Core Insights - Brittany Kaiser, CEO of AlphaTON Capital, emphasizes the importance of owning digital identity and the company's strategy in AI infrastructure [1][5][6] Group 1: Company Overview - AlphaTON Capital Corp (NASDAQ: ATON) is focused on scaling the Telegram super-app, targeting an addressable market of 1 billion monthly active users [7][8] - The company is positioned as a publicly traded vehicle providing exposure to the Telegram ecosystem through Privacy-Preserving and Confidential AI Compute infrastructure [5][8] Group 2: AI Infrastructure and Strategy - AlphaTON is deploying its first H200s and B200s as part of the OwnYourNode program, marking a shift in AI infrastructure ownership [5][6] - Cocoon AI, integrated within Telegram, is described as the world's first large-scale, privacy-first AI network, experiencing a growth rate of 340% month-over-month [6] Group 3: Market Position and Future Plans - AlphaTON Capital aims to build the compute backbone of the Telegram economy, leveraging its AI infrastructure to support various applications [6][8] - The company is involved in network validation, staking operations, and strategic investments in decentralized finance protocols and gaming platforms [8]

San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brittany Kaiser, whistleblower, data rights pioneer, and the CEO of AlphaTON Capital (NASDAQ: ATON), joins Mario Nawfal X Space for a live conversation on confidential AI access and why everyone needs to own their digital identity. For the first time, she will reveal the strategy behind AlphaTON's GPU acquisition playbook, the infrastructure powering Cocoon AI (Telegram’s AI), and why this Nasdaq listed company is building the future of Privacy- ...

Core Insights - There is a growing interest in localized cloud infrastructure as a service, pressuring hyperscalers to adapt to customer needs or risk losing market share [3] - Executives are increasingly concerned about data sovereignty requirements and geopolitical risks associated with global cloud environments, with 75% of business leaders expressing such concerns [3] Industry Trends - Organizations are expected to shift 20% of existing workloads from global public clouds to local providers, driven by an increase in sovereign cloud spending [4] - Governments will be the primary buyers of localized infrastructure, along with regulated industries and critical infrastructure providers [4] Competitive Landscape - Major cloud providers must address sovereignty concerns and requirements specific to each country to compete effectively for local cloud business [5] - Tech giants are responding with sovereign cloud offerings, such as AWS's European Sovereign Cloud and IBM's Sovereign Core platform [6] Market Projections - Global sovereign cloud spending is projected to increase by 35.6% to reach $80 billion by 2026, influenced by geopolitical tensions and the desire for data control [7] - China and North America are expected to lead in sovereign cloud spending, with forecasts of approximately $47 billion and $16 billion respectively by 2026 [7] - The highest growth in sovereign cloud spending is anticipated in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and mature countries in the Asia-Pacific region this year [7]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the third quarter totaled $3.9 billion, representing a 3% increase year-over-year on a reported basis, unchanged in constant currency [16] - Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 1% year-over-year to $696 million, while Adjusted Pre-Tax Income grew by 5% year-over-year to $168 million [17] - Free cash flow generated in the third quarter was $217 million, with a net CapEx of $210 million [19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Kyndryl Consult experienced a strong performance with a 20% year-over-year growth in constant currency, now representing 25% of total revenue [16][17] - Hyperscaler-related revenue reached $500 million in the third quarter, a 58% increase year-over-year, putting the company on track to exceed 50% growth for the year [18] - Signings for the quarter totaled $3.9 billion, with a trailing 12-month revenue book-to-bill ratio remaining above 1.0 [5][17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a slowdown in strategic markets, particularly in the UK, which contributed to longer sales cycles [16][32] - The evolving partnership with IBM has impacted revenue growth, with a noted decline in IBM-related spending from nearly $4 billion to approximately $2 billion [10][53] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its capabilities in AI and private cloud services, responding to increased demand driven by data sovereignty and security requirements [13][61] - Kyndryl aims to drive margin expansion through its Three-A's initiative and is committed to maintaining strong liquidity while investing in business growth [21][23] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged that longer sales cycles and evolving customer consumption models are affecting revenue expectations, particularly in the context of AI and data sovereignty [5][24] - The company remains confident in achieving its fiscal 2028 targets, despite the challenges faced in the current fiscal year [35][53] Other Important Information - The filing of the quarterly report will be delayed due to an ongoing review of cash management practices by the SEC, but no restatement of financial statements is expected [25] - The company has repurchased 3.7 million shares in the quarter, representing 1.6% of outstanding shares, as part of its capital allocation strategy [19][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook and Revision Factors - The management discussed the unexpected lengthening of sales cycles and the evolving IBM partnership as primary factors affecting the revised outlook [27][30] Question: Strategic Market Changes - Management indicated that investments in strategic markets, particularly in the UK, are being addressed, although changes may take time to implement [31][32] Question: Impact of Review on Forward Commentary - The company cannot comment on the ongoing SEC review until it is complete, but remains confident in its fiscal 2028 goals [35] Question: Sales Cycle Elongation - Management noted that the elongation of sales cycles is not expected to be multi-year and is linked to customer renewals [56] Question: Free Cash Flow Changes - The decrease in expected free cash flow is primarily attributed to changes in pre-tax income, with working capital also playing a role [46][47] Question: Confidence in Fiscal 2028 Targets - Management highlighted the importance of cash flow growth and the shift towards higher-margin contracts as key drivers for achieving fiscal 2028 targets [51][53]

