New joiners bring decades of experience from Reuters, Bloomberg, CoinDesk, Cointelegraph and Forbes to elevate crypto news standards

GENEVA, Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sandmark, the new media outlet intent on setting a new standard in covering digital assets, today announced the addition of three accomplished journalists to its rapidly growing ranks. Stuart Clelland, Ana Paula Pereira and Parikshit Mishra join the team headed by Editor-in-Chief Giles Broom who is building one of the industry’s most experienced and credentialed newsrooms.

“We are actively recruiting talent to support Sandmark’s mission to deliver serious, credible market journalism and analysis as an independent media platform,” said Broom. “We deliver financial information to investors and aspire to set a new standard for journalistic excellence in digital asset coverage.”

Elite Credentials and Deep Expertise

Stuart Clelland joins as Senior Editor, bringing more than 15 years of experience in major news outlets, such as Cointelegraph and Bloomberg, and leading high-impact editorial teams. He specializes in deconstructing complex market narratives and identifying the signal amidst the noise of the digital asset industry.

Ana Paula Pereira starts as Americas News Editor, following her tenure at Cointelegraph, as the US Editor, and as an editor at Forbes Brazil covering financial markets. Ana has considerable experience covering the intersection of finance, markets and digital assets.

Parikshit Mishra joins Sandmark as South Asia Editor. He recently held the role of Head of Asia at CoinDesk, where he managed the outlet’s regional editorial operations and with Reuters as an editor and correspondent. A seasoned financial editor and journalist, he specializes in crypto policy, company news and tech.

Addressing a Critical Gap in Crypto Coverage

Broom, a former Bloomberg journalist who has more than 20 years of experience in financial media and corporate communications, is actively recruiting for reporters to break news about crypto markets.

At a recent industry event in London, Broom highlighted the gap in mainstream crypto coverage: “We might wait light years for the mainstream media to focus in an open-minded way on understanding crypto’s utility and the investment case, even for the major coins,” Broom said. ” We have an opportunity to improve the quality of information in circulation on this topic.”

The appointments of Clelland, Pereira and Mishra demonstrate Sandmark’s commitment to addressing the gaps in crypto coverage and position the platform to deliver comprehensive, multi-continental coverage at a time when interest in cryptocurrency markets continues to grow.

Vacant positions are detailed on the careers section of the website.

About Sandmark

Sandmark is an independent media platform providing serious, credible crypto market news and analysis. The Sandmark Team is comprised of 15+ global employees, including journalists, researchers, and data analysts that are united in the mission to deliver clear, credible, and context-rich reporting. For more information, visit www.sandmark.com

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MIAMI, Nov. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Mastercard introduced The Belle Block™ in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), during the 11^th edition of the Mastercard LAC Innovation Forum. The Belle Block™ is a community launched in June 2022 to educate and empower women and non-binary individuals to benefit from Web3 technology and crypto. This expansion to the region comes in partnership with WAGMI LatAm, an education initiative aimed at bringing 5 million Latin women into Web3 by 2030.

Mastercard believes in the power of technology and its ability to build a better future that includes everyone. This new group focuses on delivering on key building blocks: Business Growth, Education, Leadership, Legal & Regulatory Advocacy and Entrepreneurship.

Today’s crypto climate requires looking ahead, informing, and giving more people the choice to explore and engage in the crypto ecosystem to better understand the power of blockchain. Although women and men are using crypto for similar reasons – investing, buying, trading, and opening wallets – 77% of Latin American women who are familiar with crypto agree they would use it more if they understood it better.*

“Digital assets have the power to transform the way we pay, get paid, and invest. Together with the crypto community, we want to ensure we are bringing more women and underserved to the table in the Web3 and crypto world so they can have an active role in leading the future of payments”, says Janet Rivera-Hernandez, Vice President, Communications, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Belle Block™ partners with the founders of groups fostering education and collaboration, including SheFi, HerHouse, Blu3 DAO, and Boys Club, to get more women involved and to develop products that empower women and other minorities. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the initiative is supported by WAGMI LatAm, a program that aims to increase the participation of Latin women in the United States and Latin America in the Web3 world.

“WAGMI LatAm brings together more than 30 organizations in the U.S. and Latin America to ensure Latin American women are co-creators and active participants in the evolution of the Web3 ecosystem by providing access to education, resources and conducting research,” said Laura Navarro Muñoz, Governor of H.E.R. DAO LATAM and one of the three founding member organizations of WAGMI LATAM. “Based on our experience, community-building and education will be key to achieve WAGMI LATAM’s goal of onboarding 5 million women into Web3 by 2030 and we are looking forward to working with Mastercard to achieve this goal.”

