Gastops FluidSIGHT™ Selected for Royal Canadian Navy Evaluation Through Innovative Solutions Canada

OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gastops, a leader in intelligent condition monitoring and predictive maintenance solutions, has been awarded a contract under the Government of Canada’s Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) Testing Stream program.

Through the project, FluidSIGHT™ will be demonstrated and evaluated in collaboration with the Department of National Defence (DND) to support ongoing efforts to advance condition-based and predictive maintenance capabilities within the Royal Canadian Navy.

As part of the project, Gastops will deliver FluidSIGHT™ systems, software, training, installation support, and technical expertise to support testing and evaluation activities. Testing will take place across multiple operational and laboratory environments, including facilities in Ottawa and Montreal, as well as aboard marine vessels operating in Atlantic Canada.

FluidSIGHT™ is a real-time oil condition, contamination, and wear monitoring system that provides continuous visibility into lubricant health. By moving beyond periodic oil sampling and laboratory testing, the system helps operators make more intelligent maintenance decisions based on real-time equipment condition.

The project is an important milestone for FluidSIGHT™ following its launch earlier this year and will support evaluation of the technology across a range of operational and laboratory environments. Testing will assess the system’s ability to accurately monitor lubricant health and provide real-time insight into equipment condition.

“This project represents the next step in FluidSIGHT’s evolution from innovation to real-world application,” said Shaun Horning, President & CEO of Gastops. “For more than four decades, Gastops has helped maintainers make informed decisions through equipment health intelligence. We are proud to work alongside the Government of Canada and the Department of National Defence to demonstrate how real-time condition awareness can contribute to readiness, availability, and more efficient sustainment practices.”

The project aligns with DND’s interest in transitioning from traditional schedule-based maintenance toward more efficient condition-based and predictive maintenance approaches that improve materiel availability, support data-driven decision-making, and enhance operational readiness.

“Maintenance teams have more data available than ever before, but what matters is turning that data into action,” said Brennan West, Vice President, Energy, Marine & Land at Gastops. “FluidSIGHT provides real-time visibility into equipment condition, helping maintainers identify issues earlier, better understand asset health, and make more informed decisions that improve availability and support readiness.”

Gastops will be exhibiting at DEFSEC Atlantic 2026 in Halifax, Nova Scotia from October 6-8. Attendees are invited to visit the team at Booth B107 to learn more about FluidSIGHT™ and other Gastops technologies supporting equipment health intelligence, predictive maintenance, and operational readiness.

About Gastops

Gastops is the world’s leading provider of intelligent condition monitoring solutions used in Aerospace, Defence, Energy, and Industrial applications to optimize the availability, performance, and safety of critical assets. We offer peace of mind to our customers with innovative online monitoring sensors, at-line analysis, complex modeling and simulation, world-class laboratory testing, engineering, design, and MRO services that predict performance to enable proactive operating decisions. We have been providing powerful insights into the condition of critical equipment since 1979. Gastops is the intelligence inside what moves you.

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Bybit and Franklin Templeton Form Strategic Collaboration to Expand Access to Tokenized Investing

The wider collaboration launches with a new off-exchange collateral program that unlocks trading liquidity for institutional clients, alongside initiatives to bring tokenized wealth and yield-generation strategies to wallet-based investors

DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the New Financial Platform trusted by more than 80 million users worldwide, today announced a strategic collaboration with Franklin Templeton, a global investment leader with $1.7 trillion in assets under management* and a pioneer in digital asset innovation.

The collaboration’s first initiative allows eligible clients to use tokenized money market fund shares as off-exchange collateral when trading on Bybit. The shares are issued through the Benji Technology Platform, Franklin Templeton’s proprietary blockchain-integrated recordkeeping and transfer agency infrastructure.

Eligible investors can now pledge Benji-issued fund shares through ByCustody, an institutional-grade custody platform, to access USDT or USDC trading credit lines on Bybit while the underlying tokenized assets remain held off-exchange in custody. The value is mirrored within Bybit’s trading environment, allowing clients to continue earning yield on holdings while supporting their trading activity.

“As institutional adoption of digital assets accelerates, investors increasingly expect the same flexibility, capital efficiency, and risk management standards they are accustomed to in traditional markets,” said Yoyee Wang, Global Head of RWA and TradFi at Bybit. “By expanding the range of high-quality collateral available through our off-exchange infrastructure, we are helping clients deploy capital more effectively while maintaining exposure to trusted, regulated investment products.”

