Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:16 PM on Tuesday, August 13th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Esports is about to become a $1 billion industry, and Asia is at the heart of its wild growth
The electronic sports sector has grown massively in recent years and is expected to turn into a billion-dollar industry by the end of 2019.
CNBC’s Uptin Saiidi visited an annual gaming festival in Hong Kong where tens of thousands of excited fans eagerly watch players compete for the ultimate title.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:11 PM on Tuesday, August 13th, 2019
SPONSOR: ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE) Led by
legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a Canadian-based
venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed small-cap
companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More than just
lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest small-cap
exits. Click Here For More Information.
IDK: CSE
Blockchain Investment Soars In H1 2019: A Look At Trends
Blockchain Investment Trends Research by TeqAtlas includes analysis of 2.5k active blockchain companies that were funded by 1.8k blockchain investors in 2.5k funding rounds through both – conventional and alternative instruments.
While VC activity surpasses Dot-Com era in the U.S., Chinese tech
companies valuations are higher than any time in recent memory, and SoftBank
raised another multi-billion dollar fund, the state of the blockchain
investment market shows indications of maturity and saturation. Although
most blockchain companies are newbies into the market, they still
present an attractive investment potential.
The Blockchain Investment Trends
Research by TeqAtlas includes analysis of 2.5k active blockchain
companies that were funded by 1.8k blockchain investors in 2.5k funding
rounds through both – conventional and alternative instruments.
TeqAtlads takes a comprehensive view of the unique trends that define
blockchain investment market to understand the investor expectations
Investors Continue To View Blockchain A High Return Investment
In the first half of 2019, total capital investment into blockchain
companies has been the opposite of what we saw in the previous year,
which saw a dramatic rise in the amount of capital investment.
The previous year saw a record-breaking $15.2 billion investment in
TGEs (token generation events) and $5.1 billion in conventional equity
funding. In contrast, approx. $2 billion in TGE capital were raised in
the first half of this year. The upward trend is losing steam in the
first half of 2019, after four years of positive growth.
The research still reports a positive, upward trend in terms of
venture capital (VC) injected into blockchain companies. Conventional
equity rounds have accumulated $1.2 billion in the first 6 months of
2019, as compared to $1.3 billion for all of 2017.
How Did Blockchain Companies Fare In Deal Activity?
Throughout the research, 2018 continued to remain the benchmark for blockchain companies. The height set during the blockchain boom is hard to replicate as the effects of the dramatic fall in value still affect the industry.
In terms of deals, the grand total of investment rounds in the blockchain industry in the first half of 2019 was 268.
For comparison, blockchain companies attracted 910 deals in 2018 and
478 deals in 2017. At the same pace, 2019 might just oust 2017 in terms
of blockchain deal activity.
Surprisingly enough, if you add private equity into the equation, the
total number of conventional funding rounds almost equal the growth
numbers in 2018.
A breakdown of all the blockchain investment funds also reveals that
TGEs were more successful in raising money than Venture Capital rounds –
with the former amassing 26% more on average.
There Is Increasing Interest In Alternative Funding Techniques
Research into completed deals in 2019 shows an emerging trend; investors are increasingly experimenting with alternative funding methods. In fact, a majority (56%) of all closed deals in these six months were secured through TGEs.
Venture capital deals of early-stage funding ensure that traditional
investment comes in second with a 34% share. Early-stage VC rounds form
the major part of conventional funding rounds in terms of the total
capital invested in active Blockchain companies with a 34% share in 1H
2019. If you add in angel seed rounds, this share increases by another
7%.
Equity Funding Has Decreased as compared to 2018
If you analyze the investment pattern from 2014 to the first half of 2019, you are likely to notice that Early-stage VC rounds come out on top for most blockchain investment by stages, with blockchain investments in this stage exceeding $2 billion.
Later Stage Venture Capital Investment Is On The Rise
Later stage venture capital rounds have become increasingly popular,
which means that major players, such as institutional investors, became
interested in this market.
The total amount raised by later-stage blockchain companies backed by
venture capital was $289 million in 2018 only. To compare, the median
round amount of the later-stage IT companies amounted to $11.5 million
in 2018, according to Statista.
The TGE Hype Is Fading Away
TeqAtlas analyzed TGE investment data for 18 months ending in June 2019 to consider how many investors participate through TGE.
