• Non-psychoactive hemp’s varied uses comprise $500 million-plus industry with billion-dollar reach
• JV binds partners in growing New Brunswick and Oregon hemp cultivation projects
• Support increasing for U.S. Congressional drive to legalize hemp

Hemp advocates at Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA) are advancing cultivation projects that will give the company a significant supply of non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD) for market under the hempSMART and BeniHemp brands. The wholly owned hempSMART subsidiary strategically works to build share value through the distribution of CBD-based health and wellness products via a network marketing model, and BeniHemp offers hemp-derived CBD products to consumer retail markets.

Marijuana Company of America’s development relies significantly on its joint venture with Global Hemp Group, Inc. (CSE: GHG) (FRANKFURT: GHG) (OTC: GBHPF). Both companies were founded by company officers Don Steinberg and Charles Larsen, and they are collaborating on farming projects in New Brunswick, Canada, and Oregon. As Canada builds toward full nationwide legalization of cannabis in its various uses later this year (http://ibn.fm/u8KzM), MCOA is growing a hemp crop at a 125-acre site in New Brunswick, Canada. Farmers began seeding the crop in mid-May as part of an effort to reintroduce hemp cultivation to the region that began last year.

The company has secured a 4,000-square-foot facility that will be used to store the plants and to hold drying equipment that will process the fresh plants. Once they are dried, the plants will be stored until third-party partners acquire them for further processing. MCOA anticipates that the facility may also become a distribution center once the necessary licenses for shipping finished hemp CBD products have been obtained.

The partners announced in May that they had hired full-time project agrologist and field manager Joan Parker-Duivenvoorden to oversee the project and serve in a training and advisory capacity for the pool of farmers growing the crop, which is expected to increase from four to at least 50 in the coming years (http://ibn.fm/S9MRf).

The partners are simultaneously developing the Scio, Oregon, hemp cultivation project, with its higher-yielding cultivars on 35 acres, with five greenhouses providing additional support for indoor growing as the companies strive to make the farm operational year-round. A year-round farming project would provide a steady stream of revenue that’s not subject to the seasonal fluctuations of outdoor hemp cultivation. The company said that it expected to have four of the greenhouses being installed by the end of May, which would total 19,296 square feet of active indoor cultivation space between them (http://ibn.fm/zocuY).

While cannabis byproducts generally remain illegal nationally in the United States, a majority of the states’ lawmakers have granted varying degrees of legal recognition, and an updated Hemp Farming Act that would remove non-intoxicating hemp from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s listing of controlled substances is gaining a growing list of congressional sponsors — nearing a potential majority in the Senate, at least (http://ibn.fm/xCU6p).

“Garden operations are well underway at the farm. … In order to maximize planting density, an additional 20,000 high yielding CBD hemp clones are being purchased and will be delivered before the end of May to meet the targeted planting schedule of early June,” a May 15 news release stated (http://ibn.fm/nnqzS).

Research analyst company Hemp Business Journal expects the CBD market to reach $2.1 billion in the next few years, but hemp is a versatile plant with numerous potential uses benefitting the paper, textiles, rope and building materials markets. The Hemp Industries Association reported the yearly revenue from hemp products in 2016, before legalization efforts gained steam, at $573 million in the United States alone (http://ibn.fm/xkrXN), including retail and manufacturing goods as well as CBD wellness products.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com

• Helium demand is on the rise, placing pure-play helium producers in enviable position
• Company strategically positioned to bridge the helium supply gap
• Chairman David Sidoo is a key player in the company’s success, with a wealth of experience and a personal dedication to making the world a better place

The world is experiencing a helium supply shortage, and it is in need of pure-play helium producers. Medical industries need this critical component for cryogenics in MRI machines, and tech companies like Google and Netflix are integrating the resource into their own key initiatives. American Helium Inc. (TSX.V: AHE) (OTCQB: AHELF) is a junior energy company specializing in exploring for and developing helium assets in the United States. Led by Chairman David Sidoo, the company is working hard to fill the gap between supply and demand in the helium industry. Global demand for helium has risen by 10 percent per year over the past decade. The current supply of 5.4 billion cubic feet does not reach the eight billion cubic feet demand. If this trend continues, it is projected that the value of the helium market could exceed $1.5 billion by 2020 (http://ibn.fm/Xg8Cf). For companies like AHELF, this is good news.

