In Venezuela, the national budget for 2026 has increased fivefold compared to the budget established for the current year. According to information provided by Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, the figure is 5.02 trillion bolivars.

Rodríguez presented the figure to the National Assembly during the first week of December, highlighting that 77.8 % of the resources will be allocated to social investment.

The official also addressed the budget formulation process, explaining that it included popular participation “through community assemblies, which, according to her, aims to ensure that national priorities are linked to the needs of the population.”

In total, the 2026 budget is equivalent to 5,968,785,870 bolivars, representing “a significant increase compared to the 2025 budget, which was 906,459 million bolivars. In nominal terms, public spending has more than quintupled in just one year.”

Social development and community outreach are priorities for next year, as is the defense and security of Venezuela.

M.Pino

Source: finanzasdigital

(Reference image source: engin akyurt on Unsplash)

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La entrada Venezuela increases national budget for 2026 apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Recent data from the Argentine Fintech Chamber forecasts a 12.8 % increase in current workforce, which is expected to lead to employment growth in the sector, with the hiring of more than 4,200 new professionals.

In the results of its Fintech Employment Report, the chamber revealed data from 105 participating companies with statistics on “staffing, projections, critical profiles, hiring challenges, and turnover dynamics.”

Employment in the fintech sector registered a year-over-year growth rate of 12.8 %. “Of the companies surveyed, 80.95 % stated they plan to expand their workforce, while 19.05 % stated they will maintain their stable team, and none plan to reduce their workforce.”

The geographic concentration of employment in this sector is primarily in Buenos Aires (57.6%). However, “new regional hubs are beginning to consolidate, such as Córdoba, which accounts for 8.8 % of national fintech employment; Santa Fe with 3.7 %; and Mendoza, with 1.7 %.”

According to the Fintech Chamber report, hiring comes from sectors such as technology (61.9 %), other fintech companies (47.6 %), traditional banking (43.8 %), services (32.4 %), and commercial areas (14.3 %). Workers in these areas are migrating to the fintech market, which has become a driving force for job creation.

M.Pino

Source: cointelegraph

(Reference image source: Israel Andrade on Unsplash)

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La entrada Argentina projects 12 % job growth in fintech sector apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Bancamiga held a virtual forum with the participation of economist Luis Oliveros, who offered answers to the question: How do I keep my business afloat in a challenging economy? This is one of the questions in the Manual for Entrepreneurs, published by the Bancamiga Publishing Fund.

The expert spoke with more than one hundred participants, including businesspeople and entrepreneurs, who received guidance on how to protect themselves from inflation, collect payments and pay suppliers, develop pricing strategies, cover strategies, study demand characteristics, and provide recommendations for the Venezuelan startup and business ecosystem.

Under the direction of Bancamiga’s Corporate Social Responsibility Department, the dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences at the Metropolitan University (Unimet) facilitated and reinforced tools that boost business and enable healthy competition in the Venezuelan market.

Inflation and Collections

The first aspect he addressed was the challenges of medium- and long-term inflation. Therefore, a well-structured business plan plays a fundamental role.

Regarding collections and payments to suppliers, he maintained that during an inflationary period, wide collection margins cannot be achieved because this leads to a loss of purchasing power if payments are made only in the national currency. Accordingly, he recommended having other hedging mechanisms in place. “One of the ideal strategies is to divide the profitability between domestic and foreign currency,” he added.

Another option is to establish long-term contracts with clients and suppliers with whom the company desires a stable business relationship. Similarly, it is important to ensure that the accounts receivable turnover is completed in a shorter timeframe and that the accounts payable turnover is extended as much as possible.

Pricing and Hedging Strategy

Oliveros noted that, when setting the price of a product or service, it is essential that its value not be set below the cost structure, as this indicates a problem with the business’s sustainability.

For pricing, it is essential to know the target customer or market niche, and based on this, the company can manage its cost elasticity and demand. He also recommended diversifying the hedging strategy between domestic and foreign currencies.

Oliveros emphasized that the company and the person in charge of its finances must have independence, the freedom to make changes, be flexible, agile, and make quick decisions when the economy fluctuates constantly.

Opportunities

During the presentation, the economist emphasized that “Venezuela is a challenging economy, but it is an economy with significant opportunities and, additionally, it has attractive profit margins that are unavailable in other economies.”

Luis Oliveros also reflected that “entrepreneurs in Venezuela face multiple challenges. Starting a business in Venezuela is a very interesting path, one that comes with challenges, and thanks to institutions like Bancamiga, these challenges diminish along the way.”

