Jennifer Wise, who is running for Menlo Park’s District 5 City Council Seat, leads in spending among the three candidates running for seats on the City Council, according to the latest campaign finance reports that were due on Sept. 26. Candidates, or candidate committees, that raise more ...

Campaign Finance: Jennifer Wise leads in spending for Menlo Park City Council race - The Almanac

Wise (formerly TransferWise) is a UK-based foreign exchange financial technology company founded by Estonian businessmen Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus in January 2011. Wise specializes in cross-border payment transfers. As of 2023, it offers three main products: Wise Account, Wise Business, ...

Wise (company) - Wikipedia

Wise became a publicly listed company. There are now 3,000 Wisers across the world.

Our story - Wise Careers

Banks charge a lot for overseas transfers. We don&#x27;t. Transfer money abroad easily and quickly with our low cost money transfers.

Wise, Formerly TransferWise: Online Money Transfers | International ...

Company profile page for Wise Payments Ltd including stock price, company news, executives, board members, and contact information

Wise Payments Ltd - Company Profile and News - Bloomberg Markets

App matches unrelated customers’ orders to execute international money transfers, while limiting how much currency actually crosses borders, thus chopping

Wise | Company Overview & News

In the words of our founder, ‘people don’t join a company. They join a mission.’ And ours is big. Current banking systems don’t let us send, spend or receive money across borders easily. Or quickly. Or cheaply. So we’re building a new one. Our mission is to make money without borders the new normal. For everyone. Getting there isn’t easy and we haven’t figured it all out yet. But together, we can do it. ... Use Wise ...

What we do - Wise Careers

Contains Company Wise Questions sorted based on Frequency and all time - krishnadey30/LeetCode-Questions-CompanyWise

GitHub - krishnadey30/LeetCode-Questions-CompanyWise: Contains ...

So they started a company, called it TransferWise, and hired a team to build the best way to send money between countries. As we grew, we realised that people needed more than just money transfers. So we added a multi-currency account, a debit card, and a business account, and changed our name to Wise...

The Story of Wise - Wise

With the Wise account people and businesses can hold 40+ currencies, move money between countries and spend money abroad. Large companies and banks use Wise technology too; an entirely new cross-border payments network that will one day power money without borders for everyone, everywhere.

Wise | LinkedIn

Wise

wise

Wise, the leading embedded banking FinTech, that offers business banking via partnerships, announced today that it has closed a $12M Series A. This funding round was led by e.ventures, with participation from Grishin Robotics, and with continued investment from seed investors – Base10 Partners and Tech Stars. Six months after a $5.7M seed round, Wise raised the Series A funding to accelerate growth and partnerships across several verticals and to extend its breakthrough technology to support a fully-managed, first-of-its-kind embedded banking experience. Wise has raised $18M to date. "We built banking so our partners don't have to," said Arjun Thyagarajan, Co-Founder and CEO at Wise. "By embedding banking, Wise unlocks deep product offerings and better customer experiences for our partners. e.ventures built a thesis on exactly this, and we agree 100%." "Business banking has been broken for far too long. Poor user interfaces, payments delays, unnecessary fees, a lack of integrations, the list goes on and on," said Brendan Wales, Partner at e.ventures. "The team at Wise is bringing an Apple-like experience to the world of business banking with an embedded product that brings banking to where one’s business is managed." In addition to this round, Wise has also signed several new partnerships, where leading B2B companies are able to seamlessly offer banking, within their product experience, greatly expanding the value to their business customers. "In a world where more people are working remotely than ever before, it is important for RemoteTeam to provide its customers with a modern, instant payroll experience. Embedding banking solves a major pain point that makes RemoteTeam a standout offering in the payroll industry," says Sahin Boydas, CEO at RemoteTeam and a Wise partner. "Embedded experiences drive product engagement through the roof! It is a win-win-win proposition for everyone involved – Wise, its partner, and the small business that lives inside the partner ecosystem," said Raghav Lal, President at Wise. Prior to joining Wise, Lal launched several successful co-branded partnerships at AMEX and VISA. Before Wise, launching a banking offering could take months or in some cases, years. Now, SaaS B2B companies launch banking powered by Wise, with no-code and in just a few days – with the entire program managed and serviced by Wise. "We’re thrilled by Wise’s continued progress developing strategic partnerships with large SaaS partners," added Rexhi Dollaku, Principal at Base10 Partners. "This funding will accelerate Wise’s product and go-to-market efforts, so that they can continue to redefine the business banking experience for many more real economy businesses." Founded in December 2018, Wise is a Techstars NYC company headquartered in San Mateo, CA. Wise offers modern businesses a seamless way to bank, pay, and get paid. Wise embeds its all-in-one business banking product via partnerships. For more information, visit wise.us. About Wise Founded in 1999, e.ventures is the first tech-enabled global venture capital firm and invests in consumer and software companies at their inflection points from early to growth stage. The firm is headquartered in San Francisco and Berlin with global partners in Beijing, Tokyo, and São Paulo. e.ventures has combined its extensive, truly global network with local experience and insight to partner with over 250 startups globally. Notable US investments include Segment, Sonos, Appfolio, AngiesList, TheRealReal, GoPuff, Shipt, NGINX, and Acorns. About e.ventures Base10 is a San Francisco-based early-stage venture firm investing in Automation for the Real Economy. Founded by Adeyemi Ajao and TJ Nahigian, the firm invests in technology companies that are bringing automation to sectors of the Real Economy, including industrial logistics, consumer logistics, restaurants, financial services, and sales & customer service. Portfolio companies include ThePillClub, Virtual Kitchen Company, Acquire, PopMenu, and others. Connect via base10.vc. About Base10 Media Contact Amber Moore GMK Communications amber@gmkcommunications.com 503.943.9381

