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Trustless Bitcoin Staking Protocol Babylon Launches on Mainnet

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The Babylon Bitcoin Staking Mainnet Phase-1 launch represents a major milestone in the integration of Bitcoin‘s security into the proof-of-stake (PoS) ecosystem.

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, Aug. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Babylon, the self-custodial Bitcoin Staking Protocol that aims to build a Bitcoin-secured decentralized world, will launch Phase-1 mainnet on August 22, 2024. Following its $70M raise, led by Paradigm, the Babylon Bitcoin Staking Mainnet launch represents a major milestone in the integration of Bitcoin‘s security into the proof-of-stake (PoS) ecosystem. Babylon Bitcoin Staking Protocol allows Proof-of-Stake (“PoS”) systems such as PoS chains, L2s, Data Availability (DA) layers, oracles, etc. to gain staking from Bitcoin, the largest, decentralized crypto asset in the world.

“This launch leads to the third native use-case of bitcoin the asset beside value storage and simple payment: stake to secure networks and earn.”

Babylon Bitcoin Staking Mainnet will be launched in phases. The upcoming Phase-1 will address the supply side of the two-sided market by allowing Bitcoin holders to lock their bitcoins with the self-custodial Bitcoin staking script on the Bitcoin chain. Future phases of the Bitcoin protocol will let PoS networks launch with the crypto-economic security of staked bitcoins.

To maximize system security, the Bitcoin staking system will have an initial cap of 1,000 bitcoins. The Babylon Bitcoin Staking Mainnet is supported by over 200 finality providers, which are similar to PoS validators in that they receive voting power delegations from BTC stakers and can earn commission from the staking rewards. The mainnet integrates finality providers, including industry leaders, such as Allnodes, Figment, Galaxy Digital, Luganodes, P2P, Stakefish, and more.

Leading wallets, including Binance Web3 Wallet, Bitget Wallet, Imtoken, Keystone, OKX Web3 Wallet, OneKey Wallet, and TomoWallet, have integrated with the Babylon Bitcoin staking ecosystem, enhancing accessibility and user experience. Additionally, the mainnet integrates Liquid Staking Token protocols (LST’s), such as Acorn, Babypie, Bedrock, Chakra, Kinza, Lombard, Lorenzo, Nomic, pSTAKE, PumpBTC, Solv, demonstrating a commitment to fostering a diverse and resilient Bitcoin staking ecosystem.

David Tse, Co-founder of the Babylon project, said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of the mainnet, a major step in our mission to make the largest crypto asset the security backbone of PoS systems. Our team is dedicated to advancing the utility of Bitcoin beyond its traditional roles.”

Fisher Yu, Co-founder of the Babylon project, said, “This launch leads to the third native use-case of Bitcoin the asset beside value storage and simple payment: stake to secure networks and earn. We expect this to enhance the crypto-economic security of PoS chains and other decentralized applications, offering them a more secure and reliable infrastructure, while at the same time unlocking the value from the idle, unencumbered $1 trillion Bitcoin ecosystem.

Binance Web3 Wallet representative said, “Binance Web3 Wallet is thrilled to be among the first to support Babylon’s mainnet launch. Our goal has always been to provide users with seamless access to on-chain explorations while supporting top-tier projects in their early growth stages.”

Jason Lau, OKX Chief Innovation Officer, said, “For over 10 years, we’ve been at the forefront of supporting Bitcoin innovation and growth, focusing on expanding access to and increasing the usage of Bitcoin. With the launch of the Babylon Bitcoin Staking Protocol, OKX Wallet’s web extension users will now have seamless access to a new use-case for their self-custodied Bitcoin. We can’t wait to see how the community builds on this new primitive.”

Alex Esin, Chief Executive Officer, P2P said, “We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to support and actively participate in the development of Babylon. From the first testnet to the mainnet. It opens up incredible opportunities for BTC holders and contributes to a significant transformation of the BTC-based DeFi landscape. A historic moment!”

