Not Ltd, Columnist at Not Ltd https://notltd.co.uk/author/not-ltd/ Practical advice, tools and stories for UK’s solo entrepreneurs, consultants and not limited company owners Fri, 10 Jul 2026 22:50:42 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://notltd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/NotLtd-Site-logo-110x110.png Not Ltd, Columnist at Not Ltd https://notltd.co.uk/author/not-ltd/ 32 32 What Is a Dubai Unified License (DUL) and Why Does Your Business Need It? https://notltd.co.uk/business/what-is-a-dubai-unified-license-dul-and-why-does-your-business-need-it/ https://notltd.co.uk/business/what-is-a-dubai-unified-license-dul-and-why-does-your-business-need-it/#respond Fri, 10 Jul 2026 22:50:42 +0000 https://notltd.co.uk/?p=184466 More than half of global web traffic now comes from mobile devices. People expect websites to load fast, look good on smaller screens, and function without issues.

Whether you are a first-time entrepreneur or an experienced investor exploring business setup in Dubai, understanding the Dubai Unified License (DUL) is essential.

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What Is a Dubai Unified License (DUL) and Why Does Your Business Need It?

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More than half of global web traffic now comes from mobile devices. People expect websites to load fast, look good on smaller screens, and function without issues.

Whether you are a first-time entrepreneur or an experienced investor exploring business setup in Dubai, understanding the Dubai Unified License (DUL) is essential.

Introduced as part of Dubai’s ongoing effort to modernise its regulatory environment, the DUL represents a significant shift in how businesses are registered, identified, and managed across the emirate. It is not just a bureaucratic update — it is a fundamental change in how the government, financial institutions, and businesses interact with one another. For anyone looking to establish or grow a company in Dubai, the DUL is a framework worth understanding thoroughly.

Understanding the Dubai Unified License

The Dubai Unified License is a consolidated business registration system that assigns every legally operating business in Dubai a single, unified identification number. Before its introduction, businesses often had to deal with multiple licenses, permits, and registrations issued by different authorities — from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) to various free zone regulators and federal bodies. Each of these came with its own renewal cycle, compliance requirements, and administrative overhead.

The DUL changes this by creating one authoritative number that ties together all of a company’s regulatory touchpoints. Think of it as a digital identity for your business — one that is recognised across government platforms, banking systems, and compliance frameworks simultaneously.

Who Receives a DUL Number and How the System Works

Any business that is legally registered in Dubai — whether on the mainland or within a free zone — is eligible to receive a DUL number. The number is issued as part of the registration process and becomes the primary identifier for the business across all official interactions.

Once assigned, the DUL number links your trade license, business activity classifications, ownership structure, and contact details into a single digital profile. This profile is accessible to authorised government entities and financial institutions, allowing them to verify your business quickly and accurately without requiring repeated submissions of the same documents.

For free zone businesses in particular, the DUL creates a bridge between the free zone authority and mainland regulatory bodies, making cross-jurisdiction operations smoother and more transparent. This is especially valuable for companies that operate in both environments or that have clients and partners across mainland Dubai and the wider UAE.

Why the DUL Matters for Banking and Financial Compliance

One of the areas where the Dubai Unified License has the most immediate and tangible impact is banking. Corporate banking in the UAE has a reputation for being thorough — banks conduct rigorous due diligence before opening accounts, and the process can be lengthy even for legitimate, well-structured businesses.

The DUL addresses this directly. Because it provides banks with a verified, government-backed identifier that consolidates your business information, the due diligence process becomes significantly more efficient. Banks can access your business profile through integrated systems, reducing the volume of documents they need to request independently and speeding up the internal approval process.

This matters enormously for new businesses. Delays in opening a corporate bank account can hold up everything from paying suppliers to receiving client payments. A faster, more reliable banking onboarding process means businesses can become operational more quickly and with less financial strain during the critical early months.

Beyond account opening, the DUL also simplifies ongoing banking compliance. Requirements around anti-money laundering (AML), know-your-customer (KYC) updates, and periodic account reviews are all made easier when the bank can reference a single, up-to-date business identifier rather than piecing together information from multiple sources.

Tax Registration and Staying Compliant in the UAE

The UAE’s tax landscape has evolved considerably in recent years. With VAT introduced in 2018 and corporate tax now in effect, businesses operating in Dubai have real and ongoing obligations to the Federal Tax Authority (FTA). Staying on top of these obligations requires accurate, consistent record-keeping — and this is where the DUL proves its value once again.

The DUL links directly to your FTA tax registration profile, ensuring that your trade license information and your tax records are aligned. This reduces the risk of discrepancies that can trigger audits or penalties, and it makes the process of filing VAT returns and corporate tax submissions more straightforward.

For SMEs and startups that may not have a dedicated finance team, this integration is particularly valuable. Rather than manually reconciling information across different government portals, business owners can rely on the DUL framework to keep key records consistent and current.

It is also worth noting that tax compliance in the UAE is taken seriously. Penalties for late registration, incorrect filings, or failure to maintain proper records can be significant. The DUL does not eliminate the need for professional accounting and tax advisory support, but it does reduce the administrative burden that often leads to errors in the first place.

About Meydan Free Zone

Meydan Free Zone is one of Dubai’s most dynamic and strategically positioned free zones, offering businesses a compelling combination of flexibility, prestige, and efficiency. Located in the heart of Dubai, Meydan Free Zone allows companies to access the UAE market and beyond while benefiting from a straightforward and fully digital licensing process.

Unlike many free zones that cater to specific industries, Meydan Free Zone supports a wide range of business activities — from consulting and media to trading and technology. This makes it an attractive option for entrepreneurs and investors across sectors who want the benefits of a free zone structure without being confined to a narrow set of permitted activities.

Meydan Free Zone is also fully aligned with the Dubai Unified License framework, ensuring that businesses registered there benefit from all the compliance, banking, and tax advantages that the DUL provides. Combined with access to a vibrant business community and the iconic Meydan district, it offers a launchpad that is hard to match anywhere else in the region.

For entrepreneurs looking for business setup in Dubai, Meydan Free Zone represents a smart, future-ready choice — one built for the pace and ambition of modern business.

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What Is a Dubai Unified License (DUL) and Why Does Your Business Need It?

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The missing chapter in every marketing report: what happened after the click https://notltd.co.uk/business/the-missing-chapter-in-every-marketing-report-what-happened-after-the-click/ https://notltd.co.uk/business/the-missing-chapter-in-every-marketing-report-what-happened-after-the-click/#respond Sun, 07 Jun 2026 23:16:13 +0000 https://notltd.co.uk/?p=184460 Britain’s small and medium-sized enterprises are falling behind on climate commitments, with just one in eight classed as “net zero ready” as tougher sustainability reporting rules approach.

Marketing reports are good at the beginning of the story. Channel performance, session data, click-through rates, and cost per click.

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The missing chapter in every marketing report: what happened after the click

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Britain’s small and medium-sized enterprises are falling behind on climate commitments, with just one in eight classed as “net zero ready” as tougher sustainability reporting rules approach.

Marketing reports are good at the beginning of the story. Channel performance, session data, click-through rates, and cost per click.

The traffic arrived, the ad was seen, and the link was followed. What the report rarely tells you is what happened next, specifically, whether any of it converted to revenue, and if so, how.

For businesses where the phone is a primary conversion channel, this gap is not a minor footnote. It is a structural problem in how marketing performance is measured. The click is documented. The phone call that followed it, days or weeks later, is not. That missing chapter is where a significant share of actual revenue lives, and call tracking reveals it.

The post-click blind spot in marketing analytics

Digital marketing analytics platforms are built around online behaviour. They track what happens on the site, which pages were visited, how long a session lasted, and whether a goal was completed. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) captures events, conversions, and engagement with considerable granularity. What it does not capture by default is what a prospect does after they leave the browser and pick up the phone.

For many sectors, that is precisely where the conversion happens. Legal, financial services, healthcare, property, and home improvements. Prospects research extensively online, but they convert by calling. The digital analytics record shows a session that ended without an online conversion. The actual outcome, a phone call, a booked appointment, or a sale, is absent from the data.

The result is a marketing report that accurately describes campaign activity but misrepresents campaign performance. Impressions, sessions, and click-through rates are all present. Revenue attribution is not. The chapter that would connect the marketing spend to the commercial outcome is missing.

How attribution models fail without call data

Attribution modelling attempts to assign credit to the touchpoints that contribute to a conversion. Last-click, first-click, linear, time-decay, data-driven. Each model has its assumptions and its trade-offs. All of them share one limitation: they can only attribute credit to the conversions they can see.

When inbound phone calls are excluded from the conversion dataset, every attribution model produces a distorted output. Last-click models over-credit the final digital touchpoint before a drop-off. Multi-touch models distribute credit across a recorded journey that ends before the actual conversion. Data-driven attribution, however sophisticated, learns from incomplete data and produces correspondingly incomplete conclusions.

The channels, campaigns, and keywords that drove phone calls receive no credit. Those that drove online sessions, even sessions that converted at a lower rate, appear to outperform them. Budget decisions that follow are built on a misreading of which activity is generating returns.

What call tracking adds to the marketing analytics picture

The moment a call is attributed, the post-click story becomes visible. Call tracking connects every inbound call back through the prospect’s journey to the campaign, channel, or keyword that brought them there. That call becomes a conversion event in your analytics stack, sitting alongside form fills and online purchases in your reporting, treated with the same weight as any other commercial outcome.

Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) parameters carry source and campaign data through to the call record. Multi-channel campaign tagging preserves the full journey across every touchpoint, online and offline. The conversion that previously had no entry in your marketing analytics now has a source, a campaign, a keyword, a channel, and a place in the attribution model.

The effect on campaign performance reporting is significant. Channels that were generating calls but receiving no attribution credit see their conversion data increase. Cost per acquisition (CPA) figures recalibrate. Return on ad spend (ROAS) calculations reflect actual revenue contribution. The report begins to tell a complete story.

Pay-per-click: the channel most affected by the missing chapter

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaign management is unusually sensitive to the absence of call data, because every optimisation decision responds directly to conversion signals. Keyword bids, ad group structure, landing page testing, and audience targeting. All of it follows the data.

When phone calls are missing from that data, the optimisation process responds to a corrupted signal. Keywords driving high call volumes from qualified prospects appear to underperform on cost per conversion. Budget shifts away from them. Landing pages that are effective at driving calls do not accumulate the conversion data that would protect them from being deprioritised. Bidding strategies optimise toward the conversions that are recorded, not the ones that matter most.

Adding call attribution restores the signal. Keyword performance reflects actual conversion outcomes. Bidding strategies can be set against real CPA targets that include call conversions. The landing page that was quietly driving your most valuable inbound enquiries gets the data it deserves.

The customer journey does not end at the click

One of the more important things call tracking analytics demonstrates is how long and non-linear the customer journey actually is for high-consideration purchases. A prospect might click a paid search ad, read several organic articles, be retargeted via display, and visit the site directly on three separate occasions before calling. The click that appears in the campaign report is one moment in a journey that lasted weeks.

Multi-touch attribution that includes call data gives a more accurate picture of how each touchpoint contributes across that journey. Early-funnel channels, content-led organic activity, and upper-funnel paid campaigns are credited for the influence they actually had. Budget allocation decisions based on this fuller dataset are more strategic, less reactive, and less likely to cut the activity that was quietly driving the most valuable pipeline.

Write the missing chapter

A marketing report without call data is a report about inputs, not outcomes. It describes what your campaigns did, not what they achieved. For any business where the phone is a meaningful conversion channel, the missing chapter is not a gap in the data that can be tolerated. It is the part of the report that would justify the spend, explain the revenue, and tell you where to invest next. The data to write that chapter is already being generated with every inbound call, it just needs to be captured.

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Why customer service is integral to business success https://notltd.co.uk/business/why-customer-service-is-integral-to-business-success/ https://notltd.co.uk/business/why-customer-service-is-integral-to-business-success/#respond Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:35:36 +0000 https://notltd.co.uk/?p=184357 Providing excellent customer service is often essential for a business to succeed. Even with a strong product and competitive pricing, a business can struggle if its customer service doesn’t meet expectations.

Providing excellent customer service is often essential for a business to succeed. Even with a strong product and competitive pricing, a business can struggle if its customer service doesn’t meet expectations.

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Why customer service is integral to business success

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Providing excellent customer service is often essential for a business to succeed. Even with a strong product and competitive pricing, a business can struggle if its customer service doesn’t meet expectations.

Providing excellent customer service is often essential for a business to succeed. Even with a strong product and competitive pricing, a business can struggle if its customer service doesn’t meet expectations.

Negative experiences, such as delayed email responses, short-tempered shop workers, or frustrating returns processes, can put customers off. In some cases, a single negative experience may be enough to dissuade someone from returning.

In this article, we’ll explain the importance of prioritising customer service for long-term success, with guidance from 1st Formations, a company formation agent.

What does customer service involve?

To improve your business’s customer service, you first need to understand what it involves.

Customer service covers every interaction a customer has with a company, from their first enquiry to after-sales support. These interactions can take place across digital channels such as email and social media, over the phone, or in person. Each touchpoint can influence how customers perceive the business and whether they feel confident buying from it.

It’s worth remembering that good customer service involves resolving issues, such as complaints and refunds, as well as supporting satisfied customers.

Whatever the situation, strong customer service is typically built on three key pillars: responsiveness, consistency, and empathy. Responsiveness refers to how quickly a business acknowledges a customer. Sometimes, a full resolution requires some time, but customers still appreciate a speedy acknowledgement. Consistency ensures everyone receives the same standard of service across channels and team members. Empathy is also important as it helps staff respond thoughtfully and tailor solutions to individuals. When you put these together, you can achieve excellent customer service. With responsiveness, consistency, and empathy in place, customers should receive timely replies, reliable outcomes, and meaningful interactions.

Why customer service matters

The quality of customer service can affect trust, influence the likelihood of repeat sales, and determine if people recommend the business to others. Over time, interactions shape a company’s reputation, which can influence its financial performance.

Customers who experience poor service often reassess their trust in a brand. This may mean they choose not to return and speak negatively of the business. On the other hand, good interactions can reinforce confidence, encourage repeat custom, and lead to positive word of mouth.

Why exceptional customer service increases customer retention

Retaining existing customers is often more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, which is why many growing businesses view improving customer loyalty as a long-term investment.

When customers experience reliable service or see that a business resolves issues effectively, they are more likely to return. In some cases, customers may even pay slightly more to buy from a business they already trust.

Customer service as a driver of reputation

Customer service plays a role in how potential customers form opinions about a business, even if they haven’t experienced the service first-hand. Online reviews and social media posts can influence how people perceive a business, both positively and negatively.

While it’s hard to avoid ever receiving a single negative review, how you respond to disgruntled customers can also shape your reputation. For example, a business that replies to comments and shows that they’re willing to resolve problems can still build trust. By contrast, ignoring problems or responding defensively to feedback can discourage potential customers.

Turning service interactions into business insights.

Approached thoughtfully, customer service can become a strategic decision rather than a reactive response.

While addressing a single complaint may resolve an immediate issue, repeated feedback about the same concern often signals a wider problem. For example, if an individual comments that their coffee isn’t strong enough, an additional espresso might be a short-term fix. However, if it happens repeatedly, it’s likely time to consider changing your café’s choice of coffee. Attentive businesses look for patterns like this and can use them to refine their products or services over time.

Looking beyond complaints, it’s also worth finding out what you’re doing well as a business. A lot of customers are more likely to contact a business to complain rather than praise it. Because of this, it’s worth creating opportunities for customers to share feedback. Try running a survey to uncover what people like and where you could make improvements. If you act on these insights, you can refine your offering and better align it with customer needs.

Consider how service is part of a business’s overall health

Delivering strong customer service is just one part of running a sustainable business. It’s also something that’s only possible if you have engaged employees. As a founder, it’s crucial to support all staff with training, clear standards, and recognition to help the team offer top-tier service.

Providing good customer experiences also relies on smoothness throughout the organisation. While some people may only think of service in terms of direct interactions with customers, behind-the-scenes departments, like logistics and product development, can also influence customer happiness. For example, delayed shipping due to a planning issue reflects poorly on the customer experience. Similarly, inconsistent sizing across a clothing range can frustrate shoppers and put a strain on the business’s returns process.

When back-end operations are optimised, it can become easier for frontline staff to focus on delivering positive customer experiences. Improved service standards can encourage repeat custom and may help reduce customer churn over time, supporting greater financial stability across the business.

Applying customer service principles to build a thriving business

Customer service delivers the greatest value when it’s embedded consistently across a business, rather than treated as a standalone function.

One practical way to apply strong service is by ensuring your systems support customers at every stage of the buying journey. Investing in improving backroom processes, training customer-facing teams to communicate with empathy, and proactively acting on feedback can strengthen customer service at all touchpoints.

It’s important to remember that customer service isn’t a nice-to-have extra. It should be valued as an integral part of a business that can influence reputation, customer retention, and its overall financial health. Organisations that embed service excellence across their operations are often better positioned to build customer trust and succeed.

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Why customer service is integral to business success

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A practical guide to business loans and managing cash flow https://notltd.co.uk/business/a-practical-guide-to-business-loans-and-managing-cash-flow/ https://notltd.co.uk/business/a-practical-guide-to-business-loans-and-managing-cash-flow/#respond Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:11:17 +0000 https://notltd.co.uk/?p=184386 Getting a loan in Canada can be straightforward or challenging, depending on your financial profile, the type of loan you need, and where you apply.

Managing cash flow is one of the most important challenges facing businesses of all sizes. While revenue and profitability matter, having access to funding at the right time often determines whether a business can operate smoothly, respond to opportunities, or navigate periods of uncertainty.

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A practical guide to business loans and managing cash flow

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Getting a loan in Canada can be straightforward or challenging, depending on your financial profile, the type of loan you need, and where you apply.

Managing cash flow is one of the most important challenges facing businesses of all sizes. While revenue and profitability matter, having access to funding at the right time often determines whether a business can operate smoothly, respond to opportunities, or navigate periods of uncertainty.

Business loans continue to play a central role in business finance, but understanding how different types of loans work is key to choosing the right solution.

This article provides a practical overview of common business loan types, when they are typically used, and how they fit alongside other cash flow products. These funding solutions are usually provided by banks, lenders, or specialist finance providers such as Novuna Business Cash Flow.

How business loans work

A business loan involves borrowing a fixed amount of money and repaying it over an agreed period, usually with interest. Loan structures vary depending on the size of the business, the purpose of the funding, and how predictable cash flow is.

Some loans are designed to meet short-term funding needs, while others support longer-term investment. Repayments may be fixed or flexible, and loans can be secured against assets or offered on an unsecured basis. Specialist lenders often adapt loan terms to reflect how a business generates and uses cash.

Why businesses use loans

Business loans are used for a wide range of purposes, including:

  • Covering short-term cash flow gaps
  • Funding growth or expansion plans
  • Purchasing equipment or assets
  • Supporting working capital requirements
  • Managing timing differences between costs and income

Choosing the right type of loan usually depends on how quickly funding is required and how repayments will be managed.

Common types of business loans

Working capital loans

Working capital loans are designed to support the day-to-day running of a business. They can be used to cover ongoing costs such as wages, supplier payments, or stock purchases during periods of cash flow pressure.

Businesses with seasonal trading patterns or variable income often use working capital loans to maintain stability. Repayment structures may be tailored to reflect trading cycles.

Cash flow loans

Cash flow loans are assessed primarily on a business’s ability to generate income rather than the value of its assets. Lenders focus on turnover and projected cash flow when considering affordability.

These loans are commonly used by growing businesses where cash is reinvested into operations. Specialist providers such as Novuna Business Cash Flow offer cash flow-based lending designed to align repayments with trading performance.

Short-term, quick, and long-term loans

Short-term business loans are typically used to address immediate funding needs, such as temporary cash shortfalls or short-term opportunities.

Where speed is a priority, businesses may consider quick business loans. These facilities are designed to provide faster access to funding, helping businesses respond to time-sensitive costs or opportunities. Quick business loans are generally offered by specialist lenders alongside standard short-term options.

Long-term business loans are more commonly used for larger investments, such as expansion, refinancing, or significant capital expenditure. Spreading repayments over a longer period can help businesses manage cash flow more comfortably.

Expansion and bridging loans

Expansion loans support businesses looking to grow, whether through opening new premises, increasing capacity, or entering new markets. Lenders may consider projected income alongside existing performance when assessing these applications.

Bridging loans are short-term facilities designed to cover a temporary funding gap. They are often used when a business is waiting for funds from another source, such as a sale, refinance, or delayed transaction.

Unsecured and DSCR loans

Unsecured business loans do not require specific assets as security. Instead, lenders assess the financial position and trading history of the business.

DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loans focus on whether operating income comfortably covers debt repayments. These loans are typically used by established businesses with predictable cash flow.

Larger business loans

Larger organisations may require higher-value loans to support acquisitions, major investments, or refinancing. These facilities are often tailored to reflect the scale and complexity of the business.

How lenders typically assess business loan applications

When reviewing a business loan application, lenders usually take a broad view of the business rather than focusing on a single factor. The aim is to understand how affordable the borrowing is and how well it fits the purpose of the funding.

Factors commonly considered include:

  • How long the business has been trading and its overall financial performance
  • The strength and consistency of cash flow
  • The reason for the loan and how the funds will be used
  • Existing borrowing commitments
  • The business structure and management setup

Specialist lenders may take a more flexible approach than traditional high-street lenders, particularly where funding needs are more complex or do not sit neatly within standard lending criteria.

Alternatives to traditional business loans

In some situations, traditional loans may not be the most flexible option. Other cash flow products can help businesses manage working capital more effectively.

Invoice finance solutions

Invoice finance allows businesses to access cash tied up in unpaid invoices. Instead of waiting for customers to pay, a business can release a percentage of the invoice value upfront.

Invoice discounting allows businesses to retain control of their sales ledger, while invoice factoring includes outsourced credit control. Specialist providers such as Novuna Business Cash Flow offer invoice-based solutions that can work alongside business loans.

Making informed funding decisions

There is no single funding solution that suits every business. The right approach depends on why funding is needed, how quickly it is required, and how repayments will be managed.

Business loans remain a core part of business finance, but combining them with other cash flow products can sometimes provide greater flexibility. Understanding the options available, and speaking with experienced lenders or specialist providers, can help businesses secure funding that supports both short-term needs and long-term stability.

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A practical guide to business loans and managing cash flow

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Where to Buy Instagram Likes That Actually Last https://notltd.co.uk/business/where-to-buy-instagram-likes-that-actually-last/ https://notltd.co.uk/business/where-to-buy-instagram-likes-that-actually-last/#respond Fri, 26 Dec 2025 10:44:17 +0000 https://notltd.co.uk/?p=184223 Buying Instagram likes in 2025 isn’t just about boosting a number — it’s about choosing services that prioritise retention, authenticity, and predictable delivery patterns.

Buying Instagram likes in 2025 isn’t just about boosting a number — it’s about choosing services that prioritise retention, authenticity, and predictable delivery patterns.

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Where to Buy Instagram Likes That Actually Last

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Buying Instagram likes in 2025 isn’t just about boosting a number — it’s about choosing services that prioritise retention, authenticity, and predictable delivery patterns.

Buying Instagram likes in 2025 isn’t just about boosting a number — it’s about choosing services that prioritise retention, authenticity, and predictable delivery patterns.

With Instagram tightening down on spam behaviour, creators need platforms that offer high-quality likes that don’t disappear after 24 hours.

Rather than treating likes as a simple purchase, creators now view them as part of a wider engagement strategy shaped by Instagram’s early-signal algorithm, where timing, retention, and delivery patterns influence how far a post travels.

s engagement delivery has evolved, different platforms now operate using unique timing models, retention systems, and behavioural patterns that influence how Instagram evaluates content. The services below are broken down not as buying recommendations, but as examples of how various delivery architectures interact with the platform’s algorithm.

1. Superviral — Best for High-Retention UK Instagram Likes

Superviral has become a standout option for creators seeking Instagram likes that actually hold steady over time. Instead of pushing large,+ sudden spikes, Superviral focuses on delivering engagement in a way that mirrors natural audience behaviour, which helps posts perform better under the algorithm.

The platform is powerful for UK creators because of its consistent retention rates and reliable delivery structure. It’s simple, transparent, and avoids hype — ideal for users who want believable engagement that supports long-term page growth.

This steady delivery style aligns with how Instagram assesses early engagement bursts, helping creators maintain momentum during the first algorithm-scoring window

Pros:
• Extremely strong retention
• Smooth, natural drip delivery
• UK-based with responsive support
• Clear and transparent packages

Cons:
• No Crypto Payments accepted

Superviral reports that posts supported with their likes see an average 35–40% improvement in reach during the first hour — the most algorithm-sensitive period.

Rating: ★★★★½ (4.8/5) — Great for creators who want stable, natural-looking likes.

2. Krootez — Best for Natural-Looking Engagement Patterns

Krootez has established a long-running reputation for providing Instagram likes that mimic organic interaction patterns. Instead of rapid bursts, the platform intentionally spreads engagement in realistic waves, which is why many creators use it for both business and personal accounts.

