terms of use

Interpretation

Last modified 29 May 2025

Platnova

Terms and Conditions ("Terms") published on this website will govern your use of and access to this website, our products and services, including all pages on this website (hereinafter collectively referred to as this "Website")

These Terms shall be binding upon you in full force and effect in your use of this Website and by using this Website, you agree explicitly to all the terms and conditions contained herein in full. You must not use this Website, if you object to any of these Terms.
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ AND UNDERSTAND THIS TERMS OF USE BEFORE YOU PROCEED. BY ACCESSING THIS SITE, YOU FULLY AND EXPRESSLY AGREE WITH ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH HEREIN

  1. Interpretation

    2. The following definitions and rules of interpretation shall apply in this Agreement -

    1. "Agreement", "Terms of Use", "Terms" - refers to these terms of service in their entirety

    2. "Data Protection Legislation" - Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA), and all other legislation, regulations and other regulatory requirements which are in force from time to time to which a party is subject, all in relation to the processing of Personal Data;

    3. "Documentation" - the guides and other documents published by us on the internet athttps://platnova.com or at any other web location we may notify to you or through mobile app, which describe a description of the Services and any user guidance for the Services;

    4. "Effective Date" - the date of your first use of and/or access to the Services;

    5. "Personal Data" - has the meaning assigned in the NDPA;

    6. "Services" - Platnova financial technology platform and other services [including any associated Application Programming Interface (API) provided or made available by us to you online athttps://platnova.com or any other site which we inform to you or through mobile app.

  2. Our Services

    3. Platnova is a technology-based company, not a bank, but it offers all-in-one platform solutions for an array of financial technology services. With our Platform, you can get access to services such as account management, payments, transfers, currency exchange, savings, and various other financial services, all tailored to meet the needs of individuals and businesses. These services are made possible by collaborations with licensed financial institutions to offer secure and compliant banking and financial solutions. Our Platform allows for transactions in more than one currency and offers tools to manage your financial activities with efficiency.

    Our staff of experts works around the clock to provide creative payment solutions to individuals and businesses all over the world, and we feel privileged to have customers in numerous countries and regions. At Platnova, we maintain the highest security, transparency, and ethical standards in everything that we do. We apply the latest technology and our extensive experience in the field to provide our customers with the easiest, safest, and quickest payment processing services possible.

  3. Privacy Policy

    4. With every use of our Services, you consent to the collecting, storing, transferring, and use of your information as described in this Privacy Notice. This includes any information voluntarily provided by you that is deemed sensitive by laws and regulations as they exist. Our Privacy Notice describes the conditions on which we process any personal information we obtain from you or that you provide to us. Privacy Notice is available on our website at https://platnova.com. Your use of the Services signifies your consent to the Privacy Notice and your consent to processing of any personal data described in the Privacy Notice and that you ensure all the data provided by you to us is accurate.

  4. Age Restriction

    5. You must be 18 or above to access our services.

  5. Use of Our Services

    6. We grant you a non-exclusive, non-assignable and revocable right to use the software provided as part of our services in the manner permitted by these Terms. This license permit includes all updates, upgrades, new releases and replacement software for use by you in relation to our services.

    The services are subject to copyright, trademark, our partners' or third party terms, and applicable laws. Nothing contained here gives you a right to use the Platnova name or any of Platnova's trademarks, logos, domain names, and other distinctive brand features. All rights, title and interest in and to the services are and will remain the exclusive property of Platnova and its licensors.

    If you do not comply with all of the terms, then you will be liable for all resulting damages suffered by you, Platnova Technologies LTD and all third parties. Except as otherwise provided in applicable law, you agree not to alter, re-design, reproduce, adapt, display, distribute, translate, disassemble, reverse engineer, or otherwise attempt to generate any source code that is derived from the software.

    Any suggestions, comment or feedback you give us and our services is at your free will and we will be free to use such comments, suggestions or feedback as we may deem appropriate without any obligation to you.

