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TGE’s Latest Film “Scare Out” Surpasses US$190 Million at the Global Box Office

PARIS, NEW YORK and LONDON, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AMTD Group Inc. (“AMTD Group”), AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB), AMTD Digital Inc. (NYSE: HKD) and The Generation Essentials Group (“TGE”, NYSE: TGE; LSE: TGE), a subsidiary of AMTD Digital Inc., jointly announce that “Scare Out” (the “Movie”) has achieved remarkable box office success. The Movie has surpassed US$190 million at the global box office, with total admissions exceeding 28.28 million viewers.

One month after its release, the Movie continues to perform strongly, achieving the highest daily seat-occupancy rate for six consecutive days. It has also become the eighth highest-grossing domestic Chinese crime film in Chinese film history, as well as the highest-grossing crime story movie released during the Chinese New Year Holiday period in the past five years.

AMTD is a co-production company of the Movie, with Dr. Calvin Choi, founder of AMTD IDEA, AMTD Digital, and TGE, serving as a co-producer.

About AMTD Group

AMTD Group is a conglomerate with a core business portfolio spanning across media and entertainment, education and training, and premium assets and hospitality sectors.

About AMTD IDEA Group

AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB) represents a diversified institution and digital solutions group connecting companies and investors with global markets. Its comprehensive one-stop business services plus digital solutions platform addresses different clients’ diverse and inter-connected business needs and digital requirements across all phases of their life cycles. AMTD IDEA Group is uniquely positioned as an active super connector between clients, business partners, investee companies, and investors, connecting the East and the West. For more information, please visit www.amtdinc.com or follow us on X (formerly known as “Twitter”) at @AMTDGroup.

About AMTD Digital Inc.

AMTD Digital Inc. (NYSE: HKD) is a comprehensive digital solutions platform headquartered in France. Its one-stop digital solutions platform operates key business lines including digital media, content and marketing services, investments as well as hospitality and VIP services. For AMTD Digital’s announcements, please visit https://ir.amtdigital.net/investor-news.

About The Generation Essentials Group

The Generation Essentials Group (NYSE: TGE; LSE: TGE), jointly established by AMTD Group, AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB) and AMTD Digital Inc. (NYSE: HKD), is headquartered in France and focuses on global strategies and developments in multi-media, entertainment, and cultural affairs worldwide as well as hospitality and VIP services. TGE comprises L’Officiel, The Art Newspaper, movie and entertainment projects. Collectively, TGE is a diversified portfolio of media and entertainment businesses, and a global portfolio of premium properties. Also, TGE is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsor manager, with its first SPAC successfully raised and priced on December 18, 2025.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor”provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,””anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,””estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the beliefs, plans, and expectations of AMTD IDEA Group, AMTD Digital and/or The Generation Essentials Group, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the filings of AMTD IDEA Group, AMTD Digital and The Generation Essentials Group with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and none of AMTD IDEA Group, AMTD Digital and The Generation Essentials Group undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

For AMTD IDEA Group:
IR Office
AMTD IDEA Group
EMAIL: ir@amtdinc.com 

For AMTD Digital Inc.:
IR Office
AMTD Digital Inc.
EMAIL: ir@amtdigital.net 

For The Generation Essentials Group:
IR Office
The Generation Essentials Group
EMAIL: ir@tge.media

Green Cabbage + Flywl: A Game-Changing Partnership for Cloud Procurement Excellence

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. and SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Green Cabbage, the global leader in procurement intelligence, today announced a strategic partnership with Flywl, the innovative cloud marketplace platform transforming how enterprises buy and manage software across AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. This partnership is set to redefine cloud procurement, delivering faster, smarter, and more cost-effective technology solutions for clients across all industries.

As cloud software adoption accelerates, procurement teams face growing complexity from fragmented marketplaces, scattered pricing data, and slow buying cycles. By combining Green Cabbage’s procurement intelligence with Flywl’s unified cloud marketplace platform, this partnership empowers organizations to make faster procurement decisions to deliver maximum value from each technology investment.

