Trading CFDs in South Africa is a popular option for traders who want to trade markets that they don’t have access to or don’t want to deal with the hassles of having an offshore account.

Using a broker that allows you to trade CFDs on the JSE, FTSE and NSE is a great way to start trading.

CFD Trade

A CFD is a contract for difference, which is a derivative product that allows traders to speculate on the price movements of various assets. A CFD is a contract between two parties, where one party agrees to pay the other the difference between the opening and closing prices of an asset, at the end of a particular period.

One of the advantages of trading CFDs, as opposed to stocks or futures, is that they can be used to trade in almost any financial instrument in which you are interested. However, because CFDs are leveraged instruments, this also means that you need to be careful about how much money you risk on each trade.

There are many brokerages available in South Africa that allow you to trade using CFDs. This article will look at some of these brokerages and examine what makes them good choices for South African traders.

Trading CFDs is a very popular way of trading in South Africa. A CFD is essentially an agreement between two parties to exchange the difference between the price at which they entered into the contract and the price at which they exit.

In other words, you can enter into a contract where you buy or sell an asset without actually owning it. It’s essentially a bet on whether prices will increase or decrease by the time your position expires.

CFDs are available on South African stock exchanges, foreign equity markets, and commodities such as gold and oil.

CFD Brokers in South Africa

Several brokers in South Africa offer CFD trading services.

Trading CFDs on foreign exchanges also gives you access to more markets than just South African stocks and shares.

Best CFD Trading Platform in South Africa

There are a lot of different platforms to choose from when trading Forex and CFDs. Some of them are very easy to use, while others are more advanced and require some knowledge of financial markets.

Which is the best cfd trading platform south africa. In this article, we will help you find the best platform for your needs.

You can trade CFDs with any of these brokers:

1. Exness
2. AvaTrade
3. Tickmill

Saxo Bank Review

Saxo is a Danish investment bank and brokerage firm that specializes in online trading and investment. Founded in 1992, the company has grown to become one of the most popular online brokers in Europe, offering advanced services to both retail and institutional investors.

Saxo is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with offices around the world including Singapore, London, Hong Kong, Zurich, and New York City. The company caters to more than 100 countries with its online trading platform.

Saxo Capital Markets is an electronic trading platform that offers investors access to global markets via a single account. With over 1,000 instruments available for trading 24 hours a day from 80 different exchanges around the world, Saxo provides traders with access to all asset classes including st, stocks, commodities, currencies, and indices from across the globe.

The company’s trading platform offers over 30 research tools including charting capabilities as well as streaming news from over 300 sources around the world. Saxo also provides clients with access to professional trader signals based on technical analysis or fundamentals through its platforms and mobile applications (Android and iPhone).

Saxo Bank is a Danish investment bank and a leader in online trading. The company was founded in 1992 and has grown over the years to become one of the leading forex brokers in the world. They offer clients a variety of services including stock, trading, CFD trading, trade, and currency trading.

Saxo Bank: the Best Broker

Saxo Bank has been awarded Best Forex Broker by Finance Magnates for seven consecutive years from 2012 to 2018. They have also been named Best FX Provider by Forex Awards since 2010, making them one of the most popular online forex brokers with traders around the globe. For more information, please check out the Saxo Bank review from Traders Union.

Saxo Bank offers customers access to over 100 currency pairs and 400 CFDs on popular stocks such as Amazon, Apple, and Facebook. Traders can sta USD 10ing with as little as USD 10 which is an attractive feature for beginner traders who want to try out their skills before committing larger amounts of money.

Account Types

They offer two main types of accounts; a standard account and an advanced account which provides more trading tools such as margin trading options and extended hours trading sessions. Both types of accounts come with free 1:1 leverage when using your own money which allows you to trade with more money than what you have deposited into your account (up to $100K).

As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate. It can be challenging to find time to do everything between managing employees, marketing your business, and keeping track of finances. That’s why it’s important to delegate tasks that you aren’t familiar with or don’t have time for. One such task is sales tax compliance. Here are six reasons you should hire a sales tax services preparer to help you with this critical part of your business.

Sales Tax Laws Are Complicated

Sales tax laws vary from state to state and differ within individual states. As a result, it can be challenging to understand precisely how sales taxes are calculated. In general, states levy sales taxes on goods and services within their borders. However, there are many exceptions to this rule. For example, some states exempt food and clothing from sales tax, while others exempt only certain types of clothing. In addition, some states exempt specific types of businesses, such as educational institutions or nonprofit organizations. As a result of these complexities, many companies hire tax professionals to help them navigate the sales tax laws.

