New tech on the block: Crypto, Pharma, Cybersecurity, Social Media & Medtech

The Tech Panda takes a look at recent tech launches.

Crypto: Gold, Forex and Commodities Markets for Crypto Users

Bitget, a Universal Exchange (UEX), launched the private beta for Bitget TradFi, a new cross-market feature that gives crypto users direct access to global forex, metals, commodities, indices, and stock CFDs using USDT as margin. Selected users are now able to test this new feature with limited early-access capabilities.

“The shift in wealth management is happening now, assets that were previously only available on certain niche markets are now on Bitget. This is historic; crypto, stocks, gold, forex and commodities now coexist under a single system. This is what an universal exchange merging wealth management under a roof looks like, it’s now present day finance.” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget.

Features

• TradFi allows existing Bitget users to trade major FX pairs, gold and other mainstream CFD products from the same platform they already use for spot, futures, copy trading and tokenized stocks.
• All positions are margined and settled in USDT, removing the need for separate broker accounts, local bank wires or currency conversions.
• The product combines deep institutional liquidity, tight spreads and leverage of up to 500x within a framework regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Mauritius.
• The platform’s fee structure is also designed to be highly competitive, with rates starting as low as $0.09 per lot and VIP users enjoying some of the industry’s most favorable trading conditions.

Pharma: Enhanced Gabapentin ER Formulation Powered by RetenEx Technology for PHN Management

Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Indian Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), announced the rollout of its enhanced Gabapentin Extended-Release (ER) formulation for the management of Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN). PHN, a chronic neuropathic pain condition that can persist for months after a shingles outbreak, affects nearly 10–20% of patients and becomes increasingly debilitating with age. Many individuals experience constant burning or throbbing discomfort, sudden shooting pain, or allodynia—symptoms that severely impact mobility, sleep, and emotional wellbeing.

“In chronic pain conditions like PHN, even small improvements in convenience and daily functioning can transform a patient’s quality of life. Our focus with this enhanced Gabapentin ER formulation is to offer a solution that is not only effective but also easier to maintain for long durations, especially for elderly individuals who often manage multiple therapies. With the integration of our RetenEx Technology, we aim to support more stable pain control through sustained drug release and once-daily dosing. At Akums, we remain committed to developing formulations that bridge real-world challenges in treatment adherence. This launch is another step in our mission to make advanced, patient-friendly therapies accessible across India,” said Mr Sandeep Jain, Managing Director and Founder, Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Features

• Gabapentin remains a well-established therapy for neuropathic pain, but conventional formulations often require multiple daily doses and may be associated with variable absorption. Akums’ ER variant incorporates the company’s proprietary RetenEx Technology, engineered to provide a gradual, sustained release of the drug along the targeted region of the gastrointestinal tract.
• This approach optimizes absorption, minimises peak-related side effects, and supports once-daily dosing—a significant advantage for elderly patients who typically struggle with complex medication schedules.
• Positioned as an advanced, patient-centric formulation, Akums’ Gabapentin ER 300 mg and 600 mg tablets are DCGI approved and designed to enhance treatment adherence without compromising safety or efficacy.
• The ER profile may also help maintain more consistent plasma levels, reducing the fluctuations that often contribute to breakthrough pain.

Cybersecurity: Quantum Firewall Software R82.10 to Secure the AI-Driven Enterprise

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a cybersecurity solution, announced its new Check Point Quantum Firewall Software, R82.10, introducing 20 new capabilities designed to help enterprises safely adopt AI, protect distributed environments and simplify Zero Trust across hybrid networks.

“As organizations embrace AI, security teams are under growing pressure to protect more data, more applications and more distributed environments,” said Nataly Kremer, Chief Product Officer at Check Point Software Technologies. “R82.10 helps enterprises shift to a prevention-first model by unifying management, strengthening Zero Trust and adding protections that support safe, responsible AI adoption and development.”

