{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"177147","rtpr_id":"nGNX3KHr4Q-20261022","ticker":"APCX","exchange":"OTC","all_tickers":["APCX"],"title":"AppTech Payments Issues Letter To Shareholders","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-10-22T13:00:00.746Z","article_body":"CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For too long, AppTech\nlacked a clear strategic direction. The Company pursued opportunities that did\nnot deliver the results shareholders expected, leaving uncertainty about what\nAppTech was building and where it was headed. In many cases, we focused on\nshort-term opportunities through acquired technology without first\nestablishing a long-term vision.\n\nThat is no longer the case.\n\nToday, AppTech is pursuing a clear and focused strategy built around a single\nobjective: to become a leading payments infrastructure technology company.\n\nWe Are A Payments Infrastructure Technology Company\nThe acquisition of Infinitus Pay (“IP”) in October 2025 fundamentally\ntransformed our business. It provided the technical framework and industry\nexpertise required to build a scalable payments platform. Today, we serve more\nthan forty fintechs and businesses representing thousands of underlying\ncustomers and process billions of dollars in annualized payment volume.\n\nOur platform provides businesses with reliable access to U.S. dollar accounts\nand payment rails, including wire transfers, SWIFT, ACH, and other modern\npayment options, all within a compliance-focused framework.\n\nThe acquisition also gave AppTech something it has historically lacked: a\nscalable payments business with recurring revenue, meaningful transaction\nvolume, and a clearer path to long-term growth.\n\nWhere We Are Investing\nCurrently, most of our services rely on third-party providers, limiting our\ncontrol over the customer experience. The Company previously intended to\naddress these limitations through additional acquisitions, but I believe that\nAppTech needs a different approach: building and owning more of the\ncapabilities that are critical to our long-term success.\n\nSince becoming Interim CEO, I have directed our investments toward three\nareas: technology, compliance and talent.\n\nTechnology\nTo reduce costs, improve scalability, and position AppTech for growth, we are\nconsolidating our offerings onto a single platform that will power all our\nproducts. This new platform will provide clients with a single point of\nconnection, concentrate our engineering efforts on one unified codebase, and\napply compliance controls consistently across every product. It will also\nserve as the foundation for future products and incorporate AI-enabled\ncapabilities that improve both customer and internal operations.\n\nDevelopment began in mid-July, and we are on track to launch before year-end.\nOnce complete, we expect the new platform to accelerate customer onboarding,\nimprove operational efficiencies, simplify the integration of additional\nbanking partners, enhance the customer experience, and support stronger\nlong-term margins.\n\nCompliance\nCompliance sits at the center of everything we do. It protects our banking\npartners, our customers, and our reputation. Our new platform strengthens this\ncore tenant by incorporating transaction monitoring, sanctions screening,\nfraud detection, and financial-crime risk management capabilities. Embedding\nthese controls directly into the platform, allows us to better support our\nbanking partners, grow responsibly, reduce risk, and provide customers with\ndependable access to the U.S. financial system.\n\nTalent (Our most important investment) \nTechnology and compliance are only as strong as the people behind them. Over\nthe past several months, we have strengthened our organization through a\ncombination of leadership changes and strategic hires. Two additions are\nparticularly noteworthy:\n* Nick Saponaro, Interim Chief Technology Officer, is leading the platform\ninitiative alongside a revamped engineering team. He brings more than a decade\nof experience building compliance-focused digital-asset infrastructure,\nincluding leadership roles at a licensed global exchange.\n* Our Compliance Team has been strengthened through the engagement of an\nexperienced compliance consultant and the addition of a dedicated AML analyst.\nTogether, they bring valuable experience from the banking side of the\npartnerships we rely on. Their immediate focus is strengthening our compliance\nprogram, improving onboarding practices, and building greater confidence with\nour banking partners.\nExecuting On Our Vision\nStrong customer demand and an experienced sales team have created both a\nsignificant onboarding pipeline and transaction volumes that are comparable to\nmuch larger institutions. Our priority now is execution: completing our new\nplatform, migrating customers, expanding banking partnerships, and introducing\ncomplementary products. These initiatives are designed to convert demand into\nrevenue by further monetizing the volume currently transacting on our\nplatform.\n\nOver the next year, we will focus on four growth initiatives.\n* Credit Card Issuance\nTo accelerate our time to market, we have added an experienced banking\nexecutive to help secure the necessary partnerships and navigate licensing and\nregulatory requirements. Subject to execution and regulatory approvals, we\nexpect our card program to begin generating revenue in late 2027.