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Although Solana is often discussed in the same breath as Bitcoin and Ethereum, it hasn’t yet reached their level of mainstream investor interest or explosive price action.

That said, a recent development could very well put Solana next in line for its institutional moment.

ETF analyst Nate Geraci noted that a flurry of applications for Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with staking were filed on Friday.

The applications came from some of the biggest names in the industry, including Franklin, CoinShares, Bitwise, Fidelity, Grayscale, Canary, and VanEck.

Most interestingly, Geraci pointed out that these ETFs could be approved within the next two weeks.

Read on as we unpack Solana’s brewing ETF momentum, what it could mean for the token and its price, and why buying Snorter Token ($SNORT) could be the best way to ride this rally.

ETF Approval: The Missing Catalyst for Solana
As mentioned earlier, Solana hasn’t yet unlocked the level of mainstream success that Bitcoin or Ethereum enjoy, and that could be a gap waiting to be filled.

Asset managers at Pantera Capital highlighted that ETF launches accelerated adoption of BTC and ETH, and the same could be the case with Solana.

Currently, Bitcoin has 43 ETFs and 165 public companies holding BTC, while Ethereum has 21 ETFs and 16 public companies holding ETH.

Compare this to Solana, which is still in its early days – there isn’t a comparable Solana ETF yet, and only 5 public companies currently hold SOL.

With institutions under-allocated to SOL relative to BTC and ETH, a Solana ETF approval could be the spark this token needs to realize its full potential.

Now here’s the kicker: investing directly into Solana is undoubtedly the most obvious way to benefit from the crypto’s bright future.

That said, in crypto, the success of these mainstream blockchains often ends up spurring the growth of related tokens.

With that in mind, Snorter Token ($SNORT), which is arguably the best Solana meme coin at the moment, stands to benefit the most from the crypto’s upcoming rally.

Snorter is a trading bot currently in development that aims to give meme coin traders the ultimate tool to go toe-to-toe with the institutional players who currently dominate the space.

Snorter Is Changing the Meme Coin Trading Space
What is Snorter Token? $SNORT is the native cryptocurrency of the Snorter Telegram Bot, which stands out thanks to its sub-second swiping and rock-solid security infrastructure.

For starters, it lets you place buy and sell, limit, and stop orders well before liquidity kicks in for a new meme coin.

And when it finally does, it automatically executes those orders almost instantaneously. This allows you, a retail participant, to finally ride those initial meme coin pumps, which are easily the most profitable.

Consider why this is game-changing: up until now, institutional players with advanced tools and algorithms ate up all the liquidity, and therefore all the profits, leaving nothing for the average person.

Snorter changes this game and finally brings parity to the meme coin market, which has grown over 25% in just the last year and could arguably be the biggest beneficiary of crypto’s expanding footprint.

This is also why, according to our Snorter Token price prediction, the token could reach $0.94 by the end of 2025.

That means if you invest $100 into the token right now – while it’s in presale and available at super low prices – you could potentially walk away with $900 in just a few months.

Snorter Offers Top-Notch Security & Ease of Use
Snorter’s security is a thing of beauty. It’s laced with features to protect you against all big and small on-chain threats, from front-running and rug pulls to honeypots and even sophisticated sandwich attacks.

On top of that, it’s also one of the easiest-to-use trading bots available right now.

Since it’s based on Telegram, all you have to do to place your orders is send commands (which are essentially messages) in the familiar Telegram chat interface.

It’s also worth noting that Snorter comes with a handy copy-trading feature.

As the name suggests, it lets you connect your wallet to that of seasoned blockchain traders, meaning every trade they take will also be mimicked on your own account, without you having to lift a finger.

This allows you to make some decent profits in a hands-off manner. That said, it’s very important to choose the right expert to copy-trade your account.

We also suggest thinking of this feature as a form of guidance – something to help you learn – before you begin trading independently.

Buy $SNORT Now for Maximum Gains
Buying Snorter Token would give you front-row seats to the bot’s growth, which has all the potential to follow an explosive curve, given the growing legitimacy around meme coins and the number of people now viewing them as serious trading instruments.

Even better, if you’re a $SNORT holder, you’ll unlock exclusive benefits while using the trading bot. These include:

No daily sniping limits
Access to advanced analytics
Reduced trading fees of just 0.85% (compared to 1.5% charged to non-holders)
Staking rewards currently yielding 114%

This new cryptocurrency project is currently in presale, having already raised over $4.1M from early investors.

Arguably the best part is that each token is still available for just $0.1063. Interested? Here’s our detailed guide on how to buy Snorter Token.

Visit Snorter Token’s official website to learn more about its benefits, roadmap, and tokenomics.

Disclaimer: Crypto investments are highly risky. None of the above constitutes financial advice, so kindly do your own research before investing.

Authored by Krishi Chowdhary, Bitcoinist – https://bitcoinist.com/solana-staking-etfs-approval-in-2-weeks-why-snort-biggest-beneficiary

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

Cover image via U.Today

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

Sellers keep controlling the initiative on the last day of the week, according to CoinMarketCap.

Top coins by CoinMarketCapDOGE/USDThe price of DOGE has fallen by 1.63% over the last day.

Image by TradingViewOn the hourly chart, the rate of DOGE is returning to the local support of $0.2258. If a breakout happens, the decline is likely to continue to the $0.2250 zone by tomorrow.

Image by TradingViewOn the bigger time frame, the situation is similar.

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The rate of DOGE is closer to the support than to the resistance level. If buyers cannot seize the initiative, traders may witness a breakout, followed by an ongoing drop to the $0.21-$0.2150 range.

Image by TradingViewFrom the midterm point of view, the price of the meme coin keeps going down after a false breakout of the resistance of $0.2929. If the weekly bar closes with a short wick, there is a high chance of a test of the $0.20 zone soon.

DOGE is trading at $0.2261 at press time.

TLDR:

Skynet uses Sui’s fast blockchain to run AI agents that process payments and data without central control.
Developers can deploy user-specific AI agents with strong privacy protections on Sui’s scalable network.
The platform links Web2 APIs like Stripe or AWS to blockchain-based AI, bridging old and new systems.
Skynet is described as a nervous system for decentralized AI, enabling autonomous actions in real time.

Decentralized AI is taking a new step forward with Skynet’s integration on the Sui blockchain. The project introduces a system where AI agents can act independently, interact with real-world services, and even process payments without middlemen. 

Its builders describe it as an open, collaborative network that connects digital intelligence with real-world tools. This approach promises faster execution and secure data handling. Crypto investors are watching closely as new infrastructure like this gains traction.

How Skynet Works on the Sui Blockchain
MartyParty, a crypto analyst, shared that Skynet is being built as a dual-platform system on Sui. 

The first layer lets developers deploy AI agents that can act in the real world. These agents could run trades, control connected devices, or handle logistics workflows without a centralized gatekeeper.

Skynet on Sui: The Next-Gen Decentralized AI Infrastructure

Based on recent developments in the crypto and AI space, "Skynet SUI" refers to a decentralized AI agent platform being built on the @SuiNetwork blockchain (native token: $SUI). It's a collaborative, permissionless… https://t.co/KRht5DVTh6

— MartyParty (@martypartymusic) September 28, 2025

The second layer focuses on compatibility with existing Web2 services. It translates APIs from platforms such as Stripe or AWS so that AI agents can use them directly. This means agents could handle billing or cloud data access without exposing private credentials.

