dynaCERT, PayPal, Alibaba - Innovations and old enmities driving growth in digital payment services

dynaCERT expands collaboration network - University of Alberta on board

Canadian company dynaCERT produces and sells carbon emissions reduction technologies. These technologies include the Company's proprietary HydraLytica™ telematics, which monitors diesel truck fuel consumption and calculates greenhouse gas emissions saved. Along with collaborative partner Cipher Neutron, dynaCERT's team is now in discussions with Alberta University to advance research projects in green hydrogen technology. DynaCERT not only has the option to acquire up to 50% of Cipher Neutron's equity but also owns half of Cipher Neutron's proprietary AEM Green Electrolyzer technology.

The collaboration is to develop special membrane catalysts that can be used in Cipher Neutron's AEM green hydrogen electrolyzers, further enhancing the already outstanding efficiency of Cipher Neutron's green hydrogen production. The research at the University of Alberta is expected to be supported by MITACS and Cipher Neutron, and the University of Alberta intends to continue this prestigious MITACS grant. MITACS is a non-profit national research organization that partners with Canadian universities, private companies, and government to conduct research and education programs around industrial and social innovation.

The University of Alberta is an ideal university in Canada to conduct this critical research because of its renowned expertise in the development of new membrane catalysts. The research is led by Dr. Shiva Mohajernia, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta. Mohajernia says of the collaboration, "Cipher Neutron's AEM technology is a perfect fit for our ongoing research at the University of Alberta in the area of catalyst development for AEM electrolyzers. We are pleased to promote PFAS- and PGM-free breakthrough AEM electrolyzer technology in the province of Alberta, which will contribute to a greener and more sustainable future for Canada and the rest of the world."

PayPal gets new and old competition from Elon Musk

PayPal is still one of the most dominant digital payment providers. But the competition from Cupertino is slowly and steadily catching up. Apple Pay is growing in popularity. About 80% of US retail websites have a PayPal check-out button as a payment feature. In comparison,Apple Pay is available in 80% of iOS apps, while PayPal is integrated in only 44% of apps. This could pose a problem for PayPal, especially given the ubiquity of Apple devices, as more and more payments transition from cash and desktop computers to smartphones, where they are integrated. Add to that the fact that PayPal's CEO, Dan Schulman, plans to retire at the end of this year. The Company has yet to announce a successor.

As competition increases, the allure of PayPal as a growth candidate is fading. During the pandemic, it was a favorite among investors as citizens turned to e-commerce during lockdowns. The stock is up just 3% since the start of the year.

Elon Musk could be poised to become a formidable competitor with his Twitter rebranding to X.com. Rumor has it that he wants to convert the now bird-free platform into a kind of WeChat with a payment function. Entrepreneurs like Musk do not forget what happened to them. And sometimes they repeat mistakes, like sweeping away Twitter's brand equity in a fly-by-night action. That is because in 2000, after his company X.com merged with Confinity, Musk became its CEO. Confinity was a company co-founded by Peter Thiel that owned the software program called PayPal. Thiel resigned because he disagreed with Musk, who wanted to move the PayPal system to a Microsoft platform instead of Unix software. Musk wanted to make the PayPal company more than just a money transfer service and put more emphasis on the "X" in the brand, so he killed the name. But PayPal has become a trusted brand name, like a good friend who helps you get your money. Focus groups showed that, in contrast, the name X.com evoked notions of shady websites that people preferred not to talk about without blushing.

Musk's plans did not last too long at PayPal. Thiel and PayPal co-founder Max Levchin staged a coup against Musk just as he was taking his first vacation in years. In September 2000, Musk was ousted as CEO by the board and replaced by Thiel.".

Alibaba - Jack Ma plans to restructure Ant Group

Jack Ma's Ant Group plans to restructure, spinning off some non-core businesses from its financial operations in China. This move is expected to pave the way for the Company to revive an IPO in Hong Kong. According to insiders, the Company plans to take its blockchain, database management services and international business out of a main company that will be used to apply for a financial license in China. Alibaba Group holds one-third of the shares in Ant Group.

After completing the restructuring and securing a license for its financial holding company, Ant's management team can prepare for an IPO in Hong Kong instead of a dual listing in Shanghai and Hong Kong originally sought, which was thwarted in 2020 by a last-minute intervention by Xi Jinping's government.

The move comes after Chinese regulators concluded a nearly three-year investigation into the Jack Ma-founded fintech giant, fining it 7.12 billion yuan (EUR 899.3 million) this month. The billionaire's dispute with Beijing has cost his empire-including Ant and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.-about EUR 768.2 billion in lost valuation, including what would have been the largest IPO in history to date.

Thanks to its new collaborative partner at the University of Alberta, dyynaCERT is well-positioned to provide the innovative foundation for green hydrogen technology. PayPal, on the other hand, is weakening in the market. The former growth darling has seen its share price rise by just 3% since the beginning of the year. None other than Elon Musk seems to be planning a late revenge for the PayPal coup perpetrated on him. The microblogging network X.com, known as Twitter until this week, may become the digital payment provider's biggest competitor. Jack Ma, China's most successful entrepreneur, is also planning big things with his Ant Group and preparing an IPO.