Category: Partners

New open-source platform provides scale, cryptographic identity, permissions, and tamper-proof audit trails for autonomous software, replacing “god-mode” API keys.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / AgentField today announced that it has emerged from stealth to do for AI agents what Kubernetes did for containers: turn them into scalable, governed production infrastructure. The new open-source platform solves the “coordination crisis” of autonomous software by assigning every agent a cryptographic identity, ensuring that when AI makes decisions, like spending money or touching data, it does so with enforceable permissions and mathematical proof of authority.

While designed for any developer deploying autonomous software, this foundation is particularly critical for high-stakes, high-throughput industries-finance, energy, healthcare, logistics, insurance, and critical infrastructure-where small errors can escalate instantly. Across the board, AI is moving out of the chatbot UI and into core systems: reading ledgers, reconciling transactions, and scheduling freight. However, traditional infrastructure cannot support this shift.

“Autonomous software turns your infrastructure into a digital workforce,” said Oktay Goktas, CEO of AgentField. “That workforce doesn’t log in once a day. It runs constantly in the background, fans out across hundreds of APIs, and executes critical operations at machine speed. You cannot manage millions of autonomous decisions with human-centric SSO or brittle API keys. The identity and orchestration layer has to be rebuilt for autonomous software.”

The “Coordination Crisis” of Autonomous Software

When an agent delegates a task, such as moving funds, updating a patient record, or re-routing a shipment, it triggers a chain of downstream actions where a single request cascades into dozens of autonomous decisions. Traditional authorization systems (OAuth, IAM) fail here because they were built for deterministic human workflows; relying on synchronous checks or broad API keys for software that reasons and acts autonomously causes the entire trust model to collapse.

AgentField solves this by combining Kubernetes-style orchestration with decentralized identity:

• Cryptographic Identity (DIDs): Every agent receives a W3C Decentralized Identifier.

• Verifiable Credentials: Agents issue tamper-proof proofs when delegating tasks. A supply chain agent can cryptographically prove it was authorized by a specific risk policy, and that its authority traces back through a chain of agents to an original human or system decision, without needing a central callback.

• Tamper-Proof Audits: Security teams get cryptographic receipts for every action, not just text logs.

“We are watching old assumptions break in real time,” said Santosh Kumar Radha, CTO of AgentField. “When a $250,000 transfer happens at 3:17 a.m., you need to know exactly who authorized it and under what policy. AgentField ensures that even if an agent functions autonomously five hops down a chain, its authority can be mathematically verified.”

Production Infrastructure for Thinking Software

AgentField provides the control plane for autonomous agents the way Kubernetes provides one for containers, but for identity-bearing, long-running intelligence. Beyond identity, AgentField provides the operational primitives needed to run stateful agents in production:

• Long-running execution: Support for agents that work on tasks for minutes or hours.

• Async orchestration: Built-in retries, webhook-based triggers, and backpressure handling for multi-agent workflows.

• Policy as Code: Access control and IAM policies are enforced by the control plane instead of prompts or ad-hoc scripts.

Most teams today silently reinvent this backend plumbing with brittle scripts and ad-hoc glue code. AgentField provides it as a coherent, production-grade control plane where trust travels with the agent across systems and organizations, an essential property of a real agent economy.

Open-Source Strategy & Availability

AgentField is launching as an Apache 2.0 open-source project available today on GitHub. The founders view open standards as critical for an “agent economy” where software from different vendors must coordinate trustlessly.

Backed by Panache Ventures and Brightspark Ventures, AgentField was founded by repeat entrepreneurs and PhD holders who previously built Agnostiq and its open-source platform Covalent, acquired by DataRobot in February 2025.

For more information, visit agentfield.ai.

ABOUT AGENTFIELD:

AgentField provides identity and scale infrastructure for autonomous software. Based in Toronto, the company builds the open-source foundations that give AI agents cryptographic identities, delegatable permissions, and production-grade orchestration. Founded by Oktay Goktas, PhD (CEO), and Santosh Kumar Radha, PhD (CTO), who previously built and sold Agnostiq to DataRobot in 2025. Learn more at agentfield.ai.

MEDIA CONTACT: Nina Pfister, MAG PR at nina@mooringadvisorygroup.com

SOURCE: AgentField

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

LONDON, UK / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / Cracken, THE leader in AI-enabled Adversarial Exposure Validation, a Silicon Valley company built by ex-nation-state hackers and leading AI researchers, today announced the global launch of the world’s first Uncensored Vibe Hacking Tool at Black Hat Europe.

As enterprises struggle to keep pace with agentic, AI-enabled attackers, Cracken introduces a new security category: Uncensored Vibe Hacking using offensive, attacker-grade AI under human command to vaccinate organizations and deliver true security resilience, or “immunity,” against emerging threats. In practical terms, Uncensored Vibe Hacking hacking means safely harnessing the same class of uncensored, red-grade models adversaries experiment with systems like WormGPT or Zantrox, not guardrails assistants like ChatGPT inside an enterprise-controlled environment. Cracken lets defenders see, in advance, how an attacker’s AI would actually probe, chain, and exploit their environment, putting CISOs directly into the attacker’s [perspective before real adversaries arrive.

“Defenders have been playing catch-up for twenty years,” said Artem Sorokin, Founder & CEO of Cracken. “Attackers now have AI that never sleeps, never gets tired, and never asks for budget. With Cracken, we’re giving defenders the same unfair advantage – an uncensored, red-grade AI engine that thinks and behaves like a real attacker, but is fully controlled, fully auditable, and fully on the side of defense. Vibe Hacking is how we stop being victims of the future and start weaponizing defense.”

Cracken’s platform combines AI Red Security with Automated Exposure Validation (AEV) – an evolution beyond traditional Continuous Exposure Management. Instead of producing endless dashboards and theoretical findings, Cracken deploys agentic AI that acts like a live adversary to validate which exposures are actually exploitable, in which sequence, and with what real-world impact across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments.

Cracken goes beyond traditional pentesting platforms and red-team tools. Classic AI-assisted pentest pipelines imitate the steps a human tester would take; Cracken runs uncensored, agentic AI that actually thinks like an attacker, continuously discovering and chaining exposures on its own. Posture-management dashboards and CNAPP-style views stop at listing theoretical risks; Cracken proves which attack paths are truly exploitable and which business systems they reach. And while compliance-driven pen tests remain checkbox exercises (point-in-time, narrow in scope, and quickly outdated) Cracken gives security leaders ongoing, machine-speed validation grounded in “Proof Over Promises,” turning offensive findings into an operational path to resilience. In a market full of “security vitamins” that claim to improve posture, Cracken is built as a vaccine against real attackers, helping enterprises build measurable immunity to AI-enabled threats.

Born on the frontlines of modern cyberwarfare, Cracken’s AI is trained to operate like a human red team – only faster, more persistent, and infinitely scalable, while keeping a human in and on the loop for judgment, ethics, and control.

“Security teams don’t need more noise; they need a sparring partner,” said Dr. Oleksii Baranovskyi, Chief Cybersecurity Researcher at Cracken. “Cracken is that partner. It thinks like an attacker, moves like an attacker, and chains weaknesses the way a real adversary would, but it’s wired for defense. That’s the power of Vibe Hacking: it lets organizations finally understand how they actually look and feel to an attacker.”