The findings state that – despite minor spikes – the overall trend and interest in token generation
events remain on an all-time low. Blockchain investors tread carefully
when it comes to investing in TGEs, with only 153 deals to show for the
six months of 2019.
Blockchain regulations surrounding TGEs, coupled with the dismal
investment numbers, has led us to predict that they are nowhere near
becoming the principal funding method in the blockchain industry.
64% Of Startups Don’t Meet Their Hard Cap
Another challenge identified in the research was that startups, due
to being new and relatively inexperienced, often fail to predict their
hard cap amounts accurately.
A mere 36% of startups manage to meet their hard caps during the
token generation event, with the rest failing to do so. Nevertheless,
2019 has been a slightly better year for startups; the percentage of startups that didn’t meet their hard cap dropped 13 points as compared to the previous year.
What Are The Biggest Deals since the Blockchain inception?
When comparing the different types of fundraising, the general trend
is that TGE usually outperforms conventional VC funding by the capital
raised. The biggest TGE was held by EOS.IO
and led to an enormous fundraising amount of $4.2 billion. When
compared to the biggest VC deal, EOS.IO’s amount is approximately 220%
higher.
The biggest VC-backed company by funding value is Bitmain that has raised $400 million being valued at $12 billion in a Series B round. Another blockchain company Bakkt,
owned by Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), secured $182.5 million for
their project which will enable them to build the global digital assets
platform and bitcoin futures product.
Which TGE Type Extracts The Greatest ROI?
The research analyzed the return on several different TGE
investments, and the results showed a clear winner – blockchain
infrastructure developers.
Amongst investors who enjoyed the best returns, many had funded
blockchain platforms, IoT Infrastructure providers and interoperability
blockchain developers such as Ethereum, IOTA and Cosmos Network,
respectively.
DCG Dominates The Number Of Deals
The research outlined that more than 800 venture capital firms are already capitalizing on blockchain adoption.
Still, no one comes close to the Digital Currency Group,
which is comfortably placed at #1 with 131 deals to date. In fact, the
second and third-placed competitors combined have 109 completed deals.
Unsurprisingly, 80% of the top 10 active blockchain investors reside in the USA.
Most Active Investors industry focus is FinTech
Considering the security and encryption prowess of the technology, it
comes as no surprise that a majority of blockchain technology
investment is concentrated in the financial sector. In fact, FinTech has
114 more deals completed than the second-best sector, blockchain
infrastructure.
Not only does FinTech boast the highest number of completed deals
(150), but investors have poured in huge amounts in such blockchain
startups. This proves that investors truly believe in the potential of
blockchain, especially in the field of FinTech.
Angel/Seed Rounds Are The Investors Favorite
While reviewing the biggest active blockchain investors,
an interesting trend was identified; most of them fill their portfolios
in the first round of funding – the Angel round. While alternate
funding methods might be gaining hype, conventional funding instruments
prevail in the portfolios of the most active investors.
IEO – The ICO Replacement?
ICOs were riddled with problems by the end of 2018, partially due to
fraud that hindered investor trust in blockchain as a whole.
Now, there is a new way to offer coins and this method involves crypto exchanges
in the offering process. This involves the exchange becoming a core
member – essentially, the exchange offers the coins to their existing
consumer base rather than the company offering it to the public.
This allows exchanges to run background checks and verify developer
legitimacy, substantially decreasing the risk of fraud. In the research,
TeqAtlas came across all launchpads that have already conducted IEOs in
the current year – or are planning to.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:45 AM on Tuesday, August 13th, 2019
Spyder Cannabis (SPDR:TSXV) went public just a couple of months ago and hit the ground running with 5 operating Canadian retail locations – and a 6th one on the way via an 8,000 sq ft super store in Alberta.  Most companies would be ecstatic to have this number of locations – but Spyder just announced a major move into the United States, with a 5 location deal for boutique stores up and down the US Eastern seaboard. The news gets better. If all goes well with these 5 locations, the US outlet partner has a total of 39 locations across 20 states for Spyder to grow into to.
Spyder Cannabis may have just gone public but they are making big moves into the highly coveted retail space for marijuana, CBD and Hemp products, including carrying their own brands within their stores.