Unlocking New Levels of Procurement Speed and Insight

Flywl’s marketplace platform Compass empowers enterprise buyers to transact software in hours, not months, while maximizing commitment utilization and automating compliance, approvals, and spend visibility across major cloud providers. When paired with Green Cabbage’s leading market intelligence, negotiation expertise, and secure platform, OneWorkspace, clients will now gain:

  • Faster Procurement, Faster Results: Simplify cloud software buying so teams get what they need quickly and start seeing value sooner.
  • Complete Spend Visibility: See all cloud commitments, renewals, and costs in one place to make smarter, data-driven decisions.
  • Sharper Commercial Insights: Leverage granular data to negotiate better deals and optimize contracts down to the SKU level.
  • Maximized Savings Opportunities: Uncover hidden rebates, optimize spend, and ensure pricing is aligned across the enterprise.

“This partnership shows Green Cabbage’s commitment to delivering solutions that truly make a difference for our clients,” said Eric Cunningham, CEO & Founder of Green Cabbage. “Working with Flywl, we are tackling one of the biggest challenges in enterprise procurement today, cloud software spend, with solutions that bring clarity, speed, and real financial impact while simplifying procurement.”

A Shared Vision for Moving the Industry Forward

At the core of this partnership is a shared belief: buying and managing cloud software shouldn’t be complicated. Flywl’s focus on making cloud marketplace procurement faster and easier aligns naturally with Green Cabbage’s deep expertise in procurement intelligence and supplier optimization. Together, Green Cabbage and Flywl are helping procurement, finance, and technology teams cut through complexity and make smarter decisions with confidence.

“We’re excited to partner with Green Cabbage to give our customers more value for their software investments,” said Ankur Srivastava, CEO & Founder of Flywl. “Our combined speed, visibility, and intelligence will help organizations move faster and make clearer decisions based on data-driven insights.”

About Green Cabbage

Green Cabbage, Inc. is the global leader in Procurement Intelligence, addressing Technology, Third-Party Labor, Marketing, and Travel & Expense spend through our OneWorkspace Platform.

Green Cabbage delivers Real, Tangible Outcomes with Market, Commercial, and Supplier Intelligence within 24-48 hours. Green Cabbage services 2600+ clients across the globe in Enterprise, Mid-Market, Private Equity, and Consulting Firms. From pricing strategy and licensing to negotiation, audit defense, legal advisory, and training.

Green Cabbage enables you to secure not just the best price, but the best overall agreement.

For more information, visit https://www.greencabbage.com.

About Flywl

Flywl is the cloud marketplace platform transforming how enterprises buy and sell software. Built for speed, governance, and savings, Flywl unifies procurement across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Marketplaces, reducing procurement cycles from months to days and helping buyers maximize committed spend. For more information, visit https://www.flywl.com/.

Media Contacts:

Green Cabbage
Alex Fochler
Head of Marketing
alex.fochler@green-cabbage.com 

Flywl
Cameron Hart
Head of Content
cameron@attractful.com

 

 

VEVOR Celebrates Global Flagship Store Opening in Houston with Houston Rockets, Redefining Hands-On Retail Experience

HOUSTON, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On March 9, home improvement leader VEVOR celebrated the grand opening of its first global flagship store in Houston, marking a major step from a digital-native brand to an omnichannel, experience-driven retail presence. Houston Rockets player Josh Okogie joined the celebration, adding to the excitement as the launch attracted a vibrant mix of local residents, DIY enthusiasts, content creators —including renowned automotive YouTuber ChrisFix — and brand partners, signaling a new chapter in how VEVOR brings its mission from online platforms into real-world experiences.

VEVOR Houston Grand Opening: Crowds gather outside the new flagship store as automotive influencer ChrisFix joins the ribbon-cutting ceremony
VEVOR Houston Grand Opening: Crowds gather outside the new flagship store as automotive influencer ChrisFix joins the ribbon-cutting ceremony

Rockets Star Appearances Bring Sports Excitement to DIY Fans

The event’s excitement reached its peak when Houston Rockets player Josh Okogie joined fans for interactive challenges, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities. Cheers erupted each time he completed a challenge, while laughter and applause filled the store as families captured memorable moments.

