• Gerald Bailey says events in Middle East and Venezuela may push oil prices higher
• Two years ago, Bailey accurately predicted the start of an upward oil price trend
• Petroteq’s unique technology can extract oil from sand at a cost of $25 per barrel

The director and president of Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTCQX: PQEFF) has said that oil prices could reach $80 per barrel this year and rise further up to $100 in the near future. Dr. R. Gerald Bailey was appearing in an interview with Fox Business on May 23, two years after he made another prediction of oil price trends, which proved to be accurate (http://ibn.fm/YUqri).

Bailey told Stuart Varney on Varney & Co. that prices could reach $80 a barrel this year and go higher still. “Let’s not frighten people and think it’s going to be $100, but don’t be surprised. It reached that two and a half, three years ago, so it’s not out of the picture,” he said.

With over 50 years in the industry, Bailey bases his analysis on the political climate in key oil-producing regions. “My case is the volatility is so crazy in the oil business. It’s typically now in the oil casino, you might say. And there’s so many geo-political things going on, happening in the world… Iran, Venezuela, and then the Middle East is always bubbling as usual.” Trouble in the Middle East or a disruption in the oil supply from Venezuela might send prices soaring even higher, Bailey said.

As a guest on the same television program two years ago, Bailey made what turned out to be an accurate forecast of oil prices. Speaking about that prediction, he said, “You know, I was on your show two years ago and I called the bottom that day at $29. And you asked me, ‘How do you know this?’ I said, ‘I’ve been in this business a long time.’ I walked out of your studio that day and prices have been going up ever since.”

With oil prices at their highest level in four years and still rising, Bailey said that Petroteq will be another source of energy for the country. The company’s environmentally-friendly oil extraction technology can reclaim oil from sand at a cost of about $25 per barrel, he said, which means that Petroteq’s process will remain profitable, even when oil prices go down. “It’ll make money and it’s good for the country,” he said.

The Petroteq president also spoke of the company’s heavy oil extraction plant in Asphalt Ridge, Utah, where it holds a mineral lease that covers more than 3,000 acres with oil sands reserves estimated at 87 million barrels of oil equivalent. Petroteq has recently expanded the production capacity of its plant from 250 to 1,000 barrels per day and has the capability to further increase the capacity in the future. Utah contains about 55 percent of the total oil sand deposits in the U.S., which hold an oil resource of over 30 billion barrels.

Unlike other extraction technologies, Bailey said, Petroteq’s methods will not leave behind the tailing ponds that blight other oil sand extraction sites. “It’s not this stuff like in Canada that gives you a lot of water sludge and terrible tailing ponds. Ours is a waterless, environmentally-friendly process.” He added, “We will take the sand, treat it with our secret sauce, clean it up, put it back on the ground and, as I say, you could grow tomatoes in it when you’re finished.”

Petroteq’s proprietary solution is cost effective, produces no greenhouse gases, leaves no waste and provides significantly better economies of scale through modular expansion. The company’s oil sands extraction technology has been so far awarded two patents in the United States and Canada.

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

• Stock split, CSE listing show evidence of company’s shareholder commitment
• PreveCeutical balancing need for unique profit-building intellectual property with mission to offer affordable products to patients
• Manufacturer agreement, licensed shipments advance CBD therapy research
• Alternative medicines market valued at more than $40 billion

PreveCeutical Medical Inc.’s (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H) dedication to developing preventative medical therapies based on the identified health benefits of natural substances in controllable formulations that are both affordable to consumers and potentially profitable to investors is on display in the company’s recent shareholder-approved forward stock split and the opening of trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

PreveCeutical’s shares began trading on the CSE on an “ex-distribution” basis on May 23 (http://ibn.fm/4uVIu), the day before the recording date for the stock split, which was set at a five new common shares for each one existing common share basis (http://ibn.fm/2bYA7).

“We believe the Stock Split demonstrates the Company’s continued commitment to broaden its shareholder base and we anticipate that the Stock Split will make PreveCeutical’s securities more accessible to investors and enhance liquidity for shareholders,” CEO, president and board Chairman Stephen Van Deventer stated in announcing the dates.

