Nearly 100 AmChamSG Members and Staff Commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (MLK Day) by Supporting Senior Heartlanders in Need

SINGAPORE, Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (AmChamSG) commemorated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (MLK Day) through outreach to 400 frail and vulnerable senior households in Sembawang.

Nearly 100 AmChamSG members and staff conducted wellness checks and distributed mandarin oranges in partnership with Blossom Seeds, a non-profit organization that supports vulnerable senior heartlanders with integration into society.

Ong Siew Chin, CEO of Blossom Seeds said, “At Blossom Seeds, we believe that every act of service is a bridge that connects hearts, restores dignity, and brings hope to all our seniors.

We are grateful to AmChamSG for bringing joy and happiness to these frail and vulnerable seniors this Lunar New Year season.”

A federal holiday in the U.S., Americans have been encouraged to commemorate MLK Jr. Day through acts of service in memory of the civil rights hero.

Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei, Chief Executive Officer of AmChamSG said, “This is our 5^th year galvanizing the community to volunteer for MLK Jr. Day. Dr. King’s call to service reminds us that the most persistent and urgent question we must face is, ‘What are you doing for others?’

The AmChamSG business community has come together to show that our collective impact can move the needle towards a more inclusive and compassionate society.”

About AmChamSG

Established in 1973, the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (AmChamSG) is the largest and the most active international business association in Singapore and Southeast Asia, with over 660 American and other global companies with significant U.S. business interests. AmChamSG is an independent, non-partisan business organization with the goal of offering insights and facilitating access and connections that provide members with a comprehensive understanding of the local, regional, and global operating environments. Our mission – to create value for our members by providing advocacy, community, and thought leadership. Visit: www.amcham.com.sg    

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Nordic owned sourdough brand BARTELS has officially marked the opening of its new flagship branch at the Sonatus Building, District 1, celebrating the occasion alongside the Nordic KickOff 2026: New Year Networking event organised by NordCham Vietnam on January 22, 2026.

Amid growing Nordic foreign direct investment in Vietnam, with Denmark among the most active contributors across sectors including food & beverage, renewable energy, logistics and sustainable manufacturing, the expansion of BARTELS reflects a broader trend of Nordic businesses pursuing long-term, value-driven growth in Vietnam.

Founded on a simple yet uncompromising philosophy, “100% real. No cheating,” BARTELS has built a strong reputation in Bangkok, Phuket and Ho Chi Minh City for its naturally fermented bread, artisanal sandwiches and Nordic-inspired café experience. Rooted in Scandinavian baking traditions, the brand is committed to honest ingredients, slow fermentation and craftsmanship.

The new location at Sonatus Building represents BARTELS’s continued expansion in Vietnam, guided by the ambition to bring healthy, high-quality and responsibly made food closer to urban communities. Located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City’s business district, the space is designed as a warm, minimalist setting that supports everyday dining and meaningful professional connections.

To celebrate the opening and welcome the new year, NordCham Vietnam hosted its Nordic KickOff New Year Networking on January 22, 2026, in collaboration with BARTELS at its newly opened Sonatus location, bringing together members and friends of the Nordic community while reinforcing shared values of collaboration, sustainability and trust.

Speaking at the Networking evening, the Ambassador of Denmark to Vietnam, H.E. Nicolai Prytz shared:

Nordic companies bring qualities that are highly valued in Vietnam today: A long-term approach, strong governance and responsible business practices, practical, high-quality solutions in sustainability and innovation. This evening also gives us a special moment to celebrate Nordic entrepreneurship in Vietnam. 

Representing BARTELS, Nicolai Bartels remarked:

The success of Bartels comes from sweating the details. From our bread to our coffee to the ambience in our cafés.

We believe that quality and consistency beats hype, and that is what has allowed Bartels to grow and become a genuine community hangout across Thailand and now Vietnam.

The evening marked not only the opening of a new BARTELS location, but also a confident start to another year of strong Nordic engagement and cooperation in Vietnam.

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026  /PRNewswire/ — During the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026, Sumsub, a global leader in identity verification and fraud prevention, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global On-chain Economy Alliance (GOE Alliance) during an international networking and cooperation promotion program hosted by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, and co-organized by HCMC C4IR and VIFC-HCMC.

The MoU was announced during a working session attended by Vietnamese Government leaders, representatives of international organizations, and members of the domestic and international business and innovation communities. The event formed part of broader efforts to present the vision for developing Vietnam’s International Financial Center (IFC) in Ho Chi Minh City, while expanding collaboration with global partners across finance and technology.

