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On March 4th, Daiwa Research reported that it expects Baidus (09888.HK) Kunlun Chip IPO valuation to be higher than its peers due to its larger revenue scale and better profitability. Currently, Kunlun Chip derives most of its revenue from external demand, with major clients including Tencent and a large telecommunications operator. Management stated that chip production capacity constraints are not a short-term concern for the company, as Kunlun Chip has secured sufficient supply to support development over the next two years. The bank reiterated its "Buy" rating on Baidu with a target price of HK$175 and maintained its earnings forecasts for this year and next. Recent catalysts include the Kunlun Chip listing and details of the 2026 dividend plan.Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda: It is crucial for the government to ensure market confidence in long-term fiscal sustainability.On March 4th, Jefferies Group released a report estimating that memory chip costs will surge 3.6 times this year for the vast majority of smartphone OEMs. Therefore, the bank estimates that Xiaomi-W (01810.HK) smartphone sales will plummet by 55%, partially offset by a 31% increase in average selling price. The main cuts are concentrated in mid-to-low-end phones, and approximately 60% of Xiaomis shipments have an average selling price below US$150. The bank forecasts that Xiaomis smartphone gross margin will drop by 7 percentage points this year to a record low of 4%. Coupled with a downward revision of its gross margin forecast for Xiaomis automotive business, the banks revenue and EBIT forecasts for Xiaomi this year are 16% and 34% lower than its market peers, respectively. Using a sum-of-the-parts estimation method, the bank drastically cut its target price for Xiaomi from HK$43.36 to HK$30.45, a reduction of nearly 30%, maintaining a "hold" rating, citing overly high market expectations for the company and the downside risk to earnings from persistently high memory costs.March 4th - Magdalene Teo, a fixed-income analyst at Julius Baer, stated that risk premiums, as measured by credit default swap (CDS) spreads, have widened due to increased uncertainty regarding the trajectory and duration of the Middle East conflict. CDS spreads in Asia are rising because prolonged disruptions to global shipping routes could exacerbate inflation and other problems, leading to tighter financial conditions. Teo stated, "The combination of rising oil prices and a stronger dollar is not an ideal situation for many Asian economies."Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda: Compared to the past, companies are more actively passing on costs affected by exchange rate fluctuations, and we remain highly vigilant about this when formulating policies.

MasterCard To Enter the Crypto World With NFTs After VISA & AmEx

Skylar Shaw

Apr 12, 2022 10:38


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  • MasterCard aims to take a full-throttle approach in the Metaverse, including NFT, educational, and payment services.


  • AmEx, too, recently exposed its virtual world aspirations by submitting trademark applications.


  • Apart from businesses, trademark applications were also made by exchanges such as the NYSE.


MasterCard will cover anything from Metaverse events to NFTs, tech, and other general interests, according to Trademark/Service Mark Applications filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

MasterCard Joins the Metaverse

In addition to financial services, the company will provide entertainment and educational services in the Metaverse, as well as extend its offerings to include additional social, cultural, and community activities.


MasterCard may be seeking to deliver its financial services to people in the virtual world through the Metaverse.


MasterCard has submitted an application to trademark its characteristic yellow and red dots, which will be visible on virtual credit, debit, and payment cards, according to another document.


MasterCard hopes to promote the usage of its cards for transactions in the virtual world by doing so.


For as long as the hype remains, it is commonly known that the Metaverse is primarily undiscovered terrain with monetary worth. However, considering the high-profile brands that have already joined the market, it is possible that it will survive for a long time.


MasterCard might benefit as a prominent financial services provider in a market where LAND parcels may sell for as much as $10,000.


However, the business will tackle NFTs in a way that isn't limited to Metaverse services. "Downloadable music files authenticated by non-fungible tokens (NFTs); downloadable multimedia files comprising artwork, text, audio, and video authenticated by non-fungible tokens (NFTs)," according to the same filing.


The "PRICELESS" branding will be applied to these NFTs, as has been the company's advertising effort since 1997.


Other large public firms and even exchanges are prepared to join the virtual world, and MasterCard is not the only one to do so.

Others Waiting in Line

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) quickly filed identical proposals to extend to NFTs and Metaverse, focused on digital currencies and virtual retail outlets.


KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, for example, used this strategy to announce their debut into the Metaverse.


At this time, it seems like the Metaverse is being used more as a marketing technique than as an alternative to the actual world by everyone and everyone who can.