    In order to use our services, you shall have to give us true, accurate and complete information as requested by us during our onboarding process.

    For non-sole proprietary businesses: Business name, business type, registration details, address, industry, incorporation documents, shareholder information, and identification details for beneficial owners and controllers. Additional information that may be lawfully required by Platnova.

    For sole proprietors: Legal name, date of birth, nationality, address, identification documents, and details for the expected source of funds. Proof of significant address, for example, bank statement, utility bill, or government document. Additional information that may be lawfully required by Platnova.

    We may at our discretion request additional information or documentation from you to assist us in satisfying our risk assessment and regulatory requirements. You agree to inform us of any changes to information that you have previously supplied. Providing out-of-date, incomplete, or inaccurate information, or the discovery of illegal or fraudulent activity, may result in suspension or termination of your use of our Platform and services.

    Once onboarding is successful, you are able to access your Platnova Account and see your transaction history and related activities control. Platnova can impose minimum and maximum balance limits and transaction limits for your account.

  6. Links to Other Websites and Services

    7. The Services also may contain links to other websites or online services that we think may interest you (collectively, "Linked Services"). Linked Services are not under the control of Platnova and Platnova is not responsible for Linked Services or for any information or materials on, or any form of transmission received from, any Linked Service. The inclusion of a link does not imply endorsement by Platnova of the Linked Services or any association with the operators of the Linked Services. Platnova does not investigate, verify, or monitor the Linked Services. Platnova provides links to Linked Services for your convenience only. You access Linked Services at your own risk. If you decide to use these third-party services, you will be responsible for reviewing and understanding the terms and conditions associated with them. You agree that Platnova is not responsible for the performance of these services. You may be offered services, products and promotions provided by third parties and not by Platnova. The Website may contain links to third-party websites. The inclusion of any website link does not imply an approval, endorsement, or recommendation by Platnova. By using Platnova, you agree with the General and Pass-Through Terms and Conditions of our partners and other third-party providers.

  7. Who May Use Our Services?

    8. You may use the Services only if you agree to form a binding contract with Platnova and are not a person barred from receiving services under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction. If you are accepting these Terms and using the Services on behalf of a company, business, or organization, you represent and warrant that you are authorized to do so.

  8. Prohibited Activities

      1. In connection with your use of our website, your Account, the Platnova Services, or in the course of your interactions with Platnova, other Users, or third parties, you will not:

      1. use the Site or any Services in order to disguise the origin or nature of illicit proceeds of, or to further, any breach of applicable Laws, or to transact or deal in, any contraband digital assets, fiat, funds, property, or proceeds;

      2. use the Site or any Services if any applicable Laws, including but not limited to AML Laws, Counter Terrorism Financing (CTF) Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws, Economic Sanctions Laws, prohibit, penalize, sanction, or expose the Site to liability for any Services furnished or offered to you under these Terms of Service;

      3. use the Site or any of the Services, or any financial services of any financial Institution, whether or not an affiliate of Platnova, to facilitate, approve, evade, avoid, or circumvent any applicable Laws, including but not limited to AML Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws, Cybercrime Laws, and other applicable laws;

      4. use the Site or any Services to evade taxes under the Laws of Nigeria or any other jurisdiction(s) applicable to you or the Site;

      5. take advantage of any system glitch to unjustly enrich yourself

      6. use the Site or any Services to interfere with or subvert the rights or obligations of Platnova or the rights or obligations of any other Site user or any other third party;

      7. transact using fraudulent, misleading, or inaccurate information presented to the Site or to Platnova or take advantage of any technical glitch, malfunction, failure, delay, default, or security breach;

      8. use the Site or any Services to engage in conduct that is detrimental to Platnova or to any other Site user or any other third party;