Sales Tax Mistakes Can Be Costly

Calculating and remitting sales taxes can be a complex and time-consuming task. As a result, it’s not surprising that mistakes are often made. Unfortunately, even small mistakes can have costly consequences. For example, if you understate your sales tax liability, you may be subject to interest and penalties. In some cases, you may even be required to pay back taxes.

Similarly, if you overstate your sales tax liability, you may be entitled to a refund. However, getting a refund can take months when your business will have less cash. As a result, it’s essential to get it right the first time.

A Sales Tax Expert Can Help You Save Time and Money

Because sales tax laws are complex and mistakes can be costly, it’s crucial to have a qualified tax professional on your side. A sales tax services preparer can help you save time and money by ensuring that your taxes are filed correctly and on time. In addition, a sales tax expert can help you identify opportunities to minimize your tax liability. For example, if you sell products in multiple states, an expert can help you determine which states offer the best tax incentives.

An Expert Has Knowledge of All the Latest Changes to Sales Tax Laws

An expert knows all the latest changes to sales tax laws. As a result, the expert can provide accurate and up-to-date information to businesses, ensuring compliance with the latest regulations. In addition, the expert can assist companies in claiming any exemptions or deductions that they may be entitled to. By having an expert on hand, businesses can be confident that they are aware of all the latest changes to sales tax laws and are taking advantage of any opportunities to reduce their tax liability.

They Can Help You Stay Compliant with the Law

A sales tax expert can help you stay compliant with the law by ensuring that your taxes are filed correctly and on time. In addition, the expert can help you identify any areas where you may be at risk of non-compliance. Having an expert on hand makes you confident that your business complies with all applicable sales tax laws.

Having an Expert on Your Side Gives You Peace of Mind

The peace of mind that comes from knowing that your sales tax affairs are in order is priceless. When you hire a sales tax expert, you can rest assured that your taxes are handled by someone who knows what they’re doing. As a result, you can focus on running your business, knowing that your sales tax affairs are in good hands.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are many reasons to hire a sales tax expert. Suppose you’re looking for someone to help you with your taxes, be sure to choose a qualified and experienced professional. With an expert on your side, you can save time and money, stay compliant with the law, and have peace of mind.

 

Leading technology firms Airbnb.org, Flexport.org and Spotify announced on April 28, 2022, that they would be joining the Breakthrough Prize Foundation established by billionaire Yuri Milner and his wife, Julia. The initiative is launching a variety of services to assist refugees throughout the world.

The Breakthrough Prize Foundation is initially committing $100 million towards these efforts, with the majority of this funding supporting civilians fleeing from Ukraine. This action will be the first step in expanding humanitarian initiatives to other regions affected by this historic refugee crisis. Yuri Milner has also engaged in other philanthropic endeavors related to the Ukrainian refugee crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crisis in Ukraine

The United Nations Refugee Agency reports that the number of people who have been forced to leave their homes has more than doubled since 1990, reaching at least 84 million. Over 26 million of those are seeking refuge in a foreign country, including five million from Ukraine, since the Russian invasion began in late February 2022.

The resulting mass exodus from Ukraine is the fastest and largest displacement of people in Europe since World War II. In addition to the emotional trauma caused by the death of loved ones, many refugees must also cope with the need for food and shelter, among other necessities.

Tech for Refugees

Tech for Refugees is a donation campaign inspired by Stand With Ukraine, a GoFundMe campaign launched by celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis in March. Stand With Ukraine has raised almost $36 million for refugees fleeing Ukraine as of the end of April, including $5.5 million from DST Global and the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. Tech For Refugees will support existing humanitarian programs and new ones that assist refugees. This initiative is open to firms in the tech sector with new ideas about addressing the global crisis. Companies that have joined Tech for Refugees include Airbnb.org, Flexport.org, and Spotify.

Airbnb is an online marketplace for lodging that has established Airbnb.org, an independent nonprofit organization. Airbnb.org is offering short-term housing at no cost for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees by leveraging Airbnb’s extensive network of hosts and technological infrastructure.

Flexport.org is the impact arm of Flexport, a leading forwarder of digital freight. It has already delivered over 440 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees. These supplies primarily consist of hospital beds and other medical equipment.

