Alliance Entertainment Launches Alliance Authentic™, Introducing The Ultimate Vinyl Collectible™ and a New Marketplace for Authenticated, Numbered Vinyl Collectibles

PLANTATION, Fla., Jan. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alliance Entertainment Holding Corporation (NASDAQ:AENT), the world's largest distributor of vinyl records and a leading curator of physical entertainment products and collectibles, today announced the official launch of Alliance Authentic™, a new premium platform built to create authentic, certified, investment-grade vinyl collectibles and a trusted marketplace where collectors can buy, sell, and trade them globally.

Alliance Authentic allows fans and collectors to own and preserve a protected piece of music history because the music matters, the moment matters, and preserving it still matters.

Designed for the growing global market for collectibles, Alliance Authentic introduces The Ultimate Vinyl Collectible™ — uncirculated vinyl records that are authenticated at the source, released as limited collectible editions, permanently encapsulated, digitally verified, and individually numbered. Each collectible allows fans and collectors to Own a Piece of Vinyl History™, preserved exactly as it existed at the moment of release.

Alliance Authentic introduces The Ultimate Vinyl Collectible™

"Authenticity and scarcity are the foundation of every serious collectible market," said Jeff Walker, CEO of Alliance Entertainment. "Alliance Authentic is built on absolute trust. We source records directly from music labels and authorized distributors, so we know they are 100% authentic before they are ever sealed. From there, we certify, number, and preserve them forever — and we've built a marketplace to allow collectors to securely trade authentic, verified vinyl collectibles over time."

Alliance Authentic Roadmap: A Complete Collectible Ecosystem

Alliance Authentic is designed as a complete collectible ecosystem — combining authenticated sourcing, museum-quality preservation, individual numbering, digital verification, and a peer-to-peer resale marketplace. The platform is built to serve both collectors seeking premium ownership and a growing resale market where authenticity and provenance matter.

Built on Authenticity — Guaranteed at the Source

Unlike traditional vinyl collecting, grading, or resale markets, Alliance Authentic eliminates uncertainty by starting at the origin. Every Alliance Authentic collectible is purchased directly from music labels and authorized distributors.

Each record is certified uncirculated, never handled, played, or sold prior to encapsulation. By controlling sourcing and certification end-to-end, Alliance Authentic ensures every collectible begins with verified authenticity — the foundation of long-term collectibility and resale confidence.

Individually Numbered Limited Editions — Scarcity by Design

Each Alliance Authentic release is produced as a defined, limited collectible edition, with every individual vinyl permanently numbered at the time of encapsulation. No two collectibles are the same.

In the world of collectibles, numbering creates identity, scarcity, and long-term value. By assigning a unique serial number to every collectible, Alliance Authentic transforms vinyl records from interchangeable products into distinct, identifiable assets with clear provenance.

"For the first time, vinyl collectors can authenticate not just an album, but the exact numbered copy they own," Walker added. "That's what turns a limited edition Alliance Authentic Encapsulated Vinyl Record into The Ultimate Vinyl Collectible™."

Once an edition is released, it is never reproduced. Collectors seeking a specific serial number, early edition, or the coveted #1 must acquire it from another owner through the Alliance Authentic marketplace.

Permanent Encapsulation & Presentation

Each Alliance Authentic collectible is sonically sealed in an acrylic case, creating a permanent seal designed to preserve condition and presentation over the long term. Encapsulation protects the vinyl from handling, wear, environmental exposure, and tampering — ensuring the collectible remains preserved in certified uncirculated form.

Alliance Authentic has also developed premium presentation packaging to elevate the ownership experience. Select releases feature gold-designated #1 editions, representing the single most desirable copy in each series and housed in premium gold presentation packaging.

Digital Authentication & Peer-to-Peer Marketplace Infrastructure

Every Alliance Authentic collectible includes an embedded digital NFC chip powered by Endstate. Using blockchain infrastructure built on Base, each collectible's authenticity and ownership history is recorded in a tamper-resistant database tied directly to the physical item.

By tapping the NFC chip with a smartphone, collectors can verify the authenticity of their exact numbered copy, confirm sourcing from authorized music labels and distributors, and view validated ownership history over time.

