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States Should Not Mistake Long-Term Investing for Abandonment

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WASHINGTON, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Investment Company Institute released the following Viewpoints blog:

Millions of Americans buy mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, and other securities with the intention of holding them for years. They may not log in often. They may not trade. They may not check their balances until they need the money. That is not a sign they have walked away from their investments; it is ordinary buy-and-hold investing.

But some states are making it easier to treat these investors as if they are missing. By adding a so-called “inactivity standard” to their unclaimed property laws, states can seize and liquidate securities accounts simply because the owner has not logged in, traded, contributed, or otherwise contacted the account provider for a set period of time—even though the investor is not lost and has not abandoned the account. 

The consequences of escheatment, the legal process by which a state takes custody of abandoned property, can be severe. Once a securities account escheats to a state, the state liquidates the securities. When owners try to reclaim their account, they may receive only the value of the securities when they were sold, and not the dividends, interest, or appreciation they may have earned had the investments remained intact and untouched. 

Florida and California show that states have a choice: protect long-term investors or put their savings at risk. 

Florida and the Majority of States Show a Better Way Forward

Florida recently showed why these protections matter. After the state changed its unclaimed property law in 2024 and moved from a “returned communication standard” to an inactivity standard for securities, more than $1 billion in additional assets escheated to the state, much of it prematurely. Lawmakers recognized the gravity of the problem immediately. This past June, Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation strengthening protections for investors who remain reachable, even when they have not actively engaged with their account for some time. 

The new Florida standard recognizes how investors engage with their accounts today. It incorporates both a returned communication standard and a 10-year period to show an indication of interest, or activity, in an account. It also allows investors to demonstrate continued interest by securely accessing a website, engaging through a mobile app, or responding to an account notice, among other actions. 

California Should Follow Florida’s Lead

Under California law, the standard is vague, and securities may in some cases be deemed abandoned when an account provider has lost contact with the securities’ owner. That is why the standard for determining abandonment is so critical. An inactivity standard can blur the difference between an investor who is truly lost and an investor who is simply staying the course. 

California now has an important opportunity to protect long-term investors by passing AB 2031, sponsored by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris. This legislation would clarify California’s Unclaimed Property Law and help prevent inappropriate escheatment of securities. That means the 7.8 million California households that own mutual funds or ETFs would not be treated as missing when account communications are still being delivered by mail or electronically and are not returned as undeliverable.

Keeping Long-Term Investments in Investors’ Hands

Unclaimed property laws should not be used to take possession of securities owned by investors who are still reachable and still invested.

Florida has taken the right step, joining a majority of states in recognizing that ordinary long-term investing should not be treated as abandonment. California should follow suit by passing AB 2031 right away. Other states should then follow Florida and California and modernize their laws to protect investors from these same risks.

What Forced Liquidation Can Cost a Long-Term Investor
Imagine a long-term investor with $50,000 in mutual fund shares. She receives electronic statements, reinvests dividends, and keeps a valid address on file with the account provider. Because she is saving for the future, she does not log in or trade for several years.

Then one day she checks her account and finds her securities are gone. The state has taken custody and sold them. If she later files a claim, she may recover only the $50,000 sale-date value. Had the money remained invested and earned 7% annually, it could have grown to more than $98,000 over 10 years.

That is nearly $50,000 in potential gains lost because inactivity was mistaken for abandonment.

Contact: media@ici.org

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SOURCE Investment Company Institute

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Agoda and Hoshino Reflect on Partnership: ‘Trust and Feedback Were Key’

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September 22, 2026

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TOKYO, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Digital travel platform Agoda CEO Omri Morgenshtern and Hoshino Resorts CEO Yoshiharu Hoshino recently convened at HOSHINOYA Tokyo, sharing insights on the successful first months of their partnership. The leaders highlighted the strong relationship formed through Agoda’s serious commitment to feedback from Hoshino, fostering a collaboration grounded in continuous improvement and innovation.

The collaboration has seen both companies working closely to enhance their offerings and improve customer experiences. Agoda and Hoshino Resorts began their partnership in November last year with a focus on addressing challenges in room bookings and customer satisfaction. Agoda’s robust engineering teams in Bangkok, India, and Singapore played a crucial role in resolving initial issues, leading to a swift improvement in service quality. This proactive approach laid the foundation for a strong partnership built on trust and mutual respect.

Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of Agoda, emphasized the importance of feedback in their collaboration. “When we received feedback from Hoshino-san, we knew we needed to make changes quickly. Our engineering team set targets and made decisive improvements, proving that we don’t just talk about change—we make it happen. This approach has been the basis of our relationship with Hoshino Resorts, and we’re excited about the win-win situations this partnership brings,” Morgenshtern shared.

During the conversation, Yoshiharu Hoshino, CEO of Hoshino Resorts, echoed these sentiments, noting the benefits of working with Agoda. He highlighted that Agoda’s commitment to understanding local cultures and adapting their services has been instrumental in the partnership. He also emphasized that Agoda’s ability to move quickly and implement changes has made a significant impact on their operations, and expressed his enthusiasm to continuing the fruitful collaboration.

The partnership between Agoda and Hoshino Resorts exemplifies how taking actionable feedback seriously can lead to successful collaborations. Agoda now has the widest selection of Hoshino’s iconic properties available on its global platform, including the recent addition of new properties: HOSHINOYA Bali, HOSHINOYA Nara Prison, Hoshino Resorts KAI Matsumoto, Hoshino Resorts KAI Miyajima, and Hoshino Resorts KAI Zao. Notably, HOSHINOYA Bali is the first Hoshino property outside Japan to be available on Agoda, opening new doors for international travelers. 

For more information, visit Agoda.com and discover the best deals on Agoda’s mobile app.