What makes Krootez stand out is its focus on account safety. They avoid aggressive delivery and instead use behaviour-based timing, helping posts appear genuinely active rather than artificially inflated. Their likes work particularly well for reels and carousel posts where consistency is important.

Their wave-based delivery pattern mirrors natural audience interaction curves, which can help creators maintain believable post activity without triggering algorithmic irregularities.

Pros:
• Very natural delivery speeds
• Great reputation for IG safety
• High retention rates
• Excellent for reels and high-engagement formats

Cons:
• Not the fastest delivery
• More expensive than basic services

Krootez reports a drop rate of under 10%, which is significantly lower than the industry average, making it a strong pick for long-term engagement.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.2/5) — Reliable, safe, and ideal for realistic engagement.

3. Goread.io — Best for Fast Reels Engagement

Goread.io is known for its high-speed Instagram likes, especially on reels — a format where early engagement drastically affects reach. Unlike many fast-delivery sites, Goread has enhanced its retention systems, making it a strong option for creators who need a quick boost that doesn’t disappear completely afterwards.

The platform’s interface is simple, pricing is competitive, and they offer refill guarantees on most packages. For creators looking to boost time-sensitive posts (such as reels, announcements, trending audio clips), Goread is one of the fastest and most dependable options.

For creators focused on time-sensitive formats like reels, this speed-weighted approach supports the platform’s push-based distribution model, where initial engagement heavily shapes total reach.

Pros:
• Speedy delivery
• Good retention for a speed-focused service
• Refill guarantees included
• Ideal for reels and trending posts

Cons:
• Not ideal for slow-drip growth
• Customer support can be slow during peak times

Internal performance data suggests that posts boosted through Goread during the first 30 minutes get up to 50% higher reel distribution, particularly on new accounts.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.1/5) — Great for speed-based momentum on reels.

4. Famoid — Best for Reliable Long-Term Stability

Famoid is one of the most established social media growth platforms, trusted by creators and businesses who want stable, long-term Instagram likes. Their system focuses heavily on retention — making them an excellent choice for creators who don’t want likes to fluctuate days later.

Another major advantage is that Famoid has one of the more advanced refill systems in the industry. If any engagement drops, they automatically replenish it, ensuring your posts stay strong over time.

This level of long-term retention ties into Instagram’s stability scoring, helping posts avoid the visibility dips that occur when engagement drops too quickly after posting.

Pros:
• Excellent long-term retention
• Automatic refill protections
• Strong reputation and long history
• Works well for business accounts

Cons:
• Delivery isn’t instant
• Pricing is higher for top packages

Famoid reports that 95% of customers keep their delivered engagement after 30 days, one of the highest stability rates available.

Rating: ★★★★ (4/5) — Ideal for creators who want set-and-forget engagement reliability.

5. Viralyft — Best for High-Volume Like Packages

Viralyft is used by creators who need larger batches of likes at once, especially influencers preparing campaigns, paid partnerships, or sponsored posts. The service offers both smaller and very large packages, making it flexible for all types of content strategies.

While retention varies depending on the package, Viralyft is known for predictable delivery and fast refill support. It’s a strong option for creators who need scalability rather than niche targeting.

For creators who plan campaigns or run multiple promotional posts, predictable high-volume delivery supports consistent performance across broader content strategies rather than isolated posts

Pros:
• Huge range of package sizes
• Fast delivery capabilities
• Reliable refill guarantees
• Good pricing for large orders

Cons:
• Retention can vary
• Not ideal for niche or community-heavy pages

According to Viralyft’s service stats, creators who use consistent like boosts see a 22% increase in average post visibility across several campaigns.

Rating: ★★★★ (4/5) — Best for scalable, high-volume like boosts.

Conclusion

Understanding how different engagement delivery systems interact with Instagram’s ranking behaviour is far more important than the act of purchasing itself. Each platform represents a different approach to shaping early engagement signals, which remain central to reach, visibility, and post longevity.

When paired with regular content and real audience interaction, high-quality likes can help your posts gain early visibility without looking artificial. Used correctly, they provide a simple boost that helps your page reach more people.

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Where to Buy Instagram Likes That Actually Last

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Big Short investor Michael Burry places $1.1bn bet against leading AI stocks https://notltd.co.uk/news/michael-burry-ai-bet-nvidia-palantir-short/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/michael-burry-ai-bet-nvidia-palantir-short/#respond Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:29:40 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=165856 In high-tech industry and financial markets a single misstep or careless remark can lead to significant consequences. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, found himself in the spotlight when his comments triggered noticeable fluctuations in the financial markets, affecting both the quantum computing sector and Nvidia’s own reputation.

Michael Burry, famed for predicting the 2008 crash, bets $1.1bn against Nvidia and Palantir as Wall Street warns of an AI bubble and possible 10% market correction.

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Big Short investor Michael Burry places $1.1bn bet against leading AI stocks

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In high-tech industry and financial markets a single misstep or careless remark can lead to significant consequences. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, found himself in the spotlight when his comments triggered noticeable fluctuations in the financial markets, affecting both the quantum computing sector and Nvidia’s own reputation.

Michael Burry, the investor famed for predicting the 2007 subprime mortgage collapse and inspiring The Big Short, has wagered $1.1 billion against two of the world’s most prominent artificial intelligence stocks — Nvidia and Palantir Technologies.

Regulatory filings show that Burry’s hedge fund, Scion Asset Management, has bought put options — which profit when prices fall — on one million Nvidia shares worth around $187 million, and five million Palantir shares valued at $912 million as of September 30.

The move marks Burry’s latest contrarian stance against one of Wall Street’s most hyped trends. Writing on X (formerly Twitter) in his first post for over two years, he warned followers of an emerging AI bubble, stating: “Sometimes, we see bubbles. Sometimes, there is something to do about it. Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play.”

His disclosure coincided with a broader market pullback, as fears of overheated valuations in the AI sector sent US indices lower on Tuesday. The Vix volatility index, Wall Street’s so-called “fear gauge,” rose toward a two-week high.

Nvidia, which recently became the first company to reach a $5 trillion market valuation, dropped 4 per cent to $198.69 in New York trading. Palantir, whose stock has surged more than 360 per cent over the past year, slid 8 per cent to $190.70.

Despite reporting record quarterly revenue on Monday, Palantir trades at nearly 250 times its 12-month forward earnings estimates — far higher than Nvidia’s 33 and Microsoft’s 29.9.

Alex Karp, Palantir’s chief executive, dismissed Burry’s bearish position in an interview with CNBC: “The two companies he’s shorting are the ones making all the money, which is super weird. The idea that chips and ontology is what you want to short is batshit crazy. He’s actually putting a short on AI.”

Meanwhile, Wall Street heavyweights Ted Pick, chief executive of Morgan Stanley, and David Solomon, head of Goldman Sachs, cautioned that a 10–15 per cent market correction may be due after this year’s AI-driven rally.

Pick told the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit in Hong Kong: “We should welcome the possibility of drawdowns that are not driven by some macro cliff effect.”

Solomon added: “When you have these cycles, things can run for a period of time. But there are always shifts that change sentiment — and none of us are smart enough to see them until they occur.”

The surge in enthusiasm for generative AI has drawn comparisons to the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s, when speculative investment in internet companies drove valuations to unsustainable levels.

Yet, some analysts argue this cycle is different. The companies leading today’s AI revolution — such as Nvidia, Microsoft, and Alphabet — boast robust earnings and are largely self-funding their multibillion-dollar AI infrastructure, unlike the debt-fuelled exuberance of the dot-com era.

Whether Burry’s latest short bet will prove prescient remains to be seen — but history suggests that when The Big Short investor spots a bubble, markets tend to listen.

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Big Short investor Michael Burry places $1.1bn bet against leading AI stocks

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Prince Albert II Foundation and Circulate Capital join forces to tackle ocean plastic in Asia https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/prince-albert-ii-foundation-and-circulate-capital-join-forces-to-tackle-ocean-plastic-in-asia/ https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/prince-albert-ii-foundation-and-circulate-capital-join-forces-to-tackle-ocean-plastic-in-asia/#respond Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:49:49 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=165600 The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) has partnered with Circulate Capital, a leading circular economy investment firm, to scale solutions addressing ocean plastic pollution across South and Southeast Asia.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) has partnered with Circulate Capital, a leading circular economy investment firm, to scale solutions addressing ocean plastic pollution across South and Southeast Asia.

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Prince Albert II Foundation and Circulate Capital join forces to tackle ocean plastic in Asia

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The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) has partnered with Circulate Capital, a leading circular economy investment firm, to scale solutions addressing ocean plastic pollution across South and Southeast Asia.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) has partnered with Circulate Capital, a leading circular economy investment firm, to scale solutions addressing ocean plastic pollution across South and Southeast Asia.

The collaboration, announced at the Ocean Innovators Platform in Hong Kong — an initiative led by FPA2 to promote sustainable blue economy solutions — marks a significant step in mobilising private capital to fight plastic pollution at its source.

The partnership will combine FPA2’s global environmental influence with Circulate Capital’s investment expertise in circular economy ventures to accelerate funding for businesses that prevent plastic leakage and build sustainable value chains in coastal regions.

“The fight against ocean plastic pollution is one of the Foundation’s highest priorities,” said Olivier Wenden, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. “Circulate Capital has demonstrated a compelling, market-based approach to solving this crisis in the regions most affected. Our partnership marks an important step in scaling effective, on-the-ground initiatives that protect marine ecosystems and support local livelihoods.”

South and Southeast Asia are responsible for nearly 70% of the plastic entering the world’s oceans each year. Yet, according to the Foundation, the region received just 10% of the US$190 billion invested globally in plastic circularity between 2018 and 2023.

Analysts estimate that improving recycling systems and managing mismanaged plastic waste across the region could reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to shutting down 61 coal plants for a year. Meeting national recycling targets in six key markets could cut global emissions from plastics end-of-life by 10% by 2030.

“We aren’t just getting a partner; we’re getting a champion,” said Rob Kaplan, Founder and CEO of Circulate Capital. “With the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation alongside us, we can unlock the networks, capital, and collaboration needed to tackle plastic pollution head-on.”

Since its launch, Circulate Capital has invested in 23 companies across Asia and Latin America, financing projects that reduce plastic pollution while creating social and climate impact.

The firm’s portfolio has added 455,000 tonnes of annual recycling capacity, avoided 627,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, and improved the livelihoods of more than 6,600 workers throughout the recycling value chain.

The new partnership aims to extend that reach further, channelling more capital to local innovators tackling waste collection, recycling infrastructure, and alternative materials.

The alliance underscores a growing movement to align environmental philanthropy with market-driven investment strategies. By connecting impact investors with scalable solutions, FPA2 and Circulate Capital hope to redefine how plastic pollution is tackled — turning waste into opportunity and sustainability into growth.

“This partnership exemplifies how collaboration between foundations and private capital can deliver measurable, lasting change,” Wenden said. “The ocean connects us all — and protecting it demands that kind of shared responsibility.”

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Prince Albert II Foundation and Circulate Capital join forces to tackle ocean plastic in Asia

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Organised crime gangs dumping millions of tonnes of waste in British countryside https://notltd.co.uk/news/organised-crime-gangs-dumping-millions-of-tonnes-of-waste-in-british-countryside/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/organised-crime-gangs-dumping-millions-of-tonnes-of-waste-in-british-countryside/#respond Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:24:13 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=165597 Sophisticated criminal networks are dumping millions of tonnes of waste in the British countryside every year, costing the UK an estimated £1 billion annually, according to a House of Lords inquiry.

House of Lords inquiry warns large-scale fly-tipping costs the UK £1bn a year

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Organised crime gangs dumping millions of tonnes of waste in British countryside

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Sophisticated criminal networks are dumping millions of tonnes of waste in the British countryside every year, costing the UK an estimated £1 billion annually, according to a House of Lords inquiry.

Sophisticated criminal networks are dumping millions of tonnes of waste in the British countryside every year, costing the UK an estimated £1 billion annually, according to a House of Lords inquiry.

The Environment and Climate Change Committee found that large-scale fly-tipping operations are increasingly linked to organised crime groups involved in money laundering, drug trafficking and modern slavery.

The inquiry estimated that around 38 million tonnes of waste are illegally dumped each year — enough to fill Wembley Stadium 35 times — but warned that the true figure may be far higher due to widespread under-reporting.

Committee chair Baroness Sheehan said waste crime had become a “low-risk, high-reward” activity for organised criminals, who operate with “complete impunity” amid weak enforcement and limited resources at the Environment Agency.

One of the worst cases cited in the inquiry involved 15ft-high piles of waste dumped in a Kent woodland, home to endangered nightingales. Despite public reports dating back to 2020, it took four years for regulators to take action.

Residents told peers they feared reprisals for speaking out. Les Bashford, a gamekeeper on the Surrey-Kent border who faces fly-tipping “almost weekly”, said confronting offenders often leads to violence.

“At least 75 per cent of people dumping here are known to the police,” he said. “If you catch them and they’ve already tipped, they’ll do whatever they can to escape.”

The Lords inquiry concluded that the £1bn annual cost of waste crime combines both the public cost of cleaning up sites and the tax revenue lost through unpaid landfill levies and unlicensed disposal operations.

Legitimate waste firms are also losing millions to criminal competitors undercutting them with illegal dumping, the committee said.

Dan Cooke, of the Chartered Institute of Waste Managers, called for tougher enforcement and more consistent national leadership.

“The negative impact this crime imposes on legitimate operators and local economies, alongside the environmental damage it causes, means tackling waste crime must become a government priority,” he said.

Peers urged ministers to launch a dedicated waste crime hotline, a digital tracking system to monitor waste from origin to disposal, and quarterly targets and progress reports for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The committee also recommended a review into whether the landfill tax system was inadvertently fuelling illegal dumping by making lawful disposal prohibitively expensive.

Baroness Sheehan said: “Waste crime is critically under-prioritised despite its significant environmental, economic and social costs. The government must act now — there is no time to waste.”

A Defra spokesperson said the government was already “tightening the net” on waste gangs as part of its Plan for Change.

“We are helping councils to crush fly-tippers’ vans, funding more Environment Agency enforcement officers, and imposing tougher sentences for those who transport waste illegally,” the spokesperson said. “We will carefully consider the recommendations of this report and respond in due course.”

The Lords’ findings add to growing concern about the UK’s waste system, where gaps in enforcement have allowed criminals to profit from illegal dumping while damaging the environment and local communities.

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Organised crime gangs dumping millions of tonnes of waste in British countryside

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From This Life to The Split: rethinking the lawyer’s life – beyond courtroom portrayals https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/from-this-life-to-the-split-rethinking-the-lawyers-life-beyond-courtroom-portrayals/ https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/from-this-life-to-the-split-rethinking-the-lawyers-life-beyond-courtroom-portrayals/#respond Mon, 27 Oct 2025 09:13:30 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=165437 Television dramas have long had a fascination with the legal world. From Rumpole of the Bailey and Kavanagh QC to Silk, The Split, and perhaps most memorably This Life, the profession is often portrayed as a chaotic cocktail of high-stakes cases, late nights, tortured personal relationships, and constant ethical dilemmas.

Television dramas have long had a fascination with the legal world. From Rumpole of the Bailey and Kavanagh QC to Silk, The Split, and perhaps most memorably This Life, the profession is often portrayed as a chaotic cocktail of high-stakes cases, late nights, tortured personal relationships, and constant ethical dilemmas.

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From This Life to The Split: rethinking the lawyer’s life – beyond courtroom portrayals

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Television dramas have long had a fascination with the legal world. From Rumpole of the Bailey and Kavanagh QC to Silk, The Split, and perhaps most memorably This Life, the profession is often portrayed as a chaotic cocktail of high-stakes cases, late nights, tortured personal relationships, and constant ethical dilemmas.

Television dramas have long had a fascination with the legal world. From Rumpole of the Bailey and Kavanagh QC to Silk, The Split, and perhaps most memorably This Life, the profession is often portrayed as a chaotic cocktail of high-stakes cases, late nights, tortured personal relationships, and constant ethical dilemmas.

These portrayals capture the emotional intensity that legal work can bring, but they also create myths. The truth is often more grounded and, importantly for new lawyers and business leaders alike, more sustainable.

This Life and the Truth About Starting Out

Of all the legal dramas, This Life made one of the deepest cultural impressions, particularly on a generation of lawyers entering the profession. First aired in the mid-1990s, the series followed five young solicitors starting their careers while navigating messy relationships, self-doubt, and ambition.

What it got right was the emotional uncertainty that can accompany those early years: the pressure to learn quickly, adapt fast, and prove yourself. But it also portrayed a version of law that was relentless and all-consuming, which doesn’t have to be the case.

Many regional law firms today offer a more measured introduction. Junior lawyers are supported with manageable caseloads, mentoring, and time to grow. It’s possible to start your legal career with balance, not burnout.

My Legal Journey — and the Choice to Work Differently

I grew up in the Cotswolds and trained at BPP Law School in London before qualifying at a London firm. While the experience gave me a strong technical grounding, I realised early on that I wanted a career with more balance. One that wouldn’t demand I sacrifice wellbeing or family life.

I later joined Goughs, a regional firm where I could work on complex legal matters while living in the countryside and raising a family. Over time, I’ve progressed to Partner level, focused on private wealth and estate planning. Work that’s intellectually challenging, commercially significant, and invariably emotionally sensitive.

That level of progression simply wouldn’t have been possible in a large City firm. In many big practices, hierarchy can be rigid, and client access is heavily restricted in the early years. Instead, I was trusted early on with complex matters, encouraged to develop commercial instincts, and supported by senior colleagues who genuinely invested in my growth. It accelerated both my experience and my confidence — not exhaustion.

My work focuses on complex wills, wealth preservation, tax mitigation, estate planning, and agricultural estate matters, often advising high-net-worth individuals on intricate, multi-generational issues. This is serious legal work, with national significance, often encountering emotional weight. Many of the clients I work with have long-standing relationships with the firm, in some cases spanning generations. Families and businesses return to seek advice across many areas of law, from land and property to succession planning, family arrangements, and trusts. That kind of continuity reflects trust and the importance of getting it right over time.

A Career Built for Balance

Where you choose to work shapes more than just your career — it influences your wellbeing, your values, and your long-term resilience. I work hard, but not at the expense of what matters most. I have time with my young children, time outdoors in a natural, healthy environment, and space to decompress and reflect.

This lifestyle brings clarity, energy, and perspective, the opposite of the stress and fragmentation that often comes with city living. It’s a life I’ve chosen intentionally, and one that Goughs has supported every step of the way.

The Role of Meditation in Professional Resilience

Meditation is another essential tenet of my daily life, and one that I believe plays a powerful role in long-term professional resilience. I practise Transcendental Meditation (TM), a method developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and more recently championed by film director David Lynch.

Each day, I rise at 5am and begin with Wim Hof breathing exercises, followed by 20 minutes of TM. I repeat the practice again in the evening, creating two points of stillness and clarity within otherwise busy days. In TM, a mantra is used to maintain focus and presence during meditation. This practice fills me with calmness, confidence, and self-assurance, qualities that are vital in legal work, especially when navigating emotionally charged or high-value matters.

I was introduced to TM by my father-in-law, a very senior business leader who attributes much of his success to the discipline and clarity meditation brought him. It’s a practice that I believe has immense potential within the professional world. TM trainers offer corporate programmes, and I think workplaces should consider meditation not as a ‘wellness perk’ but as a strategic investment in performance and resilience.

Lessons for Business Leaders: Managing Pressure Without Sacrificing People

The pressures commonly associated with the legal profession—such as long hours, high expectations, and complex client dynamics—are not unique to our sector. Many business leaders will recognise the same stress points in their own teams.

Three patterns in particular that stand out and need to be mitigated are:

  • Burnout: Professionals juggling deadlines, client demands, and performance metrics often push too far, for too long.
  • Perfectionism: The need for precision, particularly in regulated sectors, can create a culture of anxiety and overworking.
  • Imposter Syndrome: Even high-performing individuals can struggle with self-doubt, a silent but potent source of stress.

These issues aren’t inevitable. They can be designed to be prevented with the right culture and leadership.

What Healthy Culture Looks Like

In my experience, people thrive when mental health is taken seriously, not as an add-on, but as a core part of how the organisation functions. That means having systems, support, and leadership that recognises people as people, not just productivity units.

When wellbeing is embedded, not performative, it builds trust. That trust shows up in better retention, stronger teams, and more open conversations.

What the Modern Law Firm Can Teach Every Business

Whether you’re running a legal team, a creative agency, or a tech startup, the modern workplace requires smarter leadership. Here are four takeaways from how the legal profession is evolving:

  • Prioritise structure and culture over optics
    Don’t be fooled by appearances — the slickest offices or biggest names don’t always deliver the best outcomes, for staff or clients. Sustainable performance comes from clarity, fairness, and internal trust.
  • Normalise mental health conversations
    Don’t wait for a crisis. Invest in systems, people, and leadership practices that keep wellbeing on the radar every day. Cultural change starts with consistent visibility, not one-off gestures.
  • Reward people based on impact, not hours
    Clients don’t care how long someone sat at their desk; they care whether their problem was solved. Smart leaders measure outcomes, not presenteeism.
  • Encourage autonomy
    People do their best work when trusted to shape their careers and manage their own balance. The most resilient professionals aren’t micromanaged; they’re supported and empowered.

Advice to New Lawyers or Anyone Starting Out or Again

Whether you’re qualifying into law, changing sectors, starting a new business, or just beginning your career, remember: your environment matters.

Look for a workplace or make sure to develop a workplace that:

  • Supports your development through structure and mentorship
  • Values wellbeing alongside performance
  • Encourages balance rather than celebrating burnout
  • Invests in you as a whole person, not just your hours

You don’t have to replicate This Life’s chaos to succeed in law, or any profession.

Phillip Bolton is a Partner at Goughs Solicitors, Head of the Private Wealth Team, Deputy Head of the Private Client Department, and leads the firm’s Corsham office. He is a Legal 500–recommended lawyer with a focus on complex wealth, estate, and tax planning for high-net-worth individuals and family businesses.

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From This Life to The Split: rethinking the lawyer’s life – beyond courtroom portrayals

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The cloud engine behind scale: why Oracle NetSuite can super-power your business https://notltd.co.uk/tools-tech/oracle-netsuite-supercharge-business-meri-meri-petlab-co-case-study/ https://notltd.co.uk/tools-tech/oracle-netsuite-supercharge-business-meri-meri-petlab-co-case-study/#respond Sat, 25 Oct 2025 18:29:05 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=165428 From handcrafted partyware to science-backed pet supplements, few firms look less alike than Meri Meri and PetLab Co.

Two leaders—Meri Meri and PetLab Co.—explain how Oracle NetSuite cut month-end by 80%, slashed tickets and unlocked nine-figure growth without extra headcount.

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The cloud engine behind scale: why Oracle NetSuite can super-power your business

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From handcrafted partyware to science-backed pet supplements, few firms look less alike than Meri Meri and PetLab Co.

From handcrafted partyware to science-backed pet supplements, few firms look less alike than Meri Meri and PetLab Co. Yet they share a single, telling decision that has transformed how they work: both built their next phase of growth on Oracle NetSuite.

In separate conversations, Meri Meri’s managing director, Paul Cripps, and PetLab Co.’s chief financial officer, Tony Morreale, described, in unvarnished terms, what happens when a high-growth company ditches a patchwork of systems for a cloud ERP that acts as the business’s command centre.

Cripps arrived at Meri Meri—a San Francisco-registered, UK-run design house whose seasonal launches light up kitchen tables from London to Reno—mid-pandemic. He found a company with enviable creativity and a back office straining at the seams. Shopify, Amazon, B2B portals and a constellation of 3PLs all fed a heavily customised legacy ERP. The plumbing never quite held. Reports froze. Orders jammed in queues. “Every day there was an issue,” he says. “If a report ran, people made coffee while it locked up.” Decision-making slowed to the speed of a spinning progress wheel. In a global business that designs Christmas two years out and ships to two continents, uncertainty is more than an annoyance; it is drag.

Meri Meri faced a familiar crossroads: pay handsomely to re-implement an ageing system already papered over with one-off fixes, or start again with something built for best practice in the cloud. Cripps had implemented ERPs before. This time, NetSuite’s appeal was less about bells and whistles than about discipline. “Don’t try to make NetSuite fit your business—change your processes to match best practice,” he says. The company adopted OneWorld to reconcile a UK-led, US-registered structure and kept customisation to a minimum. The implementation took two and a half years in calendar terms, not because of complexity but because the company only had one safe cutover window—April to June—each year. A sandbox went up quickly; teams prodded, tested and suggested changes; and when the switch was finally thrown mid-May, something unusual happened: the noise stopped.

What changed first was the rhythm of the day. Under the old set-up, the Reno distribution centre opened before dawn and then waited for someone, somewhere, to release orders. Under NetSuite, Shopify purchases appeared in the ERP within about half a minute, hit the DC pick list moments later and were being packed inside five minutes. The pendulum swung from frustration to speed so quickly that customers began emailing ten minutes after checkout asking to amend orders already sealed in boxes. Cripps’s measure of success was delightfully un-technical. “By the end of June, it was almost like we’d never been without it,” he says. The floor went quiet. Exceptions evaporated. Customer service tickets, once counted in the hundreds each week, fell to a handful of genuine user mistakes. Overtime all but disappeared. The team that had been firefighting became, once again, a team.