PreveCeutical has five research and development programs under way to target type 2 diabetes and obesity, pain relief in a non-addicting manner, mild traumatic brain injury in athletes, cancer and various other ailments. PreveCeutical also sells CELLB9®, an Immune System Booster. CELLB9® is an oral solution containing polarized and potentiated essential minerals extracted from a novel peptide obtained from Caribbean Blue Scorpion venom.  This product is available on the company’s website (www.CELLB9.com).

“When we’ve developed proof-of-concept on any of these projects, we intend to partner with other companies who will fund clinical trials,” Van Deventer said in a May interview with Financial Post (http://ibn.fm/ntpDx).

Chief Research Officer Dr. Harry Parekh, who leads the drug/gene delivery group at PreveCeutical’s University of Queensland’s research partner Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (“PACE”), who developed the Sol-gel drug delivery mechanism employed by PreveCeutical as well as the technology that stabilizes molecules to make them viable as the company’s therapeutic products. Sol-gel refers to a water-soluble gel formulation that can be used to transport a drug into the body via the nasal cavity, for example, where it is expected to gain direct access to the brain and thus enhance its effectiveness.

“I’ve been courted by a number of entities to work on research projects in relation to my platforms and it’s fair to say that big pharma is not a good match for me,” Parekh told Financial Post, adding that PreveCeutical proved to be a good partner for him because “they understood my mission to translate technologies to medications in a moral and ethical fashion, with the goal of drastically reducing costs for end users … (while recognizing) the fundamental necessity of developing exploitable IP,” or intellectual property, for the benefit of investors.

One of PreveCeutical’s key efforts is to use Sol-gel to make cannabidiol (CBD) optimally bioavailable to patients dealing with pain, inflammation, seizures and neurological issues such as anxiety. CBD is a non-psychoactive product of the cannabis plant gaining wide use as a food additive in homeopathic consumables, but the Sol-gel formulation would allow the CBD to get to work without having to run through the potentially destructive gauntlet of the digestive system’s organs. PreveCeutical recently announced a non-disclosure agreement with a leading drug delivery device manufacturer to work with the Sol-gels (http://ibn.fm/XtOzt), as well as the second successful licensed international transport of dried cannabis materials for the PACE center’s research on the Sol-gels (http://ibn.fm/an4A0).

Grandview Research found that the market for alternative medicines was valued at $40.3 billion at the time of its study three years ago. The report found that 60 percent of the world’s population uses some type of traditional or non-conventional medicine, and a separate report by The National Center for Disease Control found that 20 percent of the United States’ population uses alternative therapies, as noted in a Crystal Equity Research Report on PreveCeutical (http://ibn.fm/3khou).

Crystal Equity’s report concluded that, “We expect 2018 will be a significant year for PreveCeutical Medical with numerous value-driving catalysts unfolding.”

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

• Montenegro’s statistical office notes that the total number of foreign visitors in 2017 rose 19.2 percent, with seaside resorts attracting 54.8 percent of all overnight stays in December
• Housing prices in Balkan nation ticked upward by 8.59 percent during 2017
• Montenegro’s growing, open market economy and multicultural population draws adventure seekers from around the world
• American-Swiss negotiating purchase of beachfront properties in popular tourist destination

As an early-mover investor in the Montenegrin real estate market, American-Swiss Capital, Inc. is smartly focused on a trend in global travel as tourism blossoms in the sovereign state’s resort towns along the Adriatic seaside coastline. Known for its rich array of attractions and natural beauty, Montenegro joined NATO in June 2017 and has been using the euro since 2002, even though it is not yet a formal partner in the eurozone. The European Commission has indicated that Montenegro could join the EU in 2025, which the country’s diplomats and leaders are backing in a flurry of activity (http://ibn.fm/GH9rr).

American-Swiss Capital, a privately owned development stage company with headquarters in Miami, Florida, is targeting real estate developments in Montenegro along several fronts, with properties capable of providing a high ROI. Topping the undervalued real estate investment chart is an 18-unit beachfront apartment development (http://ibn.fm/6RMxu). American-Swiss is presently in negotiations to purchase the property, which is situated in the beautiful Boka Bay community of Tivat – an extremely popular tourism destination. The property has been valued at $4.5 million, however American-Swiss and its highly skilled management team is negotiating for a $2 million price tag. Apartment unit sizes vary from 60-160 square meters, and the property itself boasts a private beach with a fixed pontoon boat berth close to the full-service marina of Porto Montenegro.

