Photo illustration of visual representations of digital cryptocurrencies
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The House passed a bill that aims to bring the SEC and CFTC together to work on digital asset regulation.
The Eliminate Barriers to Innovation Act would mandate private sector fintech representatives to advise both the SEC and CFTC on digital asset markets.
The bill is now headed to the Senate.
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The House of Representatives passed a bill that aims to bring the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodities Futures Trading Commission together for work on digital asset rules.
The Eliminate Barriers to Innovation Act of 2021 passed the House on April 20, and would mandate the creation of a joint working group of private sector employees that would advise both commissions and come up with recommendations as to how the committees should address digital assets markets. The bill now heads to the Senate.In an interview with CoinDesk TV on Wednesday, Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis said she’s looking forward to reviewing the bill and working with Senate banking committee members to “consider it as soon as possible.”
” I believe that we are starting to see people in the administration understanding the importance of financial technology, and you’re starting to see it in Congress evidenced by the bill that just passed the house,” Lummis said.
The SEC and CFTC have struggled for years to determine which cryptocurrencies are considered commodities and which are considered securities. The issue is at the center of the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple over its XRP token. Ripple claims XRP is a commodity and therefore out of the SEC’s reach, while the regulator says Ripple ran an unregistered securities offering. The task force would hopefully provide clarity on such issues.

The non-government employees who would be appointed to the working group would include representatives from fintech companies that provide digital assets, financial firms under the jurisdiction of the SEC, institutions that research digital assets, small businesses engaged in fintech, investor protection organizations, and institutions that support investment in historically-underserved businesses, per the text of the bill.

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A mere week after being announced as the new Director of the Division of Enforcement, Alex Oh has resigned for personal reasons, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Reportedly, Oh resigned due to a complication from a case that occurred while in private practice. The resignation was said to be a “significant setback” for newly minted SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.
Politico reported that the abrupt exit was caused by a case involving ExxonMobil and a class-action lawsuit brought by villagers in Indonesia. Apparently, Oh was reprimanded by a federal judge for defending the big petroleum firm.
Oh was said to be part of a legal team defending ExxonMobil in a legal battle seeking to hold the company liable for actions by the Indonesian military including torture and murder. ExxonMobile had allegedly hired soldiers to guard its facilities in Indonesia.
The SEC said that the former acting Director of the Division of Enforcement, Melissa Hodgman, will once again take the helm of the SEC’s largest division.
Gensler stated:

“Melissa is an exceptional attorney who has proven to be an effective leader of the Enforcement Division. I’m grateful that she will take on this role again and look forward to working closely with her to fulfill the mission of the SEC. I thank Alex for her willingness to serve the country at this important time.”

Hodgman served as the Enforcement Division’s Acting Director from January 2021, through April 2021. Previously, she was the Associate Director in the SEC’s Home Office since October 2016.