Unlike black-box AI tools, Cracken provides transparent, auditable, and controllable red-grade intelligence. Security teams use it to validate vulnerabilities, uncover hidden attack paths, and run continuous offensive simulations at machine speed, dramatically reducing time-to-understand and time-to-fix for exposure chains that matter.

Cracken’s founding team includes offensive operators and researchers from Ukraine, the EU, and the US, alongside alumni from CrowdStrike, Cisco, Recorded Future, Rapid7, HackerOne, Microsoft, Google, Apple, DIU, US/EU/UA Veterans. The company is intentionally built at the intersection of cyberwarfare, AI safety, and enterprise-scale product engineering, positioning it as the category leader in Uncensored Vibe Hacking and AI-enabled Adversarial Exposure Validation.

“Cracken is leveraging an AI-first approach to solving a problem every CISO has felt for years: understanding which exposure \s truly matter before an attacker gets there,” said John Vrionis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Unusual Ventures. “Their early customers are already seeing the power of putting controlled, attacker-grade AI on the side of the defense – clarity, validation, and the confidence to fix what actually counts”.

The company is already attracting attention from investors and policymakers focused on the intersection of AI, critical infrastructure, and national security. It is currently backed by Unusual Ventures, Form Ventures, Frontline, Strike Capital.

“Governments and critical infrastructure operators are waking up to a hard reality: regulation alone can’t tackle AI-enabled threats,” said Leo Ringer from Form Ventures, a venture investor and former adviser at the highest levels of the UK government. “You need controlled offensive capabilities that help you understand how a motivated adversary will think and execute. Cracken is rare in combining the credibility, ethical approach, and technical depth to do this safely and at global scale.”

Cracken’s global reveal is centered at Black Hat Europe, where the company is a Gold Sponsor with a presence designed to signal a new era of offense-led defense. At Booth #111, attendees can see live demos of the Uncensored Vibe Hacking Tool and the AEV engine in action, exploring real attack chains across modern enterprise environments.

The company is also hosting a sponsored session, “Proof Over Promises: Weaponizing Defense for Resilience in the Age of Agentic AI Overload,” as well as private briefings in its “Domination Hub” a conference room dedicated to CISO meetings, analyst sessions, and strategic partner discussions on AI and offensive security led by CEO Artem Sorokin.

“The timing is perfect and the need is undeniable,” said a founding board member at Cracken. “We’ve seen multiple generations of security tools promise visibility and control, yet major breaches keep happening. Cracken is different. It’s built by people who have lived on the offensive side and know what truly breaks a system- and it gives that knowledge, safely, to defenders. That’s a profound shift.”

“Cracken is more than a product; it’s a statement about how we want AI to be used in security,” Sorokin added. “Yes, we’re giving defenders a more dangerous, more capable offensive tool than they’ve ever had. But we’re also anchoring it in human command, transparency, and purpose. That’s what our customers, partners, and investors are betting on: not just power, but direction.”

About Cracken

Cracken is the leader in AI-enabled Adversarial Exposure Validation, built by ex-nation-state hackers and top AI researchers from US, EU, and Ukraine. The company develops the world’s first Uncensored Vibe Hacking Tool, an agentic AI system that thinks, behaves, and adapts like a real attacker, while operating under full human command.

Born on the frontlines of modern cyberwarfare, Cracken delivers Automated Exposure Validation (AEV), an evolution beyond traditional Continuous Exposure Management. Its platform uses weaponized offensive reasoning to validate vulnerabilities, uncover exploitable paths, and pressure-test cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments at machine speed.

Unlike black-box AI tools, Cracken provides transparent, auditable, and controllable red-grade intelligence. Security teams use it to achieve true security resilience: faster findings, fewer false positives, and a clear path to immunity against emerging AI-enabled threats.

Cracken’s team includes leaders from Google, Apple, CrowdStrike, Cisco, HackerOne, and Nest, bringing deep experience in building and scaling security products for global organizations. Today, Cracken is engaged with enterprise defenders, offensive security teams, government agencies, and AI labs worldwide.

Weaponize Defense. Release The Cracken.
Learn more at www.cracken.ai

Media Contact:
Anastasia Magonova
PR Representative, Magonova & Partners LLC (on behalf of Cracken)
Email: government@magonova.com
Phone: +1 470 815 5099

SOURCE: Cracken

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Company Projects Substantial Net Income Expansion Supported by Debt-Free Balance Sheet, ~ $4M Yerbaé Contribution, and Majority Revenue Interest in BONK.fun

SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / Bonk, Inc. (NASDAQ:BNKK) today announced financial guidance for fiscal 2026, projecting a baseline of 100% year-over-year revenue growth. This outlook follows a year of capital reorganization, elimination of legacy liabilities, and activation of higher-margin revenue streams tied to the Company’s digital asset infrastructure.

Following the reverse stock split, effective Thursday, December 11, Bonk, Inc. will enter 2026 with a streamlined capital structure intended to support sustainable, profitable expansion. The restructuring completes a comprehensive, year-long transformation.

2026 Outlook – Key Growth Drivers

• BONK.fun (Digital Asset Revenue): Bonk, Inc. now holds a 51% revenue interest in BONK.fun. Based on valuation metrics established in the Company’s most recent quarterly filing, this asset represents an implied total value of approximately $30 million. Unlike passive-asset treasuries, BONK.fun operates as an active “revenue flywheel,” converting ecosystem activity into recurring cash flow. New product launches scheduled for late Q4 2025 are expected to materially increase recurring, high-margin revenue beginning in 2026.

• Beverage Division (Yerbaé): The Yerbaé brand is expected to contribute roughly $4 million in revenue in 2026. With legacy acquisition debts fully paid, the beverage segment is transitioning from a cost center to a profitable business line.

Potential Revenue Upside & Legislative Catalysts Management emphasizes that the projected 100% year-over-year revenue growth rate represents a prudent baseline that does not fully factor in potential exponential growth driven by the shifting U.S. legislative landscape.

• Strategic Reserve Framework (GENIUS Act of 2025): The Company highlights the impact of the GENIUS Act, enacted in July 2025, which established the framework for a national Strategic Digital Asset Reserve. Bonk, Inc. believes this landmark legislation validates the corporate treasury model it has pioneered, driving unprecedented institutional demand for digital assets.

• Regulatory Clarity (FIT21): The advancement of the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) signals a move toward a clearer regulatory framework. Bonk, Inc. anticipates that such clarity will unlock institutional liquidity and increase transaction velocity across the sector-directly benefiting the fee-generation mechanics of BONK.fun.

Corporate Strengths and Market Catalysts

• Strengthened Governance: The Board has been refreshed with domain-experienced directors, including Connor Klein (New Form Capital), Stacey Duffy (financial due diligence), and Jamie McAvity (CEO, Cormint, Inc.). Their expertise in decentralized finance, capital markets, and high-growth operations supports improved oversight and execution.

• Valuation Strength (mNAV): The Company highlights a current mNAV of 1.85x (Market Cap ÷ BONK Holdings). This ratio demonstrates that the market assigns significant premium value to the Company’s active revenue engines (BONK.fun and Yerbaé) beyond the baseline value of its digital asset treasury, distinguishing Bonk, Inc. from purely passive holding companies.