American Helium is positioned to bridge the supply gap with its estimated 7.85 billion square feet of helium reserves in Utah. “The U.S. remains the heaviest user of helium worldwide and the incentives to discover new domestic helium reserves remain strong” Chairman David Sidoo, a 20-year veteran in the oil and gas industry and founding shareholder of American Oil & Gas Inc., stated in a news release.

David Sidoo brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company. He is based in Vancouver, where he oversees a successful private investment banking and financial management firm. Sidoo was ranked in the top five nationally during his time as partner and advisory board member at Yorkton Securities, and he was voted one of the top 100 South Asians making a difference in British Columbia.

Sidoo is a rags-to-riches story that began in a large family and a tough neighborhood in New Westminster. He played football at the University of British Columbia while working two part time jobs to afford school when his father died suddenly of a heart attack. The coaches wouldn’t let him leave. With their help, David was able to secure scholarships and get a better job before graduating with a BA in physical education and a minor in business. He became the captain of UBC’s first ever football national championship team. After graduating from UBC, he became the first Indo-Canadian drafted into the Canadian Football League, where he played five seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and a short stint with the BC Lions.

He redirected that fame and drive into a successful career as an entrepreneur. Sidoo is now using that success to give back to his community in big ways (http://ibn.fm/QAElw). He was awarded the 2016 Order of British Columbia for his ability to use his talents toward making a difference in Canada and around the world. He was also presented the prestigious WAC Bennet Award from the BC Sports Hall of Fame for his commitment to giving back. That same dedication and passion that he directs into his community is also directed into the advancement and success of American Helium Inc.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Amerihelium.com

• Electric buses predicted to overtake electric cars in popularity, reaching over 80 percent market share
• Demand for lithium is surging and is set to grow further
• Irgon Lithium Mine in Manitoba closed half a century ago when lithium prices were low

As the electric vehicle market sparks a worldwide scramble for lithium, QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (OTC: QMCQF) (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) is optimistic about the potentially large resources to which it holds access.

The British Columbia-based company is exploring the reserves at its Irgon Lithium Mine Project in Manitoba, a mine that was mothballed by previous owners despite its estimated 1.2 million tons of lithium oxide, since the very low lithium price at the time ($11-12/short ton in 1955) meant that the project was not an attractive investment. Over half a century later, the mine’s prospects couldn’t be any more different. Rising demand for lithium has raised the potential for QMC’s Irgon Lithium Mine to be a lucrative project.

The International Energy Agency reported in May that there are now over three million electric vehicles on the road, and the number is predicted to grow exponentially (http://ibn.fm/Ywxx6). In addition, industry experts believe that the use of electric buses will overtake even the high-predicted numbers of electric cars. Bloomberg New Energy Finance reports that, by 2030, 84 percent of buses worldwide will be electric, as compared with 28 percent of cars (http://ibn.fm/cdAGI). Additionally, Bloomberg analysts expect electric vehicles to account for 55 percent of the overall light-duty vehicle sales in 2040 and represent 33 percent of the total car fleet worldwide.

These predictions point to an all-but-guaranteed market for lithium, a key component of the batteries that power electric vehicles. Lithium prices have tripled over the last three years, and they are expected to triple again within the next decade. The development and uptake of electric vehicles is driving this surging price trajectory, and the global hunt is on to find commercially viable, high-grade lithium (http://ibn.fm/MrtFx).

In addition to its growing use in batteries, lithium is widely used in the production of glass and ceramics, lubricating grease and rocket propellants. Lithium has also been used for many years as a component in medicines to treat a number of illnesses, including bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, anorexia and bulimia.

A significant amount of preparatory work was carried out at QMC’s Irgon Lithium Mine in the 1950s. The previous owners, Lithium Corporation of Canada Limited, analyzed samples and estimated that the site has about 1.2 million tons of lithium oxide. QMC views this as a historic, non-NI43-101 compliant resource, and the company is currently in the process of bringing into compliance with current NI43-101 standards. QMC’s plans include continued exploration in order to give a fresh estimate of the resources, based on these current standards. The Irgon Lithium Mine is located in Manitoba in a well-established and productive mining region, which has the necessary logistics and infrastructure in place to facilitate the exploitation of lithium and other precious metal resources.