The financial consequences are easy to miss because they creep in through absence: no overtime, no backfills, no morning queues, no costly consultants to unpick brittle integrations. Meri Meri’s headcount drifted down from the mid-nineties to around eighty through natural attrition, even as revenue climbed by more than a fifth. Finance shrank without drama; the warehouse moved from two shifts to one and a half. Against the cost of a modern cloud ERP, those avoided hires alone turn into a six-figure annual saving—before you count the opportunity value of moving faster.

If Meri Meri’s story is one of a creative manufacturer rediscovering flow, PetLab Co. offers the CFO’s view of a scale-up growing from start-up reflexes into institutional reliability. The London-founded, US-focused pet wellness brand launched in 2018 and rode a wave of direct-to-consumer demand. When Morreale arrived, the finance stack—perfectly reasonable for an early-stage business—had become a brake. Month-end stretched to four weeks. Multi-entity consolidation was clumsy. Inventory insight at SKU level was elusive. “I’ve implemented NetSuite three times,” he says. “For a business a couple of years into its journey, it’s the right breadth at the right price.”

PetLab’s implementation in 2021 coincided with a professionalising of its operating cadence. NetSuite automated bank reconciliations, turned month-end into a matter of days and finally delivered the granularity to answer the questions a scaled consumer brand must answer: which SKUs make money, in which channels, and how does that change with tariffs, packaging costs and shifting fulfilment footprints? The company mapped its five US warehouses directly in NetSuite, reconciled physical stock against system positions and moved beyond “never stock out” as a mantra to something more useful: never be surprised. When US-China packaging costs bit, the team modelled the SKU-level impact and shifted to Vietnam, tracking margin effects from the general ledger to the pallet.

The knock-on effects are cultural as much as financial. Morreale’s team of eleven has not grown, even as revenue surged from around $70 million to well north of $200 million. Automation has not hollowed out the department; it has lifted it. The repetitive is handled by machines; people move up the value chain. That, in turn, changes how outsiders see the company. In the bootstrapped years, PetLab built credibility with HSBC by sharing NetSuite-derived forecasts fortnightly. When private equity arrived to take a majority stake in 2025, diligence advisers described the numbers as “robust”. It is a small phrase that carries weight. Investors fund what they can trust. Trust starts with auditable, real-time data.

Both leaders are practical about artificial intelligence. Neither is chasing chatty front-ends for their own sake. At Meri Meri, AI already sits inside demand-planning via Netstock and will increasingly draft customer-service replies and surface cross-regional trends—California versus Florida, north-south seasonality, the subtle ways Halloween plays differently in the UK and US—so humans can spend their time on judgement, not retrieval. “AI won’t design our products,” Cripps says. “But it will buy back hours across the business. If you don’t embrace it, you’ll be left behind.” At PetLab, the lure is scenario planning that actually fits how a finance team works, with natural-language prompts and explainable outputs; until then, NetSuite’s core gets them most of the way.

In the end, the case for NetSuite here is not framed in the glossy language of digital transformation. It is disarmingly plain. If your warehouse waits for the system rather than the system serving the warehouse; if month-end bleeds into a third or fourth week; if customer service has become an exceptions desk; if you cannot answer a SKU-level margin question in the time it takes to walk to a meeting, you are not simply inefficient—you are throttling your ability to grow. What Cripps and Morreale reveal, each from different industries and instincts, is that a modern ERP is less a software purchase than a managerial choice. It is a decision to run on standard processes, to measure silence as a KPI, and to treat reliable numbers as a strategic asset.

“By the end of the first six weeks, it was like we’d never been without it,” says Cripps. Morreale offers the CFO’s version: same team, roughly triple the revenue, with banks and buyers leaning in rather than looking away. For ambitious businesses wondering whether the ceiling they feel is real, the lesson is simple. A stitched-together stack adds people to chase problems. A single cloud backbone compounds growth—with confidence.

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The cloud engine behind scale: why Oracle NetSuite can super-power your business

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 The Upside and Downside of Leverage: InoQuant Reviews This Tool https://notltd.co.uk/uncategorized/the-upside-and-downside-of-leverage-inoquant-reviews-this-tool/ https://notltd.co.uk/uncategorized/the-upside-and-downside-of-leverage-inoquant-reviews-this-tool/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2025 23:24:46 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=165325 Day trading futures involves buying and selling futures contracts within the same trading day, aiming to capitalize on short-term market movements.

Leverage is one of the most misunderstood features in trading. It is advertised as a shortcut to bigger profits, yet it is equally capable of wiping accounts in minutes.

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 The Upside and Downside of Leverage: InoQuant Reviews This Tool

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Day trading futures involves buying and selling futures contracts within the same trading day, aiming to capitalize on short-term market movements.

Leverage is one of the most misunderstood features in trading. It is advertised as a shortcut to bigger profits, yet it is equally capable of wiping accounts in minutes.

InoQuant analysts describe leverage as a force multiplier rather than a guarantee. It amplifies ability, not intelligence. Used well, it can free capital and speed up growth. Used poorly, it turns small mistakes into major setbacks.

Why Leverage Is So Appealing

The biggest advantage of leverage is efficiency. With it, traders can access larger positions without committing their full capital. A trader with 1,000 dollars might control a 10,000 dollar trade using 10x leverage. If the move goes in their favor, the profit reflects the larger exposure, not the smaller deposit. In faster-moving markets such as crypto or gold, that ability can be powerful.

Leverage also allows diversification. Rather than locking all capital into one large trade, traders can spread it across several ideas while still maintaining meaningful exposure. InoQuant notes that some professional desks use leverage not for aggression but for flexibility. They size trades based on risk rather than wallet balance.

Where Leverage Turns Against You

The danger lies in speed. A small move against a heavily leveraged position can trigger forced liquidation before a trader even has time to react. What would have been a minor dip without leverage becomes a complete wipe with it. Crypto markets provide endless examples. Bitcoin often moves 2 to 3 percent within a single hour. At 50x leverage, that swing is catastrophic.

InoQuant analysts warn that current market conditions make blind leverage even riskier. Liquidity is uneven across assets, meaning prices can jump abruptly when large players enter or exit. Events like economic reports or exchange updates can trigger unpredictable spikes. Leverage magnifies that unpredictability, turning volatility into chaos.

Even when the initial trade is correct, emotions can distort judgment. Traders who score a fast gain on leverage often feel invincible and increase their size recklessly. The second loss usually erases the first win and more.

Using Leverage Without Losing Control

Responsible leverage is less about how high the number is and more about how precise the plan is. InoQuant recommends thinking in terms of exposure rather than multiplier. Instead of saying “I am using 20x leverage”, ask “How much of my account will I lose if the price drops 1 percent?”. That mindset shifts focus from potential gain to realistic damage.

Another practical approach is to use leverage only on trades with clearly defined exit levels. If the invalidation point is vague, leverage has no business being involved. Many professionals reduce size during major news events and increase only when markets settle. Patience becomes a shield.

Bottom Line

Leverage is neither good nor bad. It is a tool that magnifies both discipline and recklessness. Some experts view it as a privilege that must be earned through structure and restraint. The real skill lies not in how much leverage you can handle when things go right, but how little is needed to stay alive when things go wrong.

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 The Upside and Downside of Leverage: InoQuant Reviews This Tool

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Labour urged to reconsider scrapping youth minimum wage rates as ‘Neet’ numbers near 1 million https://notltd.co.uk/news/labour-urged-rethink-youth-wage-scrapping-neet-crisis-employment/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/labour-urged-rethink-youth-wage-scrapping-neet-crisis-employment/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:26:43 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=165240 Labour is facing calls to rethink its manifesto pledge to abolish lower minimum wage rates for young workers amid warnings that nearly one million 16- to 24-year-olds are now out of education, employment or training.

Thinktank warns equalising minimum wage could price young people out of work as Neet levels surge towards 1 million in the UK.

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Labour urged to reconsider scrapping youth minimum wage rates as ‘Neet’ numbers near 1 million

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Labour is facing calls to rethink its manifesto pledge to abolish lower minimum wage rates for young workers amid warnings that nearly one million 16- to 24-year-olds are now out of education, employment or training.

Labour is facing calls to rethink its manifesto pledge to abolish lower minimum wage rates for young workers amid warnings that nearly one million 16- to 24-year-olds are now out of education, employment or training.

A new report from the Resolution Foundation shows that the number of so-called “Neets” has surged by 195,000 in the past two years, reaching 940,000 — the highest level in more than a decade and on track to exceed 1 million for the first time since 2012.

The thinktank argues that scrapping youth minimum wage tiers could risk “pricing out” young people from entry-level roles at a time when employers are already scaling back hiring due to rising labour costs.

Labour’s election manifesto committed to ending what it described as “discriminatory” lower pay bands for workers under 21. The process began in April when Chancellor Rachel Reeves implemented a 16.3% rise in the minimum wage for 18- to 20-year-olds, lifting it to £10 an hour — well above the 6.7% increase for workers aged 21 and over, now paid £12.21.

However, the Resolution Foundation warns further convergence could push businesses to reduce hiring or prefer older candidates with more experience, particularly during economic uncertainty.

“Any increases in the rates would need to be especially cautiously considered in the current economic environment to prevent young people from being priced out of entry into the labour market,” the report said.

The report also highlights a shift in the reasons young people are becoming Neet. Ill health and disability have become increasingly prominent factors, with over 25% of young Neets now inactive due to sickness — more than double the rate in 2005.

Once driven largely by caring responsibilities, particularly among young women, unemployment is now the leading cause of young people disengaging from work or study across both genders.

Business groups have cautioned that recent policy changes have increased hiring costs, citing Reeves’s £25bn increase in employer National Insurance contributions in last year’s Autumn Budget, rising minimum wages and expanded employment protections.

They argue that further mandated wage increases for young workers could reduce apprenticeship and trainee opportunities at a time when employers are becoming more selective.

In response to growing alarm over the labour market fallout, Reeves recently announced a new “youth guarantee” at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, promising every young person access to education, skills training or employment support.

The government is also piloting “trailblazer” employment schemes in eight English mayoral regions to better connect young people to work and training.

Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said stronger interventions were urgently required:

“Otherwise, we risk a cohort of young people slipping through the cracks into a lifetime of lower living standards.”

A government spokesperson defended its policy direction, stating: “By strengthening the national living and minimum wage for 3 million workers across all age bands, we aim to support business growth through reduced staff turnover and higher productivity.”

With youth disengagement climbing and employers warning of cost pressures, Labour faces a policy crossroads: proceed with full wage equalisation, risking job losses — or reassess its approach to ensure wage growth is matched by expanded entry-level opportunities.

The balance it strikes could shape the youth labour market for a generation.

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Labour urged to reconsider scrapping youth minimum wage rates as ‘Neet’ numbers near 1 million

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Welsh steel firm wins £1.1m Ukraine bridge contract to support post-war reconstruction https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/welsh-pro-steel-ukraine-reconstruction-bridge-contract-export-finance/ https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/welsh-pro-steel-ukraine-reconstruction-bridge-contract-export-finance/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2025 10:58:04 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=165236 A Welsh steel engineering company has secured a £1.1 million international contract to support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, providing a significant boost to the UK’s export manufacturing sector.

Pro Steel Engineering wins £1.1m contract to supply girders for a war-damaged Ukrainian bridge, showcasing Welsh manufacturing on the global stage.

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Welsh steel firm wins £1.1m Ukraine bridge contract to support post-war reconstruction

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A Welsh steel engineering company has secured a £1.1 million international contract to support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, providing a significant boost to the UK’s export manufacturing sector.

A Welsh steel engineering company has secured a £1.1 million international contract to support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, providing a significant boost to the UK’s export manufacturing sector.

Pontypool-based Pro Steel Engineering has been awarded the deal by construction giant ONUR Group to manufacture 200 tonnes of steel girders for a bridge near Kyiv that was destroyed during the war with Russia. Production will take place in South Wales, with the girders set to be transported to Ukraine for installation in the new year.

The contract follows a 2.5-year competitive tender process and marks the company’s first major project backed by UK Export Finance (UKEF). It is expected to create two new jobs and reinforces the firm’s reputation for meeting complex international engineering standards, including stringent Ukrainian welding requirements.

Richard Selby, (pictured above with Carmel Gahan of the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme) Managing Director at Pro Steel Engineering, said the project carries major emotional and strategic significance: “Winning this contract is a source of immense pride for our entire team. To know that our work will contribute to rebuilding critical infrastructure in Ukraine and help communities reconnect is deeply meaningful to all of us.”

He praised the support offered by the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP), which has helped the business expand since its founding in 2012. The company currently employs 35 staff and generates annual revenues of around £17 million.

Lucy Jones, Operations Manager for the AGP, said the deal demonstrated the competitiveness of Welsh engineering on the world stage.

“Pro Steel’s success highlights the strength and innovation of Welsh manufacturing. Their ability to meet demanding international standards and secure this contract through UK Export Finance shows the calibre of businesses we have here in Wales.”

The project is symbolic of the UK’s wider commitment to supporting Ukraine’s rebuilding efforts, as British firms increasingly engage in post-conflict reconstruction work across transport, infrastructure and energy networks.

For Pro Steel, the contract signals a new phase of international growth, leveraging specialist skills in heavy structural steelwork for bridges, stadia and industrial projects.

The bridge project, once completed, will help restore vital transport links for Ukrainian communities and serve as a high-profile case study for Welsh and UK manufacturing expertise in global infrastructure rebuilding.

With work beginning immediately and deliveries planned in early 2026, the deal underlines how regional UK engineering firms are contributing to both humanitarian recovery and industrial competitiveness overseas.

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Welsh steel firm wins £1.1m Ukraine bridge contract to support post-war reconstruction

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The Open University and NatWest launch £50,000 ‘Open Business Creators Fund’ to empower women entrepreneurs https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/open-university-natwest-open-business-creators-fund/ https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/open-university-natwest-open-business-creators-fund/#respond Mon, 13 Oct 2025 15:21:48 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164857 The Open University (OU) has joined forces with NatWest and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to relaunch the Open Business Creators Fund, a nationwide initiative offering early-stage women entrepreneurs financial support, mentoring, and access to training resources.

The Open University, NatWest, and the DWP have launched the £50,000 Open Business Creators Fund, offering grants, training, and mentorship to help women across the UK build and grow their own businesses.

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The Open University and NatWest launch £50,000 ‘Open Business Creators Fund’ to empower women entrepreneurs

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The Open University (OU) has joined forces with NatWest and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to relaunch the Open Business Creators Fund, a nationwide initiative offering early-stage women entrepreneurs financial support, mentoring, and access to training resources.

The Open University (OU) has joined forces with NatWest and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to relaunch the Open Business Creators Fund, a nationwide initiative offering early-stage women entrepreneurs financial support, mentoring, and access to training resources.

Launched in a video message by Baroness Martha Lane Fox, Chancellor of The Open University, the competition offers individual grants of up to £2,500, backed by £50,000 in sponsorship from NatWest.

The fund is open to women and those who identify as women aged 16 and over living anywhere in the UK, and is aimed at supporting those in the idea or early stages of starting a business.

“This is more than a competition – it’s a launchpad for women entrepreneurs,” said Chaitali Patel, Head of Prospects at The Open University. “With the support of our Validate platform, every applicant leaves with a stronger, clearer business concept and the confidence to take it forward.”

A learning-led approach to entrepreneurship

What sets this initiative apart is that every applicant is guided through the OU’s Validate business development platform — an interactive tool that helps users refine and test their business ideas.

Validate walks participants through identifying customer needs, developing value propositions, understanding key partners and resources, and producing a professional business portfolio. The completed portfolio then forms part of the fund application, meaning even those who don’t secure a grant gain practical skills and a tangible business plan.

The initiative builds on The Open University’s long-standing commitment to inclusive, accessible entrepreneurship, helping remove the barriers often faced by women, people of colour, and those from lower-income backgrounds when starting out in business.

Alongside the funding competition, the OU and NatWest will host a three-part webinar series across October and November — free and open to all — designed to inspire and equip new founders with practical skills.

The series, themed around Confidence, Capabilities, and Connections, features high-profile entrepreneurs, academics, and industry mentors:

Webinar 1: Confidence – Tuesday, 21 October (12:00–13:00)

Mags Byrne, Entrepreneur in Residence at The Open University, and Stef Genesis, a pioneer in the esports industry, will share their journeys. OU Business School’s Liz Moody will lead a hands-on workshop to help participants refine and strengthen business ideas.

Webinar 2: Capabilities – Wednesday, 5 November (12:00–13:00)

Ronke Maye, founder of Ronke Maye Ltd, will discuss audience engagement and relationship-building, followed by NatWest experts on managing costs and projecting revenue.

Webinar 3: Connections – Tuesday, 18 November (19:00–20:00)

A dynamic panel featuring Soyna Barlow, Justice Williams, Claudine Reid MBE, and OU Entrepreneur in Residence Russell Dalgleish will explore networking, visibility, and collaboration.

Anyone can register for the webinars through the Open Business Creators website.

Applications open until 21 November

To apply, participants must complete their Validate portfolio and submit it via the Open Business Creators entry formby midnight on Friday, 21 November 2025. Winners will be announced on 19 December 2025.

The competition provides more than just funding — it’s designed to foster a sense of community among new founders, connecting them with role models and professional networks through NatWest’s Enterprise team and The Open University’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Patel added that the initiative represents a broader push to democratise access to entrepreneurship: “Everyone should have the chance to turn an idea into a viable business — not just those with existing networks or resources. This fund is about levelling the playing field.”

The fund’s return comes at a time of rising interest in female entrepreneurship, with women starting businesses at faster rates than ever before but still facing significant disparities in funding access.

By combining NatWest’s business expertise with the OU’s education and mentoring framework, the partnership aims to support women from all backgrounds to build sustainable, scalable ventures — and, in turn, boost the UK’s entrepreneurial landscape.

To learn more and apply, visit: Open Business Creators Fund

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The Open University and NatWest launch £50,000 ‘Open Business Creators Fund’ to empower women entrepreneurs

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JPMorgan Chase named world’s most AI-advanced bank for third consecutive year https://notltd.co.uk/news/jpmorgan-chase-leads-ai-banking-race-evident-ai-index-2025/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/jpmorgan-chase-leads-ai-banking-race-evident-ai-index-2025/#respond Wed, 08 Oct 2025 09:38:21 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164688 JPMorgan Chase has maintained its position as the world’s most AI-advanced bank, according to the 2025 Evident AI Index, which benchmarks the artificial intelligence maturity of 50 global financial institutions.

JPMorgan Chase has been named the world’s most AI-advanced bank for a third year running, leading the 2025 Evident AI Index. UK lenders HSBC and Lloyds improved their positions but continue to trail US rivals on AI talent.

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JPMorgan Chase named world’s most AI-advanced bank for third consecutive year

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JPMorgan Chase has maintained its position as the world’s most AI-advanced bank, according to the 2025 Evident AI Index, which benchmarks the artificial intelligence maturity of 50 global financial institutions.

JPMorgan Chase has maintained its position as the world’s most AI-advanced bank, according to the 2025 Evident AI Index, which benchmarks the artificial intelligence maturity of 50 global financial institutions.

The US banking giant, led by CEO Jamie Dimon, retained the top spot for the third consecutive year, ranking first in three of four AI capability pillars — Innovation, Leadership and Transparency. Fellow US lender Capital One placed second, continuing to lead the field in AI Talent, while Royal Bank of Canada ranked third.

The index, produced annually by Evident, evaluates banks’ AI performance using more than 70 indicators drawn from millions of data points. Its findings show that the top 10 banks are improving their AI maturity 2.3 times faster year-on-year than the rest of the field, as early investments begin to generate tangible financial returns.

According to Evident, banks are increasingly seeing measurable results from AI integration across operations, risk management and customer services. Eight major lenders now report group-level ROI estimates for their AI portfolios — though no UK banks have yet made such disclosures.

JPMorgan Chase, which leads globally in AI deployment, recently raised its projection of annual AI-driven benefits to “heading towards $2 billion”, up from $1 billion last year.

Alexandra Mousavizadeh, co-founder and CEO of Evident, said banking was “one of the most advanced and competitive industries on the planet” when it comes to AI implementation.

“We’re beginning to see clear signs that AI investment is starting to translate into tangible financial gains,” Mousavizadeh said. “The banks in our top 10 are in pole position to see their efforts come to fruition.”

The global top 10 banks for AI maturity

According to Evident’s 2025 rankings, the leading banks for AI adoption are:

Rank Bank Change (vs 2024)
1 JPMorgan Chase –
2 Capital One –
3 Royal Bank of Canada –
4 Commonwealth Bank of Australia +1
5 Morgan Stanley +5
6 Wells Fargo -2
7 UBS -1
8 HSBC -1
9 Goldman Sachs +2
10 Bank of America +5

The index shows an increasing dominance of US-headquartered institutions, though Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), UBS, and HSBC remain the top performers in their respective domestic markets.

UK banks climb the rankings but lag on AI talent

The UK’s five major banks showed a strong overall performance in 2025, with four out of five ranking in the top half of the index and three advancing their position from last year. However, no UK bank placed in the global top 10 for AI talent, highlighting a continued skills gap.

HSBC retained its status as the UK’s top-performing bank, ranking eighth overall. Despite minor declines in the leadership and transparency pillars, it recorded gains in innovation and talent.

Lloyds Banking Group delivered the most dramatic improvement of any British bank, climbing 12 places to 15th, driven by major advances across all four AI capability pillars. The bank has established a centralised AI team, accelerated AI hiring, and launched large-scale projects including Athena, its first generative AI platform, and a patented Global Correlation Engine for cybersecurity, which has reduced false positives by 92%.

Mousavizadeh said Lloyds’ rise reflected “a significant mindset shift,” with the bank now “sharing more details of its active use cases and long-term plans.”

The number of banks publicly disclosing AI use cases has doubled in the past year, rising from 12 to 25 institutions. A total of 32 banks have now reported at least one AI use case with a measurable financial or operational impact.

Annabel Ayles, co-founder and co-CEO of Evident, said 2025 would likely mark the inflection point for measurable returns: “All banks — regardless of size — are increasing their AI budgets, and our data shows virtually every key metric of AI adoption rising,” Ayles said. “Banking leaders expect to see reportable AI returns in the next 12 to 18 months. The question now is: how big will they be?”

While nearly every bank in the index improved its AI performance, Evident warns of growing “bifurcation in AI maturity” between leaders and laggards. Banks that fail to keep pace risk losing credibility with boards, investors and regulators, and may struggle to attract top AI talent — creating a “compounding disadvantage” in deployment and innovation.

The top 10 banks are now setting the pace for the rest of the sector, as their early AI investments begin translating into efficiency gains, risk reduction and new revenue streams.

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JPMorgan Chase named world’s most AI-advanced bank for third consecutive year

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FCA unveils £9bn compensation scheme for car finance scandal victims https://notltd.co.uk/news/fca-car-loan-compensation-scheme-700-average-payout/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/fca-car-loan-compensation-scheme-700-average-payout/#respond Tue, 07 Oct 2025 17:56:38 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164656 Millions of motorists mis-sold car finance deals could receive average payouts of around £700, under a compensation scheme announced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on Tuesday.

The FCA has unveiled plans for a £9bn compensation scheme covering 14 million car finance deals mis-sold through discretionary commission arrangements. Average payouts are expected to be £700 per driver, with redress starting next year.

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FCA unveils £9bn compensation scheme for car finance scandal victims

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Millions of motorists mis-sold car finance deals could receive average payouts of around £700, under a compensation scheme announced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on Tuesday.

Millions of motorists mis-sold car finance deals could receive average payouts of around £700, under a compensation scheme announced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on Tuesday.

The regulator estimates that 14 million finance agreements between April 2007 and November 2024 were affected by unfair commission practices, leading to an expected £8.2 billion in redress and a potential £11 billion total bill once administrative costs are included.

The scheme, which will cover loans issued through so-called discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs), is set to become the largest financial redress programme since the PPI mis-selling scandal, when 34 million consumers received average payouts of £1,000 each.

The investigation centres on discretionary commission arrangements, a type of car finance deal banned in 2021. Under these arrangements, lenders gave car dealers the power to set customer interest rates, rewarding them with higher commissions for charging more — a structure the FCA said “incentivised overcharging” and breached fair treatment rules.

The regulator believes 44% of all car loans issued since 2007 included these unfair commission structures. Some consumers may be eligible for multiple payments if they financed more than one vehicle during the period.

“Many motor finance lenders did not comply with the law or the rules,” said Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the FCA. “It’s time their customers get fair compensation. Our scheme aims to be simple for people to use and lenders to implement.”

The average payout per agreement is expected to be about £700, although the FCA said amounts will vary depending on loan size, interest rate and the time elapsed since overpayment.

The regulator previously indicated that most payouts would be below £950. The latest estimate reflects a narrower scope following an August Supreme Court ruling, which limited the number of eligible cases but did not halt the FCA’s independent investigation.

Compensation will include interest based on the Bank of England base rate plus 1%, applied from the date of overpayment to the date of redress.

