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3iQ Files Preliminary Prospectus for World’s First Solana Staking & XRP ETFs

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2 years ago

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Global Digital Asset Leader, Which Filed its Prospectus for World’s First Solana ETP Last Year, Continues Work with Canadian Regulators to Provide Broadest Possible Crypto Exposure

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2025 /CNW/ — 3iQ Corp. (3iQ), the global digital asset investment manager founded in 2012, is pleased to announce today that the firm has submitted preliminary prospectuses with the Ontario Securities Commission and other Canadian securities regulators to list the 3iQ Solana Staking ETF and the 3iQ XRP ETF on the Toronto Stock Exchange. If approved, they will be the first exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the world offering exposure to crypto assets Solana and XRP.

To achieve their proposed investment objectives, the 3iQ Solana Staking ETF and the 3iQ XRP ETF will invest in long-term holdings of Solana and XRP, respectively, purchased from reputable digital asset trading platforms and over-the-counter (OTC) counterparties. The ETFs are designed to provide investors with a convenient and safer alternative to direct investments in Solana and XRP.

“We have always been a pioneer in providing secure, innovative products like the first North American Bitcoin and Ether funds, which we launched in 2021, in order to provide risk-mitigated exposure to the broadest possible mix of crypto assets—including Bitcoin, Ether, staking Ether, and now Solana and XRP,” said Pascal St-Jean, President and CEO of 3iQ. “Our Solana and XRP ETFs are the latest regulated investment vehicles that advance our mission, as Canada’s first and only crypto native ETF issuer, to deliver efficient access to ever-growing digital asset classes for individual and institutional investors.” 

3iQ has an impressive history as a trailblazer in the digital asset investment universe. In June 2024, 3iQ filed a preliminary prospectus for The Solana Fund (TSX: QSOL), North America’s first exchange-traded product (ETP) offering exposure to Solana. The firm has also been first to market with many of their other fund products, including the first publicly traded Bitcoin and Ether funds in Canada, The Bitcoin Fund (TSX: QBTC) and The Ether Fund (TSX: QETH), then in October 2023, The Ether Fund and the 3iQ Ether Staking ETF (TSX: ETHQ) became the first ETPs in North America to include staking Ether in their investment strategies. Included in 3iQ’s world firsts was the launch of the CoinDesk 20 SP fund back in November 2024.

“Our close adherence to crypto protocols and our relationships with other crypto native firms position us to innovate our products in ways that provide optimal value to investors, such as the maximization of staking yields,” said Mr. St-Jean. “Our collaboration with these partners, as well as Canadian regulators, has powered our ongoing leadership in digital asset investing.”

About 3iQ Corp.

Founded in 2012, 3iQ is one of the world’s leading alternative digital asset managers, pioneering institutional-grade investments. 3iQ launched the world’s first Digital Assets Managed Account Platform (QMAP), a hedge fund investment solution, offering innovative risk managed investment solutions to gain exposure to digital assets. 3iQ was also the first to launch a Bitcoin ETP listed on a major global stock exchange, the 3iQ Bitcoin ETF (TSX: BTCQ) (TSX: BTCQ.U) and offers other regulated ETPs. In 2024, Monex Group, a leading Japanese financial group, took a majority stake in 3iQ. Since 2012, 3iQ has been at the forefront of innovation in digital asset investment management. To learn more about 3iQ, visit 3iq.io.

Disclosure:

The preliminary prospectus of the ETFs, dated January 27, 2025, contains important information relating to the securities of the ETFs and has been filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in all of the provinces and territories of Canada (except for Québec). The preliminary prospectus is still subject to completion or amendment. Copies of the preliminary prospectus may be obtained at www.sedarplus.ca. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy the units of the ETFs until a receipt for the final prospectus has been issued by the relevant securities commissions in Canada. Investors should read the prospectus before making an investment decision.

You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell securities of the ETFs on a stock exchange or other alternative Canadian trading system (an “exchange”). If the securities of the ETFs are purchased or sold on an exchange, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying securities of the Fund and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them.

There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning securities of an investment fund. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the fund. You can find more detailed information about the ETFs in its public filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

This announcement should not be distributed, forwarded, transmitted or otherwise disseminated in or into the United States. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. The ETFs’ securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or under the applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, sold, resold, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly within, into or in the United States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or except in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with the securities laws of any relevant state or other jurisdiction of the United States. Neither this announcement, nor the fact that it has been disseminated, shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any future information that we distribute.

Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.

