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FaceTec Announces the Release of the UR® Encoder for UR Codes

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The software creates domain-specific UR Codes for identity issuing authorities

SUMMERLIN, Nev., March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — FaceTec announced the release of the UR Encoder Software for use with their ground-breaking UR® Codes identity verification protocol as the company expands its industry-leading position in global 3D Face Verification and digital identity software.

UR Codes are generated by issuing authorities such as DMVs, passport issuers, law enforcement agencies, schools, employers, etc., using secure UR Encoder Software that runs inside the firewall of that issuing authority. Using a unique private encryption key, the software cryptographically signs each UR Code, making them provably immutable with a public key-enabled check.

UR Codes store digitally signed face data that biometrically binds the codeholder to their identity data, yet remains universally scannable with today’s mobile devices and computer webcams. This privacy-protecting biometric security technology empowers secure, two-party remote identity verification at infinite scale. Requests to download the UR Encoder software can be made at dev.urcodes.com/downloads

The UR Encoder is provided with a free, perpetual license to government identity issuers, non-profits, and similar not-for-profit organizations. Commercial entities contracted to print UR Codes on behalf of these organizations can also receive a free perpetual license for the UR Encoder Software.

“The FaceTec engineers have put tremendous effort into the development of the UR Encoder Software, and we are thrilled to empower issuing authorities all over the world to begin using UR Codes to increase trust in their countries,” said Josh Rose, CTO of FaceTec.

The UR Code Encoder Software uses Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithms (ECDSA) to sign the contents of the UR Codes with the UR Code issuing authority’s private key. The UR Code is validated against the corresponding public key to validate the digital signature. This ensures the UR Code was generated by the owner of the private key corresponding to the public key and ensures the contents of the UR Code have not been modified.

For commercial applications, for-profit entities can enter into a partnership with FaceTec to encode UR Codes for use in their applications.

Recently, FaceTec announced the release of the Scan+Match Apps for its revolutionary UR Code identity verification protocol. The apps scan, validate, and match a face to the biometric data encoded in a UR Code, with no biometric data or personally identifiable data leaving the user’s device. The server-side UR Matcher SDK release will follow in the coming weeks and the UR Code Scan + Match SDKs will be released in early Q2 to complete the UR Code Software suite.

About UR® Codes

FaceTec’s UR® Codes allow codeholders to prove with high confidence their legal identity, age, and the right to access their accounts or privileges, in-person and remotely. UR Codes have embedded within them digitally bound biometric and legal identity information that ensures privacy-preserving, decentralized identity verification. As they store unique, signed face data, personal info, and legal identity data, UR Codes enable secure, low-cost, two-party identity verification at unlimited scale in any identity-related scenario from any issuing authority, such as a DMV, passport issuer, school, or employer. For more information, visit the following resources:

An introduction to UR CodesThe UR Encoder DemoUR Code Scan+Match Apps are Available on iOS and AndroidLearn more at URCodes.com

About FaceTec

FaceTec is a global force in the fight against identity fraud. For use on standard, ubiquitous digital devices, FaceTec’s patented biometric security software solutions provide exceptionally secure, remote, unsupervised identity verification and authentication, ensuring that only the legitimate account owner is allowed access to their valuable or sensitive digital services, assets, and systems.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in the U.S., with additional staff in the UK, Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, Canada, and Singapore, FaceTec is the world’s leading provider of 3D face biometric Liveness and matching software, processing three billion-plus Liveness Checks annualized, protecting sensitive information in high-risk, high-value environments, including banking and finance, government, major ecommerce, global social networks, digital national IDs and mobile driver licenses, and much more.

FaceTec’s AI-driven technology employs advanced algorithms and deep learning models to accurately and securely verify, authenticate, and bind individuals to their accounts based on their unique face biometrics. FaceTec’s patented, industry-leading Certified 3D Liveness Detection and face matching, UR Codes, optical character recognition, know-your-customer, and age estimation technology anchor a secure chain of trust in the IDV process for reliable, trusted access to mobile and web applications.

FaceTec technology has been exhaustively tested against tens-of-millions of digital and physical spoof artifacts–including hi-res photos and videos, life-like masks, and mannequin heads–but also against much more sophisticated injection and bypass-type attacks, all now easily blocked. With ongoing, advanced AI development and the world’s only spoof bounty program, FaceTec continues to stay ahead of constantly evolving attack methods.

For more information and business inquiries, please visit FaceTec.com.

About FaceTec 3D Face Verification

FaceTec’s pioneering, patented 3D Face Biometrics are fast becoming the global standard in secure onboarding, KYC, and reverification, stopping ID fraud and unauthorized access for millions of users on six continents.

FaceTec’s 3D Face Verification Platform features:

100% data-sovereign, customer-run software: no user data is sent to FaceTecWorld-leading 3D Face Matching rate at 1-in-125 million FAR at less-than-1% FRRPatented UI generates data-rich 3D FaceMaps® from standard 2D camerasWorld’s-first UR® Codes enable secure, low-cost two-party identity verification$600,000 Spoof Bounty Program and Level 1&2 Certified 3D Liveness DetectionUnphishable 3D FaceMaps ensure trust without creating honeypotsSupport for all modern smartphones, tablets, and PCs with webcamsKYC/IDV Dashboard with integrated 1-to-N de-duplication to catch fraudstersWorld-leading 1-in-2 million FAR 3D FaceMap-to-2D-photo-ID matchingAnonymous, better-than-human 3D age estimation and 3D age checksFast, intuitive interface with 98-99% first-time-user success ratesEasy to integrate, customize, deploy, and manage

Developers can download FaceTec’s demo apps directly from FaceTec.com for iOS, Android, and any modern browser, and the developer SDKs are available free at dev.facetec.com.

About Liveness.com

Liveness.com is an educational resource for biometrics users, vendors, analysts, media, and regulators, providing a comprehensive history of Level 1-5 Presentation Attack Detection, Template Tampering, and Camera Bypasses, as well as explanations of methods and means for evaluation, certification testing, and bounty programs.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/facetec-announces-the-release-of-the-ur-encoder-for-ur-codes-302390749.html

SOURCE FaceTec, Inc.

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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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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

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

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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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