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BEIJING, April 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN) (“Canaan” or the “Company”), a leading high-performance computing solutions provider, today announced it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain institutional investors for a registered direct placement of approximately $170.0 million of its American Depositary Shares (“ADS”), each ADS representing 15 Class A ordinary shares of the Company, par value US$0.00000005 per share (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”), or US$12.60 per ADS. The Company has also agreed to issue to the investors warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 4,047,620 ADSs (representing 60,714,300 Class A Ordinary Shares), at an exercise price of $16.38 per ADS, which Warrants will have a term of three years from the date of issuance. The offering is expected to close on or about May 3, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.
The net proceeds from this offering will be used for research and development and expansion of production scale, and working capital and general corporate purposes as disclosed in the prospectus supplement to be filed in connection with the offering.
FT Global Capital, Inc. acted as the sole bookrunning placement agent and Valuable Capital Limited acted as co-placement agent for the transaction. These securities are being offered through a prospectus supplement pursuant to the Company’s effective shelf registration statement and the base prospectus contained therein. A shelf registration statement (SEC Filing No. 333-255470) relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 23, 2021 and became effective automatically pursuant to SEC Rule 462(e).
A prospectus supplement related to the offering will be filed with the SEC. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, and these securities cannot be sold in any state in which this offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state. Any offer will be made only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the effective registration statement.
About Canaan Inc.Established in 2013, Canaan Inc. provides high-performance computing solutions to efficiently solve complex problems. In 2016, Canaan successfully initiated the production of its first 16nm chip and passed the test to receive China’s national high-tech enterprise certification. In 2018, Canaan achieved major technological breakthroughs to launch the K210, the world’s first-ever RISC-V-based edge artificial intelligence (AI) chip, which is now widely used for access control in situations such as smart door locks and more. Canaan Inc. is currently focused on the research and development of advanced technology, including such areas as AI chips, AI algorithms, AI architectures, system on a chip (SoC) integration and chip integration. Using the AI chip as its base, Canaan Inc. has established an intellectual value chain. Canaan Inc. also provides a suite of AI service solutions and is able to tailor these solutions to the needs of its partners. For more information, please visit: investor.canaan-creative.com.
Safe Harbor StatementThis announcement contains forward−looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward−looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Canaan Inc.’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward−looking statements. Canaan Inc. may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Canaan Inc.’s beliefs and expectations, are forward−looking statements. Forward−looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company’s goals and strategies; the Company’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the Bitcoin industry and the price of Bitcoin; the Company’s expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products, especially its Bitcoin mining equipment; the Company’s expectations regarding maintaining and strengthening its relationships with production partners and customers; the Company’s investment plans and strategies, fluctuations in the Company’s quarterly operating results; competition in its industry in China; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company and cryptocurrency. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including its registration statement on Form F−1, as amended, and its annual reports on Form 20−F. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Canaan Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward−looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
Investor Relations ContactCanaan Inc.Mr. Shaoke LiEmail: [email protected]
ICR Inc.Jack WangTel: +1 (347) 396-3281Email: canaan.ir@icrinc.

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NEW YORK, April 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Lument Finance Trust, Inc. (NYSE: LFT) (“LFT” or the “Company”) today announced that it priced an underwritten public offering of an aggregate of 2,400,000 shares of its newly designated 7.875% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) at a public offering price of $25.00 per share, for net proceeds of approximately $58.1 million, after the underwriting discount but before estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The offering is expected to close on May 5, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to make additional investments in target assets consistent with its investment strategy and for general corporate purposes.
LFT intends to file an application to list the Series A Preferred Stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “LFTPrA.”
Piper Sandler and Raymond James are acting as joint book-running managers, and B. Riley Securities and JonesTrading are acting as co-managers for the offering.
A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed and declared effective with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.
The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus relating to the offering, when available, may be obtained from Piper Sandler & Co. at 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10020, or by email at [email protected] or from Raymond James & Associates, Inc. at 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716, or by email at [email protected].
About LFT
LFT is a Maryland corporation focused on investing in, financing and managing a portfolio of commercial real estate debt investments.  The Company primarily invests in transitional floating rate commercial mortgage loans with an emphasis on middle-market multi-family assets.
LFT is externally managed and advised by OREC Investment Management, LLC d/b/a Lument Investment Management, a Delaware limited liability company.
The Company changed its name from Hunt Companies Finance Trust, Inc. to Lument Finance Trust, Inc., effective December 28, 2020.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended. For example, the fact that the offering has priced may imply that the offering will close, but the closing is subject to conditions customary in transactions of this type and may be delayed or may not occur at all. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. You can identify forward-looking statements by use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “plan,” “continue,” “intend,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “seek,” “would,” “could,” or similar expressions or other comparable terms, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s beliefs, assumptions and expectations of its future performance, taking into account all information currently available to the Company on the date of this press release or the date on which such statements are first made. Actual results may differ from expectations, estimates and projections. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this press release and should consider carefully the factors described in Part I, Item IA “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other current or periodic filings with the SEC, when evaluating these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the Company’s control.  Additionally, many of these risks and uncertainties are currently amplified by and will continue to be amplified by, or in the future may be amplified by, the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors are contained in our 2020 10-K which is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Investor Relations Contact:
Charles Duddy
Managing Director
(646) 248-0174
[email protected]
Media Contact:
Michael Ratliff
Director
(212) 588-2163
[email protected]
SOURCE Lument Finance Trust, Inc.