The program extends Bybit’s growing suite of institutional infrastructure, giving eligible clients another way to access trading liquidity against regulated, yield-bearing collateral without moving those assets onto the exchange, reducing counterparty exposure and improving capital efficiency and treasury management.

The collaboration also extends to wallet-based investors, with a tokenized wealth product on the Bybit exchange and Mantle chain that provides access to Franklin Templeton investment strategies. Bybit and Mantle will share further details separately.

Franklin Templeton and Bybit will also release digital content programs and education initiatives designed to help wallet-based retail investors explore traditional investment strategies and better understand concepts like goals-based investing and diversification.

“Tokenization continues to reshape finance, and we’re excited to partner with Bybit to increase access to actively managed retail investment solutions that meet the evolving needs of the wallet ecosystem,” said Sandy Kaul, Head of Digital Assets and Innovation at Franklin Templeton. “For institutions, extending connectivity of the Benji Technology Platform to Bybit offers a trusted venue to put regulated, yield-bearing assets to work in digital markets, and is a great example of how blockchain-integrated solutions can drive innovation and efficiency across markets.”

These initiatives mark the beginning of a broader collaboration between Franklin Templeton and Bybit aimed at closing the distance between regulated investment management and on-chain markets. For institutions, that means the collateral, custody, and capital efficiency standards familiar from traditional finance, applied inside a digital asset trading environment. For wallet-based investors, it means access to professionally managed strategies, and the education to use them, in the venues where they hold their assets.

#Bybit  / #NewFinancialPlatform 

About Bybit

Bybit is The New Financial Platform.

We believe every person should have access to every financial opportunity on earth. That’s why we’re building the first intelligent platform that connects anyone, anywhere to the world’s finance.

Trusted by more than 80 million users worldwide, Bybit brings together investing, trading, payments, and wealth-building in a single secure and intelligent ecosystem. Through the combination of AI-powered technology, deep global liquidity, robust security, and transparent operations, Bybit makes global finance more accessible, efficient, and empowering for everyone.

Built for everyone. Powered by intelligence. Open to the world.

Learn more at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

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Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) Announces ETH Holdings Reach over 6 Million Tokens with Total Crypto, Cash & Marketable Securities Holdings of $17.2 Billion

Bitmine owns 4.9% of the total ETH coin supply of 122.1 million

Bitmine is 98% of the way to the ‘Alchemy of 5%’ in just 15 months

ETH is the best performing macro asset in Q3 of 2026 to date, outperforming the S&P 500 by 6,728bp

Tom Lee to deliver the keynote at KBW on September 30, 2026

Bitmine was added to the Russell 1000 Large-cap index on June 26, 2026

Bitmine’s Series A Preferred Stock is trading on the NYSE under the symbol BMNP

Bitmine has 5,067,309 staked ETH, representing $13.7 billion at $2,698 per ETH. MAVAN (Made in America VAlidator Network) is a premier Ethereum staking destination for BMNR and institutional investors

Bitmine owns $115 million of Eightco (NASDAQ: ORBS), now one of the only publicly listed equities in the world to provide investors indirect exposure to OpenAI

Bitmine Crypto + Total Cash Holdings & Marketable Securities + “Moonshots” total $17.2 billion, including over 6 million ETH tokens, total cash & marketable securities of $672 million, and other crypto holdings

Bitmine remains supported by a premier group of institutional investors including ARK’s Cathie Wood, MOZAYYX, Founders Fund, Bill Miller III, Pantera, Kraken, DCG, Galaxy Digital and personal investor Thomas “Tom” Lee to support Bitmine’s goal of acquiring 5% of ETH

NORWALK, Conn., Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — (NYSE: BMNR) Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. (“Bitmine” or the “Company”) a Bitcoin and Ethereum Network company with a focus on the accumulation of crypto for long term investment, today announced Bitmine crypto + total cash & marketable securities + “moonshots” holdings totaling $17.2 billion.

As of September 27, 2026 at 3:00pm ET, the Company’s crypto holdings are comprised of 6,001,302 ETH at $2,698 per ETH (per Coinbase NASDAQ: COIN), 213 Bitcoin (BTC), $180 million stake in Beast Industries, $115 million stake in Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) (“moonshots”) and total cash & marketable securities of $672 million. Bitmine’s ETH holdings are 4.9% of the ETH supply (of 122.1 million ETH).