Analysts said the scheme could rival the PPI compensation wave in both cost and scale. Around 650,000 new motor finance agreements are signed each year in the UK, the majority structured as personal contract purchase (PCP) or hire purchase (HP) deals.

The FCA said affected consumers should start receiving payments from next year, and pledged to run a national awareness campaign when the scheme goes live.

Customers who have already made complaints about discretionary commission arrangements will have their cases prioritised, while those who have previously been compensated will be excluded.

Consumer law firm Bott and Co, which has represented thousands of claimants in the car finance scandal, welcomed the FCA’s announcement but raised concerns about payout levels.

“The average payout figure of £700 raises serious questions about whether the scale of redress will match the severity of wrongdoing,” the firm said.

“The true measure of success will be whether it delivers meaningful compensation that reflects the real financial harm suffered by consumers.”

Bott and Co said the proposed scheme was a “significant step toward redress”, but warned that lenders must not be allowed to delay or limit payments through complex eligibility challenges.

The FCA’s consultation period will determine the final structure of the scheme, with implementation expected in 2025.

While the regulator said its figures remain “highly indicative and subject to change”, the £9bn–£11bn cost would make the car finance redress programme one of the largest in UK history.

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FCA unveils £9bn compensation scheme for car finance scandal victims

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BERO brews international growth with Oracle NetSuite’s AI-powered business suite https://notltd.co.uk/tools-tech/bero-brews-international-growth-oracle-netsuite/ https://notltd.co.uk/tools-tech/bero-brews-international-growth-oracle-netsuite/#respond Tue, 07 Oct 2025 17:43:33 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164653 BERO, the fast-growing premium non-alcoholic beer brand, has adopted Oracle NetSuite to streamline operations, improve financial visibility, and scale its business internationally.

Premium non-alcoholic beer brand BERO has partnered with Oracle NetSuite to scale operations, automate reporting and expand internationally. Founded by Tom Holland and John Herman, the brand uses NetSuite’s AI-powered ERP to drive growth across the US and UK.

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BERO brews international growth with Oracle NetSuite’s AI-powered business suite

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BERO, the fast-growing premium non-alcoholic beer brand, has adopted Oracle NetSuite to streamline operations, improve financial visibility, and scale its business internationally.

BERO, the fast-growing premium non-alcoholic beer brand, has adopted Oracle NetSuite to streamline operations, improve financial visibility, and scale its business internationally.

The AI-powered cloud ERP platform is helping the company increase efficiency, automate key processes, and build a strong foundation for global growth.

Founded in 2024 by actor Tom Holland and beverage industry veteran John Herman, BERO has rapidly expanded across the US and UK, selling four unique beers both direct-to-consumer online and through major retailers including Target, Amazon, Sprouts, and Total Wine.

Before launching publicly, BERO implemented NetSuite’s cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with the support of NetSuite Solution Provider Luxent. The company said the platform has enabled it to meet rising demand and simplify operations across its growing distribution network.

“From day one, we knew we needed a flexible system that could grow with our business and immediately enable efficiency,” said John Herman, co-founder and CEO of BERO (pictured at SuiteWorld). “With NetSuite, we maintain real-time insight across financial and operational layers while automating admin tasks so our team can focus on strategic growth.”

Senior Vice President of Operations Neha Soi led the implementation, ensuring that BERO’s back-end systems were built for scalability from the outset.

NetSuite has helped BERO automate and integrate financial, order fulfilment, and supply chain processes, expediting workflows and improving data accuracy.

By linking sales, transportation management and order fulfilment, BERO can now process orders in under 15 minutes, while automated financial reporting ensures real-time insights. The platform’s global management tool, NetSuite OneWorld, allows BERO to manage multi-currency transactions and integrate new subsidiaries seamlessly as it expands internationally.

The result is that BERO has reduced its monthly financial close from up to 15 days to just 3–5 days, significantly improving operational agility.

Evan Goldberg, founder and executive vice president at Oracle NetSuite, said BERO’s use of NetSuite demonstrates how strong technology foundations can accelerate success in fast-evolving consumer markets.

“From the outset, BERO recognised the importance of a strong technology foundation to scale successfully and respond swiftly to market demands,” Goldberg said. “Our unified suite makes it easy to take advantage of the latest cloud and AI innovations to keep up with its evolving needs.”

The partnership comes amid continued expansion in the non-alcoholic drinks market, as consumers increasingly prioritise balance, wellness and premium flavour experiences.

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BERO brews international growth with Oracle NetSuite’s AI-powered business suite

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NetSuite & BILL partner to accelerate AI-powered accounts payable automation https://notltd.co.uk/tools-tech/netsuite-bill-partner-to-accelerate-ai-powered-accounts-payable-automation/ https://notltd.co.uk/tools-tech/netsuite-bill-partner-to-accelerate-ai-powered-accounts-payable-automation/#respond Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:59:04 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164645 Oracle NetSuite, has announced the formation of a new strategic partnership with BILL, the intelligent finance platform used by more than half a million businesses, to transform how companies manage accounts payable.

Oracle NetSuite has teamed up with BILL to streamline accounts payable through AI-powered payment automation. The partnership helps US businesses make faster, more secure, and flexible payments directly within NetSuite’s cloud ERP system.

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NetSuite & BILL partner to accelerate AI-powered accounts payable automation

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Oracle NetSuite, has announced the formation of a new strategic partnership with BILL, the intelligent finance platform used by more than half a million businesses, to transform how companies manage accounts payable.

Oracle NetSuite, has announced the formation of a new strategic partnership with BILL, the intelligent finance platform used by more than half a million businesses, to transform how companies manage accounts payable.

The collaboration introduces BILL-powered payment automation embedded directly within NetSuite Intelligent Payment Automation, enabling US customers to make fast, secure, and flexible vendor payments without leaving the platform.

“Accounts payable plays an important role in helping organizations manage cash flow, control costs, and build stronger vendor relationships,” said Evan Goldberg, founder and executive vice president of Oracle NetSuite. “Our partnership with BILL will allow customers to optimize payment processes within NetSuite and extend the value of our AI-powered payment automation offering.”

Embedded AI-driven payments for speed, security and efficiency

The new feature allows customers to start making payments within minutes of activation, supporting all US banks and leveraging BILL’s extensive network of over eight million connected businesses.

With advanced AI capabilities, real-time synchronization, and a fully embedded design, NetSuite Intelligent Payment Automation helps users capture and pay bills, manage payment runs, and reconcile accounts all in one place — eliminating the need for external tools or manual data transfer.

Security remains a central focus. The integration incorporates advanced encryption, multi-factor authentication, and fraud prevention, alongside compliance with PCI DSS and SOC 2 standards to ensure regulatory and data protection best practices.

BILL’s network and automation expertise at the core

René Lacerte, chief executive and founder of BILL, said the partnership would help businesses access intelligent finance where it matters most — inside the systems they already use to run their operations.

“This partnership marks an important milestone in our mission to make intelligent finance more accessible,” Lacerte said. “Embedding BILL’s payment capabilities within the world’s #1 AI Cloud ERP gives businesses a new way to pay faster, optimize cash flow, and accelerate growth.”

Intelligent Payment Automation features

NetSuite’s AI-powered Intelligent Payment Automation suite includes:
• Payment automation: Fast, secure payments powered by BILL’s network of millions of vendors.
• Bill capture: AI-powered automation eliminates manual data entry and accelerates processing.
• Intelligent payment proposals: Agentic AI workflows in natural language help optimize payment timing and cash flow.
• Bill matching: Automatically links vendor bills to purchase orders, reducing fraud and duplicate charges.
• Payment reconciliation: Improves accuracy and speeds up financial close through automated reconciliation.

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NetSuite & BILL partner to accelerate AI-powered accounts payable automation

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Oracle NetSuite launches NetSuite Next with embedded conversational AI and agentic workflows https://notltd.co.uk/tools-tech/oracle-netsuite-next-ai-agentic-workflows-launch/ https://notltd.co.uk/tools-tech/oracle-netsuite-next-ai-agentic-workflows-launch/#respond Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:34:58 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164642 Oracle NetSuite has unveiled NetSuite Next, a major evolution of its cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform designed to embed conversational AI, agentic workflows, and natural language capabilities across the suite.

Oracle NetSuite has unveiled NetSuite Next, its next-generation AI-powered ERP platform featuring conversational AI, agentic workflows, and natural language capabilities to help businesses automate tasks and uncover real-time insights.

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Oracle NetSuite launches NetSuite Next with embedded conversational AI and agentic workflows

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Oracle NetSuite has unveiled NetSuite Next, a major evolution of its cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform designed to embed conversational AI, agentic workflows, and natural language capabilities across the suite.

Oracle NetSuite has launched NetSuite Next, a major evolution of its cloud ERP platform featuring conversational AI, agentic workflows, and natural language capabilities to help businesses automate repetitive tasks and make smarter, faster decisions.

The new system aims to transform how businesses interact with AI, enabling users to complete repetitive and complex tasks faster, more intuitively, and with greater confidence.

“NetSuite Next puts AI to work for businesses by making it a natural extension of the way they already work,” said Evan Goldberg, founder and EVP of Oracle NetSuite. “With the latest AI innovations built in, NetSuite Next can deliver powerful insights and autonomously complete complex tasks — all with enterprise-level reliability.”

Built on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and grounded in customers’ existing data and security controls, NetSuite Next combines explainable AI with a unified data model and Oracle’s Redwood Design System to ensure every decision is transparent, auditable, and aligned with business governance.

Customers can move to the new platform “at the press of a button,” according to Oracle, without needing to migrate data or disrupt existing configurations.

NetSuite Next uses AI to anticipate risks and opportunities, understand user context, and assist with decision-making while allowing full user control.

At the centre of the new experience is Ask Oracle, a natural language assistant that allows users to search, navigate, analyse and act across the entire NetSuite dataset in plain English.

The assistant provides context-aware answers, visualisations and reasoning, explaining the “how” and “why” behind every result. It also integrates seamlessly with SuiteCloud Platform extensions and partner apps, ensuring consistent insights across customisations and workflows.

Key features of NetSuite Next

AI Canvas: A collaborative, visual workspace embedded directly in NetSuite where teams can analyse data, brainstorm solutions, and trigger AI-driven workflows.

Narrative summaries and insights: Automated, real-time explanations built into reports and records, surfacing trends and correlations before they become issues.

Agentic workflows: Proactive, AI-powered workflows to automate complex processes such as vendor selection, reconciliations, and supply chain operations — with users able to approve or delegate actions.

Document and knowledge integration: Large language models that extract, validate and act on information from invoices, contracts, receipts, and manuals, converting static documents into actionable insights.

Oracle says NetSuite Next is designed to make AI a seamless part of business operations rather than an add-on. The platform’s explainable AI approach ensures trust and compliance, while new automation tools aim to boost productivity across finance, procurement, and operations.

NetSuite Next will launch initially in North America within the next 12 months, with global rollout to follow.

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Oracle NetSuite launches NetSuite Next with embedded conversational AI and agentic workflows

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JLR steps in with £500m supplier lifeline amid stalled state support https://notltd.co.uk/news/jlr-500m-supplier-rescue-government-bailout-stalls/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/jlr-500m-supplier-rescue-government-bailout-stalls/#respond Mon, 06 Oct 2025 01:00:45 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164519 The government is weighing extraordinary measures to shield Britain’s manufacturing base from the fallout of Jaguar Land Rover’s crippling cyberattack, including buying up parts from suppliers to prevent mass job losses.

Jaguar Land Rover is preparing a £500m lifeline for suppliers after a government-backed £1.5bn bailout was delayed, as the carmaker struggles to restart production following a major cyberattack.

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JLR steps in with £500m supplier lifeline amid stalled state support

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The government is weighing extraordinary measures to shield Britain’s manufacturing base from the fallout of Jaguar Land Rover’s crippling cyberattack, including buying up parts from suppliers to prevent mass job losses.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is preparing to inject up to £500 million into its supply chain to prevent a wave of insolvencies among parts makers after a cyberattack brought production to a standstill and left thousands of UK suppliers struggling for cash.

The initiative, expected to be finalised within days, will see JLR lend directly to its first-tier suppliers through an invoice financing facility, providing immediate cashflow relief as the carmaker begins to restart operations.

The plan comes as a taxpayer-backed £1.5 billion rescue guarantee announced by ministers last weekend remains unsigned, despite being billed as a lifeline for the UK’s biggest car manufacturer. Sources close to the talks said the state-supported financing deal has yet to be approved, leaving suppliers uncertain when or if funds will flow.

JLR, which employs 34,000 people and supports around 120,000 more across its UK supply chain, has been battling to restore production following a hacking incident in early September that crippled its IT systems and halted manufacturing globally.

The government’s proposed £1.5bn facility was announced by Business Secretary Peter Kyle and Chancellor Rachel Reeves to help JLR secure short-term liquidity from commercial lenders. Reeves described it as a measure to “protect thousands of jobs,” while Kyle said it showed Labour “standing by British manufacturing.”

However, multiple sources confirmed the deal had not yet been signed, and business leaders in the Midlands have warned of a mounting crisis among suppliers.

In a letter sent to industry minister Chris McDonald over the weekend, the heads of the Greater Birmingham, Coventry & Warwickshire, and Black Country Chambers of Commerce said many firms were “running out of cash and have no guarantee of future sales.”

They urged ministers to avoid a repeat of the Carillion (2018) and MG Rover (2005) collapses, which devastated the Midlands supply base. “If the situation worsens and the loan guarantee doesn’t flow to suppliers, further measures may be necessary,” the letter warned.

How JLR’s private rescue plan will work

Under the proposed JLR facility, suppliers will be able to submit invoices for immediate payment, rather than waiting weeks for standard remittance. The scheme will initially apply to tier-one suppliers that transact directly with JLR, with the expectation that they pass on liquidity to smaller tier-two and tier-three firms further down the chain.

The initiative, which sources described as “radical but necessary,” aims to restore stability across JLR’s supply network and prevent bottlenecks as production resumes. A phased restart of manufacturing is due to begin Monday, although insiders said the carmaker is unlikely to be fully operational again until Christmas.

It remains unclear whether the £500m facility will be restricted to UK suppliers or also extended to JLR’s overseas partners, which account for around half of its parts sourcing.

The new financing programme could provide “a game-changer moment for suppliers,” one source familiar with the talks said. “This is the difference between life and death for some firms in the supply chain. Many have been operating hand-to-mouth since the cyberattack.”

While the details are still being finalised, industry insiders said the initiative could be launched as early as next week, depending on the pace of approvals and supplier readiness.

Separate £2bn bank deal boosts JLR cash reserves

In a further move to strengthen its finances, JLR has secured a £2 billion funding facility from Standard Chartered, Citigroup, and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. The deal provides the company with additional liquidity to support recovery and rebuild cash buffers.

Although JLR declined to comment, analysts said the decision to self-finance supplier support underlines the carmaker’s determination to stabilise its network as the government’s rescue stalls.

The crisis underscores the fragility of the UK automotive supply chain, heavily reliant on just-in-time manufacturing and tight margins. Industry leaders have warned that even a few weeks of disruption can cause irreversible damage to smaller firms.

If JLR’s self-funded rescue goes ahead, it would represent one of the largest privately financed supply-chain bailouts in UK industry — and a crucial test of Britain’s industrial policy under Labour.

With production still constrained and state guarantees delayed, JLR’s intervention may prove pivotal in keeping the wheels of British manufacturing turning.

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JLR steps in with £500m supplier lifeline amid stalled state support

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JLR loan support failing to reach SME suppliers quickly enough, warn industry experts https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/jlr-loan-sme-suppliers-delays/ https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/jlr-loan-sme-suppliers-delays/#respond Wed, 01 Oct 2025 09:50:24 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164302 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has embarked on an extensive training programme to equip thousands of mechanics with the skills needed to service electric vehicles (EVs), addressing concerns over a skills shortage that is driving up repair costs for EV drivers.

Cash from JLR’s £1.5m government-backed loan is not filtering down supply chains fast enough, with smaller automotive suppliers at risk of collapse without urgent funding.

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JLR loan support failing to reach SME suppliers quickly enough, warn industry experts

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Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has embarked on an extensive training programme to equip thousands of mechanics with the skills needed to service electric vehicles (EVs), addressing concerns over a skills shortage that is driving up repair costs for EV drivers.

Cash from the £1.5 Billion government-backed commercial loan to support Jaguar Land Rover’s supply chain is not reaching smaller suppliers quickly enough, raising fears that many SMEs could collapse before funds filter through.

The warning came during a webinar hosted by audit and advisory firm Crowe, where participants highlighted the growing crisis facing UK automotive.

‘Worse than COVID-19’ for many suppliers

One contributor described the situation as more damaging than the pandemic: “Nobody outside of the automotive industry understands how bad this is.”

Johnathan Dudley, Head of Manufacturing and SME Corporates at Crowe, said speed was critical if small suppliers were to survive: “It is absolutely vital that the money starts to filter down the chain – and quickly. The depth of penetration of the loan funding is an issue. Will it trickle down the supply chain and across ancillary businesses fast enough, wide enough and far enough before companies run out of cash?”

He warned that Tier 1 suppliers and JLR itself are unlikely to place fresh orders until they have exhausted existing stocks built up during plant shutdowns — delaying the point at which smaller firms further down the chain receive payments.

In the meantime, SME suppliers face mounting bills. Rent, mortgages, wages and payments to their own suppliers cannot wait for funding flows to improve.

Some business leaders said that, after COVID-19, directors are now far more reluctant to provide personal guarantees to secure loans or overdraft extensions, adding another layer of risk for smaller firms.

Dudley emphasised the need for additional measures: “There is an immediate need for stress emergency funding and support in addition to funding feeding down from JLR. More needs to be done to help businesses that are running out of time, or who are not in the direct supply chain.”

Participants also expressed concern that funds could stall at Tier 1 suppliers rather than filtering through to smaller businesses, leaving many SMEs without the liquidity needed to survive.

With the UK automotive sector already under strain from global supply disruptions, rising costs and weaker demand, industry voices argue that ensuring cash reaches SMEs quickly is vital to protecting jobs and preserving critical supply chains.

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JLR loan support failing to reach SME suppliers quickly enough, warn industry experts

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A ‘taxi tax’ would hit vulnerable passengers and struggling businesses hardest https://notltd.co.uk/news/taxi-tax-vat-impact-hospitality-vulnerable/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/taxi-tax-vat-impact-hospitality-vulnerable/#respond Tue, 30 Sep 2025 21:22:26 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164293 Rumours that the Chancellor is preparing to add VAT to all taxi journeys in the autumn Budget have sparked concern across multiple industries, with hospitality leaders warning the move could deepen an already fragile economic environment.

Rumoured plans to impose VAT on taxi fares risk raising costs for vulnerable passengers, cutting earnings for drivers, and piling pressure on hospitality businesses already under strain.

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A ‘taxi tax’ would hit vulnerable passengers and struggling businesses hardest

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Rumours that the Chancellor is preparing to add VAT to all taxi journeys in the autumn Budget have sparked concern across multiple industries, with hospitality leaders warning the move could deepen an already fragile economic environment.

Rumours that the Chancellor is preparing to add VAT to all taxi journeys in the autumn Budget have sparked concern across multiple industries, with hospitality leaders warning the move could deepen an already fragile economic environment.

Charlie Gilkes, co-founder of the Inception Group, which operates restaurants and bars across London, said: “Policies like the taxi tax destroy the ecosystem in which the hospitality sector functions.”

The sector is still reeling from last year’s Budget, which raised employer National Insurance contributions. A 1.2 percentage point NIC increase lowered the threshold at which employers must pay contributions from £9,100 to £5,000 a year. That change has already forced nearly 89,000 job losses in hospitality, almost half of the cuts seen across the wider economy, according to trade body UKHospitality.

With pubs, restaurants and bars struggling to absorb higher staffing and energy costs, any additional burden from VAT on taxis could deter customers from travelling and make commuting harder for staff, particularly women relying on taxis after late shifts.

The effects would extend beyond hospitality. Layla Barke-Jones, partner at Aaron and Partners Solicitors, pointed out that many taxi passengers are elderly, disabled or otherwise unable to use public transport: “These are the people who would be disproportionately hit.”

While local authorities would be able to reclaim VAT under their own regime, higher overall fares are expected as operators adjust pricing to cover administration and compliance costs. That would see passengers across the country paying significantly more for essential journeys.

Taxi operators warn that drivers themselves would be among the hardest hit. A spokesperson for Bolt said: “Drivers are self-employed entrepreneurs, and around 70% work outside London. A flat 20% VAT would inevitably raise costs for consumers and reduce demand, leading to a drop in driver earnings.”

Bolt argues VAT should be applied only to operators’ margins, as under the current system, rather than on full fares — a change that risks pushing up passenger costs while cutting into drivers’ take-home pay.

With speculation mounting ahead of November’s Budget, business leaders fear the so-called “taxi tax” would further erode consumer demand, increase costs for vulnerable passengers, and undermine sectors still fighting to recover from previous policy shifts.

As Gilkes and others warn, what may appear a modest change to the Treasury could prove ruinous for the ecosystem of drivers, passengers and businesses that depend on affordable, reliable taxi services.

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A ‘taxi tax’ would hit vulnerable passengers and struggling businesses hardest

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UK growth slows sharply to 0.3% in second quarter as households turn cautious https://notltd.co.uk/news/uk-growth-slows-q2-2025-ons/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/uk-growth-slows-q2-2025-ons/#respond Tue, 30 Sep 2025 09:08:42 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164271 Shopping centres are so much more than a place to purchase a new outfit or a loved one’s birthday gift. In recent years, they’ve become an exciting social hub that serves in strengthening communities and shaping urban areas.

ONS confirms UK GDP grew 0.3% in Q2 2025, down from 0.7% in Q1, with households saving more and consumer spending flat. Economists warn growth may remain sluggish.

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UK growth slows sharply to 0.3% in second quarter as households turn cautious

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Shopping centres are so much more than a place to purchase a new outfit or a loved one’s birthday gift. In recent years, they’ve become an exciting social hub that serves in strengthening communities and shaping urban areas.

The UK economy slowed sharply in the second quarter of 2025, with official figures confirming growth of just 0.3% between April and June, a marked deceleration from the 0.7% expansion in the first quarter.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that while the latest quarterly figure was unrevised, revisions to earlier estimates suggest growth in much of 2024 was stronger than first thought, even as momentum weakened heading into this year.

The ONS said annual GDP growth for 2024 remained unchanged at 1.1%, but quarterly revisions painted a more nuanced picture. First-quarter growth last year was revised down from 0.9% to 0.8%, while subsequent quarters were adjusted upwards: Q2 from 0.5% to 0.6%, Q3 from flat to 0.2% growth, and Q4 from 0.1% to 0.2%.

Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “These new figures show the economy grew a little less strongly at the start of last year than initial estimates suggested, but performed better in later quarters. Quarterly growth rates for 2025 are unrevised.”

Household disposable income per person rose 0.2% in Q2, rebounding from a 0.9% fall in Q1, driven by a £4.4 billion rise in wages and a £4 billion fall in income tax liabilities related to the 2023-24 tax year.

However, households chose to save more of that income, with the saving ratio rising to 10.7% from 10.5%, signalling greater consumer caution. Spending growth remained flat, while consumer-facing services saw a slight fall in output despite overall services growth of 0.4%.

Thomas Pugh, chief economist at RSM UK, said: “The increase in the saving ratio suggests consumers turned more cautious in the second quarter. The big question now is whether speculation about the Budget will undermine confidence further.”

The ONS figures revealed a more subdued picture in some industries. Production output fell by 0.8%, a deeper contraction than the 0.3% initially reported. Construction output grew by 1%, though this was revised down from 1.2%. Services, the largest sector of the economy, expanded by an unrevised 0.4%.

Outlook for second half of 2025

Economists remain cautious about prospects for the remainder of the year. Rising inflation, slowing wage growth and expectations of further tax rises in the autumn Budget are likely to weigh on activity.

Matt Swannell, chief economic adviser at EY Item Club, said growth was likely to remain “sluggish”: “Alongside squeezed real income, further tax rises at the autumn Budget look almost inevitable.”

With interest rate cuts now seen as less likely in 2025, analysts suggest the UK economy faces a tougher environment in the second half of the year, with households tightening spending as uncertainty over fiscal policy builds.

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UK growth slows sharply to 0.3% in second quarter as households turn cautious

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Slump in job vacancies stokes UK recession fears as Labour conference looms https://notltd.co.uk/news/slump-in-job-vacancies-stokes-uk-recession-fears-as-labour-conference-looms/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/slump-in-job-vacancies-stokes-uk-recession-fears-as-labour-conference-looms/#respond Mon, 29 Sep 2025 10:43:51 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164197 The higher cost of borrowing is weighing heavily on bank lending in a sign that the UK economy may be facing a recession due to the Bank of England’s interest rate hikes.

Britain’s labour market is showing signs of strain, with new data revealing a fall in job openings and growing pessimism among businesses, fuelling fears that the economy may be sliding towards recession.

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Slump in job vacancies stokes UK recession fears as Labour conference looms

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The higher cost of borrowing is weighing heavily on bank lending in a sign that the UK economy may be facing a recession due to the Bank of England’s interest rate hikes.

