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April 02, 2025
XReality Group Limited (ASX: XRG) ("XRG" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that its US subsidiary, Operator XR LLC ("Operator XR"), has entered into a strategic research collaboration (MOU) with the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Centre at Texas State University, the FBI-designated national standard for active shooter response training in the United States.
Key Highlights:
- Strategic research program established with the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Centre at Texas State University, the FBI-designated national standard in active shooter response training in the US
- Research will optimise Operator XR's technology platform in high-stress law enforcement scenarios
- ALERRT has trained over 300,000 first responders in the US with more than $180 million in federal and state funding
- Initial two-year collaboration with potential for extension
The research program will focus on advancing training methodologies using the Operator XR virtual reality training system, with an emphasis on improving human performance in high-stress situations such as active shooter response scenarios. Findings from the research conducted will enable Operator XR to improve and adapt it’s product to meet new and emerging real time requirements.
This collaboration represents an important milestone in XRG’s strategy to lead the immersive training market within US law enforcement through its Operator XR.
Research Focus
Operator XR and ALERRT will jointly explore the application of XR technology in law enforcement training, with research encompassing:
- Training efficacy and outcome measurement
- Skill acquisition and retention analysis
- Physiological and psychological response monitoring
- Decision-making processes under stress
- Team dynamics in simulated high-risk environments
“We are looking forward to working with the Operator XR team. We are especially excited to leverage the advanced capabilities of Operator XR’s multi-user VR training platform. Its customizable tools and immersive technology will expand our ability to study and improve law enforcement performance across a wide range of situations faced by law enforcement officers every day,” said Hunter Martaindale, PhD, Director of Research at ALERRT.
Kim Hopwood, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Operator XR, commented: "We're excited to work with ALERRT's cutting edge research team who are at the forefront of understanding the science of high risk situations within law enforcement. This collaboration will help us validate and enhance our technology while contributing to research that ultimately helps prepare law enforcement professionals for the challenges they face in the field."
Commercial Terms
The initial collaboration is established for a two-year period, with the potential for renewal based on mutual agreement. Operator XR will provide ALERRT with advanced VR training equipment and early access to new features, while ALERRT will share expertise and research findings to enhance product development. The companies intend to pursue joint funding opportunities and collaborate research publications. The MOU does not commit either Party to specific funding obligations. Funding arrangements for specific projects will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Materiality
This announcement is considered material by the board of directors due to the global reach and influence that ALERRT has within the US law enforcement market. There were 488 mass shooting cases in the United States in 2024, according to the database maintained by Gun Violence America, and many more active shooter situations, about which ALERRT and XRG are collaborating with a view to reducing the incidence and response by improved training.
About ALERRT
The Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Centre at Texas State University is the national standard in active shooter response training, as designated by the FBI in 2013. Since its inception, ALERRT has trained more than 300,000 first responders nationwide, including over 200,000 law enforcement officers, utilizing more than $180 million in federal and state funding. Beyond training, ALERRT houses a dedicated research department that conducts evidence- based studies to improve understanding of active shooter events and enhance law enforcement best practices.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from xReality Group, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
XRG:AU
17 April
Strategic acquisition to expand into retail stockbroking
Equity Story Group Ltd (“Equity Story” or “the Company”, ASX:EQS) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a binding heads of agreement (HOA) to acquire the business and assets of Adelaide-based full-service financial advisory firm Baker Young Limited (Seller).
.
Transaction OverviewPurchase PriceUnder the terms of the Transaction, Equity Story will acquire Baker Young's business and specified assets (including intellectual property and branding) for A$4.2 million, comprising an upfront payment of $3 million (subject to adjustments) and an earn-out
component of $1.2 million, which will be payable subject to the Baker Young business satisfying certain conditions over a 10-month post-completion period. The Company intends to fund the acquisition through debt.In addition, upon completion of the Transaction (Completion), Equity Story will issue 10 million options to the Seller's nominees. The options will be exercisable during a 3-year term at an exercise price of 5 cents each. Half of the options are escrowed for 6 months, with the remaining escrowed for 12 months from the date of Completion.The Company intends to seek shareholder approval under Listing Rule 7.1 for the issue of the full 10 million options. Financial Impact and Outlook
The Transaction is expected to be earnings-accretive and will meaningfully contribute to
the Group's revenue and recurring income. The Transaction is expected to include a
profit-share model for Baker Young advisers and staff, which will serve as a foundation
to attract more advisors as the Equity Story Group expands. The Transaction is
consistent with the Company's strategy of identifying and pursuing selective M&A opportunities that align with its commitment to delivering accessible, high-quality wealth services to retail and high-net-worth investors across Australia.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Equity Story Group Ltd , licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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13 March
6 Biggest ASX Technology ETFs in 2025
It's indisputable that we're in an era of technology and our technological capabilities are exponentially increasing.