VEVOR Houston Grand Opening
VEVOR Houston Grand Opening

Adding to the festive atmosphere, Rockets mascot Clutch the Bear entertained visitors with playful antics, delighting both kids and adults. The presence of the Rockets, combined with hands-on DIY experiences, highlighted VEVOR’s commitment to connecting with local communities. It showcased how the brand brings together sports, creativity, and interactive engagement to inspire Houston’s home creators.

Houston Rockets mascot
Houston Rockets mascot “Clutch” greets young fans inside the new VEVOR flagship store, celebrating the brand’s partnership with the local NBA team.

The collaboration with the Houston Rockets reflects a shared spirit of performance— on the court and at home. On the court, the Rockets pursue success through teamwork and execution. At home, VEVOR empowers creators with professional-grade tools engineered to perform when it matters most. By partnering with a team known for its energy, teamwork, and strong local pride, VEVOR reinforces its mission to help individuals take their projects to the next level—blending community engagement with the creativity and hands-on spirit of DIY culture.

Hands-On Experience and Opening Promotions Draw Enthusiastic Crowds

Alongside the interactive experiences, VEVOR’s grand opening featured a range of special promotions that drew eager crowds. Visitors explored the store, taking advantage of limited-time discounts, exclusive member offers, and opening-day deals, creating a lively atmosphere that reflected strong interest in the products. Shoppers actively tested tools, filled their carts, and shared ideas, turning the store into a dynamic hub of activity.

Designed around hands-on engagement, the Houston flagship offers interactive zones where visitors can pick up tools, test grips, feel their weight, and experience performance firsthand. From power tools and storage solutions to outdoor gear and home hardware, the store encourages exploration, learning, and inspiration, bringing VEVOR’s commitment to professional-grade tools and immersive experiences fully to life.

“We want this space to be more than a store,” said VEVOR Brand Director Gavin Wu. “It should be a place where people linger, connect, and share. Partnering with the Rockets — a team that embodies Houston’s energy and pride — was also our way of showing that this store belongs to the community. At VEVOR, we believe that tools exist to empower people, and the store should serve the community.”

With Houston as its first footprint, VEVOR plans to expand more community-driven, experience-focused spaces across the U.S. and globally—fueling DIY culture and giving home creators the confidence and tools to bring their visions to life.

Beyond retail, VEVOR is also building a broader program of community initiatives, from home improvement workshops to neighborhood improvement projects—because a brand that sells tools should also help people use them.

And Houston is just the beginning. With the flagship store as its foundation, VEVOR is committed to bringing the same hands-on, community-first retail experience to more American home creators — both online and offline.

The Houston flagship is now open—step inside, get hands-on with tools, ignite your creativity, and join a community where every home creator can turn ideas into reality. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a weekend DIYer, VEVOR is where inspiration meets action.

About VEVOR

VEVOR is a global home improvement brand that empowers home creators, who actively reshape living spaces to express their inner pursuits, finding joy in turning visions into reality with their own hands to upgrade spaces with pro-level gear at fair prices. From backyard makeovers to apartment innovations, VEVOR delivers uncompromised quality through vertical integration — combining precision engineering with the joy of making.

Founded in 2007 as an eBay seller, VEVOR began selling on Amazon in 2013 and launched vevor.com in 2020. The brand unveiled its refreshed identity in 2025. Today, VEVOR operates in over 50 countries, with a network of 200+ global warehouses and a catalog of over 15,000 products spanning tools, outdoor equipment, and home improvement solutions.

The brand’s promise is built on four pillars: professional-grade performance, unexpected value, complete home ecosystem coverage, and uncompromising quality. This commitment is reflected in its 90% customer satisfaction rate, supported by 24/7 assistance and a 30-day hassle-free return policy.

For more information, visit www.vevor.com or search “vevor” on Amazon.

