• VFS Global expands passport, ID, and birth registration service capabilities with new renewal centres for South African citizens in Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand and Sydney and Melbourne in Australia
• VFS Global is the official outsourcing partner for the DHA Services Centre for consular services in Australia and New Zealand for the Republic of South Africa

AUCKLAND, New Zealand and SYDNEY, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — With many South African nationals residing outside of their home country, the need for easy direct access to government and consular services is becoming more imperative than ever before. To deliver this service, the Home Affairs Department has extended its partnership with VFS Global to launch passports, ID, and birth registration services in Australia and New Zealand with newly opened centres in Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand and Sydney and Melbourne in Australia.

Inauguration of South Africa DHA Services Centre in Sydney by Honourable Minister of Home Affairs for the Republic of South Africa Dr. Leon Schreiber (first from right)

The DHA Services Centre in Auckland (New Zealand) was inaugurated on 15 July 2025 by H.E. Mr. Johnny Sexwale, South African High Commissioner to New Zealand on behalf of the Minister of Home Affairs, while the Sydney and Melbourne (Australia) were inaugurated on 16 July 2025 and 18 July 2025, respectively, by Honourable Minister of Home Affairs for the Republic of South Africa Dr. Leon Schreiber. The DHA Services Centre in Wellington has also started operations.

By leveraging scalable and intuitively designed services in the passport application and consular services domain, VFS Global delivers on a range of key requirements from online appointment booking and customer support to front-office services, biometric enrolment and doorstep return-delivery of passports and other documentation requirements.

Jiten Vyas, Chief Commercial Officer, VFS Global, added, “We would like to thank the Department of Home Affairs in the Republic of South Africa for its continued faith in us. Our focus and commitment will be to provide world-class service to the South African diaspora in Australia and New Zealand to ease the passport renewal process for South African nationals.”

Australia:

• Melbourne: Level 5, 332 St Kilda Road, Melbourne 3004
• Sydney: Level 6, 88 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
• Business hours: 9AM to 5PM

New Zealand:

• Auckland: Huawei Center, Level 8, 120 Albert Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
• Wellington: Level 6, 50 Manners Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011
• Business hours: 9AM to 4PM

For more, visit:

• Australia: https://services.vfsglobal.com/aus/en/zap 
• New Zealand: https://services.vfsglobal.com/nzl/en/zap/ 

– Large Deal Wins at $3.8 Billion with 55% Net New; Demonstrating Deep Competitive Advantage in Consolidation Play
– FY26 Revenue Guidance Revised to 1%-3% and Margin Guidance Retained at 20%-22%

BENGALURU, India, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, delivered $4,941 million in Q1 revenues, year-on-year growth of 3.8% and sequential growth of 2.6% in constant currency. Operating margin was at 20.8%. Free cash flow generation was strong at $884 million, 109.3% of net profit. TCV of large deal wins was $3.8 billion, with 55% net new. ROE improved by 140 bps to 30.4%.

“Our performance in Q1 demonstrates the strength of our enterprise AI capabilities, the success in client consolidation decisions, and the dedication of our over 300,000 employees,” said Salil Parekh, CEO and MD. “Our large deal wins of $3.8 billion reflect our distinct competitive positioning and deep client relationships,” he added.

Guidance for FY26:

• Revenue growth of 1%-3% in constant currency
• Operating margin of 20%-22%

Key highlights:

For the quarter ended June 30, 2025

• Revenues in CC terms grew by 3.8% YoY and by 2.6% QoQ
• Reported revenues at $4,941 million, growth of 4.8% YoY
• Operating margin at 20.8%, decline of 0.3% YoY and decline of 0.2% QoQ
• Basic EPS at $0.20, increase of 5.8% YoY
• FCF at $884 million, decline of 19.2% YoY;
  FCF conversion at 109.3% of net profit

“Q1 performance is a clear reflection of our unwavering focus on multiple fronts resulting in strong growth at 2.6% QoQ, resilient margins at 20.8% and EPS increase of 8.6% YoY. We continue to leverage Project Maximus to make investments in strategic priorities to drive profitable growth and enhance shareholder value,” said Jayesh Sanghrajka, CFO. “Cash flow conversion was well above 100% for the fifth consecutive quarter. The impact of currency volatility was effectively managed through our proactive hedging strategy,” he added.