“Not only do you have an entity that gives these types of talks, but it also helps you, gives you tools, gives you credit, and generates ideas so you can start your business in the best possible way. All these challenges that arise in Venezuela must be viewed as opportunities. The entrepreneur doesn’t just focus on the problem; he focuses on the solution,” he concluded.

Bancamiga’s Social Responsibility Department will continue supporting entrepreneurs through its business development program, providing in-person and online training activities.

With information and reference images provided by Bancamiga Banco Universal

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La entrada Luis Oliveros offered tips to entrepreneurs at a virtual forum organized by Bancamiga apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Apple’s control over its ecosystem of devices and apps has historically been strict. Additionally, several built-in security features, such as strong encryption and containerization, help prevent data leakage and limit the spread of malware. However, in addition to all this, ESET, a leading company in proactive threat detection, warns in this extensive analysis that risks are not completely eliminated, as everyday scams and other threats also bombard iOS users… and while some are more common than others, they all demand attention.

“The fact that iOS apps typically originate from Apple’s official App Store and must pass strict testing for approval has avoided security and privacy headaches over the years. However, the recent EU antitrust law, known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), seeks to give iOS users the option of using third-party app marketplaces. This will present new challenges for Apple in protecting iOS users from potential harm and for those who use its products, as they will need to be more aware of threats. This change in the rules of the game will undoubtedly be exploited by cybercrime,” comments Camilo Gutiérrez Amaya, Head of the ESET Latin America IT Security Lab.

ESET has also studied and offers its opinion on other, possibly more immediate, threats targeting iOS users worldwide:

Jailbroken devices: Deliberately jailbreaking a device to allow what Apple calls “unauthorized modifications” could violate the Software License Agreement and disable some built-in security features, such as Secure Boot and Data Execution Prevention. The device will no longer receive automatic updates. And being able to download apps from outside the App Store exposes you to malicious and/or buggy software.

Malicious apps: While Apple does a good job of vetting apps, it isn’t 100 % accurate. Malicious apps recently detected on the App Store include: A fake version of the LastPass password manager designed to harvest credentials; a screenshot-reading malware dubbed “SparkCat,” disguised as artificial intelligence and food delivery apps; as well as a fake crypto wallet app called “Rabby Wallet & Crypto Solution.”

Downloading apps from websites: As detailed in the latest ESET Threat Report, progressive web apps (PWAs) allow direct installation without requiring users to grant explicit permissions, meaning downloads could go unnoticed. ESET discovered this technique used to disguise banking malware as legitimate mobile banking apps.

Phishing/Social Engineering: Phishing attacks via email, text (or iMessage), and even voice are common. They impersonate legitimate brands and trick users into providing their credentials, clicking on malicious links, or opening attachments to trigger malware downloads. Apple IDs are among the most valuable logins, as they can provide access to all data stored in an iCloud account and/or allow attackers to make iTunes/App Store purchases. ESET advises caution with:

• Fake pop-ups claiming the device has a security issue
• Fraudulent phone calls and FaceTime calls impersonating Apple Support or partner organizations
• Fake promotions offering freebies and sweepstakes
• Calendar invitation spam with phishing links

As an example, in a highly sophisticated campaign, threat actors and attack planners used social engineering techniques to trick users into downloading a mobile device management (MDM) profile that would allow them to control the victims’ devices. They then deployed the GoldPickaxe malware, designed to collect facial biometric data and use it to bypass banking logins.

Risks of public Wi-Fi networks: A public Wi-Fi hotspot can be a fake access point created by threat actors to monitor web traffic and steal sensitive information, such as banking passwords. Even if the access point is legitimate, many don’t encrypt data in transit, meaning hackers with the right tools could see the websites you visit and the credentials you enter. That’s why ESET recommends using a VPN, which creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet.

Vulnerabilities: While Apple puts a lot of time and effort into ensuring its code is free of vulnerabilities, sometimes flaws occur in production. In these cases, hackers can take advantage if users haven’t updated their device, for example by sending malicious links in messages that trigger an exploit if clicked.

• Last year, Apple was forced to patch a vulnerability that could allow attackers to steal information from a locked device using Siri voice commands.
• Sometimes, threat actors and commercial companies themselves research new (zero-day) vulnerabilities to exploit. Although rare and highly targeted, attacks that exploit these vulnerabilities are often used to covertly install spyware to spy on victims’ devices.

