Tag: money

How does RouteNote’s payment process differ for master recording royalties versus compositional royalties

RouteNote’s payment process differs in a few key ways for master recording royalties versus compositional royalties:

  1. Collection timeline:
  • Master recording royalties are typically collected and paid out more quickly, usually within 45 days after the end of the month they were earned.
  • Compositional royalties can take 6-9 months to be collected and paid out, due to RouteNote collecting from over 100 countries and societies, each with their own upload periods.
  1. Payment frequency:
  • Master recording royalties are paid out monthly, between the 15th-20th of each month, as long as the $50 minimum threshold is met.
  • Compositional royalties are paid on the same schedule, but due to the longer collection timeline, payments may be less frequent initially.
  1. Royalty types:
  • Master recording royalties come from streams and downloads of the actual recordings distributed through RouteNote.
  • Compositional royalties include performance royalties, mechanical royalties, YouTube micro-synchronization royalties, and neighboring rights.
  1. Payment combination:
  • For artists who distribute through RouteNote, compositional royalties are paid alongside master/sound recording royalties in the same payment.
  1. Revenue share:
  • For master recording royalties, RouteNote offers either an 85/15 split (free plan) or 100% to the artist (premium plan).
  • For compositional royalties collected through RouteNote Publishing, RouteNote takes a 15% cut of the publisher’s share.
  1. Reporting:
  • Master recording royalties are reported in more detail, with breakdowns by platform and country.
  • Compositional royalty reporting may be less granular due to the complexities of collecting from multiple societies worldwide.

While the basic payment process is similar, the key differences lie in the collection timeline, types of royalties, and the way RouteNote handles the revenue sharing for each royalty type.

Add Foreign Credit Cards and Use Them in WeChat Pay in China

WeChat Pay, the popular mobile payment app in China, has announced that it will now accept foreign credit cards for payment in China. This is a major development for WeChat Pay, as it will make it easier for foreign tourists and businesses to use the app in China.

To use WeChat Pay with a foreign credit card, users will need to add their card to their WeChat Pay account. They can do this by going to the “Wallet” tab in WeChat and clicking on the “Add Credit Card” button. Once they have added their card, they will be able to use it to make payments at any merchant that accepts WeChat Pay.

WeChat Pay’s decision to accept foreign credit cards is a sign of the company’s growing global ambitions. The app is already popular in China, but it is also looking to expand its reach to other countries. Accepting foreign credit cards will make it easier for WeChat Pay to attract users outside of China.

What are Wise.com Interest Accounts?

Wise.com Interest Accounts are a new product that allows customers to earn interest on their USD, GBP, and EUR balances. There are no balance minimums or fees involved, and customers can still send, spend, or hold their money as they normally would.

Wise stores customer funds with program banks, which generates interest. The current variable annual yield on USD balances is 4.79%, GBP balances is 4.22%, and EUR balances is 2.83%.

To opt in to the Interest feature, customers simply need to open the Wise app or website and go to their existing USD, GBP, or EUR balance. They can then click on the “Interest” button to add the feature.

Wise.com Interest Accounts are a great way to earn a little extra on your money while still having the flexibility to use it as you need.

Current Wise.com Fees in the UK

Wise.com (formerly known as TransferWise) is an online money transfer platform that has become increasingly popular in recent years. One of the reasons for its popularity is its low fees, which have made it an attractive option for people looking to send money abroad.

However, with the recent changes to the fees structure, it’s important for users to be aware of the current fees before making any transactions. Here’s an overview of the current Wise.com fees in the UK:

Transfer Fees

Wise.com charges a transfer fee, which is based on the amount you are sending and the currency you are sending it in. The fee is usually a percentage of the total amount being sent and can range from 0.35% to 2% of the total amount.

Exchange Rate

Wise.com uses the mid-market exchange rate, which is the rate that banks use when trading currencies with each other. This means that the exchange rate you get is usually better than what you would get from a bank or other money transfer service.

Additional Fees

In addition to the transfer fee, Wise.com may also charge additional fees for certain transactions. For example, if you are sending money to a bank account that is not in your name, you may be charged an additional fee. Similarly, if you are sending money to certain countries, you may be charged an extra fee due to local regulations.

Conclusion

Overall, Wise.com fees are still relatively low compared to traditional banks and other money transfer services. However, it’s important to be aware of the current fees before making any transactions. By doing so, you can ensure that you are getting the best deal possible and avoiding any unnecessary fees.

Apple’s Cash Reserves: How Much Do They Really Have?

Apple Inc. is one of the largest and most successful technology companies in the world. The company is known for its innovative products, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, which have revolutionized the way we communicate and work. However, one of the most interesting aspects of Apple’s success is its cash reserves.

As of the end of the second quarter of 2021, Apple had a staggering $193.8 billion in cash reserves. This is a mind-boggling amount of money, and it’s hard to imagine just how much it really is. To put this in perspective, this is enough money to buy roughly 3,876,000 Tesla Model S Plaid cars, or to pay the yearly tuition fees of over 2.6 million Harvard students.