Client wins & Testimonials

1. Infosys announced the extension of its strategic collaboration with Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc. (SPS) to help drive greater operational efficiency and service quality through a fully managed services offering encompassing hybrid cloud solutions, application portfolio, IT operations, IaaS, SaaS, security operations and quality assurance. Murali Palanganatham, Chief Information Officer, SPS, said, “Infosys has been a key strategic partner over the last 20 years. SPS will leverage Infosys Topaz for AI adoption across the business, technology, and enterprise functions to continuously enhance availability, scalability, performance, resiliency, security, and stability. This collaboration is critical and will help SPS enhance flexibility, efficiency, and predictability of our technology ecosystem.”
2. Infosys extended its strategic collaboration with AIB to accelerate its digital transformation initiatives. Graham Fagan, Group Chief Technology Officer, AIB, said, “This extended collaboration with Infosys aligns strongly with our vision to progressively modernise our technology and data capabilities to deliver the best outcomes for our customers and further accelerate our transformation. By combining our collective expertise and experience, we will deliver on our customer-first commitment and enhance operational efficiency and resilience. Infosys has been a trusted innovation partner, and we are excited about this next chapter in our collaboration as we work together to ensure AIB remains at the forefront of digital transformation in the Irish banking industry.” 
3. Infosys announced a strategic collaboration with E.ON to enable AI-powered digital workplace transformation across Europe. Dr. Victoria Ossadnik, COO Digital and Innovation, E.ON, said, “At E.ON, we are playmakers for new energy. Digitalization and digital technology are key for reliable, affordable and sustainable energy systems. Our strategic partnership with Infosys is essential for our digital transformation and operation – together, we are paving the way for a smarter, more efficient energy future.”
4. Infosys announced the expansion of its strategic collaboration with DNB Bank ASA (DNB) to accelerate the bank’s digital transformation. Elin Sandnes, COO and Group Executive Vice President Technology & Services, DNB, said, “At DNB, we are focused on leveraging technology to create great customer experiences. As part of this, we are constantly developing new products and services while simultaneously driving a digital transformation agenda that is deeply rooted across all our operations. With our extended collaboration with Infosys, we are modernizing our IT infrastructure and leveraging advanced technologies like AI and ML to enable seamless, personalized, and agile services to our customers. This partnership allows us to proactively address our customers’ evolving needs and ensure they receive the best possible banking experience from DNB.”
5. Infosys announced a strategic collaboration with Yorkshire Building Society, one of the largest member-owned financial institutions in the UK, to accelerate its digital transformation. Patrick Connolly, Director of Change Delivery, Yorkshire Building Society, said, “This collaboration is crucial to achieving our 2030 ambitions and realising the true potential of this organisation. The choices we make now will shape our future, and we are committed to combining the convenience of digital with the warmth of human interaction. This transformation will empower our members and colleagues with the tools and services needed to deliver great customer outcomes, including major investments such as faster payments and enhanced security. It’s a key part of our plan for continued growth, innovation, and efficiency, ensuring we continue to serve our members for generations to come.”
6. Infosys and Spark New Zealand announced a strategic agreement to support the transformation of Spark’s technology delivery model through digital innovation. Matt Bain, Data and Marketing Director, Spark, said, “Infosys has collaborated with Spark for over 16 years, working alongside our local teams to support the applications that enable Spark to deliver new products and digital experiences for our customers. We are now building on this relationship to allow our teams to focus on our technology strategy and the product roadmaps that will grow our competitive advantage, while leveraging Infosys’ global scale to execute these plans quickly and efficiently and accessing Infosys’ investment in AI and innovation to enable us to keep delivering great experiences for our customers.”