Spotify, a major media services provider, is offering Spotify Premium, its audio streaming service, to Ukrainian refugees at no cost. This company is also embarking on an independent effort to support children affected by the war through the power of music.

Breakthrough Prize Foundation

Yuri Milner is a technology investor, scientist, and philanthropist considered by Forbes to have one of the top business minds in the world today. He and his wife Julia established the Breakthrough Prize Foundation to improve people’s lives by advancing fundamental knowledge and using technological innovations.

The Milners have stated that they are devastated by the suffering of the Ukrainian people and believe that the Foundation can provide practical assistance for refugees living outside their homeland. They add that they plan to form partnerships between their Foundation and creative technology firms to accomplish these goals.

The Breakthrough Prize is the Foundation’s most notable program, which recognizes the world’s best scientists in life sciences, physics, and mathematics. It also offers the annual Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a competition for students designed to inspire creative thinking. The Breakthrough Initiatives are a group of space science programs to investigate extraterrestrial life.

 

If you’re setting up a company, then is it better to do it at home, or should you find a flexible turnkey office solution like a serviced office? Will the serviced office offer convenience? Won’t working from home save more money?

Below we’ll look at each option and see how they compare. There must be a way to determine which one is really best.

Serviced Office – Gives a Professional Sheen to a Company

When you’re a small business trying to win that all-important first client, then first impressions are everything. If the client sees that you operate from a residential address and your main telephone line is a personal mobile phone, it can be a little off-putting.

On the other hand, seeing that you have an office in a prestigious downtown location — as many serviced office facilities are — with a dedicated business line always answered whether you’re there or not, gives you a veneer of respectability and success. It could just be the thing that pushes that new client to give you a call and set up the pitch you badly need!

Working from Home – Cuts Way Back on Overheads

When your home is the office, investment in your workspace can be absolutely minimal. Outside of a little furniture, a computer and some office paraphernalia like file storage and whatnot, what else is there to pay for? That leaves you with more money to use on your core products and services.

A lot of startups fall into financial traps by renting and fitting out a dedicated office space. Tying up so much capital in a place to work seems crazy when you have limited resources. That’s the beauty of starting from home, where you can minimise the risk while you build up the resources to perhaps rent an office space later.

Serviced Office – Makes Meeting and Collaborating Easier

Assuming you’re not a one-man-band in your startup operation, then working from home can get awkward. Bringing your coworkers together at your place can get crowded, plus it brings more people into your personal space, something that might be uncomfortable if you don’t know your collaborators so well. Not all businesses are started by best friends who’ve known each other for years.

If you have an office space sorted out, then meeting up to discuss work matters is much easier, and much less awkward. No one has to feel like they’re invading anyone’s space, and no one has to feel as though they’re a “guest” in their workspace. A serviced office puts you and your partners on more equal footing. It’s better for meeting with prospective customers, too!

Working from Home – Makes Work-Family Balance Easier

Starting a new business can really take up a huge amount of time. If you’re doing that in an office, then it means you’ll likely be away from home a lot. If you want to maintain any kind of work-life and work-family balance, then making home your headquarters is the easiest way to do that. All you have to do is close off the home office door and you’re back at home. What’s more, you can have lunch at home, see your kids when they get home from school, etc. Who doesn’t want that?

Verdict: On Balance, the Serviced Office Has More to Offer

It’s clear that we can’t say definitively that a serviced office is for everyone. If you’re working as a sole trader or one-man-band freelancer, it’s possible the scale would tip more in favour of working from home. However, if you’re working on building a company and a brand, then you need a real and professional base, and that’s the edge that the serviced office has.

Enterprise execs across Australia are making the offsite cloud backup switch and for very good reason. The system is designed to bolster cyber security, streamline disaster recovery and provide increased access from wherever you and your team may be!

This, alongside some other truly vital benefits, are why companies in Oz and across the globe are allowing their data, files and systems to be saved to an external operator.

So, with this in mind, we thought we would look into why enlisting the best cloud backup Australia has available is a winning solution for your company:

What are the three offsite solutions?

There are three offsite solutions, each containing their own special benefits.