• Institutional Access and NAV Support: The recent launch of a regulated BONK ETP on the SIX Swiss Exchange broadens institutional access to the underlying asset. Management expects improved institutional awareness and demand to support appreciation of the Company’s treasury holdings and contribute to NAV expansion in 2026.

Balance Sheet and Profitability Improvements

• Debt Elimination: In 2025, the Company materially reduced liabilities and settled legacy obligations. Entering 2026 debt-free will lower interest expense and reduce cash drag, supporting margin improvement and cash flow generation.

• Capital Alignment: The reverse stock split aligns share count with the Company’s reconstituted market capitalization, improving comparability for EPS metrics and institutional participation.

Management Commentary “We recognize yesterday’s market reaction to the 1-for-35 reverse stock split and the associated share price move,” said Jarrett Boon, CEO of Bonk, Inc. “Reverse splits often cause short-term volatility; however, the action was necessary to meet Nasdaq capital structure considerations and to position the Company for institutional coverage and deeper liquidity. Post-split, Bonk, Inc. will have an estimated 5.3 million shares outstanding, a materially reduced float, and no legacy debt. We believe these changes, combined with our majority revenue participation in BONK.fun and the expected $4M contribution from Yerbaé, create a clearer path to durable cash flow and NAV expansion.”

Boon continued, “This pivot has been executed from a forward-thinking landscape designed to capture digital growth with one of the best digital assets on the Solana Blockchain. With legacy liabilities settled, a debt-free balance sheet, and growing contributions from our active revenue engines, our 2026 guidance is grounded in concrete assets and executable revenue streams-not speculation. We expect the coming year to validate our strategy through measurable financial performance.”

About Bonk, Inc. Bonk, Inc. (NASDAQ:BNKK) is a company evolving to bridge the gap between traditional public markets and the digital asset ecosystem. Through its subsidiary BONK Holdings LLC, the Company executes a strategy focused on acquiring revenue-generating assets within the decentralized finance space. The Company also operates a growing beverage division holding the patented Sure Shot and Yerbaé brands.

Investor Relations Contact: Phone: 888.257.8061 Email: investors@bonkdat.com

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company’s projected revenue, net income, and business operations for 2026. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially due to factors such as market volatility in the digital asset sector, consumer demand for beverage products, the performance of the BONK.fun platform, and other risks detailed in Bonk, Inc.’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Bonk, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / SMX (Security Matters) PLC (NASDAQ:SMX), a global pioneer in molecular marking, identification, and digital product passports for a circular economy, today announced that it has been formally invited to participate as a featured speaker in an upcoming industry webinar hosted by the North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFRA) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

The webinar, titled “Advancing Circularity: Tracer Technologies for Flame Retardant Identification in Plastics“, will bring together leading technical experts, manufacturers, recyclers, policymakers, and value-chain stakeholders to examine next-generation technologies that can enhance safety, compliance, and circularity for flame-retardant plastics.

The SMX technical team will introduce how SMX’s patented molecular-marker platform, combined with SMX’s digital passport and ecosystem technologies, can enable a new industry capability for identifying, certifying, and tracing BFR-containing plastics through their full life cycle.

Showcasing SMX’s Breakthrough in BFR Identification & Material Intelligence

During the session, SMX will outline how its technology – already demonstrated in a series of technical demonstrations with NAFRA and with A*STAR in Singapore – can transform how the industry verifies and manages flame-retardant plastics across production, sorting, recycling, and reuse.

SMX’s presentation will describe how its platform enables:

• Accurate, material-level identification of plastics containing brominated flame retardants (BFR)

• Marking and certification of plastics that can create confidence for recycling, safety, and compliance

• A digital product passport ecosystem designed to securely document composition, circularity, and material movement

• A scalable approach for responsible BFR management across manufacturers, recyclers, and brands

SMX believes that these capabilities directly support industry goals to improve recycling outcomes, enhance compliance with safety frameworks, and build trusted supply-chain systems for complex materials.

Advancing Circularity: How SMX Technology Answers Sector Trends, Regulatory Pressures & Industry Demand

As part of the broader discussion on “Advancing Circularity: Tracer Technologies for Flame Retardant Identification in Plastics,” SMX will demonstrate how its molecular marking and digital passport platform is uniquely positioned to address the evolving dynamics shaping the future of plastics end-of-life management.

The session is expected to explore macro trends in sustainability, including:

• Rising regulatory pressures both nationally and internationally requiring verified identification of flame-retardant additives and certified end-of-life pathways

• Automotive-sector demand for traceable, compliant recycled materials that meet stringent safety and performance standards

• Recyclers’ growing need for accurate, real-time identification technologies to increase yield, reduce contamination, and create commercially viable recycled streams

• Corporate commitments to recycled content, driven by ESG targets, supply-chain resilience, and brand reputation

• Shifting consumer expectations, with the public increasingly demanding transparency, environmental responsibility, and verifiable data

• Initiatives from industry bodies and coalitions, which are pushing toward harmonized certification systems and standardized material passports

SMX will illustrate how its platform provides the missing link needed to progress from aspiration to implementation.

By embedding an invisible molecular tracer into materials and pairing it with a blockchain-backed digital passport, SMX offers:

• Certainty of composition – confirming whether plastics contain specific flame retardants

• End-to-end traceability – enabling recyclers, OEMs, and brands to verify material origins, additives, and recycling pathways

• A pathway for certified circularity – ensuring plastics are not just sorted, but can be recertified and reintroduced into high-value applications

• A harmonized documentation system aligned with emerging global frameworks such as DPPs, EPR schemes, and national recycling mandates

SMX believes that these combined capabilities directly support what lies ahead on the road to a more circular plastics economy:
A future where every plastic item carries a verifiable identity, every material flow is documented, and circularity can be measured, trusted, and commercialized.

A Platform to Accelerate U.S. Progress in Plastic Circularity

SMX’s invitation to the NAFRA / ACC webinar underscores the company’s growing role as a global technology partner for governments, regulators, and industry associations working to improve sustainability and traceability standards.

“The opportunity to present at the NAFRA webinar we believe reflects the industry’s increasing recognition that material-level intelligence is essential for safe and sustainable plastics management,” said Oliver Buckle-Wright, Vice President Client Success, SMX. “We look forward to sharing how molecular marking and digital passports can help the sector unlock a new generation of recycling, documentation, and circularity solutions.”

For further information contact:

SMX GENERAL ENQUIRIES	Follow us through our social channel @secmattersltd
E: info@securitymattersltd.com	@smx.tech

About SMX

As global businesses face new and complex challenges relating to carbon neutrality and meeting new governmental and regional regulations and standards, SMX is able to offer players along the value chain access to its marking, tracking, measuring and digital platform technology to transition more successfully to a low-carbon economy.

About the North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFRA)

The North American Flame Retardant Alliance represents the world’s leading producers of flame retardants, which are on the cutting edge of fire-safety chemistry and technology, and are dedicated to improving fire safety performance in a wide-range of products. The industry is also committed to strong chemical safety regulation, to protect users and those who may be exposed to our products, while also protecting that same population from the dangers of fire by promoting fire safety. For more information, please visit: https://www.flameretardantfacts.com/.