7. Infosys collaborated with Perfection Fresh to enable seamless tracking of their sustainability efforts. Francesco Oliveri, Chief Information Officer, Perfection Fresh Australia, said, “Our Partnership with Infosys to implement Microsoft Sustainability Manager has helped us in providing real-time visibility of produce across all locations thereby improving operational efficiency, audit transparency and reducing wastage. Originally planned for just 4 sites, the rollout extended to all 17 locations thanks to Infosys’ expertise and collaboration. It was also their vision and commitment to sustainability that matched our vision that allowed us to be more comfortable in working with Infosys. The partnership has been instrumental in driving key milestones for Perfection Fresh’s sustainability roadmap.”
8. Infosys Finacle announced a strategic collaboration with Bank of Sydney (BoS) to power its digital transformation with Infosys Finacle Digital Banking Suite. Melos Sulicich, Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Sydney, said, “At Bank of Sydney, our strategic goal is to become the leading deposit bank in Australia and to drive significant business growth in the coming years. This requires adapting to rapidly changing customer needs, digital advancements, and regulatory requirements. Transforming our technology stack, centered around our core and digital banking platform, is crucial to meeting these objectives. With Infosys Finacle, we have a proven transformation partner and a next-generation banking platform to address the evolving needs of our business, customers, and regulatory ecosystem.”
9. Infosys BPM announced the launch of AI agents for invoice processing within its flagship Infosys Accounts Payable on Cloud solution. Harsh Bansal, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Growth Officer, Americana Restaurants, said, “At Americana Restaurants, we are committed to leading digital transformation, and as we scale our operations, intelligent automation is key to achieving greater efficiency and agility. With AI-powered Infosys Accounts Payable on Cloud, we have made invoice processing faster, enhanced accuracy, and improved efficiency. The addition of Agentic AI takes this a step further, reducing manual dependencies and bringing more intelligence and autonomy into our invoice processing. We are delighted that we have pioneered this initiative with Infosys and look forward to closely working with Infosys BPM to lead us collectively into a future of smarter and more agile operations.”
10. Infosys announced a three-year strategic collaboration with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to deliver a range of AI-powered innovations, including match insights and immersive fan experiences. Chris Pollard, Managing Director, Commercial & Operations, LTA, said, “We are incredibly excited to witness the historic moment of the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club hosting both WTA and ATP 500 events for the very first time. This milestone marks a significant step in the growth and evolution of this prestigious tournament. We are thrilled to collaborate with Infosys, whose support will be instrumental in delivering an enhanced fan experience. Infosys’ AI and technology innovations will bring a new level of engagement with real-time insights and interactive moments, creating memorable experiences for our fans and contribute to the continued success of the HSBC Championships.”
11. Infosys and Economist Impact announced the launch of The Sustainability Atlas to help businesses navigate a sustainable future. Jonathan Birdwell, Global Head of Policy & Insights, Economist Impact, said, “Over the past decade, Economist Impact has built dozens of indices and published hundreds of reports across a wide range of sustainability topics from food security to plastics management, to climate resilience. But never before have we been able to bring all of that data and insights together in one place. Leveraging Infosys’ generative AI capabilities, The Sustainability Atlas provides easily accessible and actionable insights to policy makers and business leaders worldwide.”

