DD
MM
YYYY

CATEGORIES

PAGES

DD
MM
YYYY

spot_img

CATEGORIES

PAGES

Home Blog Page 787

Treepz Expands to North America, Launches Operations in Canada

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
-
0

Africa’s leading corporate travel startup Treepz has officially expanded into North America, starting with operations in Canada.

What began as a bold vision to transform mobility across Africa has now crossed continents as Treepz brings its mission of safe, reliable, and convenient transportation to even more people. This milestone is more than just geographical growth; it’s a testament to the team’s resilience, innovation, and hard work, as well as the trust of its partners and community.

With its Canadian launch, the company is opening up new opportunities to connect people, empower drivers, and offer seamless mobility experiences in Canada, just as we’ve done across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. Onyeka Akumah, Founder and CEO of Treepz, also shared his excitement at the launch of Treepz in Canada.

In his words,

“The launch of Treepz Canada is a strong positive statement of intent for not just our company but how we represent all African startups. We can truly build globally acceptable and reputable brands right from the streets of Lagos, and Treepz is just one more startup that proves this. We are proud Nigerians who have worked tirelessly to make this happen. So today, I celebrate my co-founders, Johnny and Atums. I celebrate my board of directors, I celebrate my stakeholders and investors, and most importantly, I celebrate my team that supports us. We are now a global brand directly serving customers on 2 continents, including Africa and North America”.

Treepz’s entry into the Canadian market is the result of long-term planning and meaningful relationships built over time. The startup participated in the Techstars Toronto accelerator in 2021, during which CEO Onyeka Akumah first engaged with Mayor Patrick Brown to explore potential expansion opportunities. With Canada’s substantial commuter population and travel volume over 16.5 million daily commuters and 38.7 million international travelers in 2024—Treepz identified a clear opportunity to apply its innovative mobility model in North America.

Treepz’s milestone is a testament to the bold leadership of its founders Onyeka Akumah Enagwolor Johnny John Shaibu and the incredible efforts of our team, partners, and community who continue to drive this vision forward. To commence operations, Treepz announced a 2-year

partnership with the African Impact Initiative, supported by the University of Toronto at its launch of Treepz Canada.

This partnership will see Treepz provide corporate travel solutions to this group, who will be traveling to 4 African countries every year from more than countries globally, including Canada. Treepz will provide all flights, accommodation, experience, and its trademark ground transportation service across South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda.

Treepz was founded in 2019 by four entrepreneurs who were tired of the broken transport system in Africa and wanted to make a change. Starting with a successful car rental app, the founders saw an even greater potential for impact in corporate mobility. This vision led to the creation of Treepz.

Since then, the company has served over 4 million customers, saved 900,000 kg of CO2 emissions, and signed up 688 vehicles. Treepz is backed by prominent investors which include Google, Techstars, ODBA, SOSV, amongst others, and is on a mission to empower 1 million daily commuters with the options to move better in Africa.

TikTok Pro Debuts in Europe as a New App for Charity-Driven Engagement

By
Samuel Nwite
-
0
The brand is growing

TikTok has launched a new app, TikTok Pro, in Germany, Spain, and Portugal, unveiling a streamlined version of its main platform that offers a fresh model for digital engagement—this time with a philanthropic twist.

Announced on July 30, 2025, TikTok Pro strips away advertising, e-commerce, and creator monetization while maintaining the familiar short-form video experience that made the original app a global powerhouse. In place of commercial incentives, the app introduces a feature called Sunshine, a reward system that lets users convert their in-app activity into donations made by TikTok to real-world charities.

This marks a notable shift as the company faces increasing pressure from European regulators. With scrutiny intensifying under the Digital Services Act, which imposes strict rules on content moderation, data handling, and algorithmic transparency, TikTok is responding with a socially responsible alternative aimed at rebuilding trust. TikTok Pro, the company says, is designed to “inspire and reward good.”