Last June, Mastercard launched its 2022 New Payments Index, a global survey among 35,000+ consumers in 40 countries, which found those already familiar with the crypto space, women especially, have a heightened interest in expanding their knowledge. 95% of Latin American women have heard of cryptocurrency, but their current understanding of crypto and digital asset terminology is less robust than men, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs) – 42% of women are aware vs. 56% of men, blockchain – 28% of women are aware vs. 44% of men,  and central bank digital currencies (CBDC) – 43% of women are aware vs. 52% of men,.* There is a clear opportunity to engage women by initiating a platform to inform, exchange and educate to help bridge this gender gap.

Mastercard’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI):
Mastercard’s ongoing commitment to financial and social inclusion is at the intersection of innovation and technology. Recent work includes its LGBTQIA+ Pride Month Your True Self is Priceless campaign, new non-binary community research in 16 markets across Europe and North America, and the release of its refreshed Gender Balance initiative on the 50th anniversary of Title IX.

Source:
*Research conducted by The Harris Poll and Mastercard Global Foresights, Insights and Analytics from March 21 to April 21, 2022. Online interviews were conducted among 35,040 global adults (17,071 women, 17,969 men) and includes nationally representative samples from markets across 5 regions.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

About WAGMI LatAm

WAGMI LatAm is an education initiative led by H.E.R. DAO LatAm, CryptoConexión, and Unstoppable Women of Web3 to bring 5 Million Latinas into web3.

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The St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment programme is the oldest in the world, having been established in 1984 – it has been providing investors from across the globe with one of the quickest, easiest, and most affordable routes to second citizenship.

Underpinned by a robust multi-layered due diligence process undertaken by international security firms from the USA and the UK, investors need to go through a formal application process consisting of eight main steps, which include:

• Step 1: Pre-approval by a verified St Kitts and Nevis government agent and preparation of the application
• Step 2: Submission of the citizenship application
• Step 3: Application processing by the Citizenship by Investment Unit and internal and external due diligence checks
• Step 4: Approval in principle letter issued
• Step 5: Contribution to either the Sustainable Growth Fund or pre-approved real estate
• Step 6: Bank clearance of source of funds
• Step 7: Certificate of Registration issued
• Step 8: Citizen can apply for a St Kitts and Nevis passport

Throughout the whole process, an investor will engage with an approved government agent who will facilitate the application and any payments will be made via registered banks using fiat money – a government-issued currency that is not backed by a commodity such as gold. An example would be the United States Dollar, Euro or Chinese Yuan.

Investors cannot make payments to a government-approved agent or the Citizenship by Investment Unit by using cryptocurrencies directly. These would need to be liquidated into fiat currency first and an applicant would need to provide a supporting affidavit regarding their source of funds as part of the application process.

St Kitts and Nevis has not yet passed any legislation regarding cryptocurrency. The country is participating in the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) pilot program, which aims to study the utilisation of cryptocurrency as a fiat currency.

The program’s purpose is to provide a safe and secure digital financial system by utilising the advantages of blockchain and is designed to exemplify the viability and functionality of the ECCB’s ability to issue Digital Eastern Caribbean Dollars.

The ECCB is the fiscal authority for the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU).

Speaking at the Electronic Cash Conference 2022, which was held on November 12 2022, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, expressed that while Bitcoin Cash – another form of cryptocurrency – is used as a method of tender by some businesses in the country, due diligence checks are presently being prioritised by his government ahead of any major decision concerning that cryptocurrency’s official use.

Prime Minister Drew stated that the financial safety and security of citizens is a matter of high priority, and the government, with the guidance of the ECCB, is prepared to explore the possibility of Bitcoin Cash being introduced as legal tender in the local financial space.

The Prime Minister explained that once all the crucial financial safeguards were in place, Bitcoin Cash could become accepted legal tender in St Kitts and Nevis by March 2023.

Benefits of gaining second citizenship to St Kitts and Nevis

Citizenship by Investment is a legal process to grant individuals – and, in some cases, their families – dual citizenship in exchange for a financial contribution to the country’s economy. The initiative permits countries to channel generated funds into developing healthcare, education, infrastructure, and more.

Being a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis offers investors a myriad of benefits including family reunification, global mobility, enhanced security, and increased economic opportunities.

St Kitts and Nevis offers award-winning and internationally acclaimed education institutions like veterinary and medical universities, attracting global-minded professionals. People from all over the world come to St Kitts and Nevis, over a million a year to be exact, because of its booming tourism sector.

In recent years, the nation has seen growing numbers of American visitors. Around 1,000 US citizens currently reside on the islands. Now, with more work-from-home policies than ever, many see the Caribbean as the perfect destination to get away from the bustle of big cities while continuing to be connected when business calls.

In addition to citizenship and global mobility, St Kitts and Nevis offers its citizens who choose to become tax residents a wide variety of insurance services in a tax-friendly environment. For example, the country guarantees financial privacy by not making any information about offshore business owners and top managers public.

Portfolio diversification is the first step in dispersing your investments so that your exposure is not limited to just one type of asset. An investment in property in St Kitts and Nevis would allow you to diversify your investment portfolio and potentially make a return upon selling that your share in real estate after the end of the minimum hold period.

