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Popular, online financial platform developed through cooperation between Massachusetts startup and New Jersey-based-bank

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ZSuite Technologies’ ZEscrow product benefitted from insights provided by Kearny Bank

FAIRFIELD, N.J. and WESTWOOD, Mass., March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — This is the story of how a 140-year-old, New Jersey-based bank and a Massachusetts tech startup worked together on developing a streamlined escrow platform … and how this cooperation has helped both companies thrive.

It all began in 2019, when a spinoff in Westwood, MA – which was focused on building online banking tools – took the name ZSuite Technologies. Its earliest products included the commercial banking platform ZRent and ZDeposit. Then, early in 2020, the company began work on ZEscrow, a tool to make the often complex management of commercial escrow accounts quicker, simpler, and accessible from almost anywhere. Much of the initial input for what the ZEscrow product should offer to users came via feedback provided by a test group of five banks, one of which was New Jersey-based Kearny Bank.

“This was during the pandemic, so there were weekly video conferences – basically, brainstorming sessions,” says Curtis Whiting, VP of Product Development for ZSuite Technologies. “Our goal was building an effective product that saved on both human effort and vendor costs. In speaking with the banks that advised us, that was the common theme.”

ZEscrow streamlines complex commercial escrow and subaccounting workflows, and provides control to both businesses and banks. Featuring an easy-to-use online portal, ZEscrow enables users to open, close, fund, track, and organize sub-accounts. In addition, it automates statements, interest-tracking, and even IRS reporting.

“We had one video call with our Kearny Bank partners” recalls Whiting. “And they were actually flipping through this gigantic stack of statements while explaining that without a digital escrow system, each would need to be manually processed, one at a time. They were always very specific about what was most important.”

By July 2021, ZEscrow was ready to go live, and Kearny Bank was among the very first banks to make the platform available to clients. As an example of just how successful the product has been, the very first deposit placed into a ZEscrow account was for $4 by Kearny Bank. Now, less than three years later, ZEscrow holds more than $1 billion in deposits across all ZSuite partner banks that offer the online platform.

Particularly effective for municipal governments, as well as property management and attorneys, the ZEscrow product has contributed significantly to the steady expansion of Kearny Bank’s government banking presence.

“We still benefit from having regular consultations about ZEscrow,” notes Dawn Marcano, Kearny Bank 1st Vice President / Private Client Manager. “We’re consistently learning new things, and I believe ZSuite Technologies is as well. This certainly continues to be a win-win relationship.”

ZSuite Technologies – in which Kearny Bank is an investor – has grown markedly since its establishment. The original five banks in the advisory group now number 85, and instead of casual, weekly conversations, there’s a Quarterly Development Group for the sharing of insights.

“From our perspective, it’s remarkable to have watched ZSuite Technologies grow,” says Marcano. “We started off working with this little startup – just a handful of people. And now, ZSuite has become far more than just a vendor; they’re a key partner. We speak with them almost daily, whether for servicing our shared relationships, thinking about potential growth opportunities, or making future plans. I’m looking forward to seeing where we can take things from here.”

About ZSuite Tech
ZSuite Tech is a financial technology company that aims to power financial institutions with digital escrow products for specific commercial verticals that they can offer to their clients. ZSuite’s products, ZRent and ZEscrow, streamline collection of recurring payments and automate the management and compliance around three-party accounts and multi-use escrow subaccounting. 

To learn more about ZSuite Tech and how it can help your financial institution, please visit: https://www.zsuitetech.com.

About Kearny Bank
Combining the finest traditions of community banking with the industry’s latest, most effective financial products and services, Kearny Bank provides business and personal clients with the tools for success. Established back in 1884, and now operating from corporate offices in Fairfield, NJ, Kearny Bank’s footprint covers most of New Jersey, along with Brooklyn and Staten Island. Additional information is available at kearnybank.com or by visiting Kearny Bank’s social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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SOURCE ZSuite Technologies

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JinkoSolar Unveils Tiger Neo 5.0 All-Black Residential Solar Module with 25.52% Efficiency

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SHANGRAO, China, Oct. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (“JinkoSolar” or the “Company”) (NYSE: JKS), today unveiled Tiger Neo 5.0, an all-black residential solar module built on its all-new TAC technology. The first version to reach the market, an all-black 48-cell module, delivers a maximum power output of 510 W with a module efficiency of 25.52%. It was designed to redefine the upper limits of what a scenario-specific module can deliver in both appearance and efficiency for premium homes and other architecturally refined residences.

The module showcases a deeper, more uniform and more refined black appearance than conventional back-contact (BC) modules. Semiconductor-grade low- and high-temperature processes bring the power temperature coefficient down to -0.24%/℃, meaning stronger energy yield in high-temperature environments.

TAC technology combines the excellent carrier transport of TOPCon with the low-temperature processing and positive electrode passivation of HJT, pushing peak cell efficiency to 28%, approaching the theoretical limit of monocrystalline silicon cells. Together with a zero-gap cell layout and hidden-ribbon technology at module level, the module achieves an efficiency of 25.52%. Compared with conventional BC products, it delivers approximately 30 W more power, and a lower temperature coefficient. Its deeper, more premium black appearance blends seamlessly into residential rooftops— especially dark-colored ones — making it a standout in the residential module category for both power and aesthetics.