\n* Digital Asset Conversions\nWe intend to provide qualified customers with a compliant and efficient way to\nconvert between digital assets and U.S. dollars. This capability builds upon\npayment activity already connected to our platform and represents an\nopportunity to generate additional revenue while expanding the services\navailable to our customers.\n* Bank Yield Program\nWe are onboarding accounts that may generate lower transactional volumes but\nwill maintain larger average daily deposit balances. These balances create an\nadditional recurring revenue stream through our participation in the yield\ngenerated on customer deposits, allowing us to benefit from both payment\nactivity and deposit growth.\n* Compliance-as-a-Service\nMany businesses require sophisticated financial-crime controls to maintain\ntheir banking relationships but lack the internal resources to build and\nmanage those capabilities themselves. Because these controls are already being\nintegrated into our platform, we are well positioned to offer them as a\nrecurring service. This initiative has the potential to generate additional\nrevenue while strengthening relationships with both customers and banking\npartners.\nThese initiatives are driven by existing customer demand and align with\ncapabilities we are already building. Together, they intend to increase\nrevenue per customer, deepen customer relationships, and enhance the value of\nour new platform for both customers and banking partners.\n\nA Candid Reset, Focused On Execution\nWhen I became interim CEO, I inherited several challenges that required\nimmediate attention. In response, we assembled a team, established clear\npriorities, and set a course to address these challenges. Our efforts have\nbeen focused on resolving the banking partner matter disclosed in our prior\nfilings, building critical infrastructure, winding down Finzeo, our legacy\nplatform, and correcting deficiencies in our merchant processing business. As\na result of these actions, we expect growth to slow or decrease during the\nsecond half of the year. While that outcome is not ideal, we believe these\nefforts are necessary to reduce operational risk and position AppTech for\nstronger, more sustainable growth.\n\nThat same discipline will guide how we onboard new customers. We evaluate\nopportunities based on both customer needs and long-term economics for\nAppTech. Some customers will onboard immediately, while others may be better\nserved on our new platform, where we expect to provide a superior experience\nand capture greater value. These decisions may affect near-term growth, but we\nbelieve they will create greater long-term shareholder value.\n\nThis reset will require dedicated commitment and follow-through. We have a\ngrowing customer base, meaningful payment volume, and a team focused on\ncompleting the platform and growing revenue. Our focus now is on turning that\nprogress into stronger financial results.\n\nI look forward to keeping shareholders informed of our progress and appreciate\nyour continued support.\n\nFelipe A. Corrado IV\nInterim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer\nAppTech Payments Corp.\n\nAbout AppTech Payments Corp.\nAppTech Payments Corp. (OTCQB: APCX) provides digital financial services for\nfinancial institutions, corporations, small and midsized enterprises (\"SMEs\"),\nand consumers through its scalable cloud-based platform architecture and\ninfrastructure. The Company's growing suite of payment, banking, and software\nsolutions enables businesses to modernize payment acceptance, money movement,\nand financial operations. For more information, please\nvisit www.apptechcorp.com.\n\nForward-Looking Statements\nThis press release contains “forward-looking statements” as the phrase is\ndefined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and\nSection 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These\nforward-looking statements generally are identified by the words\n“anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,”\n“future,” “intend,” “may,” “opportunity,” “plan,”\n“project,” “should,” “strategy,” “will,” “will be,”\n“will continue,” “will likely result,” “would” and similar\nexpressions (including the negative versions of such words or expressions).\nAll statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters\nof historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements. These\nstatements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's\nexpected growth, future financial performance, SaaS platform development and\ndeployment, customer onboarding, transaction volumes, banking relationships,\nrecurring revenue opportunities, profitability, and strategic initiatives.\nThese forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and\nassumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual\nresults to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Readers are\nencouraged to review the risk factors described in the Company's filings with\nthe Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements\ncontained in this press release speak only as of the date of this release, and\nthe Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements\nexcept as required by applicable law.\n\nAppTech Payments Corp.