      9. use the Site or any Services to: (i) engage or attempt to engage in wash trading, spoofing, fictitious trading, or price manipulation; (ii) enter orders or quotes with the intent to disrupt or with reckless disregard for the adverse impact on the orderly conduct of trading or the fair execution of transactions; or (iii) entering orders or quotes with the intent of creating the false impression of market depth or market interest;

      10. use the Site or any Services, including the feature that enables Platnova users receive funds in their Platnova account through Platnova’s bank account without the need for the Platnova user to receive such funds directly in their own bank account, for legitimate transactions and that where this feature is used by the user otherwise, the user is liable for any administrative, civil, or criminal actions. For the purpose of such transactions, the User understands and accepts that at no time is Platnova an agent of the user;

      11. falsify or materially omit any information or provide misleading or inaccurate information requested by Platnova, including at registration or during the course of administering any Services to you;

      12. cause injury to, or attempt to harm, Platnova or any third party through your access to the Site or any Services;

      13. where you are subject to prohibitions or restrictions as set forth above, access the Site or use any Services utilizing any virtual private network, proxy service, or any other third party service, network, or product with the effect of disguising your IP address or location, or

      14. violate, cause a violation of, or conspire or attempt to violate these Terms of Service or applicable Laws.

      1. If Platnova determines that you have engaged in any Prohibited Use as defined in 8.1 above, Platnova may address such Prohibited Use through an appropriate sanction in its sole and absolute discretion. Such sanction may include, but is not limited to, making a report to any Government, law enforcement, or other authorities, without providing any notice of you about any such report; confiscation of any fiat, funds, property, proceeds, or digital assets in any digital assets account or wallet that you have on the Site; and, suspending or terminating your access to any Services or fiat, funds, property, or digital assets from any digital assets account or wallet address. Platnova may, at its sole and absolute discretion, seize and deliver your property to any applicable Government, law enforcement, or other authorities where circumstances warrant. In addition, should your actions or inaction result in the imposition of economic costs to Platnova, you shall pay an amount to Platnova so as to render Platnova whole, including without limitation, the amount of taxes or penalties that might be imposed on Platnova.

      1. In certain circumstances, you understand and agree that Platnova reserves the right to immediately suspend your Account with Platnova or make unilateral deduction(s) from your Platnova wallet, where such funds belong to Platnova, a customer other than you, or a third party, including a Platnova partner or supplier. The circumstances in which Platnova shall be entitled to exercise the contractual right of suspension, and unilateral deductions above include but not limited to the following:

      1. To protect, preserve, or recover funds which Platnova has reasonably established was erroneously, inadvertently, or wrongly deposited in your Platnova wallet, whether due to computer or human error; or

      2. To recover funds which Platnova has reasonably established as overpayment to your Platnova wallet in relation to an already completed transaction on the Platnova platform, whether due to computer or human error.

      1. In the event that funds described in 8.3 above have already been dissipated by you or you are unable to refund the funds immediately upon request by Platnova, you give Platnova the right to use any legal means possible-including civil action and/or criminal prosecution–in recovering such funds from you.

  9. Intellectual Property

    10. Unless otherwise stated, Platnova Technologies LTD. (collectively, Platnova) and/or its licensors own the intellectual property rights and materials on the website subject to the license below. We do not grant you any right, license, title or interest to any of our intellectual Property rights which you may or may not have access to. You agree to take such actions including any legal or official document or other documents that may be needed to further affirm our intellectual property rights.

  10. Amendment of Terms

    11. We may revise these Terms from time to time. The changes will not be retroactive, and the most current version of the Terms which will always be on platnova.com/terms will govern our relationship with you. By continuing to use our services after the changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Terms.

    In the event that any of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, then that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions of these Terms will remain in full effect. Platnova's failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be deemed a waiver of such right or provision.