Recognitions & Awards

• Brand & Corporate
  • Recognized as a Top 100 most valuable brand in the world by Kantar BrandZ and ranked among the most-trusted brands in India and the US
  • Recognized as one of the top 3 companies (on combined basis) in 5 categories – Best CEO, Best IR Professional, Best IR Program, Best IR Team and Best ESG Program – at the 2025 Asia Executive Team Survey by Extel (formerly Institutional Investor Research)
  • Recognized as a Great Place to Work 2025-2026 in India and China
  • Infosys BPM won at the Diversity Charter Awards 2025 in the ‘Employer Supporting Women in the Workplace’ category for its HR initiative, namely ‘Empower with Care’
  • Infosys BPM won the PeopleFirst HR Excellence Awards 2025 for ‘Leading Practices’ in Learning & Development
• Digital, AI and Cloud Services
  • Positioned as a leader in the Everest Group: Microsoft Modern Work Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025
  • Positioned as a leader in the Everest Group: Marketing Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025
  • Positioned as a leader in the Everest Group: Talent Readiness for Next-generation Application Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025
  • Recognized as a leader in HFS Horizons: The Best of Engineering Research and Development Service Providers, 2025
  • Recognized as a leader in the Constellation Research: Constellation ShortList™ Cross-Platform Agentic AI
  • Recognized as a leader in Datos: The New Era of Check Fraud Detection: A Guide to Market Solutions
  • Infosys BPM recognized as a Leader in ISG Provider Lens™ Global Capability Center (GCC) Services 2025 Study
  • Infosys BPM recognized as a Leader in ISG Provider Lens™ Procurement Services 2025 Study
  • Received the Customer Innovation Award from Databricks for delivering impactful solutions across industries
  • Received Global System Integrator of the Year-EMEA award at Stibo’s PATH Summit 2025
• Industry & Solutions
  • Positioned as a leader in the Everest Group: Life Sciences Digital Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025
  • Positioned as a leader in the Everest Group: Life Sciences Enterprise Platform Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025
  • Positioned as a leader in the Everest Group: Retail Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025
  • Recognized as a leader in HFS Horizons: Energy and Utilities Service Providers, 2025
  • Recognized as a leader in HFS Horizons: Intelligent Retail and CPG Ecosystems, 2025
  • Recognized as a leader in HFS Horizons: Insurance Services, 2025
  • Infosys Finacle recognized as a Market Leader in the Datos Matrix: Virtual Account Management Providers 2025 report.
  • Infosys Finacle won two awards at IBS Intelligence Digital Banking Awards 2025: ‘Regional Winners | Middle East – Zand Bank & Infosys Finacle’ and ‘Segment Winner | Corporate Banking – Zand Bank & Infosys Finacle’
  • Infosys Finacle won two awards at the MEA Finance Banking Technology Awards 2025: ‘Best Composable Banking Solutions Provider of the Year’ and ‘Best Corporate Banking Solutions Provider’
  • Infosys Finacle won four awards at Finnovex North Africa – Egypt 2025: ‘Excellence in Banking Platform Modernization with ALEXBANK Egypt’, ‘Excellence in Seamless Banking Experiences with Export Development Bank of Egypt‘, ‘Excellence in Core Banking Transformation with Agricultural Bank of Egypt‘ and ‘Excellence in Composable Banking Platform

Read more about our Awards & Recognitions here.

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 320,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in 59 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, our future financial or operating performance, and the McCamish cybersecurity incident are forward looking statements intended to qualify for the ‘safe harbor’ under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid working model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, the outcome of pending litigation, the amount of any additional costs resulting directly or indirectly from the McCamish cybersecurity incident, and the outcome of the government investigation. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.

NOTES:

1. The above information is extracted from the audited condensed consolidated Balance sheet and Statement of Comprehensive Income for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, which have been taken on record at the Board meeting held on July 23, 2025.
2. A Fact Sheet providing the operating metrics of the Company can be downloaded from www.infosys.com.
3. Other income is net of Finance Cost.

IFRS-INR Press Release: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2025-2026/q1/documents/ifrs-inr-press-release.pdf
Fact sheet: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2025-2026/q1/documents/fact-sheet.pdf

BitMine targets acquiring 5% of ETH

BitMine’s Ethereum treasury strategy to strengthen broader Ethereum ecosystem

LAS VEGAS, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) Bitmine Immersion Technologies (“BitMine” or the “Company”), a crypto mining company with a treasury strategy to acquire 5% of ETH, today announced that the Company’s common stock is now available for options trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”).

BitMine Immersion Technologies, Inc.

Trading in BitMine options commences on July 23, 2025 under the ticker symbol “BMNR” and include a range of standard expiration dates and strike prices. This listing of options is expected to expand investor access and may enhance liquidity in the Company’s shares, providing investors with added flexibility to manage risk, leverage positions and express views on the Company’s future stock performance.

“Options trading on the NYSE is a major milestone for BitMine, giving investors more ways to participate in our continued growth,” said Thomas “Tom” Lee of Fundstrat, Chairman of BitMine’s Board of Directors. “It reflects growing confidence in our vision and supports our ambitious goal of acquiring 5% of the global ETH supply and becoming one of the largest institutional holders of Ethereum in the world.”

Options trading on Bitmine is available through the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”) and will be subject to standard rules and regulations established by NYSE and the OCC.