Fast-growing and already robust, Australia's tech sector is worth 8.5 percent of the country’s total GDP, or AU$167 billion. Furthermore, as of 2024, Australia ranked 15th in the world for digital competitiveness. Given the scale of the tech market in Australia and globally, ETFs can be a good choice for investors.
For any investor, the tech sector may be a desirable investment opportunity, and ETFs can be a safer way to get into an industry. For those unfamiliar, an ETF, or exchange-traded fund, is a basket of securities that is traded like a stock on an exchange and comes in many different types — market ETFs, foreign market ETFs, commodity ETFs and so on. Advantages include lower expense ratios, diversification and fewer broker commissions. One disadvantage is a low level of liquidity.
Here the Investing News Network looks at ASX technology ETFs for those interested in investing in the digital future.
How to invest in ASX technology ETFs
As they're traded on exchanges, tech ETFs in Australia can be purchased in the same manner as any ASX equity. Some options include purchasing them through an ASX participant broker or through a digital trading platform. The ASX website offers tools for finding a broker that matches your needs.
Investing in tech ETFs offer diversity compared to investing in individual tech stocks. As mentioned, ETFs are a basket of securities, which means they can hold multiple stocks in a sector or may even cover more than one industry. Additionally, some ASX tech ETFs offer exposure to international tech shares that aren't available to Australian investors normally.
Beyond diversity, one of the main advantages of an ETF is the ability to buy and sell at any time during the trading day. That's in contrast to mutual funds, which trade at the end of the day.
One thing to watch for when investing in ETFs is portfolio duplication. If your portfolio is diverse, make sure you aren't going to create a redundancy with an ETF — you can do this by checking your total exposure in a given sector, not just the exposure given by the ETF.
What are the biggest ASX technology ETFs?
Below, we’ll list some of the biggest ETFs in the Australian tech sector. These ASX tech ETFs funds are listed in order of market capitalisation, with data gathered using TradingView’s stock screener on March 13, 2025.
1. Betashares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX:NDQ)
Assets under management: AU$5.69 billion
Yearly performance: 9.77 percent
Management fee: 0.48 percent
The Betashares NASDAQ 100 ETF aims to track the performance of the Nasdaq 100 Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX), which includes global leaders in the tech sector, before fees and expenses. This fund devotes 41.03 percent of its holdings to electronic technology, with the next-highest category, technology services, coming in just behind it 39.8 percent.
2. Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX:HACK)
Assets under management: AU$1.15 billion
Yearly performance: 13.83 percent
Management fee: 0.67 percent
The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF specialises in cybersecurity, a market that protects and enhances other tech companies' offerings. As technologies advance, so do threats, making these services necessary for businesses and individuals.
The ETF's holdings are almost fully in the technology services sector, with 71.14 percent falling under that umbrella, and most of the remainder is under the electronic technology umbrella. More specifically, 45.3 percent of its holdings are focused on systems software.
3. Global X Fang+ ETF (ASX:FANG)
Assets under management: AU$962.38 million
Yearly performance: 19.18 percent
Management fee: 0.35 percent
The Global X Fang+ ETF tracks the NYSE FANG+ Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NYFANG) to provide investors global exposure to leading publicly traded companies in next-generation technologies, including tech giants and emerging growth stocks.
This fund dedicates 60.53 percent of its holdings to technology services, with the next-highest category, electronic technology, ranking at 28.06 percent.
4. Betashares Asia Technology Tigers (ASX:ASIA)
Assets under management: AU$649.37 million
Yearly performance: 30.62 percent
Management fee: 0.67 percent
The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers has is wholly focused on technology companies in Asia ex Japan. Stocks in China and Taiwan both make up about 70.8 percent of the ETF's holdings, with South Korea and India making up the majority of the remainder. As many of the ASX ETFs on this offer exposure to US tech stocks, this ETF can provide some global diversification.