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United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC; TWSE: 2303) (“UMC”), today filed its 2020 annual report on Form 20-F with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The report is available at https://www.umc.com/en/Download/annual_reportsShareholders may request a hard copy of the Form 20-F free of charge. Please contact UMC-IR at [email protected] UMCUMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry. The company provides high quality IC production with a focus on both logic and specialty technologies to serve every major sector of the electronics industry. UMC’s comprehensive technology and manufacturing solutions include logic/RF, embedded high voltage, embedded flash, RFSOI/BCD and IATF-16949 automotive manufacturing certification for all its manufacturing facilities. UMC operates 12 fabs that are strategically located throughout Asia with a maximum capacity of more than 750,000 8-inch equivalent wafers per month. The company employs approximately 19,500 people worldwide, with offices in Taiwan, China, United States, Europe, Japan, Korea and Singapore. For more information, please visit: http://www.umc.com.Note from UMC Concerning Forward-Looking StatementsSome of the statements in the foregoing announcement are forward-looking within the meaning of the U.S. Federal Securities laws, including statements about introduction of new services and technologies, future outsourcing, competition, wafer capacity, business relationships and market conditions. Investors are cautioned that actual events and results could differ materially from these statements as a result of a variety of factors, including conditions in the overall semiconductor market and economy; acceptance and demand for products from UMC; and technological and development risks. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in UMC’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. UMC does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.Story continuesView source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210429005593/en/ContactsMichael Lin / David WongUMC, Investor Relations Tel. + 886-2-2658-9168, ext. [email protected] david_wong@umc.

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BEIJING, April 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — TIAN RUIXIANG Holdings Ltd (Nasdaq: TIRX) (the “Company”), a China-based insurance broker, announced today that it received a notice from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”), indicating that the Company has regained compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1), which requires the timely filing of periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
On April 26, 2021, the Company filed its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 with the SEC. Accordingly, the Company received a close-out letter from Nasdaq on April 27, 2021, which informed the Company that it had regained compliance with the Nasdaq Listing 5250(c)(1).
About TIAN RUIXIANG Holdings Ltd
TIAN RUIXIANG Holdings Ltd, headquartered in Beijing, China, is an insurance broker operating in China. It distributes a wide range of insurance products, which are categorized into two major groups: (1) property and casualty insurance, such as automobile insurance, commercial property insurance, liability insurance; accidental insurance, and (2) life insurance, such as individual and group life insurances. For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ir.tianrx.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and in its other filings with the SEC.

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SALEM – Mid-Southern Bancorp, Inc. (“Company”) (Nasdaq:MSVB), the holding company for Mid-Southern Savings Bank, FSB (“Bank”), announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.03 per share on the Company’s outstanding common stock. The cash dividend will be payable on May 28, 2021, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 14, 2021.  
The declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of the Company’s common stock will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors, and will depend upon many factors, including the Company’s financial condition, earnings, capital requirements of its businesses, legal requirements, regulatory constraints, industry practice, and other factors that the Board of Directors deems relevant.
About the Company
Mid-Southern Bancorp, Inc. is the parent of Mid-Southern Savings Bank, FSB. The Bank is a federally chartered savings bank headquartered in Salem, Indiana, approximately 40 miles northwest of Louisville, Kentucky. The Bank conducts business from its main office in Salem and through its branch offices located in Mitchell and Orleans, Indiana and loan production offices located in New Albany, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods, or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “seek,” “expect,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” or similar terms or variations on those terms, or the negative of those terms. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results include the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, including on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on the real estate and economic environment, particularly in the market areas in which the Bank operates; increased competitive pressures; changes in the interest rate environment; general economic conditions or conditions within the securities markets; and legislative and regulatory changes affecting financial institutions, including regulatory compliance costs and capital requirements that could adversely affect the business in which the Company and the Bank are engaged; and other factors described in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are available on our website at mid-southern.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
The factors listed above could materially affect the Company’s financial performance and could cause the Company’s actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements.
Except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake – and specifically declines any obligation – to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement, which speaks only as of the date made.