A second, very favorable yet undervalued development project is a 36,000 square meter section of land located in the famous, UNESCO-protected Bay of Kotor, about 6.2 kilometers from Porto Montenegro. Lonely Planet describes the Bay of Kotor as “breathtaking, majestic, divine,” and a slice of earth that defies geographic description (http://ibn.fm/WWuxH). The company’s vision for this location includes building a gated community with 30 villas, each measuring about 360 square meters (or about 3,875 square feet). Total cost of this project is estimated at around $9.3 million, which American-Swiss states could be funded by presales and debt financing.

The total number of tourists who visited Montenegro in 2017 rose 19.2 percent to 843,609, according to the country’s statistical office (http://ibn.fm/v8zbP). Seaside resorts attracted 54.8 percent of all overnight stays in December 2017, followed by the country’s capital, Podgorica, with 23 percent. Tourism accounts for roughly 20 percent of the Balkan nation’s gross domestic product, bringing in nearly three times as many visitors as the country’s total population every year, an article in the Washington Diplomat states (http://ibn.fm/w1ZSK).

American-Swiss Capital originated in 2015 with the mission of serving as a conduit between the U.S. equity markets and leading enterprises in Switzerland and Northern Europe. American-Swiss Capital’s experienced management team possesses the knowledge and skills required to consistently provide accurate and reliable research specifically designed to identify the safest and most profitable investment opportunities.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.AS-Capital.com

• Most internet connections are made by mobile
• Despite smartphone capability, mobile marketing is limited by diversity of options
• Universal Mobile Interface™ can reach wide consumer base by integrating diverse systems

Smart as they are, smartphones do not always deliver the same satisfying user experience one gets with a desktop. Limitations of size means that their screens are small, and, since the keypad in some models may escape detection by anyone with hyperopia, it’s fortunate that most users not only do not suffer from that affliction but are blessed with opposable thumbs that they can deploy to dispatch text. In addition, there are so many different mobile operating systems that it’s difficult to connect one smartphone to another for anything more than phone calls or texts. Yet, smartphones dominate the digital domain and are likely to continue doing so. However, Consorteum Holdings (OTC: CSRH) is aiming to bridge the mobile divide. The company’s Universal Mobile Interface™ (“UMI”) technology will allow it to jointly develop internal and third party solutions for a broad range of vertical markets. The Consorteum UMI may be just the technology to unlock the potential of mobile marketing.

Mobile phones have undergone rapid development in the age of the internet. They’re smarter and more powerful, able to take pictures, create videos and link to GPS systems to help you find your way in the world. However, although a contemporary smartphone has more capability than the Voyager I spacecraft launched in 1977, its use as a marketing channel appears to be defying exploitation.

Initially, of course, mobile phones were connected to a cellular network rather than the internet, which was itself in the formative stages of development. Early connection to the internet was made by hardwire dial-up. Now, most phones are able to connect to the internet and transfer data under various data plans, which is why, perhaps, mobile makes up 51.2 percent (April 2018) of internet connections, with desktop lagging far behind at 44.66 percent (http://ibn.fm/KwUl7).

However, marketers must master a daunting array of models and configurations to target consumers through mobile marketing, even though there are just two main operating systems. In April, iOS held a 19.23 percent market share, while Android had 75.66 percent of the market (http://ibn.fm/CM1l7). The UMI may be the platform to link those diverse configurations.

Developed by Consorteum subsidiary 359 Mobile Inc., the UMI is a state-of-the-art platform for integrating any stream of data onto a mobile platform. The technology has the capacity to provide solutions in fintech, data analytics, secure payment processing, compliance lead transaction management and various digital social event sectors. The UMI platform also allows cross operating system development to support all mobile devices while addressing the complex and highly regulated needs of the mobile fintech industry. 359 Mobile Inc. plans to use the UMI platform to provide a more satisfying user experience for the millions who use smartphones at work and in play.

The development team at 359 Mobile has created an end-to-end fintech solution using the UMI technology platform to overcome the poor mobile application and transaction solutions currently experienced by users. Consorteum believes that 359 Mobile’s innovative development initiatives will present opportunities for other partnerships and joint ventures in many different market sectors in the future.