Endstate also powers Alliance Authentic's peer-to-peer marketplace, enabling collectors to buy, sell, and make offers on certified authentic vinyl directly on AllianceAuthentic.com. Endstate's patented authentication technology allows sellers to authenticate their records during the listing process, meaning items can be resold peer-to-peer, with buyers having absolute confidence in the authenticity of all listings in the marketplace. Ownership transfers are secure, transparent, and frictionless, preserving trust and provenance across every transaction.

Strategic Fit Within Alliance Entertainment

Alliance Authentic builds on Alliance Entertainment's decades-long leadership in vinyl distribution and physical media. With deep relationships across music labels, distributors, and manufacturing partners, Alliance brings unmatched sourcing credibility and operational scale to the collectible vinyl market.

The platform also introduces a recurring, high-margin marketplace model through transaction commissions on secondary sales — aligning Alliance Authentic with leading collectible and alternative-asset platforms.

Availability

Alliance Authentic collectibles are available exclusively at www.AllianceAuthentic.com, where collectors can explore available releases, view sold-out editions, and participate in the resale marketplace.

In addition to direct availability through Alliance Authentic, the company intends to support its retail partners by enabling authorized retailers to purchase and resell select limited-edition collectibles in their physical and online stores, expanding consumer access to these products through established and trusted retail channels.

About Alliance Authentic™

Alliance Authentic™ is a premium collectible platform dedicated to preserving entertainment history through authentic, certified, encapsulated, and individually numbered collectibles. Each release is sourced directly from music labels, studios, and brands, digitally authenticated, and designed for long-term ownership and resale.

Alliance Authentic™

The Ultimate Vinyl Collectible™

Own a Piece of Vinyl History™

About Alliance Entertainment

Alliance Entertainment (NASDAQ:AENT) is a premier distributor and fulfillment partner for the entertainment and pop culture collectibles industry. With more than 340,000 unique in-stock SKUs — including over 57,300 exclusive titles across compact discs, vinyl LPs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and video games — Alliance offers the largest selection of physical media in the market. Our vast catalog also includes licensed merchandise, toys, retro gaming products, and collectibles, serving over 35,000 retail locations and powering e-commerce fulfillment for leading retailers. The company's growing collectibles portfolio includes Handmade by Robots™, a stylized vinyl figure line featuring licensed characters from leading entertainment franchises. Leveraging decades of operational expertise, exclusive licensing partnerships, and a capital-light, scalable infrastructure, Alliance is a trusted partner to the world's top entertainment brands and retailers. Our omnichannel platform connects collectors and fans to the products, franchises, and experiences they love — across formats and generations. For more information, visit www.aent.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this Press Release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "should," "would," "plan," "predict," "potential," "seem," "seek," "future," "outlook," and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether identified in this Press Release, and on the current expectations of Alliance's management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Alliance. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including risks relating to the anticipated growth rates and market opportunities; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the ability of Alliance to execute its business model, including market acceptance of its systems and related services; Alliance's reliance on a concentration of suppliers for its products and services; increases in Alliance's costs, disruption of supply, or shortage of products and materials; Alliance's dependence on a concentration of customers, and failure to add new customers or expand sales to Alliance's existing customers; increased Alliance inventory and risk of obsolescence; Alliance's significant amount of indebtedness; our ability to refinance our existing indebtedness; our ability to continue as a going concern absent access to sources of liquidity; risks that a breach of the revolving credit facility could result in the lender declaring a default and that the full outstanding amount under the revolving credit facility could be immediately due in full, which would have severe adverse consequences for the Company; known or future litigation and regulatory enforcement risks, including the diversion of time and attention and the additional costs and demands on Alliance's resources; Alliance's business being adversely affected by increased inflation, uncertainty regarding tariffs, higher interest rates and other adverse economic, business, and/or competitive factors; geopolitical risk and changes in applicable laws or regulations; as well as our financial condition and results of operations; substantial regulations, which are evolving, and unfavorable changes or failure by Alliance to comply with these regulations; product liability claims, which could harm Alliance's financial condition and liquidity if Alliance is not able to successfully defend or insure against such claims; availability of additional capital to support business growth; and the inability of Alliance to develop and maintain effective internal controls.

For investor inquiries, please contact:

Dave Gentry

RedChip Companies, Inc.

1-800-REDCHIP (733-2447)

1-407-644-4256

[email protected]

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