\ninfo@apptechcorp.com\n760-707-5959\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/379aefb1-24b0-4096-9f1d-276645ce6c04)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX3KHr4Q-20261022","title":"AppTech Payments Issues Letter To Shareholders","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"APCX","created":"2026-10-22T13:00:00.746Z","tickers":["APCX"],"exchange":"OTC","article_body":"CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For too long, AppTech\nlacked a clear strategic direction. The Company pursued opportunities that did\nnot deliver the results shareholders expected, leaving uncertainty about what\nAppTech was building and where it was headed. In many cases, we focused on\nshort-term opportunities through acquired technology without first\nestablishing a long-term vision.\n\nThat is no longer the case.\n\nToday, AppTech is pursuing a clear and focused strategy built around a single\nobjective: to become a leading payments infrastructure technology company.\n\nWe Are A Payments Infrastructure Technology Company\nThe acquisition of Infinitus Pay (“IP”) in October 2025 fundamentally\ntransformed our business. It provided the technical framework and industry\nexpertise required to build a scalable payments platform. Today, we serve more\nthan forty fintechs and businesses representing thousands of underlying\ncustomers and process billions of dollars in annualized payment volume.\n\nOur platform provides businesses with reliable access to U.S. dollar accounts\nand payment rails, including wire transfers, SWIFT, ACH, and other modern\npayment options, all within a compliance-focused framework.\n\nThe acquisition also gave AppTech something it has historically lacked: a\nscalable payments business with recurring revenue, meaningful transaction\nvolume, and a clearer path to long-term growth.\n\nWhere We Are Investing\nCurrently, most of our services rely on third-party providers, limiting our\ncontrol over the customer experience. The Company previously intended to\naddress these limitations through additional acquisitions, but I believe that\nAppTech needs a different approach: building and owning more of the\ncapabilities that are critical to our long-term success.\n\nSince becoming Interim CEO, I have directed our investments toward three\nareas: technology, compliance and talent.\n\nTechnology\nTo reduce costs, improve scalability, and position AppTech for growth, we are\nconsolidating our offerings onto a single platform that will power all our\nproducts. This new platform will provide clients with a single point of\nconnection, concentrate our engineering efforts on one unified codebase, and\napply compliance controls consistently across every product. It will also\nserve as the foundation for future products and incorporate AI-enabled\ncapabilities that improve both customer and internal operations.\n\nDevelopment began in mid-July, and we are on track to launch before year-end.\nOnce complete, we expect the new platform to accelerate customer onboarding,\nimprove operational efficiencies, simplify the integration of additional\nbanking partners, enhance the customer experience, and support stronger\nlong-term margins.\n\nCompliance\nCompliance sits at the center of everything we do. It protects our banking\npartners, our customers, and our reputation. Our new platform strengthens this\ncore tenant by incorporating transaction monitoring, sanctions screening,\nfraud detection, and financial-crime risk management capabilities. Embedding\nthese controls directly into the platform, allows us to better support our\nbanking partners, grow responsibly, reduce risk, and provide customers with\ndependable access to the U.S. financial system.\n\nTalent (Our most important investment) \nTechnology and compliance are only as strong as the people behind them. Over\nthe past several months, we have strengthened our organization through a\ncombination of leadership changes and strategic hires. Two additions are\nparticularly noteworthy:\n* Nick Saponaro, Interim Chief Technology Officer, is leading the platform\ninitiative alongside a revamped engineering team. He brings more than a decade\nof experience building compliance-focused digital-asset infrastructure,\nincluding leadership roles at a licensed global exchange.\n* Our Compliance Team has been strengthened through the engagement of an\nexperienced compliance consultant and the addition of a dedicated AML analyst.\nTogether, they bring valuable experience from the banking side of the\npartnerships we rely on. Their immediate focus is strengthening our compliance\nprogram, improving onboarding practices, and building greater confidence with\nour banking partners.\nExecuting On Our Vision\nStrong customer demand and an experienced sales team have created both a\nsignificant onboarding pipeline and transaction volumes that are comparable to\nmuch larger institutions. Our priority now is execution: completing our new\nplatform, migrating customers, expanding banking partnerships, and introducing\ncomplementary products. These initiatives are designed to convert demand into\nrevenue by further monetizing the volume currently transacting on our\nplatform.\n\nOver the next year, we will focus on four growth initiatives.\n* Credit Card Issuance\nTo accelerate our time to market, we have added an experienced banking\nexecutive to help secure the necessary partnerships and navigate licensing and\nregulatory requirements. Subject to execution and regulatory approvals, we\nexpect our card program to begin generating revenue in late 2027.