[Announcement] Wise Raises $12M To Accelerate Embedded Banking Partnerships

Authors:
(1) Seokil Ham, KAIST;
(2) Jungwuk Park, KAIST;
(3) Dong-Jun Han, Purdue University;
(4) Jaekyun Moon, KAIST. Table of Links Abstract and 1. Introduction 2. Related Works 3. Proposed NEO-KD Algorithm and 3.1 Problem Setup: Adversarial Training in Multi-Exit Networks 3.2 Algorithm Description 4. Experiments and 4.1 Experimental Setup 4.2. Main Experimental Results 4.3. Ablation Studies and Discussions 5. Conclusion, Acknowledgement and References A. Experiment Details B. Clean Test Accuracy and C. Adversarial Training via Average Attack D. Hyperparameter Tuning E. Discussions on Performance Degradation at Later Exits F. Comparison with Recent Defense Methods for Single-Exit Networks G. Comparison with SKD and ARD and H. Implementations of Stronger Attacker Algorithms 2 Related Works Knowledge distillation for multi-exit networks. Multi-exit neural networks [9, 13, 26, 27, 28, 32] aim at making efficient inference via early exits in resource-constrained applications. In the multi-exit network literature, it is well-known that distilling the knowledge of the last exit to others significantly improves the overall performance on clean data without an external teacher network, i.e., via self-distillation [15, 20, 24, 27]. However, it is currently unclear how adversarial training can benefit from self-distillation in multi-exit networks. One challenge is that simply applying existing self-distillation techniques increases adversarial transferability across different submodels, since the same knowledge from the last exit is distilled to all other exits, increasing dependency among different submodels in the network. Compared to the existing ideas, our contribution is to develop a self-distillation strategy that does not increase the dependency of submodels as much; this helps reduce adversarial transferability of the multi-exit network for better robustness. Improving adversarial robustness. Most existing defense methods [6, 7, 31] have mainly focused on creating new adversarial training losses tailored to single-exit networks. Several other works have utilized the concept of knowledge distillation [8, 23, 33, 34] showing that distilling the knowledge of the teacher network can improve robustness of the student network. Especially in [8], given a teacher network, it is shown that robustness of the teacher network can be distilled to the student network during adversarial training. Compared to these works, our approach can be viewed as a new self-distillation strategy for multi-exit networks where teacher/student models are trained together. More importantly, adversarial transferability across different submodels has not been an issue in previous works as the focus there has been on the single-exit network. In contrast, in our multi-exit setup, all submodels sharing some model parameters require extra robustness against adversarial attacks; this motivates us to propose exit-wise orthogonal knowledge distillation, to reduce adversarial transferability among different submodels. Some prior works [19, 22, 29, 30] aim at improving adversarial robustness of the ensemble model, by reducing adversarial transferability across individual models. Specifically, the adaptive diversity-promoting regularizer proposed in [22] regularizes the non-maximal predictions of individual models to be mutually orthogonal, and the maximal term is used to compute the loss as usual. While the previous work focuses on reducing the transferability among different models having independent parameters, in a multi-exit network setup, the problem becomes more challenging in that all submodels have some shared parameters, making the models to be highly correlated. To handle this issue, we specifically take advantage of knowledge distillation in an exit-wise manner, which can further reduce the dependency among different submodels in the multi-exit network. Adversarial training for multi-exit networks. When focused on multi-exit networks, only a few prior works considered the adversarial attack issue in the literature [3, 10, 11, 12]. The authors of [10, 11] focused on generating slowdown attacks in multi-exit networks rather than defense strategies. In [12], the authors proposed an adversarial training strategy by generating adversarial examples targeting a specific exit (single attack) or multiple exits (average attack and max-average attack). However, (i) [12] does not take advantage of knowledge distillation during training and (ii) [12] does not directly handle the high correlations among different submodels, which can result in high adversarial transferability. Our solution overcomes these limitations by reducing adversarial transferability while correctly guiding the predictions of adversarial examples at each exit, via self knowledge distillation. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. Authors: (1) Seokil Ham, KAIST; (2) Jungwuk Park, KAIST; (3) Dong-Jun Han, Purdue University; (4) Jaekyun Moon, KAIST. Authors: Authors: (1) Seokil Ham, KAIST; (2) Jungwuk Park, KAIST; (3) Dong-Jun Han, Purdue University; (4) Jaekyun Moon, KAIST. Table of Links Abstract and 1. Introduction Abstract and 1. Introduction 2. Related Works 2. Related Works 3. Proposed NEO-KD Algorithm and 3.1 Problem Setup: Adversarial Training in Multi-Exit Networks 3. Proposed NEO-KD Algorithm and 3.1 Problem Setup: Adversarial Training in Multi-Exit Networks 3.2 Algorithm Description 3.2 Algorithm Description 4. Experiments and 4.1 Experimental Setup 4. Experiments and 4.1 Experimental Setup 4.2. Main Experimental Results 4.2. Main Experimental Results 4.3. Ablation Studies and Discussions 4.3. Ablation Studies and Discussions 5. Conclusion, Acknowledgement and References 5. Conclusion, Acknowledgement and References A. Experiment Details A. Experiment Details B. Clean Test Accuracy and C. Adversarial Training via Average Attack B. Clean Test Accuracy and C. Adversarial Training via Average Attack D. Hyperparameter Tuning D. Hyperparameter Tuning E. Discussions on Performance Degradation at Later Exits E. Discussions on Performance Degradation at Later Exits F. Comparison with Recent Defense Methods for Single-Exit Networks F. Comparison with Recent Defense Methods for Single-Exit Networks G. Comparison with SKD and ARD and H. Implementations of Stronger Attacker Algorithms G. Comparison with SKD and ARD and H. Implementations of Stronger Attacker Algorithms 2 Related Works Knowledge distillation for multi-exit networks. Multi-exit neural networks [9, 13, 26, 27, 28, 32] aim at making efficient inference via early exits in resource-constrained applications. In the multi-exit network literature, it is well-known that distilling the knowledge of the last exit to others significantly improves the overall performance on clean data without an external teacher network, i.e., via self-distillation [15, 20, 24, 27]. However, it is currently unclear how adversarial training can benefit from self-distillation in multi-exit networks. One challenge is that simply applying existing self-distillation techniques increases adversarial transferability across different submodels, since the same knowledge from the last exit is distilled to all other exits, increasing dependency among different submodels in the network. Compared to the existing ideas, our contribution is to develop a self-distillation strategy that does not increase the dependency of submodels as much; this helps reduce adversarial transferability of the multi-exit network for better robustness. Multi-exit neural networks [9, 13, 26, 27, 28, 32] aim Improving adversarial robustness. Most existing defense methods [6, 7, 31] have mainly focused on creating new adversarial training losses tailored to single-exit networks. Several other works have utilized the concept of knowledge distillation [8, 23, 33, 34] showing that distilling the knowledge of the teacher network can improve robustness of the student network. Especially in [8], given a teacher network, it is shown that robustness of the teacher network can be distilled to the student network during adversarial training. Compared to these works, our approach can be viewed as a new self-distillation strategy for multi-exit networks where teacher/student models are trained together. More importantly, adversarial transferability across different submodels has not been an issue in previous works as the focus there has been on the single-exit network. In contrast, in our multi-exit setup, all submodels sharing some model parameters require extra robustness against adversarial attacks; this motivates us to propose exit-wise orthogonal knowledge distillation, to reduce adversarial transferability among different submodels. Improving adversarial robustness. Some prior works [19, 22, 29, 30] aim at improving adversarial robustness of the ensemble model, by reducing adversarial transferability across individual models. Specifically, the adaptive diversity-promoting regularizer proposed in [22] regularizes the non-maximal predictions of individual models to be mutually orthogonal, and the maximal term is used to compute the loss as usual. While the previous work focuses on reducing the transferability among different models having independent parameters, in a multi-exit network setup, the problem becomes more challenging in that all submodels have some shared parameters, making the models to be highly correlated. To handle this issue, we specifically take advantage of knowledge distillation in an exit-wise manner, which can further reduce the dependency among different submodels in the multi-exit network. Adversarial training for multi-exit networks. When focused on multi-exit networks, only a few prior works considered the adversarial attack issue in the literature [3, 10, 11, 12]. The authors of [10, 11] focused on generating slowdown attacks in multi-exit networks rather than defense strategies. In [12], the authors proposed an adversarial training strategy by generating adversarial examples targeting a specific exit (single attack) or multiple exits (average attack and max-average attack). However, (i) [12] does not take advantage of knowledge distillation during training and (ii) [12] does not directly handle the high correlations among different submodels, which can result in high adversarial transferability. Our solution overcomes these limitations by reducing adversarial transferability while correctly guiding the predictions of adversarial examples at each exit, via self knowledge distillation. Adversarial training for multi-exit networks. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. available on arxiv

Advancing Robustness in Multi-Exit Networks Through Exit-Wise Knowledge Distillation

HSBC, the banking giant, is finally entering the ring with its new app, Zing (launched in January 2024 in UK). It aims to disrupt the international money transfer space currently dominated by fintech players like Revolut and Wise. But is this a genuine challenge, or just a latecomer trying to play catch-up? The answer lies in the margins. Fintech companies have been steadily eroding traditional banks' profits with their user-friendly apps and competitive fees. James Allan, CEO of Zing, acknowledges this shift:
"It's time for a new kind of solution, one that combines cutting-edge tech with the trust of a global bank like HSBC." Is It a Smart Move for Younger Audience? Analysts see Zing as a strategic move for HSBC. Benjamin Toms of RBC believes it's a “defensive play” to attract younger, tech-savvy customers who might become lifelong HSBC clients. Unlike existing HSBC FX services, Zing is free to download for everyone. But, lemme clear one thing! Zing operates under the FCA as an e-money institution, not a bank. This means your deposits won't be protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, something to consider before diving in. Despite these uncertainties, Zing's arrival signifies a critical shift in the financial world. As established institutions adapt and innovate, consumers stand to benefit from a more competitive international payments ecosystem. HSBC, however, has global aspirations for Zing. Nuno Matos, CEO of their wealth and personal banking division, added:
‘‘We want to become a leading platform for international payments, which aligns perfectly with HSBC's overall payments strategy. Expect to see Zing launching soon in Asia, the Middle East, and EU markets." This focus on innovation and trust is key for Zing. This will attract customers who value fintech apps’ convenience while seeking the security. Feature Comparison - HSBC’s Zing vs. Revolut & Wise Feature

HSBC’s Zing

Revolut

Wise



Primary Function

Foreign exchange & international money transfer

Multi-currency spending & international money transfer

International money transfer



Number of Currencies Supported

10

Over 140

Over 40



Debit Card

Yes (physical & virtual)

Yes (physical & virtual)

Yes (physical & virtual)



Fees

Conversion charges and currency exchange

Free standard plan (limited features), paid plans with higher limits & features

Transaction fees based on amount & currency



Focus

Simplicity & ease of use for occasional international transactions

Multi-functionality for everyday spending & travel

Cost-effective international money transfers Recruiting Top Talent for the Challenge To compete effectively, HSBC is building a strong team. They've recruited key personnel from their fintech rivals, like Neil McKeown (ex-Monzo) and Dario De Angelis (ex-Revolut), to leverage valuable industry expertise. Additionally, Eduardo Mercer, a software engineer veteran from Wise, strengthens Zing's technical core. This increased competition injects a healthy dose of competition into the European cross-border payments scene. Ultimately, consumers benefit from more options, potentially lower fees, and a continued push for innovative solutions in the international money transfer market. James Allan, CEO of Zing, says,
"It's a win-win for everyone who wants a simpler, faster, and more reliable way to manage their money internationally." Can Zing Outshine its Competitors? HSBC's strategic investments, focus on user experience, and global ambitions suggest they're serious about the game. Only time will tell if they can woo customers away from the current fintech champions. The battle for dominance in international money transfers has just become even more interesting. Potential Pros & Cons! Aspect