In addition to Irgon Mine, QMC is exploring other mineral deposits in its Namew Lake District project. The 57,000-acre project is in close proximity to sites that are currently producing copper, zinc, gold, silver, nickel, palladium and platinum. The Namew Lake District project is located close to good transport links and is accessible throughout the year.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.QMCMinerals.com

• QuadSight™ multi-spectral automotive vision system detects close to 100 percent of obstacles
• System uses four cameras to detect obstacles in all lighting and weather conditions
• Foresight expects QuadSight™ to be commercialized next year
• Insurance industry evidence shows that driver-assistance technology reduces vehicle crashes, injuries and deaths

With recent fatal accidents fresh in the public mind involving cars equipped with driver-assistance technology, Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX) is pressing on with a unique obstacle-detection vision system that raises the safety standard higher than ever.

In an audio press release on May 24 (http://ibn.fm/5LW5D), Foresight said that its QuadSight™ system promises key advantages over other detection systems currently at various stages of development for use in self-driving cars. In tests, QuadSight’s™ sensors achieved close to 100 percent detection of obstacles. Foresight expects to commercialize the system next year.

QuadSight™ works by using input from four cameras, two of which function on the infrared spectrum and two in visible light. The images from the cameras are then interpreted by advanced vision-processing algorithms that have been successfully used all over the world for almost 20 years by Foresight’s main shareholder, homeland security technology firm Magna BSP Ltd. This combination of infrared and visible light spectrum input means that QuadSight™ detects obstacles whatever the weather and at any time of day or night.

Quoted in the press release, Foresight CEO Haim Siboni said, “Vision is the foundation of passenger safety, and vision perfection under all weather and lighting conditions is clearly the breakthrough that vehicle makers need to build consumer confidence in order to accelerate autonomous vehicle adoption.”

With industry specialists and legislators fully expecting self-drive cars to be part of the near future of motoring (http://ibn.fm/U5fjI), Foresight has been working since 2015 to develop vision sensor technologies that will work in a timely and accurate manner.

Besides QuadSight™, the Israel-based company has also developed Eyes-On™, an advanced driver assistance technology that, in addition to detecting hazards like pedestrians, animals and other vehicles, also warns motorists when they stray out of their lanes. Foresight is also behind Eye-Net™, a cellular-based app that alerts pedestrians and vehicles of collision dangers from road users outside their field of vision, such as objects approaching around the corner.

Driver-assisted technologies have proven to drastically reduce motor vehicle accidents, deaths and injuries. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website, crash avoidance features using some of the same sensing and control technologies that underpin automation are already proving effective. Features such as automatic braking, blind spot detection, lane departure warning and electronic stability control have shown potential to prevent crashes (http://ibn.fm/g1EQQ).

Early this year, a survey by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that consumers are growing more positive toward driverless vehicles (http://ibn.fm/r2qKL). According to the AAA, this rising consumer confidence could be the result of drivers learning more about self-driving vehicle technology and themselves using driver assistance technology.

With QuadSight™, Eyes-On™ and Eye-Net™, Foresight is perfecting a highly promising line of automotive vision systems that will further increase the safety and dependability of driver assistance and automated vehicle technology, positioning the company for sustained growth as a worthwhile investment opportunity in this fast-growing market.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ForesightAuto.com

• Over the last three weeks, leaders from ETST have attended four cannabis expos in Canada and the U.S.
• Events included the Lift and Co. Expo, which is the biggest cannabis expo in Canada, as well as three cannabis expos in the U.S.
• Events increased brand awareness and new contacts within the medical and recreational cannabis industries

Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTC: ETST) is a Florida-based biotech company focused on cannabidiol (CBD), nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields, as well as medical devices and associated research and development. Over the past three weeks, ETST has been networking and spreading brand awareness across four cannabis expos held in Canada and the United States, including the Toronto Lift & Co. Expo, CannXperience, the Florida Medical Cannabis Conference & Exhibition and the Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo. These events have allowed them to meet leaders in the medical and recreational cannabis industries, along with visionary lenders who are active in financing cannabis industry growth.