About BitMine
BitMine is a Bitcoin and Ethereum Network Company with a focus on the accumulation of Crypto for long term investment, whether acquired by our Bitcoin mining operations or from the proceeds of capital raising transactions. Company business lines include Bitcoin Mining, synthetic Bitcoin mining through involvement in Bitcoin mining, hashrate as a financial product, offering advisory and mining services to companies interested in earning Bitcoin denominated revenues, and general Bitcoin advisory to public companies. BitMine’s operations are located in low-cost energy regions in Trinidad; Pecos, Texas; and Silverton, Texas.

For additional details, follow on X:
https://x.com/bitmnr
https://x.com/fundstrat
https://x.com/bmnrintern

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements.” The statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. This document specifically contains forward-looking statements regarding progress and achievement of the Company’s goals regarding ETH acquisition and staking, the long-term value of Ethereum, continued growth and advancement of the Company’s Ethereum treasury strategy and the applicable benefits to the Company. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including BitMine’s ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; BitMine’s ability to finance its current business, Ethereum treasury operations and proposed future business; the competitive environment of BitMine’s business; and the future value of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Actual future performance outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond BitMine’s control, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of BitMine’s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 3, 2025, as well as all other SEC filings, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies of BitMine’s filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. BitMine undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

BitMine targets acquiring 5% of ETH

BitMine’s Ethereum treasury strategy to strengthen broader Ethereum ecosystem

LAS VEGAS, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) Bitmine Immersion Technologies (“BitMine” or the “Company”), a crypto mining company with a treasury strategy to acquire 5% of ETH, today announced that the Company’s common stock is now available for options trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”).

BitMine Immersion Technologies, Inc.

Trading in BitMine options commences on July 23, 2025 under the ticker symbol “BMNR” and include a range of standard expiration dates and strike prices. This listing of options is expected to expand investor access and may enhance liquidity in the Company’s shares, providing investors with added flexibility to manage risk, leverage positions and express views on the Company’s future stock performance.

“Options trading on the NYSE is a major milestone for BitMine, giving investors more ways to participate in our continued growth,” said Thomas “Tom” Lee of Fundstrat, Chairman of BitMine’s Board of Directors. “It reflects growing confidence in our vision and supports our ambitious goal of acquiring 5% of the global ETH supply and becoming one of the largest institutional holders of Ethereum in the world.”

Options trading on Bitmine is available through the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”) and will be subject to standard rules and regulations established by NYSE and the OCC.

About BitMine
BitMine is a Bitcoin and Ethereum Network Company with a focus on the accumulation of Crypto for long term investment, whether acquired by our Bitcoin mining operations or from the proceeds of capital raising transactions. Company business lines include Bitcoin Mining, synthetic Bitcoin mining through involvement in Bitcoin mining, hashrate as a financial product, offering advisory and mining services to companies interested in earning Bitcoin denominated revenues, and general Bitcoin advisory to public companies. BitMine’s operations are located in low-cost energy regions in Trinidad; Pecos, Texas; and Silverton, Texas.

For additional details, follow on X:
https://x.com/bitmnr
https://x.com/fundstrat
https://x.com/bmnrintern

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements.” The statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. This document specifically contains forward-looking statements regarding progress and achievement of the Company’s goals regarding ETH acquisition and staking, the long-term value of Ethereum, continued growth and advancement of the Company’s Ethereum treasury strategy and the applicable benefits to the Company. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including BitMine’s ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; BitMine’s ability to finance its current business, Ethereum treasury operations and proposed future business; the competitive environment of BitMine’s business; and the future value of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Actual future performance outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond BitMine’s control, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of BitMine’s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 3, 2025, as well as all other SEC filings, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies of BitMine’s filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. BitMine undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

ATLANTA, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Forbes Travel Guide (“FTG”)—the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, ocean cruises and ocean cruise restaurants—today announced it will begin rating river cruises, a cruise industry first.

FTG will announce its inaugural river cruise ratings in 2027, when it unveils its highly anticipated annual Star Ratings in more than 100 countries.

“River cruising has quickly become one of the most sought-after ways to explore the world in comfort and style,” said Amanda Frasier, President of Ratings for Forbes Travel Guide. “We’re seeing an exciting evolution in the category, with river cruise lines delivering elevated service and specializing in immersive itineraries and refined onboard experiences that appeal to today’s discerning traveler. As demand grows for slower-paced luxury, FTG is proud to bring our trusted ratings to this flourishing segment.”