Crypto Payments for International Tourism and Services

The agreement focuses on deploying practical, infrastructure-level use cases within the on-chain economy, with an emphasis on compliant crypto and stablecoin payment solutions for the tourism sector — an industry characterized by high-frequency and high-volume cross-border payments, where robust identity verification and fraud prevention are critical.

Under the agreement, crypto payment solutions are intended for international tourists’ expenditures, including accommodation, transportation, dining, shopping, and other tourism-related services. The use of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins helps reduce currency conversion barriers, lower foreign exchange costs, and deliver a more seamless and convenient payment experience for travelers. This is considered a highly feasible and easily deployable application scenario, with the potential to generate direct and tangible impacts on tourism and international consumer spending flows into Vietnam.

The MoU was signed as part of a broader on-chain ecosystem initiative showcased at WEF Davos 2026, bringing together public-sector stakeholders and private-sector infrastructure providers — including the GOE Alliance, the Ho Chi Minh City Government, Sumsub, and stablecoin issuer Tether — to support the development and deployment of regulated, real-world crypto use cases within Vietnam’s IFC framework.

At the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Trung — Chief Executive Officer of Sky Mavis and a Founding Member of the GOE Alliance — represented the Alliance in signing the MOU with Sumsub’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Sever. 

“The on-chain economy is new economic infrastructure, not a new market. Like railways for trade and the internet for information, it enables value in the 21st century and it only works through shared standards and collaboration,” said Nguyen Thanh Trung, Chief Executive Officer of Sky Mavis and a Founding Member of the GOE Alliance.

“As crypto and stablecoin payments move into real-world use cases, strong compliance infrastructure becomes essential,” said Andrew Sever, Co-Founder and CEO at Sumsub. “This collaboration reflects how governments and industry can work together to enable innovation while ensuring trust, security, and scalability, particularly in high-volume environments like international tourism.”

Separately during WEF 2026, the GOE Alliance also signed a MoU with Crystal Intelligence, the leading blockchain analytics provider in Europe, focused on the development of cross-border payment infrastructure within the on-chain economy.

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About Sumsub

Sumsub is a leading full-cycle verification platform that enables fraud-free, scalable compliance. Its adaptive, no-code solution covers everything from identity and business verification to ongoing monitoring – quickly adjusting to evolving risks, regulations, and market demands.

Recognized as a Leader by Gartner, Liminal, and KuppingerCole, Sumsub combines seamless integration with advanced fraud prevention to deliver industry-leading performance.

GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, One Heung Kong—a premier luxury residence in the Greater Bay Area—has achieved a major milestone in sustainable architecture. It has officially secured certification from the World Green Design Organization (WGDO), LEED Platinum status, and WELL for residential certification, making it the world’s only artistic landmark to hold all three of these authoritative credentials. The project has also garnered multiple international green and healthy living awards. This accomplishment positions One Heung Kong at the forefront of global green and healthy living and offers a replicable model for sustainable development in high-density urban environments.

WGDO is the first international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting green design and a special consultative body to the United Nations. It recognized One Heung Kong for its commitment to sustainability and green principles integrated into the project from the earliest design stages. The development adopts the 8 Constant + Forest Environment System and the All-Intelligent Chain Eco-Technology System, enabling a full transformation from static green design to dynamic, intelligent operation and maintenance. This infuses “green intelligence” into every phase of the building’s lifecycle, supporting healthier living for residents.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system, a globally acknowledged framework for evaluating green buildings, has bestowed its highest-tier Platinum certification upon One Heung Kong, in acknowledgment of its exceptional performance in energy efficiency, water resource management, indoor environmental quality, and sustainable site planning.

At the same time, One Heung Kong has earned WELL certification, an internationally respected, authoritative healthy building standard that focuses on how indoor environments impact human health and well-being. Not only is it one of just two projects in South China to hold both WELL and LEED certifications, but it’s also the region’s only one to simultaneously receive interim WELL for residential and WELL community certifications, establishing a holistic ecosystem designed to enhance human health.

By weaving together biomimicry, native plant communities, and smart technologies, One Heung Kong has built a multidimensional wellness system that visibly boosts negative oxygen ion concentrations throughout the residential area, effectively reduces the urban heat island effect, and achieves carbon sequestration. Moreover, the project has successfully developed a novel negative oxygen ion nanomaterial, now widely applied in the building, which enables continuous 24-hour release of negative oxygen ions, a notable breakthrough. In water management, One Heung Kong has implemented a three-tier healthy water purification system to guarantee residents access to safe, clean drinking water.

Looking ahead, One Heung Kong will continue to embrace the principles of green design, striving to create a global model for green and sustainable living and contributing to the building of a global community of health for all.