The Lift & Co. Expos in Toronto and Vancouver are must-attend events for anyone working in cannabis, or looking to get involved in the space. It is Canada’s biggest event for cannabis consumers, industry professionals, investors and media. ETST CEO and CSO Dr. Michel Aubé attended this premier event and had the opportunity to network with key individuals in the industry, making important contacts that he plans to pursue in the coming months.

ETST president and Director Nickolas S. Tabraue attended the Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo. The company sponsored this national level business-to-business cannabis event to help spread brand awareness. Closer to home, the company sponsored and attended CannXperience and the Florida Medical Cannabis Conference & Exhibition. Both involved Florida’s medical cannabis industry. COO Gagan Hunter attended both events, manning the company-sponsored booth, handing out samples and information and representing ETST in a 15-minute speech presentation. During his time, Hunter was able to connect with doctors, potential investors and synergistic companies.

Overall, the Canada and U.S. expos were positive experiences providing increased brand awareness and offering an opportunity to learn more about the industry and meet additional leaders in the cannabis industry. “Thanks to our passionate and like-minded team, we are now able to participate in beneficial cannabis industry events to spread awareness and network,” Tabraue said in a news release. “A lot was achieved by sponsoring and attending the four events during the past three weeks, leaving a strong footprint in the cannabis industry. We look forward on attending more events to come and sharing many exciting updates very soon.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EarthScienceTech.com

• Petroteq set to begin production in weeks, reaching 1,000 barrels per day in Utah in the third quarter of this year
• Utah mineral lease expected to yield about 86 million barrels of oil equivalent over its lifetime
• Company president foresees significant profit pathway as oil costs approach $80 per barrel

Oil and gas industry technology developer Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTCQX: PQEFF) is fueling rising expectations regarding its resource potential as its oil sands extraction project in Utah continues to evolve.

Petroteq announced at the beginning of the month that it is on track to initiate operations prior to the end of the second quarter of 2018, and the full financial benefit of 1000 bbl/d production is on track to be realized in the second half of 2018.  The company has been testing its extraction process to increase North American production on a 3,000-acre bituminous mineral lease that’s expected to yield about 86 million barrels of oil equivalent.

“Petroteq’s project is going exceedingly well, notwithstanding minor logistical issues have created a slight schedule push the facility should be in full commissioning and start-up operations in the second and third week of June,” Petroteq CEO David Sealock stated in a news release about the process (http://ibn.fm/f8J62). “This is a momentous event in the evolution of Petroteq as a Company. I am also extremely pleased with the vendor partnerships Petroteq has with the oil field construction and service companies we have on site, and their efforts are greatly appreciated.  The pre-operations site inspection by the Utah Division of Oil, Gas & Mining was extremely helpful, and the knowledge and acumen of the inspection team provided some tangible benefits to our current and future operations.”

Petroteq has been developing its United States and Canada-patented technology at the Asphalt Ridge site with the aim of finalizing a process that boosts North American oil production through the distillation of oil-rich sands. The emphasis on environmental impact has created a process that is cost effective, produces no greenhouse gases and leaves no waste once the “cleaned up” sands are returned to the ground and the proprietary solvent solution involved in the extraction is recycled. Utah contains about 55 percent of the total oil sands deposits in America, and Petroteq plans to add to its Asphalt Ridge operation with construction of a new plant on its Temple Mountain lease next year.

While commercial production will initially begin with 1,000 barrels of oil per day, the company has a goal of 3,000 barrels per day by 2020. President R. Gerald Bailey told Fox Business that he anticipates the current trend in rising petroleum prices could lead to $80 per barrel figures this year and perhaps reach $100 per barrel in the near future, allowing the company to deliver a significant profit from its $25 – $30 per barrel reclamation process (http://ibn.fm/MLKsF). “It’ll make money and it’s good for the country,” Bailey said in the inteview.