Privacy remains central to the system’s design. Developers can spin up agents per user, isolating sensitive data from outside parties. This design also enables scalability since every user gets a private environment without slowing down the network.

Sui’s architecture supports these operations with low-latency execution and parallel processing. This is key for AI agents that need to act quickly in live scenarios like financial markets or connected devices.

Why Sui’s Speed Matters for AI
Sui Network is known for its high throughput and horizontal scaling. This makes it well-suited for workloads where speed and security must work together. MartyParty noted that this is what makes Sui an ideal home for Skynet’s infrastructure.

Low-latency means agents can respond to events almost instantly. That matters for use cases like algorithmic trading, where milliseconds can impact price execution. It also matters for IoT or robotics use cases where real-time feedback loops are critical.

Parallel processing lets multiple AI agents run at the same time without creating network congestion. This could open the door for thousands of independent agents working across finance, logistics, and Web3 gaming simultaneously.

For crypto developers, this setup means they can build and scale without rewriting their entire stack. It lowers friction for onboarding new AI-driven dApps and services.

Sun, 28/09/2025 - 12:44

XRP set for 16% breakout against Bitcoin, Bollinger Bands signal

Cover image via U.Today

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

Following an explosive rally of 320% at the beginning of the year, it seemed that XRP's outperformance of Bitcoin had come to an end. Currently, one XRP token is estimated to be worth 0.00002541 BTC, which is 25.81% below its peak value.

For many, this marked the end, but Bollinger Bands support the opposite thesis — and they do so on the weekly timescale. XRP has just defended its mid-band versus Bitcoin on the weekly chart, making the scenario of testing the higher band at 0.000026 BTC more probable for now.

This would be 16% higher than the current price.

HOT Stories

XRP/BTC on Binance by TradingViewIt is all about chart mechanics. When a pair holds the weekly mid-band, it signals not collapse but the possibility of reaching the top band. That's what's on the table now: 0.000026 as the next target price.

Had the defense failed, the conversation would already be about 0.000021, but it didn’t. The ratio stayed alive.

XRP, Bitcoin and dollarIn the meantime, Bitcoin is trading at six-figure prices and Ethereum is holding at around $4,000. However, none of this explains why XRP at $2.78 is such a big deal. The ratio does.

Traders who only look at the dollar chart miss the fact that XRP has a clean 16% gap above it before resistance even shows up. The whole play is this: The mid-band held, the upper band is in sight.

If XRP/BTC breaks into that zone, it won't just be a random candle. It will be the first serious confirmation in months that this pair is alive and well. The weekly bands are already pointing the way.

Related articles

Key NotesCathie Wood compared Hyperliquid to Solana’s early breakout years.VanEck CEO Jan van Eck praised HYPE’s technology and governance.HYPE trades 26% below its ATH, with $40–41 acting as key support.
ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood compared decentralized perpetuals exchange Hyperliquid to Solana’s early breakout years, calling it “the new kid on the block.”

While speaking on the Master Investor podcast, Wood called Hyperliquid “exciting,” adding that the DEX reminds her of Solana in the earlier days.

“Solana has proven its worth and is, you know, there with the big boys,” Wood said, revealing that ARK currently focuses its crypto exposure on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

She sees the rise of decentralized exchanges (DEXs) reshaping trading infrastructure in the near future.

Institutional Endorsements Fuel Momentum
Hyperliquid has also caught the attention of traditional finance heavyweights. Earlier this month, VanEck CEO Jan van Eck praised the Layer 1 blockchain’s “advanced technology and decentralized governance.”

He confirmed that VanEck has an active role in ecosystem governance and research for Hyperliquid. The asset manager hinted at future partnerships, showing significant demand for DEX infrastructures.

Hype Price Analysis: Chart Analysis
HYPE reached an all-time high of $59.39 earlier in September but has since corrected to $43.77, marking a 26% pullback.

The daily chart shows the token breaking below its rising wedge pattern, a typically bearish signal, with price now testing the lower Bollinger Band near $40.65.

Meanwhile, the RSI sits at 41.55, leaning toward oversold conditions but not yet signaling reversal strength. The MACD shows bearish momentum, while the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) has dipped into negative territory, suggesting outflows.

HYPE daily chart breaking down from rising wedge | Source: TradingView

Interestingly, if HYPE can reclaim the $45–47 range and flip $51.36 (20-day moving average) into support, upside targets include the $55 level and a potential retest of the all-time high at $59.39.

A breakout above that resistance zone could open the door toward $62–70 in the medium term.

Failure to hold the $40–41 support zone risks deeper losses. A breakdown below $40 could expose $35, with further downside toward $30 if bearish momentum accelerates.

Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

Altcoin News, Cryptocurrency News, News

A crypto journalist with over 5 years of experience in the industry, Parth has worked with major media outlets in the crypto and finance world, gathering experience and expertise in the space after surviving bear and bull markets over the years. Parth is also an author of 4 self-published books.

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The SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF should top the list for dividend-seeking investors.

Earning income from your investments can prove fruitful in building wealth. And you don't have to start with a lot of money to receive passive income; you can start small and build up your positions over time.

With the Federal Reserve recently cutting short-term interest rates and indicating further reductions are due over the next couple of years, getting high interest rates from vehicles like savings accounts has become more challenging.

Given the lower-rate environment, dividends from stocks should play a larger role in your passive-income portfolio. You can accomplish this with exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investing in a portfolio of equities allows you to achieve diversification, while ETFs also provide the liquidity of a stock since they trade throughout the day.

However, you shouldn't get fooled into thinking that you'll have no work to do. You still have to choose the right ETF. Given the current interest rate environment and potential for volatile market conditions, the SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD 0.91%) should top your list of candidates if you're looking for passive income.

Image source: Getty Images.

What does the ETF invest in?
The SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF tracks the S&P 500 High Dividend Index, which consists of 80 stocks with high yields. Interestingly, the index assigns equal weight to each stock rather than weighting by market capitalization.

The ETF has its largest investment in the real estate sector, with a 22.4% allocation. Other major sector allocations include consumer staples (16.7%), financials (15.5%), utilities (12.9%), and heathcare (8%).

By comparison, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, which tracks the S&P 500, has a very different sector allocation. The portfolio has the largest amount invested in the information technology sector at 34.6%. That's followed by financials (13.6%), consumer discretionary (10.5%), communication services (10.4%), and healthcare (8.8%).

As you might expect, the differing sector weighting results in different yields. The SPDR S&P 500 High Dividend ETF has a 4.7% yield, while the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust yields 1.1%.

A low fee structure
The SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF invests passively. That means it can charge low fees since it doesn't have to pay a lot of money to run the fund, including to portfolio managers.

The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.07%. That's how much it costs to run the fund, and it reduces your return. All else equal, the lower the expense ratio, the better the return to investors.

A 0.07% expense ratio means that for every $100 invested, the fund subtracts just seven cents. That's even better than many equity index ETFs, which had an average expense ratio of 0.14% in 2024, according to the Investment Company Institute.

Risk and return
Over the last five years through Aug. 31, the SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF returned an annualized 14.8%. By comparison, the S&P 500 ETF produced a 14.6% return during this time.

However, the underlying S&P 500 High Yield Index had higher volatility at 18.2%, versus 16% for the S&P 500. Hence, during this period, the latter produced a better risk-adjusted return, as measured by the Sharpe ratio.

But given each index's composition, the falling interest rate environment, and the SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF's focus on dividend-paying stocks, it looks poised to produce strong returns and lower volatility compared to the S&P 500.