Features

• Strengthens oversight of AI-driven activity by detecting unauthorized GenAI tools, expanding visibility into AI applications such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and monitoring MCP (model context protocol) usage to protect AI-powered workflows.
• Organizations gain more consistent protection across distributed environments with centralized internet access management for SASE and firewalls, simplified gateway-to-SASE connectivity, and improved identity and device posture validation to support Zero Trust at scale.
• Introduces phishing protection that works without HTTPS inspection, adaptive IPS to reduce alert fatigue, and new Threat Prevention Insights to highlight misconfigurations and posture gaps before attackers can exploit them.
• Expands Check Point’s open-garden architecture with more than 250 integrations. These integrations allow organizations to apply endpoint posture signals from their existing providers directly within Check Point policies, improving identity-based controls and Zero Trust enforcement.

Social Media: Photon on Aptos to Power a Transparent, Fraud-Free, Privacy-Safe Attention Economy

STAN, Indian social community platform, announced Photon, a universal Attention Protocol designed to reward digital users for the time, engagement, and actions they contribute across the internet. It can include watching videos, scrolling feeds, interacting with creators, participating in communities, or playing games. The announcement was made at India Blockchain Week, marking Photon as one of the most significant consumer-internet infrastructure launches of the year.

“As we build the next major evolution of the internet, users must be at the center of value creation,” said Asad Ahmed, Head of Engineering, STAN. “Photon is not just a protocol, it is the foundation for a global attention ecosystem where billions of users finally share in the value they generate. Backed by Aptos Labs and secured through TEEs, Photon delivers a transparent and privacy-safe attention layer that any digital app or publisher can plug into. This is how we shift the ad-tech model and return value to the people responsible for driving the digital world forward.”

Features

• Developed using insights from STAN’s collaboration with more than 150+ digital partners across gaming, content platforms, and brand ecosystems over the past three years, Photon addresses two global ecosystem gaps: users lack fair rewards for their attention, and digital businesses lack trustworthy, privacy-safe engagement signals.
• Photon bridges both by enabling users to earn rewards for their digital participation while allowing apps, publishers, and advertisers to access transparent and fraud-free attribution, retention, and loyalty signals.
• Photon is built on the Aptos blockchain to support the demands of consumer-scale applications, delivering high-throughput validation for micro-attention signals and ultra-low latency for real-time reward settlement.
• Through Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), attention data is processed securely, ensuring it never leaves the protected environment.
• Only zero-knowledge-style proofs are recorded on chain, preserving privacy while delivering accountability and transparency.

Medtech: Standing MRI Study on Knee Pain under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Mahajan Imaging & Labs, an integrated diagnostic network providing advanced radiology, laboratory, and genomics services in Delhi-NCR and Jaipur, joined hands with the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Institute for Persons with Disabilities (Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) to launch a landmark clinical study aimed at helping individuals living with flat feet and medial compartment knee osteoarthritis move more comfortably and reduce pain.

Padma Shri Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Founder & Chairman of Mahajan Imaging & Labs, said, “Our objective is to turn advanced imaging into practical solutions that truly improve mobility and reduce pain for individuals living with flat feet and knee osteoarthritis. The unique Standing MRI machine allows us to scan a patient in the standing position and see precisely how a customized foot orthosis can correct knee alignment, redistribute pressure, and enhance stability during everyday activities. Through this study, we aim to provide clear, evidence-based guidance that helps clinicians recommend interventions that can genuinely improve functional independence and quality of life for those affected.”

Features

• The collaboration seeks to evaluate the development and efficacy of custom-made foot orthoses (specially designed pads) in preventing tibiofibular rotation during weight bearing, improving knee alignment, and enhancing long-term mobility for people whose daily lives are limited by knee discomfort.
• A distinctive feature of this research is the use of Standing Weight bearing MRI at Mahajan Imaging & Labs, which captures the knee under real-life weight-bearing conditions, precisely when discomfort typically occurs.
• Participants will undergo a series of scans at the first visit, including images of the knee in full extension and at 30-degree flexion, both with and without the orthosis.
• Follow-up scans with the orthosis will be conducted six months later to measure changes over time.
• By generating strong imaging?based evidence, the study hopes to demonstrate that personalized orthotic intervention can correct knee alignment and provide relief, reducing the need for invasive treatments and supporting individuals in maintaining functional independence.