Grab your favourite cold summer beverage and watch this interview with CEO, Dan Pelchovitz.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:15 AM on Tuesday, August 13th, 2019
Entered into a sponsorship agreement with foodora Canada to provide digital marketing strategies and Luminosity merchandise sponsorship opportunities
Enthusiast and Luminosity will launch a digital advertising campaign to complement foodora Canada’s overall advertising strategy
foodora Canada will also be a key merchandise sponsor for Luminosity, which includes placement of the foodora logo on the Luminosity team jerseys.
TORONTO, Aug. 13, 2019 – Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€), one of the largest vertically integrated video gaming media companies in North America, is pleased to announce that, in partnership with Luminosity Gaming (“Luminosityâ€), it has entered into a sponsorship agreement (the “Agreementâ€) with foodora Canada, to provide digital marketing strategies and Luminosity merchandise sponsorship opportunities.
foodora Canada is a leading on-demand food delivery platform
operating in 10 cities, servicing more than 3,000 restaurants across
Canada. foodora is dedicated to bringing Canadian food lovers their
favourite meals, from a curated list of local restaurants, delivered
within 35 minutes. foodora is committed to lowering its carbon footprint
by delivering predominantly via bike, and by implementing a cutlery
opt-in feature. In Canada, foodora caters to all major cities,
including: Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and
more.
Under the Agreement, Enthusiast and Luminosity will launch a digital
advertising campaign to complement foodora Canada’s overall advertising
strategy. The Company will launch a social media contest to promote
foodora across Canada. foodora Canada will also be a key merchandise
sponsor for Luminosity, which includes placement of the foodora logo on
the Luminosity team jerseys.
“As foodora continues to grow, evolve and innovate within the
Canadian food delivery space, it’s important that we also continue to
reach new customers who would find value in our services,†said Matt Rice, Head of Marketing at foodora Canada.
“Partnering with Enthusiast and Luminosity allows us to tap into an
existing mobile-first gaming community who are always searching for ways
to be more efficient. It’s the perfect fit.â€
Jon Dwyer, SVP & Head of Special Partnerships at Luminosity Gaming, commented,
“The partnership with foodora Canada proves our ability to successfully
integrate our operations thus far, and I am proud of both Enthusiast
and Luminosity for the collaborative effort to develop a successful,
custom marketing campaign.†He continued, “It’s exciting for us
to see non-endemic gaming brands like foodora Canada utilizing our
platform to reach the combined network of 200 million gamers, and one of
the most sought after demographics.â€
About Enthusiast Gaming
Enthusiast Gaming is one of the largest vertically integrated video
game companies and has the fastest-growing online community of video
gamers. Through the Company’s organic and acquisition strategy, it has
amassed a platform of over 150 million monthly visitors across its
network of websites and YouTube channels. Enthusiast also owns and
operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo,
EGLX, (eglx.ca) with approximately 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
About Luminosity Gaming
Luminosity Gaming is one of the largest globally recognized esports
organizations in the world, with over 60 million registered active
users. Luminosity has 8 world class esports teams competing across top
games such as Fortnite, Apex, Rainbow Six: Seige, Counter Strike, Call
of Duty, Madden, Smite, etc. for more information visit www.luminosity.gg
About foodora Canada
foodora is dedicated to bringing Canadian food lovers their favourite
meals from a curated list of local restaurants. Since 2015, the
on-demand food delivery service has grown to more than 3,000 partner
restaurants in 10 cities across Canada. Belonging to Delivery Hero, a
worldwide leader of the food delivery industry, foodora is a sustainably
focused company that strives to reduce its carbon footprint through its
use of bikes and its commitment to reducing single-use plastic. For
more information, visit http://www.foodora.ca.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Investor Relations: Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 7:35 AM on Tuesday, August 13th, 2019
Spyder to open 5 hemp boutique locations at Tanger Outlet centers throughout the United States
Agreement will expand Spyder’s physical footprint to a projected 11 total locations by the end of this year
Potential for additional locations in the future
Vaughan, ON, August 13, 2019, Spyder Cannabis Inc. (“Spyder“), an established Canadian cannabis and vape retail operator, announced today an arrangement through which Spyder will open 5 hemp boutique locations with potential for more at Tanger Outlet centers throughout the United States.
