NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aether Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATHR) ("Aether" or the "Company"), an emerging financial technology holding company developing data-driven platforms and media assets for investors, today issued the following 2025 year-end Letter to Shareholders from Chairman Nicolas Lin.

Dear Shareholders:

When I speak to investors just starting their journey, I hear the same frustration repeatedly:

"I don't know where to start. The tools are expensive. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at."

Quality financial research can cost hundreds — sometimes thousands — of dollars per month. Even when investors can afford these tools, they often show what is happening without clearly explaining why it matters or what action to take.

That is the gap we are working to fill at Aether Holdings.

Our Vision: Empowering the Next Generation of Investors

We believe successful investing is not just about reading charts or following headlines. It is about understanding the full picture — what is happening in the markets, why it is happening, how global events connect to your portfolio, and when it makes sense to act.

We are building a platform that educates and empowers — a place where investors can learn the fundamentals, access professional-grade tools, and make informed decisions without being overwhelmed by complexity or burdened by excessive costs.

How We're Different: Education First, Then Tools

We are building a funnel — not just a product.

Through our publishing division, Alpha Edge Media (AEM), we attract investors with educational content and market insights delivered through a diverse portfolio of newsletters covering equities, IPOs, small-cap stocks, crypto, collectibles, and digital assets.

We are not trying to sell investors something on day one. We are helping them understand markets, build knowledge, and develop confidence.

As these investors grow more sophisticated, we introduce them to the tools, indicators, analytics, and research available through our trading division, Aether Grid — a platform designed to help retail investors translate market data into actionable trading decisions.

This two-tier ecosystem allows us to meet investors wherever they are in their journey — from learning fundamentals to executing advanced technical strategies.

Progress During the Year

During 2025, we took meaningful steps toward turning this vision into reality.

On April 11, 2025, we completed our initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market. This milestone accelerated our strategy to expand beyond our flagship platform, SentimenTrader.com, which serves as the foundation of Aether Grid and houses our suite of advanced, AI-powered analytical tools.

Less than two weeks later, we formed Alpha Edge Media with a clear mission: to build a network of educational financial publications delivering authoritative data and insights across a broad range of asset classes.

Throughout 2025, we expanded AEM to ten newsletters spanning diverse markets and investor interests.

In July, we acquired AltcoinInvesting.co, strengthening our digital asset coverage.

In September, we added WhaleTales, delivering curated crypto intelligence and regulatory updates.

We also acquired 21Bitcoin.xyz, an AI-powered crypto news platform providing real-time global coverage across the digital asset ecosystem.

In December 2025, we purchased a new corporate headquarters in downtown Manhattan, positioning us to scale business development, corporate finance, and investor relations as we expand our fintech platform.

Strategic Expansion in Early 2026

We began 2026 with three significant developments.

In January, we welcomed Coinstack, a premier institutional crypto newsletter with more than 340,000 subscribers, into the Aether family. With this addition, our Alpha Edge Media portfolio now serves more than 417,000 subscribers.

On February 5, 2026, we acquired PublicView.ai, an AI-driven market intelligence platform designed to simplify and accelerate equity research. This acquisition strengthens Aether Grid's AI-enabled ecosystem and enhances our data analytics capabilities.

Less than a week later, we launched SentimenTracker — a platform that translates real-time momentum shifts and institutional liquidity activity into clear, repeatable chart signals, helping traders identify where conviction is forming — not after the move, but as it begins.

These tools represent a meaningful step forward in helping retail investors better understand real-time market behavior and make more informed trading decisions across equities and digital assets.

Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond

We have ambitious plans for 2026 and beyond, focused on expanding our ecosystem and deepening engagement with our growing investor community.

First, we will continue launching new publications, serving additional niches and asset classes to broaden our reach within the retail investor market.

Second, we will introduce additional cutting-edge trading tools offering enhanced analytics, clearer insights, and greater customization. Our objective is to provide investors with not just information — but intelligence that informs timing and decision-making.

Third, we plan to diversify our revenue streams and further integrate our education and trading platforms into a cohesive fintech ecosystem.

All of these initiatives remain centered on our core audience: retail investors.

Why This Matters

Markets are evolving rapidly. Global events impact asset prices in real time. New asset classes such as digital assets create both opportunity and complexity. Information is abundant — clarity is not.

Retail investors deserve better than fragmented tools and content built for clicks rather than conviction. They deserve a comprehensive ecosystem designed to help them succeed.

Our 417,000 subscribers represent more than a number. They represent individuals working toward financial independence. That responsibility guides our decisions.

In 2025, we built the foundation — assembling the newsletters, technology, team, and infrastructure to operate at scale.

In 2026, we expand — launching new products, continuing to invest in research and development, and growing our audience.

The journey is just beginning.

Sincerely,

Nicolas Lin

Chairman

About Aether Holdings, Inc.

Aether Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATHR) is a financial technology holding company committed to advancing how investors access, analyze, and act upon market information. By combining advanced analytics, data science, and user-centric design, Aether delivers solutions that enable both individual and institutional investors to make informed decisions.

Through its market intelligence platforms and curated financial newsletters, Aether provides real-time insights and comprehensive trend analysis, transforming complex financial data into clear, actionable guidance.

For more information, please visit: https://helloaether.com/

Investor Contact: ir@helloaether.com | (347) 726-8898

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release and statements of Aether's management in connection with this news release contain or may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements relate to future events and anticipated business and financial performance and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "seeks," "intends," "plans," "believes," "potential," "will," "should," "could," "would," "aim," "may," or similar expressions.

In this release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, Aether's growth strategy, product development initiatives, acquisition strategy, integration of acquired businesses, expansion plans, subscriber growth, monetization efforts, competitive positioning, and the anticipated benefits of recently completed acquisitions and corporate initiatives.

These forward-looking statements are based on information available to management as of the date of this news release and reflect management's current expectations, estimates, projections, and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events, or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may be beyond the Company's control.

For Aether, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) the Company's ability to effectively market its products and services and successfully execute its growth strategy; (ii) the successful development, launch, and monetization of new products, tools, and analytics platforms, including those utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies; (iii) the ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and realize anticipated synergies; (iv) intense competition in the fintech, financial publishing, and digital asset sectors; (v) the ability to attract and retain users and subscribers and convert free users into paying customers; (vi) risks related to regulatory developments, data security, and technology infrastructure; and (vii) other risks and uncertainties associated with operating in a rapidly evolving and competitive industry.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Investors are encouraged to review additional risk factors described in Aether's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov and at https://investor.helloaether.com/#sec-filings.

Aether undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

Aether Holdings Issues Year-End Letter to Shareholders