“Our vision for Tiger Neo 5.0 was to develop a panel tailored to premium residential rooftops. It pushes the boundaries of both performance and aesthetics with innovations in cell technology, passivation processes, structural design, module format and interconnections. With this launch, we aim to help move the industry toward solutions tailored to specific applications,” said Charlie Cao, CEO of Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.

About JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS) is a holding company combining clean energy industrial operations and strategic investment in emerging technologies. Its industrial foundation is a controlling interest in Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. (SSE: 688223), a global leader in clean energy technology. The Company makes disciplined strategic investments in renewable energy, advanced materials, artificial intelligence, commercial space and other frontier technologies, drawing on its industrial experience and its ability to identify emerging technologies and bring them to commercial scale.

Through Jinko Solar Co., Ltd., the Company distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in China, the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Chile, South Africa, India, Mexico, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Greece and other countries and regions.

JinkoSolar has over 10 production facilities globally, over 20 overseas subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, India, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, Mexico, and other countries, and a global sales network with sales teams in China, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Spain, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Vietnam and India, as of June 30, 2026.

To find out more, please see: www.jinkosolar.com 

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company’s operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JinkoSolar’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Ms. Stella Wang
JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.
Tel: +86 21-5180-8777 ext.7806
Email: pr@jinkosolar.com

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SOURCE JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

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AGFUND wins international award for excellence in inclusive banking and social impact

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 Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal credits the founders of AGFUND’s microfinance banks for laying the foundations of its development impact

BANGKOK, Oct. 17, 2026 /CNW/ — The Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) won the “Excellence in Inclusive Banking and Social Impact” award at the 2026 Sustainable Development Goals Awards, organized by the World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) in cooperation with the European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG).

AGFUND CEO Hammam bin Nasser bin Juraid accepted the award in Bangkok, Thailand, alongside the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group.

HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, President of AGFUND, said the recognition acknowledges AGFUND’s experience using financial services to empower underserved communities, strengthen livelihoods and promote economic independence.

He credited the founders of AGFUND’s microfinance banks, particularly the late Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, for establishing institutions centered on empowering people.

He added that the award reflects over two decades of commitment, the dedication of financial inclusion banks and partners, and clients who transformed financing into businesses and family income. He emphasized expanding opportunities and measuring success through lasting improvements in people’s lives.

Prince Abdulaziz stressed that the recognition reflects the value of institutions reaching excluded populations and encourages broader access and economic opportunities for families.

AGFUND’s financial inclusion banking network has served more than 1.3 million clients and disbursed over US$1.37 billion in financing since inception. Women represent 59 per cent of borrowers, demonstrating its contribution to economic empowerment.

Presented by WSBI, established in 1924, together with ESBG, the award recognizes an approach linking financial services, social impact and sustainable development.

Following its first bank in Jordan in 2004, AGFUND expanded across nine countries: Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Mauritania and Sierra Leone, focusing on communities underserved by conventional financial institutions.

The network has issued more than 1.5 million loans, opened over 927,000 savings accounts, established 112 branches and employed more than 1,500 people. Its services finance micro and small enterprises and income-generating activities, improving livelihoods and economic independence.

AGFUND plans to strengthen development partnerships, advance digital solutions and innovative financial products, and integrate financing with training, capacity development, market access and risk protection.

It is also exploring geographic expansion, particularly in Africa, through institutional partnerships that adapt successful approaches to local needs and extend sustainable financial inclusion to more communities.

Website – https://agfund.org/

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SOURCE The Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND)

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GAC Showcases Multiple Models at Canton Fair: Systemic Global Expansion as a Response to High‑Level Opening‑Up

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GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On 15 October, the 140th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) kicked off in Guangzhou. Dubbed “China’s No.1 Exhibition” with a 70‑year history, it serves as a vital window for global merchants to understand China, and one of GAC’s stages to connect with the world. For international buyers, GAC serves not only as a sourcing platform but as a trusted channel for experiencing Chinese automotive innovation and building long-term local partnerships. Having made its debut in 2012, GAC has participated in the fair 30 times to date. Together with the Canton Fair, it has witnessed the transformation of Made‑in‑China products into Chinese global brands.

This transformation is reflected in GAC’s global expansion journey through a string of continuously refreshed sales figures. Overseas sales stood at 90,000 units in 2024, hit 130,000 units in 2025, and exceeded 197,000 units in January‑September 2026, representing a year‑on‑year surge of 138.9%. GAC is sprinting full steam ahead toward its annual target of 300,000 overseas units. GAC has accomplished a shift from “product export” to “system‑level global expansion”.

At the GAC booth, XT80, AION i60 and AISTALAND GX7 showcased intelligent driving, three-electric systems and premium cabins. The energy-ecology zone featured DC ultra-fast charging piles, 7 kW smart home chargers, multi-in-one electric drive units and PV-Storage-Charging-Swapping Technology, addressing range anxiety. Opening day drew buyers from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and Africa. At the Music & Cuisine Festival, GAC built three immersive spaces blending smart mobility, Cantonese cuisine, camping and sports. The XT80, AION N60, GAC S7 and AISTALAND GT7 served as lifestyle carriers, letting guests enjoy morning tea, global cuisines and intangible cultural heritage.

GAC will advance its ONE GAC 2.0 strategy, deepening localized operations and expanding its systematic global layout. As a tribute to the Canton Fair’s 70th anniversary and a new business card for China’s auto industry, GAC will help drive Chinese intelligent manufacturing onto the global stage.

For further information about GAC, please visit https://www.gacgroup.com/en or follow us on social media.

 

SOURCE GAC

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