This agreement will expand
Spyder’s physical footprint to a projected 11 total locations by the end of
this year, with the potential for additional locations in the future. “Tanger Outlet operates 39 upscale outlet
shopping centers located in 20 states coast to coast and will allow us access
to millions of consumers,†stated Daniel Pelchovitz, CEO and President of Spyder. “They offer a superior outlet experience and deep tenant
relationships, and we are excited to introduce our hemp retail to their
centers.â€
These boutiques will stock Spyder’s SPDR (R)
branded hemp derived, and
infused products developed for an aging, health and wellness
demographic. Spyder will offer a wide array of hemp product
offerings including; hemp -infused muscle balm, face oil, body lotion and bath
salts, as well as hemp tinctures,
capsules and sprays.
The hemp industry is booming
and has the potential to become a $22 billion business by 2022, according to
cannabis-focused research firm Brightfield Group. Spyder plans on executing an
aggressive expansion plan to create a significant retail brand in the U.S. hemp
market and is committed to developing and acquiring prime North American retail
locations and continuing to build its fast growing brand.
About Spyder Cannabis
Founded
in 2014 Spyder is an established chain of three high-end vape stores, and
two cannabis accessory stores, in Ontario, with locations
in Woodbridge, Scarborough, Burlington, Pickering and Niagara
Falls. The Spyder brand is defined by its high-quality proprietary line of
e-juice, liquids and exclusive retail deals, dispensed in uniquely designed
stores creating the optimal customer experience. Spyder is building off
this leading retail, distribution and branding eCig and vapes company and is pursuing
expansion into the legal cannabis and hemp derived market. Spyder has
developed a scalable retail model with plans to create a significant footprint
with targeted and disciplined retail distribution strategy focusing on Canadian
retail and U.S. boutique retail and kiosks in high traffic peripheral areas
Tags: Cannabis, CBD, CSE, Hemp, Marijuana, otc, stocks, tsx, tsx-v, weed Posted in Featured, Spyder Cannabis Inc. | Comments Off on BREAKING: Spyder Cannabis $SPDR.ca Signs Retail Agreement with Tanger Outlet $SKT Gaining Access to Millions of Consumers Coast-to-Coast in the U.S. $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:59 PM on Monday, August 12th, 2019
Entered into an initial agreement to partner with XTM Inc. a Toronto based Fintech Company and global card issuer, payment specialist, and marketing solutions company.
The partners will launch the Pegasus Flyte Prepaid Card to the Canadian market, allowing consumers to spend traditional and digital currencies at both brick and mortar and online merchants as easily as cash.
Toronto, Ontario–(August 12, 2019) – KABN Systems North America Inc. (“KABN”), a Fintech solutions company, specializing in next-generation, patent pending, transportable online identity verification as well as financial and loyalty related services, has entered into an initial agreement to partner with XTM Inc. (“XTM”), a Toronto based Fintech Company and global card issuer, payment specialist, and marketing solutions company. The partners will launch the Pegasus Flyte Prepaid Card to the Canadian market, allowing consumers to spend traditional and digital currencies at both brick and mortar and online merchants as easily as cash.
KABN provides state of the art, Always On
identity verification and validation services at no charge to consumers,
allowing them to prove their identity continuously without the hassle
of verifying time and time again to a growing list of online service
providers, programs and Exchanges. In turn, validated users are
qualified, subject to permissions and necessary approvals, for unique
and customized financial services, major merchant loyalty and incentive
programs and other value-based opportunities.
For merchants, service providers, Exchanges, digital banks and other
online programs, KABN provides its proprietary world class KYC (know
your customer), KYB (know your business) and AML (anti-money laundering)
services through its fully compliant GDPR (European General Data
Protection Regulation) platform, via a proprietary value-based
proposition, subsidizing the traditional costs of onboarding users.
Powered through the XTM Payment Platform, the Pegasus Flyte Prepaid
Card program, expected to launch in Q4 2019, will enable Canadians to
spend traditional fiat and digital currencies from approved financial
institutions, Exchanges, wallets and loyalty programs anywhere that
current prepaid services are accepted. Cardholders will have a mobile
app and a host of value-based services available to them similar to
traditional banking programs.
“XTM is thrilled to have been selected to support KABN. This company
is an innovator and disrupter in the Fintech space, exactly our
target-partner,” said Marilyn Schaffer, XTM CEO. “With our robust
platform features we plan to propel KABN’s Pegasus Flyte program to new
heights in prepaid.”