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On April 6, 2021, Ripple Labs Inc. (Ripple) scored an important win in a discovery dispute in a US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) enforcement action when SDNY Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn granted “in large part” Ripple’s motion to compel. Sec. & Exch. Comm’n v. Ripple Labs, Inc., No. 1:20-cv-10832 (S.D.N.Y.). Ripple is a payments technology company that uses blockchain innovation, including the cryptocurrency token XRP, to send value around the world. The SEC sued Ripple, its CEO, and its chairman, alleging that XRP is a security and that Ripple sold 14.6 billion XRP tokens since 2013 without filing a registration statement.
Judge Netburn directed the SEC to comply with many of defendants’ discovery requests, including those that called for the SEC’s communications with third parties (which included other government agencies) about whether two other comparable cryptocurrencies-Bitcoin and Ether-were securities, and whether XRP itself was a security. Judge Netburn denied defendants’ request for wholly internal SEC communications.
Defendants argued in their motion that SEC communications concerning Bitcoin, Ether and XRP potentially could show the SEC’s own uncertainty around the regulation of cryptocurrencies. A key premise of that argument was that the SEC is a “focal point” in the ongoing market-wide discussion about the character of XRP and other digital assets. Therefore, for purposes of Ripple, the SEC’s views articulated to third parties would be relevant to defendants’ arguments about lack of fair notice that XRP could be considered a security.
Individual defendants also argued that these communications could be relevant to their argument that they lacked scienter. Because Ripple executives were charged with aiding and abetting Ripple’s alleged violations of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933, the SEC must show that the individual defendants knew or recklessly disregarded that Ripple was engaged in a securities law violation and the executives nonetheless “substantially assisted” Ripple in committing that violation. Sec. & Exch. Comm’n v. Apuzzo, 689 F.3d 204, 211, 211 n.6 (2d Cir. 2012); 15 U.S.C. § 77o(b). For this reason, the individual defendants argued that the SEC has put at issue whether XRP sales were securities offerings and whether individual defendants knowingly or recklessly failed to recognize them as such.
In its response, the SEC framed its enforcement action against Ripple as a straightforward application of the US Supreme Court’s ruling in Sec. & Exch. Comm’n v. W.J. Howey Co., 328 U.S. 293 (1946), which set the standard for determining whether an asset is a security. Because the Howey test looks at each asset on its own facts, the SEC argued that facts about other digital assets are irrelevant. The SEC took the position that the Howey test generally puts market participants on notice of what assets may be considered securities, such that any action or inaction by the SEC would not properly support a defense of lack of fair notice.
Judge Netburn ruled from the bench, directing the SEC to produce “the discovery related to Bitcoin and Ether,” and communications “between the SEC and third parties” (including other government agencies) relating to XRP, from 19 SEC custodians that defendants had identified. These custodians included SEC staff and three current/former commissioners or chairs, who were identified by their initials. Judge Netburn denied the motion to compel as to internal SEC communications.
Judge Netburn’s ruling may be significant for defendants faced with these types of questions in the future. First, she accepted, at least for the purposes of this motion, defendants’ arguments as to the relevance of the SEC’s views articulated to third parties-including other government agencies-about Bitcoin and Ether. She observed that such evidence could be “relevant to the Court’s eventual analysis with respect to the Howey factors,” because it goes to individual “defendants’ understanding” of their own conduct, and “to the fair notice defense that Ripple is raising.” She appeared to be influenced by defendants’ arguments that to deny their motion at this stage would be tantamount to a merits determination. Second, the court distinguished third-party communications from internal SEC communications on multiple grounds. The court reasoned that wholly internal SEC communications are “less relevant,” could “seriously chill government deliberations,” and likely would raise “extensive privilege issues.” The ruling therefore avoided thorny issues delineating the SEC’s information-gathering and deliberation functions, at least for now.
Ripple continues to be a significant case both in the crypto space, and as to SEC regulation and enforcement more broadly. Of particular interest is how the reasoning underlying the court’s decision may be used to compel discovery in ongoing and future enforcement actions, particularly as the SEC takes a more aggressive stance concerning accounting treatment for warrants and other issues related to special purpose acquisition vehicles (SPACs), an area that has garnered attention due to recent statements by the SEC’s Director of Corporation Finance. For more information about SPACs and recent regulatory developments, please see our recent Advisory on this topic.
Additional developments are likely in coming weeks, as the court considers whether to allow a group of XRP holders to intervene and the recent motion to dismiss filed by one of the individual defendants. We will continue to monitor and post updates on other significant rulings in this litigation.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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FAIRLESS HILLS, Pa., April 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hydrofarm Holdings Group, Inc. (“Hydrofarm” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: HYFM), a leading independent distributor and manufacturer of hydroponics equipment and supplies for controlled environment agriculture, today announced the pricing of an underwritten upsized public offering of 4,805,967 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $59.00 per share. The net proceeds to the Company from this offering, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company, are expected to be approximately $269.3 million. All shares of common stock are being offered by Hydrofarm. In addition, the Company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 720,894 of its common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is expected to close on May 3, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
J.P. Morgan and Stifel are acting as lead book-running managers for the offering. Deutsche Bank Securities, Truist Securities and William Blair are acting as book-running managers for the offering.
A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with, and declared effective by, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the final prospectus relating to the offering, when available, may be obtained from: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (866) 803-9204; or Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Attention: Prospectus Department, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, CA 94104 or by telephone at (415) 364-2720 or by email at [email protected].
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Hydrofarm
Hydrofarm is a leading independent distributor and manufacturer of hydroponics equipment and supplies for controlled environment agriculture, including grow lights, climate control solutions, growing media and nutrients, as well as a broad portfolio of innovative and proprietary branded products. For over 40 years, Hydrofarm has helped growers make growing easier and more productive. The Company’s mission is to empower growers, farmers and cultivators with products that enable greater quality, efficiency, consistency and speed in their grow projects.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect the current beliefs and expectations of management and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected gross proceeds of the offering, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the offering and sale of securities, and Hydrofarm’s ability to complete the offering. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Although Hydrofarm believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause Hydrofarm’s actual activities or results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to market conditions and the satisfaction of closing conditions related to the proposed public offering, and the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in documents Hydrofarm files from time to time with the SEC, including Hydrofarm’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 30, 2021, the preliminary prospectus for this offering included as part of the registration statement on Form S-1 related to the offering filed with the SEC on April 26, 2021, and its future periodic reports to be filed with the SEC. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Hydrofarm undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Contacts:
Investor ContactFitzhugh Taylor / [email protected]
Media ContactThe LAKPR GroupHannah Arnold, 202-559-9171, [email protected] Trono, 323-672-8226, [email protected] Gallagher, 513-505-2334, lgallagher@hydrofarm.

