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Mumbai, Feb 17: Spare8 Platforms Private Limited (“Spare8”) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thailand-based Quantum X Aurum Group (“QXA”) to develop a cross-border gold financial platform connecting Asia and the Middle East.

The partnership brings together QXA’s access to gold sourcing and minting networks with Spare8’s extensive digital gold ecosystem in India, including its large customer base, jeweller partnerships and operational gold leasing platform. The companies are establishing operational anchors across India, Thailand and Dubai — key corridors in the global gold trade.

Building A Cross-Border Gold Financial Ecosystem

The venture aims to create an integrated system linking gold sourcing, processing and financial usage. The platform is designed to simplify how gold is owned, financed and transacted across borders, backed by physical gold aligned with international standards.

Key components of the platform include:

• Mining & Minting Access: Coordinated supply chain management from production to end market.
• Gold Mining Devices: Structured programs connecting customers to gold output streams.
• Visa Gold-Backed Credit Card: Enabling customers to spend against gold holdings via global payment networks.
• Global Gold Leasing: Supporting productive use of gold through jeweller networks.
• Structured Revenue Streams: Income channels across issuance, custody, transactions and spreads.

India As The Demand Engine

Spare8 is positioned as the demand and distribution engine of the partnership, leveraging:

• 1.6 million users
• Digital onboarding and payment capabilities
• A nationwide jeweller redemption network
• A live gold leasing platform

This infrastructure provides immediate access to India’s robust gold consumption ecosystem, strengthening the platform’s cross-border scalability.

Capital Strategy And Growth Plans

To accelerate expansion, the companies are preparing for an asset-backed capital raise of USD $10–15 million, with the ability to scale as institutional participation increases. The funding strategy is structured to support growth through tangible asset backing while positioning the venture for access to larger global capital pools over time.

Commenting on the partnership, Ronit Harisingani, Co-Founder and CEO of Spare8, said:

“Gold is one of the world’s most trusted assets. What has been missing is modern infrastructure that connects supply, ownership and everyday financial use. This partnership brings those pieces together at scale.”

Long-Term Vision

The platform is being structured as an international operation from inception, designed to align with global institutional standards as it grows. Over time, the venture aims to position itself for participation in major capital markets, establishing a scalable and compliant cross-border gold financial ecosystem.

With this MoU, Spare8 and Quantum X Aurum Group take a significant step toward redefining how gold functions in modern finance — bridging traditional asset trust with digital infrastructure across Asia and the Middle East.

Dubai, UAE, Feb 17: BNW Developments hosted the BNW Broker Awards, recognising outstanding brokerage partners whose performance has played a pivotal role in the company’s continued growth across Ras Al Khaimah. In a first-of-its-kind moment for the region, BNW Developments went beyond traditional recognition to celebrate the unwavering drive of its channel partners, rewarding its top-performing brokers Patriot Real Estate and Fourth Home Real Estate with branded residences in Ras Al Khaimah. Many others were presented with limited edition Rolex watches; turning achievement into something truly lasting. 

The event marked a moment of appreciation and reflection after a period of significant sales traction, reinforcing BNW’s position as the single largest private developer operating in Ras Al Khaimah. Top-performing brokers were recognised across multiple categories, celebrating both volume-driven success and long-term partnership.

With a rapidly expanding footprint in Ras Al Khaimah, BNW Developments today oversees multiple projects across the emirate, spanning residential, hospitality, and mixed-use destinations. The developer’s portfolio represents both scale and confidence in RAK’s evolving investment landscape. Recent sales performance across BNW projects has highlighted sustained buyer demand, driven by competitive pricing, international brand partnerships, and the emirate’s rising global profile.

Dr. (CA) Ankur Aggarwal, Chairman and Founder of BNW Developments said,

“Our broker community is not an extended network to BNW. It is a foundational force behind our growth. I have always believed that failing to recognise exceptional performance is a greater loss than the achievement itself, because appreciation sustains trust and fuels ambition. The Broker Awards night has not simply been a celebration, but a personal acknowledgement of the relationships, conviction, and resilience that have carried our vision forward. At BNW Developments, partnerships are built on earned trust, and it is only right that we honour those who translate vision into results, day after day.”

Dr. Vivek Anand Oberoi, Managing Director and Co-Founder, BNW Developments, added,

“Growth at this scale is never achieved alone. Our broker partners are central to how our developments reach the market and how trust is built with investors. These awards are our way of recognising the discipline, resilience, and ambition that continue to drive strong results.”

The BNW Broker Awards form part of the developer’s wider broker-first strategy, focused on transparency, collaboration, and long-term alignment. Beyond transactions, BNW has consistently invested in relationship-building initiatives that support brokers with access, insights, and shared growth opportunities.

As Ras Al Khaimah accelerates its transformation into a regional hub for tourism, business, and lifestyle-led living, BNW Developments continues to play a defining role in its growth and investment narrative. The Broker Awards stand as both a celebration of recent achievements and a forward-looking commitment to partnership-led success.

Dubai, UAE, Feb 17: The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the League of Arab States, strengthening cooperation across transport, tourism, sport, and regional policy.

A central focus of this partnership will be improving cross-border movement through internationally recognised travel and transport documents, including the Carnet de Passages en Douane system (CPD) for the temporary admission of vehicles, and the International Driving Permit.

Both play an important role in facilitating travel, trade, and tourism, supporting greater regional integration. FIA Member Clubs are trusted issuers of CPDs and International Driving Permits, working closely with national authorities and international frameworks.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, said: “This memorandum reflects the FIA’s commitment to working in partnership to deliver practical solutions that support mobility, tourism and regional cooperation.

“By strengthening collaboration with the League of Arab States, we are reinforcing the role of our FIA Member Clubs as trusted partners in facilitating cross-border movement and contributing to economic integration across the region.”

Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al Maliki, Assistant Secretary General and Head of Economic Affairs Sector from the League of Arab States, said: “The LAS General Secretariat places great importance on building partnerships with international and regional organisations in this vital sector in all its forms.

“The FIA is a leading international organisation active in transport, tourism, road safety and motor sport for development, and includes national clubs from a number of Arab countries among its members.”

Essa Hamza, Chair of the FIA MENA Council, added: “This partnership delivers a platform to advance regional connectivity. Together we are strengthening tourism and cross-border travel, creating a real impact for people and institutions across the Arab world.” 

Signed at the League’s General Secretariat in Cairo, the agreement builds a framework for practical collaboration and knowledge sharing, creating closer links between the institutions and establishing a basis for engagement between the parties helping both organisations to identify priorities, develop joint activities, and amplify best practices.

Dubai, Feb 17: Sky Links Capital, an international multi-asset brokerage firm dedicated to connecting investors with the global financial markets, today announced that its new Dedicated Equity Desk is now fully operational and ready to accept client equity orders with immediate effect. The desk has been established with defined order-handling procedures and internal controls designed to support institutional-style execution with strict confidentiality of client orders and trading activity.

The Dedicated Equity Desk is intended for professional and sophisticated investors seeking discreet, specialist execution of both cash equities and equity CFDs, subject to instrument availability and applicable rules.

“At Sky Links Capital, we understand that clients who trade equities at meaningful sizes care about strong execution,” said Daniel Takieddine, Co-founder and CEO of Sky Links Capital Group. “This dedicated desk is built to support personalised order handling backed by experienced execution specialists, along with support throughout the trading lifecycle.”

Leveraging institutional-style trading technology, the Equity Desk supports a range of order types, including Open/Close instructions benchmarked to the market open or close, dark liquidity access to help minimize market impact, participation strategies targeting a defined percentage of market volume, and pre/post trading outside regular market hours. It also offers Seeker logic to actively source liquidity under controlled parameters, Smart Order Routing (SOR), and time-weighted and volume-weighted strategies to help reduce signalling risk and align execution with market activity.

The Desk operates between 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM ET and is available in eligible jurisdictions.

“Sophisticated investors expect institutional-grade standards,” said Apollo Irungbam, Head of Marketing at Sky Links Capital. “The launch of our Dedicated Equity Desk provides the personalized access they value. With a clear operating model and a direct line to the desk, clients can expect strong support and execution.”

Building on Sky Links Capital’s fintech-led brokerage positioning, the Dedicated Equity Desk aligns with its broader focus on technology-enabled services. Supporting execution quality and controlled order handling for professional and sophisticated investors, particularly where discretion, benchmark-led order execution, and clear procedures are priorities. The firm will provide access via relationship-managed onboarding and expert desk support during stated operating hours, subject to client eligibility and regulatory requirements.

Amsterdam, Feb 17: As global momentum builds for stronger corporate accountability on biodiversity, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has launched a new practical guide to help organizations enhance the quality and credibility of their biodiversity disclosures.

Titled “Decoding biodiversity impacts: A practical guide to corporate reporting with the GRI Standards,” the free e-book provides actionable insights into applying GRI 101: Biodiversity 2024, the latest global benchmark for reporting nature-related impacts. The release comes in response to the recently published Business and Biodiversity Assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which warns that “business as usual” is accelerating biodiversity loss and calls for transformative corporate action.

Supporting Credible, Decision-Useful Reporting

The guide combines expert perspectives on implementing GRI 101 with practical case studies from GRI Community members. It illustrates:

• How organizations can assess biodiversity impacts across operations and geographies;
• The benefits of integrating nature-related considerations into governance and strategic decision-making;
• The importance of location-specific data in identifying biodiversity risks and dependencies;
• Approaches to managing data collection challenges across supply chains.

As biodiversity reporting gains traction globally, the guide demonstrates how transparent, decision-useful disclosures can build stakeholder trust and inform actions that address nature-related risks and opportunities.

Cristina Gil White, Chief Engagement Officer at GRI, said:

“As transparency expectations around biodiversity impacts intensify, the question isn’t whether to report: it’s how to do it credibly. We hope the perspectives and learnings in this e-book will demonstrate that, empowered by the GRI 101 Standard, effective and decision-useful corporate reporting on nature is achievable. Ultimately, this is about translating commitments into action that drives change and builds trust.

Whether organizations are just starting out or already advanced in their nature disclosure practices, ‘Decoding biodiversity impacts’ is a key resource to strengthen reporting and navigate transparency requirements with greater clarity.”

New Global Benchmark for Biodiversity Disclosure

Effective for all GRI reporting from 1 January 2026, GRI 101: Biodiversity 2024 replaces GRI 304: Biodiversity 2016 and establishes the global standard for disclosing impacts on nature. The Standard has been published in 11 languages, reinforcing its global accessibility and adoption.

The release of the guide follows the 12th plenary session of IPBES, held in Manchester, UK, where representatives of 150 governments approved the Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report. The report highlights that many companies currently face limited financial consequences for biodiversity impacts and outlines 100 priority actions for businesses, governments, and stakeholders.

Strengthening Skills and Collaboration

Through the GRI Community — a global network of over 400 organizations advancing sustainability reporting — and the GRI Academy, the world’s leading training provider for sustainability reporting, GRI offers targeted courses to build capacity in biodiversity reporting, including guidance on GRI 101 and GRI-TNFD interoperability.

The Global Reporting Initiative provides standards, services, tools, and training that enable organizations of all sizes to assess and report on environmental, social, and economic impacts. Developed through a multi-stakeholder process, the GRI Standards are widely used worldwide and contribute to the establishment of a global sustainability reporting system that supports long-term value creation for people and the planet.