    We may amend the Terms from time to time. You should visit the Platnova website regularly to check when the Terms were last updated (as displayed at the top of this document) and to review the current Terms. We will do our best to notify you of any amendments to the Terms that we consider likely to materially affect your rights and obligations. Any such notice will be posted on our Site, or sent by email to the address associated with your Platnova account. The continued use of your Platnova account, after any amendment to these Terms, constitutes your acceptance of the Terms, as modified by such amendment. If you do not accept the Terms, or any amendment to them, you must immediately stop using the Platnova Site and your Platnova account.

  11. Transaction Monitoring

    12. By using the Services, you consent to Platnova monitoring your transactions for compliance with applicable laws, fraud prevention, and risk management purposes. Such monitoring may include the restriction of funds until the sender's verification, video verification involving the sender, recipient, and Platnova, the analysis of transaction patterns, and the reporting of suspicious activities to relevant authorities as required by law.

    You acknowledge and agree that Platnova shall not be responsible or liable for any delay in the processing, verification, or settlement of transactions arising from such monitoring or compliance reviews. Platnova's determinations regarding verification outcomes and refunds shall be final and binding.

    You further agree that Platnova reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refund or return the funds to the sender where verification is unsatisfactory, fraudulent activity is suspected, or compliance concerns arise. Platnova may also, where necessary, hold the funds in a segregated account pending resolution.

    In any circumstance where the release of funds to you may result in chargebacks, disputes, or liabilities to Platnova, you shall fully indemnify and hold Platnova harmless from any resulting loss, cost, or damage. Platnova's right to seek and enforce indemnification under this clause may be exercised immediately and directly in any competent court or authority, and shall not be subject to any delay, restriction, or precondition arising from the governing law, jurisdiction, or arbitration provisions of this Agreement.

    You also consent to the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of your personal and transactional data by Platnova for the purposes of identity verification, fraud prevention, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and service improvement, in accordance with applicable data protection laws and Platnova's Privacy Policy.

  12. Restricted Jurisdictions

    13. You may not use the Services if you are located in, or are a resident of, any jurisdiction subject to sanctions or designated as high-risk by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) or other relevant authorities, as determined by Platnova in its sole discretion.

  13. Tax Obligations

    14. You are solely responsible for determining and fulfilling your tax obligations arising from your use of the Services, including reporting and remitting any applicable taxes to the relevant authorities. Platnova is not responsible for providing tax advice or ensuring your compliance with tax laws.

  14. Changes in Law

    15. Platnova reserves the right to modify or discontinue any part of the Services, with or without notice, to comply with applicable laws, regulations, or governmental directives. You agree that Platnova shall not be liable for any such modifications or discontinuations.

  15. Service Availability

    16. Platnova strives to ensure continuous availability of the Services but may perform scheduled maintenance or upgrades that temporarily interrupt access. Platnova will make reasonable efforts to notify users of planned outages in advance but shall not be liable for any losses or damages resulting from such interruptions.

  16. AML/KYC Compliance

    17. You agree to provide accurate and complete information as required by Platnova for compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Know Your Customer (KYC), and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) regulations. Failure to provide such information or providing false or misleading information may result in immediate suspension or termination of your account, and Platnova reserves the right to report such instances to relevant regulatory authorities.

  17. Account Security and Data Breach Notification

    18. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities conducted under your account. You agree to notify Platnova immediately of any unauthorized access or suspected breach of your account. In the event of a data breach that may affect your personal data, Platnova will notify you in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and other applicable laws, within a reasonable timeframe.

  18. Force Majeure

    19. Platnova shall not be liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under these Terms due to events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, wars, governmental actions, telecommunications failures, or third-party service outages. In such events, Platnova will make reasonable efforts to notify you and resume services as soon as practicable.

  19. Termination

      1. Platnova has the right, at its discretion and without liability to you, with or without prior notice or with or without your consent, to temporarily terminate or permanently terminate your access to all parts or any part of our services. In cases of violation of our Terms of Service, Platnova reserves the right to remedy such violations in accordance with law and in equity, including without limitation, the right to restrict, suspend, or terminate your account or deny you access to the Services without notice; and whenever the need to cooperate with law enforcement regarding enquiries or need to comply with law arises, Platnova shall be entitled to disclose information including, but not limited to, your user identity, and personal details.