This will also ensure that you retain a certain amount of your wealth outside of your home country. In uncertain political and economic climates, knowing that a portion of your portfolio is free from the grips of a potentially corrupt government can give you tremendous peace of mind.

Latin Americans desire flexibility and convenience in digital currencies and payments and are seeking more support from their financial institutions.

MIAMI, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The digital payments revolution that began during the pandemic is consolidating and driving Latin American interest in cryptocurrencies. 51% of consumers in the region have already made a transaction with cryptoassets and more than a third say they have made a payment for an everyday purchase with stablecoin, reveals Mastercard’s New Payments Index 2022, a survey conducted between March and April of this year among more than 35,000 people around the world.

The New Payments Index annually evaluates consumer behavior concerning emerging payment methods. In its second edition, the study shows that financial innovation -cryptocurrencies, DeFI solutions, blockchain, NFTs- registers significant activity in the region, with consumers eager to learn more about this ecosystem.

In Latin America, 54% percent of Latino consumers are optimistic about the performance of digital assets as an investment. Meanwhile, two-thirds of Latinos want greater flexibility to use crypto and traditional payment methods interchangeably in their day-to-day operations.

“More and more Latin Americans are showing interest in cryptocurrencies and want solutions that facilitate access to the crypto world. At Mastercard, we are designing these solutions to expand digital inclusion and strengthening alliances that guarantee operability and support”, said Walter Pimenta, executive vice president, Products and Engineering, Mastercard Latin America and the Caribbean.

The survey shows that consumers in Latin America and the Caribbean would feel more confident investing (69%) and making/receiving payments (67%) in cryptocurrencies if they were issued or backed by a trusted organization. Another 82% acknowledge that they would like to have cryptocurrency-related functions available directly from their current financial institution.

Digital payments, convenience and flexibility
Mastercard’s New Payments Index 2022 reveals that 86% of Latino consumers have used at least one emerging payment method in the past year. While 77% of Americans and 74% of Europeans prefer traditional payment methods to newer ones, Latinos are willing to use emerging methods such as biometrics, digital currencies and QR code, in addition to contactless payments.

“The future of payments is already here. Increasingly Latin Americans are turning to technology to conduct their financial transactions and this trend is expected to continue to rise, with an overwhelming 95% planning to use a digital payment method in the coming year and 29% acknowledging having used less cash in the past year”, added Pimenta.

Consumers in the region are familiar with fintechs and open banking, which allows them to conveniently manage their personal finances. Nearly 50% of Latin American consumers already use digital channels for financial activities and 78% of them are interested in flexible payment solutions that allow them, for example, to change the payment date of their bills, especially those with irregular incomes and millennials.

Biometric payments: security and convenience
When deciding which payment method to use, Latinos prioritize security (54%), but also look for the speed that financial technology offers. Biometrics is emerging as an option to find that balance between convenience and security. Three out of four Latinos say that “using biometric technologies for identity and payments is more secure than a PIN, password or another form of identification,” but concerns persist about which entities have access to their data.

People under 40 and millennials are more likely to perceive emerging digital solutions as secure. While they still use them, people who grew up in traditional banking are more wary, which is – for all players in the payments chain – an opportunity to build trust.

To learn more about this year’s New Payments Index, click here to Mastercard’s Newsroom.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.
www.mastercard.com

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It’s Time to Trade in Paradise!

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, July 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Today,  The Cayman Islands Investment Group Ltd. announced immediate availability of Cryptocay.ky, enabling traders of all levels of expertise to immediately register and use the Digital Asset Trading platform.

“We are truly excited to release this platform to the world.” said Malcolm Hurlston, Chief Marketing Officer at The Cayman Islands Investment Group Ltd..

Many Countries, One Goal

Many consumers interested in the cryptocurrency world have showed keen interest in the latest platform coming to the shores of the Cayman Islands. Recent studies have shown that as the general media becomes more and more aware of cryptocurrency business, the Caribbean has been taking a closer look at the possibilities of Cryptocommerce.

“Cryptocay.ky is just the beginning of adaptation in the Caribbean,” continued Mr, Hurlston. “We want to become the central hub for everything crypto-related in the Caribbean. We at CIIG are dedicated to creating new products that benefit the investors and entrepreneurs of the future, including an ERC-20 based Money Transfer system!”

Cryptocay.ky Availability

Cryptocay.ky is immediately available for sign up today! Just visit www.cryptocay.ky. For more info on the Cayman Islands Investment Group Ltd., businesses and consumers can visit www.ciig.ky

Founded in 2018,  The Cayman Islands Investment Group is a Registered Company in the Cayman Islands. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to develop the entrepreneurial economy of the Cayman Islands and beyond.

The Cayman Islands Investment Group Ltd. and Cryptocay.ky are either registered trademarks or trademarks of The Cayman Islands Investment Group Ltd. in the Cayman Islands and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information on Cryptocay.ky: www.cryptocay.ky

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