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Digital Domain and TOPPAN Holdings Launch Collaboration on Virtual Human Solutions

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2 years ago

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Utilizing biometric data from real-world people to create high-quality virtual humans that can be provided for diverse services

HONG KONG, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Digital Domain Content (Hong Kong) Limited (“Digital Domain”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Digital Domain Holdings Limited (stock code: 547), and TOPPAN Holdings Inc. (“TOPPAN Holdings”) have jointly announced the launch of a comprehensive collaboration this month. This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together in the field of virtual humans, utilizing high-resolution data gathered from biometric scanning of real individuals.

The collaboration aims to create innovative solutions by integrating virtual humans developed from this high-precision biometric data into Digital Domain’s Momentum Cloud™.1 The biometric data is captured on a Light Stage2 at TOPPAN Holdings’ VIRTUAL HUMAN LAB™.3

Alleviating Labor Shortages and Accelerating Virtual Human Applications Development

Industries worldwide are facing labor shortages. According to a report by the McKinsey Global Institute, labor markets in advanced economies are among the tightest in two decades. Aging workforces have made this challenge a long-term trend, pushing companies and economies to explore new ways to expand labor capacity and boost productivity. Among the promising solutions is the development of AI technologies.

Technologies and applications related to virtual humans are evolving rapidly due to advancements in three-dimensional computer graphics and artificial intelligence. Virtual human technologies unrestricted by time or location, can flexibly meet the needs of global markets and are expected to be utilized in a range of fields, from entertainment to hospitality, retail, education, and healthcare, to enhance service experiences through creating innovative applications. Photorealistic virtual humans featured in corporate advertising and video content have garnered growing attention in recent years, and they are now being deployed for functions such as reception desks and facility guidance.

TOPPAN Holdings has been producing high-quality virtual humans based on biometric data captured on its Light Stage since 2020. The virtual humans created function as user interfaces for various services. Digital Domain, with over 30 years of experience in visual effects, AI virtual humans, and visualization, continues to develop cloud-based virtual human solutions through advanced production and cloud technologies.

By combining TOPPAN Holdings’ Light Stage scanning technologies and Digital Domain’s virtual human technologies, the collaboration aims to offer high-quality virtual human solutions to meet market demand and help alleviate labor shortages.

Mr. Hiroshi Asada, head of TOPPAN Holdings’ Business Innovation Center, stated, “TOPPAN has been promoting business development in the frontier field of virtual humans by using a Light Stage, a piece of cutting-edge human scanning technology. Digital Domain has a long track record of experience in the film industry for light stage production and also has a market-ready solution for the industry called Momentum Cloud™, so we expect significant synergy from this collaboration. We look forward to accelerating the market development of virtual humans and creating various use cases for each industry.”

Creating an Efficient Production Flow to Meet Market Demands

TOPPAN Holdings will conduct face scanning on a Light Stage, evaluate quality, develop business models for customized virtual humans, and provide original virtual human characters, while Digital Domain will import the high-resolution data obtained from the Light Stage into its Momentum Cloud™ platform to create and operate photorealistic virtual humans.

The collaboration will establish a high-quality, efficient production flow for virtual humans based on establishing production methods by utilizing AI and high-resolution data from face scanning on the Light Stage, enabling photorealistic virtual humans created from real-world people to be operated on Momentum Cloud™. This will reduce the lead time and cost for producing virtual humans, enabling a prompt and efficient response to requests for original character production.

Mr. William Wong, CEO of Digital Domain, stated, “Digital Domain is dedicated to developing AI-driven virtual human technologies, implementing applications, and creating sustainable business models for the future. As the significance of virtual humans increases across various industries, the pace of application development will also quicken. The virtual human solutions created in collaboration with TOPPAN Holdings will utilize both companies’ technological strengths to enhance virtual humans’ quality, performance, and effectiveness. These solutions will effectively meet market demands and create diverse application scenarios, opening up new opportunities for innovative business models.”

The collaboration aims to establish a production flow for virtual humans, which will help expand TOPPAN Holdings’ lineup of original virtual character offerings. This initiative will also provide solutions for casting these virtual humans for various services in the global market, utilizing Digital Domain’s Momentum Cloud™. By advancing pilot testing and business development that leverage the strengths of both companies, Digital Domain and TOPPAN Holdings aspire to create a virtual human solution business by the end of fiscal 2025.

1 Momentum Cloud™ is a server-based software platform for controlling virtual humans that can be used in the B2B2C space.