Potential Pros

Potential Cons



Brand Recognition

Leverages HSBC's established brand and reputation for security

May not have the same brand awareness as Revolut or Wise



User Experience

Focuses on user-friendliness for a smooth money transfer experience

Needs to prove its app is as intuitive and user-friendly as competitors



Global Reach

Ambitious plans for global expansion, offering services in new markets

Initial launch is limited to UK customers only



Team Expertise

Recruited top talent from fintech rivals, bringing industry knowledge

Needs to demonstrate its team can deliver a competitive product Key Takeaways from this New and Improved Competition! This head-to-head competition is a game-changer in the cross-border payments market, especially in UK. Here is what will you get: HSBC offers established banking security, but Revolut and Wise are known for their cutting-edge tech. Zing aims to bridge this gap, offering both trust and a tech-savvy experience.
With more options, fees may drop, and features may become more user-friendly. This may include faster transfers, better exchange rates, and a smoother overall experience.
This competition between big banks and fintech companies will benefit you the most. It can include a wider range of services, lower costs, and a constant push for innovation. Stay updated for more updates about the fintech industry! For now, share your thoughts in the comments. HSBC, the banking giant, is finally entering the ring with its new app, Zing (launched in January 2024 in UK). It aims to disrupt the international money transfer space currently dominated by fintech players like Revolut and Wise. But is this a genuine challenge, or just a latecomer trying to play catch-up? HSBC, the banking giant, is finally entering the ring with its new app, Zing (launched in January 2024 in UK). Zing The answer lies in the margins. Fintech companies have been steadily eroding traditional banks' profits with their user-friendly apps and competitive fees. James Allan, CEO of Zing, acknowledges this shift: "It's time for a new kind of solution, one that combines cutting-edge tech with the trust of a global bank like HSBC." James Allan, CEO of Zing, acknowledges this shift: "It's time for a new kind of solution, one that combines cutting-edge tech with the trust of a global bank like HSBC." "It's time for a new kind of solution, one that combines cutting-edge tech with the trust of a global bank like HSBC." Is It a Smart Move for Younger Audience? Is It a Smart Move for Younger Audience? Analysts see Zing as a strategic move for HSBC. Benjamin Toms of RBC believes it's a “ defensive play” to attract younger, tech-savvy customers who might become lifelong HSBC clients. Unlike existing HSBC FX services, Zing is free to download for everyone . defensive play” Zing is free to download for everyone But, lemme clear one thing! But, lemme clear one thing! But, lemme clear one thing! Zing operates under the FCA as an e-money institution, not a bank. This means your deposits won't be protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, something to consider before diving in. Despite these uncertainties, Zing's arrival signifies a critical shift in the financial world. As established institutions adapt and innovate, consumers stand to benefit from a more competitive international payments ecosystem. HSBC, however, has global aspirations for Zing. HSBC, however, has global aspirations for Zing. HSBC, however, has global aspirations for Zing. Nuno Matos, CEO of their wealth and personal banking division, added: ‘‘We want to become a leading platform for international payments, which aligns perfectly with HSBC's overall payments strategy. Expect to see Zing launching soon in Asia, the Middle East, and EU markets." Nuno Matos, CEO of their wealth and personal banking division, added: ‘‘We want to become a leading platform for international payments, which aligns perfectly with HSBC's overall payments strategy. Expect to see Zing launching soon in Asia, the Middle East, and EU markets." ‘‘We want to become a leading platform for international payments, which aligns perfectly with HSBC's overall payments strategy. Expect to see Zing launching soon in Asia, the Middle East, and EU markets." This focus on innovation and trust is key for Zing. This will attract customers who value fintech apps’ convenience while seeking the security. fintech apps’ convenience Feature Comparison - HSBC’s Zing vs. Revolut & Wise Feature Comparison - HSBC’s Zing vs. Revolut & Wise Feature

HSBC’s Zing

Revolut

Wise



Primary Function

Foreign exchange & international money transfer

Multi-currency spending & international money transfer

International money transfer



Number of Currencies Supported

10

Over 140

Over 40



Debit Card

Yes (physical & virtual)

Yes (physical & virtual)

Yes (physical & virtual)



Fees

Conversion charges and currency exchange

Free standard plan (limited features), paid plans with higher limits & features

Transaction fees based on amount & currency



Focus

Simplicity & ease of use for occasional international transactions

Multi-functionality for everyday spending & travel

Cost-effective international money transfers Feature

HSBC’s Zing

Revolut

Wise Primary Function

Foreign exchange & international money transfer

Multi-currency spending & international money transfer

International money transfer Number of Currencies Supported

10

Over 140

Over 40 Debit Card

Yes (physical & virtual)

Yes (physical & virtual)

Yes (physical & virtual) Fees

Conversion charges and currency exchange

Free standard plan (limited features), paid plans with higher limits & features

Transaction fees based on amount & currency Focus

Simplicity & ease of use for occasional international transactions

Multi-functionality for everyday spending & travel

Cost-effective international money transfers Feature HSBC’s Zing Revolut Wise Feature Feature HSBC’s Zing HSBC’s Zing Revolut Revolut Wise Wise Primary Function Foreign exchange & international money transfer Multi-currency spending & international money transfer International money transfer Primary Function Primary Function Primary Function Foreign exchange & international money transfer Foreign exchange & international money transfer Multi-currency spending & international money transfer Multi-currency spending & international money transfer International money transfer International money transfer Number of Currencies Supported 10 Over 140 Over 40 Number of Currencies Supported Number of Currencies Supported Number of Currencies Supported 10 10 Over 140 Over 140 Over 40 Over 40 Debit Card Yes (physical & virtual) Yes (physical & virtual) Yes (physical & virtual) Debit Card Debit Card Debit Card Yes (physical & virtual) Yes (physical & virtual) Yes (physical & virtual) Yes (physical & virtual) Yes (physical & virtual) Yes (physical & virtual) Fees Conversion charges and currency exchange Free standard plan (limited features), paid plans with higher limits & features Transaction fees based on amount & currency Fees Fees Fees Conversion charges and currency exchange Conversion charges and currency exchange Free standard plan (limited features), paid plans with higher limits & features Free standard plan (limited features), paid plans with higher limits & features Transaction fees based on amount & currency Transaction fees based on amount & currency Focus Simplicity & ease of use for occasional international transactions Multi-functionality for everyday spending & travel Cost-effective international money transfers Focus Focus Focus Simplicity & ease of use for occasional international transactions Simplicity & ease of use for occasional international transactions Multi-functionality for everyday spending & travel Multi-functionality for everyday spending & travel Cost-effective international money transfers Cost-effective international money transfers Recruiting Top Talent for the Challenge To compete effectively, HSBC is building a strong team. They've recruited key personnel from their fintech rivals, like Neil McKeown (ex-Monzo ) and Dario De Angelis (ex-Revolut) , to leverage valuable industry expertise. Additionally, Eduardo Mercer , a software engineer veteran from Wise , strengthens Zing's technical core. Neil McKeown (ex-Monzo Dario De Angelis (ex-Revolut) Eduardo Mercer a software engineer veteran from Wise This increased competition injects a healthy dose of competition into the European cross-border payments scene. Ultimately, consumers benefit from more options, potentially lower fees, and a continued push for innovative solutions in the international money transfer market. cross-border payments James Allan, CEO of Zing, says, "It's a win-win for everyone who wants a simpler, faster, and more reliable way to manage their money internationally." James Allan, CEO of Zing, says, "It's a win-win for everyone who wants a simpler, faster, and more reliable way to manage their money internationally." "It's a win-win for everyone who wants a simpler, faster, and more reliable way to manage their money internationally." Can Zing Outshine its Competitors? Can Zing Outshine its Competitors? HSBC's strategic investments, focus on user experience, and global ambitions suggest they're serious about the game. Only time will tell if they can woo customers away from the current fintech champions. The battle for dominance in international money transfers has just become even more interesting. Potential Pros & Cons! Aspect

Potential Pros

Potential Cons



Brand Recognition

Leverages HSBC's established brand and reputation for security

May not have the same brand awareness as Revolut or Wise



User Experience

Focuses on user-friendliness for a smooth money transfer experience

Needs to prove its app is as intuitive and user-friendly as competitors



Global Reach

Ambitious plans for global expansion, offering services in new markets

Initial launch is limited to UK customers only



Team Expertise

Recruited top talent from fintech rivals, bringing industry knowledge

Needs to demonstrate its team can deliver a competitive product Aspect

Potential Pros

Potential Cons Brand Recognition

Leverages HSBC's established brand and reputation for security

May not have the same brand awareness as Revolut or Wise User Experience

Focuses on user-friendliness for a smooth money transfer experience

Needs to prove its app is as intuitive and user-friendly as competitors Global Reach