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GUANGZHOU, China, April 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fanhua Inc. (“Fanhua” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: FANH), a leading independent financial services provider in China, today announced that it has filed its 2020 annual report on Form 20-F, which contains its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 28, 2021. The 2020 20-F can be accessed on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov as well as on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website at http://ir.fanhuaholdings.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Hard copies of the annual report are available, free of charge, to its shareholders upon request.About Fanhua Inc.Fanhua Inc. is a leading independent financial services provider. Through our online platforms and offline sales and service network, we offer a wide variety of financial products and services to individuals, including life and property and casualty insurance products. We also provide insurance claims adjusting services, such as damage assessments, surveys, authentications and loss estimations, as well as value-added services, such as emergency vehicle roadside assistance.Our online platforms include: (1) Lan Zhanggui, an all-in-one platform which allows our agents to access and purchase a wide variety of insurance products, including life insurance, auto insurance, accident insurance, travel insurance and standard health insurance products from multiple insurance companies on their mobile devices; (2) Baowang (www.baoxian.com), an online entry portal for comparing and purchasing health, accident, travel and homeowner insurance products and (3) eHuzhu (www.ehuzhu.com), a non-profit online mutual aid platform in China.As of December 31, 2020, our distribution and service network are consisted of 763 sales outlets covering 22 provinces and 118 service outlets covering 31 provinces.For more information about Fanhua Inc., please visit http://ir.fanhuaholdings.com/.Story continuesForward-looking StatementsThis press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements, including the statements relating to the Company’s future financial and operating results, are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, management’s quotations and the Business Outlook section contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about Fanhua and the industry. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those relating to its ability to attract and retain productive agents, especially entrepreneurial agents, its ability to maintain existing and develop new business relationships with insurance companies, its ability to execute its growth strategy, its ability to adapt to the evolving regulatory environment in the Chinese insurance industry, its ability to compete effectively against its competitors, quarterly variations in its operating results caused by factors beyond its control and macroeconomic conditions in China, future development of COVID-19 outbreak and their potential impact on the sales of insurance products. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and Fanhua undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although Fanhua believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that its expectations will turn out to be correct, and investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties faced by Fanhua is included in Fanhua’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F.CONTACT: Investor Relations Tel: (8620) 83883191 Email: qiusr@fanhuaholdings.