Britain’s labour market is showing signs of strain, with new data revealing a fall in job openings and growing pessimism among businesses, fuelling fears that the economy may be sliding towards recession.

Recruitment site Adzuna reported vacancies fell by 2.1 per cent year-on-year in August, driven by softer demand and higher employment costs, including the National Living Wage and employer National Insurance contributions. The downturn has been most pronounced in London, the East of England and the South West, with nurses, teachers, doctors and hospitality workers among those hardest hit. Graduates face the bleakest outlook, with entry-level roles down by more than a third since January.

The hiring slowdown comes alongside fresh warnings from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which said companies across the private sector expect activity to keep falling over the next three months. Alpesh Paleja, the CBI’s deputy chief economist, urged the Chancellor not to repeat last year’s approach of targeting firms with tax rises, warning that the business tax burden is already at a 25-year high.

Public sentiment is equally gloomy. A survey by UKHospitality found almost half of 5,000 respondents believe their local high street is in worse shape than a year ago.

The timing of the downturn adds pressure on Labour as it heads into its party conference this week. Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces the challenge of addressing a £30bn hole in the public finances and is expected to unveil fresh tax measures in her Budget on November 26.

Economists warn the employment data points to a downturn. Simon French, chief economist at Panmure Liberum, cited the Sahm Rule — which signals recession when unemployment rises by at least half a percentage point in a year. With UK joblessness up from 4.1 to 4.7 per cent in 12 months, French said the increase was a “clear warning signal” for policymakers.

Business leaders share the concern. AO founder John Roberts has said he believes the UK may already be heading into recession, while hedge fund manager Robert Gibbins — who made his name betting against sub-prime mortgages before the 2008 crash — told The Telegraph he is now betting against Britain. Gibbins criticised both government and opposition leaders for failing to tackle structural issues such as energy capacity and artificial intelligence investment.

Employers are also dragging their heels on filling positions, taking nearly six weeks on average to hire. Analysts warn this could worsen once the incoming Employment Rights Bill takes effect, making it easier for staff to challenge dismissals at tribunal — a move that some fear could unleash a “blizzard of litigation” for companies already struggling to manage costs.

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Slump in job vacancies stokes UK recession fears as Labour conference looms

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£1.5bn taxpayer rescue to keep Jaguar Land Rover alive after cyberattack shutdown https://notltd.co.uk/news/jaguar-land-rover-15bn-cyberattack-rescue/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/jaguar-land-rover-15bn-cyberattack-rescue/#respond Sun, 28 Sep 2025 15:05:21 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164178 Jaguar Land Rover’s battle to recover from a devastating cyberattack could see its factories idle until November, according to suppliers briefed on the situation, raising fears of lasting damage to Britain’s largest carmaker and its supply chain.

Jaguar Land Rover has been thrown a £1.5bn taxpayer-backed bailout after a devastating cyberattack halted production for nearly a month, threatening 150,000 jobs across the UK supply chain.

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£1.5bn taxpayer rescue to keep Jaguar Land Rover alive after cyberattack shutdown

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Jaguar Land Rover’s battle to recover from a devastating cyberattack could see its factories idle until November, according to suppliers briefed on the situation, raising fears of lasting damage to Britain’s largest carmaker and its supply chain.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has been thrown a £1.5 billion taxpayer-backed lifeline after a crippling cyberattack left Britain’s biggest carmaker paralysed for almost a month.

The bailout, structured as a government loan guarantee, is designed to tide the company and its vast supply chain over until Christmas as it scrambles to restart production. JLR, owned by India’s Tata Motors, normally produces around 1,000 vehicles a day across its three UK plants. But since hackers breached its IT systems in late August, the company has been unable to build a single car — a standstill that has shaken Britain’s automotive sector to its core.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle confirmed that the Treasury, via UK Export Finance, will guarantee loans worth up to £1.5bn, enabling JLR to draw on private financing more quickly. The scheme is designed to prevent a collapse in the supply chain, which supports 120,000 jobs alongside JLR’s own 34,000 UK employees.

“This cyberattack was not only an assault on an iconic British brand, but on our world-leading automotive sector and the livelihoods that depend on it,” Kyle said. “This guarantee will help keep suppliers afloat and safeguard jobs across the West Midlands, Merseyside and beyond.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves hailed the move as protecting a “jewel in the crown of our economy”.

JLR’s sprawling network of suppliers — from engine plants to component makers — has been hardest hit by the production freeze. Many small and medium-sized firms rely almost entirely on JLR contracts. Some told ministers this week they would need £1.5bn of support just to survive until Christmas.

While the Wolverhampton engine plant is expected to reopen in early October, insiders warn that a phased reboot will take months, with full production unlikely before the end of the year.

Industry figures are cautious about calling the loan guarantee a “rescue”, pointing out that JLR — not its suppliers — will ultimately be responsible for repayment. Export guarantees are not direct cash injections but rather state-backed assurances that banks will recover 80 per cent of loans if borrowers default.

The scheme was adapted during the Covid pandemic and has been used before to support industry. In July, Ford received a £1bn guarantee for its UK electric vehicle programme. In total, UK Export Finance extended £12.3bn in such guarantees in 2020-21.

Critics argue JLR, backed by the multibillion-dollar Tata Group, could have raised financing without state support. But ministers stress that the speed of delivery is critical in preventing supplier collapse.

Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith welcomed the intervention but accused the government of dragging its heels. He also called for a new “cyber reinsurance scheme” to shield UK firms from increasingly sophisticated attacks.

The attack on JLR is the latest in a wave of high-profile hacks targeting British industry. The Co-op recently revealed an £80m hit from a breach earlier this year, while Marks & Spencer and Harrods have also disclosed incidents.

For JLR, the crisis comes at a delicate moment. The company is already grappling with slumping profits, falling sales, and delays to its electric vehicle rollout. Now, with hackers having exposed the fragility of its systems, Britain’s biggest carmaker finds itself fighting for survival through to Christmas.

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£1.5bn taxpayer rescue to keep Jaguar Land Rover alive after cyberattack shutdown

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Co-op hack wipes out £80m of profits as cybercrime surge hits UK businesses https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/co-op-cyberattack-80m-loss/ https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/co-op-cyberattack-80m-loss/#respond Thu, 25 Sep 2025 08:12:23 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=164034 The Co-op has revealed that a “sophisticated cyberattack” earlier this year has wiped out £80m of profits, underlining the mounting cost of cybercrime for Britain’s biggest companies.

The Co-op has revealed a cyberattack wiped out £80m in profits and cost £206m in revenues, disrupting stores and funerals in one of Britain’s biggest corporate hacks.

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Co-op hack wipes out £80m of profits as cybercrime surge hits UK businesses

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The Co-op has revealed that a “sophisticated cyberattack” earlier this year has wiped out £80m of profits, underlining the mounting cost of cybercrime for Britain’s biggest companies.

The Co-op has revealed that a “sophisticated cyberattack” earlier this year has wiped out £80m of profits, underlining the mounting cost of cybercrime for Britain’s biggest companies.

In results published this morning, the mutual said the hack disrupted its grocery and funeral operations, leaving gaps on shelves and delaying services, with an estimated £206m hit to revenues.

The group said it acted “quickly and decisively” by temporarily shutting down a number of systems to contain the breach. Essential services, including funerals, were prioritised, while stock was diverted to rural “lifeline” stores and independent society partners to minimise disruption.

The direct financial blow included £20m in one-off costs to tackle the incident, alongside wider business losses. The Co-op also sought to ease customer frustration by giving members a £10 discount on a £40 shop.

The figures highlight how cyberattacks are becoming a serious balance-sheet issue for large corporates. The Co-op is the latest big name to join a growing list of firms caught in the crosshairs this year.

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Co-op hack wipes out £80m of profits as cybercrime surge hits UK businesses

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Beyond Engagement: Why It’s Time to Rethink Social Media’s Addictive Algorithms https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/beyond-engagement-why-its-time-to-rethink-social-medias-addictive-algorithms/ https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/beyond-engagement-why-its-time-to-rethink-social-medias-addictive-algorithms/#respond Mon, 22 Sep 2025 13:07:01 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163888 As social media continues to weave itself into the fabric of daily life, the algorithms that drive engagement have come under fire for their potential to foster addictive behaviours.

As social media continues to weave itself into the fabric of daily life, the algorithms that drive engagement have come under fire for their potential to foster addictive behaviours.

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Beyond Engagement: Why It’s Time to Rethink Social Media’s Addictive Algorithms

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As social media continues to weave itself into the fabric of daily life, the algorithms that drive engagement have come under fire for their potential to foster addictive behaviours.

As social media continues to weave itself into the fabric of daily life, the algorithms that drive engagement have come under fire for their potential to foster addictive behaviours.

With research linking these algorithms to increased anxiety and feelings of inadequacy, the question arises: should we regulate their use? The Liberal Democrats are now calling for cigarette-style warnings on social media apps.

This conversation is not only vital for user well-being but also presents an opportunity for businesses to adopt responsible marketing practices that prioritise mental health. Mariangela Caineri Zenati, Marketing Manager at social media management platform Loomly, offers her expert insight on how championing transparency and promoting positive content will allow brands to engage their audiences ethically while navigating the complexities of the digital landscape.

“The debate surrounding the legality of addictive algorithms in social media has gained significant traction in recent years, particularly in light of their profound implications for mental health and overall well-being. As social media platforms increasingly rely on sophisticated algorithms to maximise user engagement, the potential for addictive behaviours has come under scrutiny.

“Research highlights that these algorithms can create dependency-like behaviours, reminiscent of substance addiction. A recent study revealed that the instant gratification derived from likes, shares and comments can trigger dopamine release, reinforcing compulsive behaviours among users. This is particularly alarming for younger demographics, who are often more susceptible to these influences.

“The Royal Society for Public Health’s #StatusofMind report underscores this concern, identifying platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat as being linked to increased feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and loneliness among young users. This report indicates that these platforms rank as the most detrimental for mental health, highlighting the urgent need for more responsible practices.

“The pervasive nature of these algorithms can contribute to rising rates of anxiety and depression among users. The #StatusofMind report also calls for social media companies to implement educational warnings and promote healthier online interactions: this raises important questions about the ethical responsibilities of businesses that utilise social media marketing strategies.

“As businesses increasingly turn to social media for marketing, they have a unique opportunity to approach these platforms responsibly. Companies can prioritise user well-being by promoting positive content, fostering supportive online communities and ensuring transparency in their advertising practices; for instance, brands can engage in campaigns that encourage mental health awareness and provide resources for users facing challenges. This way, brands can align themselves with ethical marketing practices while simultaneously building trust and loyalty among their audience.

“Responsible social media marketing involves understanding the impact of algorithms on user behaviour. Businesses should be mindful of how their content may influence users and strive to create a balanced digital experience; this could involve diversifying content types, avoiding sensationalism and steering clear of tactics that exploit users’ vulnerabilities for engagement.

“The potential for addiction necessitates a critical examination of the legal and ethical frameworks surrounding social media algorithms. Businesses must play a proactive role in promoting responsible marketing practices, which can help mitigate the negative effects of these algorithms while enhancing user experience. Addressing these issues is vital for creating a more positive online landscape, ultimately benefitting both users and brands alike.”

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Beyond Engagement: Why It’s Time to Rethink Social Media’s Addictive Algorithms

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Reeves tax raid to ‘drive unemployment up to five-year high’ https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/reeves-tax-rises-uk-unemployment-five-year-high/ https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/reeves-tax-rises-uk-unemployment-five-year-high/#respond Mon, 22 Sep 2025 10:59:27 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163885 Unemployment in Britain is on course to climb to its highest level in five years as businesses brace for another round of tax rises under Chancellor Rachel Reeves, according to new forecasts.

UK unemployment is forecast to climb to 4.9% in 2026, the highest level since 2021, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces mounting pressure to plug a £50bn fiscal gap with further tax hikes.

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Reeves tax raid to ‘drive unemployment up to five-year high’

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Unemployment in Britain is on course to climb to its highest level in five years as businesses brace for another round of tax rises under Chancellor Rachel Reeves, according to new forecasts.

Unemployment in Britain is on course to climb to its highest level in five years as businesses brace for another round of tax rises under Chancellor Rachel Reeves, according to new forecasts.

KPMG said the jobless rate is expected to reach 4.9% in 2026, up from the current 4.7% and well above the 4.1% recorded in August last year, as the labour market struggles with falling vacancies. The consultancy warned that the market was “unlikely to see a reversal in fortune in the near term” amid fears the Government will tighten the squeeze on employers.

Reeves is grappling with a potential £50bn hole in the public finances caused by weak growth and costly policy U-turns. She has already overseen a record £40bn tax raid on business, including a hike in employer National Insurance contributions branded a “jobs tax”. But with her fiscal rules under pressure, speculation is mounting that she will need to go further—potentially targeting companies, landlords and investors while maintaining Labour’s pledge not to raise taxes on “working people”.

KPMG’s forecast added to concerns that Labour’s workers’ rights reforms, which strengthen union powers, could have a “chilling effect” on hiring. It expects vacancies to continue falling through the rest of the year, with many firms holding back on recruitment until there is more clarity in Reeves’s Autumn Budget in November. “As a result, we expect unemployment to gradually rise further over the coming year, increasing from 4.7% in July and peaking at 4.9% in 2026,” it said. GDP growth is forecast at 1.2% this year, slowing slightly to 1.1% in 2026.

The numbers pose a serious challenge for Reeves, who faces spiralling borrowing costs, weak productivity and accusations that Labour’s tax-and-spend policies risk choking off growth. Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, said Reeves was “asleep at the wheel”, adding: “She now has a black hole to fill just to keep to her own rules—the rules she already rewrote to allow even more borrowing. The price? Yet more tax rises in the Autumn. More pain for working people.”

Although Reeves has rejected claims she is facing a £50bn shortfall, analysts believe tens of billions will still need to be found. Options under discussion include freezing income tax thresholds for longer, a move that could raise £8bn, and fresh levies on wealth, property and dividends. Economists have also suggested windfall taxes on gambling companies and reform of council tax bands for homes worth more than £1m.

James Nation, a former Treasury adviser under Rishi Sunak, warned that increasing capital gains tax would be “a hard political sell”. He compared it to inheritance tax in its unpopularity, saying: “You’d be saying to someone that, in theory, if you improve the state of your property, there is a world in which the taxman would be able to come and take away some of that gain.”

Despite the speculation, a Treasury spokesman insisted the Government remained “pro-business”, highlighting trade deals with the EU, US and India, reforms to business rates, and a corporation tax cap at 25%. “We are delivering on our Plan for Change to put more money in people’s pockets by increasing the national living and minimum wage, and real wages have grown more since the election than the first decade of the previous parliament,” the spokesman said.

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Reeves tax raid to ‘drive unemployment up to five-year high’

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Precision Banking: How AI is Empowering SMEs to Make Smarter Financial Decisions https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/precision-banking-how-ai-is-empowering-smes-to-make-smarter-financial-decisions/ https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/precision-banking-how-ai-is-empowering-smes-to-make-smarter-financial-decisions/#respond Thu, 18 Sep 2025 23:19:11 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163838 Nicki Bull Bisgaard, Group Chairman of PayTech Group, has long advocated for the use of technology to enhance business financial management. Nowadays, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face unprecedented challenges.

Nicki Bull Bisgaard, Group Chairman of PayTech Group, has long advocated for the use of technology to enhance business financial management. Nowadays, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face unprecedented challenges.

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Precision Banking: How AI is Empowering SMEs to Make Smarter Financial Decisions

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Nicki Bull Bisgaard, Group Chairman of PayTech Group, has long advocated for the use of technology to enhance business financial management. Nowadays, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face unprecedented challenges.

Nicki Bull Bisgaard, Group Chairman of PayTech Group, has long advocated for the use of technology to enhance business financial management. Nowadays, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face unprecedented challenges.

Unpredictable cash flows, limited access to credit, and the need to make data-driven decisions often put smaller businesses at a disadvantage compared with larger corporations. PayTech Group acknowledges that Artificial intelligence (AI) is now reshaping this landscape, introducing precision banking solutions that deliver hyper-personalized, predictive insights tailored to each SME’s unique financial ecosystem.

Precision banking leverages AI to provide SMEs with actionable intelligence that goes beyond simple account statements or generic advice. By analyzing transactional data, market trends, and cash flow patterns, AI systems can anticipate financial challenges before they arise. For example, predictive models can detect when a business might face a short-term liquidity issue, enabling proactive measures such as adjusting payment schedules or securing alternative financing. This level of foresight allows SMEs to operate with a level of strategic insight that was previously the domain of large enterprises.

Hyper-personalization is at the heart of precision banking. Unlike traditional banking models, which offer standardized solutions, AI-driven platforms assess each business’s financial behavior, industry dynamics, and growth objectives to deliver customized recommendations. Expense management tools powered by machine learning can identify inefficiencies, suggest cost optimization strategies, and even provide real-time alerts when spending deviates from projections. Predictive lending capabilities further enhance financial stability, allowing banks to offer credit lines or loans aligned precisely with each SME’s risk profile and anticipated cash flow needs.

The benefits of precision banking extend beyond operational efficiency. With AI, SMEs can uncover revenue growth opportunities that may have gone unnoticed. By analyzing patterns in customer behavior, sales trends, and market conditions, AI platforms can suggest optimal times for expansion, highlight untapped markets, and recommend targeted investment strategies. These insights enable business leaders to make informed decisions with confidence, allocate resources strategically, and minimize the risks associated with growth initiatives.

AI-driven precision banking also transforms the relationship between SMEs and financial institutions. Banks that offer hyper-personalized, predictive services can strengthen client engagement, build loyalty, and differentiate themselves in a competitive market. The insights generated by AI allow financial institutions to design tailored products and services that meet the specific needs of each SME, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem where both the business and the bank thrive.

As the technology evolves, the capabilities of precision banking are set to expand even further. Future applications may include real-time scenario modelling, allowing SMEs to simulate the financial impact of strategic decisions, such as hiring, investment, or pricing adjustments. Automated advisory tools could integrate internal data with external market intelligence, providing continuous guidance that supports both short-term operational needs and long-term strategic planning.

The adoption of AI-powered precision banking is not just a technological upgrade – it represents a fundamental shift in SME financial management. By providing predictive insights and hyper-personalized recommendations, precision banking empowers small businesses to act strategically rather than reactively. This enhanced financial intelligence enables SMEs to navigate market volatility, optimize operational efficiency, and compete effectively on a global scale.

Moreover, the wider economic implications are significant. SMEs are a major driver of employment and innovation, and by equipping them with AI-driven tools, precision banking helps strengthen economic resilience and growth. Businesses that harness these insights can make smarter investment decisions, scale sustainably, and maintain agility in the face of uncertainty, ultimately contributing to a more robust and dynamic marketplace.

In conclusion, precision banking powered by AI is transforming the way SMEs manage finances, shifting the paradigm from reactive management to proactive, strategic decision-making. By combining predictive insights, hyper-personalization, and actionable intelligence, AI is enabling small and medium-sized businesses to operate with the sophistication and foresight traditionally reserved for larger corporations. The adoption of these solutions marks a new era in SME financial management – one in which technology, insight, and strategy converge to drive sustainable growth and long-term success.

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Precision Banking: How AI is Empowering SMEs to Make Smarter Financial Decisions

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84 new businesses launched every hour in Britain during first half of 2025 https://notltd.co.uk/news/uk-business-hotspots-2025-new-companies/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/uk-business-hotspots-2025-new-companies/#respond Wed, 17 Sep 2025 01:00:11 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163699 Poorly designed and inadequately maintained workplaces are draining the UK economy of more than £71 billion a year, according to new research from facilities and security services company Mitie.

Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit remains strong, with 84 new companies launched every hour in the first half of 2025, according to fresh analysis from SME lender iwoca.

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84 new businesses launched every hour in Britain during first half of 2025

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Poorly designed and inadequately maintained workplaces are draining the UK economy of more than £71 billion a year, according to new research from facilities and security services company Mitie.

Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit remains strong, with 84 new companies launched every hour in the first half of 2025, according to fresh analysis from SME lender iwoca.

The annual Business Hotspots report, which draws on Companies House data, found that more than 363,000 businesses were registered between January and June 2025. However, this marked a 21% fall compared with the same period in 2024 — the first nationwide decline since iwoca began its index in 2021.

The drop follows reforms to Companies House rules in spring 2024, which increased registration requirements and fees to help tackle fraud and tax evasion. Persistently low SME confidence has also weighed on start-up activity.

Wales was the worst-hit region, with new registrations down 39% year-on-year. Cardiff experienced the sharpest fall of any local authority, halving from 15,679 in H1 2024 to 7,485 this year. By contrast, Somerset bucked the trend with a 167% increase in registrations, rising from 603 to 1,612.

The South West weathered the slowdown best, with just a 9% fall, while most regions saw double-digit declines. Overall, 201 local authorities recorded fewer new firms, with only three registering an increase.

London retained its crown as the UK’s entrepreneurial hub, with 1,307 new businesses created per 100,000 residents — the highest in the country for the fifth year running. That dominance came despite a 25% fall in the raw number of registrations, from 152,439 in H1 2024 to 114,905 this year.

The North West climbed to second place with 570 businesses per 100,000 people, outperforming the national average with only a 10% decline in total registrations. The West Midlands followed with 532 per 100,000, while Wales dropped to fourth place and Scotland slid to the bottom of the table with 328 per 100,000.

At the local level, Camden once again topped iwoca’s list, recording 7,031 new businesses per 100,000 residents. Westminster came second (5,084 per 100,000) and Islington third (4,749). Cardiff was the only non-London authority in the top 10, placing sixth, while Manchester ranked 13th overall with 1,168 per 100,000.

Despite the overall slowdown, iwoca’s CEO and co-founder Christoph Rieche insisted that the figures highlighted Britain’s enduring entrepreneurial resilience.

“Start-ups are the fresh organisms in our economic ecosystem, driving innovation, efficiency and future prosperity,” Rieche said. “While new business registrations fell in 2025 due to stricter Companies House rules, it’s encouraging to see over 363,000 new firms still launched in the first half of the year. This clearly shows that Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit remains incredibly strong. We wish all these founders every success.”

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84 new businesses launched every hour in Britain during first half of 2025

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Chinese investors eye UK private schools as VAT on fees drives out domestic pupils https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/chinese-investors-uk-private-schools-vat-fees/ https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/chinese-investors-uk-private-schools-vat-fees/#respond Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:40:32 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163535 UK private schools grappling with declining pupil numbers in the wake of VAT being applied to fees could turn to Chinese investors for financial support, according to audit and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg.

Blick Rothenberg says Chinese investors could provide a lifeline to UK private schools hit by falling pupil numbers after VAT was added to fees, as demand for British education in China stays strong.

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Chinese investors eye UK private schools as VAT on fees drives out domestic pupils

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UK private schools grappling with declining pupil numbers in the wake of VAT being applied to fees could turn to Chinese investors for financial support, according to audit and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg.

UK private schools grappling with declining pupil numbers in the wake of VAT being applied to fees could turn to Chinese investors for financial support, according to audit and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg.

The firm’s partner, Winnie Cao, said that while the tax change has priced some British families out of independent education, strong demand from Chinese parents is opening new avenues for investment.

She noted that Chinese investors are drawn to the longstanding prestige of UK schooling, with geopolitical tensions limiting opportunities to expand foreign-owned schools in China itself. “Now that these schools cannot expand in China, sending their children to the UK is often becoming parents’ first choice,” Cao said. Britain’s reputation as a safer alternative to the US, where gun crime and strained US-China relations weigh on decision-making, is also bolstering interest.

For independent schools under pressure, Chinese-backed capital could provide a financial lifeline as international students replace those lost domestically. However, integration challenges remain: balancing foreign ownership with British management, resolving cultural differences, and ensuring schools continue to serve local communities. Some institutions, Cao cautioned, may be reluctant to cede control to overseas investors or risk diluting their local identity.

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TikTok tops list of most scraped websites as AI training reshapes data priorities https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/tiktok-most-scraped-website-2025-ai-training-data/ https://notltd.co.uk/in-business/tiktok-most-scraped-website-2025-ai-training-data/#respond Thu, 11 Sep 2025 12:48:18 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163475 TikTok has overtaken Google and Amazon to become the world’s most scraped website, underlining how the artificial intelligence boom is transforming demand for online data.

Decodo’s 2025 Most Scraped Websites report shows TikTok has surged to the top spot with 321% traffic growth, highlighting how multimodal AI training is driving a shift toward video-first platforms.

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TikTok tops list of most scraped websites as AI training reshapes data priorities

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TikTok has overtaken Google and Amazon to become the world’s most scraped website, underlining how the artificial intelligence boom is transforming demand for online data.

TikTok has overtaken Google and Amazon to become the world’s most scraped website, underlining how the artificial intelligence boom is transforming demand for online data.

According to Decodo’s second annual Most Scraped Websites report, the video-first platform recorded a 321 per cent surge in scraping traffic, climbing from outside the top 10 last year to claim the number one position in 2025.