About the American Chemistry Council (ACC)

The American Chemistry Council’s mission is to advocate for the people, policy, and products of chemistry that make the United States the global leader in innovation and manufacturing. To achieve this, we: Champion science-based policy solutions across all levels of government; Drive continuous performance improvement to protect employees and communities through Responsible Care®; Foster the development of sustainability practices throughout ACC member companies; and Communicate authentically with communities about challenges and solutions for a safer, healthier and more sustainable way of life. Our vision is a world made better by chemistry, where people live happier, healthier, and more prosperous lives, safely and sustainably – for generations to come. Learn more at: https://www.americanchemistry.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, for example: successful launch and implementation of SMX’s joint projects with manufacturers and other supply chain participants of steel, rubber and other materials; changes in SMX’s strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans; SMX’s ability to develop and launch new products and services, including its planned Plastic Cycle Token; SMX’s ability to successfully and efficiently integrate future expansion plans and opportunities; SMX’s ability to grow its business in a cost-effective manner; SMX’s product development timeline and estimated research and development costs; the implementation, market acceptance and success of SMX’s business model; developments and projections relating to SMX’s competitors and industry; and SMX’s approach and goals with respect to technology. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release, and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing views as of any subsequent date, and no obligation is undertaken to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the ability to maintain the listing of the Company’s shares on Nasdaq; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and identify and realize additional opportunities; the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industries in which SMX operates; the risk that SMX and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize SMX’s products or services, or experience significant delays in doing so; the risk that the Company may never achieve or sustain profitability; the risk that the Company will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; the risk that the Company experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations; the risk that third-party suppliers and manufacturers are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations; the risk that SMX is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property; the possibility that SMX may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties described in SMX’s filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE: SMX (Security Matters)

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Incubated for DoD & Intelligence use cases, startup announces commercial availability of enterprise AI platform, delivering the fastest path to secure production AI

ARLINGTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / Axonis, the federated AI infrastructure platform that enables enterprises to run AI directly on distributed, sensitive, and real-time production data, today emerged from stealth with a production-ready architecture that brings AI to any data, wherever it lives. The company also announced the appointment of Todd Barr as Chief Executive Officer. Barr, formerly of Red Hat, Chainlink, and GitLab, will lead Axonis as it commercializes its DoD-hardened architecture for the enterprise market. Barr joins technical founders David Bauer, PhD, and Chris Yonclas, distributed systems and AI/ML experts for the US Army, DARPA, and multiple US government cloud, intelligence, and digital transformation initiatives.

Axonis leadership: Todd Barr, CEO; Aimee D’Onofrio, COO; Chris Yonclas, Co-founder & CPO; David Bauer, PhD, Co-founder & CTO

The Axonis platform introduces a new architectural model that brings AI to the data, eliminating the need for data migration or duplication and delivering secure, immediate, and scalable AI for training, fine-tuning, and deploying models across cloud, on-prem, and edge environments. Axonis complements and protects existing cloud and data lake investments by providing a parallel path that enables organizations to act on raw, real-time data immediately, without slowing down or rethinking their centralization strategy.

As Barr leads Axonis into its commercialization phase following two years of incubation within a US government military contractor (T2S Solutions, part of the Madison Dearborn portfolio), the company is now fully independent and positioned to address one of the biggest barriers in AI adoption: operationalizing AI on data that is too fragmented, regulated, or mission-critical to move.

“Enterprises are quickly realizing that the real barrier to AI isn’t modeling; it’s getting AI models into production,” said Matt Norton, Partner and Head of Technology & Government at Madison Dearborn. “Axonis solves this problem at the architectural level, and Todd has the go-to-market experience to bring that solution to market at scale.”

Data Centralization: Where AI Works in Theory, Not Practice

Enterprises continue to struggle with taking models from proof of concept to production because some of their most valuable data-transactions, customer data, logs, sensor streams, images, and other real-time signals-cannot be moved to a centralized environment. Regulatory constraints, cost, latency, and operational risk make traditional data centralization strategies slow, expensive, and often impossible to fully achieve. As a result, AI adoption stalls at the exact moment organizations attempt to deploy models into mission-critical workflows.

Axonis Architecture: Bring AI to the Data

Axonis solves this production bottleneck with a federated AI architecture that executes models directly where data is generated and governed. Instead of moving terabytes of sensitive data, Axonis moves lightweight models, enabling:

• Training, fine-tuning, and inference on live production data

• Streamlined ELT at runtime for both training and inference

• Real-time intelligence across distributed, centralized, and edge environments

• Secure execution without creating new data copies

• Model collaboration across organizations without sharing raw or sensitive data

This model-to-data approach dramatically reduces data movement, improves model freshness, and unlocks up to 12x faster time-to-AI value.

“After the ChatGPT-style quick wins, enterprises are realizing that they have an architecture problem standing in the way of true business transformation with AI,” said Barr. “Axonis delivers a secure, AI-ready architecture for data and AI compute that will underpin and unlock the business transformation possible by GenAI and agents, without having to run a big IT data centralization project to get there.”

Engineered for Defense, Built for Enterprise Scale

Axonis’ architecture originated inside T2S Solutions to support the U.S. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, where systems must operate under extreme constraints:

• Intelligence must be close to the data

• Data security is survival

• Connectivity is limited or intermittent

• Data is chaotic and everywhere

• Every action must be governed and auditable

These requirements shaped Axonis into a high-assurance platform that meets and exceeds the security, sovereignty, and operational demands of industries such as healthcare, financial services, insurance, manufacturing, critical infrastructure, and the public sector.

“We’ve spent the better part of six years engineering the AI architecture in Axonis that will support environments where failure isn’t an option,” said David Bauer, Chief Technology Officer and technical co-founder of Axonis. “Those same capabilities-distributed execution, zero-trust security, and model-to-data design-are exactly what enterprises now need to safely and reliably run AI in production.”

Built to Integrate, Designed to Collaborate

Axonis is a cloud-native enterprise solution that fits seamlessly into existing enterprise data and AI ecosystems, including Snowflake, Databricks, MinIO, Iceberg, Jupyter, and leading AI frameworks. The platform also unlocks a new model of cross-organization collaboration: teams can share intelligence without sharing or pooling data, allowing each party to benefit from federated learning while keeping sensitive information fully protected. Because Axonis applies security at the data level, even agentic AI systems and chatbots cannot access or act on information they are not authorized to see, bringing a new level of control and data protection to enterprise AI deployments.

About Axonis
Axonis brings AI to the data, wherever that data lives. Originally developed inside a US government solutions provider to the U.S. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, Axonis enables secure, real-time AI on production, operational, sovereign, and edge data without moving the data. Axonis accelerates time-to-AI value while providing zero-trust, data-level security, and enabling cross-organization AI collaboration without sharing data.

For more information, visit axonis.ai.

Press Contact

Kristin Canders
207-974-7744
kristin@grithaus.agency

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SOURCE: Axonis

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

BERLIN, DE / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / Treasury Intelligence Solutions (TIS), a leading cloud-based platform for payments and cash management, is future-proofing organizations with specialized translation services in the wake of the recent November 2025 ISO 20022 deadline. A major turning point for the financial industry, SWIFT now requires banks to move their cross-border payment messages to ISO 20022. As a result, treasury teams are already seeing differences in how their banks send and receive payment information. Adapting to these changes will require a strategic approach to modernizing systems and processes.

ISO 20022 replaces a patchwork of older standards with a single approach to structuring payment data. The new universal standard is designed to reduce confusion across markets, improve data quality, and support the level of transparency that regulators around the globe now expect.