Petroteq is completing the final stages of facility construction activities at Asphalt Ridge, and it is completing the final topography survey and mining plan for the mining site operations. It is also preparing its operations and mining teams to receive all required certifications and training, as the handoff of equipment processes to the commissioning and start-up team takes place.

The company also has a joint venture with Recruiter.com and Oilprice.com to provide job placement and industry career services that focus on the increasingly specialized needs of the energy sector, and the company has a minority stake in exploration for heavy oil reserves in southwest Texas through Accord GR Energy Inc.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Petroteq.energy

• Automakers signing deals to secure future lithium supply
• At present, most lithium comes from costly “hard rock” sources
• Lithium Chile offers low cost output from salars and lagunas
• Company holds largest privately owned lithium claims in Chile

As the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to expand, battery manufacturers and automakers are attempting to assuage their anxiety about future supplies of lithium by signing long-term contracts. In June, Tesla declared that it had struck a deal with Kidman Resources of Australia. Meanwhile, Volkswagen already has agreements in place, to the tune of 40 billion euros ($48 billion), to purchase lithium batteries. However, the lithium referenced in these contracts is still buried in the ground or swimming in salars, and it won’t be available for many, many months. Kidman, for one, does not expect its processing plant to come on line until 2021. The concerns about future supply are likely to spark similar deals, driving nervous suitors to court lithium miners. If so, Lithium Chile Inc. (TSX.V: LITH) (OTC: LTMCF) stands ready. The company’s properties, ranging over 152,900 hectares, are the largest privately owned lithium claims in Chile. Remarkably, although acquired at low cost (0.2% of current market prices), they have proven to be of high quality (1,000 mg/liter), a combination that is likely to attract many overtures.

There’s no doubt that the dearth of lithium stock is causing concern. Tesla’s deal, ‘which is for an initial three-year term on a “fixed-price take-or-pay basis” from the first product delivery, features two three-year term options’ (http://ibn.fm/UEgyx). The poster child of the EV industry is making sure that planned production of 5,000 vehicles a week does not stall for want of lithium. Volkswagen’s angst is on a much larger scale. Every week, the German giant makes about twice as many cars as Tesla does in a year, which is why it has spent 40 billion euros ($48 billion), most of it within the last year, on supply contracts. In 2017, German automaker announced plans ‘to spend up to 70 billion euros (~$84 billion USD) in order to bring 300 electric vehicle models to market by 2030… most of the investment 50 billion euros (~$60 billion) will be in battery production’ (http://ibn.fm/HavvK). These developments show that reports of a lithium oversupply, a la Morgan Stanley, appear to have been greatly exaggerated, and, as the Tesla deal indicates, agreements may be signed far in advance of initial production dates.

Despite Australia’s dominance as a producer, there’s no better place than Chile for lithium production. Australian lithium is mined from ‘hard rock’ spodumene by a process than is about three times as costly as Chilean production from salars. Brine production costs in Chile are about $1,500-$1,800 per ton, while hard rock mining costs $5,000 per ton. Adding to this general cost advantage is one that is peculiar to Lithium Chile. The company was able to acquire its claims at very low cost before interest in lithium intensified. Acquisition price averaged $3 per hectare, a steal of a deal compared to current prices of $1,500 per hectare. Lithium Chile now has the largest land package, extending over about 140,000 hectares (540 square miles), acquired at very low cost, of any private lithium miner.

Lithium Chile’s claims extend over 14 salars (mineral salt flats), as well as one laguna complex (inland salt lakes). Its portfolio includes 66 square kilometers (25.5 square miles) on Chile’s largest mineral salt flat, the Salar de Atacama, which has some of the world’s highest concentrations of lithium brines. At present, Lithium Chile is focused on its projects at Atacama, Coipasa, Helados, Ollague Turi and Talar, because they promise ease of recovery, as well as high-grade salts. At the 2,200 hectare Ollague, for example, the water table is just 40-50 cm deep, and samples of 1,400 mg per liter of lithium have been obtained. Overall, the company is getting some of the highest sample grades recorded in Chile, with grades of 1,000 mg per liter of lithium reported consistently.  This compares very favorably with production grade lithium in the U.S., which is typically just 190-200 mg per liter of lithium.