The findings point to a profound shift in the data economy as businesses move away from traditional, text-heavy sources toward multimodal platforms rich in video, audio and social interactions. Video and social media now account for 38 per cent of all scraping activity, ahead of search engines (24 per cent) and e-commerce platforms (22 per cent). YouTube, Coupang and ScienceDirect were among six new entries to the top 10, marking the sharpest year-on-year change since Decodo began tracking the sector.

Industry experts say the trend is being driven by escalating demand for diverse, high-quality datasets to train next-generation AI models. “Data might have been the new oil in 2006, but in 2025 it’s the fuel that powers artificial intelligence,” said Gabrielė Verbickaitė, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Decodo. “AI systems have an appetite for fresh, varied training data at unprecedented scale.”

As companies compete for an edge in AI, access to rich external data sources is fast becoming a decisive competitive advantage. Decodo’s analysis suggests that organisations prioritising diverse content inputs will be better positioned to innovate in an era where multimodal AI reshapes not only technology, but entire industries.

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TikTok tops list of most scraped websites as AI training reshapes data priorities

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Rayner and footballers’ tax troubles are a ‘wake-up call’, adviser warns https://notltd.co.uk/money-tax/rayner-and-footballers-tax-troubles-are-a-wake-up-call-adviser-warns/ https://notltd.co.uk/money-tax/rayner-and-footballers-tax-troubles-are-a-wake-up-call-adviser-warns/#respond Wed, 10 Sep 2025 08:46:11 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163399 The separate tax controversies involving Premier League footballers and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner should serve as a “wake-up call” about the importance of taking sound, professional advice, a senior tax expert has warned.

The separate tax controversies involving Premier League footballers and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner should serve as a “wake-up call” about the importance of taking sound, professional advice, a senior tax expert has warned.

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Rayner and footballers’ tax troubles are a ‘wake-up call’, adviser warns

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The separate tax controversies involving Premier League footballers and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner should serve as a “wake-up call” about the importance of taking sound, professional advice, a senior tax expert has warned.

The separate tax controversies involving Premier League footballers and former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner should serve as a “wake-up call” about the importance of taking sound, professional advice, a senior tax expert has warned.

Steven Martin, senior tax manager at Hampshire-based accountancy and business advisory firm HWB, said the two cases – though very different in scope – highlight the serious financial, legal and reputational consequences of inadequate or incomplete guidance.

“While they differ, as one concerns Stamp Duty only and the other is about wider tax planning and investment strategy, they both underline why trusted, reliable guidance is more crucial than ever,” Martin said.

He added: “Missteps, even unintentional, can have serious consequences. Sound advice isn’t just about minimising tax; it’s about ensuring compliance, protecting assets and making informed, ethical decisions in an increasingly scrutinised financial environment.”

The so-called V11 case saw a group of former Premier League players lose fortunes after investing in tax-avoidance schemes dressed up as film funds and US property ventures. Many of the ventures collapsed, leaving players saddled with significant tax liabilities. Some were pushed into bankruptcy, while others faced lengthy legal battles with HMRC.

“These were persuasive, high-risk investments presented by advisors without the appropriate expertise,” Martin said. “The players relied on assurances without fully understanding the risks.”

By contrast, the Angela Rayner case involved a much narrower issue – Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). Following legal review, she was found liable for the higher, second-home rate of SDLT on her Hove property, resulting in an underpayment of around £40,000. The fallout from the case ultimately led to her resignation from government last week.

“This was a case of insufficient or inappropriate guidance on a specific area of tax law, particularly around trusts,” Martin said. “It illustrates how even a seemingly straightforward transaction can carry risks if advice lacks depth or understanding of the client’s full circumstances.”

While the two controversies differ in context, Martin said they both point to the same conclusion: “unqualified or incomplete advice in areas of complex tax or investments can be perilous.”

He stressed that individuals should always work with regulated, qualified professionals – and seek multiple perspectives when dealing with complex matters.

“Trusted advisors not only save money by ensuring correct decisions upfront, they also protect reputations,” Martin said. “Misplaced trust can mean the difference between a secure retirement and financial ruin.”

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Rayner and footballers’ tax troubles are a ‘wake-up call’, adviser warns

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Find Mining: Turning your phone into a mining machine could bring you $13,500 in passive income every day https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/find-mining-turning-your-phone-into-a-mining-machine-could-bring-you-13500-in-passive-income-every-day/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/find-mining-turning-your-phone-into-a-mining-machine-could-bring-you-13500-in-passive-income-every-day/#respond Tue, 02 Sep 2025 23:52:07 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163099 Meme coins started as internet jokes but have turned into a real force in crypto. While some still see them as nothing more than social media-fueled gambles, others recognize a shift toward real-world applications.

Amidst the surge in the digital economy, cryptocurrencies have gradually become a part of the public consciousness. More and more people are viewing them not only as investment tools, but also as a way to generate stable and ongoing passive income.

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Find Mining: Turning your phone into a mining machine could bring you $13,500 in passive income every day

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Meme coins started as internet jokes but have turned into a real force in crypto. While some still see them as nothing more than social media-fueled gambles, others recognize a shift toward real-world applications.

Amidst the surge in the digital economy, cryptocurrencies have gradually become a part of the public consciousness. More and more people are viewing them not only as investment tools, but also as a way to generate stable and ongoing passive income.

However, traditional mining faces high barriers to entry and high costs, making it unsuitable for everyone. Consequently, cloud mining has emerged as a more accessible and efficient alternative. Users can join the global crypto wealth network without having to purchase their own mining machines or incur high electricity costs.

This is precisely Find Mining’s goal: to open the door to wealth for every investor, leveraging intelligent technology and green energy.

What is cloud mining?

Cloud mining is a remote mining model that can be used to mine various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. Users rent computing power from a platform, eliminating the hassle of purchasing and maintaining their own equipment. The system relies on high-performance mining machines from large mining farms to continuously perform complex calculations and generate corresponding crypto asset returns.

How to join Find Mining

Step 1: Register and Receive a $15 Bonus
Visit www.findmining.com and register with your email address to get a $15 cloud computing power bonus and start earning mining income immediately.

Step 2: Choose a Mining Plan
The platform offers flexible plans starting from $100, covering short to long-term periods. You can choose freely based on your budget and goals.

Real Earnings Examples:

Mining Plan Minimum Investment Duration Daily Earnings Estimated Total Return
Check-in Contract 15 USD 1 Day 0.6 USD 15.6 USD
LTC/DOGE Basic Hashrate 100 USD 2 Days 4 USD 100 + 8 USD
BTC Classic Hashrate 1,200 USD 10 Days 16.2 USD 1,200 + 162 USD
BTC Advanced Contract 4,800 USD 20 Days 74.4 USD 4,800 + 1,488 USD
Dogecoin Advanced Hashrate 12,000 USD 30 Days 211.2 USD 12,000 + 6,336 USD
BTC Super Hash Power 50,000 USD 40 Days 875 USD 50,000 + 35,000 USD

(More contracts can be found on the official website)

Step 3: Activate and Earn Daily
Once your plan is activated, the system runs automatically. Daily earnings are deposited into your account. Once your balance reaches the minimum threshold, you can withdraw or reinvest to grow your income further.

Easy participation, stable income

Find Mining is dedicated to simplifying complex processes, making it especially suitable for beginners. Its user-friendly interface and clear operations allow even new users with no cryptocurrency experience to quickly get started.

For Find Mining, simplifying operations isn’t about lowering standards; it’s the key to improving the user experience. Leveraging over 100 mining farms and 1.32 million mining rigs worldwide, along with extensive use of renewable energy, the platform provides stable and secure income services to over 9.4 million users.

Security and Compliance

Find Mining prioritizes user fund security. The platform operates transparently and in compliance with regulations, ensuring that investments are protected by law. The company was registered in the UK in 2018 and is regulated there. It has earned the trust of over 9.4 million users worldwide.

Platform Advantages

Top-tier equipment: Utilizing industry-leading mining machines from Bitmain and Antminer, we deliver efficient and stable computing power.

Intuitive and easy-to-use: The simple interface and clear workflow make it easy for even beginners to operate.

Multi-currency support: Supports settlement in mainstream currencies such as DOGE, BTC, ETH, USDT, BCH, LTC, XRP, and SOL.

Stable returns: Daily returns are distributed during the contract period, with automatic principal return upon maturity.

Professional service: Experienced technical and customer service teams provide 24/7 support.

Invite rewards: Invite friends to join and earn rewards up to $60,000.

Conclusion

In the ever-changing crypto market, opportunities favor those who take action. Find Mining lowers the barrier to entry through cloud mining, making passive income possible. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced investor, you can find a suitable mining strategy.

For more information, visit:

Official Email: info@findmining.com

Official Website: https://findmining.com/

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Find Mining: Turning your phone into a mining machine could bring you $13,500 in passive income every day

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How crypto payment solutions help e-commerce brands cut fees by 70% https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/how-crypto-payment-solutions-help-e-commerce-brands-cut-fees-by-70/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/how-crypto-payment-solutions-help-e-commerce-brands-cut-fees-by-70/#respond Tue, 02 Sep 2025 23:13:13 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163070 As cryptocurrency continues to gain popularity, businesses across the UK are increasingly adopting digital assets as a means of meeting market demand.

As global e-commerce continues to surge, merchants are increasingly turning to crypto payment gateway solutions to escape the heavy fees and frictions of traditional finance.

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How crypto payment solutions help e-commerce brands cut fees by 70%

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As cryptocurrency continues to gain popularity, businesses across the UK are increasingly adopting digital assets as a means of meeting market demand.

As global e-commerce continues to surge, merchants are increasingly turning to crypto payment gateway solutions to escape the heavy fees and frictions of traditional finance.

With blockchain-based transactions, online retailers are discovering new ways to streamline cross-border payments, protect profit margins, and scale with confidence.

Why traditional payment methods are failing online retailers

High transaction fees, chargebacks, and slow settlement times have long been a thorn in the side of digital merchants. Crypto payment gateway solutions and payment aggregators often charge 2% to 4% per transaction, with hidden fees eating into earnings. For international payments, currency conversion and intermediary banking fees can push costs even higher.

Moreover, delayed settlements mean e-commerce businesses must wait days to access their funds, limiting cash flow and complicating inventory management.

The blockchain advantage for e-commerce

Drastically lower transaction costs

By eliminating banks and intermediaries, crypto transactions can reduce payment fees to as low as 0.5% or even less. For brands operating at scale, this can mean savings of up to 70% on payment processing alone. This leaner structure allows businesses to reinvest in growth or pass savings on to customers.

Instant global payments

Unlike bank transfers that take days to process, especially across borders, crypto transactions settle in minutes. This provides e-commerce stores with immediate access to capital and the ability to serve customers in underbanked or high-risk regions.

Elimination of chargebacks

Crypto transactions are irreversible. This eliminates the risk of chargeback fraud, a growing concern for online retailers. Brands can operate with greater financial predictability and reduced risk exposure.

Broader customer reach

A crypto payment gateway allows merchants to accept payments from anyone with a digital wallet, bypassing banking restrictions or card limitations. This unlocks new customer segments, especially in emerging markets where traditional financial services are limited.

A real-world solution for real results

Platforms offer seamless crypto payment integration for e-commerce stores, with support for multiple digital currencies, real-time exchange rates, and automated conversion to fiat. By using a crypto payment gateway, merchants can manage crypto transactions without the complexity or volatility risk.

Whether you’re running a Shopify storefront or managing an international online brand, adopting a crypto payment solution can dramatically cut costs and unlock global scale.

The future of e-commerce is decentralised

As digital commerce becomes more borderless and consumer expectations rise, e-commerce brands must evolve. Embracing blockchain-based payments is not just a cost-cutting measure, it’s a strategic move to future-proof operations, increase reach, and gain a competitive edge in a global marketplace.

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How crypto payment solutions help e-commerce brands cut fees by 70%

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Sting to face fresh legal battle with The Police over ‘Every Breath You Take’ https://notltd.co.uk/news/sting-police-every-breath-you-take-legal-battle/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/sting-police-every-breath-you-take-legal-battle/#respond Tue, 02 Sep 2025 22:13:45 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163041 More than 40 years after Every Breath You Take topped the charts, the bitter feud between Sting and his former Police bandmates has spilled back into court.

Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland have launched legal action against Sting, claiming credit for The Police’s 1983 global hit ‘Every Breath You Take’ more than four decades after its release.

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Sting to face fresh legal battle with The Police over ‘Every Breath You Take’

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More than 40 years after Every Breath You Take topped the charts, the bitter feud between Sting and his former Police bandmates has spilled back into court.

More than 40 years after Every Breath You Take topped the charts, the bitter feud between Sting and his former Police bandmates has spilled back into court.

Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland have filed a lawsuit in London’s High Court claiming they should be recognised — and paid — as co-writers of the 1983 classic, one of the most played songs in radio history.

The case marks an extraordinary new chapter in one of rock’s most fractious relationships. The Police were notorious for their internal conflicts, but this is the first time the dispute over songwriting credits has gone before a judge.

A song with no mystery — except who owns it

There is little debate about the song’s origins. Sting has always said he wrote the words, chords and melody in one burst of inspiration while staying in Jamaica. His original demo is almost identical to the released version on the band’s Synchronicity album.

What Summers and Copeland now argue is that their contributions — in particular Summers’ distinctive guitar arpeggio riff — transformed the track from a rough sketch into a timeless hit. Summers has described his part as rescuing the song from “going in the trash”.

London’s High Court
Summers and Copeland (pictured) now argue is that their contributions

Sting, for his part, has acknowledged that Summers added his stamp but insists the structure and composition were his alone. The line between songwriting and arranging has long been one of the music industry’s thorniest disputes, and the Police’s case has brought it into sharp relief.

The financial stakes are enormous. Since its release, Every Breath You Take has generated millions in royalties. It was declared the most played song in radio history by BMI in 2019, and it enjoyed a second life when Puff Daddy (now Diddy) reworked it into 1997’s global chart-topper I’ll Be Missing You.

In 2022 Sting sold the rights to his entire catalogue — solo and Police — to Universal Music for an estimated $250m. Any change to the credits could force a renegotiation of royalties on one of the most valuable catalogues in popular music.

The lawsuit is just the latest skirmish in a long war. Recording sessions for Synchronicity were fraught, with fistfights breaking out in the studio. Sting and Copeland once clashed so violently that Sting performed much of the subsequent tour with a broken rib.

Despite their musical chemistry, the band split soon after the album’s release, citing irreconcilable tensions. They reunited only briefly, most notably for a lucrative 2007 world tour.

The case also highlights how publishing revenues have become even more critical as album sales and traditional income streams have dwindled. For veteran musicians, song credits determine not only their income but also their legacy.

Summers has long suggested he deserved a share. “That riff has become a kind of immortal guitar part that all guitar players have to learn,” he said last year. “It should have been recognised.”

The irony is that the song itself, often mistaken for a romantic ballad, is in fact about obsession and control. “It’s quite wicked,” Sting once said. He even wrote a follow-up — If You Love Somebody Set Them Free — as an antidote to what he described as the “poison” of the original.

Now, four decades on, the song’s dark subtext has been matched by a bitter legal row that shows no sign of ending.

Whether Summers and Copeland can persuade a court that their contributions amount to songwriting rather than arrangement remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the war inside The Police is far from over, and one of the world’s most famous love songs continues to leave a trail of acrimony in its wake.

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Sting to face fresh legal battle with The Police over ‘Every Breath You Take’

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Converting BTC into Daily Income: RICH MINER Launches New Bitcoin Cloud Mining Strategy https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/converting-btc-into-daily-income-rich-miner-launches-new-bitcoin-cloud-mining-strategy/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/converting-btc-into-daily-income-rich-miner-launches-new-bitcoin-cloud-mining-strategy/#respond Mon, 01 Sep 2025 23:25:45 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=163029 In an era of rapidly advancing technology and changing financial landscapes, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) have emerged as a potential game-changer.

As increasingly favorable regulations for cryptocurrencies emerge, Bitcoin (BTC) has reaffirmed its status as “digital gold,” with prices hitting new highs and capturing global investor attention. However, as confidence in traditional “hold and wait” strategies wanes, converting BTC into a stable cash flow has become a hot topic.

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Converting BTC into Daily Income: RICH MINER Launches New Bitcoin Cloud Mining Strategy

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In an era of rapidly advancing technology and changing financial landscapes, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) have emerged as a potential game-changer.

As increasingly favorable regulations for cryptocurrencies emerge, Bitcoin (BTC) has reaffirmed its status as “digital gold,” with prices hitting new highs and capturing global investor attention. However, as confidence in traditional “hold and wait” strategies wanes, converting BTC into a stable cash flow has become a hot topic.

Addressing this demand, renowned cloud mining platform RICH MINER has introduced a new BTC cloud mining contract. This optimized yield structure empowers users to transform their Bitcoin into reliable daily passive income.

According to official platform data, the new contract offers potential daily returns of up to $2,856. Users no longer need to passively wait for price appreciation. Through stable, intelligent algorithmic mechanisms, RICH MINER transforms BTC from an “asset” into a “daily income generator.”

Why choose RICH MINER for BTC cloud mining?

No hardware, no maintenance

No need to purchase mining equipment or possess technical expertise. The platform handles all mining rig deployment and operation, ensuring a simple and secure mining experience.

Daily settlement, transparent returns

Profits are distributed directly to user accounts daily and can be withdrawn at any time.

Flexible Contracts

Multiple contract durations available—6, 13, and 37 days—to accommodate varying capital flexibility needs.

Mobile Support

Monitor mining status and earnings anytime via the mobile app, managing assets on the go.

Four Easy Steps to Start BTC Cloud Mining

  1. Register an Account

Visit the official RICH MINER platform to register. New users receive a $15 sign-up bonus.

  1. Deposit BTC

Select “BTC Deposit” in your account. The system will generate a BTC wallet address. Copy the address and transfer BTC from your personal wallet or exchange. Participation requires a minimum of just 0.001 BTC.

  1. Choose a Contract Plan

Select from short-term stable returns, long-term compound interest plans, or high-yield contracts based on your needs.

Contract Type Contract Price Contract duration Daily income Total revenue
New User Experience Contract $100 2 $3 $100 + $6
Canaan Avalon A15XP $500 6 $6.00 $500 + $30
Bitdeer SealMiner A2 $1,000 12 $13.00 $1000+ $156
Bitmain Antminer L7 $3,000 18 $42.30 $3000+ $756
Bitmain Antminer S21 $5,000 25 $75.00 $5000+ $1875
Bitmain Antminer S21 XP Hyd $10,000 30 $162.00 $10000+ $4860

(Click here to view full contracts)

  1. Start Earning

After activating your contract, the system distributes mining rewards proportionally each day. Users can withdraw funds anytime, enabling a passive income model where “holding equals earning.”

Let BTC Create Value Daily

Bitcoin price surges are often scarce and unpredictable. RICH MINER’s strategy allows users to convert idle BTC into stable returns, reducing reliance on market volatility.

For example, an investor activating a 1 BTC cloud mining contract through RICH MINER can earn approximately $2,856 daily, accumulating $105,672 in passive income within 37 days.

Amidst the crypto market’s new era of regulation and institutional participation, RICH MINER continuously optimizes its cloud mining model, providing global investors with a secure, transparent, and eco-friendly path for digital asset appreciation.

Join RICH MINER Now

Embark on your BTC cloud mining journey and let every Bitcoin generate daily value and returns for you.

Official Website: https://RICHMINER.com

Contact Email: info@RICHMINER.com

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Converting BTC into Daily Income: RICH MINER Launches New Bitcoin Cloud Mining Strategy

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Jim Ratcliffe sells Belstaff to Castore as Ineos scales back lifestyle ventures https://notltd.co.uk/news/jim-ratcliffe-sells-belstaff-castore-ineos/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/jim-ratcliffe-sells-belstaff-castore-ineos/#respond Thu, 28 Aug 2025 16:32:03 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162885 Sir Jim Ratcliffe has sold luxury motorcycle jacket brand Belstaff to sportswear label Castore, in a further sign of the billionaire scaling back his Ineos empire outside its core chemicals business.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has sold luxury jacket brand Belstaff to sportswear group Castore, taking a minority stake in return, as Ineos retreats from non-core ventures following financial struggles at the heritage label.

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Jim Ratcliffe sells Belstaff to Castore as Ineos scales back lifestyle ventures

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe has sold luxury motorcycle jacket brand Belstaff to sportswear label Castore, in a further sign of the billionaire scaling back his Ineos empire outside its core chemicals business.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has sold luxury motorcycle jacket brand Belstaff to sportswear label Castore, in a further sign of the billionaire scaling back his Ineos empire outside its core chemicals business.

The deal, announced on Thursday, will see Castore acquire the heritage fashion house for an undisclosed sum, while Ineos will take a minority stake in the fast-growing sportswear company, which supplies kit for England’s cricket and rugby teams.

Ashley Reed, Belstaff’s chairman, described the transaction as “a union of two British brands that have come together through shared qualities of purpose-led design and entrepreneurial spirit.”

Ratcliffe, 72, bought Belstaff from German group JAB in 2017, vowing to restore the Stoke-on-Trent-founded label “back to British ownership”. However, the brand has struggled financially. In 2023 it reported an £18 million loss after sales fell 4 per cent, forcing Ratcliffe to inject cash to keep the business afloat. Auditors warned that Belstaff would continue to require support from its owner.

The sale underscores the retreat of Ineos from some of its more adventurous consumer investments. Ratcliffe has diversified heavily into sport and lifestyle ventures in recent years, acquiring stakes in Manchester United and French football clubs Nice and Lausanne-Sport, and sponsoring the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team. But he has also cut back, including ending sponsorship of New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team and reportedly seeking a buyer for a hand sanitiser business launched during the pandemic.

The divestment of Belstaff raises fresh questions over the future of Grenadier, Ineos Automotive’s off-road vehicle brand. The project has already cost Ratcliffe more than £1.4 billion in development and faced setbacks, including a US recall of more than 7,000 vehicles after complaints about faulty doors, and a temporary production halt at its Hambach factory in France following a supplier collapse. Around 20,000 Grenadiers are now on the road globally.

Meanwhile, Ratcliffe has been driving sweeping changes at Manchester United, where Ineos owns 27.7 per cent. Since taking strategic control earlier this year, he has pursued a cost-cutting programme while also backing ambitious plans for a new £2 billion, 100,000-seat stadium.

Speaking this week, Ratcliffe claimed United had been on the brink of financial crisis: “At the end of 2025, Manchester United would have run out of cash. There would be no cash at the end of this year. That is the first time we have ever said that in public, but that is the fact of the matter.”

For now, the disposal of Belstaff suggests Ratcliffe is refocusing his empire on core chemicals and high-profile sporting assets, while drawing back from costly lifestyle bets that have yet to deliver returns.

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Jim Ratcliffe sells Belstaff to Castore as Ineos scales back lifestyle ventures

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XRP price prediction hits new highs, GMO Miner helps you earn $6,800 a day https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/xrp-holders-new-wealth-code-gmo-miner-allows-holders-to-earn-6800-a-day/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/xrp-holders-new-wealth-code-gmo-miner-allows-holders-to-earn-6800-a-day/#respond Thu, 28 Aug 2025 05:12:20 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162840 Dogecoin started as a joke back in 2013, featuring the popular Shiba Inu “Doge” meme as its mascot. However, what began as a lighthearted alternative to Bitcoin has transformed into a cryptocurrency with billions in market capitalization. 

Quebrando o modelo tradicional de negociação, o poder da computação em nuvem se tornou o novo queridinho do mercado de criptomoedas.

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XRP price prediction hits new highs, GMO Miner helps you earn $6,800 a day

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Dogecoin started as a joke back in 2013, featuring the popular Shiba Inu “Doge” meme as its mascot. However, what began as a lighthearted alternative to Bitcoin has transformed into a cryptocurrency with billions in market capitalization. 

On July 18, XRP broke through $3.65, shattering its 2018 all-time high of $3.40. After a pullback to $3.20, it rebounded 7%. Technicals remain strong, with the RSI above 50 and support at $3, indicating a dominant buying trend and a potential rise to $4 in the short term.

However, savvy investors don’t just wait for prices to rise; they also turn their assets into daily cash flow. With GMO Miner, XRP holders can directly launch cloud mining contracts and earn daily XRP returns, unaffected by market fluctuations.

No hardware or maintenance required, with daily returns settled and cash available for withdrawal or reinvestment at any time, achieving double the growth of your assets.

Now is the perfect time to capitalize on XRP’s price momentum and earn passive income by joining GMO Miner.

Why should XRP investors choose GMO Miner

Bitcoin and Ethereum dominate the ETF market, and Ripple (XRP) is catching up. For many investors, ETF returns alone no longer meet their expectations for stable returns. Therefore, they are turning to legal and compliant intelligent cloud mining platforms like GMO Miner.

GMO Miner’s AI-powered computing management system allows you to earn cryptocurrency daily without having to purchase expensive equipment or incur maintenance risks. The platform combines renewable energy with cold storage to ensure stable returns and asset security.

How to Get Started with GMO Miner

1: Visit GMO Miner and create your account – receive a $15 bonus.

2: Securely connect your digital wallet.

3: Select a mining contract that suits your budget and timeframe.