Media Contact: media@vevor.com 

 

LEOTEK and 1NCE Accelerate Global Deployment of AI-Powered Smart Lighting Infrastructure

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEOTEK, a global provider of intelligent traffic and lighting infrastructure, announced a collaboration with 1NCE, global IoT software and connectivity company, and SoftBank Corp. (“SoftBank”), 1NCE’s exclusive sales partner in APAC, to accelerate worldwide deployment of its LEOLink Intelligent Lighting System (ILS). By integrating AI-driven infrastructure management, global IoT connectivity and scalable smart lighting networks, the partnership aims to help cities modernize street lighting infrastructure while improving safety, energy efficiency and operational visibility.

Photo (from left to right) Masato Nakabayashi, Director of IoT Global Promotion Dept., SoftBank Corp.; Torrent Chin, President & Chief Sustainability Officer, LEOTEK; Hitoshi Ono, Senior Vice President of 1NCE
Photo (from left to right) Masato Nakabayashi, Director of IoT Global Promotion Dept., SoftBank Corp.; Torrent Chin, President & Chief Sustainability Officer, LEOTEK; Hitoshi Ono, Senior Vice President of 1NCE

The joint solution combines LEOTEK’s AI- powered roadway and lighting infrastructure platform with the global IoT software and connectivity provided by 1NCE. Together, the partners aim to deliver an intelligent lighting platform that allows cities to remotely monitor lighting assets, optimize maintenance operations and improve long-term infrastructure resilience.

Torrent Chin, President and Chief Sustainability Officer of LEOTEK, said the collaboration reflects the growing need for data-driven infrastructure management in modern cities. “The future of urban infrastructure depends on real-time connectivity and intelligent system management,” Chin said. “By working with 1NCE and SoftBank, we aim to accelerate the global deployment of intelligent lighting networks that enhance urban safety, operational efficiency and energy performance.”

The integrated architecture has already been deployed across multiple infrastructure projects in the United States and the Americas. In Bath, Maine, the intelligent lighting network supports municipal initiatives to improve nighttime road safety and optimize energy use. In the Boston metropolitan area, the system demonstrates its capability to support high-density urban lighting networks while enabling centralized monitoring and infrastructure analytics. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, traditional street lighting infrastructure has been upgraded into a remotely managed intelligent system that provides real-time operational visibility and predictive maintenance capabilities.

Additional deployments include projects in Syracuse, New York, as well as infrastructure modernization initiatives with DTE Energy in Michigan. The solution has also expanded to smart city initiatives in San Francisco and deployments in Mexico and several cities across Latin America. Through AI-based monitoring and equipment diagnostics, operational data can be transmitted in real time through the 1NCE global IoT software and connectivity, enabling centralized infrastructure management and improved asset visibility.

The collaboration was highlighted during Smart City Expo Taipei, where SoftBank and 1NCE demonstrated the integrated architecture of LEOTEK’s LEOLink Intelligent Lighting System and its ability to connect intelligent devices, global IoT connectivity and AI-based infrastructure management.

LEOLink Intelligent Lighting System
LEOLink Intelligent Lighting System

 

LEOLink Intelligent Lighting System deployed in Syracuse, New York.
LEOLink Intelligent Lighting System deployed in Syracuse, New York.

About LEOTEK
LEOTEK is a global provider of intelligent traffic and sustainable lighting infrastructure, with headquarters in Silicon Valley and Taipei. Since its founding in 1992, LEOTEK solutions have been deployed in more than 30 countries and over 300 cities worldwide, supporting smart mobility, intelligent lighting networks and AI-powered infrastructure management. The company focuses on developing intelligent sustainable infrastructure solutions that help cities improve safety, efficiency and environmental performance.

For more information, please visit: leotek.com | linkedin.com/company/leotek-electronics-usa-corp/

About 1NCE
1NCE delivers the fundamental software and connectivity platform for customers to create and manage the world’s best intelligent products. The software platform enables customers to easily, securely and reliably collect device data across 170+ countries, and turn it into actionable intelligence.

Learn more: www.1NCE.com and follow on FacebookLinkedIn and X.

Brandwatch Report Finds Only 25% of Marketers Truly Understand Their Audiences

Despite unprecedented access to data, most marketers still struggle to translate signals into insight.

