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Empire Asset Finance, LLC Secures Senior Warehouse Credit Facility with Bank OZK to Expand Equipment Financing Platform

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Empire Asset Finance, LLC (“Empire”), today announced the closing of its first institutional warehouse credit facility with Bank OZK.

NEW YORK, July 17, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Empire Asset Finance, LLC (“Empire”) today announced the closing of its first institutional warehouse credit facility with Bank OZK.

“We were highly selective in choosing our first institutional warehouse lending partner, and Bank OZK stood out because of its experience, responsiveness, and relationship-oriented approach. This facility positions us for disciplined, long-term growth.”

The facility represents a significant milestone for Empire as it expands its capital markets and direct origination capabilities and enhances its ability to deliver flexible, competitive equipment financing solutions to middle-market companies throughout the United States and Canada.

The warehouse facility will finance capital leases, operating leases, loans, and sale-leaseback transactions across a broad range of equipment types and industries, allowing Empire to provide borrowers with competitive financing backed by a stable, long-term funding source.

“Closing our first institutional warehouse facility is an important milestone in the evolution of Empire,” said Rick Rockhold, Chief Executive Officer of Empire. “As origination volume continues to grow, having access to efficient, scalable funding enables us to offer competitive pricing while maintaining the speed, flexibility, and certainty of execution our clients expect. We are excited to partner with Bank OZK and look forward to building a long-term relationship together.”

“Bank OZK has built an outstanding reputation as a leading lender with deep expertise in specialty finance,” said Mike Miroshnikov, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Credit Officer of Empire. “We were highly selective in choosing our first institutional warehouse lending partner, and Bank OZK stood out because of its experience, responsiveness, and relationship-oriented approach. This facility positions us for disciplined, long-term growth.”

“Empire has assembled an experienced management team with a clear long-term vision and strong sponsor backing,” said Matt Conley, Director, Lender Finance Group at Bank OZK. “We are pleased to provide our support in this credit facility.”

About Bank OZK

Bank OZK (Nasdaq: OZK) is a regional bank providing innovative financial solutions delivered by expert bankers with a relentless pursuit of excellence. Established in 1903, Bank OZK conducts banking operations in 268 offices in nine states including Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, California, and Mississippi and had $41.7 billion in total assets as of March 31, 2026. For more information, visit ozk.com.

Media Contact

Mike Miroshnikov, Empire Asset Finance, LLC, 1 (415) 425-9994, mmiroshnikov@empireassetfinance.com, https://empireassetfinance.com/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/empire-asset-finance-llc-secures-senior-warehouse-credit-facility-with-bank-ozk-to-expand-equipment-financing-platform-302828164.html

SOURCE Empire Asset Finance, LLC

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

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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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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 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/olights-best-selling-clip-light-evolves-oclip-2-series-rotates-and-tilts-to-aim-where-you-need-it-302879877.html

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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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 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kakao-group-announces-mou-with-fireblocks-to-explore-digital-asset-opportunities-in-korea-302885302.html

SOURCE Fireblocks

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