These include:

1. Tape systems: The mainstay of data storage, tapes have long been a trusty and reliable method of storing large data volumes. However, as we move toward the digital approach, they are becoming less favourable as there are risks associated with tape storage.
2. Cloud backup: This is the most advanced data storage form; the one that came to shake up the game and spoil the tape storage party. Data is stored digitally and handled by the storage operator, who handles all systems so that your company doesn’t have to worry about losing data onsite, making data retention a smooth and streamlined process.
3. Hybrid solutions: These combine local and cloud backups, producing an optimised solution that reduces risks. Data can easily be saved on-premises and then replicated for the offsite provider, making it another valuable solution for companies looking to enhance their data storage systems.

The key benefits of offsite storage

There are so many incredible benefits to this awesome solution, and this is why your company cannot afford to continue overlooking it:

• It makes disaster recovery a breeze

It may almost sound far-fetched but believe us, it’s not: a company’s data is susceptible to human made and natural disasters. For this very reason, organisations use offsite storage systems to easily retrieve their data in case of something wild happening to their physical premises.

• It’s highly scalable

One of the best things about offsite storage is its scalability: it can easily be done as it is much cheaper to purchase subscription fees linked to storage than it is to purchase extra software or hardware, as would happen with local data.

When using a cloud backup solution, your storage choices are only restrained by your budget and objectives – this means that your storage can be increased or decreased in real time and without any hassles.

• It bolsters cybersecurity

Natural incidents aside, cyberthreats are constantly on the rise, and if some nasty ransomware were to worm its way into your systems, your data will almost certainly be compromised. Offsite solutions are typically disconnected from main networks, ensuring ransomware and malware attacks aren’t much of an issue (oh, and it can restore your data to its pre-attack state!).

• It reduces costs

On premise storage can often be more expensive than its offsite counterpart, ensuring you don’t have to purchase and maintain super expensive software and hardware whilst easing the load on your current IT resources.

• It makes accessing data simple

It’s super simple to access your offsite data from wherever you’re located. Your data is not only highly secure at the offsite location, but also easily accessible, making it a safe solution that also frees up onsite space and resources.

As you can see, they are a pretty amazing business tech solution when it comes to accessibility, flexibility and safety – you should really consider making the switch if you are yet to do so…

On April 20, Samsung Biologics, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), announced it had completed a full acquisition of Samsung Bioepis, a biosimilar company that had operated as a joint venture with Biogen. Samsung Biologics raised $2.5 billion through the issue of new shares in April and made an initial payment of $1.0 billion to Biogen using paid-in capital. Pursuant to the terms of the acquisition agreement, Samsung Biologics has now fully acquired Bioepis as a wholly owned subsidiary. The CDMO will pay the remaining by the agreement in installments over two years.

Samsung Biologics’ capital increase involved issuing 5,009,000 shares, with Samsung Electronics and Samsung C&T Corporation making equity investments through the subscription of over 3.2 million shares.

In addition to providing capital for the Samsung Bioepis acquisition, the funds raised will be used to support Samsung Biologics’ continued expansion of its facilities in Songdo, South Korea.

“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone for Samsung Biologics in our continued venture into the biosimilar business and accelerating biosimilar growth,” said Samsung Biologics president and CEO John Rim in a statement. “By leveraging our extensive experience as a leading CDMO, we will further contribute to saving the lives of patients and address a wide array of diseases.”

Accelerating Biosimilar Growth

Samsung Biologics’ acquisition of Samsung Bioepis is an important component of the company’s broader strategic growth plan, which involves diversifying its portfolio in addition to increasing manufacturing capacity and expanding its global footprint.

“By acquiring the full ownership of Samsung Bioepis, as announced in January this year, Samsung will leap forward as a global biopharmaceutical company with three business areas: CDMO, biosimilar, and new drugs,” explained Rim in a March letter to shareholders.

The Samsung Bioepis acquisition will accelerate Samsung Biologics’ move into biosimilars, drugs designed to replicate the effectiveness of biologic reference medicines. Biosimilars are demonstrated to be similar in efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity to an approved biologic product but can offer significant cost savings and increased patient access.

In a recent interview with The Financial Times, Rim explained that biosimilars have mostly achieved market penetration in Europe, but he sees potential for market expansion, including in the U.S.

“The U.S. will start to pick up as well because all the health systems globally are under more pressure to reduce expenses and make [treatments] more available to patients,” he said.

In a decade of operation, Samsung Bioepis has developed 10 biosimilars, including six currently available worldwide. Its first wave of therapeutics focuses on immunology and oncology. This includes infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab biosimilars used to treat immunological diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, as well as trastuzumab and bevacizumab biosimilars for oncology applications. The company is currently expanding into new areas of unmet needs in hematology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and ophthalmology.