Prevention and protection are necessary and wise

While malware lurks on iOS devices, it is also possible to minimize exposure to threats. ESET shares the following key tactics:

• Keep iOS and all apps updated. This will reduce the window of opportunity for threat actors to exploit any vulnerabilities in older versions to achieve their goals.
• Always use strong, unique passwords for all accounts, perhaps using the ESET Password Manager for iOS, and enable multi-factor authentication if offered. This is easy on iPhones, as it will require a simple Face ID scan. This will ensure that even if attackers obtain the passwords, they won’t be able to access the apps without scanning the user’s face.
• Enable Face ID or Touch ID to access the device, backed up with a strong password. This will keep the iPhone secure in case of loss or theft.
• Do not jailbreak the device, for the reasons mentioned above. Your iPhone would be less secure.
• Be wary of phishing. This means treating unsolicited calls, texts, emails, and social media messages with extreme caution. Do not click on links or open attachments. If you really need to do so, verify separately with the sender that the message is legitimate (i.e., not responding to the information contained in the message). Look for signs of social engineering, such as grammatical and spelling errors, an urgency to act, gifts and offers that are too good to be true, or domains (from the sender) that don’t match the supposed sender.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi networks. If you must use them, do so with a VPN. At the very least, don’t log into any valuable accounts or enter sensitive information on public Wi-Fi.
• Try to limit any downloads to the App Store to minimize the risk of downloading something malicious or risky.
• If you think you might be a target of spyware (often used against journalists, activists, and dissidents), activate blocking mode.
• Pay attention to the telltale signs of a malware infection, which could include slow performance, unwanted ad pop-ups, an overheating device, new apps appearing on the home screen, or increased data usage.

“While the Apple iPhone remains one of the most secure devices available, this doesn’t mean it’s free from threats. Staying alert, knowing the potential risks, and taking the necessary protective measures help keep your information and devices safe,” concludes Gutiérrez Amaya of ESET Latin America.

For more preventive information on cybersecurity, you can visit the ESET website: https://www.eset.com/ve/ and its social media channels @eset_ve. Also visit Instagram (@esetla) and Facebook (ESET). Or visit https://www.eset.com/latam.

With information and reference image provided by ESET and Comstat Rowland.

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La entrada How secure is your iPhone?: ESET analyzes, explains, and makes recommendations apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The Foreign Minister of Suriname, Albert Ramdin, was elected this Monday, March 10, as Secretary General of the Organization of American States, OAS, for the period 2025-2030.

 

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Una publicación compartida por OEA – OAS (@oea_oficial)

He will be the successor of Luis Almagro, the outgoing secretary, and will face great challenges in the region, such as political conflicts, sustainable development and support for the most vulnerable sectors in the face of violence.

Ramdin is a 67-year-old career diplomat, who now has the support of the 34 countries with the right to vote in an extraordinary general assembly of the OAS. The official will take office in May and will become the first Caribbean secretary general of the organization.

As will be recalled, Ramdin became the only candidate after his only rival, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, abandoned his candidacy following the support of a group of countries for Ramdin, who had already been deputy secretary general between 2005 and 2015.

M.Pino

With information from DW and other national and international media and agencies

(Reference image source: Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash)

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La entrada Suriname’s Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin is the new Secretary General of the OAS apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Despite the economic challenges posed by 2025, according to the global company in commercial credit insurance, Coface, Spain will have a crucial role for the stability of the Eurozone.

According to Bruno De Moura Fernandes, head of macroeconomics at Coface, “we are at a key moment for the future of the world economy and the geopolitical order, with numerous challenges, although there is also good news, the main one being that Spain will continue to be the European economic engine in 2025, growing above neighbouring countries such as France, Italy or Germany.”

The company carried out an analysis of the trends that will mark the world market next year, taking into account variables such as “inequality between the United States and Europe”; Trump’s victory and his economic program, oil prices and tensions in the Middle East, among others.

In this scenario full of challenges, they highlight that Spain will continue to grow 0.3 % until the end of 2024, and that in 2025 it will do so by over 2 %. This places it above the rest of the major European economies.

The head of macroeconomics at Coface concludes that “if geopolitical tensions do not worsen and raw materials do not rise, it will be easier for the economies that are having the worst time to start to recover. Otherwise, another wave of inflation could come that would complicate things further.”

M.Pino

Source: segurosnews

(Reference image source: Planet Volumes for Unsplash+)

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La entrada Spain stands out as the economic engine of the Eurozone by 2025 apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Peru will host the APEC 2024 Summit for the third time, from November 13 to 15, with the participation of the member countries: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.

The summit is chaired by Fernando Zavala, president of the APEC CEO Summit 2024 and CEO of Intercorp. From the end of 2023 and throughout 2024, the host country has the responsibility of “organizing more than 160 meetings” adhering to the work calendar and the practices and standards of the forum.

The forum was created in 1989 in order to promote open trade between members, as well as economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific axis. Currently, it represents 54 % of the world’s GDP and 44% of global trade.