      1. You agree and accept that Platnova has the right to cancel transaction and restrict, and terminate your account without notice in the following situations, but not limited to these situations:

      1. Where we suspect that you are acting in breach of this agreement; that your account is being used for or associated with fraud, money laundry, terrorism financing, and any other financial crimes or fraudulent activity;

      2. Where your name appears in any governmental sanction list; that you are taking any action that may circumvent our controls such as opening multiple Platnova accounts or abusing promotions offered;

      3. Where your account is subjected to operational error or other error which may require us to suspend your account pending when such errors are treated;

      4. Where we have reason to believe that another Platnova account provided by us or one of our group companies is held by you and has been used for any fraudulent activity, money laundering, terrorism financing, or other criminal activity;

      5. Where you violate or we have reason to believe that you are in violation of any law or regulation that is applicable to your use of our services;

      1. Regarding suspension, you agree that we may suspend your Platnova account at any time if:

      1. We reasonably believe that your Platnova Account has been compromised or for other security reasons; or

      2. We reasonably suspect that your Platnova account has been used or is being used without your authorization or used fraudulently; and we shall notify you either before the suspension or, if prior notification is not possible under the circumstances, promptly after the suspension unless we are prohibited by law to notify you.

      1. Your right to terminate: You may terminate this Agreement by closing your Account at any time. When you close your Account, any pending transactions will be canceled. Any funds that may be held for you by us at the time of closure, less any applicable fees, will be paid out to you according to an agreed pay-out schedule, assuming all pay-out-related authentication requirements have been fulfilled (for example, you may not close your Account as a means of evading your pay-out schedule). If an investigation is pending at the time you close your Account, Platnova may hold your funds as described herein. If you are later determined to be entitled to some or all of the funds in dispute, Platnova will release those funds to you.

      1. Effect of Termination: Platnova will not be liable to you or any third party for termination of access to the Service, deletion of your information or Account data, or export of your information or Account data. We will not be liable to you for compensation or damages in connection with any termination or suspension of the Service. Any termination of this Agreement does not relieve you of any obligations to pay any fees or costs accrued prior to the termination and any other amounts owed by you to us as provided in this Agreement.

  20. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

    21. These terms and conditions shall be interpreted and governed in accordance with the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If a Party determines after negotiating in good faith for a period of fourteen (14) days, that any disputes or differences which may arise between the parties out of this Agreement cannot be resolved through negotiation, such matters shall be settled by mediation. Online mediation processes may be deployed. If mediation also fails or both parties fail to agree on a mediator within another 14 days after the initial 14 days, parties shall apply to Lagos Multi Door Court House (LMDC) for dispute resolution under the LMDC Mediation Procedure Rules or such other rules mutually agreed by the Parties. The proceedings shall be conducted in English Language and the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall apply.

    Platnova reserves the right to take legal action against any user who engages in conduct that harms Platnova's goodwill, reputation, or business interests. This includes, but is not limited to, threats, cyber stalking, posting false, misleading, or defamatory statements about Platnova (e.g., falsely claiming fraud or misconduct online), engaging in malicious activities to undermine Platnova's operations, taking unjust advantage of any system glitch, or spreading disinformation that could damage Platnova's standing. Such actions may result in account suspension, termination, and/or legal proceedings to recover damages or seek injunctive relief in any court of competent jurisdiction. The mediation requirement set forth in Section 20.1 and 20.2 does not limit or affect Platnova's right to seek legal remedies in such cases.

    Contact Platnova First. If a dispute arises between you and Platnova, our goal is to learn about and address your concerns and, if we are unable to do so to your satisfaction, to provide you with a neutral and cost effective means of resolving the dispute quickly. Disputes between you and Platnova regarding the Platnova Services may be reported to [email protected] at any time.