Samsung Biologics’ goal in acquiring Samsung Bioepis is to improve Samsung Bioepis’ autonomy and agility in business operations, accelerate its sales growth, improve its operating margins, and increase its capabilities and performance in the development of cost-effective novel drugs that save patients’ lives.

Expanding Facilities  

 After the $1 billion payment to acquire Samsung Bioepis, the remainder of the $2.5 billion in capital raised will be devoted to Samsung Biologics’ expansion of its facilities in Songdo.

Samsung Biologics is currently constructing its Plant 4 “Super Plant” in Songdo. The plant, which will become partially operational in October 2022, is set to be the largest biomanufacturing CDMO facility in the world upon completion, with a capacity of 256,000 liters. Samsung Biologics is also in the process of securing 350,000 square meters of additional land in Songdo for its Bio Campus II, which will be 30% larger than the CDMO’s Bio Campus I.

Samsung Biologics’ expansion of facilities provides additional opportunities to diversify its portfolio, particularly in terms of mRNA vaccine production, an area in which the CDMO saw success in 2021 as a provider of fill/finish services for Moderna’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.

“Samsung Biologics has been continuously exploring new opportunities to diversify its business portfolio beyond its current primary business as an antibody CDMO,” said Rim. “Following the successful start of our mRNA vaccine fill/finish manufacturing last year, Samsung Biologics has added  an mRNA drug substance manufacturing facility to offer a true end-to-end manufacturing service for mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.”

This facility will be used to produce a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine candidate for GreenLight Biosciences.

Multidimensional Growth

Samsung Biologics’ decision to raise capital with the goal of expansion and diversification is a clear indicator that, as Rim noted in his address to shareholders, the company is ready to “leap forward” to extend its capabilities beyond CDMO services.

While Samsung Biologics’ expected total capacity of 620,000 liters upon completion of Plant 4 will reaffirm its status as the world’s largest CDMO, the company is implementing what Rim described as “multidimensional growth,” potentially pursuing its drug development capabilities across a diverse portfolio.

With the acquisition of Samsung Bioepis and continued expansion plans, Samsung Biologics is building on significant growth from previous years, including a 35% increase in revenue in 2021, to establish itself as a global leader in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Rim summarized this strategic growth plan at the 2022 J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference held in January.

“Our next decade will be marked by increased business expansion and portfolio diversification,” said Rim. “While continuing to achieve best-in-class CDMO services and championing the biosimilar business, we will also lay the groundwork for novel drug development, to ultimately become a full-service biopharmaceutical company.”

 

Hacker attacks happen even in companies that have a very high level of cyberspace protection. Increasingly, you hear about cybercriminals hacking into government networks or hacking websites and social media profiles of famous people. Such hacking attempts are inevitable, the more that many spheres of our private and professional life are increasingly moving into the cyberspace and there is no indication that this would change. Data has now become the most valuable currency. Fortunately, our data does not necessarily have to be an easy target for cybercriminals.

How to prevent such incidents and their consequences with help of CDeX? One way is by incident response. Read on to find out what it’s all about and how can it affect cybersecurity!

Incident response – the basics

In case of a cyberattack, the time and manner of response are very important. The security team should be always prepared for such a possibility. For this reason, incident response was created. It is a specific set of procedures used when encountering a threat posed by a cybercriminal. These rules are used not only to recognize a hacker, but also to reduce or even completely eliminate the threat before the cybercriminal can do any harm.

The entire procedure consists of 6 basic steps, allowing for a quick and well-thought-out reaction:

1. Preparation – consists in the preparation of methods, security measures and full protection of the organization’s data.
2. Identification – this is the recognition of the start of a hacker attack or attack attempt.
3. Stopping the attack – at this step, the work of cybersecurity specialists begins, whose task is to stop the cyberattacker and his activity before subsequent hacking attempts.
4. Elimination – consists in getting rid of the cybercriminal from the space of the company or organization, while at the same time recognizing subsequent hacking attempts.
5. Restoration of systems and their data.
6. Conclusions – each attack should be monitored by cyber security specialists who, thanks to reports, will be able to improve the next incident response.

How to improve cyber security using cyber ranges?