2 A Light Stage is a piece of equipment for high-precision face scanning developed by the University of Southern California.

3 The VIRTUAL HUMAN LAB™ was opened in December 2020 as a facility for advancing research and application development related to the use of face scanning and various other human biometric data.

About Digital Domain

Digital Domain is a pioneer in the virtualization of sensory experiences. After more than 3 decades of evolution, Digital Domain has transformed from a Hollywood company to achieve global expansion in fields such as VFX, AI virtual humans, and visualization. Digital Domain’s pursuit of creativity and advanced technologies has allowed the company to achieve unmatched refinement of its creative process as evidenced in the production of several hundred films and TV series as well as thousands of commercials, game graphics, and both experimental and immersive experiences. Digital Domain’s most outstanding achievements include: academy awards for “Best Visual Effects” in the films Titanic, What Dreams May Come, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, blockbuster classics such as The Avengers series, and the 4th season of the popular word-of-mouth hit show Stranger Things.

As the first VFX studio that has achieved success in Greater China, Digital Domain entered the realm of virtual reality in 2016. By applying techniques such as fully integrating the base technology of AI and virtual reality, Digital Domain has constructed fully real-time photo-realistic digital characters capable of emotional expressivity. The extension of this technology outside of the silver screen provides a new medium for human-machine and human-human interactions in virtual scenarios.

Digital Domain is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock code: 547) and is headquartered in Hong Kong and maintains operations in multiple cities including Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, Beijing, Shanghai, Hyderabad, and more.

For more information, visit the official website – www.digitaldomain.com.

About the TOPPAN Group

Established in Tokyo in 1900, the TOPPAN Group is a leading and diversified global provider committed to delivering sustainable, integrated solutions in fields including printing, communications, security, packaging, décor materials, electronics, and digital transformation. The TOPPAN Group’s global team of more than 50,000 employees offers optimal solutions enabled by industry-leading expertise and technologies to address the diverse challenges of every business sector and society and contribute to the achievement of shared sustainability goals.

https://www.holdings.toppan.com/en/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/toppan/

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/digital-domain-and-toppan-holdings-launch-collaboration-on-virtual-human-solutions-302390967.html

SOURCE Digital Domain

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BIT Asset Management Receives FINMA Approval for Switzerland’s First and Europe’s Only Spot Bitcoin ETF

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30 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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The first exchange-traded fund under Swiss law to invest directly in bitcoin, approved for retail investors in Switzerland

ZURICH, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BIT Asset Management AG (“BIT AM”), the wholly owned Swiss asset management subsidiary of BIT (www.bit.com), announced that the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has approved the Bitcoin Fund ETF (Ticker: BBIT). As confirmed in FINMA’s announcement, it is the first exchange-traded fund in Switzerland to invest directly in bitcoin. It is currently Europe’s only spot bitcoin ETF.

The fund is expected to begin trading on SIX Swiss Exchange in November.

Bitcoin Fund ETF (BBIT)

A spot bitcoin ETF is designed to track the price of bitcoin and can be traded through an ordinary brokerage account. It holds bitcoin directly rather than futures or derivatives. This is the structure that brought bitcoin into mainstream portfolios in the United States, where BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and ten other spot bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024.

Most bitcoin products listed in Europe today are exchange-traded products (ETPs), which are debt instruments that carry issuer risk. The Bitcoin Fund ETF is instead a Swiss collective investment scheme. Its assets are held separately from those of the fund management company and are ring-fenced for investors. The fund is open to retail investors in Switzerland, not only qualified investors.

“Switzerland has established itself as a leading hub for digital assets, combining a strong financial sector, regulatory clarity and an innovative ecosystem,” said John Ge, CEO of BIT Group. “For BIT Group, this makes Switzerland a natural choice for our continued international expansion. Launching the first Swiss Bitcoin ETF is an important milestone for us, reflecting our long-term commitment to the Swiss market and our ambition to bridge traditional finance with emerging technologies.”

“With BBIT, we set out to create a truly Swiss Bitcoin ETF, from fund management and custody to its listing on SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors gain direct exposure to Bitcoin through a FINMA-approved Swiss investment fund, benefiting from the regulatory oversight and investor protections of Switzerland’s established collective investment scheme framework.” said Dominik Oggenfuss, CEO of BIT Asset Management. “Investors can now access bitcoin through an ordinary Swiss bank account, with Swiss fund governance, independent custody and daily transparency on holdings.”

