TL;DR: Replace Microsoft 365 with a Microsoft Office 2024 Lifetime License on sale now for $169.97.

Probably one of the only things everyone on the internet can agree about is that software subscriptions are the worst. So I guess it’s pretty good news that one of the most popular software subscriptions anywhere is finally getting an alternative. Instead of paying $99.99 per year every single year for Microsoft 365, now you can get Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac or PC for $169.97 (it’s usually $249.99).

Microsoft apps you pay for once

This license works for Mac or PC, has no recurring costs of any kind, and is really easy to set up.

Here’s what you get:

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Outlook
• OneNote

These are the recent versions too, so you get all the cool AI improvements. Word can suggest phrasing as you write, Excel can crunch through huge spreadsheets without freezing, and PowerPoint now lets you record presentations with video and narration.

The apps also look and feel more polished. Office 2024 has a unified design across all programs, which makes switching between them less clunky. If you are using a tablet or a touchscreen laptop, the improved pen and touch support actually makes sketching notes or editing slides easier. Outlook even has a smarter search tool and a built-in accessibility checker to keep your emails clear and professional.

The real selling point, though, is the lifetime license. Paying once means you can use Office 2024 for years without another bill. Updates are still included, so you are not stuck with an outdated version, but you also avoid the endless subscription cycle.

Right now, it’s only $169.97 to get Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business, but it won’t stay that way.

Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

See other items in the shop. 

08 September Bitfinex Securities approaches $250 million tokenized securities milestone and sets up plans to acquire a full Astana International Finance Center license

Astana, Kazakhstan – September 8, 2025 – Bitfinex Securities, a regulated platform that allows entities to raise capital through a list of tokenized securities, has submitted an application to migrate from the Astana International Finance Center (AIFC) Fintechlab to confirm that it will be an accredited investment exchange.

Bitfinex Securities joined AIFC’s Fintech Lab in September 2021, a regulatory sandbox that supports the development of the local financial industry. Since then, it has issued $206 million worth of tokenization securities at AIFC Fintechlab, which includes Mikro Kapital’s regular tokenization bond program. Bitfinex Securities has been licensed separately from El Salvador since April 2023.

The Bitfinex Securities licensing expansion plan in Astana is of course, as the platform has shown significant momentum to assert Bitfinex Securities’ growth, as it confirms that it reaches $250 million tokenized assets across the platform. This year we have already seen many highlights, including:

• The direct list of Titan1 and Titan2, the first tokenized share issuance of Bitfinex Securities, amounts to a total of 143 million Gbp.
• Full redemption of Mikro Kapital’s first tokenized bond paid USDT 630,000.
• The direct list of Blockstream Mining Note 2 (BMN2) allows for secondary market trading opportunities of just under $9, based on fair value.

“We’re looking forward to seeing you in the process of doing things,” said Paolo Ardoino, CTO at Bitfinex Securities. “We continue to thank the support we have received from AIFC, a proven innovator in regulating digital assets. We confirm that we apply the upgrade to a full license in Astana after a successful initial license period. A regulatory environment to attract and nurture companies such as Bitfinex Securities.”

“We’ve seen the best of our customers,” said Jesse Knutson, operations manager of Bitfinex Securities. “To approach $250 million with tokenized assets on the platform is a significant milestone and a marker of trust we built together with the issuer. Given that all listings are supported by the liquid network, the Bitcoin ecosystem emphasizes that it plays a significant financial role. It continues to grow. We look forward to expanding our listings to make Bitfinex securities an outstanding platform for the full range of tokenized assets.”

Bitfinex securities are also regulated in El Salvador and were the world’s first international digital asset platform licensed under the country’s digital asset issuance law.

About Bitfinex Securities

Founded in 2021, Bitfinex Securities is looking to transform global capital markets by leveraging technological advances in the digital asset industry. With real-time payments, 24/7 trading capabilities, access to global liquidity and self-support, Bitfinex Securities aims to create more efficient, cost-effective, and seamless interactions between investors and issuers. Bitfinex Securities is licensed and regulated at the Astana International Financial Centre in Kazakhstan and El Salvador.

Bitfinex Securities Media Contact Information

(Email protection)

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitfinex-securities-approaches-250-million-tokenized-securities-milestone-and-sets-up-plans-to-acquire-a-full-astana-international-finance-center-license/feed/ 0 57514 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/hong-kong-stablecoin-license-structure-is-enabled/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/hong-kong-stablecoin-license-structure-is-enabled/#respond Sat, 02 Aug 2025 07:04:54 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/hong-kong-stablecoin-license-structure-is-enabled/

Hon Kong’s The Stablecoin licensing framework officially made its appearance on August 1st. this This is the first time the city has introduced a legal structure exclusively for Fiat Peg digital tokens. With this move, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is responsible for approving which companies can issue Stablecoins and how they can operate. The new law will be applied soon.