    Confidentiality. All Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings and all information submitted, relating to or presented in connection with or during the proceeding, shall be deemed confidential information not to be disclosed to any person not a party to the proceedings. All communications, whether written or oral, made in the course of or in connection with the Claim and its resolution, by or on behalf of any party or by the arbitrator or a mediator, including any arbitration award or judgment related thereto, are confidential and inadmissible for any purpose, including impeachment or estoppel, in any other litigation or proceeding; provided that evidence shall not be rendered inadmissible or non-discoverable solely as a result of its use in the dispute resolution proceedings.

    Improperly Filed Litigation. All claims you bring against Platnova must be resolved in accordance with the provisions of this agreement. All claims filed or brought contrary to these provisions shall be considered improperly filed and a breach of this agreement. Should you file a claim contrary to this provision, Platnova may recover attorneys' fees and costs (including in-house attorneys and paralegals) provided that Platnova has notified you in writing of the improperly filed claim, and you have failed to promptly withdraw the claim.

    Time Limitation. You agree that any cause of action arising out of or related to the services must commence within one (1) year after the cause of action accrues; otherwise, the cause of action is permanently barred.

    Class Actions. Any arbitration under this Agreement will only be on an individual basis. Class arbitrations, class actions, private-attorney general actions, and consolidation with other arbitrations are not permitted, and you are waiving your rights to have your case decided by a jury (assuming the jurisdiction operates a jury system) and you are also waiving your right to participate in a class action against Platnova.

  21. General

    22. Warranty Disclaimer

    THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITH NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, OF ANY KIND. PLATNOVA EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AVAILABILITY, SECURITY, TITLE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. PLATNOVA DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR OR BE FREE FROM BUGS, YOUR USE OF OUR SERVICES ARE AT YOUR OWN RISK AND YOU ALONE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT RESULTS IN LOSS OF DATA OR DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM. NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN OBTAINED BY YOU FROM OUR WEBSITE OR OUR SERVICES WILL CREATE ANY WARRANTY OR CONDITION NOT EXPRESSLY STATED.

  22. Limitation of Liability

    23. YOU AGREE TO THE LIMITATION LIABILITY CLAUSE TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW: PLATNOVA WILL IN NO WAY BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES INCLUDING DAMAGES RESULTING FROM REVENUE LOSS, PROFIT LOSS, USE, DATA, GOODWILL , BUSINESS INTERRUPTION OR ANY OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (WHETHER PLATNOVA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR NOT) ARISING OUT OF PLATNOVA’S WEBSITE OR SERVICES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION TO INABILITY TO USE, OR ARISING FROM THE RESULT OF USE OF PLATNOVA’S WEBSITE OR SERVICES) WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES ARE BASED ON WARRANTY, TORT, CONTRACT, STATUTE OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY.

    SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES OR LIMITATIONS ON THE SCOPE AND DURATION OF SUCH WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE DISCLAIMERS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU IN THEIR ENTIRITIES, BUT WILL APPLY TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

  23. Indemnification

    24. You hereby indemnify Platnova and undertake to keep Platnova indemnified against any losses, damages, costs, liabilities and expenses (including without limitation to reasonable legal fees) arising out of any breach by you of any provision of these Terms, or arising out of any claim that you have breached any provision of these Terms.

  24. Breaches of these Terms

    25. Without prejudice to Platnova’s other rights under these Terms, if you breach these Terms in any way, Platnova may take such action as Platnova deems appropriate to deal with the breach, including suspending your access to the website, prohibiting you from accessing the website, blocking computers using your IP address from accessing the website, contacting your internet service provider to request that they block your access to the website and/or bringing court proceedings against you.

  25. Contact Us

    26. If you have any issues or questions in relation to these Terms, your rights and obligations arising from them, or your use of the Site and Service, your account, or any other issue, please contact [email protected]