In order to improve the quality of actions carried out against cybercriminals, it is worth taking part in special training sessions prepared by cyber ranges such as CDeX. The platform offers specialized and remote training tailored to the client’s needs. During the exercises the skills of employees dealing with cyber protection are tested.

The most important element of any training in the field of cybersecurity is that the exercises take place in conditions as close as possible to those of a real hacking attack. One of the goals of cyber ranges such as CDeX is to create conditions that will best test cybersecurity and the skills of specialists.

Regular training will help strenghten incident response and reduce the consequences of a hacker attack. Furthermore, participating in such exercises may improve the overall proficiency and response efficiency of the entire cybersecurity team.

More than 76 percent of small businesses fail because they didn’t include the correct prices on their invoices to clients. When you don’t get your invoicing right, your business will never succeed because you won’t make any money.

Are you looking at the different types of invoices you can use for your small business? Here are some of the best invoicing ideas to choose from.

1. One Time Invoices

There are as many different invoice types as there are types of businesses. The simplest one is a one-time invoice for a single sale.

Sales Invoice

When a buyer makes a purchase, the seller sends an invoice that provides details of the sale and the amount owing. This is the most common invoice in business transactions and it includes standard information such as:

• the seller’s information
• buyer’s details
• delivery date and payment terms
• purchase details, and the total price
• payment methods

Regular sales invoices are easy to standardize to streamline your invoicing process. Here’s a great example of the free invoice templates available for your business.

Reminder Invoices

When an invoice becomes overdue,  you may generate a reminder invoice. It’s a copy of the original sales invoice with a note that payment is past due. Add a clear notification of late fees or penalties to come.

2. Project Invoicing

A project is more involved and covers a longer timeline. You will want to receive interim payments for your work as the project progresses. There will be a formal contract setting out the terms of payment.

Deposit or Retainer Invoice

The buyer usually pays a deposit or retainer to get the project started. These details are in the contract terms.

Interim Invoices

Interim business invoices are periodic bills at an agreed-upon amount. These are periodic invoices, usually defined in the original contract.

Timesheets or hours worked on the project may generate the invoice information. Issue the invoice when the project achieves a specified level of completion.

Final Payment

After project completion, the buyer pays a small holdback on final inspection or approval. This final payment indicates project completion and that both parties are satisfied.

3. Other Invoices

Other situations may require a slightly different type of business invoice. When creating custom invoices, it’s important to ensure that you include the basic information. It’s recommended to always use a template.

Credit Or Debit Memos

A credit memo is an adjustment to a previous invoice. There may have been an error in the first invoice. Sometimes it completely reverses the original amount, or it might provide an agreed-upon adjustment to the price. A debit memo adjusts a previous charge by adding another fee.

Recurring Invoices

These invoices are for a regular service or delivery and are often monthly. They are for the same amount each month, or they are seasonally adjusted depending on the goods or services provided. Recurring invoices are often automatically generated using specific software.

Research Different Types Of Invoices

There are a lot of different types of invoices you can create for your business. When you find the one that works for you, it will help you streamline your invoicing process.

Did you find this article helped you find the right invoice for your business? If you want more ideas on other business topics, scroll through some of our other posts.

All of us remember our school mornings. Mornings in school were filled with cackle and banter from the last day’s stories. The first thing that we used was to gather around for ‘circle time.’ In some Australian schools, now there are no morning assemblies and circle times, but us, old-timers remember the excitement of singing in unison with our mates. Nowadays, we don’t have that but music classes are being taken more seriously than before. Why?

The answer is music therapy for kids.

While there is a common misbelief that music therapy is only for children with special needs, it isn’t true. Music therapy has been used around the world forever. The very first introduction of music therapy is the sweet coddling lullabies we have all heard from our mothers. Whenever a child is not able to fall asleep, the mother starts to hum, which relaxes and reassures the baby.

What is music therapy?

Music therapy is imparted by a trained professional with a certification done for the same. Evidence shows that music therapy for kids is effective at helping them relax, and express their feelings better. What happens in music therapy?

Music therapy lays down a procedure and path to a specific result.

Music therapy teaches simple processes to children, like tying their shoelace, via the methods of rhyming and singing, and it has been used for hundreds of years. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, believed in music therapy. Many hospitals around the globe have recognized music as therapy.

What happens in Music therapy?

Music therapy works differently for everyone. For someone, it could mean playing their favourite instrument; for others, it may mean writing an expressive song. A lot of kids also like expressing their emotions through singing.