At the heart of TikTok Pro is the Sunshine Programme, a pilot initiative that transforms ordinary app engagement into meaningful support for nonprofit work. Users generate sunshine points by liking or sharing videos from verified charities, following nonprofit accounts, inviting friends to download the app, or engaging with educational and awareness content. These digital interactions are tallied and redeemed for real donations, all funded directly by TikTok. The program is age-restricted, with only users aged 18 and above permitted to activate sunshine rewards, and daily caps are in place to prevent gaming of the system.

So far, TikTok has partnered with several humanitarian and environmental organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, WaterAid, NABU (Germany’s nature conservation group), and Aktion Deutschland Hilft. The company plans to add more charity partners in the coming weeks as it expands the program.

Unlike the flagship app, TikTok Pro does not allow creators to earn income through livestream gifting, branded content, or in-app purchases. There are no shoppable videos or targeted ads. The absence of commercial incentives and revenue-driven features is meant to reset the app’s focus, steering attention away from monetized virality and toward civic engagement, social awareness, and goodwill.

This move appears to be part of a broader strategic pivot for TikTok. By voluntarily launching a non-commercial version of the platform, the company is positioning itself ahead of further regulatory clampdowns in the European Union. Since regulators began investigating TikTok for its influence on youth, the spread of harmful trends like #SkinnyTok, and its in-app shopping expansion, the company has come under repeated fire. TikTok Pro, in this context, functions both as a realignment of priorities and a preemptive response to calls for platform reform.

Despite being a separate app, TikTok Pro retains many of the familiar visual elements of the original. There is a personalized For You feed, a Discover section for trending and educational content, and a familiar scroll-and-watch interface. However, content is curated with a slightly different emphasis, promoting charity, sustainability, wellness, and humanitarian causes over entertainment or trend-based content.

The launch comes at a time when rival social media platforms are also experimenting with alternate content models. Industry watchers have speculated that TikTok Pro could eventually be adapted to serve older users, educators, or civic organizations seeking safer and purpose-driven online spaces. According to analysts, the app could function as a reputational cushion, allowing TikTok to test content formats that emphasize positivity while sidestepping accusations of promoting addictive behavior, commerce-first design, or controversial content.

However, TikTok Pro has its unique challenges. By removing creator monetization, it risks losing the participation of high-quality content makers who drive most engagement on the main app. The separation between TikTok and TikTok Pro may also confuse some users, particularly younger audiences unsure of the difference between the two platforms. And while the Sunshine Programme is well-intentioned, it places a financial burden squarely on TikTok itself, meaning the more the program becomes popular, the more the company will have to pay in donations.

Ultimately, TikTok Pro represents more than a test app—it reflects a new direction in how platforms might align user engagement with public service. In a digital landscape driven by metrics and monetization, the idea of turning scrolls into donations could reframe what social media can be.

However, some analysts say whether TikTok Pro remains a regional experiment or becomes a global initiative will depend on how well users embrace it and how regulators respond.

Ethereum’s 10-Year Plan Dubbed ‘Lean Ethereum’ Positions It As A Leader In Scalability, Security, and Resilience

By
Paul Ugbede Godwin
-
0

Ethereum’s 10-year plan, dubbed “Lean Ethereum,” was unveiled by researcher Justin Drake, aiming to maintain the network’s 100% uptime while scaling performance and implementing quantum-resistant defenses.

The plan targets 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) on Layer 1 and 1 million TPS on Layer 2, leveraging hash-based cryptography, real-time zero-knowledge virtual machines (zkVMs), and data availability sampling. It includes upgrades across three Layer 1 sublayers:

Beacon Chain 2.0 for rapid finality and security, Blobs 2.0 for post-quantum data efficiency, and EVM 2.0 for optimized execution, possibly using RISC-V. These changes aim to protect Ethereum from quantum computing threats and ensure resilience against nation-state interference, while preserving decentralization and achieving full chain verification across devices.