Lawrence Rothman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

These stocks have reacted to AI in surprising ways, but investors should also consider their future prospects.

As tech investors have observed, artificial intelligence (AI) propelled many stocks higher since the release of OpenAI's GPT-4. Thanks to the gains sparked by this technology, several individual stocks and the stock indexes reached record highs in recent trading sessions.

This has to many AI stocks setting new all-time highs. Also, Grand View Research forecasts a 32% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the AI sector through 2033, leading to questions about what comes next, especially for individual stocks in this sector. With that question in mind, three analysts from The Motley Fool share their insights on some of the most critical AI stocks and where they are likely to go from here.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Nvidia will likely exceed $200 billion in sales this fiscal year
Jake Lerch (Nvidia): My choice is Nvidia (NVDA 0.27%). There's no doubt in my mind that Nvidia -- more than any other company -- has been the prime beneficiary of the AI revolution. After all, this is a company that, in just a few years, has risen to become the largest company by market capitalization in the world.

So, what are investors to make of Nvidia? What is the ceiling for the company? Or is there no ceiling at all?

Obviously, the answers to these questions revolve around the AI ecosystem and Nvidia's prime role within it. If the AI revolution continues to roll on, so will Nvidia. If AI investment slows or collapses, Nvidia's stock will tumble. Moreover, what if new competitors challenge Nvidia's enormous lead within the graphics processing unit (GPU) market?

First, there are legitimate concerns about the amount of spending on AI infrastructure -- and what return on investment (ROI) companies will get from it. Meta Platforms, Tesla, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and many others are investing billions in AI infrastructure -- much of it in the form of Nvidia's advanced GPUs. These companies each have their own unique vision for utilizing their AI resources and their own ROI expectations.

For the moment, there is no sign that their ROI isn't measuring up. Indeed, the escalating scale of the investments suggests that ROIs are even better than expected.

Second, it's true that competitors will eventually close the gap on Nvidia. That is the nature of capitalism. However, the question remains how long that process will take to play out. According to estimates compiled by Yahoo! Finance, Nvidia is expected to generate $206 billion in revenue for the fiscal year (the 12 months ending Jan. 27, 2026), and nearly $275 billion in the following 12 months.

So, competition will eventually emerge. Still, it is not expected to substantially impact Nvidia's growth over the next 18 months.

Nvidia remains the top dog in both the AI sector and the broader stock market. Overall, AI investment remains robust, suggesting that companies are reaping substantial benefits from their AI spending. Finally, Nvidia's competitors remain years off from fully challenging the company's strong sales growth. In short, Nvidia remains an AI stock superstar.

2. Investors must weigh company gains against stock growth in this stock
Will Healy (Palantir): Palantir Technologies (PLTR -0.83%) has been an AI company since its inception. The technology played a critical role in delivering analytical insights in the national security and commercial sectors.

More recently, the launch of its generative AI-based Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) undoubtedly supercharged these capabilities. Numerous customers from diverse enterprises reported eye-popping productivity gains. Amid such improvements, Palantir's stock is up by nearly 370% over the last year.

Unfortunately for bulls in this stock, its financials call into question the near-term direction of Palantir stock. In the first half of 2025, Palantir earned a net income attributable to common shareholders of $541 million, a 126% yearly gain.

While that is an impressive amount of growth by any measure, it fell short of the gains in the stock price. Consequently, Palantir reached stratospheric valuations. Even if investors can dismiss the 592 P/E ratio, its price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 131 is far removed from the S&P 500's average sales multiple of 3.4.

Does this mean Palantir's stock is headed for a crash, or at least a pause? Not necessarily, as it is always possible that it will beat expectations or find some other factor that will propel the stock higher.

The problem with these valuations is that they price Palantir stock for perfection. That means any hint of negative news could trigger a massive sell-off, making it extremely risky to buy the stock at current prices.

Amid that possibility, investors should probably refrain from putting new money to work in Palantir. Additionally, if one's risk tolerance does not lend itself to owning such an expensive stock, they should consider selling.

3. Don't write off Apple as an AI powerhouse just yet
Justin Pope (Apple): Iconic electronics titan Apple (AAPL -0.57%) has faced considerable criticism for its lackluster rollout of AI iOS features it had dubbed Apple Intelligence.

It was supposed to be an easy layup -- there are over 2.35 billion active iOS devices worldwide. Successfully bringing AI to Apple users would have almost assured the company's place as a top AI company, where next-generation technology would further enhance its already sticky ecosystem.

Unfortunately, Apple dropped the ball. The company has struggled to ship first-party AI features and has since delayed its launch of an upgraded Siri, Apple's virtual personal assistant, to a 2026 release date. But don't write Apple off just yet. The company continues to specialize in bringing refined, quality hardware products to market, allowing its iOS ecosystem to shine.

Apple just launched its latest iPhone models: the 17, 17 Pro, and Pro Max, as well as a new, slim-design model, the iPhone Air. According to early indications, Apple may be in for a strong hardware cycle. The CEO of T-Mobile recently noted that iPhone sales are at an all-time high. Industry experts also pointed out strong demand for the new iPhone lineup.

While Apple must ultimately deliver a working and compelling slate of AI features for its devices, it's clear that Apple's core hardware products haven't lost their fastball. That should give the company time to figure out AI and keep the stock on the radar of any investor looking for some AI upside, but would rather stick with a blue-chip winner versus rolling the dice on unproven or speculative AI stocks.

Jake Lerch has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, and Tesla. Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Will Healy has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends T-Mobile US and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Costco (COST -2.92%) reported its quarterly financial results, which alleviated many concerns among stock market investors.

Due to their continuous 24/7/365 operations, data centers consume electricity constantly.

Generating dividend income from stocks is a great way to stay invested in the market while boosting your passive income stream.

Dividend stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with high yields are excellent ways to generate passive income. But even a high-yield passive income stream doesn't look all that impressive when the S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.59%) is notching big-time returns.

Therefore, the best way to approach investing in dividend stocks and dividend-paying ETFs isn't to try to beat the market in a given year, but rather to achieve a financial goal, such as a certain amount of passive income or supplementing retirement income. Investors interested in ways to generate income from stocks, no matter what the market is doing, have come to the right place.

Investing $28,000 into equal parts of ExxonMobil (XOM 1.35%), Whirlpool (WHR -0.07%), and the Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU 1.42%) should help you generate at least $1,000 in annual dividend income. Here's what makes these two high-yield dividend stocks and one low-cost ETF top buys in October.

Image source: Getty Images.

ExxonMobil has grown its dividend for decades, and it doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon
Scott Levine (ExxonMobil): High-yield dividend stocks are a great way to put you on the path to growing your personal wealth. High-yield dividend stocks that are also backed by management teams committed to continue rewarding shareholders for years to come is a winning combination that's hard to beat. For investors whose interests are piqued with the prospect of such an opportunity, ExxonMobil stock -- along with its 3.4% forward-yielding dividend -- will seem particularly alluring.

For 42 consecutive years, ExxonMobil has raised its payout to shareholders. That's no small accomplishment, considering the fact that the energy sector stalwart also must ensure that it remains in solid financial health amid the cyclical nature of energy prices. Over the past four decades, management has navigated this dynamic extremely well, and it remains committed to continue doing so in the years to come. During an investor presentation in May, management stated explicitly, "We know how important the dividend is, especially to our retail shareholders. We're committed to maintaining a sustainable, competitive, and growing dividend long into the future."