BRIGHTON, United Kingdom, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Brandwatch, a Cision company and a global leader in social intelligence and social media management, today released The Marketer of 2026, a new report revealing a growing insight gap in modern marketing.

Despite unprecedented access to data, only 25% of marketers say they understand their audiences “very well,” highlighting the growing challenge of translating fragmented signals into meaningful insight.

Based on a survey of 1,028 marketing professionals and an analysis of 750,000 online industry conversations, the report explores how the role of the marketer is evolving, shifting from campaign execution toward decoding audience behavior and informing strategic decisions.

As customer journeys fragment across social platforms, search engines, and AI-driven discovery tools, marketers face mounting pressure to move beyond collecting data and instead turn signals into clear insight and action.

“The Marketer of 2026 shows a profession shifting from campaign execution to signal interpretation,” said Amy Jones, Chief Marketing Officer at Cision. “The real competitive edge won’t come from collecting more data, it will come from how marketers translate fragmented signals into insight and action.”

Marketers’ biggest challenge: Understanding audiences

Despite the volume of data available across channels, predicting behavior, interpreting cultural shifts, and uncovering the “why” behind audience decisions remain the hardest problems to solve. Among the top challenges marketers cite:

  • Predicting future needs or behaviors (60%)
  • Understanding changing behaviors (48%)
  • Turning data into actionable insights (46%)
  • Understanding the “why” behind audience decisions (40%)
  • Integrating data from multiple sources (40%)

The result is a widening insight gap: Brands know more about what people do than ever before, but still struggle to explain why they do it – and how to act on that knowledge at speed.

Platforms that unify consumer conversations and audience signals are increasingly critical for marketing teams looking to close this insight gap and move from reactive reporting to proactive strategy.

AI raises the bar, but doesn’t replace judgment

AI and automation are now central to the marketer’s toolkit. The report found:

  • 84% of marketers said AI and automation are the most important skills to master
  • 81% said AI tools are the most essential technology in the marketing stack.
  • 79% said they’re spending more time on managing AI and automation workflows

While AI is helping teams move faster and automate repetitive tasks, marketers are acutely aware of the need to balance efficiency with human judgment, creativity, and cultural awareness.

As AI-generated content becomes more common, marketers increasingly recognize that technology alone won’t differentiate brands.

“AI won’t replace marketers, it will expose the ones who don’t lead with strategy,” Jones said. “The winners will use AI to accelerate execution and then double down on what humans do best: judgement, creativity, and direction.”

Fragmented journeys demand integrated insight

The report also highlights just how splintered the customer journey has become. Audiences now move fluidly across touchpoints and have become increasingly fluent in marketing tactics.

This fragmentation puts added pressure on marketers to connect data across channels and eliminate reporting silos.

Integrated consumer intelligence platforms are emerging as a key lever for helping teams unify audience data, identify patterns across touchpoints (including search, social, and traditional media), and transform fragmented signals into strategic insight.

Traditional marketing activities take a back seat

Across the findings, one theme is clear: the marketer of 2026 is defined less by how many campaigns they ship and more by how well they can connect outputs to outcomes.

Many respondents report spending less time on traditional activities like advertising and email marketing in order to prioritize managing AI workflows (79%) and data analysis (51%).

Rather than abandoning traditional channels, marketers are reallocating their time toward understanding audiences more deeply, and proving the business impact of their work.

A roadmap for 2026

In addition to an in-depth analysis of the findings, including a spotlight on the skills and tools critical to success in the coming year, the report also clearly outlines how marketers can apply these findings to their own strategies. The report breaks guidance down by career stage:

  • Encouraging junior marketers to build “audience literacy;”
  • Mid-level marketers to focus on interpretation and cross-channel fluency; and
  • Leaders to prioritize time, tools, and training that support insight generation rather than more activity for its own sake.

“In 2026, the strongest marketers are combining technical fluency with cultural and customer awareness,” Jones said. “The teams that succeed will be the ones who can connect fragmented signals, surface real audience insight, and act on it with confidence.”