4: Start mining – your profits will be paid out daily. 5: Referral Bonus: Benefit from the most attractive affiliate program (3% + 1.5%), referral commissions, and bonuses up to $21,000.

Some contract examples:

Adventure Plan for Beginners

Investment: $100 | Duration: 2 days | Daily Revenue: $3.50 | Total Net Profit: $100 + $7

Antminer AL1

Investment: $1,100 | Duration: 12 days | Daily Revenue: $14.41 | Total Net Profit: $1,100 + $172.92

Antminer S21+

Investment: $5,000 | Duration: 35 days | Daily Revenue: $76 | Total Net Profit: $5,000 + $2,660

Antminer S21 XR Imm

Investment: $8,000 | Duration: 30 days | Daily Revenue: $129.6 | Total Net Profit: $8,000 + $3,888 USD

Antminer Rack

Investment: $12,000 | Term: 40 days | Daily Revenue: $201.6 | Total Net Profit: $12,000 + $8,064

Ant Space HK3 V6

Investment: $30,000 | Term: 45 days | Daily Revenue: $534.00 | Total Net Profit: $30,000 + $24,030

View more new contracts on the GMO Miner platform website.

After purchasing a contract, your returns are guaranteed and automatically credited to your account every 24 hours. Upon contract expiration, your principal will be fully returned. You can withdraw or reinvest at any time to enjoy compounding returns.

“We believe the value of crypto assets should transcend price fluctuations. Our goal is to encourage more people to participate and make it easy for them to earn stable daily returns without relying on speculation,” said GAIGER Samuel Joseph, Marketing Director of GMO Miner.

Security and Sustainability

In the world of mining, trust and security are paramount. GMO Miner understands this and prioritizes user safety. Committed to transparency and legal compliance, GMO Miner ensures your investment is protected, allowing you to focus on profitability. All mining farm energy is supplied by renewable energy, making cloud mining carbon neutral. Renewable energy protects the environment and delivers exceptional returns, allowing every investor to enjoy opportunities and benefits.

Looking Ahead

With the continued strength of XRP prices, GMO Miner will provide investors with a path to achieve both stable returns and asset appreciation. In the future, cloud mining is likely to gain further popularity and become a common choice for crypto investors. The in-depth integration of AI-powered computing power management and renewable energy will not only improve mining efficiency but also achieve long-term sustainability. Furthermore, the maturing market and increasingly stringent regulatory compliance will further strengthen investor confidence. For investors seeking stable cash flow and asset appreciation, capitalizing on XRP’s upward momentum and investing in mining contracts through GMO Miner may become a crucial path to future wealth growth.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, GMO Miner welcomes everyone from around the world.

For more information, please visit GMO Miner’s official website: https://www.gmominer.com

Or contact us via email: info@gmominer.com

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XRP price prediction hits new highs, GMO Miner helps you earn $6,800 a day

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“XRP Futures Hit $1B — WinnerMining Cloud Mining Shows You How to Earn $1,850 a Day” https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/xrp-futures-hit-1b-winnermining-cloud-mining-shows-you-how-to-earn-1850-a-day/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/xrp-futures-hit-1b-winnermining-cloud-mining-shows-you-how-to-earn-1850-a-day/#respond Wed, 27 Aug 2025 23:25:59 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162857 The opening shots in the cryptocurrency revolution were fired in 2008 when a mysterious visionary attempted to establish the soundness of a blockchain-based digital currency in a whitepaper published under an assumed name.

XRP is on fire. CME just reported that XRP futures became the fastest contract ever to surpass $1 billion in open interest, outpacing even Bitcoin and Ethereum. Institutional demand is surging — and now, everyday investors can join the action.

Read more:
“XRP Futures Hit $1B — WinnerMining Cloud Mining Shows You How to Earn $1,850 a Day”

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The opening shots in the cryptocurrency revolution were fired in 2008 when a mysterious visionary attempted to establish the soundness of a blockchain-based digital currency in a whitepaper published under an assumed name.

Institutions are moving fast — don’t get left behind.

XRP is on fire. CME just reported that XRP futures became the fastest contract ever to surpass $1 billion in open interest, outpacing even Bitcoin and Ethereum. Institutional demand is surging — and now, everyday investors can join the action.

So how can you benefit from this momentum? That’s where WinnerMining comes in. It lets your XRP work for you every day, without trading, charts, or expensive mining rigs.

Why WinnerMining Works

WinnerMining makes earning simple and stress-free:

100% cloud-based — start from anywhere

Eco-friendly — powered by solar, wind, and hydro

Daily payouts — withdraw or reinvest anytime

Secure — military-grade protection keeps your assets safe

Referral bonuses — earn extra by inviting friends

Contracts That Fit Your Goals

Pick a contract that matches your budget and start earning immediately:

  • Starter — $100, small daily income, 2 days
    • Junior — $500, moderate daily income, 5 days
    • Intermediate — $3,000, significant daily income, 15 days
    • Premium — $10,000, high daily income, 30 days
    • Exclusive — $100,000+, maximum daily income, 60+ days

Each contract puts your XRP to work automatically. You don’t have to guess the market or watch charts. Earnings come in daily, reliably, and stress-free.

Why Now Is the Moment

XRP is breaking records on CME. Regulations are becoming clearer. Institutional adoption is growing. This is the moment to act.

WinnerMining bridges the gap: while big funds trade futures, you can earn daily XRP safely and predictably— even while you sleep.

Don’t let your XRP sit idle — put it to work today.

The question isn’t “Will XRP rise?” anymore — it’s:
“How much XRP will you earn tomorrow?”

WinnerMining.com
info@winnermining.com

Read more:
“XRP Futures Hit $1B — WinnerMining Cloud Mining Shows You How to Earn $1,850 a Day”

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Seven keys to a successful AI strategy for corporate enabling functions https://notltd.co.uk/scaling-up/seven-keys-to-a-successful-ai-strategy-for-corporate-enabling-functions/ https://notltd.co.uk/scaling-up/seven-keys-to-a-successful-ai-strategy-for-corporate-enabling-functions/#respond Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:29:50 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162785 Corporations are spending big on AI. According to IDC, total business investments in generative AI are expected to increase 94% this year to reach $61.9 billion. However, just investing in AI does not guarantee a payoff.

Corporations are spending big on AI. According to IDC, total business investments in generative AI are expected to increase 94% this year to reach $61.9 billion. However, just investing in AI does not guarantee a payoff.

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Seven keys to a successful AI strategy for corporate enabling functions

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Corporations are spending big on AI. According to IDC, total business investments in generative AI are expected to increase 94% this year to reach $61.9 billion. However, just investing in AI does not guarantee a payoff.

Corporations are spending big on AI. According to IDC, total business investments in generative AI are expected to increase 94% this year to reach $61.9 billion. However, just investing in AI does not guarantee a payoff.

In fact, as Laura Clayton McDonnell, President of Corporates at Thomson Reuters explains, new research from McKinsey finds that the vast majority of companies implementing AI have seen no significant bottom-line impact from the technology. These findings are echoed in our Future of the Professionals Report 2025, which found that although 71% of C-suite leaders say their company has invested in AI tools in the past year, and a further 18% plan to invest in AI within the next 12 months, just 19% of corporate professionals say their department has a clearly-defined AI strategy in place.

As investment in AI increases, it becomes ever more important for businesses to develop an AI strategy to maximize the value of their AI investments. A solid AI strategy will define the investment, training, and guardrails necessary for departments to effectively utilize the technology. An excellent AI strategy can drive top-line growth for companies. However, this growth will never occur without a clear plan.

Based on our experience at Thomson Reuters helping large corporations integrate AI into their tax, legal, risk, compliance, and HR workflows, we’ve seen what can happen when businesses have a clear strategy in place and how expectations can be missed without a plan. We recommend that organizations follow seven key principles to maximize the effectiveness of new AI tools they adopt. These principles emphasize the necessary steps—from developing protocols to training employees—that are essential for achieving your business’s core objectives.

The seven key principles for a successful AI strategy

Align your AI strategy with your firm’s overall strategy

AI initiatives must directly support the core objectives of in-house departments and complement their organization’s overarching AI strategy. This includes reducing legal and regulatory risk exposure, improving compliance, streamlining procurement, and speeding up contract review. Leaders should also consider how to reinvest the new time savings into handling a greater volume of value-added work.

Corporate leaders should consider where they want their in-house functions to be in a year. They should begin by identifying the obstacles that are now blocking their departments’ strategic progress.

Establish clear AI goals and objectives

Leaders should convert broad company goals into specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) AI objectives. For example, if a departmental goal is to improve regulatory compliance monitoring, a good AI objective could be to boost department efficiency in handling particularly tedious manual tasks, like drafting updated contracts or researching local tax laws. Additionally, leaders should encourage input from different departments on how AI can support these goals. They should also promote early experimentation with AI tools across legal, tax, and compliance teams.

Corporate leaders should identify and prioritize an AI goal that tackles the departments’ most urgent issues, developing relevant initiatives to achieve realistic objectives.

Create a data strategy

Remember that AI’s effectiveness depends on the data it is trained on or references. Leaders should ensure their departments develop strong strategies for managing, securing, and utilizing data for AI purposes—while upholding confidentiality and legal privileges.

Leaders should work with internal teams and external resources to establish the best data strategy for their organization, considering factors like company size, industry, structure, and best practices.

Establish strong governance & ethical frameworks

It’s essential to establish clear policies on data privacy, security, and responsible AI use. This involves creating processes for identifying bias and ensuring accuracy. When verifying GenAI outputs, it is important to clearly define policies related to confidentiality, transparency, and the preservation of legal privileges.

Leaders should assign AI responsibilities within each department and establish approval procedures for new AI tools that consider the specific ethical and legal issues of each department. Another important step is to develop and document standard protocols for selecting AI tools and verifying outputs.

Invest in talent and training

While AI can be a powerful tool, people drive its success. Leaders should train staff not just on how to use AI tools but also on how to develop judgment to review AI outputs critically — an essential skill for building trust and ensuring compliance. Leaders must also identify skills gaps within the organization, address professional liability concerns, and foster a culture of responsible experimentation. They should also communicate openly about the organization’s overall AI strategy and its benefits to gain better buy-in from all professionals.

Businesses should consider using free or low-cost training resources from professional associations and technology providers. This is a cost-effective way to boost your organization’s training programs.

Prioritize and pilot

Leaders should identify two or three high-impact, high-feasibility pilot projects involving AI tools. Ideally, these projects should address critical pain points, such as contract analysis, regulatory monitoring, or tax provision automation. Early successes can build momentum, offer important lessons, and demonstrate the value of a solid AI strategy — all of which will facilitate broader adoption. Piloting new AI tools should be viewed as an ongoing process, incorporating feedback from frontline professionals.

Measure, iterate and adapt

Leaders should establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of AI initiatives in areas like reducing compliance incidents, speeding up risk detection, and increasing the accuracy of tax provisions. It’s also important to measure AI initiatives against departmental goals to better evaluate their impact on overall performance. Additionally, regularly reviewing progress and being ready to adjust strategies is crucial as regulatory requirements, technology, and organizational needs change.

You should routinely track each department’s progress using simple before-and-after comparisons. This approach can often show return on investment without the need for complex analytics.

The winners in the AI arms race are those organizations that have all the elements of their strategic plan both mapped out and carefully implemented. We think that careful planning is worth it. With AI the risks of getting it wrong may look high but so are the potential returns.

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Seven keys to a successful AI strategy for corporate enabling functions

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Analysis of the reasons for Ripple’s decline today: How RICH Miner cloud mining can turn XRP into stable passive income https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/analysis-of-the-reasons-for-ripples-decline-today-how-rich-miner-cloud-mining-can-turn-xrp-into-stable-passive-income/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/analysis-of-the-reasons-for-ripples-decline-today-how-rich-miner-cloud-mining-can-turn-xrp-into-stable-passive-income/#respond Tue, 26 Aug 2025 23:14:03 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162793 Dogecoin started as a joke back in 2013, featuring the popular Shiba Inu “Doge” meme as its mascot. However, what began as a lighthearted alternative to Bitcoin has transformed into a cryptocurrency with billions in market capitalization. 

Ripple (XRP) saw another price drop today, leaving many investors anxious. What exactly is causing XRP's decline? Amidst market uncertainty, how can holders still earn a stable return during this price drop?

Read more:
Analysis of the reasons for Ripple’s decline today: How RICH Miner cloud mining can turn XRP into stable passive income

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Dogecoin started as a joke back in 2013, featuring the popular Shiba Inu “Doge” meme as its mascot. However, what began as a lighthearted alternative to Bitcoin has transformed into a cryptocurrency with billions in market capitalization. 

Ripple (XRP) saw another price drop today, leaving many investors anxious. What exactly is causing XRP’s decline? Amidst market uncertainty, how can holders still earn a stable return during this price drop?

The answer lies in RICH Miner cloud mining—a new way for investors to convert XRP into stable passive income.

  1. Main Reasons for Ripple’s Decline Today
  2. Overall Market Correction

A decline in the price of Ripple is often correlated with overall cryptocurrency market trends. Declines in Bitcoin and Ethereum can directly lead to short-term adjustments in XRP.

  1. Regulatory Impact

The litigation between the SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) and Ripple has been a significant factor influencing XRP’s price. Every new development or ruling could lead to a short-term decline in XRP.

  1. Investor Cashing Out

After XRP’s initial surge, many investors chose to take profits, increasing selling pressure and causing prices to fall.

  1. Fluctuating Market Sentiment

The cryptocurrency market is dominated by speculation, and investor sentiment significantly influences prices. When panic spreads, XRP prices naturally come under pressure.

  1. How RICH Miner Cloud Mining Helps XRP Holders

Even if XRP experiences a short-term decline, investors can still convert XRP into long-term, stable returns through RICH Miner cloud mining.

  1. What is RICH Miner Cloud Mining?

RICH Miner is a platform that provides XRP cloud mining services. Users don’t need to purchase expensive mining machines; simply stake XRP on the platform and receive dividends based on the computing power generated.

  1. Advantages for XRP Holders
  • Stable Passive Income: Through cloud mining dividends, holders receive a fixed daily income, eliminating their reliance on the XRP market price.
  • Risk Diversification: Your XRP holdings are converted into computing power, which can continuously generate BTC, DOGE, or USDT, thus hedging against the risk of XRP’s price decline.
  • Flexible Withdrawals: RICH Miner supports daily withdrawals, allowing investors to convert their earnings directly into stablecoins or other mainstream currencies.
  1. Example of an XRP Earning Model: The process is very simple:

3.1: Register an Account – Register for free and receive a $15 bonus.

3.2: Deposit XRP – Transfer tokens to a dedicated platform wallet address.

3.3: Choose a Mining Contract – Flexible options include short-term, long-term, or high-yield plans.

Contract Type Contract Price Contract duration Daily income Total revenue
New User Experience Contract $100 2 $3 $100 + $6
Canaan Avalon A15XP $500 6 $6.00 $500 + $30
Bitdeer SealMiner A2 $1,000 12 $13.00 $1000+ $156
Bitmain Antminer L7 $3,000 18 $42.30 $3000+ $756
Bitmain Antminer S21 $5,000 25 $75.00 $5000+ $1875
Bitmain Antminer S21 XP Hyd $10,000 30 $162.00 $10000+ $4860

[Click here for more contract details]

3.4: Enjoy Daily Returns – Mining profits are automatically distributed, and you can withdraw or reinvest them at any time.

Industry experts point out that RICH Miner’s “Green Mining” model reduces energy consumption while providing more stable returns than traditional mining methods.

III. Why Choose RICH Miner Cloud Mining?

  • Simple Operation: No mining equipment or electricity required, suitable for all investors.
  • Transparent Returns: Mining output data is publicly available daily, and the dividend distribution mechanism is clear.
  • Robust and Reliable: The platform leverages massive computing power to guarantee output, ensuring a genuine source of income.
  • Risk Hedging: Even if the price of XRP declines, investors can still earn stable returns through cloud mining.

Summary:

In summary, the main reasons for XRP’s decline include market conditions, regulatory uncertainty, and investor sentiment. However, for long-term investors, price fluctuations are not necessarily a bad thing. Through Rich Miner cloud mining, XRP holders can not only earn a stable daily passive income but also diversify their risk, achieving the dual goals of “long-term holding + stable returns.”

In the uncertain crypto market, learning to utilize cloud mining platforms is the core strategy for ensuring the steady growth of your assets.

For more information about Rich Miner, please visit the official website. Customer service email: info@richminer.com.

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Analysis of the reasons for Ripple’s decline today: How RICH Miner cloud mining can turn XRP into stable passive income

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Americans embrace Aldi as German discounter becomes fastest-growing supermarket in US https://notltd.co.uk/news/aldi-fastest-growing-supermarket-us/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/aldi-fastest-growing-supermarket-us/#respond Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:42:18 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162726 Aldi has become the unlikely star of the US grocery sector, with Americans flocking to the German discounter in record numbers as high inflation reshapes shopping habits.

Aldi is winning millions of loyal US shoppers with its no-frills, low-cost model. Store visits are up 51% in five years, making the German discounter America’s fastest-growing supermarket chain.

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Americans embrace Aldi as German discounter becomes fastest-growing supermarket in US

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Aldi has become the unlikely star of the US grocery sector, with Americans flocking to the German discounter in record numbers as high inflation reshapes shopping habits.

Aldi has become the unlikely star of the US grocery sector, with Americans flocking to the German discounter in record numbers as high inflation reshapes shopping habits.

Queues for new product releases – once associated with sneaker drops and tech launches – are now a familiar sight outside Aldi stores across the Midwest and beyond. From wine bottle advent calendars to limited-edition snacks, shoppers say the chain has built a cult-like following while positioning itself as the country’s fastest-growing supermarket.

Ashley Williams, a mother of four in Illinois, says her local Aldi is transformed into an event destination whenever new products are released. “There’ll be such a line that they give out tickets,” she says. “We’re in the Midwest, and it’s pretty cold in the fall, but people still turn out.”

Williams turned her love for the retailer into an Instagram account, Oh Hey Aldi, which now has 173,000 followers. She is part of a growing community of influencers – including Aldi All The Time and the Aldi Nerd Facebook group with 1.4 million members – fuelling sales of branded merchandise and building a loyal fanbase.

Aldi has operated in the US since the 1970s, but its real growth push has come in the past decade. Since 2014, the retailer has doubled its footprint and now runs more than 2,500 stores across 40 states. According to JLL, Aldi is expanding at more than twice the pace of its nearest competitor, with plans to open 225 stores in 2025 and 800 more by 2028 – taking its US estate past 3,200 outlets.

“In our modern supermarket era, I haven’t seen anything like this,” says James Cook, senior director of US retail research at JLL. Dave Rinaldo, Aldi’s US chief operating officer, adds: “We literally can’t open the stores fast enough.”

Between 2019 and 2024, US food prices rose nearly 24 per cent. While grocery footfall increased 11 per cent across the industry, Aldi’s surged more than 51 per cent, according to JLL data. Last year, its stores attracted 924 million visits, making it the third-most visited supermarket in America after Kroger and Publix.

Shoppers are not just turning to Aldi for price. The retailer’s policy of stocking mostly own-brand products – many free from artificial dyes and additives – has struck a chord with health-conscious families. “It’s kind of a relief to walk into a store and know you don’t have to scan every label just to stay within budget,” says Williams.

Aldi’s success lies in its no-frills model. Stores typically stock around 2,000 products – compared with 31,000 in a typical US supermarket – and nearly 90 per cent are own-brand. Goods are displayed in pallets and boxes to save staff time, while the smaller store footprint keeps rent and energy costs down.

A study by AARP found a typical Aldi basket costs around $66.11 (£49.25), roughly 20 per cent less than rival discounter Target.

Even as inflation pressures ease, the threat of fresh price rises from Donald Trump’s renewed trade war agenda is expected to keep Americans focused on value. Aldi is moving to capture more market share, launching summer price cuts on more than 400 items.

For many consumers, less choice and lower costs have become a welcome combination. “It’s nice to not have excessive amounts of things to choose from,” says Sarah Campbell, a New Jersey teacher and Aldi influencer. “Especially when you’re worried about your economic future, you look for savings wherever you can.”

With nearly one billion annual US store visits and an aggressive pipeline of openings, Aldi’s march on America looks set to continue – one stripped-down shopping basket at a time.

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Americans embrace Aldi as German discounter becomes fastest-growing supermarket in US

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Earn $8,800 a day in passive income using your smartphone – Siton Mining Launches New Multi-Currency Cloud Mining App for BTC, XRP, and DOGE https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/earn-8800-a-day-in-passive-income-using-your-smartphone-siton-mining-launches-new-multi-currency-cloud-mining-app-for-btc-xrp-and-doge/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/earn-8800-a-day-in-passive-income-using-your-smartphone-siton-mining-launches-new-multi-currency-cloud-mining-app-for-btc-xrp-and-doge/#respond Sun, 24 Aug 2025 23:05:52 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162669 Bitcoin trading

With the growing popularity of digital assets, passive income has become a goal for many investors. Siton Mining has launched a new solution: a multi-currency cloud mining application for BTC, XRP, and DOGE, making it easy for everyone to start mining with zero barriers to entry.

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Earn $8,800 a day in passive income using your smartphone – Siton Mining Launches New Multi-Currency Cloud Mining App for BTC, XRP, and DOGE

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Bitcoin trading

With the growing popularity of digital assets, passive income has become a goal for many investors. Siton Mining has launched a new solution: a multi-currency cloud mining application for BTC, XRP, and DOGE, making it easy for everyone to start mining with zero barriers to entry.

Since its establishment in 2016, Siton Mining, a globally renowned cloud mining service provider, has been committed to lowering the barrier to entry for users and enabling them to participate in the value-added growth of the digital economy. The company has launched a multi-currency cloud mining system that fully supports mainstream cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, XRP, DOGE, and USDT, creating a one-stop experience where users can mine their own cryptocurrency.

Core Platform Advantages: Making Mining Smarter and Safer

⦁ Daily Settlement, Flexible Withdrawals

Profits are automatically settled and distributed daily to your account, allowing you to withdraw and reinvest as you wish.

⦁ Top-tier Security

Partnering with McAfee® and Cloudflare® to build a military-grade security system, ensuring comprehensive fund and data security.

⦁ Accessible to Everyone, Low Barrier to Entry

Both beginners and experienced investors can find a suitable solution to achieve stable returns.

⦁ Rewards: Continuous Incentives

New users receive a random bonus of $10-$100 upon registration, and receive an additional $0.60 upon daily login, encouraging long-term holding and growth.

⦁ 200+ data centers worldwide, operating 24/7

Providing 24/7 professional customer support to ensure stable mining operations.

Start your cloud mining journey in three steps.

  1. Register an account:

Visit the official website at https://sitonmining.com and register using your email address.

  1. Choose a contract:

Choose the appropriate currency and mining plan to easily start cloud mining.

  1. Enjoy the benefits:

Daily settlement. Withdraw when your account reaches $100, or reinvest to earn higher returns.

Investment Contract Returns

You might be wondering, “Can you really make money?” Below is an example of Siton Mining’s official data:
⦁Newbie Trial Plan

Investment: $100, Duration: 2 days, Revenue: $8, Total Net Profit: $100 + $8

⦁iPollo V1

Investment: $500, Duration: 5 days, Revenue: $30, Total Net Profit: $500 + $30

⦁WhatsMiner M60S+

Investment: $1000, Duration: 10 days, Revenue: $131, Total Net Profit: $1000 + $1131

⦁Desiwe K10 Pro

Investment: $3500, Duration: 16 days, Revenue: $784, Total Net Profit: $3500 + $784

⦁DragonBall KS6 Pro+

Investment: $7000, Duration: 21 days, Revenue: $2205, Total Net Profit: $7000 + $2205

⦁Jasminer X44-Q

Investment: $9800, Time: 26 days, Revenue: $4051.32, Total Net Profit: $9800 + $4051.32

Denominated in US dollars, avoiding price fluctuations

Siton Mining supports mainstream assets such as BTC, ETH, XRP, DOGE, LTC, BCH, SOL, and USDT (ERC20/TRC20). The system automatically converts settlements to US dollars to mitigate price fluctuations. When withdrawing, you can freely choose to convert back to your target currency, ensuring fund security and liquidity.

About Siton Mining

Since its founding in 2016, Siton Mining has built over 100 mining farms worldwide, serving over 180 countries and regions, and boasting over 9 million registered users. With stable operations, security guarantees, and high-quality service, Siton Mining has become a leader in the cloud mining industry.

“True wealth accumulation comes from long-term, stable returns, not short-term fluctuations.”

Visit the official website https://sitonmining.com or contact us at info@sitonmining.com to start your cloud mining journey.

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Earn $8,800 a day in passive income using your smartphone – Siton Mining Launches New Multi-Currency Cloud Mining App for BTC, XRP, and DOGE

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Latest Decode Casino Bonus Code Deals You Shouldn’t Miss https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/latest-decode-casino-bonus-code-deals-you-shouldnt-miss/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/latest-decode-casino-bonus-code-deals-you-shouldnt-miss/#respond Sat, 23 Aug 2025 23:47:42 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162684 Navigating the world of online casino bonuses can feel like reading the fine print on a rocket science manual — confusing, vague, and full of traps.