Experienced investors know the perils of blindly taking a company's words at face value and not digging deeper. Skeptics, therefore, will find reassurance from the fact that the company has averaged a conservative 68% payout ratio over the past five years.

XOM Normal Dividends Paid (Annual) data by YCharts.

Plus, the company consistently generates ample free cash flow from which it can source its dividend.

Investors motivated to ramp up their income streams will surely find ExxonMobil, a leading oil dividend stock, to be a keen way to grease the wheels of their passive-income machines.

The recent sell-off is a buying opportunity
Lee Samaha (Whirlpool): The Federal Reserve cut rates recently, and the market promptly sold off Whirlpool stock. While the logic may seem perplexing, after all, Whirlpool is an interest rate-sensitive stock that will do better in a lower rate environment; it reflects how many investors invest on the basis of "buy on the rumor, sell on the news." In this case, the "rumor," which later became the "news," is the rate cut.

All of which is perfectly fair in love and war, and investing, too, for that matter. Still, investors may regret rushing to sell out of Whirlpool as the case for the stock doesn't just rest on a lower-rate environment stimulating housing sales and, in turn, discretionary purchases of major domestic appliances by homeowners preparing for a sale or new buyers moving in.

Lower rates will help, but the key to the investment case lies in the positive change in its competitive positioning when the full effect of the tariffs imposed on its Asian competitors takes hold in the future. As a reminder, its rivals have been merrily preloading the market in 2025, first ahead of the Trump presidency launching "Liberation Day" tariffs in early April, and second after the 90-day pause (which ended on Aug. 1 for many countries) was imposed.

That has created a fiercely competitive pricing environment, and Whirlpool has had to lower its earnings expectations for 2025. That said, the tariff landscape now strongly favors domestic producers like Whirlpool, and the company should start to see the benefit of it when its competitors' inventory is sold off through 2025 and into 2026. Throw in a 4.7% dividend yield, and the stock is attractive to both income-seeking and speculative investors.

AI's demand for power benefits the utilities sector
Daniel Foelber (Vanguard Utilities ETF): The stock market sectors that typically benefit the most from bull markets accelerate their earnings growth from innovation, favorable business conditions, tax policy, etc. The usual suspects are technology, communications, industrials, and financials. You'll find all of those sectors up over 10% year to date. But the utility sector is hovering around all-time highs and even outperforming the S&P 500.

^SPCMSVSS data by YCharts

Utilities tend to be a safe and stodgy sector that underperforms during bull markets and outperforms during bear markets or when investor risk appetite is muted. The sector is dominated by electric utilities, especially regulated electric utilities. These companies work with government agencies to set fair prices for customers. In exchange, they benefit from steady cash flow and the need for more power.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally changed the investment for utilities. The grid is simply too constrained to handle the power demands of AI. Which is why investors are excited about companies with solutions that function off-grid, like small modular nuclear reactors by NuScale Power and Oklo.

Hyperscalers are spending a fortune on compute through capital expenditures toward data centers and infrastructure build-out. Power is an integral part of the equation. For example, Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) is bringing over 70 data centers online in just a few years. Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) just landed a $100 billion strategic partnership with OpenAI to build a staggering 10 gigawatts of compute power that would feature 4 million to 5 million graphics processing units.

The hyperscalers and chipmakers get a lot of attention in headline AI news. But it would be a mistake to overlook the immense opportunity this creates for the utility sector. However, due to the regulated nature of many top electric utilities, there is limited upside potential from AI compared to AI stocks like Oracle, Broadcom, or Nvidia. Still, the utility sector provides a catch-all way to bet on increased power demand from commercial, industrial, and residential customers.

The Vanguard Utilities ETF is one of the simplest ways to invest in the sector. With a dirt-cheap expense ratio of 0.09%, the ETF's fees are just 9 cents for every $100 invested. Many utilities have regional focuses. So an ETF provides a way to invest in the general demand for more power in the U.S. rather than just betting big on one region. And with a 2.8% yield, the sector also provides a solid source of passive income. Whereas many AI growth stocks have low yields or don't pay dividends at all.

Daniel Foelber has positions in Nvidia. Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia and Oracle. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom, NuScale Power, and Whirlpool. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Palantir has been one of the best-performing S&P 500 stocks this year.

Palantir Technologies (PLTR -0.83%) has been a genius investment this year. The stock is up over 140%, placing it in the top five best-performing stocks in the S&P 500.

However, with a run like that, many investors may be questioning whether right now is a good time to invest in Palantir. I think there's one primary reason that makes it clear what investors should do, and it's only a matter of time before Palantir's stock makes a sizable move as a result.

Image source: Palantir.

Palantir's growth rate shows no signs of slowing down
Palantir's software is centered around artificial intelligence-powered data analytics. Originally, this software was intended for government use, and this is still a massive chunk of Palantir's business today. However, it expanded onto the commercial side and is seeing widespread adoption in this area as well.

One of Palantir's biggest growth drivers is its AIP product. AIP allows users to automate workflows through AI agents and also incorporates generative AI into its existing products.

This software package resulted in rapid growth for Palantir. In Q2, Palantir's revenue rose 48% year over year -- an acceleration from previous growth rates.

PLTR Revenue (Quarterly YoY Growth) data by YCharts

The most promising segment is Palantir's U.S. commercial, which experienced 93% year-over-year growth to $306 million with only 485 customers. That's a small customer base, so it seems like Palantir has a ton of room to expand. However, Palantir's software isn't for everyone, as the average annual cost of this software for this cohort is $2.52 million.

There aren't a ton of businesses that can spend $2.5 million a year on a software package, so this limits the potential client base. Still, there are plenty of companies that can adopt Palatinir's technology, and this should lead to further growth.

But will it be enough to justify its valuation?

Palantir's growth rate doesn't justify its valuation
From the start of 2023 until now, Palantir's revenue has risen by 81%. However, the stock has risen by 2,740%. That's a gross mismatch between stock and business performance, and points toward Palantir's valuation drastically rising as the primary factor in its stock performance.

With the stock trading at 134 times sales and 284 times forward earnings, this thesis is confirmed.

PLTR PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

Few stocks ever reach those valuation levels, let alone a company that isn't doubling or tripling its revenue each quarter.

For example, Nvidia posted several quarters in a row where its revenue more than tripled. Even now, it's growing at a quicker pace (its revenue rose 56% year over year in Q2). However, the stock never traded for more than 50 times sales or 50 times forward earnings, yet Palantir's valuation is currently far higher than that.

This points toward the stock being in a bubble, as Palantir will need to post several years of incredible growth before today's price makes any sense. I predict one of two things will happen with the stock. First, sometime over the next few years, Palantir's bubble will pop, and the stock will come crashing down. I'm not sure when that will happen, but with a valuation like that, it's impossible to live up to expectations. Second, Palantir's stock may not have a dramatic fall, but the stock may post underperforming results as it struggles to live up to high expectations.

Either way, I don't think Palantir is a great place to invest right now. The stock may continue going up, but that's because hype rather than actual business results drives it. Palantir's business is still doing phenomenally, but I want no part in the stock because it's far too richly valued.

Keithen Drury has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a lawsuit has been filed against Lineage, Inc. (NASDAQ: LINE) and certain of the Company’s senior executives and directors for potential violations of the federal securities laws.