Methodology

Brandwatch surveyed 1,028 marketing professionals regarding the social and professional landscape of 2026. This primary research was combined with an analysis of 750,000 online conversations about marketing between January 1, 2025, and January 31, 2026, using Brandwatch Consumer Research.

Download the full “Marketer of 2026” report

About Brandwatch

Brandwatch is the leading social media management and consumer intelligence suite, empowering brands to see and be seen, understand and be understood, by the audiences that matter most. Trusted by half of the Forbes 100, Brandwatch equips the world’s most innovative companies with AI-powered insights and tools to seize opportunities, strengthen engagement and accelerate growth.

Our comprehensive suite spans consumer intelligence, influencer marketing, and social media management, enabling brands and agencies to execute data-driven strategies at scale.

Brandwatch is part of the Cision family of brands, alongside CisionOne, Trajaan, and PR Newswire

Media Contact:
Cision Public Relations
CisionPR@cision.com

Bybit CEO Ben Zhou Meets Georgian Prime Minister, Reinforcing Commitment to Compliance-Led Growth and Local Collaboration

DUBAI, UAE, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, today confirmed that its Co-founder and CEO, Ben Zhou, met with Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia, in Tbilisi to discuss the continued development of Georgia’s digital asset ecosystem and the role of responsible innovation in strengthening the country’s financial technology sector.

The meeting highlighted Bybit’s long-term commitment to Georgia as a strategic hub for financial innovation and digital asset services in the region. Both sides exchanged views on regulatory cooperation, fintech innovation, and the opportunities to further develop Georgia’s growing digital economy through collaboration between government and industry.

The meeting was attended by Mariam Kvrivishvili, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Levan Zhorzholiani, Head of Government Administration, and Shota Lomtadze, Co-Founder and CEO of Bybit Georgia.

Bybit CEO Ben Zhou Meets Georgian Prime Minister, Reinforcing Commitment to Compliance-Led Growth and Local Collaboration
Bybit CEO Ben Zhou Meets Georgian Prime Minister, Reinforcing Commitment to Compliance-Led Growth and Local Collaboration

Prime Minister Kobakhidze welcomed the presence of leading international fintech companies in Georgia, noting that growing interest from global technology and financial platforms reflects the country’s attractive investment environment and its expanding opportunities in digital innovation and financial services. Georgia’s economic momentum was also highlighted, with the country recording an average economic growth rate of 9.3% between 2021 and 2025.

Building a Trusted Digital Asset Ecosystem in Georgia

Since entering the Georgian market, Bybit has pursued a compliance-first approach, building its local presence through close collaboration with regulators and a focus on trusted financial infrastructure.

“Georgia is becoming a model for how crypto companies can embed themselves into a country’s financial fabric,” said Zhou. “We have gone from obtaining our VASP license to launching local payments infrastructure, becoming the largest crypto card issuer in the country, and building partnerships with both global stablecoin leaders and local banking institutions. That’s the kind of deep integration that creates real value for users and for the economy.”

Bybit’s Georgia footprint now spans the full spectrum from trading to payments:

  • VASP License (Q4 2024): Bybit became the first global exchange to secure a Virtual Asset Service Provider license in Georgia, establishing a regulatory foundation for its local operations.
  • Localized Platform (July 2025): Launch of bybitgeorgia.ge, giving Georgian users seamless access to global digital asset services in their local language.
  • PSP License (Q4 2025): Bybit secured a Payment Service Provider license, unlocking the ability to build local fiat payment rails and position the company as a core player in Georgia’s payments ecosystem.
  • Bybit Card — Largest Crypto Card in Georgia (January 2026): The Bybit Card launch made Bybit the biggest crypto card player in the country, bridging digital assets with everyday spending and merchant payments.
  • Banking Collaboration: Bybit is in active discussions to partner with a leading Georgian bank to offer integrated crypto trading services, bringing digital asset access directly to traditional banking customers — a first-of-its-kind model in the region.

Beyond infrastructure, Bybit is committed to becoming a major local supporter of Georgia’s payments modernization. The company continues to work closely with regulators, banking partners, and industry stakeholders to support financial inclusion, digital literacy, and innovation across the country.