As for the types of companies held in this tech ETF, 48.28 percent are categorized as electronic technology, 30.26 percent as technology services and 20.21 percent as retail trade.
5. Global X Morningstar Global Technology ETF (ASX:TECH)
Assets under management: AU$362.2 million
Yearly performance: -3.43 percent
Management fee: 0.45 percent
Global X's Morningstar Global Technology ETF offers exposure to "companies positioned to benefit from the increased adoption of technology." The majority of its holdings, 69.9 percent, are in the information technology sector.
This global ETF has holdings in North America, Europe and Asia. On the country level, the lion's share of its holdings are US stocks at around 71 percent, and the next highest countries by holdings are the Netherlands at 12.6 percent and Japan at 6.8 percent.
6. Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX:ATEC)
Assets under management: AU$292.34 million
Yearly performance: 11.38 percent
Management fee: 0.48 percent
The Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF tracks the performance of the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (INDEXASX:XTX) before fees and expenses. ATEC is the only ASX ETF on this list that focuses on Australian tech shares, with nearly 93 percent of its holdings located in the country.
The majority of the fund's holdings, 72 percent, are in the technology services sector, followed by health services at 9.68 percent and commercial services at 8.75 percent
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2022.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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24 February
Spenda Executes Sale Agreement for Invoice Finance Portfolio
Spenda Limited (ASX:SPX, “Spenda” or “the Company”), an innovative software company providing software and electronic payment solutions across supply chains and trading networks, is pleased to announce the execution of an Asset Sale Agreement (“Transaction”) with Grapple Invoice Finance Fund Pty Ltd (“Grapple”) for the sale of the Company’s invoice finance loan book (“the Asset”) via its subsidiary Spenda Cash Flow Pty Ltd (“SCF”), the entity servicing the Company’s invoice finance loan book.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Sale of Invoice Finance Portfolio: Spenda has agreed to sell its Invoice Financing portfolio to Grapple for $2m, subject to portfolio performance.
- Return of $2.3m first loss capital: Completion of the sale will release $2.3m in first-loss capital, in addition to the $2m in sale proceeds.
- Balance sheet recapitalisation – the sale of the invoice finance portfolio recapitalises the balance sheet providing an additional $4.3m in available working capital and associated operational savings of ~$600k per annum.
- Spenda and Grapple to enter into referral agreement: Spenda will generate revenue for any new customers referred to Grapple by Spenda.
- Increases margins and reduces risk: Sale of the invoice finance portfolio will increase margin as the Company’s income stream moves to bundled SaaS and payment services , importantly removing lending / credit risk.
Key Terms of the Agreement
The Agreement will see Grapple acquire SCFs assets for a total consideration of $2m, on the following terms:
- On the completion date, Grapple to pay Spenda the sum of $500,000 (“initial consideration”); and
- Grapple shall pay an additional consideration of $1,500,000 (“deferred consideration”) as follows:
- 10 equal monthly instalments in the sum of $75,000 commencing on 14 April 2025, and then on the 14th day of each calendar month thereafter; and
- a sum of $750,000 on or before 31 March 2026 subject to portfolio performance (“Balloon Payment”).
- The deferred consideration may be adjusted if any Customers leave or are terminated from the completion date to 28 February 2026.
The sale will also result in a reduction of ~$50,000 p.m. in gross profit, the impact of which is offset by cost reductions associated with the operations portfolio. Continuing growth in other product lines are expected to increase the overal operating margin of the business. Further, the sale of the loan book to Grapple will result in the return of the Company’s committed first loss capital of ~$2.3m, a precondition requirement at the time of the establishment of the loan facility.
Completion of the transaction is expected to occur on 28 February 2025.
Referral Agreement
The Company and Grapple are executing a referral agreement for an initial period of 24 months under which Grapple will pay the Company a referral commission equal to 100% of the Net Interest Margin (“NIM”) for year 1 and 50% of the NIM for year 2, in respect of all deals successfully referred to Grapple by the Company from November 2024.
Additionally, as part of the sale of the loan book to Grapple, certain Spenda employees key to the ongoing management and servicing of the loan book as a going concern will transfer across to Grapple on completion.
As a result of the sale, the Company will pay a break-fee of $170,000 (1% of facility limit) to the Company’s credit provider for the early termination of the facility.
