IDnow is expanding its identity verification and trust services to include the issuance of QEAAs, enabling organisations to use verified credentials in a legally compliant manner that national eID systems and the EUDI Wallet have not yet been able to provide consistently. 

LONDON, Aug. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IDnow, Europe’s leader in digital identity and fraud prevention, today announced that its Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), IDnow Trust Services AB has received a certification to issue QEAAs. 

IDnow recently underwent a rigorous, QEAA-specific conformity assessment, which comprised onsite visits and detailed evidence-trail reviews of its baseline processes as a QTSP and the QEAA service itself. This included attribute proofing, technical issuance, lifecycle management and IT security, against ETSI EN 319 401 and ETSI TS 119 471 standards, which concluded with zero non-conformities. The resulting conformity report has been submitted to Sweden’s Post- och telestyrelsen (PTS), the supervisory body responsible for granting qualified status and the corresponding entry on the EU Trust List. 

QEAAs offer organisations a legally recognised and eIDAS 2.0-compliant way to verify specific customer credentials, such as residential address, tax identification number, or professional certificates. 

A QEAA is a secure, EU-wide recognised verified credential that attests to a specific personal or organisational attribute. Unlike paper-based certificates, a QEAA is instantly verifiable, machine-readable and reusable. IDnow’s QEAAs work either way: delivered straight into an organisation’s existing onboarding flow or issued to the EUDI Wallet.

The Missing Link in AMLR  

The certification comes as regulated financial institutions across Europe prepare for the Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR), which requires obliged entities to collect and verify a wide variety of customer attributes and credentials by July 10, 2027. As some national eID schemes and some EUDI Wallets may not necessarily provide all the required attributes as part of the standard PID (Person Identification Data), many organisations will be faced with a gap between what they must verify and what today’s identity ecosystems can reliably supply.

IDnow’s QEAA service is designed to close that gap. Through a single integration, IDnow combines identity verification, attribute proofing and QEAA issuance under one accountable chain. IDnow proofs the attribute against an authentic or authoritative source and issues the QEAA through its own QTSP.

“AMLR doesn’t just ask organisations to know who their customer is, it asks them to prove specific facts about that customer, and today’s identity infrastructure wasn’t built to do that consistently across Europe,” said Johannes Leser, Managing Director of IDnow Trust Services. 

“With our QEAA certification, we will be able to offer organisations a legally recognised, audit-ready way to close that gap, without waiting for EUDI Wallet rollout timelines to catch up with regulatory deadlines that are already fixed.”

About IDnow  

IDnow is Europe’s leader in digital identity and fraud prevention with a mission to transform trust into the most powerful asset in the digital world, empowering enterprises with AI-driven, SaaS-based identity solutions that deliver scalable security, adaptive compliance, and real-time fraud prevention. 

Through its broad portfolio of digital identity and fraud prevention solutions, IDnow establishes, maintains and enriches trust throughout the customer journey, ensuring businesses can confidently and securely operate while leveraging digital identity to drive growth, security and scalability. 

The company has offices in Germany, United Kingdom, Romania, and France and is backed by renowned institutional investors, including Corsair Capital. Its portfolio of international clients spans a wide range of end markets including financial services, telecommunications, travel & mobility, gaming, and other industries. 

For more information, visit idnow.io.

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SOURCE IDnow

SAO PAULO, Brazil, Aug. 21, 2026 /CNW/ — Banco BTG Pactual S.A. (“Banco BTG”) announces that, as part of its general strategy to hedge exposure to share price market risk in the normal course of its business, it, through its subsidiary Banco BTG Pactual S.A. Cayman Branch, has entered into cash-settled total return swaps (each, a “Cash-Settled Swap”) in respect of the common shares (the “Shares”) of Meren Energy Inc. (the “Company”) with unaffiliated third-party financial institutions as counterparties that represent a hedged position in respect of approximately 21,482,282 notional Shares (representing approximately 3.18% of the issued and outstanding Shares). The Cash-Settled Swaps have an average reference price of C$2.1833 per notional Share and have expiry dates ranging from July 14, 2027 to August 20, 2027.