“Regulatory clarity and constructive dialogue with policymakers are the foundation,” said Zhou. “But the real measure of success is whether we’re making financial services more accessible, more affordable, and more connected for everyday Georgians. That’s what we’re building toward.”

#Bybit / #CryptoArk 

About Bybit

Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 80 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media
Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

IBM Completes Acquisition of Confluent, Making Real Time Data the Engine of Enterprise AI and Agents

Day-one integrations include IBM watsonx.data, IBM MQ, IBM webMethods Hybrid Integration, and IBM Z

ARMONK, N.Y., March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today completed its acquisition of Confluent, Inc., the data streaming platform that more than 6,500 enterprises, including 40% of the Fortune 500, rely on to power real-time operations. Together, IBM and Confluent deliver a smart data platform that gives every AI model, agent, and automated workflow the real-time, trusted data needed to operate across on-premises and hybrid cloud environments at scale.

IBM Corporation logo.
IBM Corporation logo.

As enterprises move from AI experimentation to production, the critical barrier to success is the data — clean, governed, continuously refreshed —and delivered at the speed and scale AI demands. Yet in most enterprises today, data remains siloed across systems and environments, arriving hours or days after it is generated. Together IBM and Confluent provide the fabric through which AI agents can access the information they need, with the controls, governance, and real-time velocity to put information to work safely and at scale.

IDC estimates that more than one billion new logical applications will emerge by 2028 [1], driven by a new generation of AI that will only deliver value if the data behind it is live, trusted, and continuously flowing. That scale of demand requires a new kind of data foundation, and IBM and Confluent address that challenge directly, giving enterprises a single, governed platform where AI models and agents can operate with context, in real time, across every environment.

“Transactions happen in milliseconds, and AI decisions need to happen just as fast. With Confluent, we are giving clients the ability to move trusted data continuously across their entire operation so their AI models and agents can act on what is happening right now, not on data that is hours old,” said Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President, IBM Software and Chief Commercial Officer. “Together, IBM and Confluent give enterprises the foundation for a new operating model – one where AI runs on live data, drives decisions in real time, and delivers value at scale.”

Built on Apache Kafka®, the standard for data streaming, Confluent is already embedded in the operational fabric of the world’s largest enterprises, with a customer base that spans industries from financial services and healthcare to manufacturing and retail.

  • Michelin relies on Confluent to manage real-time inventory across a supply chain spanning 170 countries — achieving 35% cost savings without sacrificing visibility or control [2].
  • L’Oréal uses Confluent to stream real-time product and inventory updates across internal systems and third-party applications, helping the company respond faster to changing consumer demand [3].
  • BMW Group streams IoT data from 30+ production sites and its global sales network in real time, connecting factory floor systems and cloud applications across the organization [4].
  • Ticketmaster streams ticket inventory, sales, and customer activity in real time across hundreds of systems, reducing development friction and powering machine learning at scale [5].

“Since our founding, Confluent’s mission has been to set the world’s data in motion, making data streaming as foundational to the enterprise as the database. Joining IBM allows us to accelerate that mission at a much greater scale,” said Jay Kreps, CEO and Co-founder of Confluent. “IBM’s global reach and deep enterprise relationships will help us go further, faster. As enterprises move from experimenting with AI to running their business on it, helping data flow continuously across the business has never mattered more. I’m excited to see what we’ll build together.”

IBM and Confluent Product Synergies
Today’s announcement brings immediate integrations across the IBM portfolio, including:

  • AI-Ready, Real-Time Data. Enterprise AI technologies need current context, not yesterday’s data. Confluent streams live operational events directly into watsonx.data – ensuring every model, agent, and workflow runs on continuously updated enterprise data, with lineage, policy enforcement, and quality controls included.
  • Activate the modernized mainframe in the AI era. The most critical business transactions in the world have long run on IBM Z. With IBM Z and Confluent, organizations can identify and drive real-time events at the transaction source as well as stream transactional data directly for real-time analytics, automation, and AI workflows. This enables mission-critical transaction processing to integrate tightly with the rest of the business in real-time, at enterprise scale.
  • Event-Driven Automation Across Hybrid Environments. IBM MQ and IBM webMethods Hybrid Integration form the foundation of enterprise event-driven automation, combining trusted transactional messaging with modern integration and orchestration across hybrid environments. Confluent extends this platform with high-scale event streaming, enabling applications, APIs, and AI agents to sense and act on business events in real time. 