The company is currently focused on developing and delivering fintech solutions to the mobile gaming industry. The company believes that there will be new opportunities in the gaming sector to provide mobile marketing services to consumers, real-time services to mobile sports book operators, fixed-odds betting solutions and social-based transactions.

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

• Increased EV production is driving development of battery technologies
• LMD batteries deliver high power output, thermal stability and enhanced safety
• Extensive manganese assets in Brazil and Zambia at easily accessible depths

Driven by increasing production of electric vehicles (EVs), demand for the metals used in the manufacture of EV batteries has risen, and so has their prices. Analysts at Morgan Stanley expect ‘lithium prices to peak at around $13,000 a ton this year’, according to a report by Business Insider, and the price of cobalt, currently $91,000 per tonne (metric ton), has risen over 70 percent in the past year (http://ibn.fm/0UeQ0). Yet the price of manganese seems unable to cross the $2,120 per tonne mark, where it has floundered since 2013 (http://ibn.fm/mAjHZ). That is likely to change soon, a development upon which Maxtech Ventures Inc. (OTC: MTEHF) (CSE: MVT) (FRANKFURT: M1N) is betting. As battery manufacturers turn to lithiated manganese dioxide (LMD) batteries, the junior exploration company continues to advance work on several high-grade manganese projects. It recently announced plans to form a joint venture with Andorra Participacoes e Empredimentos Ltda to explore 40,000 hectares in the State of Pará, Brazil.

The use of manganese in batteries predates the proliferation of lithium technologies. It is used extensively in the form of electrolytic manganese (EMD) as the cathode for batteries, with higher-grade EMD being employed in AA and AAA batteries and lower quality used to make C and D batteries. Although practically no EMD is produced in North America, the region uses about half of global production.

Industry analysts at Grandview have estimated that global demand for EMD will continue to grow at a CAGR of 4.9 percent until 2022, driven by continued demand for alkaline batteries and increased adoption of LMD batteries. LMD batteries, which typically use a mix of four percent lithium, 61 percent manganese and 35 percent oxygen by atomic weight, demonstrate high power output, thermal stability and enhanced safety when compared to other lithium-ion battery technologies. Presently, LMD batteries are being used in the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, and their adoption is likely to increase. Researchers at the University of Illinois have achieved an advanced prototype battery, using LMD, which can be recharged in as little as two minutes, about the same time required to fill a gas tank.

Manganese is also an essential alloy in steel manufacture and, like iron, occurs abundantly in the Earth’s crust. Alloyed with aluminum, it appears in cans, which contain about 1.5 percent manganese. The metal also has non-metallurgical uses in electronics, as a micronutrient in fertilizers and animal feed, in water treatment and as a colorant for bricks, glass, textiles and tiles.

Maxtech plans to undertake several high-grade manganese projects in Brazil. It is aiming to become a global supplier, with customers in Europe, North America and Asia. Despite the remote location of its manganese assets in Brazil, the areas are well served by infrastructure, with, for example, several commercial river ports and roads. The company is presently focused on its claims in Juina in the state of Mato Grosso. Occurrences of manganese stretch across a belt of at least 250 kilometers between Mato Grosso and Rondonia, a neighboring state. Most of the mineralization lies close to the surface, extending to over 80 meters in depth, with reported grades reaching 54 percent or higher. Thus, most of the mining can be done using relatively inexpensive methods, including hand-dug pits, mobile auger drills and trenching.

Additionally, Maxtech recently announced that it has filed a trial mining license, or Guia application, on the Juina claim.  The company is awaiting approval to begin mining operations in Mato Grosso. The company opened a subsidiary in Zambia in April and is filing two large-scale exploration licenses in areas of manganese mineralization near 60 percent manganese. Maxtech anticipates approval of these submissions in 60 days and intends to commence operations in Zambia shortly thereafter.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Maxtech-Ventures.com

• Development of blockchain-based, supply chain management platform for oil and gas industry continues under PetroBLOQ banner
• Key markets identified for expansion plans include Russia, Ukraine and Switzerland
• Russian oil production reached 30-year high of 10.98 million barrels per day in 2017, making Russian oil and gas companies ideal candidates for PetroBLOQ technology
• Petroteq’s patent-protected clean technology for extraction of oil from sands and shale bolsters world’s green energy goals

Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTCQX: PQEFF), focused on the development and implementation of proprietary, environmentally-friendly heavy oil extraction technologies for the energy industry, intends to expand its footprint by opening PetroBLOQ marketing offices in several key strategic locations around the globe. PetroBLOQ is the company’s advanced blockchain initiative aimed at solving the global supply chain and transaction management challenges facing the oil and gas industry.