Ambitious plans for global expansion, offering services in new markets

Initial launch is limited to UK customers only Team Expertise

Recruited top talent from fintech rivals, bringing industry knowledge

Needs to demonstrate its team can deliver a competitive product Aspect Potential Pros Potential Cons Aspect Aspect Aspect Potential Pros Potential Pros Potential Pros Potential Cons Potential Cons Potential Cons Brand Recognition Leverages HSBC's established brand and reputation for security May not have the same brand awareness as Revolut or Wise Brand Recognition Brand Recognition Brand Recognition Leverages HSBC's established brand and reputation for security Leverages HSBC's established brand and reputation for security May not have the same brand awareness as Revolut or Wise May not have the same brand awareness as Revolut or Wise User Experience Focuses on user-friendliness for a smooth money transfer experience Needs to prove its app is as intuitive and user-friendly as competitors User Experience User Experience User Experience Focuses on user-friendliness for a smooth money transfer experience Focuses on user-friendliness for a smooth money transfer experience Needs to prove its app is as intuitive and user-friendly as competitors Needs to prove its app is as intuitive and user-friendly as competitors Global Reach Ambitious plans for global expansion, offering services in new markets Initial launch is limited to UK customers only Global Reach Global Reach Global Reach Ambitious plans for global expansion, offering services in new markets Ambitious plans for global expansion, offering services in new markets Initial launch is limited to UK customers only Initial launch is limited to UK customers only Team Expertise Recruited top talent from fintech rivals, bringing industry knowledge Needs to demonstrate its team can deliver a competitive product Team Expertise Team Expertise Team Expertise Recruited top talent from fintech rivals, bringing industry knowledge Recruited top talent from fintech rivals, bringing industry knowledge Needs to demonstrate its team can deliver a competitive product Needs to demonstrate its team can deliver a competitive product Key Takeaways from this New and Improved Competition! This head-to-head competition is a game-changer in the cross-border payments market, especially in UK. Here is what will you get: HSBC offers established banking security, but Revolut and Wise are known for their cutting-edge tech. Zing aims to bridge this gap, offering both trust and a tech-savvy experience. With more options, fees may drop, and features may become more user-friendly. This may include faster transfers, better exchange rates, and a smoother overall experience. This competition between big banks and fintech companies will benefit you the most. It can include a wider range of services, lower costs, and a constant push for innovation. HSBC offers established banking security, but Revolut and Wise are known for their cutting-edge tech. Zing aims to bridge this gap, offering both trust and a tech-savvy experience. With more options, fees may drop, and features may become more user-friendly. This may include faster transfers, better exchange rates, and a smoother overall experience. This competition between big banks and fintech companies will benefit you the most. It can include a wider range of services, lower costs, and a constant push for innovation. Stay updated for more updates about the fintech industry! For now, share your thoughts in the comments. Stay updated for more updates about the fintech industry! For now, share your thoughts in the comments.

HSBC Throws Hat in the Ring - New App Zing Aims to Rival Revolut and Wise!

If you stop and ask the average person on the street whether they think that politicians, banksters, and CEOs have their best interests at heart, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who says yes. Even the most statist, war-promoting, tax-paying, flag-waving people out there can no longer miss the obvious fact that "society" as we know it is simply a planet-sized human cattle farm, run by a small contingent of socio-/psychopaths. They probably still go along with it, and they vote for a new president or prime minister every few years, and they listen to the propaganda on the tele-screens... Depending on which half of the Duopoly party they support, there are probably different issues that they most notice: Team Red can easily see human trafficking, child mutilation, Authoritarian Socialism, and the attempted destruction of morality as a whole... While Team Blue can easily see the corporate greed, the immorality of "War," and the push for one "chosen" supreme "race" to control the whole planet... But for some reason, both sides are only capable of seeing some of these issues, specifically, they each seem to only be capable of holding awareness for the "problems" that the team they root for calls out as problems. This isn't their fault though, because this is just how the human brain works. The human experience is a hyper-personalized one, wherein our sense organs feed our brains terabytes of information every second, and our conscious mind receives a fraction of a percent of that information after it's all been filtered through currently existing beliefs, expectations, and assumptions. The human experience is, simply put, confirmation bias. The story you tell yourself in your mind is the story you will live out in the physical world. The game(s) you are playing decide what the "rules" are in your world, what "success" is, and what your relationships with others will look like... Competitive? Cooperative? Are your relationships & connections open, loving, trusting & intimate? Or simply quid-pro-quo exchanges... The Games We Play... or Don't Play Imagine you are with a group of friends, and everyone is playing a game. You notice that the rules & goals of the game tend to lead to people lying to each other, taking advantage of each other, and maybe even dehumanizing each other. Now, this is an established game, with rules that m/billions of people know. A game that has been played in more or less the exact same way for thousands of years. Do you think it's going to be possible to re-define that game? To get people to play it in a completely different way? To change what "winning" is and what acceptable behavior is to get there? Obviously, attempting to change the game being played, while it's being played, with most of the people playing it thinking that it is simply "Reality" is a non-starter. Unless you plan to dose the planet with aerosolized LSD or DMT, that sort of 90-degree turn for so many is just not going to happen. Play a Different Game - Opt Out The beautiful thing about this Reality we live in and our personalized experiences of it, is that each of us gets to choose the life we live. At any time, one can simply choose to replace an old belief, to play a different game, to tell a different story. As soon as they make that choice, the Universe begins re-aligning their life to match up to the new story. The game of Statist Capitalism is just ONE, of many many games, that we can each play every day. Every single part of the Statist structure is purely voluntary. If you don't want to play that game, you don't have to. The Exit & Build game, the Agorism game, the Off-Grid game... there are so many other options. Just choosing not to play the "banks" game, and instead using non-custodial, non-governmental, not debt-based, private currencies like Monero, or physical metals/barter, removes you from most of the games the psychopaths have set up. https://youtu.be/MDnnQt8AKNo?si=ezLeAJ-X26cborfI&embedable=true How I Opt Out I haven't had a bank account since 2009/10. Never had a credit card. Never registered to vote, much less voted. Never paid taxes. Only filed for two years when I was a student. I live out of two backpacks, and have since 2015. I have my tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, laptop, herbal medicine, books, journals, survival gear, sewing kit, and everything else needed besides water & food... all coming in at less than 50 pounds of equipment... You may think that means I probably live like a hobo... which is almost true in a way, but I also rent fancy houses around the world to bring friends together, help produce festivals & conferences, work with a variety of projects in the Freedom Movement, etc. I've had no money since last spring - the last of my crypto is staked away in $CULT that I won't be unstaking anytime soon... but I threw a conference called "Be Empowered" in Colorado in September, rented a retreat center in Morelia for the month of January, did a little US tour, and am currently writing on the train from Chicago to Denver, where I'm heading to host an Ethereum Denver after-party. Now, the best part of my story is that how I live now, totally free (financially, spiritually, physically) is not because I grew up wealthy, or on a commune, or anything like that... My family moved every 6-12 months when I was a kid; on top of that, I was bounced between parents more than once and kicked out of a few schools. We lived in small apartments or tiny houses until I was in high school. I struggled with suicidal depression for more than a decade, became addicted to cocaine, alcohol, and other chemicals, worked corporate jobs & general labor gigs, and was a full-time drug dealer for a good while. 12 years ago, a psychedelic experience woke me up to the fact that I didn't like the game I was living in, AND I could change it if I wanted to. It took me years of disciplined eating & sleeping, of brain-reprogramming practices, retreats, and books, and releasing everything that I thought I knew about reality (I was a physicalist reductionist atheist back then - a big part of my depression.) In Summary Basically, my message is simple. You are the AUTHORity of your own story, of your life. The only way for someone else to have authority over you is if you give it to them. At any time, you can simply take that authority back. No paperwork, no court, no battles. Just a choice to reclaim your sovereignty & personal responsibility. If you'd like to dig deeper into these concepts, I highly recommend looking into the work of folks like: Abraham-Hicks Derrick Broze James Redfield Alan Watts and so many others! Thanks for tuning in beautiful humans! You Are Beautiful
You Are Powerful
You Are Free You can find all my links at , including my Odysee channel, Twitter profile, privacy-centric crypto course, affiliate links, and much more. https://linktr.ee/palurintano