— ENDS —

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SOURCE Agoda

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Olight’s Best-Selling Clip Light Evolves: Oclip 2 Series Rotates and Tilts to Aim Where You Need It

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September 22, 2026

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HOUSTON, Sept. 21, 2026 /CNW/ — Olight launched the Oclip 2 Series during its O-Fan Day event, introducing the Oclip 2 Pro and Oclip 2 Ultra designed for mechanics, public safety professionals, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who requires fully adjustable, hands-free lighting with multiple light sources. The Oclip 2 Series represents the next generation of Olight’s best-selling clip-light line, a product line with more than one million users worldwide.

Both models feature an all-new dual-axis design that tilts the head up to 115° and rotates the clip a full 360°, allowing the beam to be freely aimed as needed after mounting without repositioning the mounting point. Self-locking pivots hold the selected angle in place. Durability testing covered 10,000 clipping cycles for the clip and 10,000 rotation cycles for the dual-axis mechanism.

The Oclip 2 Pro integrates three lighting modes in one compact body: pure flood, spot, and red light. Flood output reaches up to 530 lumens, spot range up to 125 meters, and red output up to 40 lumens.

Building on the Oclip 2 Pro’s three-light configuration, the Oclip 2 Ultra adds UV light through an industry-first R/UV emitter that integrates red and UV light within its compact body, bringing the total to four light sources. Flood output reaches up to 580 lumens and spot range up to 130 meters, while UV output reaches up to 800 mW for inspections. Beyond lighting performance, the Oclip 2 Ultra adds an exclusive OAL aluminum body and head that combine high strength with scratch resistance, alongside the new OclipBeat breathing light, which changes color based on cumulative usage time.

Across the Oclip 2 Series, dual magnets at the MCC tail and clip allow the light to be secured to compatible metal surfaces in different orientations for hands-free illumination.

Both models support USB-C and MCC charging. Each Premium version includes a 1,000 mAh Mobile Charging Dock that automatically recharges the light on the go, extends total runtime to approximately twice that of the light alone, and displays the battery levels of both the light and dock.

The Oclip 2 Pro comes in Classic Black, High-Visibility Orange, and Tidal Blue, while the Oclip 2 Ultra comes in Olive Green, Onyx Black, and Amber Orange. Both models are available worldwide through the Olight Official Store, Amazon, and authorized retailers. Standard versions are priced at $49.99 for the Oclip 2 Pro and $69.99 for the Oclip 2 Ultra; pricing for other versions is available on the Olight Official Store.

About Olight

Founded in 2007, Olight is a global innovator in portable lighting, offering high-tech solutions for everyday carry, outdoor, tactical, and professional use. With over 1,200 patents and iF and Red Dot design recognitions, Olight serves users in over 100 countries.

Contact:
pr@olight.com 

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SOURCE Olight Group Co., Ltd

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Kakao Group Announces MoU with Fireblocks to Explore Digital Asset Opportunities in Korea

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September 22, 2026

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Kakao Pay and Kakao Bank sign an MoU with global infrastructure leader Fireblocks to lay the groundwork for a digital asset ecosystem in KoreaThe companies will jointly explore Korean market opportunities in digital assets, including stablecoinsThe initiative aims to assess solutions suited to local regulatory, security, and service requirements

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kakao Pay and Kakao Bank have signed a memorandum of understanding with Fireblocks to explore secure digital asset infrastructure in Korea.

The agreement is intended to help establish secure onchain infrastructure for Korea’s emerging digital asset market and strengthen its early ecosystem. This initiative leverages Kakao’s nationwide reach, expertise across fintech and banking, and core blockchain technology. The companies expect their collaboration with Fireblocks—which has deployed digital asset infrastructure for over 2,500 global institutions including more than 100 banks—to accelerate that effort.

Under the agreement, the three companies will jointly explore business opportunities based on Korea’s market conditions and infrastructure demand. With a focus on stablecoins, they will explore digital asset distribution frameworks suited to Korea’s regulatory, security, and service requirements. They also plan to conduct proof-of-concept (PoC) tests to assess the applicability of these frameworks, as part of a shared effort to build the digital asset ecosystem.

“For banks and payment platforms in Korea, leveraging reliable digital asset infrastructure that is engineered to meet institutional requirements from day one is critically important,” said Michael Shaulov, CEO and Co-Founder of Fireblocks. “This is the prerequisite for widespread adoption, and Kakao Pay and Kakao Bank are setting the groundwork now.”

“We are pleased to collaborate with Fireblocks, the global leader in digital asset infrastructure,” said Yun Ho-young, CEO of Kakao Bank and Co-Head of Kakao Group’s Stablecoin Task Force. “By combining our technology and expertise, we will develop secure and accessible digital asset services that expand our customers’ financial opportunities.”

“The success of Korea’s emerging digital asset market depends on the reliable flow of digital asset distribution,” said Shin Won-keun, CEO of Kakao Pay and Co-Head of Kakao Group’s Stablecoin Task Force. “Our strategic alliance with Fireblocks, a leading global infrastructure provider, lays an important foundation for that.”

About Fireblocks

Fireblocks is the world’s most trusted digital asset infrastructure company, empowering global institutions to build, manage and grow their business on the blockchain. With the industry’s most scalable and secure platform, we streamline stablecoin payments, settlement, custody, tokenization, trading, accounting operations, and compliance reporting – enabling everything from institutional finance to consumer-facing digital experiences across the largest ecosystem of banks, payment providers, stablecoin issuers, exchanges and custodians. Thousands of organizations – including Worldpay, BNY, Galaxy, and Revolut – trust Fireblocks to secure $16 trillion in digital asset transactions across 200+ blockchains. Learn more at fireblocks.com 

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SOURCE Fireblocks

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