Peru hosted APEC in 2008 and 2016. In 2024, it once again has the responsibility of hosting representatives of the world’s 22 leading economies, with the opportunity to promote itself as an “attractive destination for investment, trade, tourism, and business.”

It is expected that through the 160 meetings on the agenda, in which representatives from the business sector, trade and foreign relations participate, they will promote post-pandemic economic recovery and encourage “income opportunities for sectors linked to lodging, transportation, food, tourism, among others.”

APEC Peru 2024 will be the ideal framework for “the exchange of successful cases and good practices in the application of public policies in matters such as inclusive trade and investment; innovation to promote the transition to the formal and global economy; food security; the internationalization of SMEs; the economic empowerment of women; the digital economy and financial inclusion; the use of renewable energies and green hydrogen.”

M.Pino

With information from APEC Perú

(Reference image source: Jhordy Rojas in Unsplash)

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La entrada APEC 2024 Forum to be held in Peru from November 13 to 15 apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Digital assistants are currently a novelty. The distrust they generated at the beginning has given way to innovative designs, with sophisticated tools achieved from machine learning.

In 2025, these virtual assistants could become established as faithful companions of humans in countless tasks thanks to generative AI and the advances of ChatGPT.

Digital assistants are trained by AI to interact naturally in different sectors, simplifying processes and increasing efficiency.

Thanks to machine learning, assistants learn to understand increasingly complicated commands, assimilate human preferences to offer personalized recommendations. Given the speed of technological advances, it is possible to think that 2025 could be a positive year for virtual assistants, since progress is already being made towards an AI capable of recognizing human emotions and, with this, anticipating a response better adapted to each need.

M.Pino

With information from international media

(Reference image source: Emiliano Vittoriosi in Unsplash)

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La entrada 2025 could be the year of digital assistants apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The International Monetary Fund recently indicated in a report that it foresees a reduction in global inflation this year of 5.9 %.

According to Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, economic advisor and director of the IMF Research Department, this would mean disinflation just below that achieved in 2023, of 6.7%.

In the article, published on July 16 by the IMF, Gourinchas also points out that “in some advanced economies, especially the United States, progress on disinflation “has slowed and the risks point to the upside.”

The IMF has noted a balance in risks, although two downside risks in the short term have gained importance.

New inflation challenges

According to the international organization, “the new challenges of disinflation in advanced economies could force central banks, including the Federal Reserve (Fed), to keep borrowing costs elevated for longer.”

This would certainly pose a risk to overall growth, with further upward pressure on the dollar, as well as negative spillovers to emerging and developing economies.

“There is a growing body of empirical evidence, including some of our own, that points to the importance of broad global inflationary shocks – primarily energy and food prices – as drivers of rising inflation and its subsequent decline over a wide range of countries.” range of countries,” the IMF has said.

But it’s not all bad news. The international financial entity has clarified that as the general shocks eased, the inflation rate was reduced without causing a recession.

In any case, they maintain their focus on the increase in energy and food prices, which has reached levels similar to those before the pandemic in many countries, although it is not general inflation.

M.Pino

Source: finanzasdigital

(Reference image source: @Analitica, X)

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La entrada IMF foresees a slowdown in global inflation in 2024 apareció primero en Bitfinance.

During the federal elections in Mexico, this Sunday, June 2, the leftist Claudia Sheinbaum was the winner, becoming the nation’s first president.

Gracias, gracias, gracias; no les voy a fallar. Vamos a avanzar con el Segundo Piso de la Cuarta Transformación. pic.twitter.com/vwXlA7w54X

— Dra. Claudia Sheinbaum (@Claudiashein) June 3, 2024

According to data from the National Electoral Institute (INE), Claudia Sheinbaum obtained between 58.3 % and 60.7 % of the votes in the elections; while Xóchitl Gálvez obtained between 26.6 % and 28.6 % of the votes. For his part, the centrist Jorge Álvarez Máynez obtained at least 9.9 % of the votes according to the president of the INE, Guadalupe Taddei.

The current president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, celebrated the civility and commitment of the people who this Sunday freely and democratically elected who will be in charge of leading the country in the next period.

Hoy es un día de gloria porque el pueblo de México decidió libre y democráticamente que Claudia Sheinbaum se convierta en la primera mujer presidenta en 200 años de vida independiente de nuestra República. Felicidades a todas y todos los que tenemos la dicha de vivir en estos… pic.twitter.com/1tg3P7unjf

— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) June 3, 2024

M.Pino

With information from national and international media and social networks

(Reference image source: @Claudiasheon, X)

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La entrada Claudia Sheinbaum wins the elections in Mexico apareció primero en Bitfinance.