PetroBLOQ, which recently joined the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance, the world’s largest open-source blockchain initiative with over 200 members, is currently under development. A May 9 news release shows the company’s level of commitment through the opening of its PetroBLOQ Blockchain Labs in California (http://ibn.fm/ACyof). The company has leased purpose-built space and staffed the facility with blockchain and smart contract developers and UX/UI designers. PetroBLOQ is poised to become the first blockchain-based platform developed exclusively for the supply chain needs of the oil and gas sector.

Petroteq’s expansion of its PetroBLOQ consortium includes the previously announced addition of PEMEX, the Mexican state-owned petroleum company, and SOCAR Energy Ukraine, Ltd., a subsidiary of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic. The newly announced initiatives targeting Switzerland, Russia and Ukraine are based on a strategic analysis of the oil and gas industry’s growth in each country and the healthy interest shown by firms seeking the efficiency, transparency and decentralized technologies inherent in blockchain distributed ledger technology.

“We have been gaining traction with oil and gas related companies to our PetroBLOQ platform,” Alex Blyumkin, chairman of Petroteq’s board of directors, said in a May 14 news release (http://ibn.fm/6YQxo). “We feel that bolstering our international presence in key markets will create an advantage as we move forward with the platform’s development.”

Adding to the company’s deep background in the international oil and energy space, Petroteq recently appointed Frank Ingriselli to its advisory board. Ingriselli is a seasoned leader and entrepreneur with wide-ranging oil exploration experience in diverse geographies, business climates and political environments over the past three decades. He is the founder, president and CEO of Blackhawk Energy Ventures, a company focused on identifying and acquiring undervalued oil assets and maximizing their production and profit through the use of cost-effective, low-overhead programs aimed at bottom line profitability through operational efficiency and market responsiveness.

“We are excited to have Frank on our team,” David Sealock, CEO of Petroteq, said in announcing Ingriselli’s appointment to the board (http://ibn.fm/1sXFg). “We believe that his notable background and expertise in international oil and energy will serve as an invaluable tool for the development of our future strategy.”

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

• TGOD is one of only three of the 104 Canadian cannabis cultivators that grows organically and has received organic certification
• Strategic partnership with power company Eaton Corp. will substantially lower electricity costs and increase TGOD’s margins
• TGOD undergoing a fully funded 970,000 square foot expansion to increase its production capacity to 116,000 kg
• Company obtained Health Canada license to produce cannabis oils
• TGOD entered into exclusive licensing agreement with Colorado-based CBx Enterprises LLC

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) is setting a new standard for cannabis production. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, the company is one of only three out of 104 licensed Canadian cannabis cultivators that grow the product organically. On May 9, the company announced that it had received organic certification from Ecocert Canada, an internationally recognized world-leading organization in organic certification (http://ibn.fm/YgIiN). The result is cannabis of the highest quality that’s virtually free of pesticides and contaminants. In addition, TGOD has formed a strategic partnership with Eaton Corp. plc (NYSE: ETN), one of the largest power companies in the world, to lower electricity costs. These initiatives ensure that the company’s high-quality product demands a premium in the market, increasing its margins.

TGOD uses all natural, organic craft growing principles to cultivate synthetic pesticide-free medical cannabis. Through the deployment of its innovative technology and low-power solutions, the company is positioning itself as one of the most cost-efficient, superior-quality cannabis producers in Canada. TGOD has also formed an alliance with Hamilton Utilities Corporation in Ontario, which has resulted in a significant reduction in its power costs. The company has another larger cultivation facility planned and located in Quebec, the province with the lowest power rates in Canada.