What Stablecoin publishers currently need

Under the new rules, companies offering Hong Kong or US dollar-backed stubcoins must obtain a license from HKMA. It doesn’t matter whether the company is based in Hong Kong or operates overseas. The requirements are strict. Issuers should always maintain full reserves, clearly separate customer funds from their own funds, and ensure that users can redeem the tokens quickly. They’ll do that They are also subject to audits, compliance checks and reviews to ensure that the leadership team meets be standard.

The license is public, but approval will come later

The law is currently in force, license do not Being distributed immediately. HKMA says it will begin issuing approvals in early 2026. The first wave is granted a limited number of licenses, and businesses hope to become one of the first needs to move quickly. The interest deadline is August 31, 2025. full You must submit the application By September 30th. That timeline sets a clear pace for serious candidates.

Discover: 9+ Best High Risk, High Reward Crypto Buy in August 20125

Misleading marketing involves penalties

HKMA revealed that no one should promote themselves as a licensed publisher actually teeth. Companies doing so may face consequences. Only licensed entities are permitted to promote stablecoins to the public. The regulator takes a step-by-step approach, and this early stage teeth clearly meaning Set tone and limit hype.

24 hours7d30D1Yeverytime

Some big names are already included in the mix

Several major companies have already expressed interest. JD.com, Ant Group, and Standard Chartered are among those preparing to register. Some are looking to issue Hong Kong dollar stub coins, while others are considering tokens backed by US dollars or offshore. However, if a company plans to use Chinese Yuan, HKMA expects full Transparency regarding reserves and intended use cases.

Discovery: Next 1000x Ciphers: 10+ Ciphers tokens that could hit 1000X in 2025

Crypto fundraiser is picking up steam

The policy launch coincided with the wave of Hon’s fairness activities Kong’s Fintech sector. In July, the digital asset company raised more than $1.5 billion in fresh capital. Groups such as OSL, Dmall, and Sensetime are reportedly planning new products related to stablecoins or tokenized bonds. there is clearly The momentum behind regulated crypto projects in the region.

Small player barriers

All this sounds promising, but the entry bar is high. Small startups can suffer from the cost of compliance. Serious resources are required to maintain proper reserves, audit infrastructure and security capabilities. It may concentrate the market among large companies for now.

Why is this movement important?

This regime is part of a broader push to make Hong Kong a leading digital asset hub. Authorities are trying to find a midpoint between encouraging innovation and protecting users. With clear rules in books, Hong Kong is one of the few financial centres. Completely regulate tokens that have been phiatbacked.

The road ahead

The application is open, but it takes some time for the original license issuer to be published. Observers are looking to see who qualifies and whether smaller players can realistically compete. The criteria set here could affect how other markets respond to Stablecoins over the coming months.

Discover: 20+ Next Cryptocurrency to Explode in 2025

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British Fintech and Neobank Revolut are considering acquiring US banks to accelerate their entry into the US market. According to a recent report by the Financial Times, published on July 30, 2025, Revolut is focusing on the acquisition of nationally chartered banks that already hold licenses.

If this is done, Revolut can skip the steps that often involve getting a bank license from scratch. By shortening the process of securing an independent banking charter, Revolut can simplify lending capabilities in the US market.

The report also shows that UK-based Neobank is considering applying for its own US banking license, instead of acquiring existing chartered institutions.

The British Prime Minister is pushing Revolut to end the licence “mobilization” phase.

The Bank of England says no: regulatory independence rather than fintech favors.

Revolut’s UK licensed clock expired on July 25th. I don’t see full permission. Meanwhile, the company is considering purchasing a US bank…

-Oscar Jeppesen (@Investor1fact) July 30, 2025

Revolut has been expanding the US market for some time. Currently, the largest financial market in the world, the US, is the largest financial market in the world, and is expected to increase deposits in contrast to the slowdown that many UK fintech companies are currently facing.

According to a report by the Financial Times, Trump’s push for deregulation has led investors and businesses to believe that the office of the money secretary will allow the bank’s charter process to be expanded.

As a result, Revolut carefully considers its options before making any concrete moves.

Explore: Top Solanamemme Coins to purchase in July 2025

Revolut is about to expand through the Latin American market, the Middle East

Revolut is reportedly currently in discussions about a funding round that will increase its valuation to around $65 billion, according to the Financial Times. The company will allocate some of the raised capital to promote future expansion plans.

Revolut has looked into similar acquisition opportunities in other regions as part of a broader expansion strategy, including plans to buy banks in the Middle East. Additionally, last month we confirmed the purchase of Argentine lender Seterem from BNP Paribas.

It also holds a banking license in Lithuania, which allows repetitive access to the European Union and Mexico, but the company has not yet acquired a banking license in the UK. The application was approved last year, but regulatory restrictions in the region continue to limit lending operations.