Managing Director Adrian Floate commented “The sale of the loan book is the first step in the Company’s restructuring its balance sheet and releasing capital whilst realizing value through bringing forward future cashflows. With the software
now capable and proven in managing financing flows, credit processes, risk management and payment reconciliation, the Company can now enable third party lending products to be onboarded on to the platform via revenue sharing agreements as executed with Grapple. Further, the Company has removed the capital constraints associated with being the counterparty to loan / financing related product offerings. We look forward to working with Grapple in growing the invoice finance loan book to the benefit of both parties.”
Grapple CEO and Founder Stephen T. Dawson commented, “This transaction allows both businesses to concentrate on respective core competencies and further drive the uptake of Grapple’s market leading digital and real-time invoice
financing platform. We look forward to working with Spenda to ensure a smooth transition of the invoice financing portfolio and taking advantage of the synergies offered by the deal.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Spenda Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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19 February
ASX Tech Stocks: 9 Biggest Companies in 2025
Australia may be nicknamed the "land down under," but it's far from under when it comes to the economy.
Australia has strong economic conditions, which include affordability, a low public debt level and rising income. Impressively, before COVID-19, the nation had not experienced a recession in more than 30 years.
While many countries faced economic challenges as the pandemic caused worldwide shutdowns, the closures only accelerated Australia's move toward digital solutions. With monumental shifts in how business, banking and education are done, there came an increased focus on artificial intelligence (AI), fintech and more.
Here, the Investing News Network shares the top ASX tech stocks by market cap, according to TradingView's stock screener. All numbers and figures for these top Australian technology shares were accurate as of February 12, 2025.
1. Block (ASX:XYZ)
Market cap: AU$81.34 billion
Block is a global leader in fintech based in California that was founded in 2009. Composed of Square, Cash App, Afterpay, TIDAL, Bitkey and Proto, Block has aimed to make the economy more accessible.
Previously named Square, in December 2021 the company officially changed its name to Block to incorporate its many facets. The following month, it completed its acquisition of the once-leading ASX tech company Afterpay, a buy now, pay later firm.
Each of Block's subsidiaries provides a means of expanding the economy by giving individuals and companies tools to participate.
Square enables entrepreneurs and businesses to sell with tap-enabled tiles that are powered by mobile technology, instead of requiring a typical clunky point-of-sale system. Cash App allows users to send, receive and invest money effortlessly. TIDAL is a global music, podcast and video-streaming platform built to personalise the listener's experience and give artists due credit for their work. Bitkey is a self-custody wallet for Bitcoin, while Proto offers Bitcoin mining products and services.
In its Q3 2024 results, Block reported US$2.25 billion in gross profit, an increase of 19 percent year-over-year.
2. WiseTech Global (ASX:WTC)
Market cap: AU$40.49 billion
Logistics software company WiseTech Global serves multinational companies and small businesses, with over 17,000 clients in 174 countries. CargoWise, its hallmark product, improves automation and visibility in supply chains. It is designed to help businesses scale and to assist them in processes related to customs, tariffs, warehousing and freight container management.
WiseTech has completed several acquisitions in recent years as it continues to expand. In 2023, its acquisitions included Blume Global, a provider of a leading supply chain software, as well as Envase Technologies, a provider of transport management system software in North America.
Two of WiseTech's more recent key acquisitions were Australia-headquartered global trade management systems companies BSM Global and ImpexDocs in December 2024 and January 2025 respectively.
In its 2024 fiscal year, Wisetech reported total revenue of AU$1.04 billion, an increase of 28 percent from the year prior.
3. REA Group (ASX:REA)
Market cap: AU$35.87 billion
REA Group is focused on global online real estate advertising. The company has its headquarters in Richmond, Australia, and conducts business in North America and Asia as well, with 16 brands in its network.
In September 2024, REA Group made a move to acquire a 19.9 percent interest in digital non-bank lender Athena Home Loans, considered one of Australia's fastest growing fintech companies. This follows the June 2023 launch of REA's Mortgage Choice Freedom suite of white label products, which was developed in collaboration with Athena.
In its report on the first half of its financial year 2025, the company enjoyed a strong financial performance, with revenue up 20 percent year-over-year to reach AU$873 million.