FTG’s inaugural river cruise ratings will honor cruises on the Danube, Rhine, Nile and Mekong rivers, potentially including brands such as AmaWaterways, Aqua Expeditions, Avalon Waterways, Riverside Luxury Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours/Emerald Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Viking River Cruises.

FTG awards more than 2,000 properties annually with Five-Star, Four-Star and Recommended accolades. Every Star Rating is earned through FTG’s in-person, incognito inspections based on hundreds of objective standards with an emphasis on exceptional service. No one can buy a rating, and no fees, commissions, or business relationships are required. The company’s 2026 Star Ratings will be announced on forbestravelguide.com on February 11, 2026.

Connect with Forbes Travel Guide:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ForbesTravelGuide
X: www.twitter.com/ForbesInspector
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ForbesTravelGuide

About Forbes Travel Guide:
Forbes Travel Guide is the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruises and their restaurants. Our anonymous professional inspectors evaluate based on hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, to help discerning travelers select the world’s best experiences. The only way to get a Five-Star, Four-Star, or Recommended rating is by earning it through our independent inspection process. For more information about Forbes Travel Guide, please visit ForbesTravelGuide.com.

BEIJING, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A news report by Huanqiu.com: 

On July 22, the press conference of the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2025 (Big Data Expo 2025 in short) was held at the media conference hall of the National Data Administration.

The Big Data Expo 2025 is hosted by the National Data Administration, and organized by the Guizhou Provincial People’s Government. Themed “Data Gathers Industrial Momentum, Intelligence Initiates New Development”, the annual expo this year will be staged in Guiyang, Guizhou Province from August 28 to 30.

The Big Data Expo 2025 will closely follow the latest industrial trends and cutting-edge technological progress, and focus on professional exhibitions, along with an opening ceremony, industrial exchanges, competitions and serial characteristic activities, aiming to advance the efficient aggregation, development and utilization of data resources, and inject strong impetus into industrial transformation and upgrading, and high-quality economic development.

Regarding the professional exhibitions, six thematic pavilions will be available on site, including Data Intelligence Navigation, Data Intelligence Infrastructure, Data Intelligence Service, Data Intelligence Application, Data Intelligence Innovation and Data Intelligence Experience, to showcase a number of new technologies, products, solutions and applications of digital economy. At the opening ceremony, government officials, renowned experts, scholars and entrepreneurs from home and abroad will be invited to interpret the most updated industrial policies and share insights on industrial development. The industrial exchanges are scheduled to include more than 20 exchange activities in five sections i.e. Data Elements, Data Industry, Data Economy, Data Infrastructure and International Cooperation. During the industrial competitions, the event organizer plans to work with domestic leading enterprises and professional competition organizers, and set competition topics concerning the in-depth integration of real economy and digital economy, artificial intelligence, homemade software, etc., and organize several enterprise and industrial competitions. The serial characteristic activities will include supply and demand matchmaking, business negotiation, enterprise-featured activity, etc.

The expo this year will uphold the principle of “simple but high-end, concise but impressive”, and highlight the “internationalized, professionalized, and industrialized” features. Under the internationalized feature, an innovative exhibition area dedicated for international supply and demand matchmaking will be provided, along with international matchmaking and exchange activities, to provide digital solutions and experience references for all countries, and jointly boost the coordinated development of digital economy globally. Under the professionalized feature, the event organizer will concentrate on the main thread of “reform on market-oriented allocation of data elements”, set special professional exhibition areas for data infrastructure, data trading, AI and etc., design and organize brainstorming sessions including “a unified national data market”, and release a batch of new policies and regulations, typical cases and pilot demonstrations, as useful attempts to resolve industrial bottlenecks and pain points as well as barriers on the market- and value-oriented development path of the data element market. Under the industrialized feature, various market players will be invited to present debuts of their innovation outcomes at the expo, and sessions like “exchange on data industry development” and “seminar for private enterprises engaged in digital economy” will be organized to promote industrial collaboration, ecological formation and outcome transformation.