Jacob Phillips, Co-Founder, Lombard said, “By enhancing the supply side into Babylon, Lombard will enable Bitcoin holders and institutions to earn yield by staking their BTC with the Babylon protocol, as well as also providing them with a DeFi-compatible liquid asset they can deploy across protocols. This dual benefit unlocks new possibilities for Bitcoin in the decentralized economy, potentially allowing billions in bitcoin into the Web3 ecosystem.”

Babylon’s journey has been marked by significant milestones, including the launch of the world’s first trustless Bitcoin staking testnet in February 2024. The testnet, which saw over 100,000 stakers within 48 hours, demonstrated the platform’s potential to evolve Bitcoin into the security backbone of PoS systems. This achievement not only showcases the Babylon protocol’s technical prowess but also its commitment to creating a secure, decentralized economy.

To track the countdown to mainnet launch, follow @babylonlabs_io on X. For more information about Babylon, please visit the website.

For media inquiries, please contact Dayana Aleksandrova at (310) 260-7901 or dayana(at)melrosepr(dot)com.

About Babylon
Babylon is a project that designs Bitcoin security sharing protocols with a vision of building a Bitcoin-secured decentralized world. Its latest development is the world’s first trustless and self-custodial Bitcoin staking protocol, which enables Bitcoin holders to stake their BTC on Proof-of-Stake (PoS) systems such as PoS chains, L2s, Data Availability (DA) layers, etc, enabling them to earn yield without the need for third-party custody, bridge solutions, or wrapping services. Babylon’s approach combines the high security and wide adoption of Bitcoin with the efficiency and scalability of PoS systems, increasing Bitcoin‘s utility. Babylon was founded in 2022 by Stanford Professor David Tse and Dr. Fisher Yu. Professor Tse is a member of the U.S. Academy of Engineering and is renowned as the inventor of the legendary proportional-fair scheduling algorithm for wireless communications. Babylon is led by a team of consensus protocol researchers and experienced layer 1 engineers from around the world.

For more information about the Babylon project, please visit:
Website: http://www.babylonlabs.io    Twitter: https://twitter.com/babylonlabs_io

Media Contact

Dayana Aleksandrova, Babylon Labs, (310) 260-7901, dayana@melrosepr.com, https://babylonlabs.io/ 

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/trustless-bitcoin-staking-protocol-babylon-launches-on-mainnet-302224971.html

SOURCE Babylon Labs

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Quarterhill Awarded High-Speed Weigh-In-Motion Prescreening Contract in Belgium

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The new WIM station will assist Brussels Mobility in achieving its goals of improving road safety and creating a fair regulatory environment by reducing the number of overloaded vehicles on the roads of the Brussels region.Traffic data provided by the system will support Brussels Mobility’s mission to foster economic growth and improve quality of life through the development of transport infrastructure.

TORONTO, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – Quarterhill Inc. (“Quarterhill” or the “Company”) (TSX: QTRH) (OTCQX: QTRHF), announced today a contract to provide weigh-in-motion (“WIM”) technology to Brussels Mobility through a joint project with Belgium-based technology integrator Jacops NV (“Jacops”). Quarterhill will be responsible for the design and supply of the WIM subsystem, technical support, and training. Quarterhill will also provide Jacops with the software necessary for commercial vehicle monitoring and enforcement.

Quarterhill will supply the WIM system for the Brussels-Capital Region weigh station, which will be used to pre-select overloaded vehicles for enforcement. The dynamic weighing station will promote and improve the efficiency of inspections by screening vehicles at highway speeds in advance of the law enforcement inspection site. In addition, the weigh station will generate data that provides an accurate, real-time picture of the vehicles on the E19 highway.

The system’s goal is to reduce the number of overloaded vehicles on the Brussels Region’s roads. Overloading causes many problems, such as rapid road deterioration, more serious accidents, and unfair competition between transport companies. Quarterhill’s technology mitigates these issues by screening for overweight vehicles while optimizing the use of enforcement resources.

“We are excited at the prospect of introducing our advanced enforcement technology to Brussels Mobility and expanding our presence in Europe,” said Chuck Myers, CEO of Quarterhill. “Together with Jacops, we will deploy a state-of-the-art high-speed WIM system that will make Belgian roads safer and more sustainable. We have a longstanding relationship with Jacops as a customer for our microwave sensor products, and this project demonstrates how having a broad portfolio of traffic technologies and established relationships with traffic system integrators leads to further opportunities.”