Core Insights - Kocho has partnered with Zadara to enhance its cloud infrastructure, focusing on cybersecurity, identity, and cloud transformation services to meet increasing client demands and adapt to market changes [1][4] Group 1: Strategic Shift and Infrastructure - Kocho is transitioning from traditional infrastructure to a consumption-based, OPEX-driven cloud model with Zadara, reducing upfront capital investments and allowing for scalable resource management [2] - The collaboration with Zadara addresses challenges such as rising licensing costs and infrastructure complexity, providing a viable alternative to VMware [2] Group 2: Benefits of Partnership - Zadara's distributed edge cloud offers performance, data sovereignty, and real-time AI processing without data egress fees, enabling Kocho to focus on application development [3] - Clients of Kocho benefit from improved agility, faster service delivery, and secure data residency, supported by Zadara's advanced architecture and multi-tenancy capabilities [3] Group 3: Zadara's Capabilities - Zadara operates over 500 edge cloud locations globally, providing a cloud infrastructure that supports various use cases, including sovereign cloud and AI inference [5] - The platform features consumption-based pricing with zero data egress fees, designed to accommodate workloads across on-premises, hybrid, multi-cloud, or edge environments [5] Group 4: Company Background - Kocho specializes in Microsoft cloud technology, cybersecurity, and managed services, serving a diverse range of clients from mid-market organizations to large enterprises across various sectors [7][8] - Zadara is headquartered in Irvine, California, and offers 24/7 support with a skilled global team [6]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q2 fiscal year 2026 was $318 million, representing a 14% year-over-year increase and exceeding guidance [15][23] - Earnings per share (EPS) was $0.26, up from $0.21 in the prior year quarter, marking a 24% year-over-year improvement [15][21] - SaaS ARR grew 25% year-over-year, reaching $227 million, driven by strong demand for Platform ONE [5][15] - Non-GAAP gross margin increased to 62%, up 70 basis points from the previous quarter [17][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Product revenue increased double digits year-over-year for the fourth consecutive quarter [5] - Subscription and support revenue reached $120 million, up 12% year-over-year [16] - Deferred recurring revenue climbed to $628 million, a 9% year-over-year improvement [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced strong revenue growth across all regions, indicating improved alignment between go-to-market teams and robust demand for IT infrastructure [16] - The company noted a return of government spending in Europe and expansion in APAC, contributing to positive market dynamics [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on leveraging its AI-powered platform to drive growth and market share, with a strong emphasis on innovation and technology differentiation [5][9] - The introduction of the Extreme Partner First program aims to enhance partner profitability and streamline the sales process [10][11] - The company anticipates significant growth opportunities due to competitive displacements and a major end-of-life refresh cycle in the industry [12][14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the demand environment, citing low elasticity of demand for networking infrastructure, which allows for price flexibility [13] - The company expects to grow profit faster than revenue, with anticipated profitability growth of around 20% on double-digit revenue growth for the year [14] - Management highlighted the importance of AI in customer discussions and the unique advantages of their agentic AI platform [32][34] Other Important Information - The company has successfully navigated supply chain challenges by implementing a replacement strategy and qualifying alternative sources for components [13][47] - The company is set to deliver several multimillion-dollar deployments in Q3 and Q4, which may impact gross margins due to lower-margin professional services [19][21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Evidence of Share Gain - Management uses third-party analysts to track share gains, noting that they are growing three times faster than competitors in the enterprise networking space [26][27] Question: AI Importance - AI is a top priority for customers, and the company is positioned to leverage its unique agentic AI platform to drive better business outcomes [32][34] Question: Competitive Displacement - The company often replaces both Wi-Fi and switching components in projects, with unique solutions that competitors cannot replicate [40][41] Question: Customer Reaction to Price Increases - Customers have shown resilience to price increases, with demand for networking infrastructure remaining strong despite rising costs [44][46] Question: EMEA Sales Strength - The company has seen strong sales in EMEA, with expectations for continued growth driven by data sovereignty requirements and government spending [55][56] Question: Professional Services Margins - Professional services have lower margins compared to subscription services, impacting overall margin profiles during large installations [77][80]