Under the terms of each Cash-Settled Swap, upon settlement Banco BTG’s subsidiary will (i) be obligated to make payments to the counterparties based on any positive net return of the specified notional number of Shares subject to the Cash-Settled Swaps and (ii) will receive payments from the counterparties based on any negative net return of the specified notional number of Shares subject to the Cash-Settled Swaps.

In addition to the Cash-Settled Swaps, Banco BTG owns, indirectly through BTG Pactual Oil & Gas S.à r.l. (“BTG Oil & Gas”), 239,828,655 Shares, representing approximately 35.5% of the outstanding share capital of the Company, based on 676,115,307 Shares outstanding as of June 30, 2026 (as disclosed in the Company’s interim financial statements for the period ended June 30, 2026). Banco BTG acquired the 239,828,655 Shares pursuant to an amalgamation completed on March 19, 2025 (Vancouver time) / March 20, 2025 (Luxembourg time). Please refer to the Company’s press release of March 20, 2025 (the “Closing Press Release”) for further information regarding Banco BTG’s ownership of the Shares.

The Cash-Settled Swaps do not and will not give Banco BTG direct or indirect voting, investment or dispositive control over any additional securities of the Company and do and will not result in Banco BTG disposing of any of the securities of the Company it beneficially owns. The Cash-Settled Swaps also do not require the counterparty thereto to acquire, hold, vote or dispose of any securities of the Company.

This press release is being issued pursuant to the requirements of National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues (“NI 62-103”) of the Canadian Securities Administrators. An amended early warning report will be filed by Banco BTG in compliance with NI 62-103 to disclose changes in certain material facts disclosed in its existing early warning report as a result of the entry into the Cash-Settled Swaps and once filed will be available on the Company’s issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. A copy of such report may also be obtained from: BTG Pactual Investors Relations Department at ri@btgpactual.com.

As disclosed in the Closing Press Release, Banco BTG acquired the Shares as part of a strategic investment in the Company. Banco BTG intends to review its investment in the Company on a continuing basis and may, from time to time and at any time, acquire or dispose of equity or debt securities or instruments, through open market transactions, private placements and other privately negotiated transactions or otherwise (including through exercising rights provided to BTG Oil & Gas under its Investor Rights Agreement with the Company) or enter into transactions that increase or hedge its economic exposure to such securities without affecting its beneficial ownership of such securities, in each case, depending on a number of factors, including general market and economic conditions and other factors and conditions Banco BTG deems appropriate.

Banco BTG is a corporation existing under the laws of Brazil and its head office address is Praia De Botafogo, 501, 6th Floor, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 04538-133.

SOURCE Banco BTG Pactual S.A.

Milestone “Tech Comes to Life” edition brings together 400+ leading tech and lifestyle brands for COMEX’s biggest 35th Anniversary Deal Fest yet.

SINGAPORE, Aug. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — COMEX, Singapore’s longest-running consumer technology exhibition, returns to Suntec Convention Centre from 3 to 6 September 2026, marking 35 years as the nation’s premier destination for tech deals, discovery, and innovation. This milestone edition, themed “Tech Comes to Life,” celebrates the show’s legacy as Singapore’s Biggest IT & Tech Show.

Organised by COMEX-IT Group Pte Ltd — the powerhouse behind Singapore’s biggest consumer tech exhibitions such as IT Show, CEE and The Tech Show — COMEX 2026 brings together a diverse lineup of exhibitors spanning gaming and computing hardware, smart home and robotics, ergonomic furniture, and consumer appliances. Confirmed exhibitors include:

AFTERSHOCK, APPLE, ASUS, ACER, BEST DENKI, DREAMCORE, CHALLENGER, DREAME, ERGOTUNE, HINOMI, HISENSE, HONOR, INTERDESK, INVADER PC, INSTA360, LOGITECH, M1, MANSA, METAOPTICS, MIDEA, OMNIDESK, PAYLATER BY GRAB, PRISM+, ROBOROCK, SECRETLAB, SAMSUNG, SINGTEL, STARHUB, TOSHIBA, TTRACING, ULTI and more.

35th Anniversary Deal Fest

As part of the anniversary celebrations, COMEX 2026 introduces the 35th Anniversary Deal Fest — four days of limited-time price drops and exclusive bundles across participating brands. Built around the number “35”, the Deal Fest will feature $35 deals, 35% discounts, special prices for the first 35 customers and limited quantities of 35 units, giving visitors multiple opportunities to score exclusive deals throughout the show.