Lithium Chile is now quoted on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol LTMCF. Being listed on the OTCQB gives Lithium Chile access to a diverse network of broker dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. In addition, the company has been made eligible for Depository Trust Company electronic settlement and transfer of its common shares in the United States.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ibn.fm/LTMCF

CryptoCurrencyWire (“CCW”) today announces its official launch of www.CryptoCurrencyWire.com, a specialized information service delivering comprehensive corporate communications solutions to the multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency space and its nascent brand holders.

As a unique financial news and content distribution syndicate, CCW employs a powerful combination of decades-long expertise in media relations, market know-how, and an unmatched ability to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CCW provides the corporate communications solutions needed to demystify today’s fast-moving global cryptocurrency market and deliver unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness to its clients.

The Team behind CCW has helped hundreds of public companies, start-ups, family businesses, private firms and pre-IPO companies find their voice and build the type of market buzz that matters. CCW leverages this team of professionals to distribute and optimize social media campaigns, raise brand awareness, disseminate news to a network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets, and provide press release enhancement and general communications support.

To view CCW’s full list of Corporate Solutions, visit: http://CCW.fm/Solutions

The global cryptocurrency market continues to fluctuate as market dynamics evolve. CCW’s mission is to utilize its innovative communications model to deliver optimal visibility, recognition, and content for every segment of the crypto space, triggering interest and building brand loyalty.

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CCW is the Official NewsWire and Media Sponsor for the Blockchain World Conference taking place in Atlantic City, New Jersey, July 11 – 13. To save 10% on any ticket, including VIP and Live Stream, visit 10% OFF Blockchain World Conference (or enter the promo code CRYPTOBWC on checkout).

• Proprietary CapitalCube AI financial portal performs more than 100 billion computations daily, translating big data into actionable information
• Comprehensive analysis generated on more than 50,000 globally-listed stocks and ETFs
• On-demand research, evaluations, real-time fintech tools provide investors with powerful ally
• Revenue for global big data market projected to grow from $42 billion in 2018 to $84 billion by 2024

Artificial intelligence company AnalytixInsight Inc.’s (TSX.V: ALY) (OTCQB: ATIXF) proprietary machine-learning financial portal, CapitalCube.com, generates narratives, develops in-depth predictive analytics and transforms real-time data into actionable knowledge for investors. As the flagship product of AnalytixInsight, CapitalCube utilizes artificial intelligence with a strategic eye on more than 50,000 globally listed stocks and North American ETFs (exchange-traded funds), producing 100 billion daily computations. CapitalCube’s online portal is designed to empower investment ideas by providing deep analysis dedicated to improving risk balance in a rapidly evolving world that is increasingly dependent on big data and business analytics (http://ibn.fm/TqJIR).

CapitalCube’s strategic initiatives include peer-to-peer group analysis, natural language reports that generate numerical data into more than 3,000 daily articles and predictive analytics and forecasting. CapitalCube’s AI platform delivers a unique performance scoring system for fundamentals, earnings and dividends, with forecasts that predict the likelihood of dividend action through a 10-point condition test. The probability of a share buyback is similarly analyzed and forecast, along with an analytical review of a company’s ability to either make acquisitions or be acquired within its peer group.

Investors wanting to make the most of their money will find additional merit in CapitalCube’s recently added ability to generate numerical narratives based on a companies’ working capital, as well as enterprise value. Shrinking working capital is certainly something an investor wants to keep an eye on while tracking a company’s current total worth in the marketplace, while determining a company’s enterprise value can signal a theoretical purchase price that’s worth noting. CapitalCube’s AI-based analysis platform allows investors to maintain their desired risk profile based on real-time data and personal portfolio analysis (http://ibn.fm/8Ncbv).

As a developer of an AI-based fintech platform, AnalytixInsight licenses its proprietary solutions with leading financial news agencies, web portals and stock exchanges. Content providers include Euronext NV, The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, Africa Investor and a recently signed distribution agreement with Thomson Reuters (TSX: TRI) (NYSE: TRI). The agreement provides Thomson Reuters with a license to distribute financial research reports created by AnalytixInsight’s artificial intelligence platform to customers on its financial desktop applications, Eikon and Thomson One (http://ibn.fm/baZ0x). The agreement allows Thomson Reuters to offer unique AI-based financial research and increased content coverage of publicly traded issuers. As part of the agreement, Thomson Reuters will also supply financial data to AnalytixInsight and distribute content generated by AnalytixInsight’s machine-learning platform to both clients and third parties.