“Bitmine’s total ETH holdings now exceed 6 million.  This is a tremendous achievement, accumulating this total in under 15 months.  We are already seeing the synergies and positive network effects from our accumulating nearly 5% of ETH total supply.” stated Thomas “Tom” Lee, Chairman of Bitmine.

“Moreover, we continue to see affirming signs that a crypto bull market is underway, having started in late June. In our view, institutions are still underweight crypto and we expect them to be adding to their exposure in the final months of 2026.  With only a little more than a week left in calendar third quarter (3Q26), the outperformance of Ethereum as a macro asset continues to strengthen.  For the calendar quarter to date, ETH is outperforming by 6,728bp, dwarfing other macro assets.” stated Lee.

Tom Lee will also deliver the keynote at Korea Blockchain Week 2026 on September 30 at 11:20 a.m. (KST) at Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts in Seoul. The 25-minute keynote is part of Korea Blockchain Week, one of Asia’s leading blockchain and digital asset conferences. Additional information is available on the Korea Blockchain Week website.

“Over the past week, we acquired 17,362 ETH. Bitmine’s track record of consistent buying of crypto is unmatched by any public company in the world. Bitmine has bought ETH each and every week since the inception of the ETH Treasury Strategy on June 30, 2025,” stated Lee.

On July 16, 2026, Bitmine released the latest Chairman’s Message (link here) for July 2026, entitled “ETH is the cure for the Uncanny Valley of Wealth.”

Earlier in 2026, Bitmine launched MAVAN (the Made in America VAlidator Network), the institutional-grade staking platform. While MAVAN was originally developed to support Bitmine’s own Ethereum treasury, MAVAN has expanded to serve institutional investors, custodians, and ecosystem partners seeking best-in-class staking infrastructure. A portion of Bitmine’s ETH is already staked on the MAVAN platform.

As of September 27, 2026, Bitmine’s total staked ETH stands at 5,067,309 ($13.7 billion at $2,698 per ETH). “Bitmine has staked more ETH than other entities in the world. At scale (when Bitmine’s ETH is fully staked by MAVAN and its staking partners), the projected ETH staking reward would be $424 million on an annualized basis (using 2.62% 7-day BMNR yield),” stated Lee.

“Annualized staking revenues are now projected at $358 million. And this 5.1 million ETH is 84% of the 6.00 million ETH held by Bitmine. Bitmine’s own staking operations generated a 7-day yield of 2.62% (annualized),” continued Lee.

Bitmine is one of the most widely traded stocks in the US. According to data from Fundstrat, the stock has traded average daily dollar volume of $1.1 billion (5-day average, as of September 25, 2026), ranking #94 in the US, behind Twilio Inc (rank #93) and ahead of Philip Morris International (rank #95) among 5,704 US-listed stocks (statista.com and Fundstrat research).

Bitmine’s crypto holdings reign as the #1 Ethereum treasury and #2 global treasury, behind Strategy Inc., which reportedly owns 845,080 BTC valued at approximately $75 billion. Bitmine remains the largest ETH treasury in the world. 

Bitmine management believes the GENIUS Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Project Crypto are as transformational to financial services in 2026 as the US action on August 15, 1971, which ended the Bretton Woods system and took the U.S. dollar off the gold standard 55 years ago. This 1971 event was the catalyst for the modernization of Wall Street, creating the iconic Wall Street titans and financial and payment rails of today. These proved to be better investments than gold.

The Chairman’s message can be found here:

https://www.Bitminetech.io/chairmans-message

The Fiscal Full Year 2025 Earnings presentation and corporate presentation can be found here: https://Bitminetech.io/investor-relations/ 

To stay informed, please sign up at: https://Bitminetech.io/contact-us/ 

About Bitmine

Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BMNR), together with its subsidiaries (“Bitmine” or the “Company”), is a blockchain technology infrastructure company operating across institutional digital asset staking and validation services, bitcoin mining, and strategic digital asset management. As the world’s leading Ethereum Treasury company, it implements an innovative digital asset strategy for institutional investors and public market participants. The Company provides institutional-grade staking and validation infrastructure—through which it earns staking rewards and validation income—alongside bitcoin mining activities. Bitmine holds digital assets strategically, generating yield on those holdings to support liquidity and capital formation. Since 2025, the Company has expanded its blockchain infrastructure capabilities, including developing and deploying MAVAN, its institutional staking and validation platform. The Company’s activities further include investments in early-stage blockchain opportunities (“moonshot” investments) and ancillary mining, hosting, and consulting services.