Highlights span entertainment, home, gaming and lifestyle tech – with TCL QD-Mini LED TVs starting from $1,679, limited to 35 sets, alongside 35% savings on selected Toshiba, LG and Hisense products. Gaming enthusiasts can look forward to anniversary specials such as the ULTI APEX+ XTREME Gaming Mouse at $35 and selected TTRacing gaming chairs at $35, while OTO Wellness will offer selected products from $35.

Beyond the headline deals, participating brands will also offer exclusive bundles, complimentary gifts and limited-time anniversary savings, giving shoppers more ways to stretch their dollar. OSIM, for instance, will feature selected wellness products from $47, while selected ASUS products will offer savings of up to $350 and limited-time bundle offers. With limited quantities and daily allocations across participating brands, visitors are encouraged to check the latest deals and make their purchases early.

New Launches

Beyond the 35th Anniversary Deal Fest, COMEX 2026 will also unveil a lineup of new products across home, wellness, gaming and everyday technology, giving visitors a first look at the latest innovations entering the market.

Among the launches are new PRISM+ home appliances, including the compact Spin Mini Wash & Dry and PureFresh refrigerators, alongside innovative workspace products from Interdesk and Hinomi. Visitors can also discover the latest Secretlab ATLAS™ and the Insta360 X6 action camera, bringing new possibilities in ergonomics, productivity and content creation, alongside other lifestyle and smart living innovations from participating brands.

COMEX x ASUS: Build Your Beast

From deals to discovery, COMEX 2026 will also give visitors a closer look at what goes into building a custom PC through the COMEX × ASUS interactive pop-up located in front of Halls 403-404.

Developed in collaboration with ASUS, the experience brings the anatomy of a custom PC to life through an immersive photo opportunity featuring life-sized PC component displays. Visitors can step inside the installation, take photos and discover how components such as processors, graphics cards, motherboards and cooling systems come together to power a complete custom PC.

From understanding what powers a PC today, COMEX 2026 takes visitors a step further to explore what could power the technology of tomorrow: AI.

AI Innovations

At COMEX 2026, visitors can discover how AI is being integrated across next-generation devices — from high-performance computing and entertainment to smarter solutions for the home.

Among the highlights is the NVIDIA Ultimate Lunchbox — Aftershock PC’s Flagship Compact Gaming PC, designed to deliver powerful gaming performance in a compact form factor. AI-powered experiences also extend into the living room with Samsung OLED TVs and the Hisense 55-inch E8SE AI TV, while smart home innovations include the Bbyeol Atlas AI Smart Heating Water Purifier, PRISM+ Elite AI Robot Vacuum and Dyson Spot + Scrub AI robot vacuum.

Together, these innovations showcase how AI is becoming increasingly embedded in the technology consumers use to work, create, entertain and live.

“Thirty-five years ago, COMEX began as Singapore’s go-to show for the best tech deals. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is the breadth of technology now shaping how we live, work and play. COMEX 2026 celebrates that journey, bringing visitors more ways to save, discover and experience the latest in consumer technology than ever before,” said Genevieve Rodrigues, Director, COMEX-IT Group.

Entry to COMEX 2026 is free. For the latest updates on how to redeem show deals, and access to the digital floorplan and list of participating brands, sign up to the COMEX 2026 Official Show guide at www.comexitshow.com.sg.

Event Details
Dates: 3 to 6 September 2026, Thursday to Sunday
Venue: Suntec Convention Centre, Levels 3 & 4 (Halls 401-406)
Timing: 11am to 9pm (Level 3), 12am to 9pm (Level 4)
Admission: Free
Website: www.comexitshow.com.sg

COMEX-IT GROUP

COMEX-IT Group Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based events company specializing in the management and organization of large-scale consumer technology exhibitions. Backed by a team with strong track records and decades of industry experience, we are proud to steward some of the nation’s most established and recognized event brands, including COMEX, IT Show, Consumer Electronics Exhibition (CEE), and The Tech Show (TTS).

Our mission is to deliver impactful, high-quality experiences that connect consumers with the latest innovations in tech — while offering an exciting and rewarding shopping experience unlike any other.

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SOURCE COMEX-IT Group Pte Ltd