Moving to ISO 20022 payments takes time and strategic vision, especially when legacy systems, ERP, and payment systems were not built with structured data in mind. Updating those requires planning and coordination across several internal teams.

“ISO 20022 is a major industry shift, but it shouldn’t disrupt the way companies operate day-to-day,” said Wouter De Bie, Chief Technology Officer at TIS. “Our priority is making this transition seamless. By leveraging our platform’s ability to translate payment files into bank-specific formats and automatically populate ISO-required fields, we give treasury teams the flexibility to adapt at their own pace. This approach ensures stability, reduces risk, and empowers organizations to meet new standards without costly system overhauls or last-minute fixes.”

The TIS platform leverages more than 140,000 bank-specific profiles to provide comprehensive coverage of ISO bank formats. In addition, an innovative AI-powered solution addresses ISO-specific requirements such as structured address information for corporate beneficiaries. Companies that begin now to update their data and payment workflows will be better prepared for the larger changes still ahead. Those that don’t may face frustrating problems like message truncation, rejected payments, and slower processing times as unstructured formats are phased out.

“We’re already seeing the benefits of a proactive approach to ISO 20022,” said Jon Paquette, Chief of Strategy at TIS. “Organizations using our platform have implemented early bank-driven changes without payment failures or costly rework and are also leveraging our statement format conversion capabilities to avoid disruptions in reconciliation and cash applications as banks sunset MT formats and introduce CAMT. This proves that with the right tools, companies can prepare for full ISO adoption on their own timelines – maintaining stability while meeting evolving standards.”

About TIS

TIS helps CFOs, Treasurers, and Finance teams transform their global cash flow, liquidity, and payment functions. Since 2010, our award-winning cloud platform and best-in-class service model have empowered the entire office of the CFO to collaborate more effectively and attain maximum efficiency, automation, and control. TIS enables users to achieve superior performance in key areas surrounding cash forecasting, working capital, outbound payments, financial messaging, fraud prevention, payment compliance, and more.

To learn how TIS can support your ISO 20022 transition, contact us today.

CONTACT:
Blair Romain
+496227698240
blair.romain@tispayments.com

SOURCE: Treasury Intelligence Solutions

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / SMX (NASDAQ:SMX) has entered a defining moment in its evolution. The company’s molecular marking technology is gaining global relevance at the same time industries are demanding authenticated materials, verified supply chains, and trusted digital documentation. The market is signaling that the era of unverifiable claims is ending, and SMX is positioned at the center of what comes next.

To support this acceleration, the company finalized an amendment to its standby equity purchase agreement, initially announced in December. The revised structure strengthens SMX’s financial foundation, increases strategic flexibility, and aligns the company’s capital profile with the scale of its commercial opportunity. The terms contain no toxic convertible mechanics, no resets, and no predatory features typically associated with microcap financings. Instead, the agreement reflects a clean, controlled structure built to support long-term growth rather than short-term volatility.

The amended agreement delivers clarity, stability, and long-term capacity at a moment when the company is preparing for expanded global adoption. It does more than update financial terms. It positions SMX to advance its mission with conviction, free from the structural distractions that often challenge emerging technology companies.

The following four takeaways explain why this development matters.

Takeaway 1: A materially stronger capital position with a clean structure

The amended agreement increases SMX’s available financing by an additional $5,000,000 in cash proceeds. With a 20% original issue discount, the new note carries a face value of $6,250,000, bringing the total available financing under the facility from $111,500,000 to $116,500,000. This expansion deepens the liquidity available to the company as it enters a period of accelerated commercial engagement and prepares for expanded deployment across global industries.

Equally important is the structure itself. The financing remains clean and disciplined. There are no warrants. No resets. No ratchets. No floating conversions. No hidden triggers. Nothing that resembles a death spiral. The word “convertible” describes only the investor’s ability to exchange principal for equity under a fixed and fully negotiated VWAP formula. The economics are set at issuance. The structure is predictable and transparent, which stands in sharp contrast to the highly leveraged or toxic financing arrangements often seen in the microcap space.

The clarity of this structure aligns with the company’s long-term vision. SMX has always sought capital partners who understand the strategic importance of its technology and who support growth rather than volatility. The amended agreement demonstrates that alignment. It expands resources without compromising integrity, giving SMX a stronger foundation on which to scale.

Takeaway 2: A clear capital runway with no expected financing needs until at least Q1 2027

One of the most significant outcomes of the amended agreement is the extension of the company’s capital runway. Based on the combined impact of the initial financing tranche of more than $10 million, the expanded note, and the strengthened facility structure, SMX does not expect to require additional external financing until at least Q1 2027. This creates a degree of stability and visibility that is uncommon in the microcap landscape and allows the company to focus entirely on commercial execution rather than near-term capital markets activity.

Equally important is the timing of any potential share delivery associated with the note structure. Shares that could be presented as payment toward these notes are not expected to come into consideration until Q1 2026 at the earliest. This means the company does not anticipate any dilution from this agreement in 2025, thereby preserving the share structure at a time when operational momentum and commercial adoption are accelerating. The combination of cash resources and timing control ensures that the company’s outstanding share count remains stable well into 2026.

This sequencing matters. SMX is not being drawn into the cycle of continual dilution that often challenges emerging companies. The agreement is structured so that any potential share-based settlement occurs only if and when it supports the company’s strategy, not as an immediate requirement. As a result, no near-term dilution is needed to satisfy these notes, and the company maintains full flexibility to manage its capital position from a place of strength.

This shift changes how the market should view SMX. The company is no longer operating from a position of capital necessity. It is operating from a position of capital control. That distinction allows SMX to grow without compromise and to focus on proving out its technology in the highest-value applications globally.

Takeaway 3: No dilution until at least Q1 2026 and limited borrow supply for short sellers

Another critical aspect of the amendment is the preservation of share structure integrity. Other than routine RSUs and previously authorized equity awards, the company does not anticipate any dilution related to this agreement until at least Q1 2026. This means the outstanding share count remains stable and predictable during this period. Investors can evaluate performance without uncertainty around share expansion.

The tight structure also influences market mechanics. With no new shares entering the float from this facility until Q1 2026, market borrow availability remains limited. Short sellers may not have sufficient shares to unwind their exposure, and SMX is not providing incremental equity that would otherwise ease these positions. The structure is disciplined, and the market must operate within the existing float.

This stability aligns with the behavior of SMX’s shareholder base, which has shown conviction and alignment with the company’s mission. The combination of a committed investor base and a constrained share structure creates an environment defined by long-term orientation rather than short-term volatility. It reinforces the company’s belief that shareholder support is one of its strongest strategic assets.

Takeaway 4: Removal of the digital asset obligation reflects prudent financial management

The amendment removes the requirement that SMX allocate a portion of proceeds to digital assets. The original provision existed to secure the notes with alternative collateral. The company and investors jointly determined that the current volatility in the digital asset market made a mandatory allocation inappropriate at this time. Removing the requirement enhances flexibility and ensures that capital remains available for operational expansion, customer acquisition, and strategic investment.

This shift does not reflect a change in the company’s long-term optionality. SMX will retain the right, but not the obligation, to purchase digital assets in the future if market conditions warrant such an allocation. The amendment ensures the company is not bound to a volatile asset class during a period where fiscal discipline and operational precision matter most.