BEIJING, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A news report by Huanqiu.com: 

On July 22, the press conference of the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2025 (Big Data Expo 2025 in short) was held at the media conference hall of the National Data Administration.

The Big Data Expo 2025 is hosted by the National Data Administration, and organized by the Guizhou Provincial People’s Government. Themed “Data Gathers Industrial Momentum, Intelligence Initiates New Development”, the annual expo this year will be staged in Guiyang, Guizhou Province from August 28 to 30.

The Big Data Expo 2025 will closely follow the latest industrial trends and cutting-edge technological progress, and focus on professional exhibitions, along with an opening ceremony, industrial exchanges, competitions and serial characteristic activities, aiming to advance the efficient aggregation, development and utilization of data resources, and inject strong impetus into industrial transformation and upgrading, and high-quality economic development.

Regarding the professional exhibitions, six thematic pavilions will be available on site, including Data Intelligence Navigation, Data Intelligence Infrastructure, Data Intelligence Service, Data Intelligence Application, Data Intelligence Innovation and Data Intelligence Experience, to showcase a number of new technologies, products, solutions and applications of digital economy. At the opening ceremony, government officials, renowned experts, scholars and entrepreneurs from home and abroad will be invited to interpret the most updated industrial policies and share insights on industrial development. The industrial exchanges are scheduled to include more than 20 exchange activities in five sections i.e. Data Elements, Data Industry, Data Economy, Data Infrastructure and International Cooperation. During the industrial competitions, the event organizer plans to work with domestic leading enterprises and professional competition organizers, and set competition topics concerning the in-depth integration of real economy and digital economy, artificial intelligence, homemade software, etc., and organize several enterprise and industrial competitions. The serial characteristic activities will include supply and demand matchmaking, business negotiation, enterprise-featured activity, etc.

The expo this year will uphold the principle of “simple but high-end, concise but impressive”, and highlight the “internationalized, professionalized, and industrialized” features. Under the internationalized feature, an innovative exhibition area dedicated for international supply and demand matchmaking will be provided, along with international matchmaking and exchange activities, to provide digital solutions and experience references for all countries, and jointly boost the coordinated development of digital economy globally. Under the professionalized feature, the event organizer will concentrate on the main thread of “reform on market-oriented allocation of data elements”, set special professional exhibition areas for data infrastructure, data trading, AI and etc., design and organize brainstorming sessions including “a unified national data market”, and release a batch of new policies and regulations, typical cases and pilot demonstrations, as useful attempts to resolve industrial bottlenecks and pain points as well as barriers on the market- and value-oriented development path of the data element market. Under the industrialized feature, various market players will be invited to present debuts of their innovation outcomes at the expo, and sessions like “exchange on data industry development” and “seminar for private enterprises engaged in digital economy” will be organized to promote industrial collaboration, ecological formation and outcome transformation.

RALEIGH, N.C., July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Edge One Capital discloses its proposal for BuzzFeed by Varun Gupta.

BuzzFeed is at a crucial moment, where it has the chance to create sustainable, long-lasting value. Despite possessing a formidable brand equity, a substantial media footprint, and a wealth of underutilized intellectual property, BuzzFeed has dramatically underperformed relative to its potential. The public markets have lost confidence, not because of a lack of opportunities, but due to missed execution, governance inefficiencies, and strategic inertia.

BuzzFeed can unlock substantial shareholder value through a bold, modern transformation across four key areas:

1. Establish a Digital Asset Treasury Strategy

BuzzFeed’s current balance sheet position, combined with its cultural cache and brand resonance among digital-native audiences, makes it a unique candidate to lead the next era of media and crypto convergence. A growing number of public companies—from MicroStrategy to Strive Asset Management—have adopted digital asset strategies not merely as hedges, but as capital appreciation tools and balance sheet enhancers.

BuzzFeed can allocate a portion of its treasury to Bitcoin or Solana, establishing a Digital Asset Treasury (DAT). This would:

• Signal strategic forward-thinking to investors

• Tap into new asset appreciation trends while diversifying the balance sheet.

• Attract a new demographic of crypto-native retail and institutional shareholders.