In June 2016, the Canadian Prepaid Providers Organization released
the first-ever benchmark study conducted by Mercator Advisory Group
entitled, Canadian Open-Loop Prepaid Market: 2015, that revealed that the open-loop prepaid card market reach $3.1 Billion CDN in total dollars loaded onto cards in Canada.
Additionally, in 2017 the CCPO released the report How Canadians Pay Today
and it revealed that 13% of those surveyed are using their bank account
less and prepaid cards in Canada have the highest level of growth and
satisfaction amongst payment tools with a 95% satisfaction rate with
reloadable prepaid cards.
“We are very excited to be rolling out our Pegasus Flyte card program
in North America,” said Ben Kessler, Global CEO KABN. “We looked for a
partner who not only could get us to market quickly but who could also
do it effectively, and efficiently without missing a step. XTM is that
partner for KABN.”
The KABN and Pegasus Flyte programs focus primarily on the growing
Gen Z, Millennial and late Gen X demographic who are consistently
exploring new and innovative ways, outside of traditional banking, to
manage both their financial services, loyalty, points and other digital
currency transactions.
Pegasus Flyte cardholders will automatically be entitled to
participate in KABN KASH, a customized consumer experience where users
can save money every time they shop at key merchants.
KABN will be showcasing its solutions, as well as providing a keynote address at The Futurist Conference (www.futurist19.com) in Toronto on August 13th and 14th.
KABN Systems North America Inc. operates the Canadian and US programs of the global KABN Network. KABN provides an Always On
patent pending identity validation and verification platform, allowing
users to continuously and confidently prove themselves to the online
community, Exchanges and other services. KABN’s identity services
provide the backbone to its financial, loyalty and engagement programs
including the Pegasus Flyte Prepaid Card program and KABN KASH, an
innovative cash back program where users are connected to major
merchants for savings when they shop.
Tags: fintech, Kabn, Payments, Visa, XTM inc. Posted in KABN | Comments Off on #KABN and #XTM to Bring Digital Currency #Crypto Prepaid Cards to Canadians
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:23 PM on Monday, August 12th, 2019
SPONSOR: ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE) Led by
legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a Canadian-based
venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed small-cap
companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More than just
lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest small-cap
exits. Click Here For More Information.
IDK: CSE
Goldman Sachs Analysts Say that It’s Time to Buy Bitcoin
In short – the experts are quite bullish for Bitcoin to go up.
Basically, they have set up a short-term price target of $13,971 – yes, specifically this one.
Recently, Three Arrows Capital CEO Su Zhu has shared the Goldman Sachs
note which was sent out to investors. In the note, Goldman Sachs
analysts suggest that buying this Bitcoin dip is a prime opportunity.
The note itself consisted of a Bitcoin CMI futures chart and a comment from the analysts.
First of all, the fact that Goldman Sachs is sending out crypto, in
this particular case, Bitcoin advice to their investors is mind-blowing.
Also, the fact that they are seeing it as a bullish pattern and they
are using the Elliot Wave Theory indicators on their Bitcoin chart is
also a big surprise.
Experts point out that the fact that the Bitcoin CMI futures chart is
used means that this note is being sent out only to institutional
investors. You can see this by the little gaps in the chart which are
weekends. That is the time when CMI Bitcoin Futures markets are closed.
What does the Note Say?
In short – the experts are quite bullish for Bitcoin to go up.
Basically, they have set up a short-term price target of $13,971 – yes,
specifically this one.
In detail – they believe that Bitcoin will find a support level near
$11,094 and $10,791. Once it does that, the analysts say that the chart
has plenty of room to break out at least to $12,916, and possibly to a
new 2019 ATH – $13,971.
“Reaching these levels could mean completing a v wave count from
July. Bottom line, watch for a short-term top/consolidation once
satisfied,†says the note.
But this is a short-term prediction. What about long-term? Well,
according to Goldman Sachs analysts, anything below $13,000 is an
indication to accumulate. They believe that we are in for a similar
run-up like we saw recently this year when Bitcoin went from $7,600 to
around $11,900 in a matter of a couple of weeks.
“In the bigger scheme of things, this might still be the first leg of
another 5-wave count similar to the trend that lasted from Dec ‘18
through Jun ’19,†reads the note.