Explore: 10+ crypto tokens that can hit 1000X in 2025

Getting a US Bank License Rotating: You can restart Digital Asset Play

However, Revolut’s global ambitions go beyond traditional banks. The company already offers crypto trading across the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA), and last week resumed limited services in Hungary.

New Hungarian law requires crypto companies to secure domestic licenses and suspended early in the summer.

Revolut stopped encryption in the US in October 2023 amidst uncertainty from regulatory authorities. Now that perspective has changed, the pursuit of banking licensing could potentially clear the company’s path to deliver a wider range of services in the US, including digital assets.

However, it all depends on whether the application is approved or not.

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July 21st, 2025 – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

BurjX, the UAE-born digital asset trading platform, has officially secured its Financial Services Permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, the Capital of the UAE, for brokerage and custody activities.

In a landmark achievement, BurjX becomes a fully regulated digital asset brokerage platform to offer and support trading of over 100 digital assets, setting a new standard for market access, regulatory depth, and product breadth in the region.

The UAE’s cryptocurrency market is projected to generate US$395.9 million in revenue in 2025, with the user base expected to reach 3.88 million by 2026.

With nearly one-third of the population set to own crypto within the next year, the UAE ranks among the highest adoption rates globally. BurjX is setting the benchmark for what a regulated, homegrown platform can be.

A Mission Born in the UAE, Led by Its Founders

“We came to the UAE to build something that reflects the future of this region: regulated, trusted, and globally competitive,” said Omar Abbas, Co-Founder and CEO of BurjX, who previously co-founded NDAX, Canada’s leading crypto exchange. “Securing our FSRA license and launching with 100+ assets is proof of what’s possible when you build with conviction from the ground up. We’re not another imported platform entering the UAE. We’re a homegrown one, built here to lead globally.”“It’s rare to see a startup go live with this level of regulatory and technical execution,” said Adam Ferris, Co-Founder and Chairman, a Harvard JD/MBA graduate who previously held key roles at Goldman Sachs. “This launch validates the strength of our infrastructure, the caliber of our team, and our ambition to position BurjX as a global player from day one.”

As part of its governance framework, BurjX has appointed Dr. Ryan Lemand to its Board. A former Binance board member and ex-Head of Risk at UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), he brings deep expertise in regulation, digital assets, and institutional finance.

Trading 100+ Tokens with Instant AED On-Ramps Powered by Zand

BurjX makes it easy to go from dirhams to digital assets in seconds. Integrated with UAE banking rails through Zand Bank, users can instantly fund their accounts in AED and trade over 100 tokens within seconds, all under the oversight of ADGM’s world-leading virtual asset framework. As one of the region’s first true fiat-to-crypto bridges, BurjX offers frictionless access to digital markets that is secure, seamless, and proudly UAE native.

Regulated, Institutional-Grade Custody

As one of the few platforms in the region licensed for both brokerage and custody, BurjX combines the strength of ADGM’s virtual asset regime with the speed of institutional-grade infrastructure. Built on NASDAQ-grade systems that process over 1 million transactions per second and secured by Fireblocks’ MPC wallet technology, BurjX offers fast execution, deep liquidity, and secure custody on a single, unified platform. From first-time traders to institutions, every transaction is backed by multi-layer governance, comprehensive insurance across hot and cold wallets, and robust regulatory oversight.

A New Standard in Private Wealth

For family offices, institutions, and high-net-worth clients seeking a more bespoke experience, BurjX has launched its Private Client Division – delivering white-glove OTC services, tailored execution, dedicated relationship coverage, and access to one of the most extensive digital asset offerings in the region. Designed for sophisticated investors, it empowers them to build high-conviction, diversified portfolios with clarity, control, and confidence.

What’s Next for BurjX

With its launch now official, BurjX is entering a new phase of growth; focused on scaling across the UAE and the broader MENA region, while doubling down on its core pillars: security, simplicity, and regulatory strength. With rising adoption from retail users, growing demand from private wealth clients, and deep liquidity across 100+ assets, BurjX is positioned to be the Middle East’s homegrown on-ramp to the global crypto economy.

About BurjX

BurjX is a UAE-born digital asset brokerage and custodian, fully licensed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi. Founded by Omar Abbas, co-founder of NDAX, and Adam Ferris, a Harvard JD/MBA and ex-Goldman Sachs, BurjX offers institutional-grade trading and custody, seamless AED on and off ramps, and multi-layer security infrastructure. Built for trust and performance, BurjX is redefining how the region engages with digital assets and setting a new benchmark for regulated, homegrown innovation.

Contact

Global Head of Marketing
Janis D’souza
janis@burjx.com

Bitvavo is the latest crypto exchange to receive a Markets in Crypto Assets License from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) to operate across the 30 nations in the European Economic Area.