If you invested in Lineage, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/lineage-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

Investors have until September 30, 2025, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 on behalf of investors who purchased stock pursuant and/or traceable to Lineage’s registration statement for its initial public offering held on or about July 25, 2024. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and is captioned City of St. Clair Shores Police and Fire Retirement System v. Lineage, Inc., et al., No. 2:25-cv-12383.

Why Was Lineage Sued Under the Federal Securities Laws?

Lineage is a cold storage focused real estate investment trust (“REIT”). Through its Global Warehousing Segment, Lineage owns and operates hundreds of temperature-controlled storage facilities used by companies to store food and other perishable products.

As alleged, Lineage’s IPO documents touted its “consistent cold chain demand,” which purportedly provided Lineage “with strong cash flows even during periods of broader economic stress.” The IPO documents also represented that the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic had “accelerated trends that . . . have the potential to be growth engines for the industry in coming years.”

In truth, Lineage was allegedly in the midst of a sustained downturn, as its customers destocked excess inventory built up during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also shifted to leaner inventories on a go-forward basis and as more cold-storage supply came on line.

Events Following the IPO

On February 26, 2025, Lineage announced its fiscal Q4 2024 financial results, revealing that customers had been “unwinding” previously “overbuil[t]” levels of inventory, returning to a “more normal seasonal pattern” that was expected to “continue moving forward.” Lineage conducted its IPO at $78 per share. Since the IPO, the price of Lineage stock has fallen dramatically, to lows near $40 per share—approximately half the IPO price.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/lineage-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in Lineage you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/lineage-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:
Ross Shikowitz
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/lineage-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces an investigation into CarMax, Inc. (NYSE: KMX) for potential violations of the federal securities laws.

If you invested in CarMax, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/carmax-inc-class-action.

Why Is CarMax being Investigated?

CarMax sells used cars. During the relevant period, the Company touted the strong and sustainable demand for its cars, driven by factors such as a seamless customer experience.

In truth, it appears that the announcement of U.S. tariffs imposed on cars provided a short-term boost to demand, as customers purchased cars prior to the tariffs taking effect.

The Stock Declines as the Truth Is Revealed

On September 25, 2025, the Company reported earnings for fiscal Q2 2025.  For that quarter, CarMax announced sales declines across the board, including a 5.4% decline in retail used unit sales, a 6.3% decline in comparable store used unit sales, and a 2.2% decline in wholesale units.  The Company also posted a disappointing Q2 net earnings of about $95.4 million, down from $132.8 million over the prior year.  A main reason for the declines, according to CarMax, was a “pull forward” in demand into Q1 due to the announcement of tariffs.  On this news, the price of CarMax stock fell $11.45 per share, or roughly 20%, from $57.05 per share on September 24, 2025, to $45.60 per share on September 25, 2025.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/carmax-inc-class-action.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in CarMax you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/carmax-inc-class-action

Or contact:
Ross Shikowitz
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/carmax-inc-class-action

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Over the past few years, a handful of high-profile companies saw their market caps top $1 trillion. Many of those stocks -- including Microsoft, Nvidia, and Amazon -- were in the tech sector. Amazon, the top cloud infrastructure company, also became the first online retailer to join the 12-zero club.

Yet not a single brick-and-mortar retailer has joined that elite group. Could Costco Wholesale (COST -2.92%), with a market cap of $420 billion, cross that threshold in the near future?

Image source: Getty Images.

How fast has Costco grown since its public debut?
Costco, the world's largest warehouse club retailer, went public at a split-adjusted price of $1.67 per share on Dec. 5, 1985. Today, it trades at about $950 -- a $1,000 investment in its initial public offering (IPO) would be worth nearly $569,000 today and pay out more than $3,100 in annual dividends. That 56,786% gain over the past 40 years was driven by its constant construction of new warehouses, its rising number of cardholders, and its high renewal rates.

From fiscal 1985 (which ended in September 1985) to fiscal 2024, Costco's number of warehouses increased from 11 to 891 locations, its number of cardholders jumped from 1.3 million to 136.8 million, and its annual revenue grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% from $1.1 billion to $254.4 billion.

How does Costco keep expanding?
Costco generates most of its profits from its high-margin membership fees, which allows it to sell a lot of its products at low, break-even, or even loss-leading margins. It also leverages its scale to negotiate favorable bulk rates with its suppliers, and it promotes its own Kirkland private-label products as a cheaper alternative to name-brand products.

Costco carries a narrower selection of products than superstores like Walmart, but it constantly rotates them to draw its shoppers back for return visits. Its gas stations, food court, vision center, and other ancillary services reinforce that strategy. So as long as Costco keeps growing its comparable store sales, opening new warehouses, gaining new cardholders, and locking them in with high renewal rates, its business will flourish. All of those core growth metrics headed in the right direction over the past few years -- even as the pandemic, inflation, rising interest rates, geopolitical conflicts, and other macro headwinds rattled the global economy.

Metric

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

Adjusted* comps growth

9.2%

13.4%

10.6%

5.2%

5.9%

7.6%

Total warehouses

795

815

838

861

890

914

Total cardholders (millions)

105.5

116.1

118.9

127.9

136.8

-- **

Global renewal rate

88%

89%

90%

90.4%

90.5%

-- **

Data source: Costco. FY = fiscal year. *Excludes fuel sales and foreign exchange rates. **Not disclosed yet.

Costco weathered the pandemic because it remained a top destination for stocking up on household goods, while inflation drove more cost-conscious shoppers to its stores. It raised its membership fees for the first time in seven years last September to offset the inflationary pressure on its margins, but that price hike didn't impact its growth.

Costco hasn't reported its full-year earnings for fiscal 2025 yet, but it ended the third quarter with 142.8 million cardholders and a healthy global renewal rate of 90.2%. For the full year, analysts expect its revenue and earnings per share (EPS) to grow 8% and 9%, respectively.

Could Costco become a trillion-dollar company?
From fiscal 2024 to fiscal 2027, analysts expect Costco's revenue and earnings per share (EPS) to grow at a CAGR of 8% and 10%, respectively. That growth should be fueled by its ongoing overseas expansion, its rising e-commerce sales, and upgrades for its ancillary services.

We should take those estimates with a grain of salt, but Costco has a proven track record of expanding through bear and bull markets. But it isn't a bargain at 47 times next year's earnings -- presumably because too many investors bought it as a safe haven play in this choppy market. If Costco matches analysts' expectations, continues to grow its EPS at a CAGR of 10% over the following eight years, and trades at a more reasonable 30 times earnings, its stock could rise nearly 50% to $1,420 over the next 10 years.

That would be a decent gain, but it would only boost its market cap to $630 billion. It could also underperform the S&P 500, which has generated an average annual return of about 10% since its inception. So while Costco is still a stable investment, it's getting overheated and probably won't become a trillion-dollar retailer within the next decade.

Leo Sun has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Costco Wholesale, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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The Trump administration needs to strike multiple deals with U.S. miners to secure the nation's supply chain against China, said Mark Chalmers, CEO of Energy Fuels, a miner focused on uranium and rare earth minerals.

The Pentagon decision to take an equity stake in MP Materials, the largest U.S. rare earth miner, in July and support the company with a price floor surprised many in the industry, Chalmers told CNBC.

But it was a necessary step that the White House should now follow with more deals to diversify the U.S. supply chain and reduce the risk that would come with backing a single national champion, the CEO said.

"One company doesn't fix it," Chalmers said of the MP Materials deal. "You have to have multiple deals to ensure that you don't just have the company risk, because all companies aren't going to deliver."