\n* Digital Asset Conversions\nWe intend to provide qualified customers with a compliant and efficient way to\nconvert between digital assets and U.S. dollars. This capability builds upon\npayment activity already connected to our platform and represents an\nopportunity to generate additional revenue while expanding the services\navailable to our customers.\n* Bank Yield Program\nWe are onboarding accounts that may generate lower transactional volumes but\nwill maintain larger average daily deposit balances. These balances create an\nadditional recurring revenue stream through our participation in the yield\ngenerated on customer deposits, allowing us to benefit from both payment\nactivity and deposit growth.\n* Compliance-as-a-Service\nMany businesses require sophisticated financial-crime controls to maintain\ntheir banking relationships but lack the internal resources to build and\nmanage those capabilities themselves. Because these controls are already being\nintegrated into our platform, we are well positioned to offer them as a\nrecurring service. This initiative has the potential to generate additional\nrevenue while strengthening relationships with both customers and banking\npartners.\nThese initiatives are driven by existing customer demand and align with\ncapabilities we are already building. Together, they intend to increase\nrevenue per customer, deepen customer relationships, and enhance the value of\nour new platform for both customers and banking partners.\n\nA Candid Reset, Focused On Execution\nWhen I became interim CEO, I inherited several challenges that required\nimmediate attention. In response, we assembled a team, established clear\npriorities, and set a course to address these challenges. Our efforts have\nbeen focused on resolving the banking partner matter disclosed in our prior\nfilings, building critical infrastructure, winding down Finzeo, our legacy\nplatform, and correcting deficiencies in our merchant processing business. As\na result of these actions, we expect growth to slow or decrease during the\nsecond half of the year. While that outcome is not ideal, we believe these\nefforts are necessary to reduce operational risk and position AppTech for\nstronger, more sustainable growth.\n\nThat same discipline will guide how we onboard new customers. We evaluate\nopportunities based on both customer needs and long-term economics for\nAppTech. Some customers will onboard immediately, while others may be better\nserved on our new platform, where we expect to provide a superior experience\nand capture greater value. These decisions may affect near-term growth, but we\nbelieve they will create greater long-term shareholder value.\n\nThis reset will require dedicated commitment and follow-through. We have a\ngrowing customer base, meaningful payment volume, and a team focused on\ncompleting the platform and growing revenue. Our focus now is on turning that\nprogress into stronger financial results.\n\nI look forward to keeping shareholders informed of our progress and appreciate\nyour continued support.\n\nFelipe A. Corrado IV\nInterim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer\nAppTech Payments Corp.\n\nAbout AppTech Payments Corp.\nAppTech Payments Corp. (OTCQB: APCX) provides digital financial services for\nfinancial institutions, corporations, small and midsized enterprises (\"SMEs\"),\nand consumers through its scalable cloud-based platform architecture and\ninfrastructure. The Company's growing suite of payment, banking, and software\nsolutions enables businesses to modernize payment acceptance, money movement,\nand financial operations. For more information, please\nvisit www.apptechcorp.com.\n\nForward-Looking Statements\nThis press release contains “forward-looking statements” as the phrase is\ndefined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and\nSection 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These\nforward-looking statements generally are identified by the words\n“anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,”\n“future,” “intend,” “may,” “opportunity,” “plan,”\n“project,” “should,” “strategy,” “will,” “will be,”\n“will continue,” “will likely result,” “would” and similar\nexpressions (including the negative versions of such words or expressions).\nAll statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters\nof historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements. These\nstatements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's\nexpected growth, future financial performance, SaaS platform development and\ndeployment, customer onboarding, transaction volumes, banking relationships,\nrecurring revenue opportunities, profitability, and strategic initiatives.\nThese forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and\nassumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual\nresults to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Readers are\nencouraged to review the risk factors described in the Company's filings with\nthe Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements\ncontained in this press release speak only as of the date of this release, and\nthe Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements\nexcept as required by applicable law.\n\nAppTech Payments Corp.