Media Contacts

Ryan Graham, JConnelly
862-777-4274
rgraham@jconnelly.com

Julie Mercuro, JConnelly
973-349-6471
jmercuro@jconnelly.com 

SOURCE 3iQ

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De¹ Introduces Tokenized Asset World on BNB Chain, Developing Financial Intelligence Across the Full RWA Financial Landscape

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37 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — De¹ is launching Tokenized Asset World on BNB Chain, the first domain-specific world under its Financial World Model (FWM). It introduces specialized financial intelligence designed to understand the full onchain RWA landscape, from trading and collateral to borrowing, credit, liquidation and agent activity, and apply that knowledge to real financial decisions.

Traditional finance moves assets through separate networks of brokers, custodians, clearing systems and lenders. Each institution sees a different part of the lifecycle, while transfers, reconciliation and collateral requirements add friction to capital deployment. Bringing assets onchain makes financial activity more programmable, but it does not automatically connect the knowledge held across trading, financing and risk systems.

De¹ is establishing Tokenized Asset World on BNB Chain, where that real-assets financial ecosystem already unfolds in live markets. PancakeSwap, ListaDAO, Venus, Binance Agent OS and BNB Agent SDK span public trading, collateralized lending, structured credit and authorized agent activity. These activities produce distinct signals: executed prices, liabilities, vault constraints, liquidations and the outcomes of agent actions.

Tokenized Asset World brings fragmented financial knowledge into a coherent, learnable model of the full RWA landscape. The domain model is designed to understand the relationships and consequences across financial operations, with verified execution outcomes continuously refining De¹’s understanding of onchain financial physics. This introduces a new layer of intelligence to BNB Chain, enabling a more complete understanding of the tokenized-asset stack across trading, collateral, credit, vaults and agent activity.

AI agents can tap into this intelligence to operate across tokenized-asset markets with a more comprehensive view of liquidity, borrowing conditions, collateral exposure and liquidation risk as a whole. This deeper market understanding could raise more sophisticated strategies, execution and risk decisions. Each agent interaction, in turn, generates new evidence for the model, creating a continuous feedback loop between financial intelligence and live market execution while strengthening De¹’s broader Financial World Model.

About De¹

De¹ is the intelligent infrastructure platform at the intersection of DeFi and AI, building the Financial World Model grounded in live execution and real market feedback. It serves developers, traders, institutions, and AI agents through intelligent execution, unified liquidity, reinforcement learning optimization, and a continuously evolving data flywheel.

Contact: Marketing, pr@de1.ai

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/de-introduces-tokenized-asset-world-on-bnb-chain-developing-financial-intelligence-across-the-full-rwa-financial-landscape-302912966.html

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Plata reaches $1 Billion ARR Milestone, becoming the fastest digital bank ever

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38 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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The Mexico based digital bank shatters traditional digital banking scaling timelines, reaching a $1 Billion Annual Recurring Revenue  in less than 3.5 years from launch

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Plata, the world’s fastest growing digital financial institution, today announced that in September 2026 it has crossed $1 billion in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), reaching the milestone in less than 3.5 years from launch in April 2023 and less than a year after receiving its full banking license. Plata´s growth makes it the fastest digital bank in history to reach this benchmark, and puts it on par with some of the world’s fastest growing leading AI companies, underlining Plata’s own AI and tech capabilities.

Plata reaches this goal after having reached more than 4 million customers in Mexico and having launched operations in Colombia at the beginning of September. In Mexico, Plata is now the fourth credit card issuer in the country by number of customers, and the only digital bank with a full product suite including credit, debit, investments, and small business banking. Plata’s growth is also nearing profitability, which is expected to be reached for its Mexico business within the next 6 months.

Plata changed the rules by building a universal financial platform powered by its own technology from day one. By setting up its core banking system, the company proved that regulated financial institutions can scale at AI-like speed without undermining operating performance.

“By building our own technology from scratch, we proved that a bank can move at AI company speed without compromising anything. Now we are ready to accelerate our innovation, make finance effortless and accessible for everyone.” Neri Tollardo, CEO of Plata.

As digital adoption accelerates across Latin America, Plata´s performance sets a new benchmark for financial infrastructure scaling, financial adoption, and operational efficiency in emerging markets.