Also, another thing which recently was highlighted – Bitcoin loves
30% pullbacks. Some experts and analysts have noticed that after a
healthy 30% pullback, Bitcoin always have recovered and this is even
considered as a normal investment strategy. Hence, it is 100% sure that
Bitcoin will have a run-up if it has fallen by approx. 30%.
So in short – Goldman Sachs says that we all need to buy Bitcoin.
But, as usual, only the time will show whether this advice was
definitely the one that investors should have followed.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:33 PM on Monday, August 12th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
(TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated
websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The
company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More
EGLX: TSX-V
From casual gaming to making millions: Inside the fast-growing esports industry
Giorgio Calandrelli, 26, used to play the game Fortnite solely for “fun.†That was until his debut competition under a major esports brand last year.
The Italian professional gamer, who is known to his fans as “Pow3r,†says he faced numerous setbacks in his opening bid to impress his new team, London-based Fnatic.
“I f**ked up,†he says with candor. An accidental misclick that pulled him out of his game also cost him a match. “The tournament is about consistency and getting the most kills as possible to get in the top 20,†Calandrelli told CNBC. Each move he makes matters.
Luckily for Calandrelli, he was afforded a comeback, accruing 20
online kills in a “special challenge†game that won him a lucrative
$10,000 prize. Altogether, Fnatic’s Fortnite team managed to bag more
than $100,000 over the course of the tournament.
And that’s just the tip of a growing iceberg. Fnatic says that prize
pools in the first year of a Fortnite competition have ranged from $1
million to $20 million. Last year, the game’s developer Epic Games announced it was committing $100 million for Fortnite tournament prize pools from 2018 to 2019.
But while esports has grown up as an industry over the past decade,
in terms of both money and viewership, its stars — and fans — seem to be
getting younger and younger.
Last month saw 16-year-old gamer Kyle “Bugha†Giersdorf haul a huge $3 million reward after coming first place in the Fortnite World Cup, the championship dedicated to the popular battle royale game.
Fortnite has helped reignite interest in esports, with titans of the
entertainment industry struggling to figure out how to catch up. Comcast, for example, recently announced it would build a $50 million arena designed to accommodate esports tournaments.
Industry research group Newzoo estimates esports revenues will top $1
billion for the first time this year, climbing 27% from last year’s
figure. It’s a phenomenon that’s helped people transition from playing
casually in their bedrooms to playing for money in major competitions.
“It’s just like any sport,†Sam Mathews, Fnatic’s co-founder and CEO,
told CNBC. “You have the amateurs, and then the semi-amateur pros; then
semi-pro and then you get up to pro. It really takes that sort of skill
level and attitude. Attitude is a huge part of any sport.â€
“When we scout players, we need to see that they go to trials, we
need to check that they have the right attitude. And eventually if
they’re good enough they make it onto our main squad.â€
‘Common ground’
Competitive gamers’ earnings don’t stop at prize pools. There are
esports team contracts, sponsorship deals and merchandise on top of
that.
Teespring is a platform dedicated to making and selling customized
merchandise, with a particular focus on so-called online “influencers.â€
Chris Lamontagne, the firm’s CEO, told CNBC it’s formed a strong base
of customers involved in gaming. Lamontagne said the benefit of
customized merchandise for gamers is it creates “common ground†between
them and their fan base.
“There’s a lot of content that can be created just given there’s a
mutual connection over the game itself,†he said. He added there are “a
couple of big esport teams†using Teespring, without identifying which
ones.
Beyond Fortnite, there are plenty of games that have become pillars
of the competitive gaming landscape. These include Dota 2, League of
Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Overwatch.
watch now
VIDEO01:20
Sixteen-year-old wins Fortnite World Cup and takes home $3 million
And esports has stretched out beyond staged tournaments, thanks to
the advent of live streaming. Calandrelli said he often does live
broadcasts on Amazon-owned platform Twitch, a venue which he says helps him connect with his fans.
“Something in the gaming world working really well is streaming,†Lamontagne said. Teespring has signed partnerships with Google’s YouTube and Twitch that let content creators sell their merchandise through its service.
One of the biggest streamers out there right now is Tyler “Ninja†Blevins, who managed to rake in nearly $10 million last year, largely thanks to fan donations and paid subscriptions on Twitch and ad revenue on YouTube.