For additional details, follow on X:

https://x.com/bitmnr

https://x.com/fundstrat

Cautionary Note on Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not purely historical and can generally be identified by terms such as “expects,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “targets,” “goals,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “view,” “see,” or similar expressions, or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. This press release specifically contains forward-looking statements regarding, among other things: (i) the Company’s goal of acquiring 5% of the total ETH supply (the “Alchemy of 5%” initiative) and statements that the Company is 98% of the way to achieving this goal in 15 months; (ii) the Company’s digital asset accumulation and treasury strategy, including statements regarding continued weekly ETH acquisitions since the inception of the ETH Treasury Strategy on June 30, 2025 and the Company’s status as the largest ETH treasury in the world; (iii) the Company’s staking operations, including projected annualized ETH staking rewards of approximately $424 million at scale (assuming Bitmine’s ETH is fully staked by MAVAN and its staking partners using 2.62% 7-day BMNR yield) and currently projected annualized staking revenues of approximately $358 million; (iv) MAVAN’s expansion to serve institutional investors, custodians, and ecosystem partners seeking best-in-class staking infrastructure, and its intended position as a premier Ethereum staking destination for BMNR and institutional investors; (v) statements regarding ETH’s performance as the best performing macro asset in Q3 2026 to date, outperforming the S&P 500 by 6,728bp; (vi) management’s belief that institutions are still underweight crypto and the expectation of institutional investors adding to their crypto exposure in the final months of 2026; (vii) management’s belief that a crypto bull market is underway, having started in late June; (viii) management’s belief that the GENIUS Act and SEC Project Crypto are as transformational to financial services in 2026 as the end of the Bretton Woods system in 1971 and that investments resulting therefrom will prove better than gold; (ix) statements regarding the Company’s investments, including that its investment in Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) provides investors indirect exposure to OpenAI and its $180 million stake in Beast Industries; and (x) statements regarding the value of the Company’s crypto, cash, marketable securities, and “moonshot” holdings, including aggregate holdings of $17.2 billion and ETH holdings representing 4.9% of the total ETH supply.

These forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the extreme volatility and unpredictability of digital asset prices, including ETH and Bitcoin, and the speculative nature of digital asset investments; the risk that historical ETH price movements and relative performance versus other macro assets will not recur or are not indicative of future performance; the Company’s reliance on third-party pricing sources (including Coinbase) and reported market values in calculating the value of its crypto, cash, marketable securities, and “moonshot” holdings, and the risk that such values fluctuate materially after the date and time referenced in this release; changes in market conditions affecting the trading price and trading volume of the Company’s common stock and Series A Preferred Stock, and the risk that the Company’s inclusion in the Russell 1000 index does not produce anticipated benefits; the Company’s ability to successfully execute its digital asset acquisition strategy, continue its record of weekly ETH acquisitions, and achieve its ETH accumulation targets, including the “Alchemy of 5%” goal; the Company’s ability to finance its business operations, Ethereum treasury operations, and MAVAN expansion; operational, security, and technological risks associated with the Company’s staking and validation operations, including network failures, slashing events, cybersecurity breaches, and protocol changes; the risk that actual staking participation, yields, rewards, and revenues differ materially from the projected amounts described in this release, which are based on a 7-day yield and assume ETH is fully staked at scale; competition in the digital asset treasury, staking, and mining industries; the Company’s dependence on key personnel, including executive leadership; regulatory developments affecting digital assets, blockchain technology, and staking activities in the United States and globally, including the ultimate enactment, implementation, and interpretation of the GENIUS Act and other pending legislation and regulatory initiatives; actions by the SEC, CFTC, and other regulatory bodies affecting digital assets and related businesses; risks related to the Company’s investments in early-stage blockchain opportunities (“moonshot” investments), including the investments in Eightco Holdings (including the nature and extent of any indirect exposure to OpenAI) and Beast Industries; macroeconomic factors, including inflation, interest rates, Federal Reserve monetary policy, labor market conditions, war risks, rising yields, and general economic conditions affecting investor sentiment toward digital assets; the unpredictability of cryptocurrency market cycles and the accuracy of management’s expectations regarding institutional participation; changes to the Ethereum protocol, including staking mechanics, validator requirements, and reward structures; the performance of third-party service providers, exchanges, custodians, and staking partners; risks related to the concentration of the Company’s assets in digital currencies, particularly Ethereum; and the other risk factors described in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on information available to management as of the date of this release and reflect management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts, projections, views, and beliefs concerning future events and circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements based on a number of factors, including those described above and in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025 filed with the SEC on November 21, 2025, the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other filings with the SEC, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies of these filings are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on the Company’s website at https://Bitminetech.io/investor-relations/. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Bitmine expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update, revise, or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based, except as required by applicable law or regulation.