\ninfo@apptechcorp.com\n760-707-5959\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/379aefb1-24b0-4096-9f1d-276645ce6c04)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-10-22T13:00:00.996858771Z","server_sent_at_ms":1792674000996},"received_at":"2026-10-22T13:00:01.266Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"165105","press_release_id":"177147","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Transaction & Payment Processing Services","sector":"Financials"},"redFlags":["growth expected to slow or decrease in H2 2026","ongoing 'banking partner matter' previously disclosed in filings — reliance on third-party bank partners remains a key risk","winding down legacy Finzeo platform and correcting merchant processing deficiencies","combined interim CEO/CFO with no permanent leadership in place","most services currently depend on third-party providers","card program revenue contingent on regulatory approvals and not expected until late 2027"],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"AppTech Payments issued a shareholder letter laying out a strategy reset toward becoming a payments infrastructure company, built on the October 2025 Infinitus Pay acquisition.\n\nThe company says it serves more than forty fintechs and businesses and processes billions of dollars in annualized payment volume, with a unified platform on track to launch before year-end.\n\nManagement candidly warned that growth is expected to slow or decrease in the second half of 2026 as it resolves a banking partner matter, winds down the legacy Finzeo platform, and corrects deficiencies in its merchant processing business.\n\nFour growth initiatives are targeted: credit card issuance (revenue expected late 2027), digital asset conversions, a deposit-yield program, and compliance-as-a-service.","sentiment":"mixed","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"Micro-cap payments turnaround letter: candid H2 growth slowdown offset by unified platform launch and four new revenue initiatives."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"fintech_clients":"more than forty","new_platform_launch":"on track before year-end 2026","card_program_revenue":"expected late 2027","annualized_payment_volume":"billions of dollars"}},"quotedText":"we expect growth to slow or decrease during the second half of the year","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Felipe A. Corrado IV","role":"Interim CEO and CFO"},{"name":"Nick Saponaro","role":"Interim Chief Technology Officer"}],"products":["Infinitus Pay platform","Finzeo","Credit Card Issuance","Digital Asset Conversions","Bank Yield Program","Compliance-as-a-Service"],"companies":[{"name":"AppTech Payments Corp.","ticker":"APCX","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"Infinitus Pay","relationship":"acquired subsidiary (October 2025)"},{"name":"Finzeo","relationship":"legacy platform being wound down"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":3,"reasoning":"A strategic reset letter from the interim CEO that candidly discloses expected growth slowdown in H2 2026, resolution efforts on a previously disclosed banking partner matter, and wind-down of the legacy Finzeo platform — material operational signals for a micro-cap, though no hard financial figures are given."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"APCX"},"globalImportance":22,"audienceRelevance":15,"eventTypeSecondary":["guidance_update"],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"micro-cap (OTCQB)","eventGravity":"strategic reset shareholder letter with growth warning","hardFinancials":false,"issuerAuthored":true}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":["guidance_update"],"sentiment":"mixed","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"AppTech Payments issued a shareholder letter laying out a strategy reset toward becoming a payments infrastructure company, built on the October 2025 Infinitus Pay acquisition.\n\nThe company says it serves more than forty fintechs and businesses and processes billions of dollars in annualized payment volume, with a unified platform on track to launch before year-end.\n\nManagement candidly warned that growth is expected to slow or decrease in the second half of 2026 as it resolves a banking partner matter, winds down the legacy Finzeo platform, and corrects deficiencies in its merchant processing business.\n\nFour growth initiatives are targeted: credit card issuance (revenue expected late 2027), digital asset conversions, a deposit-yield program, and compliance-as-a-service.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"fintech_clients":"more than forty","new_platform_launch":"on track before year-end 2026","card_program_revenue":"expected late 2027","annualized_payment_volume":"billions of dollars"}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Felipe A. Corrado IV","role":"Interim CEO and CFO"},{"name":"Nick Saponaro","role":"Interim Chief Technology Officer"}],"products":["Infinitus Pay platform","Finzeo","Credit Card Issuance","Digital Asset Conversions","Bank Yield Program","Compliance-as-a-Service"],"companies":[{"name":"AppTech Payments Corp.","ticker":"APCX","relationship":"filer"},{"name":"Infinitus Pay","relationship":"acquired subsidiary (October 2025)"},{"name":"Finzeo","relationship":"legacy platform being wound down"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-5.3-flashx","prompt_hash":"sha256:5c812bd9e28b810d","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-10-22T13:00:07.782Z","global_importance":22,"audience_relevance":15,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"micro-cap (OTCQB)","eventGravity":"strategic reset shareholder letter with growth warning","hardFinancials":false,"issuerAuthored":true}},"durationMs":6459,"modelName":"glm-5.3-flashx"}}