The company’s partnership with Eaton Corp. is of tremendous benefit to both parties. By optimizing TGOD’s power costs to some of the lowest in the industry, Eaton intends to corner business in the rapidly growing cannabis market and establish itself as a leader in power management and lighting for cannabis cultivation. TGOD has also formed partnerships with Ledcor Group, one of the most respected vertically integrated construction companies in Canada, and the most technologically advanced greenhouse engineers, Larssen Ltd. This consortium will bring its world-class expertise to ensure that the company’s projects are completed on time and within budget.

The company is currently undergoing phased construction of a 970,000 square foot expansion to it greenhouse facilities in Ontario and Quebec. This will increase cannabis production to 116,000 kilograms per year. The project will be funded by a recently secured $112 million private placement, which includes a $55 million strategic investment by another established cannabis grower, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (OTCQX: ACBFF) (TSX: ACB). This partnership with Aurora will position TGOD to have some of the largest and most technically advanced production facilities in the world (http://ibn.fm/m3Nec).

The expansion to TGOD’s facility in Hamilton, Ontario, is expected to increase annual production to 14,000 kilograms by the end of 2018. This will bring the capacity of this facility up to 150,000 square feet. The company’s much larger cultivation facility on its 75-acre property in Quebec will cover 820,000 square feet when complete. Construction is currently underway, and TGOD expects it to be completed by Q2 2019.

The company also has plans to secure a share of the growing cannabis oils market and recently obtained a supplemental license from Health Canada to produce cannabis oils. The license, effective April 20, 2018, will be crucial for furthering TGOD’s research and development in the niche and for expanding its intellectual property portfolio with new, high-quality organic products, according to CEO and Co-Chairman Robert Anderson (http://ibn.fm/tf6p4).

Cannabis oil is an essential raw material for the production of several recreational market verticals, including edibles, concentrates, beverages and topicals. TGOD has commissioned a purpose-built cannabis oil extraction facility, using CO2 extraction technology. This commercial-scale extraction unit will be able to process up to 12,500 kilograms of raw material per year, which will produce high-quality organic cannabis oils.

TGOD also recently announced an exclusive licensing agreement with CBx Enterprises LLC for the licensing of the Evolab and CBx Sciences brands and proprietary technologies and formulations within Canada and other international jurisdictions outside of the United States. The CBx team brings decades of experience developing and marketing a diverse array of unique, first-to-market medical and recreational cannabis products. The licensing arrangement is expected to immediately expand The Green Organic Dutchman’s product and technology portfolio and position the company for the successful development of new products as Canadian and global product requirements and standards rapidly evolve (http://ibn.fm/eVecD).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.TGOD.ca

• Company’s new products are designed to address issues such as inflammation, joint pain, post-surgery pain and skin disorders in pets
• CBD pet market is heating up, with a growing number of cannabis companies already manufacturing products for this niche
• Pet owners spend more than $30 billion a year on supplements and other veterinary treatments, making CBD pet products a lucrative opportunity

The multiple uses of cannabidiol (CBD) for domesticated animals, especially for dogs and cats, are gaining considerable attention from both consumers and the cannabis industry as a whole, with a growing number of cannabis companies tapping into this lucrative market sector. Canadian-based biopharmaceutical company Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: PVOT) (OTCQB: PVOTF) (FRA: NPAT) already has several CBD-based pet products in development, targeting indications such as inflammation, post-surgical pain and joint pain, as well as skin disorders.

Pivot recently announced that it was accelerating development of its CBD pet product line, which will be marketed under the name ‘Pivot Naturals For Pets’ (http://ibn.fm/mNAiy). This product line will include capsules and sachets to deliver bio-available CBD, using Pivot’s proprietary and patented Ready-To-Infuse-Cannabis powder. In addition, the company is using its Thrudermic Transdermal Nanotechnology to develop and commercialize a series of CBD pet creams for topical application.

“With Pivot’s line of pet products, the pain-relieving effects of CBD can be delivered orally, topically or as an additive sprinkled on pet food. Pivot’s technologies are versatile and allow us to develop and commercialize products for both the human and veterinary markets,” Dr. Joseph Borovsky, Pivot’s executive vice president, product development, stated in a news release. He added that the company’s patented technologies will allow it to continue its innovation process to bring dozens of value-added derivatives to market in Canada, the United States and the European Union.