The weigh station will monitor four lanes of one-way traffic on the highway and record data on vehicle classification and vehicle tax without impeding traffic. An overview camera provides images to help enforcement personnel clearly identify vehicles flagged by the system. An Automated Number Plate Reader system will photograph, recognize, store, process, and transmit the number plates of vehicles approaching the dynamic weighing station.

Quarterhill’s iSINC WIM controller was selected for the project as it offers preselection of overweight vehicles, creates comprehensive vehicle records, classifies vehicles, and meets the desired standards for continual uptime monitoring and ease of service. iSINC’s versatility allows it to control a wide array of sensors, cameras, dimensioning systems, communication systems, and custom equipment.

WIM sensors that comply with the accuracies outlined in the Nmi International WIM standard Specification and test procedures for WIM Systems will be installed at the site. The WIM sensors meet the lane width specifications and provide high durability, stable output over time, and IP68 water resistance.

Quarterhill will advise Jacops on the design and placement of the WIM system components to ensure optimal operation, including onsite technical support for installation, testing, and initial calibration. Quarterhill will also provide Jacops with thorough training on the WIM components and system calibration. Over the 2-year warranty period, Quarterhill will provide remote diagnostics and technical support to ensure continuous uptime and optimal performance.

“This project shows that Quarterhill’s technology is well suited to the precise needs of European agencies. We are set to elevate road safety and integrity in the region, reinforcing our expanding footprint in this important market,” stated Heimo Haub, Managing Director, Quarterhill Europe.

About Quarterhill
Quarterhill is a leading provider of tolling and enforcement solutions in the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) industry. Our goal is technology-driven global leadership in ITS, via organic growth of our tolling and enforcement businesses, and by continuing an acquisition-oriented investment strategy that capitalizes on attractive growth opportunities within ITS and its adjacent markets. Quarterhill is listed on the TSX under the symbol QTRH and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol QTRHF. For more information: www.quarterhill.com.

Forward-looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Such forward-looking statements relate to future events, conditions or future financial performance of ‎Quarterhill based on future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements other ‎than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements ‎are often, but not always, identified by the use of any words such as “seek”, “anticipate”, “budget”, ‎‎”plan”, “goal”, “expect” and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, assumptions, ‎uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those ‎anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Material risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, among others, demand for Quarterhill’s products and services; general economic and market conditions; competition; risks relating to technological advances and cyber-security; and other risks set forth in the Company’s most recent annual information form available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company believes the expectations reflected in ‎the forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations ‎will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be ‎unduly relied upon.‎ Material factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, among others: Quarterhill’s ability to execute on its business plan; demand for Quarterhill’s products and services; operating assumptions; and financial projections and cost estimates. Quarterhill has no intention, and undertakes no obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quarterhill-awarded-high-speed-weigh-in-motion-prescreening-contract-in-belgium-302347610.html

SOURCE Quarterhill

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ez1099 2024 Edition Tax Preparation Software for 2025 Tax Season Is Available for Electronic Filing

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REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Designed for US business owners, tax professionals and entrepreneurs, the latest ez1099 tax form software from Halfpricesoft.com is easy to navigate and streamline processing unlimited forms for multiple companies for one flat rate.  The latest edition of ez1099 supports paper form printing, pdf printing and efile feature. It also comes with a recipient data import feature from the spreadsheet and QuickBooks IIF file.

 

“ez1099 2024 software is now available for business owners and tax professionals to print and file 1098’s and 1099’s, seamlessly.” Dr. Ge, Founder of Halfpricesoft.com, says.

ez1099 software streamlines the preparation, printing, and e-filing of essential IRS forms, including W2G, 1097BTC, various 1098 forms (1098, 1098C, 1098E, 1098F, 1098Q, 1098T), numerous 1099 forms (1099A, 1099B, 1099C, 1099CAP, 1099DIV, 1099G, 1099INT, 1099K, 1099LTC, 1099MISC, 1099NEC, 1099OID, 1099PATR, 1099Q, 1099QA, 1099R, 1099S, 1099SB, 1099SA), 5498 forms (5498, 5498ESA, 5498QA, 5498SA), as well as 8935, 3921, 3922, and 1096 forms.