About Plata

Plata is the fastest-growing financial institution in Latin America and the largest private digital bank by customer volume. In less than three years, we reached a valuation of $3.1 billion with 4 million active credit card customers and crossed $1 billion in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR). Backed by $1.5 billion in equity investment, 1.5 in financing, and a workforce that includes 800 in-house developers, in Banco Plata we have built our own technological ecosystem, which includes a core banking system, CRM, and an app focused on simplifying the financial experience.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plata-reaches-1-billion-arr-milestone-becoming-the-fastest-digital-bank-ever-302912970.html

SOURCE Plata

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Trends International Announces Kenneth Smith as President and Chief Executive Officer

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38 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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Experienced executive to lead company’s next phase of retail, digital commerce and strategic growth

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trends International, LLC, a leading publisher and manufacturer of licensed posters, calendars, stickers, wall art and social stationery products, today announced that Kenneth Smith has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effective May 2026.

Smith will spearhead the company’s overall strategic direction and growth initiatives across its retail, wholesale, e-commerce, licensing and direct-to-consumer businesses. In his role, Smith will oversee Trends International and its portfolio of digital businesses, including Art.com and AllPosters.com.

Smith’s appointment comes as Trends International enters a new phase of expansion focused on broadening its retail presence, accelerating e-commerce, strengthening strategic customer relationships, developing new products and licenses, and pursuing partnerships and business opportunities.

“I am honored to lead Trends International and build on the strong foundation established by the company, its founders and its talented employees,” said Kenneth Smith, “We have an exceptional portfolio of brands, licenses, products and customer relationships, and we see significant opportunities to grow the business. Our focus will be on strengthening our retail partnerships, accelerating our digital businesses, developing innovative products and creating new strategic opportunities that deliver value for our customers, consumers, licensors and partners.”

Expanding Retail and Digital Footprint
Under Smith’s leadership, Trends International will continue to invest in its core retail business while broadening its digital commerce capabilities.

The company is focused on deepening relationships with major retailers, expanding distribution, improving merchandising, and developing new product platforms designed to create incremental sales opportunities.

Trends will also continue to build Trends Digital, bringing together the company’s e-commerce capabilities and creating a platform for future digital growth and potential e-commerce acquisitions.

The company’s digital portfolio includes Art.com and AllPosters.com, providing consumers with access to millions of images, posters, prints, wall art, and complementary décor.

“Trends has a tremendous opportunity to build upon its heritage while positioning the company for the future,” Smith said. “We are focused on growth, but equally important is how we achieve that growth — through strong customer partnerships, disciplined execution, innovation and a culture that empowers our people to succeed.”

Strategic Priorities
Smith’s leadership agenda includes several key areas of focus:

Retail growth — Expand relationships and sales with major national retailers and specialty channels.Product innovation — Develop new product formats, displays and seasonal programs that create incremental retail opportunities.Digital commerce — Accelerate the growth of Trends Digital, Art.com and AllPosters.com.Strategic partnerships — Forge new licensing, brand and business partnerships that expand the company’s market opportunity.Operational excellence — Improve organizational alignment, processes, technology, and execution across the company’s businesses.Talent and culture — Build a high-performing organization focused on accountability, innovation, customer service and sustainable growth.

“Kenneth brings a strong combination of leadership, customer focus and business development experience to Trends International,” said Phil St. Jean, Founder and Co-Executive Chairman of Trends International. “His vision for the company and his commitment to our customers, employees and partners make him the right leader for this next chapter. We are excited about what the future holds for Trends International and its businesses.”

About Kenneth Smith
Kenneth Smith is an experienced business executive with a background in sales leadership, strategic account development, business development, customer relationships, and organizational transformation. Throughout his career, Smith has focused on developing strategic growth initiatives, building high-performing teams, and creating long-term partnerships with major customers and business partners.

As president and chief executive officer of Trends International, Smith is responsible for the company’s overall strategy, growth, organizational leadership and business performance.

About Trends International
Trends International, LLC is a leading publisher and manufacturer of licensed posters, calendars, stickers, wall art and social stationery products. Established in 1987, Trends built its business around strong partnerships between licensors, retailers and licensees. Today, the company delivers a broad portfolio of licensed and proprietary products distributed through major retail, specialty, and digital channels.

Art.com, acquired by Trends International in 2023, is a leading online specialty retailer of high-quality wall art and complementary décor. The business offers millions of images and products through its digital commerce platform and interactive visualization tools.

AllPosters.com, part of the Trends International family of businesses, offers consumers a broad selection of posters, prints and wall décor.

For more information about Trends International, Art.com, AllPosters.com or Kenneth Smith, contact:

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trends-international-announces-kenneth-smith-as-president-and-chief-executive-officer-302912992.html

SOURCE Trends International

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