Life is a Collection of Games; We Each Choose Which Ones We Play. Choose Wisely

🍄 Introduction In the ever-evolving realm of software development, the distinction between cleverness and wisdom can be the difference between success and chaos. While clever developers might dazzle with their coding prowess, it's the wise ones who navigate the intricate terrain of code creation with grace and foresight. In this journey, we'll unravel the layers of insight that set senior developers apart from their junior counterparts. 🗡️ The Cleverness Conundrum: A Double-Edged Sword “Common sense, street smarts, and experience can help developers avoid problems rather than solve them." At the heart of this paradigm lies the duality of cleverness. Being clever at writing code is a strength, no doubt, but it can also lead to a labyrinth of complexity. Clever solutions, while impressive, can often snowball into maintenance nightmares, ensnaring development teams in the web of their own innovation. The wise developers understand that writing code is not just about showing off one's abilities but about creating sustainable, streamlined solutions. 👩‍🚀 From Junior to Senior: The Evolution of Insight “In general, senior developers are wise and junior developers are clever but haven’t made the mistakes yet to be wise." Experience, knowledge, and skill—the triad that distinguishes the wise from the clever. Junior developers embark on their journey with a flair for complex solutions, whereas their senior counterparts wield their experience to craft elegant simplicity. The transition from clever to wise is marked by the accumulation of mistakes—a rite of passage that transforms novices into seasoned experts. It's through these errors that developers learn the art of foresight and the value of restraint. 🐜 The Code Conundrum: Less is More “It’s more effective to write less code, which will reduce the chance of failure." Every line of code created comes with a price—the cost of maintenance, the weight of complexity. Junior developers often wield code as a golden hammer, hammering away at every requirement that comes their way. The wise, however, understand that writing code should be a measured decision—a last resort when all other avenues have been explored. They embrace simplicity, focusing on validated requirements that align with the core purpose of the software. In a world enamored with complexity, the wise developer shines through with the elegance of minimalism. 👂Collaboration and Communication: The Power of Listening “The wise developers understand they are the expert in creating software, and users are the experts in their business." The journey from cleverness to wisdom involves a transformation in communication. Junior developers might be driven by their technical prowess, but the wise developer recognizes that collaboration is the key. They don the hats of both technical and business experts, listening carefully to unearth the true needs of the project. By understanding the underlying purpose, they ensure their code glides seamlessly through the environment, immune to the turbulence of last-minute changes. ⏲️ Protecting the Precious Resource: Time “Being helpful is a double-edged sword; it can help the other person in the short term but hurt yourself in the long term." In a fast-paced world, time is a precious resource. Junior developers, in their enthusiasm, might overextend themselves by taking on tasks beyond their scope. The wise developer, however, guards their time fiercely, ensuring they can dedicate their energies to their own responsibilities. This boundary-setting not only prevents burnout but also maximizes the efficiency of the entire team. 🛣️ Embracing Reality: The Path to Mastery “You cannot fight reality. Adapt to the environment and change with it." In the complex tapestry of software development, nothing is certain. Plans unravel, problems emerge, and designs transform. The wise developer doesn't fight against this reality; they embrace it. They prepare for the inevitable challenges, remaining agile and adaptable. This ability to align with reality distinguishes them from their clever counterparts, who might resist change and ultimately falter when faced with unexpected twists. 🤝 Conclusion: From Cleverness to Brilliance In the symphony of software development, the transition from cleverness to wisdom is a journey of transformation. It's not just about the lines of code created but the elegance of their simplicity, the insight in their design, and the collaboration in their execution. The wise developer understands the balance between writing code and avoiding it, between wielding their skills and listening to the world around them. This evolution, fueled by experience and marked by mistakes, culminates in brilliance—the brilliance of knowing when to write, when to listen, and when to adapt.

The Difference Between The Clever Developer & The Wise Developer

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc — Volume 1 by Mark Twain, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Checked by the Folly of the Wise here Checked by the Folly of the Wise WE MARCHED out in great strength and splendor, and took the road toward Orleans. The initial part of Joan’s great dream was realizing itself at last. It was the first time that any of us youngsters had ever seen an army, and it was a most stately and imposing spectacle to us. It was indeed an inspiring sight, that interminable column, stretching away into the fading distances, and curving itself in and out of the crookedness of the road like a mighty serpent. Joan rode at the head of it with her personal staff; then came a body of priests singing the Veni Creator, the banner of the Cross rising out of their midst; after these the glinting forest of spears. The several divisions were commanded by the great Armagnac generals, La Hire, and Marshal de Boussac, the Sire de Retz, Florent d’Illiers, and Poton de Saintrailles. Each in his degree was tough, and there were three degrees—tough, tougher, toughest—and La Hire was the last by a shade, but only a shade. They were just illustrious official brigands, the whole party; and by long habits of lawlessness they had lost all acquaintanceship with obedience, if they had ever had any. But what was the good of saying that? These independent birds knew no law. They seldom obeyed the King; they never obeyed him when it didn’t suit them to do it. Would they obey the Maid? In the first place they wouldn’t know how to obey her or anybody else, and in the second place it was of course not possible for them to take her military character seriously—that country-girl of seventeen who had been trained for the complex and terrible business of war—how? By tending sheep. They had no idea of obeying her except in cases where their veteran military knowledge and experience showed them that the thing she required was sound and right when gauged by the regular military standards. Were they to blame for this attitude? I should think not. Old war-worn captains are hard-headed, practical men. They do not easily believe in the ability of ignorant children to plan campaigns and command armies. No general that ever lived could have taken Joan seriously (militarily) before she raised the siege of Orleans and followed it with the great campaign of the Loire. Did they consider Joan valueless? Far from it. They valued her as the fruitful earth values the sun—they fully believed she could produce the crop, but that it was in their line of business, not hers, to take it off. They had a deep and superstitious reverence for her as being endowed with a mysterious supernatural something that was able to do a mighty thing which they were powerless to do—blow the breath of life and valor into the dead corpses of cowed armies and turn them into heroes. To their minds they were everything with her, but nothing without her. She could inspire the soldiers and fit them for battle—but fight the battle herself? Oh, nonsense—that was their function. They, the generals, would fight the battles, Joan would give the victory. That was their idea—an unconscious paraphrase of Joan’s reply to the Dominican. So they began by playing a deception upon her. She had a clear idea of how she meant to proceed. It was her purpose to march boldly upon Orleans by the north bank of the Loire. She gave that order to her generals. They said to themselves, “The idea is insane—it is blunder No. 1; it is what might have been expected of this child who is ignorant of war.” They privately sent the word to the Bastard of Orleans. He also recognized the insanity of it—at least he thought he did—and privately advised the generals to get around the order in some way. They did it by deceiving Joan. She trusted those people, she was not expecting this sort of treatment, and was not on the lookout for it. It was a lesson to her; she saw to it that the game was not played a second time. Why was Joan’s idea insane, from the generals’ point of view, but not from hers? Because her plan was to raise the siege immediately, by fighting, while theirs was to besiege the besiegers and starve them out by closing their communications—a plan which would require months in the consummation. The English had built a fence of strong fortresses called bastilles around Orleans—fortresses which closed all the gates of the city but one. To the French generals the idea of trying to fight their way past those fortresses and lead the army into Orleans was preposterous; they believed that the result would be the army’s destruction. One may not doubt that their opinion was militarily sound—no, would have been, but for one circumstance which they overlooked. That was this: the English soldiers were in a demoralized condition of superstitious terror; they had become satisfied that the Maid was in league with Satan. By reason of this a good deal of their courage had oozed out and vanished. On the other hand, the Maid’s soldiers were full of courage, enthusiasm, and zeal. Joan could have marched by the English forts. However, it was not to be. She had been cheated out of her first chance to strike a heavy blow for her country. In camp that night she slept in her armor on the ground. It was a cold night, and she was nearly as stiff as her armor itself when we resumed the march in the morning, for iron is not good material for a blanket. However, her joy in being now so far on her way to the theater of her mission was fire enough to warm her, and it soon did it. Her enthusiasm and impatience rose higher and higher with every mile of progress; but at last we reached Olivet, and down it went, and indignation took its place. For she saw the trick that had been played upon her—the river lay between us and Orleans. She was for attacking one of the three bastilles that were on our side of the river and forcing access to the bridge which it guarded (a project which, if successful, would raise the siege instantly), but the long-ingrained fear of the English came upon her generals and they implored her not to make the attempt. The soldiers wanted to attack, but had to suffer disappointment. So we moved on and came to a halt at a point opposite Checy, six miles above Orleans. Dunois, Bastard of Orleans, with a body of knights and citizens, came up from the city to welcome Joan. Joan was still burning with resentment over the trick that had been put upon her, and was not in the mood for soft speeches, even to revered military idols of her childhood. She said: “Are you the bastard?” “Yes, I am he, and am right glad of your coming.” “And did you advise that I be brought by this side of the river instead of straight to Talbot and the English?” Her high manner abashed him, and he was not able to answer with anything like a confident promptness, but with many hesitations and partial excuses he managed to get out the confession that for what he and the council had regarded as imperative military reasons they so advised. “In God’s name,” said Joan, “my Lord’s counsel is safer and wiser than yours. You thought to deceive me, but you have deceived yourselves, for I bring you the best help that ever knight or city had; for it is God’s help, not sent for love of me, but by God’s pleasure. At the prayer of St. Louis and St. Charlemagne He has had pity on Orleans, and will not suffer the enemy to have both the Duke of Orleans and his city. The provisions to save the starving people are here, the boats are below the city, the wind is contrary, they cannot come up hither. Now then, tell me, in God’s name, you who are so wise, what that council of yours was thinking about, to invent this foolish difficulty.” Dunois and the rest fumbled around the matter a moment, then gave in and conceded that a blunder had been made. “Yes, a blunder has been made,” said Joan, “and except God take your proper work upon Himself and change the wind and correct your blunder for you, there is none else that can devise a remedy.” Some of these people began to perceive that with all her technical ignorance she had practical good sense, and that with all her native sweetness and charm she was not the right kind of a person to play with. Presently God did take the blunder in hand, and by His grace the wind did change. So the fleet of boats came up and went away loaded with provisions and cattle, and conveyed that welcome succor to the hungry city, managing the matter successfully under protection of a sortie from the walls against the bastille of St. Loup. Then Joan began on the Bastard again: “You see here the army?” “Yes.” “It is here on this side by advice of your council?” “Yes.” “Now, in God’s name, can that wise council explain why it is better to have it here than it would be to have it in the bottom of the sea?” Dunois made some wandering attempts to explain the inexplicable and excuse the inexcusable, but Joan cut him short and said: “Answer me this, good sir—has the army any value on this side of the river?” The Bastard confessed that it hadn’t—that is, in view of the plan of campaign which she had devised and decreed. “And yet, knowing this, you had the hardihood to disobey my orders. Since the army’s place is on the other side, will you explain to me how it is to get there?” The whole size of the needless muddle was apparent. Evasions were of no use; therefore Dunois admitted that there was no way to correct the blunder but to send the army all the way back to Blois, and let it begin over again and come up on the other side this time, according to Joan’s original plan. Any other girl, after winning such a triumph as this over a veteran soldier of old renown, might have exulted a little and been excusable for it, but Joan showed no disposition of this sort. She dropped a word or two of grief over the precious time that must be lost, then began at once to issue commands for the march back. She sorrowed to see her army go; for she said its heart was great and its enthusiasm high, and that with it at her back she did not fear to face all the might of England. All arrangements having been completed for the return of the main body of the army, she took the Bastard and La Hire and a thousand men and went down to Orleans, where all the town was in a fever of impatience to have sight of her face. It was eight in the evening when she and the troops rode in at the Burgundy gate, with the Paladin preceding her with her standard. She was riding a white horse, and she carried in her hand the sacred sword of Fierbois. You should have seen Orleans then. What a picture it was! Such black seas of people, such a starry firmament of torches, such roaring whirlwinds of welcome, such booming of bells and thundering of cannon! It was as if the world was come to an end. Everywhere in the glare of the torches one saw rank upon rank of upturned white faces, the mouths wide open, shouting, and the unchecked tears running down; Joan forged her slow way through the solid masses, her mailed form projecting above the pavement of heads like a silver statue. The people about her struggled along, gazing up at her through their tears with the rapt look of men and women who believe they are seeing one who is divine; and always her feet were being kissed by grateful folk, and such as failed of that privilege touched her horse and then kissed their fingers. Nothing that Joan did escaped notice; everything she did was commented upon and applauded. You could hear the remarks going all the time. “There—she’s smiling—see!” “Now she’s taking her little plumed cap off to somebody—ah, it’s fine and graceful!” “She’s patting that woman on the head with her gauntlet.” “Oh, she was born on a horse—see her turn in her saddle, and kiss the hilt of her sword to the ladies in the window that threw the flowers down.” “Now there’s a poor woman lifting up a child—she’s kissed it—oh, she’s divine!” “What a dainty little figure it is, and what a lovely face—and such color and animation!” Joan’s slender long banner streaming backward had an accident—the fringe caught fire from a torch. She leaned forward and crushed the flame in her hand. “She’s not afraid of fire nor anything!” they shouted, and delivered a storm of admiring applause that made everything quake. She rode to the cathedral and gave thanks to God, and the people crammed the place and added their devotions to hers; then she took up her march again and picked her slow way through the crowds and the wilderness of torches to the house of Jacques Boucher, treasurer of the Duke of Orleans, where she was to be the guest of his wife as long as she stayed in the city, and have his young daughter for comrade and room-mate. The delirium of the people went on the rest of the night, and with it the clamor of the joy-bells and the welcoming cannon. Joan of Arc had stepped upon her stage at last, and was ready to begin. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Mark Twain (2004). Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc — Volume 1. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2874/pg2874-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