The Canadian cannabis market is yet to reach its full potential, with an exponential increase expected this year once the country fully legalizes cannabis. Legalization, in combination with a growing demand for CBD products for pets in both Canada and the U.S., is expected to make this investment avenue a very lucrative opportunity. According to the American Pet Products Association, pet owners in the U.S. spent more than $30 billion on supplements and other veterinary treatments in 2016. The U.S. pet medicine market alone is estimated at roughly $10.2 billion.

With several studies indicating that CBD interacts in a similar way in canines and felines, making it a viable option to address a wide range of issues such as anxiety, allergies, lack of appetite, arthritis or skin problems (http://ibn.fm/jzzFP), Pivot can successfully leverage its experience and innovative manufacturing technologies to take a leading position in the CBD pet market.

The company is already well positioned to develop industry-leading, high-quality cannabinoid-based products for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical use, through proprietary drug delivery platforms via its own medical cannabis product division, Pivot Green Stream Health Solutions (“PGS”). Responsible for the research, development and commercialization of the company’s products, PGS has acquired global rights for several patented technologies, including BiPhasix™ transdermal drug delivery, Solmic oral solubilization, Thrudermic Transdermal Nanotechnology and Ready-to-Infuse-Cannabis powder-to-oil technology. These technologies are at the foundation of the company’s pipeline of pharmaceutical products, which target different ailments and conditions ranging from cancer supportive care to glaucoma, women’s sexual desire disorder, dermatological conditions, opioid withdrawal, pain and inflammation, and many others.

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

• User-friendly app, compatible with Android and iOS, is available for download at Google Play, the Apple Store and via web browsers
• Bit4Sure offers proprietary cryptocurrency transaction confirmation solution via API for business and mobile app for consumers
• Worldwide cryptocurrency market expected to reach $84 billion by 2024
• Competitive, technological breakthrough allows consumer to work simultaneously with several crypto exchanges, receiving the best exchange rate at time of transaction

Virtual Crypto Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: VRCP) is a technology company dedicated to making cryptocurrencies accessible to the public, specifically by creating payment solutions for businesses and consumers which combine Application Programming Interfaces (“API”) and Mobile Applications for implementation across ATMs, PCs, tablets and other mobile devices. The company’s recent launch of its Bit4Sure API solution provides subscribers with direct access to Virtual Crypto’s proprietary algorithm model, giving them real-time confirmation of cryptocurrency transactions (http://ibn.fm/CX9d4).

Online trading in 2018 is swiftly moving to mobile platforms as cryptocurrency enthusiasts are seeking more options to intersect with the burgeoning crypto market, according to a review of TD Ameritrade clients. Forty percent of the company’s traders are logging in daily to a mobile platform, an article in Benzinga states (http://ibn.fm/014OF). The worldwide cryptocurrency market is poised to continue its stunning upward growth trend, moving from a $1.9 billion market in 2017 to $84 billion by 2024, according to a Wintergreen Research Inc. report (http://ibn.fm/ld3jY).

Virtual Crypto Technologies anticipates its intuitive, easy-to-use Bit4Sure API app, which is compatible with Android and iOS and available for download at Google Play, the Apple Store and online at Bit4Sure.com, will be particularly attractive to crypto exchanges, payment processors, crypto wallets and other direct crypto participants. Virtual Crypto’s Bit4Sure API solution enables subscribers to monitor the trading market of any cryptocurrency, which shields subscribers from delay, double spending and fraud by providing real-time transaction status.

Bit4Sure strengthens the incentive for businesses and consumers to make cryptocurrency trades by bridging the time gap from when a transaction is published on the bitcoin network to the moment it joins the blockchain. This nearly instantaneous process ensures that subscribers receive validation of a transaction without having to virtually “wait in line” for confirmation. The traditional crypto trade wait time of from 10 minutes to 24 hours or more is relegated to the backseat of history, as the Bit4Sure API solution essentially confirms the validity of a transaction before it reaches the blockchain for inclusion in a mined block.

“This launch is yet another step in our objective of building consumer confidence in the cryptocurrency marketplace,” Alon Dayan, co-founder and CEO of Virtual Crypto, stated in a company news release (http://ibn.fm/c5tVs). “Bit4Sure speeds up the trading process and removes much of the risk associated with autonomous transactions, providing tremendous values to businesses working to establish a presence in this burgeoning industry.”

