-tour and family-travel sectors to form a communication matrix and produce localized content, including travel guides, study-tour reviews and destination insights, for distribution through major overseas social media platforms and media channels. Drawing on Qunar.com's mature OTA big-data capabilities, the campaign will continue to use multilingual push messages, on-platform exposure for the dedicated page and study-tour-exclusive coupons to reach target audiences, lower travel decision-making barriers and convert online traffic more efficiently. Online content seeding, influencer on-site experiences, data-driven outreach and offline immersive study tours will form a complete communication loop, telling Hainan's study-tour story and presenting the open, inclusive and vibrant image of the Hainan Free Trade Port to Southeast Asian audiences. The "Jom! Hainan, Let's Explore Together" Southeast Asia inbound study-tour promotion campaign is both a practical measure for Hainan to seize opportunities in the Southeast Asian study-tour market and diversify inbound tourism products, and an important practice for deepening youth exchanges and people-to-people ties. Moving forward, the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports will continue to work with Qunar.com to refine standardized, high-quality inbound study-tour products and improve cross-border travel services, attracting more Southeast Asian young people and families to visit, explore and fall in love with Hainan. These efforts will support Hainan's inbound tourism recovery and raise Hainan-Southeast Asia cultural and tourism cooperation to new heights.
- June 26, 2026Land & Property
Singapore Grade A Office Market Records Sixth Consecutive Quarter of Rental Growth Amid Shifting Global Landscape
The Singapore office market has extended its run of rental gains into Q2 2026 despite economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. In this quarter, Core CBD (Grade A) rents have edged up 0.8% quarter-on-quarter to S$12.50 per square foot per month, the sixth straight quarter of growth, according to CBRE Research. Cumulatively, Core CBD (Grade A) rents have advanced 1.6% in the first half of 2026, with upside potential going forward as macro conditions show potential for stabilisation. This allows CBRE Research to maintain its full-year forecast of approximately 5% year-on-year growth. Landlords of Core CBD Grade A buildings are operating with significant pricing power. Tricia Song, CBRE Head of Research, Singapore and Southeast Asia , noted, “The absence of new completions through 2027 means that the structural undersupply underpinning this rental cycle is not a short-term phenomenon. Cumulatively, Core CBD Grade A vacancy has contracted from a high of 7.8% in Q4 2024 when IOI Central Boulevard Towers was delivered to the market, to 3.3% today - a compression of over four percentage points over just six quarters.” “The market’s continued performance reflects a structural imbalance between occupier demand and available supply. Core CBD (Grade A) vacancy held firm at 3.3% - a record low - as the completion of Shaw Tower in the Fringe CBD marks the close of all meaningful new supply for 2026, with no further significant completions projected through 2027” , Ms Song continued. Shaw Tower Completion Marks End of Near-Term Supply Pipeline Shaw Tower, the sole major office completion of 2026, received its Temporary Occupation Permit in Q2. Its anchor and corporate tenants include global insurer Allianz, payments technology firm Adyen, pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis Singapore, and premium coworking operator The Great Room. Together with Keppel South Central, these two developments form a compelling cluster of quality options in the Fringe CBD, offering occupiers good alternatives to the increasingly-constrained Core CBD stock. Diverse Demand Base Extends Beyond the Core CBD Occupier activity this quarter was notably broad in both sectoral composition and locational spread. Within the CBD, AI companies of varying scales continued to transition from flexible coworking arrangements into traditional, self-managed office space, affirming their growing operational permanence in Singapore. Beyond the CBD, the Alexandra and Paya Lebar submarkets saw active take-up, with demand anchored by occupiers from the public, consumer goods, professional services, and education sectors relocating to these decentralised areas. The withdrawal of Harbourfront Centre from the active stock further tightened supply at the islandwide level. Taken together, islandwide vacancy fell sharply from 5.6% in Q1 2026 to 3.6% in Q2 2026. David McKellar, CBRE Head of Leasing, Singapore , observed, “What stands out this quarter is the depth and diversity of demand. We are no longer seeing growth carried by one or two dominant sectors. Financial services - spanning banking, wealth management, insurance, and asset management - remain active, but they are now joined by a meaningful cohort of AI businesses of all sizes, as well as professional services occupiers, among others, in decentralised locations. This breadth gives us greater confidence in the durability of the rental recovery.” He added, “What is particularly telling is the behaviour of AI occupiers. These firms have been incubating in Singapore for the past two to three years, predominantly within coworking environments. Their graduation into permanent, dedicated office space this year signals a maturation of this cohort - signalling their