4. Xero (ASX:XRO)
Market cap: AU$28.58 billion
Software developer Xero creates cloud-based accounting tools for businesses. The firm's suite of tools has over 4.2 million subscribers. Among its accounting features are offerings designed for project management, invoicing and payroll. For example, by integrating both PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) and Stripe into its platform, Xero has added payment features to its online invoices, allowing users to accept payments or pay directly when they get an invoice.
Serving enterprise, small business and banking customers alike, Xero's clients include the four largest banks in Australia: National Australia Bank (ASX:NAB,OTC Pink:NAUBF), the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA,OTC Pink:CBAUF), Westpac Banking (ASX:WBC,NYSE:WBK) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX:ANZ). Xero has also partnered with several international banks in countries from the UK to South Africa.
In its H1 2025 earnings report, Xero reported operating revenue of 996 million New Zealand dollars, an increase of 25 percent year-over-year.
5. Computershare (ASX:CPU)
Market cap: AU$21.06 billion
With principal operations in share registry services, Computershare helps security holders redeem electronic shares. Computershare had its beginnings in 1978 as one of the first tech startups in Melbourne. It has since grown to employ 14,000 staff managing over 75 million customer records.
On the enterprise level, the company assists businesses with things such as share registry services, employee equity plans and corporate trust services. It acquired Wells Fargo Corporate Trust Services in November 2021, and in September 2023, it announced that it has agreed to acquire the European public equity share plan business of Solium Capital UK, further expanding its global presence.
In December 2024, Computershare acquired ingage IR, which provides investor relations and engagement software to publicly listed companies around the world.
In its H1 2025 report, Computershare reported US$1.5 billion in management revenue, an increase of 6.4 percent year over year.
6. CAR Group (ASX:CAR)
Market cap: AU$14.09 billion
CAR Group is a large online business based in Australia that specialises in classified listings for automotive, motorcycle and marine vehicles. The company is the largest of its kind in the country, where it operates as carsales.com, and it has expanded its operations into South Korea (Encar), Chile (chileautos) and the United States (Trader Interactive). In Brazil, CAR Group owns a majority interest in digital car marketplace Webmotors.
In January 2025, CAR Group exited its Australian Tyres business unit, including both the wholesale division tyreconnect and the e-commerce platform tyresales.com.au. The news gave its share price a boost as the exit was viewed as an important step toward improving the company's financial position.
In its H1 2025 report, CAR Group reported revenue of AU$579 million, an increase of 9 percent from the previous corresponding period.
7. TechnologyOne (ASX:TNE)
Market cap: AU$10.61 billion
TechnologyOne is Australia’s largest enterprise resource planning software-as-a-service (SaaS) company. The company’s client base spans the government, education, health and financial services sectors across Australia, New Zealand and the UK. It focuses on cloud-based technology, AI and machine learning.
TechnologyOne's 2024 annual financial results highlight the company's 15th year of record revenue, profit and SaaS fees. Total revenues came in at AU$515.4 million, up 17 percent from the previous year.
8. NEXTDC (ASX:NXT)
Market cap: AU$9.88 billion
NEXTDC is a data centre company that uses energy-efficient methods to connect its over 1,800 customers to various cloud infrastructure systems. With several of the largest companies in Australia using its data and colocation services, NEXTDC operates 13 facilities that power high-performance computing demands in addition to hosting services throughout Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Japan.
The top ASX tech stock connects its clients to some of the world's largest cloud providers, including names such as Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Web Services, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Azure, Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google Cloud, Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), IBM (NYSE:IBM) Cloud and Alibaba (NYSE:BABA).
The company is the 2024 recipient of the Australian Data Centre Service Company of the Year award. In its financial year 2024, the company reported total revenue of AU$404.3 million, an increase of 25 percent from the year prior.
9. SEEK (ASX:SEK)
Market cap: AU$8.46 billion
SEEK is a human resource consulting company based in Melbourne, with operations in several other countries including China, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil and more. SEEK develops technology products for online employment.
In its H1 FY2025 report, the company announced revenue of AU$536.2 million, down 4 percent versus the previous period, driven by a 14 percent drop in job ad volumes.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2019.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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08 March 2019
Tech Big News Roundup: BLOCKStrain Signs LOI to Acquire Spark Digital Technologies; HPQ: De-Risking For Up-Coming Gen2 PUREVAP(TM) Pilot Plant Trials
In case you missed it, here is this week’s technology big news roundup:
Blockchain:
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