The White House is "not ruling out other deals with equity stakes or price floors as we did with MP Materials, but that doesn't mean every initiative we take would be in the shape of the MP deal," a Trump administration official told CNBC.

Rare earths are key inputs in weapons platforms such as the F-35 warplane as well as consumer products like electric vehicles and smartphones. The U.S. is almost entirely dependent on China, which supplied 70% of rare earth imports in 2023, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. 

China has manipulated the market by suppressing prices to drive Western competition from the market, said Ryan Castilloux, founder of Adamas Intelligence, a critical mineral market research firm. The MP deal demonstrated that the U.S. is willing to break with free market ideals and push back against China by mimicking its model of strategic capitalism when necessary, Castilloux said.

"We've seen just how disadvantaged the free market view is versus a long term, industrial policy driven market — and something needed to give," Castilloux, an expert on critical minerals, told CNBC.

Possible rare earth targetsEnergy Fuels' stock has surged nearly 200% since the MP deal on July 10, as investors speculate that it could be a deal target for the Trump administration. Critical mineral miner NioCorp Developments is also up almost 200%, Ramaco Resources has gained 140%, and USA Rare Earth is up more than 70%.

MP Materials will likely need more heavy rare earths as it develops a second facility to make magnets under the Defense Department deal, Castilloux said. Heavy rare earths are needed to produce magnets that can withstand high temperatures in EV motors and defense industry applications, he said.

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Headquartered in Denver, Energy Fuels is the largest uranium miner in the U.S. and is forming a rare earth operation through mines it has acquired around the world. Its operation will produce heavy rare earths, Chalmers said.

Energy Fuels is focused on "providing a product that is attractive to the U.S government" and complements the strengths of MP Materials, the CEO said.

"The government cannot bet on one horse — it just doesn't make sense," Chalmers said. "We spend a lot of time in D.C. making sure they understand the merits of our strategy," he said.

Trump eyes lithiumOther critical minerals like lithium, cobalt and graphite are ripe for federal investment to smooth out volatile price fluctuations that undermine U.S. miners, said Rich Nolan, CEO of the National Mining Association. Those minerals are all used in batteries, among other applications.

The Trump administration has proposed an equity stake in Lithium Americas, as the Canadian company renegotiates the terms of a $2.2 billion loan from the Department of Energy for its Thacker Pass mine in northern Nevada. The mine is expected to become one of the largest sources of lithium in North America, with the first phase of the project scheduled to start operations in late 2027.

Lithium Americas stock surged more than 90% this week on news of the potential government stake.

Albemarle CEO Kent Masters told CNBC that something "in the ballpark" of the MP deal could apply to the lithium sector. Albemarle, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the largest lithium producers in the world.

"What you want to do is move the market such that private industry can invest behind it," Masters told CNBC in July, pointing to Apple's offtake agreement with MP just days after the Defense Department deal.

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Miners seek price floorsWhile it might take a government equity stake to move the market in some cases, the price floor established by the Pentagon in the MP deal is the "critical part" that allows private industry to invest and build out the supply chain, Masters said.

Price support from the federal government "sends a true market signal that these investments are long term, that they are here to stay," the National Mining Association's Nolan said.

Under the MP deal, the Pentagon set a price floor of $110 per kilogram for neodymium-praseodymium oxide, or NdPr, a key input in rare-earth magnets. The government pays MP the difference when the market price is below $110 but in turn takes 30% of the upside when the price is above $110.

The price of NdPr surged 40% in the wake of the MP deal, Castilloux said.

"It serves as a blueprint for any market where suppressed pricing is slanting the competitive playing field against the U.S. and its allies," the analyst said of the price floor. The deal signals that "there is a way to break free of China's artificially suppressed pricing," he said.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

A young girl named Gabby, alongside her menagerie of animated cat friends, is making the leap from streaming to the big screen.

Universal and DreamWorks Animation's "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie" is the latest kid's TV show to head to the box office, following in the footsteps of Paramount's Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants franchises.

"We felt like the franchise had gotten to the point where there was enough fandom to justify a theatrical event, and we wanted to expand the world," Margie Cohn, president of DreamWorks Animation, told CNBC.

Children's programming has become an increasingly important piece of the media landscape in recent years. As linear TV has given way to streaming, studios are looking for ways to drive and sustain subscriber growth. For "Gabby's Dollhouse," establishing a theatrical presence increases awareness of the brand, stirs up fresh excitement from existing fans and spurs new opportunities for products in the retail market.

"Gabby's Dollhouse," created by "Blue's Clues" veterans Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, launched on Netflix in 2021. It's already run for 11 seasons, and a 12th is on due out in November. Each season has six to 10 episodes, about 25 minutes each.

It's been the most-viewed streaming original series for kids this year, according to Nielsen.

Each episode begins with a live-action Gabby, played by Laila Lockhart Kraner, as she unboxes a miniature package that sparks an adventure in her magical dollhouse. She dons her cat-ear headband, shrinks down to become an animated character and joins her cat friends, called Gabby's cats. Like a lot of preschool shows, Gabby pauses to ask the audience questions and invite them to play along.

Those elements all appear in the full-length feature film, which arrived in theaters Friday. It melds animation and live-action, but at a bigger scale.

Cohn said the goal was to create a theatrical experience, akin to a "'Rocky Horror Picture Show' for little kids.' Invite them to sing, dance, clap."

"Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie" debuts at a time when the movie calendar has limited family-friendly options. The most recent major releases in this genre were Disney's "Freakier Friday" and Universal's "The Bad Guys 2," both of which were released in early August.

While there has been a steady stream of family-friendly fare in recent years, it comes after a considerable dry spell caused by the pandemic and dual Hollywood labor strikes shutting down production. At the same time, consumers' habits shifted as streaming services grew in popularity and studios shortened the time it took for movies released in cinemas to reach the home market.

But younger viewers are some of the most engaged, and a primary driver to get families out to the theater.

Kids are some of the most fervent streaming users, too, as they tend to watch the same content over and over again, leading to high engagement. That's why kid-friendly shows have offer a unique value proposition for studios even as traditional linear television and the theatrical landscape has become less reliable.

Presenting their favorite characters in more places can mean spreading the wealth and ultimately fueling their appetites for more.

"One need only look at the big screen-small screen synergies that were created by 'KPop Demon Hunters' to see how 'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' could similarly make the leap from a small screen 2021 series into a big screen cinematic event in 2025," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

Heading to the big screenA global theatrical release not only serves the strong domestic market, but extends the reach of "Gabby's Dollhouse" internationally. Cohn noted that Europe is one region where the show is gaining traction.

"As a relatively new franchise with notable reach into the marketing world aimed at today's youngest generations, this is a film that should capture the interest of that audience and continue showcasing its strengths as a fresh brand," said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory.

And it can be a relatively affordable way to extend a franchise's reach.

"Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie" had a production budget of just over $30 million, a small investment for the likes of Universal and DreamWorks Animation compared to other theatrical kids films. For example, franchise films from Disney's Pixar and Universal's other animation arm, Illumination, can cost upwards of $200 million to create.

"At DreamWorks, we know how to make a budget fit," Cohn said. "We make some really big, high-budget, all-audience animated films. But then we also do smaller films like 'Captain Underpants' or the most recent one with 'Dog Man.' We know how to make high-quality movies for a lower price point."

Paramount's two Paw Patrol films had similarly small budgets, according to media reports. "Paw Patrol: The Movie," released in 2021, generated $40 million domestically and more than $145 million globally, according to data from Comscore. Meanwhile, 2023's "Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie" collected $65 million domestically and $200 globally.