commitment to Singapore for the medium to long term, and with that comes a desire for operational certainty, brand presence, and the ability to customise their space.” Occupiers Act with Urgency as Available Options Diminish The scarcity of quality space is increasingly shaping occupier behaviour. Enquiries from hedge funds, quantitative trading firms, and AI companies - across a wide spectrum of sizes - remain elevated, even as available options continue to shrink. Pre-commitment activity for developments scheduled for completion only as early as 2028 or 2029 has grown, with ongoing lease negotiations for these future buildings now forming a meaningful part of the pipeline. For occupiers with medium-term requirements, the window to secure quality space on favourable terms is narrowing. Mr McKellar shared, “While some tenant resistance to prevailing rents has been understandably observed, the fundamental market dynamic remains firmly in landlords’ favour. We are advising occupiers with requirements in the next two to three years to engage the market now, as conditions are not likely to ease.” CBRE Outlook CBRE maintains its forecast of approximately 5% year-on-year rental growth for Core CBD (Grade A) offices by the end of 2026, with upside potential should global conditions significantly improve in the second half of the year. The ongoing oil supply situation and geopolitical uncertainties remain variables to monitor. However, early indications of near-term resolution - should they materialise - could provide a meaningful lift to business confidence and accelerate leasing activity. Importantly, CBRE has yet to observe material signs of occupier space rationalisation. Even in a more cautious global environment, Singapore’s office market has historically demonstrated a stronger-than-average recovery relative to other markets following any pause in activity. Ms Song concluded, “Singapore has navigated geopolitical and macroeconomic headwinds before and has consistently emerged with its office market fundamentals intact. With no new supply arriving for the foreseeable future, even a moderate softening of external pressures - such as easing oil market volatility - could translate into a meaningful uplift in leasing confidence in H2 2026. Landlords who adopt a pragmatic approach to lease structuring and timing will be well-placed to capture this potential.” About CBRE Group, Inc. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm and a premier provider of critical infrastructure services. The company has more than 155,000 employees serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves clients through four business segments: Advisory (leasing, sales, debt origination, mortgage servicing, valuations); Building Operations & Experience (facilities management, property management, flex space & experience, critical infrastructure); Project Management (program management, project management, cost consulting); Real Estate Investments (investment management, development). Please visit our website at www.cbre.com .
- June 26, 2026Business
Exclusive Preview: 2026 BitAuto Malaysia Automotive Forum to Debut in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia’s landmark automotive industry summit, the 2026 BitAuto Malaysia Automotive Forum, is set to make its official debut on Tuesday, 30 June 2026,hosted by BitAuto Tengyi Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. Marking Bitauto.my’s first formal industry showcase since its national launch in January 2026, the forum will assemble core stakeholders spanning local automotive players, international OEMs, authorised dealers, media practitioners and automotive influencers for high-level dialogue around digital industrial integration and sustainable growth for Malaysia’s domestic automotive sector. Built on an innovative three-pillar framework of “Automotive Content × Digital Tools × Full-Cycle Vehicle Services”, Bitauto.my is a Malaysia-tailored all-in-one automotive ecosystem platform engineered to resolve long-standing market pain points: fragmented vehicle information, non-transparent pricing and inconsistent, biased industry content. Backed by BitAuto’s decades-long expertise in automotive digital operations, the platform houses Malaysia’s most comprehensive database covering petrol, hybrid and new-energy models from Perodua, Proton, BYD, Chery, BMW and more. It delivers multi-lingual impartial editorial content, verified dealer quotation channels, VR vehicle viewing tools and an engaged local owner community, catering to private car buyers, domestic dealers and regional automotive brands alike. The full-day event kicks off with afternoon registration and networking sessions, followed by keynote addresses from distinguished industry guests, the official launch of Bitauto.my’s local business roadmap, segmented roundtable sessions for brand executives, dealers and creator-media representatives. The forum gathers automotive brands, dealers and content creators to jointly discuss industry landscape shifts, new energy development, content ecosystem development and consumer trust cultivation. It will advance cross-industry integration and coordinated growth, enabling seamless information flow throughout the full vehicle ownership lifecycle. Upholding the values of professionalism, transparency and user centricity, Bitauto.my is committed to building a trusted automotive digital platform across Southeast Asia and driving high-quality, efficient development of Malaysia’s entire automotive industry chain.