Cost is only $79 per installation for the basic version of ez1099 Software or $139 per installation for the advanced version with bulk printing feature, import feature, PDF file creation and electronic filing capability. Also offered in a network version for two or more installations starting at $199 to enable sharing data between computers or offices.

ez1099 is compatible with Windows 11, 10, and 8.  It can also run on Windows Vista system, 7, and MAC machines (Mac can run the system only if installed with Bootcamp).

The features in the latest version ez1099 software include but are not limited to:

electronically file unlimited forms to the IRS with one flat rateez1099 blank paper prints out recipient copiesPrint in bulk for faster processingQuick data importing featureCustomers can save even more time by compiling and saving form data for later use and modificationSupport unlimited accounts and unlimited recipients at no additional chargeGo green with optional PDF document converting and e-file (electronic filing) featuresFeature to process correction forms included

Starting at $79.00 for the print and mail version and $139.00 to electronically file. Halfpricesoft.com welcomes all clients to begin the no obligation thirty-day test drive today at https://www.halfpricesoft.com/1099_software.asp#purchase

About halfpricesoft.com

Halfpricesoft.com is a leading provider of small to midsize business software, including online and desktop payroll software, online employee attendance tracking software, accounting software, in-house business and personal check printing software, W2, software, 1099 software, 1095 ACA form software and ezACH direct deposit software. Software from halfpricesoft.com is trusted by thousands of customers for over 20 years and will assist business owners simplify payroll processing and streamline business management.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ez1099-2024-edition-tax-preparation-software-for-2025-tax-season-is-available-for-electronic-filing-302340859.html

SOURCE Halfpricesoft.com

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The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute Enters Agreement to Accelerate Precision Drug Discovery for Neurodegenerative Disease

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Partnership Will Harness NYSCF’s Automated Cell Culture Systems and Artificial Intelligence Capabilities to Study Disease at an Unprecedented Cellular Level

NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute today announced they have entered into an agreement with Janssen Research & Development, LLC, a Johnson & Johnson company, to use NYSCF’s AI-powered platform for drug discovery to target neurodegenerative disease. This initiative brings together NYSCF’s advanced robotic systems for stem cell research and J&J’s expertise in drug discovery and data science to unlock novel disease insights and accelerate the development of more effective and tailored treatments.

NYSCF has developed proprietary automation technology that enables large-scale, reproducible disease modeling and drug screening using patient-derived stem cells. By combining high-content cell imaging with machine learning-driven analysis, NYSCF’s platform can reveal previously undiscovered disease phenotypes and therapeutic targets leading to the development of novel therapeutic approaches. This versatile platform is adaptable to a wide range of cell types and diseases, making it uniquely positioned to advance precision medicine for patients.

“This work with Johnson & Johnson allows us to integrate our cutting-edge stem cell automation and AI platform with their deep expertise in therapeutic development,” said Jennifer J. Raab, President and CEO of NYSCF. “Together, we look forward to accelerating the discovery of innovative treatments for patients affected by devastating neurodegenerative disease.”

About The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute
The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute is an independent non-profit organization accelerating cures and better treatments for patients through stem cell research. The NYSCF Research Institute is an acknowledged world leader in stem cell research and in the development of pioneering stem cell technologies, including the NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array®, which is used to create cell lines for laboratories around the globe. NYSCF focuses on translational research in an accelerator model designed to overcome barriers that slow discovery and replace silos with collaboration. For more information, visit nyscf.org.

CONTACTS:
David McKeon
212-365-7440
dmckeon@nyscf.org

Chris Taylor
chris@christaylorpr.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-new-york-stem-cell-foundation-research-institute-enters-agreement-to-accelerate-precision-drug-discovery-for-neurodegenerative-disease-302347569.html

SOURCE The New York Stem Cell Foundation

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