Disclaimer: Investing in the Bitcoin Fund ETF involves a high degree of risk, and you may lose all of your capital. The fund is classified under the Swiss regulatory category “Other alternative investment funds” with particular risk and invests exclusively in Bitcoin, which is extremely volatile. The investment fund risks are not comparable to those of securities funds, and temporary borrowing may increase its total risk exposure to a maximum of 125% of its net asset value. Investors should read the fund documentation and risk warnings before investing. The fund is approved for public offering in Switzerland only. This announcement is for information only and is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction. It is not directed at persons in the US or at U.S. persons.

About BIT Asset Management

BIT Asset Management AG is a Zurich-based manager of collective assets regulated by FINMA, and a wholly owned subsidiary of BIT. Formerly Crypto Finance (Asset Management) AG, it was acquired in full by the Group in 2024 and renamed Matrixport Asset Management AG before taking its current name. It offers regulated funds, exchange-traded products, actively managed certificates and discretionary asset management services, bridging traditional finance and digital assets. The company is led by CEO Dominik Oggenfuss.

About BIT

Founded in 2019 as Matrixport, BIT is an all-in-one digital asset platform headquartered in Singapore. It offers trading, investment, payment, custody and real-world asset tokenization. Through its subsidiaries, BIT holds Trust or Company Service Provider and Money Lender licences in Hong Kong, Major Payment Institution license in Singapore, and a FINMA licence as a manager of collective assets in Switzerland. Through its subsidiaries, BIT operates as an Appointed Representative in the UK, is registered as a Money Services Business in the US and is a member of the Swiss self-regulatory organisation VQF.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bit-asset-management-receives-finma-approval-for-switzerlands-first-and-europes-only-spot-bitcoin-etf-302916555.html

SOURCE BIT Asset Management AG

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BIT Asset Management Receives FINMA Approval for Switzerland’s First and Europe’s Only Spot Bitcoin ETF

Published

30 minutes ago

on

October 22, 2026

By

The first exchange-traded fund under Swiss law to invest directly in bitcoin, approved for retail investors in Switzerland

ZURICH, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BIT Asset Management AG (“BIT AM”), the wholly owned Swiss asset management subsidiary of BIT (www.bit.com), announced that the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has approved the Bitcoin Fund ETF (Ticker: BBIT). As confirmed in FINMA’s announcement, it is the first exchange-traded fund in Switzerland to invest directly in bitcoin. It is currently Europe’s only spot bitcoin ETF.

The fund is expected to begin trading on SIX Swiss Exchange in November.

Bitcoin Fund ETF (BBIT)

A spot bitcoin ETF is designed to track the price of bitcoin and can be traded through an ordinary brokerage account. It holds bitcoin directly rather than futures or derivatives. This is the structure that brought bitcoin into mainstream portfolios in the United States, where BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and ten other spot bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024.

Most bitcoin products listed in Europe today are exchange-traded products (ETPs), which are debt instruments that carry issuer risk. The Bitcoin Fund ETF is instead a Swiss collective investment scheme. Its assets are held separately from those of the fund management company and are ring-fenced for investors. The fund is open to retail investors in Switzerland, not only qualified investors.

“Switzerland has established itself as a leading hub for digital assets, combining a strong financial sector, regulatory clarity and an innovative ecosystem,” said John Ge, CEO of BIT Group. “For BIT Group, this makes Switzerland a natural choice for our continued international expansion. Launching the first Swiss Bitcoin ETF is an important milestone for us, reflecting our long-term commitment to the Swiss market and our ambition to bridge traditional finance with emerging technologies.”

“With BBIT, we set out to create a truly Swiss Bitcoin ETF, from fund management and custody to its listing on SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors gain direct exposure to Bitcoin through a FINMA-approved Swiss investment fund, benefiting from the regulatory oversight and investor protections of Switzerland’s established collective investment scheme framework.” said Dominik Oggenfuss, CEO of BIT Asset Management. “Investors can now access bitcoin through an ordinary Swiss bank account, with Swiss fund governance, independent custody and daily transparency on holdings.”

Disclaimer: Investing in the Bitcoin Fund ETF involves a high degree of risk, and you may lose all of your capital. The fund is classified under the Swiss regulatory category “Other alternative investment funds” with particular risk and invests exclusively in Bitcoin, which is extremely volatile. The investment fund risks are not comparable to those of securities funds, and temporary borrowing may increase its total risk exposure to a maximum of 125% of its net asset value. Investors should read the fund documentation and risk warnings before investing. The fund is approved for public offering in Switzerland only. This announcement is for information only and is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction. It is not directed at persons in the US or at U.S. persons.