Box office analysts estimated "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie" would collect between $15 million and $25 million during its opening weekend.

More than just a movieWhile theatrical revenues are important, bringing "Gabby's Dollhouse" to the big screen is part of a wider strategy. The content is part of an interconnected ecosystem that includes toys, books, merchandise and live events.

"I came from Nickelodeon," Cohn said. "We studied the audience a lot, and we knew that they liked to watch a show, but then they wanted to play it, iterate on it, and experience the characters and ideas in their own way, in their own form. And so we developed the Gabby franchise to let them do just that."

DreamWorks partnered with toy company Spin Master to manufacture a line of toys tied to "Gabby's Dollhouse." The range of products includes playsets, figures, plush toys, games and puzzles. Since launching the line, Spin Master has sold nearly 3 million dollhouses tied to the show.

Cohn said DreamWorks Animation "nurtured and brewed success" for "Gabby's Dollhouse" with through the Spin Master partnership as well as through the production of YouTube shorts, grassroots marketing and a traveling live show presented by Walmart.

"The series just grew and grew and grew," Cohn said. "And then it gets to a certain point you're able to deliver on bigger strategic franchise expansion with live entertainment and shows in museums and presence in the parks and music, you know, all that comes when you have a property that kids respond to."

"Gabby's Dollhouse" has been a top five preschool toy property for five of the last eight quarters, according to data from Circana. It has been a top 10 property for 10 straight quarters.

In addition to toys, "Gabby's Dollhouse" has merchandise collections with Walmart, Target and Amazon, that include apparel, home goods, games and even toothbrushes. As the film heads to theaters, audiences will be able to buy themed popcorn buckets, drink tumblers and other specialty items.

The franchise has also become part of Universal's theme parks, with character meet-and-greets with Gabby and retail areas where guests can buy headbands, plush and apparel.

And Universal isn't stopping there. "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie" sets up a bigger future for Gabby and a potential spin-off series. As the film credits roll, Gabby puts the finishing touches on a new dollhouse — a dog dollhouse that she says her little sister will love.

When asked about what "Gabby Dollhouse" fans can expect following the reveal, Cohn teased, "You're gonna have to wait and see."

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of Fandango and NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC. Versant would become the new parent company of Fandango and CNBC upon Comcast's planned spinoff of Versant.

Jessie A Ellis
Sep 28, 2025 10:26

OM price trades at $0.17 with 0.97% daily gains, but technical indicators reveal oversold conditions as MANTRA tests critical support levels around $0.15.

Quick Take
• OM currently trading at $0.17 (+0.97% in 24h)
• MANTRA's RSI at 34.26 indicates oversold conditions with potential reversal signals
• No significant news events in past week, price action driven by technical factors

What's Driving MANTRA Price Today?
The OM price movement today appears primarily driven by technical factors rather than fundamental catalysts, with no significant news events reported in the past seven days. This absence of major announcements has left MANTRA's price action to be dictated by chart patterns and technical indicators.

The modest 0.97% gain in the past 24 hours represents a slight recovery attempt, but the broader context reveals MANTRA remains under significant pressure. Trading within a range of $0.16 to $0.19 over the past day, OM has struggled to break above key resistance levels while maintaining support near current levels.

Volume data from Binance spot market shows $17.7 million in daily trading activity, indicating moderate interest despite the lack of fundamental catalysts. This volume suggests traders are positioning based on technical levels rather than reacting to news flow.

OM Technical Analysis: Mixed Signals with Oversold Momentum
MANTRA technical analysis reveals a complex picture with several conflicting signals that traders need to carefully evaluate. The most prominent indicator is OM RSI at 34.26, placing MANTRA firmly in oversold territory. This RSI reading typically suggests selling pressure may be exhausted and a potential bounce could materialize.

However, MANTRA's moving averages paint a different story. The OM price currently sits below all major moving averages, with the SMA 20 at $0.20 and SMA 50 at $0.22 acting as immediate resistance levels. Most concerning is the vast gap to the SMA 200 at $1.26, highlighting the significant distance from longer-term bullish territory.

The MACD indicator for MANTRA shows bearish momentum with a reading of -0.0150, while the MACD histogram at -0.0032 confirms the negative trend continues. OM's Stochastic indicators (%K at 18.01, %D at 22.11) also reflect oversold conditions, aligning with the RSI signal.

MANTRA's Bollinger Bands provide additional context, with OM trading near the lower band at $0.15. The %B position of 0.1315 indicates MANTRA is approaching the lower boundary of its recent trading range, often a level where technical bounces occur.

MANTRA Price Levels: Key Support and Resistance
The current OM price structure reveals critical levels that will determine MANTRA's near-term direction. MANTRA support levels appear concentrated around the $0.15 zone, which aligns with both the immediate and strong support levels identified in the technical analysis.

This $0.15 level represents a crucial test for OM, as it coincides with the 52-week low and the lower Bollinger Band. A break below this MANTRA support could trigger additional selling pressure and potentially drive OM toward new lows.

On the resistance side, OM faces immediate challenges at $0.23, followed by the stronger resistance at $0.30. The $0.23 level roughly aligns with the SMA 20, making it a significant hurdle for any recovery attempt. Breaking above this level would need to be accompanied by increased volume to signal a meaningful shift in sentiment.

The pivot point at $0.17 serves as the current equilibrium level, with OM price action likely to remain volatile around this zone until a clear directional break occurs.

Should You Buy OM Now? Risk-Reward Analysis
Based on Binance spot market data, the risk-reward profile for MANTRA presents both opportunities and significant hazards that vary depending on trading approach and risk tolerance.

For aggressive traders, the oversold conditions reflected in OM RSI readings could present a short-term bounce opportunity. The proximity to strong support at $0.15 offers a relatively tight stop-loss level, potentially creating an attractive risk-reward ratio for those betting on a technical reversal.

Conservative investors should exercise caution given MANTRA's position below all major moving averages and the overall weak bullish trend classification. The distance to meaningful resistance levels suggests any recovery could be limited and face multiple overhead barriers.

Swing traders might consider waiting for a clear break above the $0.20 level (SMA 20) before establishing positions, as this would signal MANTRA has reclaimed its short-term moving average support. Conversely, a break below $0.15 would likely trigger stop-losses and create additional downside pressure.

The high volatility indicated by the Daily ATR of $0.02 suggests position sizing should account for potential rapid price movements in either direction.

Conclusion
MANTRA's current position at $0.17 represents a critical juncture where oversold technical indicators clash with bearish trend structure. While OM RSI suggests potential for a bounce, the broader technical picture remains challenging with resistance levels clustered above current prices. Traders should monitor the $0.15 support level closely, as a break below could accelerate selling pressure, while a hold above this level combined with improving momentum indicators could signal a short-term reversal opportunity. The next 24-48 hours will likely determine whether MANTRA can stabilize and attempt a recovery or succumb to further downside pressure.

Image source: Shutterstock

om price analysis
om price prediction

The Polkadot community is advancing a proposal to launch pUSD, a fully collateralized stablecoin backed exclusively by DOT.The stablecoin would allow users to borrow against their holdings, integrate with the Treasury, and potentially replace DOT inflation.The proposal has gained 75.4% support, reflecting strong community backing for a stablecoin viewed as crucial to Polkadot’s DeFi liquidity.The Polkadot community is moving toward launching a native stablecoin, pUSD, backed entirely by its DOT token.

