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Finanz Informatik and IBM extend and expand collaboration

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IBM supports Finanz Informatik in its strategic initiatives with AI, automation, and hybrid cloud technology

BÖBLINGEN, Germany, May 14, 2025 /CNW/ — Finanz Informatik (FI) – the central IT service provider and digitalization partner of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe – and IBM (NYSE: IBM) have extended their successful collaboration with the signing of a new contract.

Finanz Informatik is a central IT service provider for more than 340 savings banks and other network partners, providing efficient, secure, and regulatory-compliant solutions, which are supplied through FI’s own data centers. To further improve the already strong position of its banking customers in the digital world, Finanz Informatik relies on the latest IBM technologies for the continued modernization of its software and hardware infrastructure. With the latest generation of computer systems, FI is expanding its capabilities to leverage the advantages and the full potential of cloud computing, automation, and AI for its data center operations, while ensuring platform independence.

The new contract with IBM enables further capacity growth for the next few years and will strengthen cyber resilience in compliance with the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). The contract includes the use of state-of-the-art IBM mainframe, Power, and storage systems as well as modern system software components with AI support from the watsonx product portfolio. This allows cloud-enabled applications to be automatically distributed and managed across various computer systems running in the company’s own data center.

The aim is to support Finanz Informatik initiatives and projects that provide Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe with a host of strategic advantages:

Accelerated digital transformation: By building on technologies such as the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform as a consistent hybrid cloud foundation and IBM AIOps solutions, Finanz Informatik will continue to modernize its core IT systems and applications, enabling more efficient operations and improve service delivery across the network of companies.Improved cyber resilience: With proven IBM solutions, Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe can benefit from robust backup and recovery capabilities that help protect critical financial data. This makes Finanz Informatik a pioneer in the use of such innovative and resilient solutions in Europe.Innovation powered by AI: By making the most of IBM’s AI offerings based on the watsonx portfolio, Finanz Informatik will deliver privacy-focused AI solutions for Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe that enable real-time insights, automation, and security services.Sustainability and future-proofing: The agreement underscores the commitment to sustainability and helps ensure that the IT infrastructure continues to evolve in an environmentally friendly way with the energy-efficient IBM mainframe and high-end Power servers of the latest and upcoming technology generations.

“Our contract with IBM is another important building block on our way to inspiring our customers with innovative solutions. Together, we will use the agreed contract components and new technologies to drive forward the digital transformation in the Sparkassen Finanzgruppe while at the same time securing growing capacity requirements in the future. Signing the contract with IBM provides us with long-term planning security and economic advantages in challenging times,” emphasizes Martin Waldmann, Executive Director for Human Resources, Finance, Internal Services and Risk Management at Finanz Informatik.

“By signing the agreement, we are continuing a long-standing and successful cooperation. Our customers benefit from the continuous development of our IT platform, enabling us to guarantee a high level of security, availability, and cost-effectiveness. We preserve what makes us strong. On top of that and together with IBM, we’re introducing new, innovative products for our OSPlus financial platform. Both companies – IBM and FI – will contribute their specific expertise and benefit from the intensive long-term cooperation. With this collaboration, we can deliver a good combination of proven systems and new technologies, strengthening the foundation of our platform independence, platform openness, and the sovereign operation of our applications,” adds Detlev Klage, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Finanz Informatik.

“Across the global financial services industry, we’re seeing banks and other financial institutions increasingly embrace exponential technologies, including generative AI, to improve customer experience, increase operational efficiency, and mitigate risk to stay competitive,” said Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President of Software and Chief Commercial Officer at IBM. “Access to a robust ecosystem of technology partners is critical as financial institutions look to boost productivity and increase value for their customers. With this new agreement, Finanz Informatik is creating a solid foundation for the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe to continue to offer its stakeholders exceptional added value and innovation.”

About Finanz Informatik
Finanz Informatik, based in Frankfurt am Main, is the digitalization partner of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. The customers of the central IT service provider include 348 savings banks, six state banks, DekaBank, five state building societies, public insurers and other companies in the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe and the wider financial sector. Its core banking solution OSPlus is the central digital platform of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe which is being continuously expanded. The saving banks and large parts of the network operate their sales and service channels through this digital platform to support around 50 million customers.