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J.P. Morgan Taps Thunes to Streamline Global Payments: NYSE Content Update

NYSE issues a pre-market daily advisory direct from the trading floor.

NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) provides a daily pre-market update directly from the NYSE Trading Floor. Access today’s NYSE Pre-market update for market insights before trading begins. 

Kristen Scholer delivers the pre-market update on September 28th

• Thunes will power J.P. Morgan’s XPedite Remit solutions suite.
  • The solution is designed to give clients access to 12 billion bank accounts and mobile wallets across 100+ payment corridors across the Thunes network.
  • Thunes Co-founder + CEO Peter De Caluwe will join NYSE Live to discuss how this collaboration will help make global commerce smoother. 
• Adobe report says that 2026 online holiday shopping will jump year-over-year.
  • The research projects this year’s Cyber Monday to be the first $15 billion online shopping day in history.
  • Adobe Digital Insights predicts that spending in the five-day Cyber Week period will reach $47.5 billion.
  • Viviek Pandya, Adobe Digital Insights’ Director, will join NYSE to break down the report and how AI will accelerate traffic to retail websites.
• Oil prices are in focus amid the latest developments in the Middle East.
  • Global benchmarks rose after President Trump rejected Iran’s proposal to end the conflict.
  • As of 8 a.m. ET, ICE Brent Crude is trading at roughly $107 a barrel.

Opening Bell

Graco (NYSE: GGG) celebrates 100 years of ingenuity

Closing Bell

TotalEnergies (NYSE: TTE) celebrates its 35^th anniversary of listing

For market insights, IPO activity, and today’s opening bell, download the NYSE TV App and check out the NYSE YouTube: TV.NYSE.com and YouTube.com/@NYSEofficial

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Odisha Has 36 IAS Vacancies, 15% of Sanctioned Cadre Posts Unfilled

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 28 (UDN): Odisha currently has 36 vacant posts in its sanctioned IAS cadre of 248, leaving around 15 per cent of the approved positions unfilled, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday.

 Representational Image 

In a written reply in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said the state presently has 212 IAS officers in service against the sanctioned strength of 248.

25 IAS Officers on Central Deputation

Of the 212 IAS officers currently belonging to the Odisha cadre, 25 are on central deputation, while 187 officers are serving within the state.

The figures indicate a gap between the sanctioned cadre strength and the number of officers currently available for service in Odisha.

Government Plans Recruitment, Promotions

Majhi said steps are being taken to address the vacancies through direct recruitment and promotion.

The reply did not provide a department-wise breakdown of the 36 vacant positions.

IAS Cadre Strength

The sanctioned strength of Odisha’s IAS cadre stands at 248 officers, while the current strength is 212, resulting in 36 vacancies.

The Union government’s official data published earlier in 2026 also lists Odisha’s authorised IAS cadre strength at 248, although the number of officers in position in that earlier dataset was lower, reflecting that cadre strength and officer availability can change over time.

The latest figures provided by the Chief Minister in the Assembly represent the current position cited by the state government.

Cuttack Paneer Adulteration Case: CMC Files Complaint Against 11 After Lab Report

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 28 (UDN): The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) Health Department has filed a complaint against 11 people in connection with the alleged sale of adulterated paneer in Cuttack after laboratory analysis detected maida, starch powder and detergent in samples collected from seized dairy products.

 Representational Image 

The complaint was lodged at Madhupatna police station after the CMC received the laboratory report on samples taken from a large consignment of paneer seized during an enforcement operation.