Crypto companies have been applying for the licenses since the regulatory regime came into force in December last year. MiCA, which came into force in 2023 harmonizes rules across the European Union’s bloc of 27 nations plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

The Netherlands also awarded licenses to four exchanges in December last year, as the rules took effect. Other exchanges like OKX, Crypto.com and Bitpanda secured a MiCA license from Malta. Kraken was awarded a license on Thursday from Ireland, Coinbase was awarded a MiCA license from Luxembourg in June and Bybit was awarded an EU license from Austria in May.

“This license provides clarity, confidence and enables Bitvavo to fulfil its ambition: to become the leading digital asset trading platform in Europe,” said Mark Nuvelstijn, CEO and co-founder of Bitvavo, in a statement.

Bitvavo, which is the largest player globally in the EUR spot market, already held registrations in France, Austria, Italy and Spain, in addition to the Netherlands, the company’s release said.

We are excited to announce that Kraken has secured a crypto-deduction regulation (MICA) license from the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) based on the European Union market.

This marks a pivotal milestone in Europe’s expansion, unlocking the ability to scale faster across the region by providing regulated services and directly engaging clients in all 30 EEA countries.

“Along with securing a license from the Central Bank of Ireland, which has a long legacy and experience as a strict financial regulator, it is not just about compliance, but it is a strong signal of Kraken’s commitment to expanding crypto ecosystems through responsible innovation.

“Being the first major global crypto platform licensed by the CBI, we confirm that we affirm Kraken’s commitment to building it in the long run. Trust is the most valuable currency in crypto, and over the past few years we have worked tirelessly to meet CBI’s gold standard expectations. Our secure, accessible, fully regulated cryptographic services service serves millions of people across the EU.”

“We are deeply grateful for the professionalism of the Central Bank of Ireland and the consistent support of the Irish government and IDA. This collaboration is a blueprint for how the public and private sectors can work together to build a safer and more innovative financial future for Europe.

Expanding a strong foundation

Kraken already has Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registrations in major European markets such as Ireland, Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. We were the main force in euro-denominated crypto trading, which introduced the first BTC/EUR trading pair in 2013. Today, Kraken’s platform is most liquid and trusted in euro trading, reflecting the region’s deep roots.

Alongside MIFID licenses, where MIFID and EMI licenses are now protected by groups, Kraken is able to extend its regulated services to millions of clients across the EU. Together, these licenses support great growth opportunities across retail, professional and institutional client segments, including spot trading, derivatives, and payments.

For clients, MICA offers additional assurance that Kraken’s services will comply with a consistent set of EU-wide regulatory standards, including stronger consumer protection, greater transparency and robust surveillance, such as enhanced consumer protection, greater transparency and robust surveillance, for Craken to strengthen long-term trust over the long term.

Dinari secured a US broker-dealer registration for its subsidiary, becoming the first platform cleared to offer blockchain-based shares of publicly traded companies to domestic investors, Reuters reported on June 26.

The San Francisco firm stated that it will activate the licensed entity during the next quarter, following completion of onboarding with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

Dinari already distributes “dShares” on Coinbase’s Base network to users outside the US. The new clearance allows it to offer the same product to American brokerages and fintech apps through APIs rather than a direct-to-consumer portal.

CEO Gabriel Otte said the company has lined up undisclosed integration partners and will route trades to registered market centers while settling token issuances on a public blockchain.

Tokenized stocks

Tokenizing equities converts conventional shares into transferable digital tokens recorded on a blockchain. 

Proponents argue the structure trims clearing fees, accelerates settlement to near real-time, and supports round-the-clock trading. 

Dinari’s registration satisfies long-standing SEC requirements that secondary trading in securities, whether tokenized or not, run through licensed intermediaries. 

Coinbase and Kraken are also pursuing this approach. Kraken announced the launch of a 24/7 trading platform for US stocks, while Coinbase recently sought permission from the SEC to conduct the same offering. 

Competitive backdrop and remaining hurdles

Despite the push from companies to offer tokenized equities, hurdles persist. The World Economic Forum last month flagged shallow secondary-market liquidity and the absence of unified technical standards as chief obstacles to mainstream use.

Otte acknowledged those gaps but said Dinari’s on-chain settlement framework aims to provide a template regulators, and industry groups can reference when drafting interoperability guidelines.

Unlike retail brokerages such as Robinhood or Charles Schwab, Dinari embeds its trading and custody stack inside third-party platforms. 

Otte described the strategy as a “white label rails” model designed to let fintech firms bolt tokenized equities onto existing mobile apps without building blockchain infrastructure in-house. 

Dinari’s broker-dealer will begin customer testing after it finishes control-location attestations and vault integrations required under SEC Rule 15c3-3. The company stated that it would publish updated technical specifications for its ERC-20-based share contract before the US launch.

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