Finanz Informatik offers a complete IT service – from application development to infrastructure and data center operations to consulting, training, and support. Subsidiaries and shareholdings such as Finanz Informatik Solutions Plus, Finanz Informatik Technologie Service, inasys, Star Finanz, Web Computing, and FINMAS complement the IT portfolio of Finanz Informatik with their wide range of services.

Finanz Informatik provides services for around 114 million bank accounts; more than 205 billion technical transactions are being processed on computers and systems every year. The company employed around 4,650 people at the end of 2023. Together with its subsidiaries, FI generated sales of 2.44 billion euros in 2023.

About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions, and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service. Visit ibm.com for more information.

Media Contact:
IBM
Marie-Ann Maushart
maushart@de.ibm.com 

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SOURCE IBM

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Tencent and UnionPay Collaborate to Bring More Overseas Remittances to Weixin Users in China

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The partnership marks the first collaboration between the two companies in cross-border remittances, bringing more institutions and users onto remittance routes into Weixin

HONG KONG, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — During Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026, TenPay Global, Tencent’s cross-border payment platform, and UnionPay International (UPI), a subsidiary of China UnionPay, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on cross-border remittances, marking the first partnership between the two companies in this space.

In 2020, the G20 launched a roadmap to make cross-border payments faster, cheaper and more transparent by the end of 2027, with remittances a key focus. China-related cross-border remittances are an important part of that picture, supporting tens of millions of people whose lives span borders. Connecting more institutions to China is one way to make these remittances faster and more accessible.

Under the MOU, the two companies will jointly explore solutions to facilitate two-way remittances. TenPay Global’s cross-border remittance platform currently partners with more than 60 major international banks and remittance institutions, supporting remittances to China from over 150 countries and regions. The collaboration will extend this platform to UPI’s extensive global network of partner institutions and draw on UnionPay’s infrastructure to explore further opportunities for cooperation.

Remittances to Weixin are available 24/7 and can arrive within one minute. Behind the scenes, identity verification and compliance screening are completed in milliseconds, keeping every transfer secure without interrupting the user experience. Paying directly into wallets also significantly lowers last-mile costs.

“Our goal is to make sending money as simple as sending a message,” said Wenhui Yang, CEO of TenPay Global (Singapore). “No company can achieve that alone. Partnering with UnionPay International brings that experience to more overseas users through institutions they already rely on. We also look forward to working with UnionPay International to explore new possibilities for cross-border payments in the age of AI.”

“Through our UnionPay MoneyExpress solution, we partner with mainstream banks and remittance institutions globally to enable individuals to transfer funds directly to UnionPay cards,” said Xia Zhi, General Manager of the Innovative Products Department at UnionPay International. “This partnership with TenPay Global further extends our remittance services to the Weixin wallet, providing customers with a broader range of remittance options.”

About TenPay Global

TenPay Global is Tencent’s cross-border payment platform, comprising a network of licensed financial institutions under Tencent. By connecting the Weixin ecosystem, global payment partners, and international users and scenarios, TenPay Global provides end-to-end payment solutions for cross-border remittances, cross-border consumption, global collections and global acquiring. Backed by years of industry experience and a robust risk management framework, TenPay Global delivers world-class standards in system reliability, fund security, and regulatory compliance. Official website: TenPay Global

About UnionPay International

UnionPay International (UPI) is focused on the growth and support of UnionPay’s international business. In partnership with over 2,600 financial institutions across 183 countries and regions, UnionPay International has enabled a vast global acceptance network covering more than 110 million merchants and 1.8 million ATMs outside Chinese mainland, with UnionPay cards issued in 86 countries and regions globally. 

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SOURCE Tenpay Global

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Envision Achieves World’s First Commercial Deployment of Integrated 800V DC SST-Based Power System in Large-Scale AI Data Center

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Integrated system combining solid-state transformers, battery storage and AI-driven controls now delivers power end to end, from medium-voltage AC input to the server rack, ahead of wider industry adoption800V DC architecture supports higher-density AI racks, enabling more computing power within the same spaceSystem deployment provides a commercial reference as AI data centers move toward 800V DC power infrastructure

ULANQAB, China, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Envision, a global leader in green technology, today announced the world’s first commercial deployment of an integrated 800-volt direct current (800V DC) power system in a large-scale AI data center. The system is now powering live computing workloads at Envision’s Galaxy AI data center campus in Ulanqab, China, delivering power end to end from grid input to computing loads.