An increasing interest in AI platforms that are able to deep dive into the vast amounts of data generated in the world’s fintech markets illustrates the significance of CapitalCube as an AI-driven, fintech research and content platform for serious investors. Worldwide revenues for big data and business analytics are expected to double from $42 billion in 2018 to $84 billion by 2024, according to a report from Statista on the global big data industry (http://ibn.fm/xJbIG).

AnalytixInsight’s sophisticated, proprietary artificial intelligence machine-learning platform turns big data into useful information designed for maximum performance. The company’s technology is scalable and applicable to virtually any data-driven industry burdened with big numbers, overwhelming amounts of data and the need for intelligent solutions.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.AnalytixInsight.com

• Virtual Crypto Technologies signs agreement with first commercial customer
• Company’s NetoBit Pay allows instantaneous cryptocurrency payments
• Israel-based Lincoln Billiards believes that cryptocurrency payments will give it an edge in entertainment industry

Virtual Crypto Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP), a company established to bring cryptocurrency transactions into the mainstream, has signed a deal that will allow Lincoln Billiards, Israel’s leading billiards club, to accept payments in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies (http://ibn.fm/GmX07). This is the first commercial contract for Virtual Crypto, whose goal is to make cryptocurrencies more available to the public by combining application programming interfaces (API) and mobile applications to develop payment solutions that can be used in ATMs, PCs, tablets and other handheld devices.

Cryptocurrency transactions typically take from 10 minutes to 24 hours to confirm, which is a major drawback for consumers who want to use them in mainstream sales operations, since exchange rates will change over the course of a long transaction period. With Virtual Crypto’s proprietary NetoBit Pay technology, users can complete their cryptocurrency deals without waiting for the final confirmation from the blockchain, decreasing checkout time to seconds. NetoBit Pay clients/operators are able to immediately and securely, through user-friendly platforms, receive payments without being exposed to price fluctuations in the cryptocurrency market. NetoBit Pay provides the best exchange rate through simultaneous comparison of multiple crypto exchanges, enabling the best sale price at point of trade and resolving one of cryptocurrency’s main hurdles.

In addition, there is a distinct advantage for businesses using NetoBit Pay as a platform to receive crypto payments: Netobit Pay businesses will receive access to a client management system (back-office) that provides wide options to oversee and manage incomes and offers exportable financial reporting detailing trades, plus a notification and alert mechanism.

Virtual Crypto’s groundbreaking new agreement will start with cryptocurrency being accepted in one of Lincoln Billiard’s six venues in Israel. Following this initial phase, Virtual Crypto will roll out its payment system into the remaining billiard locations.

In a news release, Alon Dayan, CEO of Virtual Crypto Technologies Ltd., said, “This is an important milestone for the company. To date, we have been working primarily with cryptocurrency service providers and industry insiders, but this is our first foray into the commercial sector. Lincoln Billiards is a very popular venue across Israel, and this agreement gives us direct contact with a receptive, tech-savvy consumer group. We look forward to introducing them to the benefits of cryptocurrency.”

A representative of Lincoln Billiards said that accepting transactions in cryptocurrency would give their venues the edge in a very competitive entertainment market. “While we are by far the largest billiards club operator in the country, we are competing with other entertainment options. As a result, we are always looking for ways to make it easy for our customers to enjoy their experience with us. The ability to accept cryptocurrency is something we have been toying with for some time, and Virtual Crypto’s platform allows us to do that without exposing ourselves to the exchange rate volatility and related financial risk associated with other unsecured systems. I expect this capability will be very attractive to many of our customers.”

Industry analysts expect the cryptocurrency ATM market to exceed $285 million in less than a decade (http://ibn.fm/4ljcO). Virtual Crypto’s innovations in two-way transactions represent a major advance in making cryptocurrency accessible to the mainstream market.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Virtual-Crypto.com