When it's time to lie back and enjoy your casino games, it feels great to have a little treat you can look forward to. Decode Casino is a treasure trove for all online casino players looking for bonuses to increase their cash gains.

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Latest Decode Casino Bonus Code Deals You Shouldn’t Miss

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Navigating the world of online casino bonuses can feel like reading the fine print on a rocket science manual — confusing, vague, and full of traps.

When it’s time to lie back and enjoy your casino games, it feels great to have a little treat you can look forward to. Decode Casino is a treasure trove for all online casino players looking for bonuses to increase their cash gains.

In this post, we explore Decode Casino bonus codes you can redeem for a variety of rewards, including sign-up bonuses, no-deposit rewards, free spins, and cash back rewards.

Welcome Bonus Featuring Ms. Moolah

As a new player at Decode Casino, you’re in for a massive treat alongside the electrifying Ms. Moolah. Under her guidance, you can enjoy a match bonus and a free chip as part of the welcome package.

For the first part of your welcome offer at Decode, you’ll receive a 111% match bonus. To access this offer, use the code DECODE111. You can receive a bonus of up to $1,111 to supercharge your bets.

Right after using your first deposit bonus at Decode, you qualify for a free $111 chip. This Decode no deposit bonus is available through the code FREE111DECODE. You can win up to $500 from this bonus, which is a significant increase from the specified 5x limit stated in the general terms and conditions.

The best part about the welcome package is that you only need a $25 minimum deposit to qualify. Both the deposit and no deposit bonuses have a reduced wagering requirement of 25x.

Welcome Bonus Featuring Spade

Your next main mascot at Decode is Spade. He’ll usher you into Decode with a generous welcome bonus. In this package, you can select either of the two Decode Casino bonus codes after making a minimum $25 deposit.

Using the code EASY25CODE, you’ll get a 400% welcome bonus to spend on any of the slots or keno games at Decode. Alternatively, you can redeem your bonus using the code 250CASH and get a 250% match bonus and 50 free spins. These spins are available to spend on RTG Cash Chaser slot.

We love this offer because it has a 35x wagering requirement. It’s best to spend the free spins first, before spending the rest of the bonus to ensure you meet the wagering requirements.

Lady Lucky Gun

Decode Casino welcomes you to try your luck at Lady Luck on a classic 5×3 grid with an enchanting yet hauntingly beautiful lady by your side. To make your quest more exciting, Decode Casino has three bonus match options, which you can claim at least once every day.

  • The first is a 100% match bonus. To get this reward, you need a $25 minimum deposit and use the code 100LADYGUN. You’ll also get an additional 25 free spins.
  • The second is a 150% match bonus. To get this offer, you need a $50 minimum deposit and use the code 150LADYGUN. Decode will also gift you an extra 35 free spins.
  • The third offer is a 175% match bonus. To get this reward, you need a $100 minimum deposit and use the code 175LADYGUN. You’ll also get 50 free spins.

All the free spins are redeemable on Lady Lucky Gun, and so are the bonuses. There’s a 30x wagering requirement on all bonuses, and remember to wager all the winnings from your free spins 60x as listed in the general terms.

Blackbeard’s Lucky Bucks

Join the hunt for Captain Blackbeard and be the lucky winner who takes the bounty home this weekend. To secure more wins, Decode Casino has three bonuses for you to choose from every weekend.

  • For the first bonus, you need a $100 minimum deposit to get a 177% deposit match and 77 free spins. Use the coupon code MSMOOLAH177.
  • Alternatively, deposit at least $30 for a 77% bonus match plus 77 free spins. Use the coupon code MSMOOLAH77.
  • Lastly, you’ll get 77 free spins just for redeeming the first two offers.

Usually, it’s best to spend the free spins first, then gamble any winnings 60x to meet the withdrawal requirements. Then, spend the deposits plus bonus amounts with a 30x wagering requirement on Blackbeard’s Lucky Bucks.

Summer of the Future Featuring Miami Jackpots

As the temperatures soar and tech dependency increases, jolt yourself into the future in Miami in 2121, where your loyal companions at Decode help you secure bigger wins. This offer comes in three parts.

  • The first bonus is a 111% bonus match and 33 free spins to spend on Miami Jackpots using the code NEOMIAMI-1.
  • The second bonus is a 211% bonus match and 33 free spins to spend on Miami Jackpots using the code NEOMIAMI-2.
  • The third bonus is a $33 free cash no deposit reward to spend on Miami Jackpots using the code NEOMIAMI-3.

All the offers in this promotion have a 30x minimum wagering limit and a $25 minimum deposit requirement. While there is no winning limit on the deposit bonuses, you can only cash out up to $500 using the free chip, which is still generous.

Mega Moolah Marathon

The Mega Moolah summer marathon offers you a chance to enjoy yet another thrilling package from Decode Casino. The offer comes in three parts, depending on the amount of deposits you make within a month.

  • The first is a $50 monthly mission. You qualify for this mission when you make 5 deposits of at least $25. To access this reward, use the bonus code HIGH5 and prepare for a $500 max cashout.
  • The second is a $100 monthly mission. You qualify for this offer with 10 deposits of at least $25 each. Once you meet the requirements, use the code HIGH10. The maximum cashout for this offer is $1,000.
  • The third is the $150 monthly mission. This offer is available for 5 deposits of at least $15 within the month. You can access the offer using the code HIGH15. The maximum cashout for this offer is $1,500.

All promotions in this offer have a 40x rollover requirement, but you can select any of the slots and keno games available.

Cybernetic Cash Chase

High speed, neon lights, and tech gadgets can only be improved upon by one thing — real cash wins. With this Decode Casino bonus, you have a chance to improve your gains using any of the three offers in this package.

  • The first is the $30 monthly mission, which has $25 minimum deposit requirement throughout the month. You can redeem this offer using the code DE30CODE.
  • The second offer is valid for one weekly redemption between Monday and Thursday for deposits of at least $25 made within the same period. In this reward, you’ll gain 50 free spins on Cash Chaser. Use the code LOYAL50CODE to redeem the reward.
  • The third offer is 77 free spins on Blackbeard’s Lucky Bucks using the code LOYAL77MOOLAH. To qualify for this offer, you need $25 minimum deposit made between Friday and Sunday and redeemed within the same period. You can only redeem this offer once a week.

All the offers in this package have a 40x rollover requirement, and you can win up to $500 for each coupon.

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Latest Decode Casino Bonus Code Deals You Shouldn’t Miss

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Starmer accused of betraying farmers as British food pledge stalls https://notltd.co.uk/news/starmer-farmers-british-food-pledge/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/starmer-farmers-british-food-pledge/#respond Fri, 22 Aug 2025 21:55:49 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162647 Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of betraying Britain’s farmers after a new report revealed Labour has failed to deliver on its manifesto promise to back locally grown food.

Keir Starmer faces backlash after Labour fails to deliver pledge that half of public sector food be locally sourced, with farmers warning of food shortages and record closures.

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Starmer accused of betraying farmers as British food pledge stalls

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Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of betraying Britain’s farmers after a new report revealed Labour has failed to deliver on its manifesto promise to back locally grown food.

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of betraying Britain’s farmers after a new report revealed Labour has failed to deliver on its manifesto promise to back locally grown food.

Before the general election, Labour pledged that half of all food purchased by the public sector would be “locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards.” With the public sector spending an estimated £5 billion a year on food, the pledge was billed as a potential multi-billion-pound lifeline for farmers.

However, data obtained by the Countryside Alliance shows that only two government departments currently source a majority of their food from Britain: the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (80%) and the Department of Health and Social Care (72%). Other departments either failed to record figures or admitted they had no policies on prioritising British-grown produce.

The findings come against a backdrop of widespread discontent in the farming community. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s inheritance tax reform last year, which slashed reliefs available to family farms, prompted a record 3,175 closures and triggered tractor protests in Westminster. Farmers, still reeling from those measures, now see the unfulfilled food pledge as a further betrayal.

Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, said: “After slapping an unjust and disastrous inheritance tax on British farms, it comes as no surprise that Labour are continuing their betrayal of UK food producers. It’s almost as if they are trying to wipe the sector out entirely.”

Victoria Atkins, the Conservative shadow environment secretary, added that the government was “quietly shelving every promise it made to rural Britain,” warning that farmers faced “their worst-ever harvest” while prices continue to rise.

Gareth Wyn Jones, a sheep farmer and campaigner in Conwy, called the failure to support British produce “a total disaster.” He warned the country was “sleepwalking into food shortages” unless more was done to back domestic agriculture.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) echoed the criticism, with deputy president David Exwood describing progress on sourcing British-grown food as “disappointing.” He said: “Public procurement should be a powerful tool to support domestic food production, yet progress remains slow. Farmers produce high-quality food to some of the world’s leading standards, and supporting their work is vital for the UK’s resilience and food security.”

Despite Labour’s manifesto stating that “food security is national security,” several departments — including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs — noted that current “buying standards for food and catering” did not require them to source domestically.

The government has defended its record, insisting that its new National Procurement Policy Statement and Procurement Act would open up more opportunities for farmers to bid for public-sector catering contracts.

A government spokesman said: “Our commitment to farmers and food producers remains steadfast. We want our farmers to be well placed to bid for a fair share of the £5bn spent on public-sector catering contracts each year.”

The issue is fuelling growing disillusionment with Labour in rural constituencies. Polling shows that the proportion of countryside voters who believe the party “does not understand rural Britain” has doubled since the election. Reform UK is now targeting disenchanted voters, promising to raise the farming budget to £3bn and end climate-related subsidies.

Analysts also warn the impact of climate change is exacerbating the crisis. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has predicted one of the UK’s worst harvests in decades following a summer of drought.

Tom Lancaster, an analyst at the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit, said farmers urgently need more support to adapt to “extreme, record-breaking weather,” while also investing in healthier soils and resilience measures.

For now, however, farmers say they are left with promises, not delivery. David Bean, author of the Countryside Alliance report, said: “In the face of economic uncertainty, and with a barrage of other government policies making their livelihoods harder, British farmers deserve more than warm words. They need meaningful, measurable action.”

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Starmer accused of betraying farmers as British food pledge stalls

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Rachel Reeves plans to tax high-value homes to plug fiscal hole https://notltd.co.uk/news/rachel-reeves-mansion-tax-capital-gains/ https://notltd.co.uk/news/rachel-reeves-mansion-tax-capital-gains/#respond Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:13:30 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162541 Chancellor considers ending capital gains exemption on properties above £1.5m amid £40bn funding shortfall

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is weighing plans to scrap capital gains tax exemptions on high-value homes, in a move dubbed a “mansion tax”, to raise billions and plug a £40bn fiscal gap. Property experts warn it could stall sales and hit pensioners downsizing.

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Rachel Reeves plans to tax high-value homes to plug fiscal hole

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Chancellor considers ending capital gains exemption on properties above £1.5m amid £40bn funding shortfall

Chancellor considers ending capital gains exemption on properties above £1.5m amid £40bn funding shortfall

Rachel Reeves is weighing plans to impose capital gains tax (CGT) on the sale of high-value homes, a move expected to be framed as a “mansion tax” as she seeks to address a £40 billion hole in the public finances.

Currently, homeowners do not pay CGT on their primary residence thanks to private residence relief. But under proposals being explored by the Treasury, this exemption would be withdrawn for properties above a certain threshold — potentially £1.5 million.

If adopted, the change could see higher-rate taxpayers facing a 24 per cent levy on the gains made when selling homes, while basic-rate taxpayers would pay 18 per cent. Treasury officials believe the measure could generate billions, with some estimates suggesting around 120,000 homeowners would be affected. A property sold for £1.5 million, for example, could incur a CGT bill close to £200,000.

Analysts and estate agents have warned the plan risks backfiring. Homeowners could choose to delay selling rather than face hefty tax bills, choking supply in an already subdued housing market. Pensioners looking to downsize may be hit particularly hard.

Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons, said: “It’s a big change that would hit long-term owners hardest and create a cliff-edge at £1.5 million. While headline gains look substantial, they’re often the result of decades of ownership. For households who don’t need to move, this could be a strong disincentive to sell, dampening transactions and potentially weighing on house price growth and Treasury revenues alike.”

Some property experts added that any levy may raise little money if applied only to recent price gains. Tom Bill, head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, said: “Prices in prime central London are down 20 per cent over the last decade. If demand fell further, the prospect of taxable gains at the top end would pretty much vanish.”

Reeves is said to be motivated by concerns that Britain’s property tax regime is outdated. Council tax bands, based on 1991 valuations, have long been criticised as regressive. A £1 million property pays roughly double the council tax of one valued at £80,000, despite being worth over 12 times as much.

While the Treasury has examined adding higher council tax bands, such reforms carry significant political risk. Ending private residence relief for homes above a threshold is seen as a simpler, if controversial, alternative.

Isaac Delestre, senior research economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said: “Short of reinventing council tax entirely, the system could be made more proportional by increasing multipliers in the highest bands or adding new ones. Another option is for central government to levy a new, separate tax on high-value properties.”

The Chancellor has pledged not to raise income tax, VAT or national insurance, limiting her room to manoeuvre. Property taxes have therefore emerged as a key target ahead of the autumn budget.

But critics warn of unintended consequences. Simon Brown, chief executive of Landmark Information Group, argued: “If downsizing becomes less attractive, larger family homes stay off the market, reducing choice for buyers and shrinking the tax base.”

TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp was more blunt, warning that talk of mansion taxes risked “destabilising the property market”.

No decisions have yet been taken, but government sources confirmed property tax reform is under active consideration as Reeves puts “fairness” at the heart of her first major budget.

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Rachel Reeves plans to tax high-value homes to plug fiscal hole

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Christina Georgaki – Greece as a Magnet for Global Wealth https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/christina-georgaki-greece-as-a-magnet-for-global-wealth/ https://notltd.co.uk/opinion/christina-georgaki-greece-as-a-magnet-for-global-wealth/#respond Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:23:23 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162554 After weathering a decade-long financial crisis, Greece has re-emerged as a magnet for global wealth and investment and is now a Continent-defying pioneer of economic growth.

After weathering a decade-long financial crisis, Greece has re-emerged as a magnet for global wealth and investment and is now a Continent-defying pioneer of economic growth.

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Christina Georgaki – Greece as a Magnet for Global Wealth

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After weathering a decade-long financial crisis, Greece has re-emerged as a magnet for global wealth and investment and is now a Continent-defying pioneer of economic growth.

After weathering a decade-long financial crisis, Greece has re-emerged as a magnet for global wealth and investment and is now a Continent-defying pioneer of economic growth.

Central to this transformation is the country’s ability to attract high-net-worth individuals – particularly through the Golden Visa program – which has positioned Greece as a top destination for millionaire migration.

Introduced in 2013, Greece’s Golden Visa scheme offers residency to non-EU nationals who invest at least €250,000 in real estate. This has opened the door for a diverse range of international investors, driving significant investment and capital into the Greek economy. The economic ripple effect these investments have had has been profound. Meanwhile, the real estate market has had a vital injection of liquidity, with formerly stagnant neighbourhoods experiencing a surge in development, opportunity and local employment.

According to a recent study by Henley & Partners, in 2024 alone, 1,200 millionaires chose to settle and work in Greece. By contrast, countries like the UK are forecasted to lose a record 16,500 millionaires this year – in part due to unfavourable tax reforms to the non-domiciled status. Greece – with its more favourable position for wealthy innovators and now well established political and economic stability provided by the New Democracy government -is a pivotal strategic base for European business.

The broader global context further enhances Greece’s appeal. As countries like Spain close their golden visa program and Italy doubles its flat tax on foreigners to €200,000, Greece offers a rare combination of tax efficiency, residency benefits, and quality of life. Investors – especially from the United States, which accounted for 36% of foreign investment in 2023 – increasingly see Greece as a gateway to the European market, with business-friendly reforms and pro-investor governance under the New Democracy administration.

Greece now has 64,700 millionaires in total, including 105 ultra-high-net-worth individuals with assets over $100 million and eight billionaires. According to Forbes, the number of millionaires in the country has increased by 14% over the past decade, a period which aligns with Greece’s record growth figures and improved investment climate. This is no coincidence.

Under the innovation-friendly leadership of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece has seen its wealth spread, changing the lives and opportunities of families and businesses across the country. Wealthy newcomers have brought industry specific acumen, new business networks, and vital capital. Greece’s startup ecosystem for instance – supported by government initiatives such as Elevate Greece – has blossomed. In 2024, 63,000 new businesses were registered – a 11% increase from the previous year – boosting the economy and job creation. The startup sector has reached a valuation of $8.2 billion, with over $1 billion in annual capital inflows, proving that millionaire migration can catalyse long-term economic growth and opportunity for all.

This is a vote of confidence in Greece, which will only continue to grow. As a lawyer specialising in Foreign Direct Investment and an academic, examining the motivation of investment migration, we are increasingly seeing people move to Greece with intergenerational benefits in mind. This is compounded by recent legislation authorising the establishment of private universities. This will help Greece’s economy in the short term, but more importantly, will help diversify society and enhance the skills of the population, fostering talent within the country.

At a time when geopolitical uncertainty and economic unease are pushing the global elite to seek new opportunities around the world and new locations for investment, Greece stands out. It offers not just a favourable lifestyle, but most importantly, stability, opportunity, and a now well-established economic environment. Millionaires are not merely visitors to our country—they are a key component in Greece’s long-term economic future.

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Christina Georgaki – Greece as a Magnet for Global Wealth

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Beyond ETFs: New XRP Cloud Mining Contracts Help Beginners Earn $3,100 Per Day https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/beyond-etfs-new-xrp-cloud-mining-contracts-help-beginners-earn-3100-per-day/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/beyond-etfs-new-xrp-cloud-mining-contracts-help-beginners-earn-3100-per-day/#respond Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:55:20 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162587 As cryptocurrency continues to gain popularity, businesses across the UK are increasingly adopting digital assets as a means of meeting market demand.

As cryptocurrency ETF applications surge, the chances of approval are rising quickly. Yet seasoned investors recognize that while ETFs can boost market confidence, they cannot eliminate price volatility or uncertain returns.

Read more:
Beyond ETFs: New XRP Cloud Mining Contracts Help Beginners Earn $3,100 Per Day

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As cryptocurrency continues to gain popularity, businesses across the UK are increasingly adopting digital assets as a means of meeting market demand.

As cryptocurrency ETF applications surge, the chances of approval are rising quickly. Yet seasoned investors recognize that while ETFs can boost market confidence, they cannot eliminate price volatility or uncertain returns.

In response, Topnotch Crypto has launched a new XRP cloud mining contract that allows users to turn their XRP into stable daily income—without the need for equipment or technical skills. Investors can earn up to $3,100 per day, creating a form of passive income that works like a “digital gold bond.”

Topnotch Crypto is a UK-registered green cloud mining platform that operates 100 mining farms worldwide, all fully powered by renewable energy. The platform leverages advanced artificial intelligence scheduling technology to help users effortlessly convert cryptocurrencies such as XRP, BTC, ETH, and USDT into steady mining income—without any hardware investment or additional effort.

Three Easy Steps to Profit with XRP or BTC

  1. Sign Up — Visit https://topnotchcrypto.com or download the app, complete registration, and claim your $15 welcome bonus.
  2. Activate a Contract — Use XRP or BTC to launch a USD-denominated cloud mining contract.

Sample Popular Contracts:

[Free Contract]: Invest $15, term 1 day, daily return $0.60, maturity payout $15 + $0.60

[Trial Contract]: Invest $100, term 2 days, daily return $4, maturity payout $100 + $8

[Ebang Ebit E12+]: Invest $500, term 5 days, daily return $6.25, maturity payout $500 + $31.25

[WhatsMiner M30S++]: Invest $1,100, term 10 days, daily return $14.85, maturity payout $1,100 + $148.50

[Canaan Avalon Made A1466I]: Invest $10,000, term 30 days, daily return $165, maturity payout $10,000 + $4,950

[Mining Box-40ft-CE]: Invest $100,000, term 50 days, daily return $1,950, maturity payout $100,000 + $97,500

Click to view details of popular contracts.

  1. Enjoy Daily Earnings — The system automatically settles profits every day. Once your balance reaches $100, you can withdraw to your wallet. Your principal is fully returned at contract maturity.

Why Do Global Investors Choose It?

  • Easy to Start — No need to buy or maintain hardware, just sign up and you’re ready to go
  • Flexible Options — A wide range of contracts to fit every budget and schedule
  • Eco-Friendly — Powered 100% by solar, hydro, and wind energy
  • Secure & Reliable — Industry-leading encryption and wallet protection
  • Zero Upfront Cost — New users get a $15 bonus to start mining for free

From Market Volatility to Stable Cash Flow

Are you ready to turn your crypto assets into a sustainable cash flow? Visit the official Topnotch Crypto website today and join the global green cloud mining revolution, where BTC, ETH, and XRP generate real daily income for you.

Official Website: https://topnotchcrypto.com
Email: info@topnotchcrypto.com

Read more:
Beyond ETFs: New XRP Cloud Mining Contracts Help Beginners Earn $3,100 Per Day

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94% of XRP holders worldwide choose RICH Miner to convert XRP assets into stable returns https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/94-of-xrp-holders-worldwide-choose-rich-miner-to-convert-xrp-assets-into-stable-returns/ https://notltd.co.uk/newswire/94-of-xrp-holders-worldwide-choose-rich-miner-to-convert-xrp-assets-into-stable-returns/#respond Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:34:02 +0000 https://bmmagazine.co.uk/?p=162557 Meme coins started as internet jokes but have turned into a real force in crypto. While some still see them as nothing more than social media-fueled gambles, others recognize a shift toward real-world applications.

August brought a wave of positive news for the cryptocurrency market. 94% of Ripple (XRP) holders are currently profitable, making XRP one of the most promising crypto assets of 2025.

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94% of XRP holders worldwide choose RICH Miner to convert XRP assets into stable returns

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Meme coins started as internet jokes but have turned into a real force in crypto. While some still see them as nothing more than social media-fueled gambles, others recognize a shift toward real-world applications.

August brought a wave of positive news for the cryptocurrency market. 94% of Ripple (XRP) holders are currently profitable, making XRP one of the most promising crypto assets of 2025.

As a key pillar of the global cross-border payment network, XRP not only offers advantages in practicality and liquidity, but also creates enormous wealth potential for investors.

Against this backdrop, RICH Miner officially launched its XRP-based cloud mining and profit conversion service, helping users convert their XRP holdings into a stable daily passive income.

Why choose XRP combined with cloud mining?

  • High Liquidity: XRP is widely traded on exchanges around the world and has a strong payment and settlement network.
  • Potential for Value Growth: Over 90% of holders have already profited, and market confidence in XRP continues to strengthen in the long term.
  • Stable Passive Income: RICH Miner combines cloud mining with a profit distribution mechanism, allowing users to not only enjoy asset appreciation but also earn daily returns.

How RICH Miner Cloud Mining Works:

Although traditional “mining” is no longer applicable to XRP, RICH Miner helps users convert XRP into stable daily returns through a cloud computing power + distributed revenue model:

  • Signup Bonus: New users receive a $15 trial credit upon registration, which can be used directly to experience XRP cloud mining contracts.
  • Flexible Contracts: The platform offers a variety of contract options, suitable for short-term trials or long-term profit planning.
  • Daily Settlement: Profits are automatically settled daily and can be withdrawn at any time by linking a wallet.
  • Transparency and Security: The platform uses SSL encryption and DDoS protection to ensure the safety of your funds and data.

Start earning passive income from XRP in three steps:

Create an account – Sign up for free and receive a $15 trial bonus.

② Select an XRP cloud mining plan – Choose a contract based on your investment goals.

Contract Type Contract Price Contract duration Daily income Total revenue
New User Experience Contract $100 2 $3 $100 + $6
Canaan Avalon A15XP $500 6 $6.00 $500 + $30
Bitdeer SealMiner A2 $1,000 12 $13.00 $1000+ $156
Bitmain Antminer L7 $3,000 18 $42.30 $3000+ $756
Bitmain Antminer S21 $5,000 25 $75.00 $5000+ $1875
Bitmain Antminer S21 XP Hyd $10,000 30 $162.00 $10000+ $4860

[Click here to view the full contract]

③ Enjoy daily returns – Returns are automatically calculated and distributed to your account daily.

RICH Miner Advantages:

  • Low Entry Points – No need to purchase mining equipment or incur maintenance costs.
  • High Transparency – Monitor daily returns in real time.
  • Global Trust – Used by users in over 100 countries and regions.
  • Environmentally Friendly and Energy-Saving – Relying on green energy data centers to reduce energy consumption.

Conclusion

With 94% of XRP holders now in profit, Ripple is becoming a new wealth generator for crypto investors. RICH Miner’s XRP cloud mining app not only provides investors with a stable passive income channel, but also opens a convenient entry point for global users to participate in blockchain finance.

Whether you’re a long-term XRP holder or a beginner looking to try low-barrier cloud mining, RICH Miner is the ideal platform for growing your wealth. Sign up now and start your journey to earning stable daily XRP income!

Official Website: https://richminer.com

Official Email: info@richminer.com

Read more:
94% of XRP holders worldwide choose RICH Miner to convert XRP assets into stable returns

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