Checked by the Folly of the Wise

. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) v. Caroline Ellison (“Ellison”) and Zixiao “Gary” Wang (“Wang”) Court Filing,  Dec 21 2022 is part of . You can jump to any part in this filing . This is part 1 of 12. HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series here All Green Highlight are added by HackerNoon. Feature Image: HackerNoon’s Midjourney AI, Prompt “a house of cards that is crumbling” COMPLAINT Plaintiff Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), for its complaint against Caroline Ellison (“Ellison”) and Zixiao “Gary” Wang (“Wang,” together with Ellison, “Defendants”), alleges as follows: SUMMARY From at least May 2019 through November 2022, Defendants, together with Samuel Bankman-Fried (“Bankman-Fried”) and others, engaged in a scheme to defraud equity investors in FTX Trading Ltd. (“FTX”), the crypto asset trading platform of which Bankman- Fried and Wang were co-founders, at the same time that they were also defrauding the platform’s customers(1). FTX raised more than $1.8 billion from investors, including U.S. investors, who bought an equity stake in FTX believing that FTX had appropriate controls and risk management measures. Unbeknownst to those investors (and to FTX’s trading customers), Bankman-Fried was orchestrating a massive, years-long fraud, diverting billions of dollars of the trading platform’s customer funds for his own personal benefit and to help grow his crypto empire. Defendants were active participants in the scheme and engaged in conduct that was critical to its success. Throughout this period, Bankman-Fried portrayed himself as a responsible leader of the crypto community. He touted the importance of regulation and accountability. He told the public, including investors, that FTX was both innovative and responsible. Customers around the world believed his lies, and sent billions of dollars to FTX, believing their assets were secure on the FTX trading platform. But Bankman-Fried and Wang improperly diverted customer assets to Alameda Research LLC and its subsidiaries (“Alameda”), the crypto asset hedge fund that they had founded and co-owned and that Ellison ran. Wang created and participated in the creation of the software code that allowed Alameda to divert FTX customer funds . Ellison, in turn, used the misappropriated FTX customer funds for Alameda’s trading activity. And Bankman-Fried used those customer funds to make undisclosed venture investments, lavish real estate purchases, and large political donations . Working with Bankman-Fried, Defendants hid the scheme from FTX’s equity investors, including U.S. investors, from whom FTX sought to raise billions of dollars in additional funds. Bankman-Fried repeatedly cast FTX as an innovative and conservative trailblazer in the crypto markets. He told investors and prospective investors that FTX had top-notch, sophisticated automated risk measures in place to protect customer assets, that those assets were safe and secure, and that Alameda was just another platform customer with no special privileges. Defendants knew or were reckless in not knowing that these statements were false and misleading. In truth, Bankman-Fried and Wang, with Ellison’s knowledge and consent, had exempted Alameda from the risk mitigation measures and had provided Alameda with significant special treatment on the FTX platform, including a virtually unlimited “line of credit” funded by the platform’s customers. Beyond its “line of credit” with FTX, Ellison, at Bankman-Fried’s direction, caused Alameda to borrow billions of dollars from third-party lenders. Ellison, engaged in automated purchases of FTT tokens on various platforms in order to increase the price of those tokens and inflate the value of Alameda’s collateral, which allowed Alameda to borrow even more money from external lenders at increased risk to the lenders and to FTX’s investors and customers, all in furtherance of the scheme. Those loans were backed in significant part by Alameda’s holdings of FTT—an illiquid crypto asset security that was issued by FTX and provided to Alameda at no cost. acting at the direction of Bankman- Fried, While Bankman-Fried spent lavishly on office space and condominiums in The Bahamas and sank billions of dollars of customer funds into speculative venture investments, his house of cards began to crumble. When prices of crypto assets plummeted in May 2022, Alameda’s lenders demanded repayment on billions of dollars of loans. Despite the fact that Alameda had, by this point, already taken billions of dollars of FTX customer assets, it was unable to satisfy its loan obligations. Bankman-Fried, with Defendants’ knowledge, directed FTX to divert billions more in customer assets to Alameda to ensure that Alameda maintained its lending relationships, and that money could continue to flow in from lenders and other investors. Ellison then used FTX’s customer assets to pay Alameda’s debts. Even as it was increasingly clear that Alameda and FTX could not make customers whole, Bankman-Fried and Defendants continued to misappropriate FTX customer funds. Through the summer of 2022, Bankman-Fried, with Defendants’ knowledge, directed hundreds of millions more in FTX customer funds to Alameda, which he then used for additional venture investments and for “loans” to himself and other FTX executives, including Wang. All the while, Bankman-Fried continued to make misleading statements to investors about FTX’s financial condition and risk management. Defendants were aware that Bankman-Fried was making these statements, and knew or were reckless in not knowing that they were false and misleading. Even in November 2022, faced with billions of dollars in customer withdrawal demands that FTX could not fulfill, Bankman-Fried and Ellison, with Wang’s knowledge, misled investors from whom they needed money to plug a multi-billion-dollar hole. This brazen, multi-year scheme finally came to an end when FTX, Alameda, and their tangled web of affiliated entities filed for bankruptcy on November 11, 2022. (1) Bankman-Fried The allegations herein are focused on the conduct and knowledge of Ellison and Wang, as well as Bankman-Fried. Other individuals were both aware of and participated in some aspects of the fraud scheme described herein. was charged by the Commission on December 13, 2022, in Securities and Exchange Commission v. Samuel Bankman-Fried , 22-cv-10501 (S.D.N.Y.). Continue Reading . Here About We bring you the most important technical and insightful public domain court case filings. HackerNoon Legal PDF Series: This court case 1:22-cv-10794 on Dec 22, 2022, is part of the public domain. The court-created documents are works of the federal government, and under copyright law, are automatically placed in the public domain, and may be shared without legal restriction. retrieved

Charged with fraud by the SEC, Caroline Ellison and Garry Wang wisely turned on SBF

Online schooling Vs Traditional Schooling In this digital age, schooling designs have moved beyond the physical infrastructure. Fortunately, physical schooling is just one option that you have in today’s world. And there can be more ways to complete school education. Millions of parents across the world got the hang of virtual schooling during the pandemic. And it’s not a new term to any of us now! Today, we have an additional alternative of 100% online schooling over and above the regular school network. Let me elaborate more about an online school! An online school is structured, hassle-free, and convenient, unlike any other schooling design. It operates through an online learning management system. And in most renowned online schools, students get several online classes conducted by expert online teachers. To know more about how an online school is different from a traditional school, let’s draw a comparison of the main aspects to understand more about this schooling option. Online Learning Vs Traditional Learning (1) The learning environment As per UNESCO, the learning environment is an obstacle to the achievement of quality education. The agency also highlights a grave issue of school violence that affects million children every year across the world. 246 Yes! These alarming figures reveal the reality of your MOST TRUSTED TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS! And you will be surprised to know that, for all these reasons and more several students are now moving beyond traditional education. It is a fact that a regular school environment is anything but secure. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a credible alternative. An online school is the safest possible schooling alternative for students. It eliminates the need to travel to attend school. And allows students to study right from their homes. (2) Choice of courses Are you aware of the actual impact of the pandemic on your child’s prospects? As per the , the global economy has witnessed the worst-ever recession after World War II. World Bank With an estimated 5.2% dip in the worldwide economy, you can imagine the impact on the job markets. Your child will now enter the workforce amidst a set of challenges. And it is easy to imagine the skills required to survive in this super-competitive workforce. Globally, the world acknowledges that our students need more skill sets and skill-based schooling to thrive in this competitive post-pandemic world. But a traditional school still has a limited choice of courses for students. And it struggles to inculcate 21st-century skill sets in students. On the other hand, an online school is a hub of quality learning. Because it supports students through an array of futuristic course options. Students who enroll in a virtual schooling platform enjoy the benefits of world-class education. And choose from courses that are not available in any traditional school. Eventually, they develop skills that are relevant to the 21st-century workforce. (3) Teacher support In a traditional school, your child attends classes/school with several students in a single classroom. As a result, many children struggle in a typical school’s learning environment. In most regular schools, teachers cannot pay 100% attention to your child in a crowded classroom. But, unlike a traditional school, online schools guarantee more personalized attention from the teachers. Most of these platforms conduct classes in small batches. Hence, students seek more teacher attention and perform better in small batch sizes. This feature of an international online school makes it highly popular in the present times. (4) Parent involvement Now let’s discuss something that matters to you the most! Your child’s handholding! Do you know that parents in the USA spend around a week just with their child’s homework? 6.2 hours Yes! Your traditional school demands this much from you! And when parents choose a traditional school for their child, they embrace long homework hours after the defined school duration. If you compare this duration with an accredited online school, it is just the opposite. Because with online schooling students catch most of the concepts within the virtual class itself. The very idea of online schooling is about making students independent learners. And this level of independence naturally reduces the burden on parents. Online schooling allows the acquisition of knowledge through online resources. And students can repeat, skip and revise all concepts easily without an adult’s intervention. The study duration of online schools is shorter, customized, and hassle-free for parents and students. This makes e-learning more stress-free for parents and even for students. (5) Cost of education/Financial Burden As a parent, you need to spend a mammoth amount annually for the best quality education for your child. The cost of elementary school education (private school) in the USA is around on average. And for high school education in a private school, the average cost is around $8,110 (average). $3,280 Now compare this spending with that of an online school. You will be surprised to see the difference it can create in your budget. An online school is cost-effective. Because it does not require any travel expenses, or the cost of books and even reduces the need for writing utensils. Environment-friendly online schools provide cost-effectively reusable and high-quality online resources. These schools do not charge any hidden fee in the name of miscellaneous expenses/co-curricular activity charges. So the overall cost that you pay for your child’s education is any day less than any traditional school. Final Thoughts Traditional schooling and online schooling differ from each other in several ways. In simple words, digital schooling is an improved version of regular schooling that makes it a credible alternative in the present times. The world’s most advanced classroom is now available for your child. Hope this information helped you to weigh the pros and cons of both these schooling options. Scrutinize these aspects well and evaluate your decision before making the best choice for your child! They were originally published . here

Online Schooling Vs Traditional Schooling: Choose Wisely

When I first entered the stage a couple of years ago, I stumbled across a bold statement saying, “ ”. I honestly thought the person saying this was insane or so much at a loss that he was looking everywhere for a silver lining. Bear Market is a blessing Now I am here, making the same claim. Is my portfolio so deep at loss, or maybe now I understand markets better than when I was a newbie? What to Do When the Bull Market Ends? Go on a holiday. That’s for sure. Give yourself time to think, cool your head, and distance yourself from the markets. Let your emotions and psyche rest a bit and recharge. Okay, you have got a couple of weeks or months of free time. Now what? Now there is a time to answer some questions. Is there peer pressure in the crypto space to create something until the money stops flowing? Do you sense the need to attract as many new clients entering the space on social hype as possible? I hope you see an emerging pattern here. Bear markets give you the time to build decent projects, establish true friendships in the space, and create a long-lasting strategy for the next bull run. Time to Take a Look Back Without the knowledge of the past markets, you will not be ready for the future. Now that we have some time to think and look back at our behavior in the bull market, we should use it to go through our investment or trading journal and analyze the contents. If you haven’t kept a journal so far, I highly encourage you to write down the following questions. It is crucial to write them down physically on paper or in a notebook. Writing helps us to ponder on answers to the questions we are writing. What have you learned from the recent bull market? What mistakes have you made? What would you do differently this time? How did you feel during your greatest wins and losses, and what did you do afterwards? How well did you handle your emotions? What were the examples of you following the hype instead of making conscious decisions? The Real * * you After you have gone through the questions, we can distil all the knowledge and experience stemming from your answers. It is a child’s play to read the chart from right to left — the price goes up, and the price goes down all the time. Okay, but what does it prove? It shows the real *you*. You can throw away all the false images of yourself when you look at how you behaved at the given moments in the recent bull market. How well did you stick to your strategy, assuming you have had one? After this brutal revelation, some of you might have already quit reading the article. The truth is not always pleasant, and one key thing to remember about the markets is the following. If you are not true to yourself about your feelings and emotions playing an alpha male, your losses will be devastating. Who are you in comparison to the multimillion Venture Capitals? Who has better knowledge and understanding of the markets? How well do you understand Bitcoin? How well do you understand Ethereum? What are the risks of those projects? Can you give well-researched answers to those questions? If not, when are you going to build solid foundations of understanding the projects that are the core of the whole crypto space? Okay. So now I hope we have clarified some things. Let us go now and use the bear market to our advantage. Time to Build a Strategy “Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do. Strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do.” ~Garri Kasparow I cannot think of a better quote to show the difference between being a master Tactician (quick plays during the Bull) and the grand Strategist (creating a long-term plan working despite dire market conditions). All the answers to the aforementioned questions will create a base for writing down your strategy. Does it have to be a complex 10-pages-long draft, or can it be simplified into a couple of sentences? It does not matter as long as it will be profitable and you will be able to stick to it even in dire conditions. It is not about the length. It is about encapsulating the basic rules. The Art of War by Sun Tzu is not a lengthy volume, yet it became one of the greatest sources for creating a strategy in many fields. What should your strategy include? The most significant points are as follows: Rules for picking up the projects Levels to enter and exit positions Portfolio management — expressed in percentages (%) Where to look for high-quality information Emotions management — both wins and loses How to get back if you got carried away by hype or negative emotions Alright, so you know how to build a strategy for the next bull market, but what about the time of the bear? For the rest of the time, you should focus on honing your skills and knowledge to create skill leverage instead of using the financial one, which you should not touch if you are not an expert investor. Time to Learn How to Use the Hype The recent bull run gave us hyped trends people got obsessed over. Two trends which gathered the most people were NFTs and dog-themed coins. NFTs are still a thing and are here to stay, not in the form of PFPs but as a technology — you might read about it in my post about the future of NFTs. On the other hand, dog-themed coins like Shiba Inu served only one purpose, to monetize the hype. So the moment we spot a growing hype, we should switch to being cautious and leave the space or at least the hyped areas? Not necessarily. Yearn Finance decided to profit from the hype by creating a coin. So, if projects like YFI are profiting from hyped trends, why shouldn’t you? Woofy What if we spot the growing hype, knowing it is another pump and dump scenario? Cannot we use it to our advantage and profit from it? Indeed we can, but it requires a lot of experience to play it well. Bear markets give us time to look back at recent trends without the bias of emotion and information. We can conduct a ‘post-mortem’ analysis to look for common traits and mechanisms. The subject of our analysis should not be only the project or trend, but also the psychology of ‘investors’ and their market behaviours. Along with Shiba Inu, various dog-themed coins emerged, Dogelon Mars, BitShiba or Shiba’s Wife, to name a few. If you haven’t become alerted seeing those projects growing in price and gaining social hype, what would convince you to realize the bull market entered the last phase? How does Jesus coin from 2018 differ from 2021 Shiba’s Wife? Learn to see the patterns and evaluate the state of the market. Projects and trends change, but the emotions always stay the same. *This quote is the best lesson you will ever learn in the financial world. But it takes time and experience to truly understand it. Humans are creatures of emotions, not logic. Time to Stay Active The bull run came to an end, and so did the emotions. The space became calmer and quieter. The music grew so silent that it meant the party was over for some market participants. But is the party over for everyone? Is there a better time to research and analyze projects than times of boredom and cooled emotions? The number of “breaking” news heating up the space and disrupting common sense is close to zero. Even when some positive news does hit the space, it is taken with a pinch of salt. The time of bear is the time to build and look for future investment opportunities. It is also the time to stay active and look for potential big players in the next bull run. The projects with the highest ROI, like Solana or Terra Luna, have been created during the recent bear market, so let’s dig a little bit and look for future gems. Time to Network How many people are going to leave crypto space during the bear market? It’s hard to tell, but any number you give will not be enough. Who stays active in the space? The ones with a long-term vision. Those are the people you should reach if you want to grow and become a better investor. People who are going to stay active, even the new ones, have an incredible opportunity to reach individuals, ask questions or offer their help in building projects. The space is full of wonderful people who are happy to help or point you in the right direction. Particularly during bear markets when all the people who got here on hype are gone. The markets are not zero-sum games if you are building friendships along the way. Time to Rest Emotionally Finally, after all the emotional struggles of the bull market, give yourself time to emotionally withdraw from the markets. Focus on your family, friends, or your animal companion. Take care of the bonds with the ones you care about, and devote your time to those people. Money is not the most important goal in life, especially if you have no one to cherish little moments of happiness with. Okay, okay, but we have to work after some peaceful moments, don’t we? Indeed, we do. When we rest a while and cool off our heads, we may get back to learning and experiment with the tools at our disposal. Maybe working with some Layer 2 testnets like StarkNet or zkSync? * * ekhem Conclusions The next bull market will come sooner or later. Don’t doubt that. It is not the first time I see claims “Bitcoin is dead, and so is the whole crypto”, and it is definitely not the last time. In the meantime, devote yourself to double down on your knowledge and experience gained in the previous bull market. If you are new to the space, take your time to learn the basics and build solid foundations of knowledge. Bear Markets give you the opportunity to learn without all the information biases and “missed chances” on investments. One more thing for all the new investors here, if you haven’t experienced a bull run before, take into account that you cannot be sure about your emotions and how well you will handle them in extreme situations, both wins and losses. Consider this while creating your long-term strategy. There is time for planting the seeds, and there is time for harvest. Stay safe! Stay active! Till next time! ~M.E. Photo by Hans-Jurgen Mager on Unsplash Also published here

Is the Bear Market a Blessing for the Wise?

¿Es el mercado bajista una bendición para los sabios?

Le marché baissier est-il une bénédiction pour les sages ?

क्या भालू बाजार बुद्धिमानों के लिए वरदान है?

弱気相場は賢明な人にとっての祝福ですか?

O Bear Market é uma bênção para os sábios?

Thị trường Gấu có phải là một phước lành cho những người khôn ngoan?

熊市是对智者的祝福吗？

“Immigrating to Canada as a child I had this idea of what success looked like, and I pictured someone in a suit,” Saeid says. “I went into the hardest programs to get into, and ended up working in consulting and investment banking.” Although Saeid has always been fascinated with tech and design, the uncertainty in the field had him focused on business instead. “My first career was a horrible fit for me personality-wise, it tickled the intellectual curiosity to some degree…but it was hands-off,” he says. “I just had a really deep dissatisfaction with my life.” Saeid’s concept of a successful person started to morph. He wanted to be challenged intellectually and to be able to explore his creative side. Saeid wanted to build and develop applications. “I did a career 180, and started to learn coding and design,” he says. Saeid purchased books on Javascript and taught himself the foundations of coding. Soon, he’d find himself delving into novice freelancing and eventually working for Expedia as a product manager. In Seattle, Saeid found himself a little bit everywhere within Expedia, volunteering to do design work and taking any chance he could to work on the product itself. Saeid held onto a piece of advice that would resonate with individuals going through similar experiences of change; “You don’t have to make your next move perfect, but it needs to be a step in the right direction.” At the end of the day, there was still something missing, something that Expedia wasn’t providing for Saeid to fully challenge himself or pique his interest. So Saeid got on a plane straight to Vancouver and found himself joining a startup called Sokanu. Sokanu was a major building block for Saeid, spending seven years working his way up, learning and growing. From lead designer to president, Saeid became engulfed in the tech industry. In 2020, Saeid ended his time at Sokanu and founded Dimensional, a mobile app startup. It is described as a life coach in your pocket, giving users the ability to access personality tests that improve their lives and relationships by going beyond the traditional and limited personality tests that exist today. “Career testers are interesting, but it’s a very point in time solution,” he says, “It’s applicable to a very narrow slice of people.” Saeid believes there are more impactful ways to break down personalities and into something more influential in a person’s life, helping them reflect on who they are. “Let’s take a step back and reflect on who we are and tune our lives to it.” “I would wake up and have the Sunday scaries, those days were miserable, I constantly felt like a fish out of water,” he says. He recalls a moment when a friend told him he had the personality of an artist when they both lived together in Seattle during his Expedia days. For Saeid, this felt odd, as he thought he had been business-focused for so long. “I never thought of myself as an artist, and I reflected on that,” he says. “Writers, actors, people who are concerned with ideas, those are the kinds of people that I tend to get along with, that’s my tribe.” Saeid found that intrinsic connections between business and tech pulled out the creative side of him, and also helped him understand the tech world better. “This could be your advantage in life…you have training for your left brain but you’re a right-brain person.” For students, newcomers in the industry or people who just want to get their foot in the door with coding and tech, Saeid says there are a plethora of opportunities now with the new digital age. “It’s useful to take some elementary computer science courses…learning the primitives of the theoretical primitives of programming is useful and gives you the upper hand versus people who just know coding and scripting.”  Saeid says that if you truly want to build, he would recommend taking college courses to gain a stronger understanding. “You go to coding boot camp, you learn a lot of stuff about building, and you know the basic things to understand like how recursion works or certain fundamental things,” he said. “People with a more theoretical background, won’t hit a wall, they can keep going and they’ll learn faster.” Aside from the ease of accessibility to courses within computer science, is there a deeper need for change in the industry? Saeid spoke about the complexity of the industry, how it needs to be better in terms of diversity. “In Canada, tech is very Asian-centered, both South and East Asian, and while that breaks the traditional mold, it’s still very, very male [centered],” he says. “There’s some diversity, but there needs to be more female candidates applying and in engineering programs. I would say it’s improved but not incredibly.” While this does exist, Saeid had consistently found himself in physically diverse environments but emphasized the trend in cognitive diversity is usually one sided. “Engineers tend to be very analytical, very left brain,” he says. “It would be interesting to see how the field evolves but at the moment the industry has very little neurodiversity.” All in all, Saeid’s array of knowledge and ability to adapt have benefited him in the long run. For people looking to change their path or expand their learning, Saeid is a great example of how a vast amount of skills can help you grow into the individual you wish to be. “We are still in the early stages of technology and how it can change the world,” he says. “I don’t know what the future is going to look like, but there’s always going to be room for software in our lifetime.” Check out more cool computer science professionals like Saeid Fard at Thinking Cap!

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