The 800V DC architecture significantly simplifies AI data center power systems, bringing higher power conversion and watt-to-bit efficiency, a more compact equipment footprint, and reduced cabling and copper requirements. Together, these advantages can lower infrastructure costs and support higher computing density within the same space.

“AI data centers need power systems that coordinate renewable energy, energy storage, and the grid to meet computing demand,” said Kevin Huang, Senior Vice President of Envision Energy and President of Energy Storage and AIDC Power Systems. “Our integrated 800V DC system is now powering live computing workloads, demonstrating an end-to-end architecture that connects renewable energy supply with computing demand. This is a critical step in turning power-compute coordination from a strategic vision into an operational reality.”

As AI computing demand accelerates, operators must deliver more power to each rack within constrained space, while keeping supply stable as computing loads swing sharply from moment to moment.

Envision’s newly deployed system combines solid-state transformers (SST), battery energy storage (BESS) and equipment that adjusts direct-current voltage for computing hardware. Envision’s Dubhe Controller, supported by its Dubhe Energy Foundation Model, coordinates the transformers and batteries in real time to match power supply with computing demand and manage sudden load swings.

The deployment comes as the industry advances its transition to 800V DC infrastructure for next-generation AI data centers. Envision’s integrated system, now powering live AI computing workloads, is built around three critical capabilities: stable SST conversion directly from 10 kV medium voltage to an 800V DC bus across operating conditions; battery storage providing both second-scale power support and minute-scale backup; and millisecond-level coordination between SST and storage to absorb GPU load fluctuations locally. Already operating commercially ahead of wider industry adoption, the system provides a reference for the industry’s transition to 800V DC.

The Galaxy campus began operations in August 2026. With a planned capacity of 3GW, it is designed to support up to one million AI accelerators operating in parallel at full build-out, with more than 80% of its power planned to come from direct renewable electricity connections.

Envision aims to scale this approach through its Mission Gobi initiative, which targets 5GW of green AI data center capacity in desert regions worldwide by 2030.

For more information, please visit www.envision-group.com

SOURCE Envision

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Share buybacks in Ericsson during the period October 26 – October 30, 2026

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STOCKHOLM, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — During the period October 26 – October 30, 2026, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) (“Ericsson”) (LEI code 549300W9JLPW15XIFM52) repurchased own Class B shares (ISIN: SE0000108656) as follows:

Date

Aggregated daily volume
(number of shares)

Weighted average share
price per day (SEK)

Total daily transaction
value (SEK)

26/10/2026

100,000

107.3098

10,730,980.00

27/10/2026

100,000

109.0805

10,908,050.00

28/10/2026

100,000

109.5167

10,951,670.00

29/10/2026

100,000

109.3886

10,938,860.00

30/10/2026

100,000

109.2944

10,929,440.00

Total

500,000

108.9180

54,459,000.00

The share repurchases are a part of the share buyback program of up to SEK 15,000,000,000 which Ericsson announced on April 16, 2026, and which runs between April 23, 2026, and March 31, 2027, at the latest. The Board of Directors intends to propose to the 2027 Annual General Meeting that the repurchased shares, other than those used to fulfil Ericsson’s obligations under its share-related incentive programs, are cancelled.

The share buyback program is executed in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market abuse (MAR) and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 supplementing MAR (the Safe Harbour Regulation).

All acquisitions have been carried out on Nasdaq Stockholm by Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE on behalf of Ericsson. A full breakdown of the transactions is attached to this announcement.

Following the repurchases above, Ericsson’s holding of treasury stock amounts to 130,915,894 Class B shares. There are in total 3,371,351,735 shares in Ericsson, 261,755,983 shares of Class A and 3,109,595,752 shares of Class B.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

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Phone: +46761284789
E-mail: ralf.bagner@ericsson.com

ABOUT ERICSSON:

Ericsson’s high-performing, programmable networks provide connectivity for billions of people every day. For 150 years, we’ve been pioneers in creating technology for communication. We offer mobile communication and connectivity solutions for service providers and enterprises. Together with our customers and partners, we make the digital world of tomorrow a reality. www.ericsson.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/ericsson/r/share-buybacks-in-ericsson-during-the-period-october-26—october-30–2026,c4418264

The following files are available for download:

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Share buybacks in Ericsson during the period October 26-October 30 2026

https://mb.cision.com/Public/15448/4418264/831a510629ef1b6d.xlsx

Daily Ericsson Share Buyback Report

 

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