- June 21, 2026Business
TOPPAN Develops Japan’s First Light-shielding Paper-based Pillow Packaging for Trading Cards
TOPPAN Inc. (TOPPAN), a TOPPAN Group company and wholly owned subsidiary of TOPPAN Holdings Inc. (TYO: 7911), has developed Japan’s first1 light-shielding paper-based pillow packaging for trading cards. Samples of the new packaging will be made available to trading card manufacturers globally from June. The proprietary material composition eliminates plastic completely from the packaging and replaces it with paper. An issue with paper-based packaging has been that contents can be seen through the paper. TOPPAN’s new packaging resolves this with outstanding light-shielding of 98% or more, deterring so-called pack searching, where consumers attempt to identify rare cards before opening, while maintaining design quality with a metallic sheen. TOPPAN has also achieved a high-quality finish by developing dedicated equipment that minimizes the occurrence of wrinkles during the pouch-making process. TOPPAN plans to begin mass production in autumn 2026, aiming to support accelerated global efforts to reduce environmental impact. Background The Japanese trading card market has expanded rapidly in recent years, with the market size in fiscal 20242 surpassing 300 billion yen, roughly three times that of fiscal 2019. As collaborations with various industries, including apparel brands and restaurant chains, continue to increase, trading cards are becoming firmly established as a culture that transcends generations across the world. Meanwhile, rising environmental consciousness is driving stricter regulations on packaging materials, particularly in Europe. This has prompted urgent calls to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as CO2, and accelerated the shift away from plastic. Consequently, trading card manufacturers operating globally are increasingly required to adopt eco-friendly packaging designs. However, adopting paper materials for trading card packaging presents significant challenges. It requires superior light-shielding performance to reliably protect the contents and prevent "pack searching" before opening. Furthermore, specialized forming technology to minimize wrinkling and a robust production system to consistently ensure high quality are also essential factors. Leveraging its extensive expertise in paper-based packaging development and production, TOPPAN has selected the ideal material and developed dedicated pouch-making equipment. Through these efforts, TOPPAN has successfully overcome the inherent transparency of paper, minimized wrinkling, and established a stable supply system for high-quality paper-based pillow packaging. Features of TOPPAN’s New Packaging ・Achieving zero plastic usage Conventional plastic packaging typically combines plastic materials for structural strength and adhesive sealant layers. In contrast, TOPPAN’s new packaging achieves zero plastic usage through a proprietary composition consisting solely of a paper base and a heat-seal coating layer. Furthermore, since the paper content exceeds 51% by weight, the packaging qualifies for the "Paper Mark" (recycling symbol for paper) in Japan. This allows companies to visually communicate their commitment to resource circulation and sustainability to consumers. ・Preventing “pack searching” with superior light-shielding and a metallic finish By applying aluminum vapor deposition to the paper material, TOPPAN has achieved a high light-shielding rate of 98% or more. This effectively eliminates the inherent transparency of paper, preventing "pack searching" by ensuring the contents remain invisible until the package is opened. Additionally, the structure allows for direct printing onto the aluminum vapor deposition layer. This enables a premium metallic finish and ensures vivid colors and design fidelity comparable to those of conventional plastic packaging. ・High-quality finish with minimal wrinkling TOPPAN has developed dedicated pouch-making machinery by optimizing feed rollers and developing specialized jigs for the folding unit. This machinery minimizes wrinkling in paper-based pillow packaging while achieving high-speed folding. By deploying this equipment, TOPPAN has overcome the traditional challenge of wrinkling in paper-based materials and established a stable supply system for high-quality packaging. Mass production on a dedicated line is scheduled to commence in autumn 2026. Future Activities TOPPAN plans to establish a supply system capable of producing 30 million packs per year by the start of mass production in autumn 2026. Through the provision of this product, TOPPAN is committed to supporting trading card manufacturers and related companies, both in Japan and overseas, in their efforts toward environmental sustainability and global expansion. 1 Based on research of the Japanese domestic trading card market by TOPPAN. 2 Source: Japan Toy Association website ・Fiscal 2019 Japan Toy Market Size (in Japanese): https://www.toys.or.jp/pdf/2020/2019_data_zenpan.pdf ・Fiscal 2024 Japan Toy Market Size (in Japanese): https://www.toys.or.jp/pdf/2025/2024_data_zenpan.pdf About the TOPPAN Group Established in Tokyo in 1900, the TOPPAN Group is a leading and diversified global provider committed to delivering sustainable, integrated solutions in fields including printing, communications, security, packaging, décor materials, electronics, and digital transformation. The TOPPAN Group’s global team of more than 50,000 employees offers optimal solutions enabled by industry-leading expertise and technologies to address the diverse challenges of every business sector and society and contribute to the achievement of shared sustainability goals. https://www.holdings.toppan.com/en/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/toppan/
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