BuzzFeed could pursue partnerships with firms aligned with these goals, such as Strive Asset Management, co-founded by Vivek Ramaswamy. Strive is currently going public via Asset Entities, offering a potential alignment of interests. Additionally, BuzzFeed could look to Michael Saylor’s playbook at MicroStrategy, whose Bitcoin-centric capital allocation has radically transformed its investor base and market perception.

Solana presents a unique opportunity not only to grow asset value but also to create staking rewards, which can generate cash flow.

BuzzFeed can go further: acquiring or merging with smaller, cash-rich, or crypto-native companies to consolidate treasury capital while entering new ecosystems and monetizing community engagement through NFTs, creator-based DAOs, or crypto rewards.

2. Immediate Corporate Governance Reforms Are Needed

BuzzFeed’s current corporate governance model has been criticized for its dual-class share structure, lack of board independence, and inadequate capital allocation discipline. As activist investors, we see this not only as a risk but as a problem that can be solved.

We urge the Board to:

• Sunset or significantly reform the dual-class structure to restore voting equality

• Appoint independent directors with experience in digital finance, tokenomics, AI, and blockchain strategy.
  

• Tie executive compensation more directly to shareholder returns and operational milestones, without immediate vesting.

• Improve transparency on strategic decisions and resource allocations, particularly regarding BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and new AI initiatives.

If these changes are not made proactively, BuzzFeed risks continued stagnation in its stock price and potential shareholder revolt. One of the unspoken challenges in fixing BuzzFeed’s corporate governance is that any meaningful reform could put Jonah Peretti and other insiders at personal risk—risk of losing control, influence, or even their positions entirely. It’s understandable why there might be hesitation.

Addressing corporate governance challenges will help restore investor confidence and expand access to capital markets for new investors, while also creating opportunities for BuzzFeed. Even a start or attempt to address corporate governance challenges will bolster investor confidence. BuzzFeed has chosen to remain silent on many of the issues that investors, such as Bill Pulte, have brought up. Craven avoidance of engagement must be replaced with open and constructive dialogue with all investors.

3. Monetize Intellectual Property Through Products and Tokenization

BuzzFeed has decades of IP, formats, and viral characters that remain underutilized. From Tasty and Quiz brands to BuzzFeed Unsolved, this content has potential far beyond ad revenue.

The Company should explore:

• Tokenizing digital IP via NFTs, limited edition creator access passes, or interactive Web3 fan experiences

• Licensing characters, brands, and formats for physical product lines, games, or metaverse integrations

• Exploring blockchain-based revenue sharing with creators to deepen loyalty and unlock new monetization models

• Launching a BuzzToken or TastyCoin tied to exclusive content access, physical merchandise, or fan voting

Additionally, partnering with platforms like Solana could give BuzzFeed a first-mover advantage in media-token convergence, with minimal upfront cost and maximum community upside.

4. Repair Investor Relations

In the last three quarters, the company’s earnings calls have been alarmingly short and uninformative, with one lasting under nine minutes. This level of engagement is simply not enough—if BuzzFeed wants investor support, it must demonstrate that it is putting in the effort to earn it.

To repair credibility and expand its valuation multiple, BuzzFeed must start by holding substantial quarterly calls, providing full Q&A time, discussing financials, AI investments, the BF Island timeline (which has been delayed), and monetization efforts. These changes will rebuild investor confidence and revive support for the stock.

BuzzFeed is a brand with extraordinary cultural cache and financial upside—if bold action is taken. Through a digital asset treasury strategy, governance reform, IP monetization, and improved investor relations, BuzzFeed can shift from stagnation to revival. This is not a media company in decline; it is a modern digital brand waiting to be reborn through better leadership and sharper strategic execution.

Previous Press Releases:

Edge One Capital Sends Letter to BuzzFeed Demanding Overhaul of Governance and Corporate Board

Edge One Capital Highlights Concerns about BuzzFeed’s Governance in Series of Letters to Management

Edge One Capital Takes Stake in BuzzFeed

Previous Letters:

To view the First Letter, click here.
To view the Second Letter, click here.
To view the Third Letter, click here.

About Edge One Capital:
Edge One Capital is an investment firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with an emphasis on deep long-term value for all of its investments. For more information, please contact info@edgeonecapital.com or visit www.edgeonecapital.com