Blevins helped Fortnite become an esports phenomenon in its own right
— with almost 250 million registered users as of March 20, the game’s
influence can’t be understated.
And the streaming battlefield could be about to see a shakeup. Ninja recently made the surprise announcement
that he would be shifting from Twitch — where he’s pulled in about 14.7
million followers — to Microsoft’s live streaming service Mixer.
Diversification
Mathews, himself a gamer, said there’s plenty of money to be made on
the part of esports organizations as well as the players themselves.
Fnatic for example has diversified into hardware, selling everything
from professional-grade keyboards to gaming headsets.
The company bought gaming hardware manufacturer Func back in 2015,
and sells its gear in 400 Best Buy stores in the U.S. It’s also got a
presence in South Korea and Japan, Mathews said.
watch now
“To this day we’re the only esports organization to own its own
peripheral hardware business,†he said. “It’s a massively growing part
of our revenue stream and something we really believe in.â€
Esports players are also making moves in the music industry. Fnatic’s
Calandrelli said he is in talks with “one of the biggest†group of
rappers in his country on collaborating with them, and has previously
done tie-ups with record labels like Virgin EMI and Atlantic Records.
Calandrelli declined to disclose details of his earnings when asked by CNBC.
According to the British Esports Association,
some of the top esports players in the world include Saahil “UNiVeRsEâ€
Arora, with estimated income of over $2.6 million, Lee “Fakerâ€
Sang-hyeok, with $890,000 in earnings, and Robin “flusha†Ronnquist, who
earns an estimate of $388,000.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:54 AM on Monday, August 12th, 2019
SPONSOR: Bougainville
Ventures Inc (CSE: BOG) provides strategic capital to the thriving
cannabis cultivation sector through ownership and development of
commercial real estate properties. The company also offers fully built
out turnkey facilities equipped with state-of-the-art growing
infrastructure to cannabis growers and processors. Click here for more info.
—————–
Using CBD Has Never Been More Popular For Americans
Reasons why Americans are turning to CBD vary across the board, but pain relief ranks highest at 40%.
Whatever notions that CBD was just another wellness fad are officially dead. Need proof? Look no further than a Gallup poll released earlier this week.
While federal regulations around CBD remain unsettled for now, the legalization of hemp in 2018
allowed access to CBD to explode throughout the country. The poll found
that younger Americans and those living Western states are more likely
to admit using CBD. However, it’s worth noting 50% of Americans still
don’t consume CBD, with another 35% confessing they have no familiarity
with CBD products at all.
Amongst those aged 30 or younger, CBD usage jumps to 20% and lack of
knowledge around CBD products drops to 26%. Those numbers reverse for
older demographics. Both these trends mirror what previous Gallup polls
found in marijuana usage, as younger people reporting more consumption
while older folks less.
The reasons why Americans are turning to CBD vary across the board,
with pain relief ranking highest at 40%. Other major reasons for
American CBD usage include anxiety (20%), insomnia (11%), and arthritis
(8%). That said, women were more likely than men to use CBD to relieve
anxiety symptoms (25% vs. 14%), while men turned to CBD as a sleep aid
more than women (15% vs. 8%).
And though the majority of Americans report using CBD for medical and
therapeutic relief, 5% of respondents admit to recreational usage of
CBD.
Though CBD proliferating through the United States
might give cannabis enthusiasts cheer, it’s equally important for
consumers to recognize whether they’re purchasing the real deal or
expensive snake oil. Remember, misinformation around CBD can be
life-threatening, especially when using for medicinal purposes. It’s
important to buy high-quality CBD
products and be able to spot fake CBD in the wild. While CBD oil might
be the most popular delivery vehicle, be sure to check out other forms
if curious.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:34 AM on Monday, August 12th, 2019
SPONSOR: Tartisan Nickel (TN:CSE)
Kenbridge Property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14
million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper. Tartisan also has
interests in Peru, including a 20 percent equity stake in Eloro
Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property. Click her for more information
Gold Is Hot But Nickel Is Hotter As Demand Grows For Batteries In Electric Vehicles
Gold is hot but there’s another metal which is hotter, nickel.
Up 30% over the past two months nickel has delivered more than double the performance of gold which is up 13% over the same time, and the gap could get a lot wider as the supply of nickel stagnates and demand accelerates.