Samples Test Positive for Adulterants

According to officials, around 73 quintals of paneer had been seized during inspections involving 11 traders. The dairy products were reportedly transported to Cuttack from Niali.

A portion of the seized stock, estimated at around 17 quintals, was destroyed, while samples were sent to a laboratory in Haryana for detailed examination.

The test report subsequently detected detergent powder, maida and starch powder in the samples.

Adulteration Allegedly Used to Alter Paneer

The laboratory findings reportedly indicated that the substances were being used to alter the texture and composition of the paneer, including making it softer and smoother and increasing its weight.

The complaint names 11 individuals, including some small-scale farmers and vendors, in connection with the alleged adulteration and sale of the products.

The police complaint is expected to form the basis for further investigation into the source, preparation and distribution of the suspected adulterated paneer.

Consumer Safety Concerns

The findings have raised concerns over the quality of dairy products reaching consumers in Cuttack.

Paneer is widely consumed across Odisha, and the reported detection of non-food substances in seized samples has prompted renewed attention to food safety inspections and enforcement against adulteration.

Authorities have previously conducted food safety drives in several Odisha cities, including Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Berhampur and Sambalpur, following reports involving suspected adulterated paneer.

Food Safety Officer Transferred

The case had earlier led to administrative action involving Cuttack Food Safety Officer Amita Das, who was transferred on September 24 following the paneer adulteration issue reported from the Niali area.

The transfer came around the time the laboratory findings from Haryana were received, according to reports.

Further action in the case will depend on the police investigation and applicable food safety proceedings.

What India Is Drinking 2026: Bombay Sapphire, Don Julio, Grey Goose, Bacardi, Indri, Woodburns Among Most Popular Brands In Premium Indian Bars. Picante The Most Popular Cocktail.

The fourth edition is based on a survey of 155 bars across 18 cities, with participation up 24% from last year, representing bar owners, head bartenders and beverage leads.

Respondents mentioned 527 brands across 21 categories, of which 166 were Indian homegrown brands

Picante takes the #1 spot in the new national cocktail ranking, accounting for 40% of votes, ahead of Negroni

NEW DELHI, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 30BestBarsIndia, in partnership with The Outlier, have released the 2026 edition of What India Is Drinking (WIID): India’s most comprehensive snapshot of consumer brand preferences across the country’s leading bars. Now in its fourth year, the report maps how drinking behaviour continues to evolve across categories, cocktails, and cities, reflecting both steady favourites and shifting trends.

The 2026 edition is based on a survey of 155 premium bars across 18 cities, a 24% increase in participating bars from last year, with respondents including bar owners, head bartenders, and beverage leads. Collectively, respondents mentioned 527 brands across 21 categories of alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks and mixers. 166 were Indian homegrown brands.

This year’s findings point to a market where established global brands continue to hold strong positions, while more Indian brands are entering the top 10 across categories. Cocktail preferences are showing a growing appetite for bold, distinctive flavours, with Picante emerging as India’s most popular cocktail in the new national cocktail ranking. It is the top-selling cocktail in most surveyed cities.

Appended are one key insight from each category:

Category Breakdown

Spirit category stalwarts Bombay Sapphire, Don Julio, Grey Goose, Jagermeister, Campari, Bacardi, Hennessy, Indri, Johnnie Walker, Yamazaki, Glenfiddich, Kingfisher and Corona retain the top positions from last year in their respective categories. The only significant change is in the Indian Premium Whisky category, where Woodburns replaces Oaksmith as the leader.

Among the Wine categories, Sula, Jacob’s Creek and Moët & Chandon continue to champion their categories, while we see Chandon overtake Cinzano as India’s most popular Sparkling Wine.

Indian brands aren’t far behind, across categories. In Gin, Hapusa, Greater Than, Jaisalmer and Stranger & Sons retain their positions in the Top 10. Brands are highlighting more Indian botanicals and local produce, while flavoured gins continue to broaden consumer choice and bring new drinkers into the category, including from Tier II and Tier III markets.

One of the biggest movements this year has been in the Amaro & Aperitif category, where we have two Indian brands in the Top 10: Davana Vermouth Indica and Paapi Absinthe. Maya Pistola Agavepura holds its own in the Agave category, as the only Indian brand in the Top 10; similar to Smoke Lab in the Vodka category.