Core Insights - HPE has announced a strategic collaboration with 2degrees to develop a private AI platform aimed at enhancing AI-driven innovation and modernizing 2degrees' technology environment [1][2][4] Group 1: Collaboration and Technology - The partnership focuses on creating a purpose-built private AI platform using HPE Private Cloud AI, which will enable 2degrees to deliver more agile and scalable solutions while ensuring data sovereignty [1][2][4] - The new AI platform will allow 2degrees to dynamically allocate resources across various AI use cases, optimizing network operations and reducing internal development cycles [2][3] Group 2: Benefits and Applications - The collaboration is expected to improve network performance, making it more resilient and predictable, while also enabling faster development and release of new products and features [3][5] - Initial AI use cases include autonomous network operations, predictive maintenance, and AI-powered capacity planning, which will enhance the overall customer experience [5][6] Group 3: Commitment to Data Sovereignty - 2degrees emphasizes its commitment to data sovereignty, ensuring that customer and operational data remain under New Zealand jurisdiction, which is increasingly important amid complex global data regulations [4][6] - The partnership with HPE is seen as a benchmark for how New Zealand organizations can responsibly utilize AI while maintaining control over their data [4][6]

According to Vitalik Buterin, institutions are neither natural allies nor enemies of cypherpunks. He said institutions aim to maximize control while minimizing external trust, making them more focused on data sovereignty and security. Going forward, institutions will favor self-custody and staking, supporting Ethereum decentralization, while KYC and privacy technologies evolve in parallel with ongoing debates around zero-knowledge proofs. Ethereum’s core mission, he added, is to build tools that protect ind ...

Core Insights - Oracle's role as the Trusted Technology Partner for TikTok USA secures its exclusive cloud services, effectively locking out competitors like AWS and Google Cloud [1] - The TikTok USA joint venture is valued at approximately $14 billion, with Oracle's equity stake ensuring significant future revenue for its cloud business [2] - The regulatory approval of TikTok's U.S. divestiture is a stabilizing catalyst for Oracle, changing the narrative around its stock [3] Company Strategy - Oracle's acquisition of a controlling interest in TikTok's U.S. operations is a strategic infrastructure play rather than a pivot to social media [2][4] - By transitioning from a vendor to an owner, Oracle builds a revenue moat, ensuring that TikTok's substantial data storage and processing needs are met exclusively by Oracle [5] - The partnership with MGX, focused on AI, indicates a long-term strategy to leverage TikTok's data for advanced applications beyond content algorithms [8] Financial Position - Oracle's liquidity position is strong, with approximately $19.8 billion in cash and marketable securities, allowing it to fund the TikTok investment without new debt [12] - The $2.1 billion investment for a 15% stake in TikTok is seen as an efficient use of capital, transforming idle cash into a revenue-generating asset [13] - Concerns about liquidity are countered by the revenue security provided by the TikTok deal, which helps stabilize Oracle's financial outlook [15] Market Dynamics - The deal positions Oracle as a leader in the cloud infrastructure space, moving away from its legacy database roots [14] - TikTok's massive user base ensures a constant demand for Oracle's cloud services, validating its significant investments in data centers [7][10] - The integration of TikTok into Oracle's U.S. cloud regions is expected to shift market perceptions from cash burn to revenue lock-in, supporting stock price recovery [15]

Core Insights - Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (BEN) has finalized a strategic partnership with Valio Technologies to create an exclusive AI licensing framework for government and commercial markets across Africa [1][2] - The partnership includes a memorandum of understanding with Nelson Mandela University to pilot an AI-powered mental health support initiative for students [5][6] Company Overview - BEN specializes in secure, governed conversational AI solutions tailored for regulated industries, utilizing proprietary technologies like Engagement Language Model (ELM™) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) [4][11] - Valio Technologies focuses on deploying enterprise-grade AI and digital platforms in developing markets, and is the creator of eYakho Health, a digital health platform aimed at connecting healthcare services across Africa [9][12] Partnership Details - The partnership involves a $2.050 million preferred equity contribution from a newly formed South Africa-based entity to BEN, which will be recognized as intellectual property licensing revenue [8] - BEN will receive 25% common equity ownership in the new entity, along with a board seat and a 35% revenue share across various offerings [8] Market Context - The initiative addresses alarming mental health challenges among university students, with anxiety disorders affecting up to 37.1% of South African students and 64.7% experiencing perceived stress [6] - The partnership reflects a growing demand for compliant, sovereignty-aligned AI solutions across various sectors, including healthcare, financial services, and education [10]