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FRISCO, TEXAS, April 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via NewMediaWire — Verde Bio Holdings, Inc. (OTC: VBHI), filed a 253(g) Supplement with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission on Wednesday April 28, 2021 which erroneously stated that the number of shares being offered under the Regulation A offering was being increased to 10,000,000,000 shares. A subsequent 253(g) Supplement was filed correcting this error.  The correct number of shares being offered is one billion (1,000,000,000) at the price of $0.01 per share pursuant the Regulation A offering. 
Once all of the one billion shares are sold, the offering will close.  Verde Bio Holdings, Inc. regrets any confusion which this erroneous filing may have caused. 
“With the recent announcement of settlement of all debt, the Company is moving forward with a strong balance sheet providing a much more stable foundation for growth, value creation and financial flexibility,” said Scott Cox, Verde CEO. “The Reg A+ capital raise has been incredibly successful.  We are poised to grow greatly in the coming months.”
“We are excited to be debt free. The Reg A+ cap raise has allowed us to reach this amazing milestone in just a little over a year. With no debt, a pipeline full of deals and growth capital, we are poised to grow tremendously over the next few months,” Mr. Cox said.
“We are building a highly diversified portfolio of revenue producing interests and look forward to continuing to build on these through future strategic acquisitions,” Mr. Cox concluded.  “Our shareholders are truly important to us and we apologize for problems this filing caused.”
About Verde Bio Holdings, Inc.Verde Bio Holdings, Inc. (OTC: VBHI), is a growing U.S. Energy Company based in Frisco, Texas, engaged in the acquisition and development of high-growth mineral rights and select non-operated working interests in premier US basins. Verde currently owns producing mineral, royalty and over-riding royalty interests in the DJ Basin of Colorado and Wyoming, the Haynesville Shale of Louisiana, the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma, the Delaware and Permian Basin of Texas and the Marcellus and Utica shales in West Virginia. The Company is focused on providing strong shareholder returns through asset growth generated by our acquisitions of revenue producing assets.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements involve a high degree of risk and uncertainty, are predictions only and actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences include the uncertainty regarding viability and market acceptance of the Company’s products and services, the ability to complete software development plans in a timely manner, changes in relationships with third parties, product mix sold by the Company and other factors described in the Company’s most recent periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
Contact:Paul Knopick E & E [email protected].