With Confluent, IBM Consulting and IBM partners, will help clients build the data foundation their AI needs — live, governed, and continuously flowing across every system and environment.

“The shift from AI experimentation to production deployment has exposed a critical gap in enterprise data architecture: the inability to deliver trusted, real-time data to the systems that need it most. AI agents and automated workflows don’t operate on historical data; they require live operational signals, continuously flowing across the enterprise as events occur,” said Sanjeev Mohan, Principal Analyst, SanjMo. “IBM has made significant progress assembling a portfolio that addresses both sides of this equation: governance and infrastructure for data at rest, and a platform for data in motion. For enterprises whose architecture and priorities align with this approach, it is a compelling stack worth evaluating.”

Under the terms of the agreement, IBM has acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Confluent for $31 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of approximately $11 billion.

For more information about today’s news, please visit https://www.ibm.com/products/confluent

[1] *Source: IDC, 1 Billion New Logical Applications: More Background, doc #US51953724, April 2024
[2 -5] *Source: Confluent Case Studies & Testimonials
https://www.confluent.io/customers/michelin/
https://www.confluent.io/customers/loreal/
https://www.confluent.io/customers/bmw-group/
https://www.confluent.io/customers/ticketmaster/

About IBM  
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RoboSense Driving Ecosystem Deployment with Global Partners at NVIDIA GTC 2026

SHENZHEN, China, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — RoboSense (HKEX: 2498), an AI-driven robotics technology company, today demonstrated the extensive commercial footprint of its collaboration with NVIDIA at GTC 2026. As a core partner across the NVIDIA Jetson, DRIVE, and Omniverse ecosystems, the company’s advanced digital LiDAR products are now the preferred perception solutions for a massive lineup of strategic partners in the automotive and robotics sectors. This widespread adoption underscores RoboSense’s comprehensive commercialization capabilities and its powerhouse status in bringing Physical AI to market.

Driving the L4 Revolution

NVIDIA announced the expansion of its Robotaxi Ready platform. RoboSense sits at the heart of this expansion, with the platform now aggregating a powerhouse network of mutual partners, including:

  • Global OEMs & Mobility Giants: BYD, Geely, Toyota and Lucid.
  • L4 Autonomous Driving Leaders: Pony.ai, WeRide, and Momenta.

The combination of RoboSense’s digital LiDAR suite—comprising thousand-beam long-range LiDAR and specialized blind-spot LiDAR—integrated with the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Thor platform, has proven to be the industry’s optimal architecture for next-generation autonomous driving systems. At GTC, WeRide and Pony.ai showcased flagship Robotaxis equipped with this integrated solution, signaling Robosense as an enabler powering the robotaxi shift toward global commercial scale.

Powering Next-Gen Consumer EVs

In the passenger vehicle sector, RoboSense and NVIDIA are ensuring premium smart driving experiences. Key highlights at the GTC include:

  • ZEEKR 8X & 9X: These flagship models utilize the powerful combination of NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Thor and the RoboSense EM4, providing necessary perception redundancy for high-level autonomous driving, ensuring safety and reliability in complex urban driving scenarios.

Empowering Embodied AI and Robotics

Beyond the road, the synergy extends to the burgeoning field of humanoid and industrial robotics through the NVIDIA Jetson and Omniverse ecosystems. RoboSense’s LiDARs serve as the “eyes” for a new generation of physical AI, with active deployments from partners including:

  • Humanoid & Robotics: Agibot, Unitree, Galbot, Agile Robots, and Neura Robotics.

From automotive to robotics, and from perception to computation, RoboSense is jointing forces with NVIDIA to deliver the technological synergy required to bring Physical AI into daily life.