The driving force behind the recent awakening of gold is well-understood and can be summed up as a flight to safety as the China v U.S. trade war slows global growth and values of conventional, or fiat currencies, are debased by governments resorting to quantitative easing or other forms of creating money.
Bags filled with nickel briquette and nickel powder sit in a
warehouse at the BHP Group Ltd. Kwinana Nickel Refinery in Kwinana,
Western Australia, Australia, on Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. The world’s
biggest miners, including BHP Group and Glencore Plc, are finally firm
believers in the electric vehicle battery revolution — what they don’t
agree on is which metals will deliver the best long-term exposure to the
developing global market. Photographer: Philip Gostelow/Bloomberg
Nickel’s drivers are different and far easier to understand and boil
down to a simple case of supply exceeding demand which, in past nickel
booms, was essentially a case of mines failing to keep up with the
requirements of steel mills making stainless steel, a material which has
traditional consumed close to 80% of the world’s nickel.
Demand Growing For Nickel In Batteries
Stainless steel remains the primary market for nickel but there’s a
faster-growing market which until a few years ago was insignificant;
lithium-ion batteries.A standard source of power in small appliances
such as cell-phones with their nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries, or
nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) rechargeable batteries the big game today is
in the battery packs which power electric cars such as the Tesla, Prius
and Leaf.
From being a metal easily described as a one-trick pony thanks to its
dominant end-use in stainless steel, nickel has suddenly become a
two-trick pony, and if electric cars take off as predicted then a
shortage in future years is possible.
What caused nickel to run from around $5.40 a pound two months ago to
$7.09/lb at the end of last week (and a high on Friday of $7.22/lb) was
a combination of strong demand from Chinese stainless steel mills and
speculation that a major source of the metal could be cut off sooner
than expected.
The source under threat is unprocessed nickel ore from Indonesia
which is shipped to China for use in steel mills as a material called
Nickel Pig Iron (NPI). Indonesia, and other countries which produce NPI
dislike the material because it does not require any value-adding in the
home market.
Previous bans on NPI have crimped the industry only for it to return.
But the next ban is expected to be permanent and while Indonesia has
said it will not be applied until the year 2022 it could happen sooner,
just as battery makers seek supplies of nickel to meet electric-car
demand.
ANZ, an Australian bank, warned two weeks ago that falling stockpiles
of nickel metal were a warning of a squeeze developing. Stockpiles in
warehouses managed by the London Metal Exchange (LME) have been falling
for the past four years, with an accelerating decline over the past two,
a time when reserve inventories dropped by 43% from around 250,000 tons
to 142,000t.
“Nickel inventories have declined steadily since early 2018, as the persistent market deficit takes a toll,” ANZ said.
“Some analysts suggest stockpiling by electric vehicle manufacturers
is behind the depletion. Whether this is the case or not, we see the
tight market meaning further inventory drawdowns are likely.
Talk Of Panic Buying
“Current LME stockpiles would meet less than two months of supply — so panic buying is a likely outcome.”
It is highly unusual for a bank like ANZ to use an expression as
emotive as panic buying but it was used largely because of concern that
speculators had become active in the nickel market ahead of Indonesia’s
reintroduction of a ban on NPI.
Pure-play Australian nickel mining companies are enjoying sharp share
price rises as the nickel price moves up. Western Areas has risen by
25% over the past month and Mincor, which has just re-signed a supply
agreement with BHP, a major producer of the nickel sulphate which
battery makers prefer, is up 28%.
If there is a squeeze developing on nickel supplies as a major new
market develops for the metal the price could go much higher than its
current $7.09/lb.
Back in 2011 when a supply shortage developed the nickel price hit
$22/lb, before falling rapidly as steel mills found substitutes for
nickel in their stainless steel, including manganese.
No-one is talking about a nickel boom as powerful as that in 2011 but
nickel has a long track record of extreme moves, up and down.
Tags: CSE, nickel, nickel demand, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in All Recent Posts, Tartisan Nickel | Comments Off on Tartisan #Nickel $TN.ca – Gold Is Hot But Nickel Is Hotter As Demand Grows For Batteries In Electric Vehicles #EV $ROX.ca $FF.ca $EDG.ca $AGL.ca $ANZ.ca