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In light of the SEC Staff Statement, the Board of Directors is evaluating the materiality of the impact to the Company’s financial statements that would …

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The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Alex Oh has resigned her position as Director of the Division of Enforcement for personal reasons. Melissa Hodgman will return to the role of Acting Director of the Division of Enforcement.
“Melissa is an exceptional attorney who has proven to be an effective leader of the Enforcement Division. I’m grateful that she will take on this role again and look forward to working closely with her to fulfill the mission of the SEC,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “I thank Alex for her willingness to serve the country at this important time.”
Ms. Hodgman served as the Enforcement Division’s Acting Director from January 2021, through April 2021. Before that, she was the Associate Director in the SEC’s Home Office since October 2016. Ms. Hodgman began working in the Enforcement Division in 2008 as a staff attorney. She joined the Market Abuse Unit in 2010 and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2012. She received the Ellen B. Ross Award, the 2010 SEC Chairman’s Award, the 2017 Arthur F. Mathews Award, and the 2020 Chairman’s Award for Excellence with the SEC’s Employee Affinity Groups, as well as a number of Division Director Awards.
Ms. Hodgman earned her Master of Laws with distinction in securities and financial regulation in 2007 from Georgetown University Law Center, her law degree with high honors from Georgetown University Law Center in 1994, and her Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1990. Before joining the SEC staff, she worked as an associate at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy in Washington, D.C.

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Law360 (April 28, 2021, 5:46 PM EDT) — The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday that Alex Oh, the former Paul Weiss partner hired last week to lead the agency’s enforcement division, has resigned from the post.The agency cited “personal reasons” as the cause of Oh’s departure, which comes only a week after the SEC announced the former prosecutor and two-decade Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP alum had been tapped to be the enforcement division’s new director.Former acting enforcement director Melissa R. Hodgman will return to that role, the SEC said Wednesday.

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Alex Oh, who was named head of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s vaunted enforcement division last week, abruptly resigned, an early setback for Chairman Gary Gensler’s tenure running the Wall Street regulator.

The surprise move, announced Wednesday in an SEC statement, means Gensler won’t have his preferred pick leading what’s arguably the agency’s most important division. Melissa Hodgman, who was previously serving as acting director of the enforcement unit, will return to that role, the SEC said.

“A development arose this week in one of the cases on which I worked while still in private law practice,” Oh, the first Asian American woman to head the enforcement division, said in an emailed resignation to Gensler that was reviewed by Bloomberg. “I have reached the conclusion that I cannot address this development without it becoming an unwelcome distraction.”

Before joining the SEC, Oh was a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. At Paul Weiss her corporate clients included Exxon Mobil Corp. In that role she was defending the oil company against two-decade-old allegations that it supported killings and tortures in Indonesia, court documents show.

Her conduct during the litigation was called into question this week by the U.S. District Court judge overseeing the case. On April 26, Judge Royce Lamberth ordered Oh to demonstrate why she shouldn’t be sanctioned for alleging that her opposing counsel was “agitated, disrespectful, and unhinged” during a deposition without providing evidence.

The enforcement chief is one of the most distinguished jobs at the SEC, with the director leading a group of 1,300 officials who investigate violations of securities laws and sanction individuals and firms for misconduct. Former heads of the division have gone on to be the top lawyers at global banking giants, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank AG.
While Oh’s departure represents a headache for Gensler, left-leaning advocacy groups seized on it to push him to appoint someone with fewer ties to firms the SEC regulates. The practice of the agency hiring corporate defense attorneys has long been a sticking point with progressive lawmakers including Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts senator and vocal financial industry critic.
“The SEC has failed the American people by repeatedly selecting Wall Street defense lawyers as directors of enforcement,” Dennis Kelleher, president and chief executive officer of Better Markets, said in a statement. The Oh’s resignation “is an opportunity to break the SEC’s corrupting practice of hiring Wall Street defense lawyers,” the group said.

— With assistance by Robert Schmidt
(Updates with comment from advocacy group in final paragraph.)

Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal.

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