Music therapy helps in the release of neurotransmitters, also known as endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that are responsible for making a person happy. Endorphins also relax the muscles and reduce stress. Music therapy also helps in releasing repressed feelings and memories.

Music therapy is an excellent way to recover from past trauma and bring behavioural changes.

Why is Music Therapy Effective?

Music has the power to engage people irrespective of their age group, illness, or physical limits. Humans start responding to music before birth. Many mothers listen to calming music during the gestation period to reduce the stress on the fetus.

When guided by an experienced therapist, music could become a medium to reduce anxiety and stress. There is a stereotype that music therapy is only used for differently-abled kids. However, modern-day health care specialists believe that everyone should take music therapy.

For example, lyrics and songs are an excellent way to teach visually impaired children the path to their room or bathroom.

5 Reasons for Opting for Music Therapy for Kids:

1. No discrimination: Music therapy isn’t just for differently-abled children. Many parents have claimed to reduce stress in children after enrolling in music therapy. Apart from kids, elder people can also take music therapy.
2. Release of Endorphins: Music therapy is back by evidence-based research and shows a drastic reduction in stress. Listening to music releases endorphins in the body. Endorphin is a happy hormone, which reduces stress and pain.
3. Release of repressed emotions: Music therapy is not just about playing a favourite instrument. It involves writing lyrics and composing songs also. Writing is one of the most common ways to let out repressed emotions and thoughts.
4. Differently-able children benefit greatly from it: Research shows that children with developmental difficulties, Parkinson’s disease, cancer or dementia show immense improvement. Music has a healing touch, and if the therapist is well-trained, it could do wonders.
5. Excellent medium of expression: Psychologists and physicians often recommend music therapy to patients with trauma. One of the reasons for this is that music is an easy way to retrieve repressed emotions.

Music therapy is used as a medium to understand kids better. Kids are usually un-expressive, and difficult to gauge their emotions. Therapists use music as a bridge to reach the mental state of kids. Most healthcare practitioners have yielded progress through music therapy. Where other medical processes have failed, music has come to rescue many patients and doctors.

 

There are many web applications for ecommerce these days. This has prompted malicious people to up their game in looking for loopholes to infiltrate and hack businesses to steal data and information as well as money. Therefore, developers are tasked to ensure enough security while developing these web applications from the onset.

However, security is a continuous process in all stages of web applications, including during their use. To ensure that these applications are secure throughout, various secure ASP.NET core applications come in handy. That is what this article will discuss so that both programmers and users of web applications are on the right track.

Protecting from Common Attacks

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) – Some web applications are attacked through XSS on the server or even the client-side. But the developers use HTML encryption and encourage users to store verified data in the database to prevent this.

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) – This is another common attack in ecommerce while using regular platforms. But the best Secure ASP.NET Core Application to use is the Html.AntiForgeryToken, which is stored in the cookie and header.

Using SSL and HTTPS

Secure socket layer and hypertext transfer protocol secure are also amazing secure ASP.NET core applications you can apply to your system during development and use. They provide secure communication at all times and keep hackers at bay. Apart from securing these platforms, they are also used in many other systems because they are trusted with secure communication.

Updating the Library, Database, and Software

While using an ASP.NET platform with SharePoint Library or server databases, it is crucial to keep them updated. Likewise, keep your software updated to get the latest security features. This is among the best secure ASP.NET core applications recommended by experts.

Failure to update your system opens loopholes for hackers, malicious people, and attackers to take control of your business data and sometimes money. Fortunately, a reputable ASP.NET ecommerce platform guides its users on how to stay updated.

Manage the Login Credentials

Another simple yet effective secure ASP.NET core application is managing the login credential in your system. First, give all teams and users the essential logins to accounts they need to use and limit their rights and permissions.

Another precaution is to encourage them to keep their credentials safe and avoid sharing. Let them clear cookies after using a computer to avoid access by other people. It is better to have some sort of password manager app to keep tabs on all of these. If you are interested, click here to read more about this.

Hide the ASP.NET Core Version

The last attempt to maintain a secure ASP.NET core application is by hiding the version of your system. You might think that this is not necessary, but experts recommend it for a reason: it denies hackers the specific details they need to inject and direct more accurate attacks. Some will even give on if they have no idea of the version you are currently using.

Final Words

There are many other secure ASP.NET core applications. Some to be executed by the developers and others by the users. You can check for more on the web just to be sure that your core system is completely secure.