India’s Most Popular Cocktails 

Nationally, the Picante takes the crown as the country’s most popular cocktail in 2026, with the Negroni and Espresso Martini close behind; a lineup that points to a clear trend: drinkers are gravitating toward white spirit-led cocktails built on bold, assertive flavours, whether it’s the heat of spice or the bite of bitterness.

The category breakdowns show the Negroni, Picante, Espresso Martini and Daiquiri all holding onto their respective crowns, signalling a market where preferences have settled rather than shifted. The one notable reversal comes in whisky, where the Whisky Sour reclaims the top spot from the Old Fashioned; a return to form for 2024’s favourite.

Radhakrishnan Nair, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia, notes: “2026 shows a settling of long-term consumer behaviour alongside pockets of sharp change. Categories like Gin, Scotch, Aperitifs and Agave continue to be led by global giants, but the pace at which Indian brands are consolidating their presence is significant. The city-level variations are sharper this year; what sells in a Bengaluru cocktail bar looks different from what leads in Jaipur or Kolkata. WIID 2026 captures these shifts clearly and offers a realistic view of what customers are choosing at the bar.”

Vikram Achanta, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia, adds: “We’re seeing that brands that are most consistent in terms of their advocacy initiatives with the on-trade as well as community-building initiatives such as bartending competitions are seeing that pay off in the trade via bartender loyalty when it comes to cocktail creation as well as recommendations to a guest. With the expected influx of both international brands due to FTAs (Free Trade Agreements) that have been drawn up or are under negotiation, as well as more and more Indian brands joining the mix, such advocacy-based initiatives will go a long way to building entry barriers for savvy brands.“

City Insights

2026 shows a market where some drinking preferences are becoming firmly established, while others remain distinctly shaped by the city. Categories like Brandy continue to show strong national consensus, with Hennessy leading across all eight markets, while Gin tells a different story: Bombay Sapphire leads nationally, but Hendrick’s takes Gurgaon, and Roku leads in Pune.

These differences show that India’s bar culture isn’t moving toward one uniform drinking pattern but is developing its own local nuances.

All bars surveyed have been operational for at least six months. Click here to access the full WIID 2026 report and explore category-wise rankings.

The category-wise rankings and comparison to last year is appended below:

About 30BestBarsIndia: Co-founded in 2019 by Vikram Achanta and Radhakrishnan Nair of Bar 30 India LLP, 30BestBarsIndia aims to raise awareness about the rising standards of Indian bars and beverages nationally, and on international platforms. 30BestBarsIndia’s rankings of the country’s best bars in the previous six editions in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 have included well-known bars that have gone on to be part of international bar ranking lists. In addition to its rankings, 30BestBarsIndia has expanded its influence with the “What India Is Drinking” report, an annual study that provides valuable insights into consumer brand preferences across the country’s top bars. To see the report and full list of bar rankings, please visit 30bestbarsindia.in

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Hirakud Dam Opens 30 Gates as Reservoir Inflow Rises

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 28 (UDN): Authorities at Odisha’s Hirakud Dam opened two additional sluice gates on Monday, taking the total number of gates releasing water from the reservoir to 30 amid a continued rise in inflow.

 Representtional Image 

Of the 30 gates currently open, 20 are on the left side and 10 on the right side of the dam, according to the latest update from the dam authorities.

Reservoir Level Crosses 629 Feet

As per the 12 noon bulletin, the water level in the Hirakud reservoir stood at 629.52 feet.

The average inflow into the reservoir was recorded at 6,30,605 cusecs, while the average outflow was earlier reported at 4,97,190 cusecs.

Following the opening of two more gates, the current outflow increased to 5,30,246 cusecs. Of this, around 4,92,060 cusecs was being released through the spillway.

Downstream Discharge on the Rise

The increased release has also pushed up water discharge at downstream monitoring points.

At Mundali, the discharge was recorded at 7,83,770 cusecs and was showing an upward trend. Other gauge stations, including Belgaon, Patharla, Khairmal and Barmul, were also reporting substantial water discharge.

Authorities Monitor Situation

Dam authorities are keeping a close watch on the reservoir level, inflow and downstream discharge following the latest increase in water release.

People living in low-lying areas downstream have been advised to remain alert and follow instructions issued by local authorities as the situation develops.