The decision reflects responsible financial stewardship. SMX is preparing for increased enterprise activity, new sector engagements, and expansion into multiple regions. Maintaining flexibility over capital allocation strengthens the company’s ability to execute without distraction. The amendment ensures that every dollar raised serves the highest-value purpose in the near term.

A Deal That Resets SMX’s Trajectory

This amendment marks a turning point for SMX. It is more than a structural refinement. It is the reshaping of the company’s financial base to match the scale of its mission. With increased liquidity, a controlled share structure, and the removal of obligations no longer aligned with the company’s strategy, SMX has strengthened the foundation needed to support global adoption of its technology. The company enters 2026 with clarity in its capital framework and confidence in its ability to deploy resources where they create the greatest strategic impact.

The strengthened agreement also reflects a high degree of alignment between SMX and its financing partners. The company secured additional capital without toxic terms, without expanding dilution, and without compromising the stability of its share structure. These are signs of a financing relationship built on trust, long-term vision, and shared belief in the role SMX’s technology will play across global supply chains. The amendment creates a multi-year runway, enabling management to advance commercialization without the distraction or uncertainty of near-term capital needs.

SMX now stands in a materially stronger position as it moves into 2026 and beyond. The company is better financed, less diluted, and more strategically flexible than at any point in its public life. With stable capitalization, an increasingly aligned shareholder base, and a strengthened operating horizon extending into 2027, SMX is positioned to scale, execute, and lead. The agreement in its amended form is not simply an improvement. It adds to an inflection point that allows SMX to build its next chapter from a place of stability, strength, and conviction.

About SMX

As global businesses face new and complex challenges relating to carbon neutrality and meeting new governmental and regional regulations and standards, SMX is able to offer players along the value chain access to its marking, tracking, measuring and digital platform technology to transition more successfully to a low-carbon economy.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts, events, or circumstances that SMX expects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including statements relating to the Company’s business strategy, financial position, future operations, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans, and objectives of management, as well as statements regarding the Company’s liquidity position, capital needs, anticipated financing timelines, expected dilution, future share issuances, the anticipated use of proceeds, expected performance of the amended financing agreement, market conditions, adoption of the Company’s technology, commercial pipeline, regulatory approvals, industry trends, competitive position, and any assumptions underlying the foregoing, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding future events and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks relating to: the Company’s ability to successfully execute its operating plans; the Company’s ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms or at all; the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with Nasdaq listing standards; market conditions and volatility in the trading price of the Company’s ordinary shares; dilution that may result from the Company’s existing financing arrangements; the Company’s ability to access capital under the standby equity purchase agreement and related amendments; the timing and occurrence of any closings under such agreements; the Company’s expectations regarding its financial runway and future capital needs; risks associated with the Company’s ability to scale its technology, secure customer adoption, or convert pilot programs into commercial deployments; risks relating to supply chain conditions and global economic trends; the Company’s dependence on key personnel; the Company’s ability to maintain intellectual property protection and defend against infringement claims; changes in applicable laws and regulations; general economic, political, and market conditions; risks relating to digital asset markets and the Company’s potential future acquisition or holding of digital assets; and other factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F and its subsequent reports filed with the SEC.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made and are not guarantees of future performance. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated due to various risks and uncertainties, and all forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Contact: info@securitymattersltd.com

SOURCE: SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

HIGHLIGHTS

• Assays confirm uranium mineralization across the Mineralized RIB Corridor (“MRC”) at RIB South, East and West Discoveries, where results from twelve drillholes intersected uranium mineralization (Figures 2 & 3). These results are in addition to the previously announced RIB North Discovery, where the maiden drillhole, RIBN-DD-001, returned assays with 34.7 m of total composite uranium mineralization¹, including 13.6 m grading 0.53% U₃O₈, 1.1 m grading 4.81% U₃O₈, and grades up to 8.16% U₃O₈ over 0.5 m (See November 20^th, 2025, RIB North Assay Release);

RIB East Discovery

• Located on the 4.5 km long Eastern Limb of the MRC, ~1.4 km south of the significant RIB North Discovery (Figures 2 & 3);

• Currently defined by eight diamond drillholes over a 750 m strike length that remains open in all directions, with drilling highlighted by:

  • RIBE-DD-003 assays returned total composite uranium mineralization¹ of 8.6 m encompassing four zones from 101.4 m to 374.1 m (Figure 4), including a high-grade intersection² from 276.2 m to 277.3 m with 2.69% U₃O₈ over 1.1 m, including 5.55% U₃O₈ over 0.5 m;

  • RIBE-DD-007 assays returned total composite uranium mineralization¹ of 8.7 m encompassing six zones from 174.0 m to 215.3 m (Figure 5), including a higher-grade intersection from 207.2 m to 211.3 m with 0.236% U₃O₈ over 4.1 m, including 1.15% U₃O₈ over 0.5 m;

RIB West Discovery

• Located on the 4.0 km long Western Limb of the MRC, ~1.8 km southwest of the significant RIB North Discovery (Figures 2 & 3);

• Currently defined by three diamond drillholes over a 2.2 km strike length that remains open in all directions, with drilling highlighted by:

  • RIBW-DD-001 assays returned total composite uranium mineralization¹ of 1.7 m from 393.5 m to 395.2 m (Figure 6) with an average grade of 0.78% U₃O₈, including a high-grade intersection² with 1.36% U₃O₈ over 0.6 m;

  • RIBW-DD-003 assays returned total composite uranium mineralization¹ of 2.0 m from 234.2 m to 236.2 m (Figure 7) with an average grade of 0.291% U₃O₈, including a high-grade intersection² of 1.07% U₃O₈ over 0.5 m;

RIB South Discovery

• Located on the 4.5 km long Eastern Limb of the MRC, ~2.25 km south of the RIB East Discovery (Figures 2 & 3);

• Currently defined by one diamond drillhole, with prospective strike length open and untested in all directions along the MRC, with drilling highlighted by:

  • RIBS-DD-001 assays returned total composite uranium mineralization¹ of 2.0 m encompassing two zones from 158.5 m to 252.1 m (Figure 8), including 1.5 m from 250.6 m to 252.1 m with an average grade of 0.11% U₃O₈;

Mineralized RIB Corridor

• Mineralized RIB Corridor – 12 km corridor containing stacked graphitic shear zones, identified using 3D EM Inversion modeling. During the 2025 Angilak Exploration Program these EM anomalies were drill tested, resulting in a 100% success rate of intersecting uranium mineralization associated with graphitic shear zones, and the discovery of four new mineralized areas: RIB East, West, North and South, in addition to the historic RIB Discovery³ (Figures 2 & 3);

• Uranium mineralization discovered along the MRC consists of Athabasca styles of mineralization including basement, sandstone, and unconformity hosted mineralization;

• The MRC remains open within all discovery areas and is currently constrained only by a lack of additional MMT survey data south of the Historic RIB Discovery. Additional MMT surveys paired with 3D EM Inversion modeling is planned for 2026, designed to unlock and define the true scale and significance of the MRC and the entirety of the Angikuni Basin;

• Additional drill core samples from the KU Discovery, Mushroom Lake, and the Lac 50 Deposit area have been submitted to the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) Geoanalytical Laboratory for analysis. The Company anticipates disclosing all remaining assay results in the coming weeks.

