Quack AI Teams Up with NTU to Supercharge On-chain Innovation

Singapore's blockchain ecosystem just got a major boost as Quack AI partners with Nanyang Technological University to accelerate on-chain development.

The Collaboration Breakdown

This partnership merges academic research with cutting-edge AI technology—creating what could become Southeast Asia's premier blockchain innovation hub. NTU's research capabilities combined with Quack AI's technical expertise form a powerhouse for developing next-generation decentralized solutions.

Why This Matters

Traditional finance institutions are scrambling to keep up with blockchain adoption, while this collaboration bypasses legacy systems entirely. The timing couldn't be better—just as regulators finally figure out how to tax last year's crypto gains.

Expect rapid prototyping of new DeFi protocols, enhanced smart contract security, and AI-powered blockchain analytics tools that could reshape how we interact with decentralized networks.

This partnership proves that real innovation happens when academia and industry collide—while Wall Street bankers are still trying to understand what 'on-chain' actually means.

What does Chevron do?

Chevron takes a very practical approach to operating in what is a very volatile sector. It starts with its business model, which is integrated. That basically means the company has exposure across the entire energy sector, including the upstream (energy production), the midstream (pipelines), and the downstream (chemicals and refining). This diversification doesn't eliminate the impact of oil and natural gas price swings, but it helps to soften the peaks and valleys.

CVX Debt to Equity Ratio data by YCharts

On top of that, Chevron also takes great care with its balance sheet. At the end of the second quarter, Chevron's debt-to-equity ratio was roughly 0.2. That WOULD be low for any company and it is also among the lowest of the company's closest peers. This gives management the leeway to take on debt during industry downturns so it can support its business and dividend. When energy prices recover, as they always have historically, leverage is reduced again.

The proof that this model works very well is seen in Chevron's 38-year history of annual dividend increases. The only competitor with a better dividend history is(XOM 0.92%), which has 43 dividend hikes under its belt. Before you switch gears and start thinking about Exxon, there's one more factor to consider.

Image source: Getty Images.

Chevron's got a very attractive risk/reward profile

So Chevron's business is built to survive, but it is basically the same approach that Exxon has. And Exxon even has a lower debt-to-equity ratio, at around 0.15. In some ways, Exxon, which is a larger company, is actually a safer choice. But it isn't drastically safer, given that energy swings hit its business in the same way that they hit Chevron's business. You have to take on some risk with either one.

That's where a comparison of dividend yields comes into play. The average energy stock has a yield of roughly 3.2%. Exxon's yield is currently around 3.6%. And Chevron's yield is nearly 4.6%. Investors aren't taking on drastically more risk with Chevron, but they are getting a very meaningful boost in yield. You can look at that as 1 full percentage point more dividend yield or an over 25% increase in the income you'll generate with Chevron over Exxon.

It is generally not a smart idea to chase yield, which can lead you into high-risk investments. However, Chevron isn't really a high-risk investment, as highlighted above. There are some idiosyncratic risks specific to Chevron, including a large and long-delayed acquisition that is currently being integrated and the company's politically charged investment in Venezuela. But these issues are unlikely to derail the company over the long term.

If you are balancing risk and reward, Chevron stands out in the energy patch for dividend investors.

All energy stocks come with risk

The big story here is that every single energy stock comes with risk because of the inherent volatility of the commodity-driven sector. Chevron, while facing company-specific risks of its own right now, has proven it can survive the industry's broad swings while rewarding investors well via a progressive dividend.

Add in the higher-than-average dividend yield and it looks like smart income investors should give Chevron strong consideration in the out-of-favor energy patch right now.