The proposal calls for deploying the DOT-collateralized stablecoin on the Polkadot Asset Hub using the Honzon protocol stack. This is the same framework that previously powered Acala’s failed aUSD stablecoin.

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Polkadot Community Backs pUSD to Reduce Reliance on USDT and USDC
According to the proposal, pUSD is structured as an over-collateralized debt token, allowing users to borrow against their DOT holdings without liquidating them.

PUSD aims to address past shortcomings and provide the network with a fully collateralized, decentralized stablecoin by focusing solely on DOT as collateral.

If approved, it could reduce reliance on external stablecoins like USDT and USDC, while streamlining the OpenGov DOT-USDC/USDT conversion mechanism.

“This would be expected to be the NATIVE stablecoin for Polkadot Asset Hub, reduce/replace dependence on USDT/USDC including OpenGov DOT-USDC/USDT stablecoin conversion process,” the proposal stated.

Polkadot Treasury could also integrate the stablecoin, enabling users to make payments in pUSD instead of DOT. This would eliminate the need for the Treasury to manage separate stablecoin reserves.

Additionally, it could also pave the way for using pUSD for staking rewards, gradually replacing DOT inflation over time.

Meanwhile, Polkadot’s push for a native stablecoin comes at a critical juncture in the development of the blockchain network.

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According to DeFi Llama data, the network hosts less than $100 million in stablecoin assets, a fraction of the liquidity available on Ethereum and Solana.

Polkadot Stablecoin Market Cap. Source: DeFiLlama
This shortage has constrained decentralized finance activity and limited developer experimentation on Polkadot.

Considering this, Gavin Wood, Polkadot’s co-founder, stressed that a fully collateralized decentralized stablecoin is “strategically essential.” He added that it needs to be deployed as soon as possible to unlock the network’s financial potential.

“Polkadot Hub should have a native DOT backed stable coin because people need it and otherwise we will haemorrhage benefits, liquidity and/or security,” Wood said.

Notably, the proposal has already gained significant traction within the community. The governance vote currently shows 75.4% support, inching toward the 85.6% threshold required for approval.

Meanwhile, the push for pUSD also aligns with a broader industry trend of projects launching native stablecoins to enhance liquidity and drive ecosystem growth.

The stablecoin industry, currently dominated by Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC, is projected to reach $4 trillion by 2030.

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Jump Trading's Firedancer team proposed eliminating Solana's fixed compute unit block limits through SIMD-0370, allowing validators to dynamically scale transaction capacity based on hardware performance rather than arbitrary protocol restrictions to create market-driven incentives where block producers continuously upgrade equipment for higher revenues.

The cryptocurrency market came under pressure this week as a wave of selling dragged down major assets. The total global crypto market capitalization fell 2.76% over the past 24 hours, settling at $3.75 trillion.

Key NotesEthereum bulls need to hold above $4,000 for a potential ETH price recovery to the upside.Market experts, including Lark Davis and Michael van de Poppe, highlight that historical trends favor a strong Q4 and Q1 for ETH.Despite volatility, Ethereum whales accumulated 431,018 ETH worth $1.73 billion from major exchanges in the past three days.
Over the past week, Ethereum price has corrected another 10.35%, slipping under the crucial support of $4,000. Big market players and ETH whale entities see this correction as an opportunity to accumulate more. Crypto market experts also believe that the ETH bottom formation could be near, and so a reversal to the upside could follow soon.

Ethereum Price Reversal Ahead As RSI Slips Into Oversold Region
Popular crypto analyst Lark Davis recently noted that Ethereum price has fallen 20% over the past two weeks, pushing its Relative Strength Index (RSI) into the most oversold territory since April. The last time ETH reached such levels, it went on to rally 134% within two months.

The second-largest cryptocurrency has bounced from the $3,800–$3,900 range. Davis noted that this is a key support level that ETH price must hold to maintain a bullish outlook. Market watchers suggest that if broader crypto sentiment improves in the fourth quarter, this oversold signal could pave the way for Ethereum to target the $7,000–$8,000 range.

ETH RSI in oversold territory | Source: TradingView

Furthermore, popular crypto analyst Michael van de Poppe stated that September has been a historically weak month for ETH and the crypto market. However, he still expects a good Q4 ahead, followed by a strong Q1 2026. In a message on X, Poppe wrote:

“The markets always have a correction in September / October. Historically, Q4 and Q1 are a great period for altcoins. September is a terrible month, and that’s what we’ve seen with $ETH, it’s down nearly 10%. Q4 is almost always positive, Q1 is the best quarter in the history”.

As of now, ETH is trading at $4,006. Failing to hold this crucial support could trigger a downside further to $3,600. The MVRV price bands indicate that an ETH price drop to $ 2,750 cannot be ruled out.

ETH Whales Accumulate Over $1.7B from Major Exchanges
Blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain reported that large Ethereum whales have accumulated 431,018 ETH, valued at approximately $1.73 billion, over the past three days.

Whales keep accumulating $ETH!

16 wallets have received 431,018 $ETH($1.73B) from #Kraken, #GalaxyDigital, #BitGo, #FalconX and #OKX in the past 3 days.https://t.co/0DPxgZMGN7 https://t.co/xtPLBKo9LZ pic.twitter.com/oEXZKIErmr

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) September 27, 2025

The inflows were distributed across 16 wallets from major platforms, including Kraken, Galaxy Digital, BitGo, FalconX, and OKX. This signals continued accumulation by whales despite recent market volatility.

Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

Cryptocurrency News, Ethereum News, News

Bhushan is a FinTech enthusiast and holds a good flair in understanding financial markets. His interest in economics and finance draw his attention towards the new emerging Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency markets. He is continuously in a learning process and keeps himself motivated by sharing his acquired knowledge. In free time he reads thriller fictions novels and sometimes explore his culinary skills.

Bhushan Akolkar on X

Sun, 28/09/2025 - 10:34

Binance founder CZ has ended rumors about his role in Aster after DEX token surged 8,000% in week and was hailed as 'next BNB'

Cover image via U.Today

Aster's launch has been one of the most jaw-dropping crypto stories of the year. The decentralized exchange built on BNB Chain has seen daily trading volumes go above $20.8 billion, leaving Hyperliquid behind on $9.7 billion.

Its token, ASTER, shot up by more than 8,000% in just a week since its debut, peaking at $2.30 and pushing its market capitalization past $3.7 billion.

The speed of that move makes it look like Binance founder CZ might have had a hand in it. People are still wondering about the launch, the financing ties through YZi Labs and the sudden appearance of Trust Wallet partnerships. Aster was being called "the next BNB," and some posts even said Changpeng "CZ" Zhao was part of the core team.

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Is Binance and CZ behind Aster?That rumor died down pretty quickly though as Zhao himself made it clear that he isn't running Aster, he is just advising its builders. 

But this didn't really change things much. As long as Binance was involved in some way, even if it was a small part, that was enough to keep the project in the eye of the public.

It's not all about Binance ties as Aster's got market participants hooked with a fresh product feature — hidden orders that let traders make bids and offers without showing them on-chain.

That feature, along with the fee discounts and how well it works with BNB's ecosystem, gave it the kind of reputation that most new DEXes miss out on.

Skeptics say the exchange is washing its volume because it's got a few big wallets holding a lot of the supply. But supporters say that the fact that BNB Chain is backing it, CZ is on the advisory board and it's getting a lot of traction shows why people already think of Aster as the next big thing.

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