The vision emphasizes minimalism, modularity, and long-term security to sustain Ethereum’s role as a global value transfer network. Ensuring uninterrupted service strengthens Ethereum’s appeal for decentralized finance (DeFi), enterprise applications, and global payments, potentially attracting more institutional and retail users.

Achieving 10,000 TPS on Layer 1 and 1 million TPS on Layer 2 could rival centralized payment systems like Visa, enabling Ethereum to handle global transaction volumes. This could drive mass adoption for dApps, NFTs, and tokenized assets. Implementing hash-based cryptography and other post-quantum measures future-proofs Ethereum against quantum computing threats, ensuring the security of funds and smart contracts.

Early adoption of quantum resistance could set a standard for other blockchains, pressuring competitors to follow suit or risk obsolescence. Features like full chain verification on consumer devices (e.g., laptops, phones) and data availability sampling enhance decentralization, allowing more users to run nodes and participate in the network. This could counter centralization risks from staking pools or large validators.

The minimalist and modular approach (e.g., Beacon Chain 2.0, Blobs 2.0, EVM 2.0) simplifies development and maintenance, potentially lowering barriers for developers and node operators. Ethereum’s plan could widen its moat against rivals like Solana, Cardano, and Polkadot, which also aim for high TPS and scalability. By combining quantum defense, uptime guarantees, and Layer 2 scaling, Ethereum may solidify its dominance in smart contract platforms.

The focus on real-time zkVMs and RISC-V could attract developers from other ecosystems, fostering innovation in dApps and Layer 2 solutions. Higher throughput and efficiency could reduce transaction fees on Layer 2, making Ethereum more cost-effective for users. However, Layer 1 fees may remain high due to its focus on security and data availability.

Continued emphasis on energy-efficient proof-of-stake (post-Merge) aligns with environmental concerns, appealing to ESG-focused investors and users. Defending against nation-state interference (e.g., via quantum attacks or censorship) ensures Ethereum remains a neutral, global platform. This could make it a preferred infrastructure for cross-border finance and decentralized governance.

The plan prioritizes Layer 2 for ultra-high TPS (1 million), while Layer 1 focuses on security and modest scaling (10,000 TPS). This may frustrate users and developers who prefer low-cost, high-speed transactions directly on Layer 1, as Layer 2 solutions like rollups often involve trade-offs. Layer 2 ecosystems (e.g., Arbitrum, Optimism) may dominate user activity, potentially creating a two-tiered Ethereum.

While the plan emphasizes decentralization (e.g., lightweight verification), scaling to 1 million TPS via Layer 2 and relying on advanced tech like zkVMs could concentrate development and infrastructure in the hands of well-funded teams or entities. Large staking providers or rollup operators might gain outsized influence.

Community debates over governance and control may intensify, with fears that Ethereum could drift toward oligarchy despite its decentralized ethos. Smaller validators or node operators may struggle to keep up with technical demands. The shift to EVM 2.0, possibly using RISC-V, and the integration of real-time zkVMs require developers to adapt to new tools and paradigms. This could create a skills gap, favoring those with resources to retrain while sidelining smaller or less-funded developers.

Ethereum could attract capital and talent from less-prepared competitors, but it may also face pressure to assist smaller chains in transitioning, potentially straining its resources or focus. High Layer 1 fees and the cost of interacting with advanced Layer 2 solutions (e.g., rollup gas fees) could exclude less-wealthy users, particularly in developing regions. Meanwhile, institutional players with deep pockets may dominate high-value use cases.

However, it risks deepening divides between Layer 1 and Layer 2 users, centralized and decentralized stakeholders, advanced and legacy developers, and Ethereum versus its competitors. Bridging these divides will require careful governance, inclusive design, and community engagement to ensure Ethereum remains a unified, accessible platform while achieving its ambitious goals.