About BIT Asset Management

BIT Asset Management AG is a Zurich-based manager of collective assets regulated by FINMA, and a wholly owned subsidiary of BIT. Formerly Crypto Finance (Asset Management) AG, it was acquired in full by the Group in 2024 and renamed Matrixport Asset Management AG before taking its current name. It offers regulated funds, exchange-traded products, actively managed certificates and discretionary asset management services, bridging traditional finance and digital assets. The company is led by CEO Dominik Oggenfuss.

About BIT

Founded in 2019 as Matrixport, BIT is an all-in-one digital asset platform headquartered in Singapore. It offers trading, investment, payment, custody and real-world asset tokenization. Through its subsidiaries, BIT holds Trust or Company Service Provider and Money Lender licences in Hong Kong, Major Payment Institution license in Singapore, and a FINMA licence as a manager of collective assets in Switzerland. Through its subsidiaries, BIT operates as an Appointed Representative in the UK, is registered as a Money Services Business in the US and is a member of the Swiss self-regulatory organisation VQF.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bit-asset-management-receives-finma-approval-for-switzerlands-first-and-europes-only-spot-bitcoin-etf-302916555.html

SOURCE BIT Asset Management AG

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ISHCMC expands academic pathways, giving students more ways to shape their futures

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30 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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New Personalized Diploma Program builds on ISHCMC’s academic legacy, offering greater choice for Grades 11 and 12 while retaining the full IB Diploma Programme.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) will introduce a new Personalized Diploma Program (PDP) from August 2027, expanding academic choices for students in Grades 11 and 12 alongside its established International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).

Building on a learning community shaped by generations of students, educators and families since 1993, the expanded model gives students more ways to shape their senior studies around their strengths, interests and future ambitions. Through a combination of academic choice and educator guidance, ISHCMC aims to help each student make informed decisions about their next steps while contributing to a community that continues to grow with every generation.

Different pathways. A future shaped over generations.

The full IBDP will remain an important part of ISHCMC’s academic offering. The PDP provides an alternative for students seeking a different combination of subjects, bringing together individual IB Diploma courses, Advanced Placement (AP) courses and ISHCMC courses within a personalized program.

Both pathways lead to the ISHCMC High School Diploma, with additional qualifications available depending on the courses taken and assessments completed. Students completing the full IBDP may also earn the IB Diploma by meeting the International Baccalaureate’s requirements. Students following the PDP may earn individual IB course and AP certificates, depending on their course choices and assessment results.

The expanded model recognizes that students may have different interests, strengths and intended university destinations. Rather than expecting every student to follow the same route, ISHCMC will support students in exploring the options available and building an academic program suited to their goals.

“At ISHCMC, every generation benefits from what those before them have built, while adding something of their own. Expanding our academic pathways is about giving students more ways to build on their strengths, pursue their ambitions and shape their futures, supported by the experience and community that have grown here over generations.” Mr. Marco Longmore, Head of School.

Guidance that carries learning forward

Choosing a senior academic pathway is an important decision for students and their families. University requirements vary by country, institution and degree program, making informed subject selection an essential part of planning for life after school.

ISHCMC’s High School and Future Pathways teams will work with students and families to explore course options, understand relevant university entry requirements and make considered decisions about their academic direction. Both pathways can support university applications, with eligibility depending on the qualifications completed and the requirements of each university and program.

The PDP is not intended to be a less demanding alternative to the full IBDP. It offers a different way to structure senior studies around individual goals and course choices, with the expectations and requirements of each course remaining central to the student’s academic experience.

“Every student’s next steps will look different, and our role is to help them understand what those steps require. By working closely with students and families, we can connect individual interests with informed academic choices, helping students approach their future plans with greater clarity and purpose.” Mr. Kohulan Jeganathan, High School Principal.

The new model will begin in August 2027. Ahead of entry into Grades 11 and 12, ISHCMC will work with students and families to explain the available pathways, explore course options and support planning for the transition into senior school. Families can contact the ISHCMC High School and Future Pathways teams to discuss the options and relevant academic requirements.

About the International School Ho Chi Minh City

Established in 1993, the International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) is a full-continuum IB international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, offering education from Early Years through Grade 12. Its community brings together families from more than 60 nationalities.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/ishcmc-expands-academic-pathways-giving-students-more-ways-to-shape-their-futures-302916587.html

SOURCE International School Ho Chi Minh City

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