Troy Boisjoli, CEO commented: “Since acquiring the Angilak Uranium Project in 2024 ATHA has completed two successful drill campaigns comprising 46 holes across the Lac 50 Deposit and RIB-Nine Iron trends – 45 of those holes have intersected uranium mineralization. The 2024 Angilak Exploration Program focused on the Lac 50 Deposit Trend, testing the envelop of mineralization with large step outs, culminating in release of an Exploration Target for the Lac 50 Deposit area – which remains completely open and unconstrained.

During the 2025 Program, our goal was to start to unlock the regional potential of Angilak. Testing new targets which had been derisked through our systematic exploration approach, utilizing all the tools at our disposal to drill test in the most cost-effective means possible. The assay results from the Mineralized RIB Corridor, hitting uranium mineralization on 100% of the holes drilled along the 12-km MRC speaks for itself. The success we’ve had at RIB demonstrates to us that the scale of the MRC is something truly special, and may represent one of the most significant emerging uranium regions in Canada.”

Cliff Revering, VP Exploration added: “The Mineralized RIB Corridor continues to deliver compelling results, supported by the latest confirmation assays from the 2025 exploration program. Uranium mineralization encountered to date, spanning a 12 km structural corridor and anchored by the RIB North Discovery, demonstrates both scale and high-grade potential. Combined with the positive geological and geochemical signatures emerging from our 2025 work, the data increasingly points to a large mineralizing system.

Since acquiring the Angilak Project in 2024, ATHA’s disciplined exploration strategy has consistently advanced discovery within the Angikuni Basin, leveraging targeted exploration tools that enhance efficiency and reduce risk of discovery. The delineation of the Mineralized RIB Corridor within the larger RIB-Nine Iron regional trend represents a significant new development and highlights just one of several high-upside targets across the basin.

As we look ahead to 2026, ATHA is well-positioned to build on this momentum. Our objective remains clear: to continue unlocking the value of this emerging uranium district and to demonstrate the long-term growth potential of the Angikuni Basin.”

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / ATHA Energy Corp. (TSX.V:SASK)(FRA:X5U)(OTCQB:SASKF) (“ATHA” or the “Company“), is pleased to announce assay results from the remaining twelve holes drilled along the Mineralized RIB Corridor (“MRC”), completed as part of the 2025 Angilak Exploration Program at its 100%-owned Angilak Uranium Project in Nunavut, Canada (Figure 1). Assay results confirm uranium mineralization was intersected in all drillholes along the 12 km MRC, including the RIB East, West, and South Discoveries, in addition to the previously announced RIB North Discovery.

At the RIB East Discovery, a total of eight diamond drillholes were completed across a total strike length of 750 m and the area remains open in all directions. Drilling at RIB East is highlighted by RIBE-DD-003, assays returned total composite uranium mineralization¹ of 8.6 m encompassing four zones from 101.4 m to 374.1 m (Figure 4). This includes a high-grade² intersection from 276.2 m to 277.3 m with results returning an average grade of 2.69% U₃O₈ over 1.1 m, including 5.55% U₃O₈ over 0.5 m. At the RIB West Discovery, a total of three diamond drillholes were completed across a 2.2 km strike length, with the area remains open in all directions. Drilling at RIB West is highlighted by RIBW-DD-001 which returned total composite uranium mineralization¹ of 1.7 m from 393.5 m to 395.2 m (Figure 6) with an average grade of 0.78% U₃O₈, including a high-grade² intersection of 1.36% U₃O₈ over 0.6 m. RIB South is currently defined by one diamond drillhole, located ~ 2.25 km to the south of the RIB East Discovery. RIBS-DD-001 intersected total composite uranium mineralization¹ of 2.0 m encompassing two zones from 158.5 m to 252.1 m (Figure 8), including 1.5 m from 250.6 m to 252.1 m with an average grade of 0.11% U₃O₈.

The Mineralized RIB Corridor is a 12 km long corridor containing stacked graphitic shear zones, identified using 3D EM Inversion modeling. During the 2025 Angilak Exploration Program these EM anomalies were drill tested, resulting in a 100% success rate of intersecting uranium mineralization associated with the graphitic shear zones, and the discovery of four new mineralized areas: RIB East, West, North and South, in addition to the historic RIB Discovery³ (Figures 2 & 3). Uranium mineralization discovered along the MRC consists of Athabasca style mineralization including basement, sandstone, and unconformity hosted. The MRC remains open in all directions within the discovery areas with additional prospective strike length constrained only by a lack of additional MMT survey data south of the Historic RIB Discovery. Additional MMT surveys paired with 3D EM Inversion modeling is planned for 2026, designed to unlock and define the true scale and significance of the MRC and the entirety of the Angikuni Basin.

Detailed lithologic striplogs, including assay results tables, for all twelve holes can viewed in the Supplementary Release on ATHA Energy’s website (Striplog Data).

Figure 1: Angilak Project Area – 2025 Exploration Target Area (Black Rectangles), Mineralized RIB Corridor (Red Rectangle), & Mapped Historic Mineralized Showings

Figure 2: 2025 Angilak Exploration Program – EM Inversion Model & Drill Collar Locations from MRC, along the RIB-Nine Iron Trend.

Figure 3: 2025 Angilak Exploration Program – Isometric schematic of the MRC, displaying EM Inversion model and 2025 drilling.

Table 1: 2025 Angilak Exploration Program Drill Collar Information

^{*Previously released drillholes from 2025 Angilak Exploration Program}

Figure 4: Striplog RIBE-DD-003 showing mineralized interval with composite uranium mineralization¹ with average grades – derived from assay samples.

Figure 5: Striplog RIBE-DD-007 showing mineralized interval with composite uranium mineralization¹ with average grades – derived from assay samples.

Figure 6: Striplog RIBW-DD-001 showing mineralized interval with composite uranium mineralization¹ with average grades – derived from assay samples.

Figure 7: Striplog RIBW-DD-003 showing mineralized interval with composite uranium mineralization¹ with average grades – derived from assay samples.

Figure 8: Striplog RIBS-DD-001 showing mineralized interval with composite uranium mineralization¹ with average grades – derived from assay samples.

Assay Samples

^1.Composite mineralization is calculated using a 0.01% U₃O₈ cutoff with a maximum internal dilution of 1.5 m.

²The Company considers high-grade mineralization to be any interval over 1% U₃O₈.

All drill intercepts are core width and true thickness is yet to be determined.

Core samples are submitted to the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon. The SRC facility is ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (scope of accreditation #537). The samples are analyzed for a multi-element suite using partial and total digestion inductively coupled plasma methods, for boron by Na2O2 fusion, and for uranium by fluorimetry.