Ether Machine’s Ascent As A Major ETH Holder Signals Ethereum’s Growing Mainstream Appeal

By
Paul Ugbede Godwin
-
0

The Ether Machine has indeed surpassed the Ethereum Foundation to become the third-largest institutional holder of Ethereum (ETH). It recently acquired 15,000 ETH for $56.9 million, bringing its total holdings to 334,757 ETH, valued at approximately $1.28 billion. This move has positioned it ahead of the Ethereum Foundation, which holds around 234,000 ETH.

The purchase, timed with Ethereum’s 10th anniversary, reflects The Ether Machine’s long-term strategy to build a robust institutional-grade ETH treasury, with plans for further acquisitions using its remaining $407 million reserve. The firm, formed through a merger between The Ether Reserve, LLC and Dynamix Corporation, aims to list on NASDAQ under the ticker “ETHM” in Q4 2025.

This shift highlights growing institutional confidence in Ethereum’s role in digital finance, driven by its staking and DeFi capabilities. The Ether Machine’s aggressive accumulation of 334,757 ETH ($1.28 billion) signals strong institutional belief in Ethereum’s long-term value, particularly its role in decentralized finance (DeFi), staking, and smart contract infrastructure. This could attract more institutional players, boosting Ethereum’s legitimacy and market stability.

The planned NASDAQ listing under “ETHM” in Q4 2025 could further bridge traditional finance and crypto, potentially drawing in retail and institutional investors seeking exposure to ETH without direct custody. Large-scale ETH acquisitions, like the 15,000 ETH purchase for $56.9 million, reduce circulating supply, which could exert upward pressure on ETH prices, especially if demand grows. This aligns with Ethereum’s deflationary mechanisms post-EIP-1559, where ETH is burned with network activity.

However, concentrated holdings by institutions like The Ether Machine could increase market volatility if they liquidate positions, especially in a bearish market. The Ethereum Foundation, historically a steward of Ethereum’s development, now holds less ETH (~234,000) than The Ether Machine. This shift suggests a potential rebalancing of influence, where profit-driven institutions may prioritize financial strategies over the Foundation’s focus on protocol development and decentralization.

The Ether Machine’s $407 million reserve for further ETH purchases could amplify its influence, potentially shaping market sentiment and Ethereum’s adoption trajectory. With significant ETH holdings, The Ether Machine could become a major player in Ethereum’s proof-of-stake (PoS) network, where staked ETH secures the blockchain. Large-scale staking by institutions could enhance network security but also centralize validator power, raising concerns about governance concentration.

Entities like The Ether Machine focus on building treasuries, maximizing returns, and integrating with traditional finance (e.g., NASDAQ listing). Their strategies often prioritize profit and market influence, which may not always align with Ethereum’s open-source, decentralized vision. The Ethereum Foundation and grassroots developers emphasize protocol upgrades (e.g., sharding, rollups), accessibility, and decentralization. Their focus is on long-term scalability and inclusivity, often funded by ETH grants rather than profit motives.

Institutional involvement may legitimize Ethereum for traditional investors but risks alienating retail users who value crypto’s anti-establishment roots. Large ETH accumulations could drive prices higher, making it harder for smaller investors to participate. The Ethereum Foundation’s reduced holdings (relative to institutions) may limit its ability to fund development, potentially slowing progress on upgrades like Ethereum 2.0 scaling solutions, which the community sees as critical for accessibility.

The crypto community often views institutions with skepticism, fearing they dilute the ethos of decentralization. The Ether Machine’s corporate merger (The Ether Reserve, LLC and Dynamix Corporation) and NASDAQ ambitions amplify this tension, as they represent a corporate encroachment into a historically libertarian space.

While institutional investment could drive price appreciation and network security, it risks centralizing influence and diverging from Ethereum’s original vision. The Ethereum Foundation’s role as a counterbalance will be crucial to maintain equilibrium, but its reduced holdings may limit its clout. The ecosystem’s future hinges on whether these forces can coexist without compromising Ethereum’s core principles of decentralization and innovation.

“How Can We Trust You?” China Demands Proof of Security From Nvidia Over AI Chips

By
Samuel Nwite
-
0
Nvidia chip

China has asked U.S. chipmaker Nvidia to “comply with requests and provide convincing proof of security,” in a dramatic development that threatens to upend recent progress in U.S.-China tech trade.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s powerful internet regulator, raised what it called “serious security issues” tied to Nvidia’s H20 chips, just days after the United States approved their export to China.

The chip in question, the H20, was a redesigned version of Nvidia’s high-end AI hardware, built specifically to comply with Washington’s tightened export restrictions aimed at limiting China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology. After months of regulatory hurdles, the U.S. recently gave the green light, allowing Nvidia to proceed with plans to ship the chip to Chinese clients.

The approval was viewed as a rare opening in an increasingly closed-off market and a strategic win for Nvidia, which has been caught in the crossfire of U.S.-China tech rivalry.

But in a move that has raised eyebrows across the industry, Beijing suddenly flipped the script. On Thursday, the CAC said U.S. artificial intelligence experts had discovered hidden “back doors” in Nvidia’s chips, including built-in location tracking and remote shutdown functionalities. Without citing the source of these claims or providing any Chinese-led verification, the CAC said the alleged capabilities posed a threat to national security.

“The safety of computing hardware relates to the core of national security,” the CAC said in a statement. The regulator demanded that Nvidia provide detailed explanations and technical documentation to address these “serious concerns.”

The intervention has taken on a sharply political tone. China’s state mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, followed up with an editorial titled “How can we trust you, Nvidia?” warning that so-called “sick chips” had no place in China’s technology systems.

It likened digital infrastructure to sovereign territory and urged Nvidia to meet government demands swiftly. The article also pointed to past disruptions — including malfunctions in Russia’s cyber and satellite systems — as justification for the heightened scrutiny of foreign-made hardware.

In its response, Nvidia denied the accusations unequivocally. “Nvidia does not have ‘back doors’ in our chips that would give anyone a remote way to access or control them,” a company spokesperson told the South China Morning Post.

However, the timing of China’s move has sparked speculation of retaliation. The decision to summon Nvidia and publicize alleged vulnerabilities comes on the heels of a modest diplomatic opening — the U.S. allowing Nvidia to resume some shipments to China. Many observers see Beijing’s shift as part of a broader tit-for-tat strategy, particularly as Chinese companies like TikTok face intensifying pressure in the United States over national security concerns. The parallels between the TikTok saga and this latest action against Nvidia are difficult to ignore.

While China continues to assert it welcomes foreign investment and is committed to further market liberalization, its actions underscore growing skepticism toward American tech giants. Nvidia, one of the few remaining U.S. semiconductor firms permitted to do business in China under strict conditions, now finds itself under attack on both sides — from Washington’s restrictions and Beijing’s mistrust.

This week’s development is especially significant given China’s reliance on Nvidia’s chips for powering artificial intelligence systems and training large language models. The H20 was meant to serve as a workaround — compliant enough to pass U.S. regulations but still advanced enough to remain competitive in China’s AI race.

Now, with the CAC casting doubt over the chip’s integrity, the future of that workaround appears fragile. Nvidia’s position in China is more uncertain than ever, and with Chinese regulators turning increasingly nationalist in tone, the pressure on multinational tech firms to prove their loyalty — or face exclusion — is intensifying.

While many Chinese companies need Nvidia’s graphics processing units to help power computing infrastructure used in artificial intelligence projects, Beijing remains committed to the long-term goal of tech self-sufficiency and reducing the country’s reliance on US and other foreign technologies.

Shares of Nvidia dipped nearly 3% in early trading on Friday, reflecting investor concern over the company’s prospects in a market that once accounted for a quarter of its revenue.

The geopolitical fallout could extend far beyond Nvidia. The episode reinforces the deepening fault lines between the U.S. and China over national security and control of next-generation technologies — from AI to semiconductors.

1...786787788...7,979Page 787 of 7,979

© Tekedia. All rights reserved.

Term & Privacy

© Tekedia. All rights reserved.

Term & Privacy