So, why does Apple have so much cash? Well, there are a number of reasons. First, Apple is an incredibly profitable company. In the second quarter of 2021 alone, the company generated $89.6 billion in revenue, with a net income of $23.6 billion. This level of profitability allows Apple to generate significant amounts of cash each quarter.

Second, Apple has a history of being very conservative with its spending. The company is known for being very disciplined when it comes to investing and spending money. This means that Apple has historically been able to generate significant amounts of free cash flow, which it can then use to build up its cash reserves.

Finally, Apple has also historically used its cash to invest in research and development, as well as to acquire other companies. This strategy has allowed Apple to stay at the cutting edge of technology and to continue to produce innovative products that consumers love.

In conclusion, Apple’s cash reserves are truly staggering, and they are a testament to the company’s incredible success and profitability. While some may argue that Apple should do more with its cash, there is no doubt that the company’s conservative approach to spending has helped it to build up a truly impressive war chest.

SWIFT Network Restrictions Could Cripple Russia in the Ukraine War

I came across this information about SWIFT network posted the other day. This could have a very big impact on the Russian and Ukraine war and instead of trying to put it in my own words I thought I would repost it.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Western governments have dropped heavy sanctions on Russian banks, companies, and elites—including President Vladimir Putin himself.

But they’ve yet to move forward with what’s been called the “nuclear option”: banning Russia from using SWIFT.

What is SWIFT?

Belgium’s Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) runs a messaging service that facilitates transactions across 11,000+ financial institutions globally. Think of it as the “Gmail of global banking.”

Entities in every country except North Korea use SWIFT to shuffle trillions of dollars’ worth of funds across borders. And Russia is a SWIFT power user—as a major supplier of energy and other goods, it ranks sixth globally for payment messages sent on SWIFT. So if Russia were cut off from SWIFT, “the nation would essentially be severed from much of the global financial system,” the NYT wrote.

Thing is, not everyone’s prepared for that

While the UK and Ukraine are trying to boot Russia from the global group chat, the US and some EU nations are a little more hesitant. Here’s why:

  1. They’re not ready to go full James Franco in 127 Hours. Their citizens still use Russian energy to keep the lights on, so shutting down Russia’s Gmail account would essentially force financial communications onto a janky platform like 1990s-era AOL, resulting in a colossal headache for everyone involved.
  2. Another worry for the US is how blocking Russia from SWIFT would impact the dominance of the US dollar in the longer term. The US enjoys many benefits from the dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency, and US officials are concerned that booting Russia from SWIFT would spur Moscow to join up with Beijing and develop alternative payment systems (on the blockchain, for instance) that undermine the dollar.

Of course, workarounds to SWIFT already exist, which is another reason why some sanctions experts say that blocking SWIFT access is an overrated tool for punishing Russia. You could do it, but you might be creating more problems for yourself in the process.

Apple Will Allow iPhones to Accept Contactless Payments by NFC

Apple is reportedly going to allow iPhones to start accepting contactless payments. This is huge news!

It will dramatically affect any card company and how they collect their fees – as well as companies like Square and other POS services.

Apple has reporting been working on this service since 2020, when it purchased a Canadian startup called Mobeewave. Mobeewave’s technology only needs an app and the phone’s NFC to work.

I expect that Apple will roll out such a service as part of Apple Pay.

Game changer!

GME and AMC are Killing Short Sellers and Its Great!

Wallstreetbets is a sub-reddit where they wanted to try to build a community to for the big short sellers out of certain stocks, but what they didn’t realise is that they can really kill these companies with the power of the retail investors.

Short Seller percentages of outstanding stock:

  • GME = 102% Short Sellers
  • AMC = 18% Short Sellers

Most companies tend to be below 2% in short sellers.

At the time of writing this GME is up to $337 per share (up 128% in one day) and AMC 19.35 per share (up 286% in one day).

The community seems to be using their retail power to try to force these short sellers out of the market and make them bankrupt.

Stick it to the man!

Portfolio – Introduction

I have been running investment portfolios for a company and also some high net worth individuals for the past 5 years. Over those years I have managed to beat the S&P 500 index every year in terms of overall yearly returns. I have always had a very simple investment philosophy which revolves around Benjamin Grahams teachings with a few tweaks for the modern day (also look up to Warren Buffett).

Im going to be starting a section on here for personal finance in which I’m going to tell everywhere when I’m buying a stock – at what price and why. I hope this might give everyone a little insight into my thinking.

I have started a new category on here called Portfolio. This will be the easiest place to follow the latest happenings.

I’m hoping this just helps one other person!

How much can you earn from a Spotify podcast?

Podcasts are completely free on Spotify at the moment. Thus, Spotify won’t pay you any royalties no matter how many times your podcast is played or downloaded.

How Do I Make Money on Podcasts?

Advertising / Sponsors is the main way to monetize a podcast at present. You will need to create a podcast with listeners and then go out and find Sponsors.