Buyers and sellers alike have been clamoring for a more efficient and secure real-time crypto exchange solution that eliminates wait times, which can lead to higher transaction fees. Virtual Crypto’s Bit4Sure answers this call.

“Although there are more than 1,000 cryptocurrencies in the market, they’re only being used by a relatively small segment of the population. We believe this is primarily due to a lack of information about cryptocurrencies and the way they work,” Dayan added. “By providing aspiring traders a free platform where they can experiment in the crypto-market with minimal risk, we are hopeful that they will take advantage of the opportunity and discover just how easy it is.”

Virtual Crypto’s strategic vision of “Cryptocurrency Made Easy” allows crypto traders and users to overcome the complex hurdles currently hampering the cryptocurrency sphere.

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

• First Cobalt resources include large swath of under-explored Cobalt Camp land in Canada, mill and mineral extraction facility
• Addition of US Cobalt’s Idaho project creates new activation possibility for potential cobalt source
• Electric vehicle production plans drive fears of cobalt shortage among existing world suppliers

The largest cobalt explorer in North America is actively building its potential, paving the way for possible new production of the tech industry-friendly metal without the political conflicts currently plaguing its overall market. First Cobalt Corp.’s (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) bid to acquire US Cobalt, Inc. (TSX.V: USCO) (OTCQB: USCFF) gives First Cobalt an additional tool to leverage as a player in the cobalt market (http://ibn.fm/AHDpW).

First Cobalt controls 50 historic mining operations for prospecting across Canada’s renowned Cobalt Camp on over 10,000 hectares (24,710.54 acres) in Ontario. The company also owns a mill and the only permitted cobalt extraction refinery in North America capable of production of battery-grade material. The US Cobalt deal provides First Cobalt with access to US Cobalt’s Iron Creek project in Idaho, which has the potential to produce cobalt within a short period.

Cobalt is one of the critical and hard-to-find metals used in the low-heat batteries preferred by modern computer-reliant technology. Smartphones, which have become as ubiquitous as automobiles themselves, use about eight grams of refined cobalt; electric vehicles, which are gaining a demanding audience from China to Chino, California, amid concerns about petroleum product pollution, use more than 1,000 times that amount.

Further complicating the somewhat limited sources of cobalt available for use in lithium-ion batteries, about two-thirds of the entire cobalt supply worldwide flows from the Democratic Republic of the Congo — an African country criticized for allegations of political corruption and child labor violations as it exploits its rich mineral resources to obtain the profits that foreigners provide. First Cobalt’s unique positioning in the United States and Canada opens the door for a possible mineral source that’s untrammeled by the DRC’s conflict issues.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance analysts foresee electric vehicles obtaining cost parity with gasoline engine models by the middle of the next decade and accounting for a third of the global fleet by 2040. However, they noted this month that a hastening supply shortage of cobalt complicates such forecasts, because price spikes resulting from a supply imbalance could stall factors improving the affordability of lithium-ion batteries (http://ibn.fm/L1MlG). In China, the world’s biggest consumer of electric vehicles, the sales of EVs are outpacing predictions, which may further squeeze supplies on a short-term basis.

“The long lead time to bring on new mines and the concentration of cobalt reserves in the Democratic Republic of the Congo mean there is a real possibility of supply shocks in the early 2020s,” the BNEF analysts reported.

First Cobalt’s significant stockpile material and the processing infrastructure that it has at the Canadian site support early production and cash flow generation in a region that the company views as under-explored for its cobalt potential and one that has never been examined for bulk mining opportunities.

US Cobalt’s May 18 announcement that 99.87 percent of its security holders had voted to accept First Cobalt’s acquisition bid noted that the Iron Creek project in Idaho has a historic mineral resource estimate of 1.3 million tons with a grade of 0.59 percent cobalt, but, since the historical estimate is non-compliant with modern NI 43-101 reporting standards, a new resource estimate is expected by October.

“On behalf of the Board and management, I look forward to welcoming our new US Cobalt shareholders,” First Cobalt board Chairman Paul Matysek stated following the announcement. “Our vision is to create the largest North American pure-play exploration and development company in the world. With this acquisition, we have an opportunity to fast track the Iron Creek Cobalt project into one of the first producing cobalt mines this century.”

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