References for Historic Diamond Drilling Results and Surficial Sampling

³For additional information regarding ATHA’s Angilak Project please refer to the Technical Report entitled “Technical Report on the Angilak Property, Nunavut, Canada” with an effective date of October 14, 2025, prepared by Matt Batty, MSc, P. Geo, who is a “qualified person” under NI 43-101, available under ATHA’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release have been reviewed and approved by Cliff Revering, P.Eng., Vice President, Exploration of ATHA, who is a “qualified person” as defined under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About ATHA

ATHA is a Canadian mineral company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of uranium assets in the pursuit of a clean energy future. With a strategically balanced portfolio including three 100%-owned post discovery uranium projects (the Angilak Project located in Nunavut, and CMB Discoveries in Labrador, and the newly discovered basement hosted GMZ high-grade uranium discovery located in the Athabasca Basin). In addition, the Company holds the largest cumulative prospective exploration land package (>7 million acres) in two of the world’s most prominent basins for uranium discoveries – ATHA is well positioned to drive value. ATHA also holds a 10% carried interest in key Athabasca Basin exploration projects operated by NexGen Energy Ltd. and IsoEnergy Ltd. For more information visit www.athaenergy.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Troy Boisjoli, CEO, ATHA Energy Corp

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information, please contact:

Troy Boisjoli

Chief Executive Officer

Email: info@athaenergy.com

Website: www.athaenergy.com

Phone: 1-(236)-521-0526

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to ATHA’s proposed exploration program, including statements with respect to the expected benefits of ATHA’s proposed exploration program, any results that may be derived from ATHA’s proposed exploration program, the timing, scope, nature, breadth and other information related to ATHA’s proposed exploration program, any results that may be derived from the diversification of ATHA’s portfolio, the prospects of ATHA’s projects, including mineral resources estimates and mineralization of each project, the prospects of ATHA’s business plans and any expectations with respect to defining mineral resources or mineral reserves on any of ATHA’s projects, and any expectation with respect to any permitting, development or other work that may be required to bring any of the projects into development or production.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at the time, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such assumptions include, but are not limited to, assumptions that the anticipated benefits of ATHA’s proposed exploration program will be realized, that no additional permit or licenses will be required in connection with ATHA’s exploration programs, the ability of ATHA to complete its exploration activities as currently expected and on the current anticipated timelines, including ATHA’s proposed exploration program, that ATHA will be able to execute on its current plans, that ATHA’s proposed explorations will yield results as expected, and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner. Although ATHA has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Such statements represent the current view of ATHA with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by ATHA, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the following: inability of ATHA to realize the benefits anticipated from the exploration and drilling targets described herein or elsewhere; in ability of ATHA to complete current exploration plans as presently anticipated or at all; inability for ATHA to economically realize on the benefits, if any, derived from the exploration program; failure to complete business plans as it currently anticipated; overdiversification of ATHA’s portfolio; failure to realize on benefits, if any, of a diversified portfolio; unanticipated changes in market price for ATHA shares; changes to ATHA’s current and future business and exploration plans and the strategic alternatives available thereto; growth prospects and outlook of the business of ATHA; and the ability to advance the Company projects and its proposed exploration program; risks inherent in mineral exploration including risks related worker safety, weather and other natural occurrences, accidents, availability of personnel and equipment, and other factors; aboriginal title; failure to obtain regulatory and permitting approvals; no known mineral resources/reserves; reliance on key management and other personnel; competition; changes in laws and regulations; uninsurable risks; delays in governmental and other approvals, community relations; stock market conditions generally; demand, supply and pricing for uranium; and general economic and political conditions in Canada, Australia and other jurisdictions where ATHA conducts business. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the filings of ATHA with the Canadian securities regulators which are available on ATHA’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. ATHA does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: ATHA Energy Corp

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Raleigh-Durham’s Flexible Labor Activity Soared 50%, Underscoring Inland Momentum as Affordability Gaps Deepened in High-Cost Markets Like San Francisco and Seattle

SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / Instawork today released The Year in Flexible Labor 2025, an annual view of the real-time labor dynamics that shaped local economies this year.

Based on millions of completed shifts across 150 markets, the real-time data shows affordability as the dominant force determining where businesses operate and where workers choose to earn. While major markets remained the busiest for total shifts, inland regions, particularly parts of North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, saw the fastest acceleration in demand. This aligns with recent Census data showing that the fastest-growing U.S. metros were in Southern and inland markets.¹

Logistics and manufacturing operations show a similar pattern. A 2025 study of 50 U.S. metro areas found that warehousing and distribution activity has increasingly re-concentrated in inland and mid-sized markets rather than coastal hubs, driven by land availability, operating costs, and proximity to regional supply chains.² Instawork’s flexible labor data captures this trend in real-time.

Key Insights From Instawork Year in Flexible Labor 2025

1. Affordability Increased Staffing Pressure

Several major markets continued to show the largest demand for flexible work, but affordability challenges intensified sharply in 2025:

San Francisco and Seattle recorded the widest wage-inflation gaps, with real wages falling further behind the cost of essential goods.³

That pressure coincided with population and cost trends in inland markets where wage growth held closer to inflation and operating costs remained more stable.

2. Inland Metros Drove the Fastest Shift Growth

As affordability tightened in coastal markets, inland regions captured the strongest gains in flexible labor activity, reflecting broader economic and population expansion in the South and Midwest. Raleigh-Durham led the way with a surge in flexible labor demand followed by Nashville, New York, Columbus, and Dallas.

3. Core Operational Roles and Midweek Demand Held Steady

General labor, warehouse work, back-of-house kitchen roles, and event staffing were in the highest demand throughout 2025, with businesses leaning on flexible staffing to manage an uncertain business environment.

Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Tuesdays (in that order) remained the busiest shift days, giving workers predictable midweek opportunities, while maintaining schedule and income flexibility.

4. Wage Movement by Occupation

Role-level wage trends varied, reflecting local cost pressures and staffing needs. Merchandisers saw the strongest wage growth, followed by brand ambassadors, security personnel, and entry-level warehouse workers. Hotel housekeepers, food service workers, and forklift drivers experienced slight declines.

2025 Totals at a Glance

Top 5 most requested roles:

General Labor, Warehouse Associate, Line Cook, Event Server, Dishwasher

Fastest-growing markets:

Raleigh-Durham, Nashville, New York, Columbus, Dallas

Peak shift days:

Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday (in order)

Average fill rate: 95%

Stat of the Year

Raleigh-Durham’s 50% shift growth and North Carolina’s broader population gains reflect a structural rise in inland economic activity, consistent with population and supply chain operations growth.^{1 2}

Signals for 2026

Inland momentum will grow as businesses seek more predictable and lower-cost markets.

Wages and role demand will continue to vary as businesses respond to global economic uncertainty and cost pressures, which impact staffing needs.

Flexible staffing will continue serving as an affordability hedge, allowing operators to match labor to demand in real-time.

Major markets with improving wage-inflation alignment (e.g., New York, Atlanta) may become more attractive for logistics and hospitality expansion.

1. U.S. Census Bureau, “Metro Area Trends” (2025) and “Vintage 2024 Population Estimates”, showing growth in 88% of U.S. metros and fastest growth concentrated in Southern/inland cities.

2. ScienceDirect (2025), “Re-concentration of logistics activities across 50 U.S. metros,” documenting the inland/mid-sized shift in warehousing and distribution activity.

3. Instawork’s Quarterly Wage Index, December 2025

About Instawork

Instawork’s mission is to create economic opportunities for businesses and hourly workers across the globe. As the leading AI-powered marketplace for hourly labor, Instawork connects light industrial, hospitality, retail, and robotics companies to skilled workers, turning staffing agility into a competitive advantage. Instawork helps more than nine million workers earn on their terms while developing valuable skills.

Backed by leading investors such as Benchmark, Craft, Greylock, and Spark Capital, Instawork is redefining how businesses stay resilient and how people work.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire