Cardano activated its Van Rossem hard fork on July 18, upgrading the network to Protocol Version 11 with faster, cheaper smart contracts and stronger node security.
The transition was smooth, but the real question is whether ADA can turn the milestone into lasting price gains.
van Rossem hard fork update 🍴
The van Rossem hard fork has been successfully enacted on Cardano Mainnet! 🎉
We would like to take a moment to recognise the work of the Hard Forking Working Group to get us to this moment. Coordinating ecosystem partners, SPOs, DApps,… pic.twitter.com/SSleGfA5zE
— Intersect (@IntersectMBO) July 18, 2026 What the Van Rossem Hard Fork Brings to CardanoA hard fork is a permanent protocol change that updates a blockchain’s core rules for everyone at once. Van Rossem, named after contributor Max van Rossem, went live around 21:45 UTC.
The upgrade caused only a brief ten-minute block gap, with no disruption to users or holdings. It marks the first major upgrade fully approved through Cardano’s Voltaire governance system.
The improvements target smart contracts directly: faster Plutus execution, new built-in functions, updated cost models, and stronger node security.
Those changes aim to make decentralized application development cheaper. Lower costs and stronger scripting could accelerate DeFi, NFT, and real-world asset activity.
Unlike previous era-changing forks, Van Rossem is an intra-era upgrade. It keeps the network inside the Conway governance framework while delivering immediate efficiency gains for developers.
Intersect, coordinating Cardano’s development, framed the event as proof of maturing decentralized governance.
More than 77% of delegated representatives (DReps) and 52% of stake pool operators backed it.
“The best part: it was ratified on-chain by delegated community reps before activation. Upgrades by governance, not decree,” Cardano DRep Jason Appleton said on X.
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Over 77% of DReps Approved the Van Rossem Hard Fork. Source: CGOVThe upgrade also arrives alongside a broader shift. Input Output will hand over core infrastructure, including the Plutus platform and Daedalus wallet, to external firms from August.
Can Van Rossem Deliver a Sustained ADA RallyAs expected with major upgrades, ADA saw short-term momentum. The token trades near $0.1663, up roughly 1.2% in 24 hours, according to BeInCrypto data. Still, the critical question remains whether Van Rossem can deliver a sustained rally. History urges caution.
Cardano hard forks have often generated initial excitement followed by consolidation, unless paired with real ecosystem growth. The lasting impact depends on several factors.
Cardano (ADA) Price Performance. Source: BeInCryptoRising developer activity, new dApp deployments, and growing total value locked in DeFi all matter. So does integration with upcoming upgrades like Ouroboros Leios, built for higher throughput.
Whale behavior adds another layer. Wallets holding 100,000 to 100 million ADA have accumulated over 25.6 billion tokens, their highest level since February 2023.
Analysts stay cautiously optimistic. The upgrade improves fundamentals, but price gains will ultimately depend on user adoption and capital inflow rather than the technical milestone alone.
Van Rossem represents another step in Cardano’s research-driven roadmap.
Whether ADA competes harder against Solana and newer Layer-1s now hinges on real on-chain growth in daily addresses, volume, and developer activity ahead.
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New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2026) - Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE: BMI) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Badger Meter securities between April 18, 2024 and April 16, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/BMI.
Badger Meter Case Details
The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
the Company's reported strong financial results did not reflect "ongoing favorable industry trends," "secular growth drivers," or "solid operating execution," as represented, but were instead unsustainable; Defendants' statements touting "strong" demand, "robust order pacing," and a "strong bid pipeline" overstated the true state of the Company's demand environment and ability to generate continued sales and earnings growth; and contrary to Defendants' claims that the Company possessed a "long runway" for growth, the Company's growth prospects were materially overstated, such that Defendants lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and future prospects.What's Next for Badger Meter Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/BMI, or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Badger Meter you have until August 3, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Badger Meter Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Badger Meter Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
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The U.S. GENIUS Act to regulate stablecoins just hit a milestone, and Tether may have some compliance work ahead of it. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)Summary
The GENIUS Act that governs U.S. stablecoin issuers is complicated and a work-in-progress, but now that its first anniversary is reached, Tether and other non-U.S. issuers have two years left to figure out their compliance strategies. The one-year mark was supposed to see the federal financial regulators finishing their stablecoin rules, but none have done so, yet, leaving some compliance uncertainty. The basic outlines of the U.S. standards, though, would force the most widely circulated coin — Tether’s USDT — to make a lot of major changes before it could satisfy the law. The world's leading stablecoin by volume, Tether's USDT, could be shoved out of the U.S. markets if the company doesn't revamp dramatically in the next two years.
Despite assurances last year from CEO Paolo Ardoino that the stablecoin giant would achieve U.S. compliance for USDT, the company hasn't yet revealed a sharp turn toward the demands of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, which became law one year ago.
With that consequential anniversary of President Donald Trump's signing of the law passing on Saturday, the industry has marked a surge in stablecoin interest and issuance, plus a wide array of crypto and traditional financial firms pursuing U.S. trust bank charters to ease their stablecoin pathways. But the one-year mark was also supposed to be a deadline for federal financial regulators to have rules in place implementing GENIUS, and they've so far fallen short. That could be problematic as experts and industry insiders still reveal some disagreements over how the law should be interpreted.
At this point, it's still two firms battling for market dominance, with a few others — including the issuer tied to President Donald Trump, World Liberty Financial — fighting it out for a very distant third place. Tether's chief rival, U.S.-based Circle, has made more of an apparent effort to pre-comply with what U.S. regulations will soon require.
Meanwhile, Tether's most recent disclosures suggest as much as a quarter of USDT's reserves — the stockpile meant to ensure that those redeeming their coins will always be able to — were still plugged into assets that won't meet GENIUS Act standards, such as precious metals, lending and bitcoin BTC$64,666.25 holdings. GENIUS requires that issuers are fully reserved in the most highly liquid and reliable assets — essentially cash and U.S. Treasuries.
"Tether will comply with the GENIUS Act," Ardoino told CoinDesk at the White House, in the moments after Trump signed GENIUS a year ago. While the CEO indicated then that his company would pursue a separate U.S.-specific token, he said that USDT would also be managed to meet the law's foreign-issuer standards.
When asked multiple times for an update on its compliance stance in recent days, representatives of El Salvador-based Tether didn't offer a response.
This year, Tether rolled out USAT — launched with U.S. standards in mind and issued through U.S. banking partner Anchorage Digital. So far, it remains at a relatively low level of usage.
“Non-compliant stablecoins cannot be used by U.S. institutions when the safe harbor expires in 2028, but we don’t expect the market to wait," said Kevin Wysocki, head of policy at Anchorage Digital, the crypto-native bank that manages a number of stablecoins. He said the company believes institutional users will move toward "compliant, bank-issued digital dollars well ahead of that deadline."
Do they have two years?GENIUS included a three-year grace period for compliance, and two years remain, after which U.S. crypto platforms won't be able to offer stablecoins whose issuers haven't checked all the regulatory boxes. However, there seems to be some disagreement over whether foreign issuers are meant to enjoy that same safe harbor. Some lawyers in finance assume that Tether gets until July 18, 2028, to comply, but others have suggested that foreign issuers would have to comply the moment GENIUS officially goes live, which is likely six months from now in January.
"Upon the effectiveness of the GENIUS Act, foreign issuers will need to immediately comply with lawful orders to seize and freeze coins held by illicit actors, but they will have a runway of approximately two more years to prepare for the additional requirements so that their coins may remain eligible for listing on U.S. centralized trading platforms," said Justin Levine, a lawyer at Davis Polk who advises clients on stablecoin issues, adding that one of those remaining requirements — registration with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency — is likely to require a “significant undertaking”
"So they do have time, as long as they comply with seize and freeze orders,” he said. “But those that want to have their coins continue to be traded on U.S. centralized platforms and have that liquidity should still be thinking about it right now, even if it's not imminent that they're going to get delisted."
While Levine's firm and others have interpreted the deadline for foreign issuers as being two years away, an analysis last year from law firm Paul Hastings had read GENIUS as offering separate timelines for foreign and domestic firms. But after being asked about its view recently, that interpretation was removed from the firm's website, and its spokespeople didn't immediately respond to CoinDesk's requests for clarity.
A dive into the footnotes of federal regulators suggests a two-track deadline in the law. The OCC, the national bank regulator that will also be supervising certain stablecoin issuers, said in a footnote within a proposal for implementing aspects of GENIUS that the drop-dead date was generally in 2028, but that it gets triggered the moment the law is effective (by January) for the coins of foreign issuers that don't meet "certain requirements." Those requirements, though, could simply be referring to the shorter-term demands that include the ability to freeze bad actors' assets and, when requested by the government, to seize them.
The fuller slate of requirements for foreign issuers will eventually include demands that their home regulator be certified by the secretary of the Treasury as being "comparable" to the U.S. regime, that the firms be OCC-registered and they keep their reserves in U.S. institutions.
Regulators run behindHowever, none of the federal agencies have finalized their GENIUS rules, leaving some uncertainty about what will be set into regulatory stone even as the first requirements approach. A number of regulators' efforts are underway and may soon be completed, but others remain in preliminary stages. In other words, companies have no regulations to comply with just yet.
If there's lingering disagreement over GENIUS timelines, Trevor Tanifum, a managing principal at consulting firm FS Vector, said he anticipates that smaller platforms with low risk appetites will delist certain stablecoins and avoid the bother. But others may be willing to press on.
He said that prominent companies with robust legal departments may be willing to occupy a different view, such as: "We're going to spend the money on lawyers and lobbyists until someone walks up to our door and forces us to delist these non-U.S. issuers."
"It's pretty much what has happened, I think, at every major crypto hurdle," he said. "These platforms still count on a lot of transaction volumes, liquidity from non-U.S. issuers, and so I can't see them giving up those volumes without a fight."
The biggest U.S. exchange is Coinbase, but the company declined to discuss its stablecoin listing plans under GENIUS.
The exchange and much of the rest of the crypto industry has more recently shifted policy attention toward a different effort of Congress: the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. The sector's lobbyists had aimed for a one-two punch with GENIUS and Clarity, and they'd succeeded last year in getting the stablecoin bill passed into law.
But that first major crypto law was meant to complement a wider-reaching regulation of U.S. crypto markets under the Clarity Act, which is still languishing in the final weeks of its potential 2026 congressional window. It remains unclear at the first anniversary of the GENIUS Act whether its companion will join it on the books. And if it does, it's likely to include some provisions that overhaul some of GENIUS's language.
Either way, Tether, Circle and the rest of the stablecoin sector are on track to be federally regulated in the coming months under the new law, and how those regulations are navigated may upend which firms play a leading role.
The GENIUS Act is now law, and Tether has roughly two years to figure out its US future. The stablecoin giant behind USDT, which commands approximately $187 billion in circulation, faces exclusion from American exchanges by mid-2028 if it can’t satisfy the new regulatory framework’s compliance demands.
What the GENIUS Act actually requires The GENIUS Act, formally known as Public Law 119-27, was signed into law on July 18, 2025. Sponsored by Senator Bill Hagerty, the bill was introduced on May 1, 2025, and passed the Senate on June 17, 2025.
The law demands that stablecoin issuers who want to serve US individuals must be permitted entities holding 1:1 reserves in US dollars or equivalent liquid assets. They need to publish monthly disclosures detailing those reserves. And they must comply with the Bank Secrecy Act, including full anti-money laundering and know-your-customer requirements.
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The law establishes a transition period for US digital asset service providers that ends around mid-2028. After that deadline, exchanges and other platforms serving US customers must drop any stablecoin that doesn’t meet the new standards. Final rules governing BSA compliance are expected to land in early 2027, following a joint proposed rule issued by Treasury, FinCEN, and OFAC on April 8, 2026.
Tether’s two-token gambit On January 27, 2026, Tether launched USA₮, a new stablecoin designed specifically to comply with the GENIUS Act’s requirements. The token is issued through Anchorage Digital Bank, a federally chartered crypto bank.
USDT continues circulating globally, serving the international market, while USA₮ targets the US market with full compliance. For USDT itself to remain accessible in the US, Tether would need to qualify as a compliant foreign issuer, a path that requires a reciprocity determination from the US Treasury. As of mid-2026, that determination remains pending.
The market reshaping ahead Smaller stablecoin issuers face significant pressure from the compliance costs associated with monthly reserve disclosures, BSA adherence, and maintaining permitted-entity status, which could consolidate the US stablecoin market around a handful of well-capitalized players.
Circle’s USDC has long positioned itself as the regulation-friendly alternative to USDT. The GENIUS Act validates that strategy while forcing Tether to play catch-up on US soil through USA₮.
For Tether specifically, the $187 billion question is whether the dual-token approach creates more complexity than it solves. If the Treasury reciprocity determination for USDT never comes, or comes with conditions Tether can’t meet, the company would be permanently locked into a two-product strategy where its flagship token can’t touch the world’s largest capital market.
Early 2027 brings the final BSA compliance rules, which will define the specific operational requirements issuers must meet. That gives companies roughly 18 months to implement whatever those rules demand before the mid-2028 deadline.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
NEW YORK, July 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Planet Fitness, Inc. securities between November 6, 2025 and May 6, 2026, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm’s site: bgandg.com/PLNT.
Planet Fitness, Inc. Case Details
The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
Planet Fitness’ updated marketing messaging was failing to resonate with, and was actively intimidating, its core target demographic of fitness beginners and casual gym-goers; as a result, the Company was experiencing significant headwinds in net member growth during its critical first-quarter sign-up period, rendering its previously issued fiscal 2026 guidance and long-term financial targets unattainable; contrary to Defendants’ representations, Planet Fitness would be required to restructure its marketing strategy, forgoing the benefits it claimed would result from continuing its existing marketing campaign, and abandon its planned Black Card membership price increase upon which its sales projections were based; and as a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ statements about the Company’s business, operations, financial guidance, and prospects were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. What's Next for Planet Fitness, Inc. Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm’s site: bgandg.com/PLNT or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Planet Fitness, Inc. you have until September 14, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Planet Fitness, Inc. Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys’ fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Planet Fitness, Inc. Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
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Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan Miller
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Franklin Templeton, one of the world’s largest asset managers, has expanded its $1.5 billion BENJI tokenized money market fund to BNB Chain, marking a major step in its multichain distribution strategy. The move positions BNB Chain as the leading network for the BENJI fund by asset value, highlighting the rising role of public blockchains in institutional finance.
BNB Chain overtakes Stellar as BENJI’s top networkWith the recent expansion, BNB Chain now holds approximately $1.5 billion in BENJI-linked assets, representing 61.71% of the fund’s total distribution. This surge was accompanied by a 1,226% monthly increase in assets held on BNB Chain, enabling it to surpass Stellar and become the largest blockchain supporting the fund.
Stellar, an open-source network designed for fast and affordable cross-border payments, initially provided the core infrastructure for Franklin Templeton’s blockchain-based fund when it launched in 2021. Despite its foundational role, the rapid growth on BNB Chain has shifted the balance of asset allocation in recent months.
Ethereum currently ranks third, accommodating $159 million in BENJI assets or about 6.48% of the total. Other blockchains—including Base, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Polygon, and Aptos—account for only a minimal share in the remaining distribution.
Industry analysts note that Franklin Templeton’s expansion to networks beyond Stellar underscores the company’s evolving commitment to multi-chain accessibility for its regulated tokenized investment vehicles.
BlockchainBENJI Asset ValuePercentage of TotalBNB Chain$1.5 billion61.71%StellarNot specifiedDecreased shareEthereum$159 million6.48%Other blockchainsMinimalLower than 6% BNB Chain’s total BENJI fund allocation rose sharply, overtaking Stellar with a 1,226% monthly increase and now represents more than 61% of the assets associated with the fund.
Mini dictionary: Franklin Templeton, based in the United States, is a global investment management firm with a focus on mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.
Institutions adopt tokenized financeFranklin Templeton has accelerated blockchain adoption by offering its U.S.-registered money market fund in tokenized form, leveraging distributed ledger technology to process transactions, record ownership, and enhance operational efficiency for accredited investors.
The decision to add BNB Chain—a layer 1 blockchain developed by Binance—increases transaction speed and reduces network fees for institutions accessing BENJI shares. Meanwhile, the company continues to broaden investor access through partnerships with leading digital asset companies and infrastructure providers.
Recent collaborations involve well-known exchanges such as Binance and Kraken, along with fintech provider MoonPay, enabling eligible institutional clients to use BENJI for collateral management and investment purposes.
Asset tokenization, which is the process of representing real-world assets as digital tokens on a blockchain, has gained traction across traditional and crypto financial sectors. Industry participants report a growing number of live trades involving tokenized securities, signaling progress beyond experimental pilot phases.
Franklin Templeton’s latest expansion highlights the growing confidence among asset managers in using public blockchains as infrastructure for compliant and regulated financial products. As more platforms compete for institutional investment activity, the trend toward multi-chain distribution is expected to accelerate.
The BENJI fund’s expansion to BNB Chain demonstrates the continuing momentum of tokenized finance and signals increasing competition among blockchains vying for institutional participation.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Thrivent Small Cap Growth Fund returned 25.54% during the quarter, modestly underperforming the Russell 2000 Growth Index return of 25.71%. JFrog reported stronger than expected revenue growth, reinforcing the view that customers are consolidating around JFrog as software delivery and AI-assisted development become more complex. Guidewire underperformed amid a valuation reset in higher-multiple software in addition to not raising its FY26 ARR guide due to timing of a few deals slipping to the subsequent quarter.
Chainlink has wormed its way into the plumbing of central bank digital currency projects and tokenized asset settlements across five countries. Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia, the United Kingdom, and participants in the multi-nation mBridge initiative are all running pilots that rely on Chainlink’s infrastructure to move government data and settle cross-border transactions.
The central bank roster The highest-profile integration sits in Brazil, where the central bank’s Drex CBDC project has tapped Chainlink through a collaboration with Banco Inter. That partnership produced a cross-border trade settlement pilot connecting Brazil and Hong Kong, automating payments for tokenized assets in what amounted to a real-time proof of concept for programmable international commerce.
On the Hong Kong side, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s e-HKD project incorporated Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol, known as CCIP. The protocol handled cross-chain Payment-vs-Payment settlement between ANZ’s A$DC stablecoin and the e-HKD CBDC, essentially proving that a stablecoin issued by an Australian bank and a digital currency issued by Hong Kong’s monetary authority could swap value atomically across different ledgers.
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Australia’s involvement comes through ANZ, the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, which has been one of the more aggressive traditional banks in experimenting with stablecoins and tokenized assets. ANZ’s demonstrations using Chainlink focused on settling tokenized assets across public blockchains.
The Bank of England entered the picture in February 2026, selecting Chainlink for its Synchronisation Lab. The lab’s mission is testing atomic settlement with onchain securities.
Rounding out the five-country footprint is Chainlink’s role in addressing interoperability challenges highlighted by mBridge, the multi-CBDC platform involving monetary authorities from China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the UAE. Chainlink’s CCIP addresses the core technical problem: making different digital currencies talk to each other without a centralized intermediary acting as translator.
Why CCIP is the product that matters Chainlink’s CCIP enables actual value transfer and message passing between entirely separate blockchain networks. Chainlink’s infrastructure handles secure data feeds, cross-chain connectivity, compliance checks, and automated transaction mechanisms like Delivery-vs-Payment and Payment-vs-Payment settlements.
What this means for investors For LINK, Chainlink’s native token, the expanding use cases across both public DeFi and centralized finance create a dual demand profile. The Brazil-Hong Kong trade finance experiment completing successfully in late 2025 suggests at least some of these projects are moving beyond the science-fair stage.
The risk is that pilots remain pilots. Central bank technology projects have a long and storied history of impressive demonstrations that never reach production scale. The gap between a successful cross-border settlement test and a live system processing billions in daily volume is measured in years and political will, not just technical capability.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
19 July 2026 | 15:22 Chainlink is not offering central banks a new currency or asking governments to replace their sovereign financial systems with a public blockchain. Its institutional role is more practical: coordinating data, payments, tokenized assets, compliance checks and settlement instructions across systems that were not designed to communicate with one another.
Key Takeaways Central banks are testing Chainlink as connective infrastructure, not as a replacement for sovereign currencies or domestic settlement systems. The Brazil–Hong Kong experiment coordinated payments, trade documents and asset ownership across several separate platforms. Singapore’s Project Guardian showed that tokenized funds can operate alongside existing banking and fiat-payment infrastructure. These projects remain controlled pilots and do not represent permanent adoption or an endorsement of the LINK token. That pattern appears in experiments involving the Central Bank of Brazil, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Singapore’s Project Guardian, Swift, UBS Asset Management and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
These projects do not amount to broad central-bank adoption. They do, however, reveal why Chainlink continues to appear in public-sector and regulated financial experiments.
The Harder Problem Begins After a Digital Currency Is Created A central bank can build a domestic digital-currency or tokenized-settlement platform. The more difficult question is how that platform interacts with foreign currencies, commercial-bank systems, tokenized funds, trade documents, public blockchains and established payment networks.
The Bank for International Settlements has found that there is no universal model for connecting central bank digital currencies across borders. Each jurisdiction has its own legal framework, access rules, policy objectives, privacy requirements and technical architecture.
Its more recent work on tokenization reaches a similar conclusion. Multiple ledgers are likely to coexist, but fragmented systems could create isolated pools of money and assets unless institutions develop reliable ways to coordinate transactions between them. The BIS has warned that the benefits of tokenization depend not only on the technology but also on interoperability, governance and effective risk management. Its analysis is available in the report on tokenization in payments and financial markets.
Chainlink approaches this problem through several connected services.
Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol: CIP
carries messages and tokenized value between separate blockchain networks.
Automated Compliance Engine: ACE
is designed to apply identity, jurisdiction and transfer policies before a transaction proceeds.
The proposition is therefore broader than the familiar description of Chainlink as a price oracle. It is attempting to become an orchestration layer for financial processes that span several technological environments.
Brazil and Hong Kong Connected Two Sovereign Platforms In October 2024, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Central Bank of Brazil announced plans to connect Hong Kong’s Ensemble Sandbox with Brazil’s Drex pilot.
The collaboration focused on cross-border payment-versus-payment and delivery-versus-payment settlement. The first mechanism coordinates the exchange of two currencies, while the second ensures that the transfer of an asset occurs together with its payment.
A subsequent trade finance experiment involved Banco Inter, Chainlink and the Global Shipping Business Network. It connected the Drex environment with Hong Kong’s Ensemble infrastructure, a trade finance platform and an electronic bill of lading system.
CRE coordinated payment instructions and translated messages into the formats required by the participating systems, including ISO 20022. It also triggered an external API to update the electronic bill of lading.
CCIP synchronized events between the platforms so that contract execution, credit release, payment and the transfer of ownership over the traded goods could form part of the same workflow.
This was more complex than sending a token from one blockchain address to another. The transaction depended on money, ownership records, banking instructions and trade documentation changing in the correct order across several independent platforms.
The experiment demonstrated that these actions could be coordinated technically. It did not establish whether the architecture can operate at production scale, how responsibility would be divided after an operational failure or whether central banks would use the same infrastructure in a live deployment.
Singapore Kept the Existing Payment Rails A separate experiment examined whether institutions could use tokenized assets without requiring every participating bank to adopt an onchain currency.
In November 2024, Swift, UBS Asset Management and Chainlink completed a pilot under the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Project Guardian. The project automated subscriptions and redemptions for a UBS tokenized investment fund.
Chainlink coordinated the conditions needed to mint or burn the fund tokens. Swift carried the payment instructions through conventional fiat settlement infrastructure already connected to more than 11,500 financial institutions.
The payment leg therefore remained within established banking rails even though the investment fund was represented through blockchain-based tokens.
This addresses a practical barrier to institutional adoption. A bank should not need to rebuild its payment stack or hold a specific stablecoin simply to process a transaction involving a tokenized fund. Institutions can introduce tokenized products gradually while continuing to use infrastructure that already supports their operational and regulatory requirements.
The pilot involved a controlled process rather than an open commercial deployment. Its value lies in demonstrating a possible migration path, not in proving that the model has already achieved market-wide adoption.
Official Economic Data Can Now Be Read by Smart Contracts Chainlink’s work with the U.S. Department of Commerce concerns data rather than cross-border settlement.
On August 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce published a cryptographic hash of its second-quarter GDP release across nine blockchains. The headline GDP figure was also included on networks that supported the additional data.
The department worked with Chainlink and Pyth to distribute the information more broadly. Chainlink subsequently made six data series from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis available through its Data Feeds across ten blockchain ecosystems.
The feeds covered the levels and annualized percentage changes for: Real gross domestic product The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index Real final sales to private domestic purchasers A government report published on a website is readable by people. A standardized onchain feed can also be read directly by software.
A prediction market could use the official figure to settle a contract. A macro-linked financial product could calculate a payment from a published economic indicator. Lending or portfolio-management systems could incorporate the release into predefined risk rules.
That oracle role extends beyond economic data: on June 9, 2026, ADI Predictstreet, the official prediction market partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026, adopted Chainlink as its exclusive oracle infrastructure to automate market resolution, settlement and payouts.
Those examples describe potential applications rather than established demand. The publication proves that official government data can be delivered in a format smart contracts can consume; it does not show that financial protocols are already using those feeds at meaningful scale.
Compliance Is More Difficult Than Moving the Asset Interoperability alone is not sufficient for regulated finance.
A bank may need to confirm the identity, jurisdiction, sanctions status, investor classification and transfer eligibility of both parties before allowing a tokenized asset to change hands. Publishing the underlying customer records on a public blockchain would create serious privacy and data-protection problems.
Chainlink’s Automated Compliance Engine is designed to separate the compliance result from the sensitive information used to produce it.
A trusted institution could issue a credential confirming that a customer has completed the necessary checks. The transaction system would receive proof that the condition has been met without placing the customer’s name, passport information, address or complete banking record onchain.
The policy layer could then determine whether the transaction is permitted. Rules might cover investor eligibility, sanctions screening, geographic restrictions, transfer limits or the validity period of a credential.
ACE does not automatically make a financial product compliant with GDPR, MiCA, the Bank Secrecy Act or any other regulation. Legal compliance still depends on which rules are encoded, who supplies the identity information, where personal data is stored, how exceptions are handled and which institution remains responsible for the final decision.
Its purpose is narrower: giving institutions a technical way to translate some compliance requirements into enforceable transaction conditions.
The Evidence Supports a Role, Not a Final Winner The experiments show that Chainlink can perform several functions relevant to institutional tokenization:
Move instructions between separate blockchain networks
Coordinate onchain and offchain events
Connect tokenized assets with conventional payment systems
Deliver official external data to smart contracts
Apply identity and transfer conditions across a transaction
They do not show that central banks have selected Chainlink as permanent global infrastructure.
Most of the evidence still comes from pilots, sandboxes, technical demonstrations and announcements involving a limited number of institutions. Production systems would also need to resolve questions involving operational resilience, cybersecurity, governance, transaction reversals, legal responsibility, vendor dependence and incorrect external data.
The U.S. Department of Commerce explicitly stated that publishing its GDP data on blockchains did not endorse any particular blockchain, service or associated activity. Participation by a central bank or government body should therefore not be interpreted as support for the LINK token.
The more defensible conclusion is architectural. Central banks and regulated institutions are exploring tokenized finance, but the resulting system is unlikely to consist of one blockchain controlled by one operator. Sovereign platforms, commercial-bank ledgers, public networks and traditional payment rails may continue to coexist.
Chainlink is being tested as one possible way to make transactions work across those boundaries. Whether it becomes permanent infrastructure will depend less on the number of pilots announced and more on whether those experiments progress into resilient, legally defined and production-scale systems.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal or investment advice.
Author
Kosta has reported on cryptocurrency markets and blockchain infrastructure since 2020, bringing over six years of hands-on experience in the crypto industry built through daily tracking of markets, trends, and emerging blockchain developments. Specializing in Bitcoin on-chain analysis, institutional ETF flows, and digital asset price action, his work at Coindoo has been cited by other news agencies and consistently covers market developments with a focus on data-driven reporting across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. Over the years, Kosta has contributed to multiple crypto media outlets in different regions, authoring over 6,000 articles across the sector. His reporting spans cryptocurrency markets and the broader fintech industry, tracking not only price action but also the technological and regulatory forces shaping the ecosystem. To support his analysis, Kosta actively leverages on-chain data and metrics from leading platforms such as Santiment, Glassnode, and CryptoQuant, enabling deeper, evidence-based market insights. He believes in the power of transparency and the data that underpins the blockchain ecosystem. His academic background in Marketing Management from Denmark further complements his analytical approach, adding a strong understanding of communication strategy and content positioning to his work.
Circle President Heath Tarbert has defended the company’s long-term strategy after Circle shares fell sharply from their post-IPO peak.
Summary
Circle says USDC’s scale and network effects remain difficult for new stablecoin competitors to replicate. Open USD adds pressure as Circle shares trade far below their post-IPO peak near $260. Circle keeps expanding regulated infrastructure while investors question competition, margins, and future stablecoin revenue sharing. Speaking in a July 14 interview with FOX Business, Tarbert said management remains focused on building financial infrastructure rather than reacting to short-term moves in the stock.
The interview came as Circle faced growing investor concern over competition in the stablecoin market. CRCL had traded near $260 after its public debut before falling toward the low $60 range. Tarbert said Circle is “playing the long game” and argued that successful execution would eventually support shareholder value.
Tarbert points to USDC network effects Tarbert said Circle’s main focus remains building a full-stack internet financial platform around USDC and related infrastructure. He argued that the company’s position cannot be measured only through daily stock movements and said the stock should “take care of itself” if Circle delivers on its wider mission.
He also defended USDC against new competitors. Tarbert pointed to roughly $73 billion in circulation and native support across 34 blockchains, saying those network effects would be “incredibly hard to replicate.” Circle describes USDC as a regulated digital dollar used across trading, payments and settlement.
Open USD adds new pressure to Circle The comments came after Open Standard launched Open USD, a planned stablecoin backed by more than 140 participating businesses. The group includes Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, BlackRock, BNY and Coinbase. Open Standard says partners can mint and redeem Open USD without fees and receive reserve earnings after a management charge.
As reported by crypto.news, Circle shares fell 17.5% to $62.63 after Open USD entered the market and CRCL left several Russell Growth indexes. The decline added to concerns about whether new stablecoin models could pressure Circle’s economics.
Wall Street has also raised questions about that competition. Crypto.news reported that Mizuho cut its Circle price target to $50, arguing that Open USD’s revenue-sharing structure could pressure margins and raise distribution costs.
Circle faces pressure over USDC economics Circle’s challenge extends beyond new stablecoin issuers.JPMorgan lowered earnings forecasts for Circle and Coinbase after a new revenue-sharing agreement tied to USDC balances on Hyperliquid. The bank said stronger adoption could come with lower reserve income retained by the companies.
Tarbert pushed back on the idea that competitors can quickly reproduce USDC’s reach. He also described USDC as the largest regulated stablecoin and said it leads in actual transaction volume, presenting scale and existing distribution as key parts of Circle’s competitive position.
Circle keeps expanding regulated infrastructure Circle has continued adding regulated infrastructure despite the stock decline. On July 10, the company received final OCC approval to establish Circle National Trust. The trust bank will initially provide digital asset custody, with USDC reserve management planned as a possible future service.
As reported by crypto.news, the approval places the new entity under direct federal supervision. Circle says the structure could support wider institutional use of its digital asset infrastructure.
Tarbert’s comments frame the stock decline against a wider contest for stablecoin distribution and reserve income. Open USD brings a large group of payment and financial companies into the market, while Circle continues betting that USDC’s existing network and regulated infrastructure will support its long-term position.
84 million BANK tokens have been transferred from the foundation to the Aster deposit address, valued at approximately $13.7 million.
Arkham data shows that 84 million BANK tokens (of Lorenzo Protocol) were transferred from the BANK Foundation address to a newly created wallet, then moved to an Aster deposit address, valued at approximately $13.7 million. Market data indicates BANK has rallied more than 3 times over the past three days, briefly topping $0.21, and is now trading at $0.163 with a 24-hour gain of 53.7%.
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Predict.fun’s World Cup Finals have officially kicked off. Centered on the Argentina vs. Spain match, 30 fan token markets are now live, covering multiple dimensions including match outcome, score, goals, corner kicks, and player performance, with nearly 200,000 fan tokens released in total. Supporters of the eventual winning team will split the 260,000 USDT final prize pool based on their points rankings.
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Analysis: Bitcoin will not bottom out this quarter; the current sideways consolidation is a false stability, with the real bottom and accumulation window arriving in October.
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When your stock drops 76% from its peak, “we’re building for the long term” is either a visionary rallying cry or the corporate equivalent of “it’s fine, everything’s fine.” Circle President Heath Tarbert is betting hard on the former.
In a recent presentation, Tarbert laid out the case for why Circle’s infrastructure play will ultimately vindicate shareholders who’ve watched CRCL crater from roughly $260 in June 2025 to around $62 as of mid-July 2026. His core argument: USDC’s network effects are a moat that competitors simply cannot replicate overnight, and the company is layering new products and regulatory wins on top of that foundation.
Arc blockchain and the $222 million bet The centerpiece of Circle’s forward-looking strategy is Arc, a Layer-1 blockchain purpose-built for stablecoin transactions and on-chain finance. The public testnet launched on October 28, 2025, and the project has already attracted serious capital.
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In May 2026, a presale of Arc’s native token raised $222 million at a fully diluted valuation of $3 billion. The investor list includes BlackRock and Apollo.
The strategic logic is straightforward. USDC generates revenue primarily through the interest earned on its reserves. Arc gives Circle a second engine: a blockchain ecosystem where USDC is the native currency, generating transaction fees and deeper integration across DeFi and traditional finance.
Regulatory wins as competitive moats Tarbert also pointed to Circle’s recent federal approval to establish a national trust bank. This charter allows Circle to custody USDC reserves under direct federal oversight, a distinction that matters enormously in the current regulatory environment.
On the international front, Tarbert described new U.K. stablecoin regulations as “revolutionary,” noting their approach of treating stablecoins like cash equivalents.
What this means for investors The bull case for Circle at current prices isn’t complicated. The stock has been decimated, the company has a federal banking charter that no competitor currently matches, Arc has attracted heavyweight backing, and stablecoin regulation is moving in a direction that favors compliant issuers.
The bear case is equally straightforward. Revenue concentration in interest income makes Circle vulnerable to rate cuts. Arc is pre-mainnet and unproven. And a 76% stock decline often reflects fundamental concerns that a single executive presentation can’t resolve.
One data point worth monitoring: the $3 billion valuation that Arc’s token presale commanded versus Circle’s own depressed public market capitalization. When your side project raises at a valuation that rivals your stock price, either the token market is overenthusiastic or the equity market is underpricing you.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Stablecoins have been suffering a historic hemorrhage for two months now. Guess which stable crypto emerges victorious from this financial chaos? More than 12 billion dollars have left the sector, the sharpest contraction since 2022. Tether holds strong, Sky Dollar collapses, and Global Dollar explodes. The stable crypto market is changing face.
In brief 12.4 billion dollars have left stablecoins since mid-May, an unprecedented contraction since 2022. Tether and USDC resist, Sky Dollar crashes 12%, Global Dollar explodes 9%. Hyundai completes international stablecoin transfers in 7 minutes versus 4 hours. Visa sees stablecoins dominating micro-payments in the AI agents economy. $12B Vanished : Stablecoins’ Biggest Bloodbath Since 2022 Since May 17, 2026, stablecoins have lost 12.4 billion dollars, their largest contraction since 2022. Just last week, 1.5 billion dollars vanished from the sector. The total market capitalization of the stablecoin market has now fallen to about 311 billion dollars, down 0.61% over seven days.
However, this decline is not a typical panic. Bitcoin and major altcoins held steady during this period. If fear had truly dominated the markets, digital assets would have fallen together.
This is not the case, raising questions about the real causes of this movement. The current contraction appears less related to fear and more to a deep structural evolution in the sector.
Stablecoins no longer play the simple role of dollar parking. They now compete on yield, features, and utility. Capital moves towards assets offering attractive returns.
Those offering only stability are losing ground. The market is silently reshaping itself.
The Giants Hold Their Ground While Challengers Jostle for Position Tether (USDT) resists with 184.055 billion dollars, down only 0.06% for the week. Circle (USDC) follows at 73.376 billion, down 0.04%. These two heavyweights now dominate 82% of the stablecoin market.
Yet behind this apparent stability, a silent war rages. Sky Dollar (USDS) falls 12.30%, a dizzying drop that pushed it below 7 billion dollars. World Liberty Financial (USD1) loses 4.59% of its capitalization. BlackRock BUIDL drops 8.68%, a significant decline for an institutional player.
Conversely, Global Dollar (USDG) explodes 9.08%, reaching 3.164 billion dollars. PayPal (PYUSD) climbs 1.60% to 2.877 billion dollars. This striking divergence reveals a fundamental antithesis in the market.
Yield-bearing stablecoins attract capital seeking returns. “Parking” stablecoins lose ground. The market no longer rewards simple stability. It now demands yield and utility.
Hyundai in 7 Minutes, Visa Sees the Future : The Big Players Are Here Hyundai became the first South Korean conglomerate to use Avalanche for international stablecoin transfers. A 20,000-dollar transfer from Hyundai Motor America to Hyundai Motor Mexico was completed in just 7 minutes. Compared to 3 to 4 hours via traditional banks, the difference is striking.
Hyundai plans to expand this system to its European subsidiaries, with Circle (USDC) and Visa as partners. Institutional adoption of stablecoins is accelerating significantly.
At the same time, Visa published a report with Artemis on the AI agents economy. According to this report, cards will remain suited for macro-transactions. Stablecoins will dominate micro-payments, especially those below 1 dollar, in the automated economy. Visa sees cards and stablecoins not as rivals but parts of the same system.
The heavyweights of traditional finance are now entering the game. This institutional movement could disrupt the balances of the stablecoin market.
$12B have fled stablecoins. Tether stands its ground, USDS is tanking, USDG is taking off. Hyundai and Visa are now joining the dance.
The 12 billion contraction signals not weakness but a transition to unprecedented maturity. Hyundai and Visa are only the first signs of a structural adoption transforming stablecoins into payment tools, not just value reserves.
Yet, the path is fraught with pitfalls: regulation, with the CLARITY Act or MiCA in Europe, could redefine the rules for stablecoin issuers. Players like Tether, who dominate through liquidity, will need to adapt to an environment where yield and transparency become decisive criteria.
The success of Global Dollar and PayPal PYUSD proves it: capital now rewards innovation and utility. The stablecoin market ceases to be a calm ocean. It becomes a battlefield where only the most agile will survive.
The question is no longer who dominates today, but who will be able to evolve tomorrow. The reshuffling is only beginning.
Key figures of the shuffle: 12.4 billion evaporated in two months; USDT dominates at 184 billion; USDS drops 12.3%; USDG explodes 9.08%. The United States can pride itself on its dominance over stablecoins. But on the European side, a cloudy sky looms with this rain of digital money. The BIS warns against rampant dollarization of emerging economies, driven by the expansion of stablecoins.
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La révolution blockchain et crypto est en marche ! Et le jour où les impacts se feront ressentir sur l’économie la plus vulnérable de ce Monde, contre toute espérance, je dirai que j’y étais pour quelque chose
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The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
No emergency rules take effect immediately; stablecoin issuers keep operating under existing state and federal frameworks until new regulations exist. Circle remains unable to secure the federal certification it needs to sell USDC to conservative corporate treasuries. Banks continue avoiding stablecoin reserve deposits because the FDIC has not clarified how those deposits affect capital requirements. The 2028 deadline banning non-compliant stablecoins from exchanges has not moved, compressing the runway issuers have left to prepare. Nothing shuts down. That is the first thing to understand about Saturday’s missed deadline: the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation failed to finalize joint rules for payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act, but no stablecoin stopped trading and no issuer lost its license overnight. What changes is less visible and more consequential. Issuers, banks and exchanges now operate in an extended limbo where the rules everyone expected by July 18, 2026 simply do not exist, and the law offers no built-in fallback for what regulators do next. Circle and Tether both keep functioning under the same patchwork of state licenses and private attestations that governed them before the Act passed in July 2025.
Circle’s IPO Pitch Stays Incomplete Without a Federal Stamp Circle has built its public positioning around being the compliant, bank-friendly alternative in a market often associated with regulatory shortcuts. Without finalized rules, the company still cannot tell a conservative corporate treasury, the kind of name like Walmart or Apple would represent, that USDC carries the specific federal payment-stablecoin designation Congress created for that exact purpose.
Tether faces no equivalent wait. It keeps expanding across Latin America and Southeast Asia under its existing offshore structure. Every month the U.S. spends without final rules is a month offshore issuers spend capturing market share the GENIUS Act was written to bring onshore, which is the clearest near-term consequence of the delay: growth keeps happening, just outside U.S. jurisdiction.
Who What changes now What stays the same Circle / USDC Still cannot pitch federal certification to treasuries Operates under existing state licenses Tether / USDT Keeps expanding offshore market share unopposed No exposure to U.S. rulemaking delay Banks Still avoid stablecoin deposits over capital-rule uncertainty Wait for FDIC guidance that has not arrived Exchanges Face a shrinking runway before the 2028 listing ban 2028 deadline itself has not moved None of the four groups in that table had a vote in the reserve-composition dispute that caused the delay.
Why the Fed and OCC Still Cannot Agree on Reserves The delay traces back to a single unresolved dispute. In remarks delivered March 31, 2026 at a Federalist Society event on GENIUS Act implementation, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr laid out the Fed’s preference for reserves limited to short-term Treasury bills maturing in under 90 days plus central bank cash deposits, a narrow standard meant to keep stablecoins as close to cash-equivalent as possible. The OCC has pushed to include short-term, highly rated commercial paper instead, arguing that excluding it piles unnecessary demand onto overnight repo markets. Neither has budged. Until one side concedes or Congress steps in directly, this one disagreement blocks the entire joint rule regardless of how many separate proposals either agency drafts on its own, and regulators have already issued ten of them over the past year without resolving it.
A Second Agency Has to Move Before the First Two Can Finish Even if the Fed and OCC settled the reserve question tomorrow, a second, quieter bottleneck would remain. The FDIC’s own proposed rule, approved by its board on April 7, 2026, would require issuers to hold reserves at FDIC-insured banks. The FDIC has not clarified how multi-billion dollar stablecoin deposits affect a bank’s capital surcharge calculations, so most banks read that silence as a risk they cannot price and decline the business rather than absorb an unquantified penalty.
That leaves issuers holding reserves through arrangements the eventual rules may or may not recognize once they exist. It is a second layer of uncertainty stacked directly on top of the first, and it is arguably harder to fix than the reserve-composition fight, since it requires a fourth agency, functionally, to move before the other three can finish their work.
Three Signals Worth Watching Before 2028 The two-year runway Congress built into the GENIUS Act, running from the original 2026 rule deadline to the 2028 exchange listing ban, just got shorter without anyone extending the 2028 date itself. Watch for three things:
A joint statement from the Fed and OCC narrowing the reserve-asset disagreement FDIC guidance on how insured banks should treat stablecoin deposits Congressional hearings expected to summon Fed Chair Jerome Powell, given the GENIUS Act’s rare bipartisan backing Any one of those moving before year-end would suggest the delay stays a bureaucratic footnote rather than a market event. None of them moving by early 2027 puts real pressure on the 2028 cliff, and lobbying groups are not waiting to find out which outcome they get. Industry advocates are already pushing to reopen comment on the reserve-composition language ahead of the agencies’ own schedule, and a handful of mid-sized issuers are quietly exploring parallel registration in Singapore or the UAE as insurance against a U.S. framework that keeps slipping past its own deadlines.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Cover image via depositphotos.com 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.
Zcash (ZEC) co-founder and lead developer, Zooko Wilcox, has revealed the details of an emergency strategy designed to preserve the coin's mathematical integrity. The network is preparing for the Ironwood hard fork (NU6.3), which will activate on July 28, 2026, at block 3,428,143 to permanently isolate the vulnerable Orchard pool and lock up any potentially forged ZEC.
The "turnstile" strategy: How to lock up phantom coinsFor those who missed it, a critical bug was discovered by Shielded Labs researcher Taylor Hornby that could theoretically have allowed hackers to mint ZEC undetected inside the private Orchard pool. By 2026, developers had quickly fixed the vulnerability at the protocol level and found no evidence that it had actually been exploited.
However, because the Orchard pool provides complete privacy, no one can guarantee that hidden issuance did not occur before the patch was deployed.
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Zooko's strategy eliminates the need for blind trust. On July 28, the original Orchard pool will be completely sealed and a new, clean Orchard pool with corrected cryptography will launch in its place.
Ironwood Ironwood Ironwood!
Humanity is going to have a form of money that is unstoppable, private, and has full correctness proofs (formal verification) of some of its key properties, thanks to heroic math by an awesome team led by @TachyonZcash. https://t.co/Z85ktHtoPE
— zooko🛡🦓🦓🦓 ⓩ (@zooko) July 19, 2026 Funds will be transferable from the old system to the new one only through a special turnstile gateway. This cryptographic mechanism strictly controls the balance: it will prevent more coins from leaving the old pool than legitimately entered throughout its entire history.
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If hidden issuance did occur, the counterfeit ZEC will remain permanently frozen inside the old pool, becoming digital waste. At the same time, any user running a personal node will be able to independently verify the accuracy of the circulating supply.
Cryptocurrency exchanges, wallets, and swap services that have not completed their software testing may temporarily suspend ZEC deposits and withdrawals, but developers emphasize that such pauses are routine technical adjustments on the service providers' side, not a threat to the security of users' assets.
Private-wallet holders should also be prepared for their Orchard balances to temporarily appear unavailable.
As of now, ZEC holders only need to wait until July 28, when Ironwood's cryptographic "turnstile" will demonstrate in practice Zcash's ability to protect its economy under conditions of strong privacy guarantees.
Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox has explained how the network’s July 28 Ironwood hard fork will address uncertainty around a critical flaw in the Orchard shielded pool.
Summary
Zcash will seal the old Orchard pool, limiting how much ZEC can leave after Ironwood. Ironwood cannot identify fake coins individually but can stop excess hidden supply from escaping Orchard. Temporary exchange and wallet disruptions may occur as providers prepare for Zcash’s July 28 upgrade. The upgrade will not identify or freeze individual counterfeit coins. Instead, it will seal the old pool and limit how much ZEC can leave.
In a July 19 post on X, Wilcox explained how the planned upgrade would deal with any hidden excess supply if the flaw was exploited before developers patched it. Because Orchard hides transaction details, the network cannot prove that counterfeit ZEC was never created.
Ironwood Ironwood Ironwood!
Humanity is going to have a form of money that is unstoppable, private, and has full correctness proofs (formal verification) of some of its key properties, thanks to heroic math by an awesome team led by @TachyonZcash. https://t.co/Z85ktHtoPE
— zooko🛡🦓🦓🦓 ⓩ (@zooko) July 19, 2026 Ironwood will seal the vulnerable Orchard pool Ironwood, also known as NU6.3, is scheduled to activate at block 3,428,143 on July 28. The upgrade will retire the current Orchard pool and introduce a new shielded pool based on the corrected circuit.
According to Zcash’s official Ironwood user update, users will no longer be able to send or receive ZEC inside the old Orchard pool after activation. Funds can leave only through the turnstile, which prevents more ZEC from exiting than legitimately entered.
The Zcash team said it believes the flaw was “unlikely to have been exploited,” but users cannot independently prove no counterfeit ZEC was created. Ironwood aims to trap any excess value inside the old pool rather than allow it to enter wider circulation.
Orchard bug left a supply question Zcash could not prove away Security researcher Taylor Hornby discovered the Orchard flaw on May 29 while auditing the shielded system. The bug could have allowed an attacker to create counterfeit ZEC inside Orchard without leaving an obvious public record.
As reported by crypto.news, developers first disabled Orchard activity and then restored it through the NU6.2 hard fork with corrected cryptography. No evidence of unauthorized value creation was found, but Orchard’s privacy means past exploitation cannot be ruled out with complete certainty.
Crypto.news later reported that Ironwood would create a fresh shielded pool and use the turnstile to control value leaving the old one. Node operators can then verify that circulating ZEC does not exceed the amount permitted by the network’s monetary rules.
Wallets and exchanges may temporarily pause services Zcash users do not need to take immediate action before the hard fork. However, wallets, exchanges and other providers may temporarily suspend deposits, withdrawals or related services while completing software upgrades.
The official network guidance says Orchard users will eventually need wallet support to move funds into the new pool. Funds may remain temporarily unavailable in wallets that have not added the required migration tools.
The July 28 activation also follows Zcash’s move away from the legacy zcashd client. Providers still completing that migration may need more time before fully supporting Ironwood.
Zcash adds more security checks after the flaw The Orchard incident led to wider security work across the Zcash ecosystem. As reported by crypto.news, an AI-assisted review using Anthropic’s Mythos system found no additional serious vulnerabilities after the original flaw was disclosed.
Developers are also pursuing independent audits and formal verification for the updated cryptographic system. The work aims to reduce the risk of another hidden counterfeiting flaw and give users stronger ways to verify Zcash’s supply rules.
Ironwood addresses the unresolved supply question rather than the already-fixed bug itself. By sealing Orchard and controlling withdrawals through the turnstile, the hard fork aims to prevent any hypothetical counterfeit ZEC from entering circulation.
Zooko Wilcox, lead developer and co-founder of Zcash (ZEC), has disclosed a new emergency protocol designed to protect the coin’s cryptographic integrity as the network prepares for a major upgrade. The Ironwood hard fork, also known as Network Upgrade 6.3 (NU6.3), is scheduled to activate on July 28, 2026, at block 3,428,143. This upgrade will permanently segregate the vulnerable Orchard pool and immobilize any potentially counterfeit ZEC that may have been secretly introduced.
Zcash addresses critical vulnerabilityShielded Labs, an independent nonprofit organization focused on privacy-focused blockchain research, recently revealed a critical bug in Zcash’s protocol. Taylor Hornby, a researcher with Shielded Labs, identified a flaw in the Orchard pool’s cryptography that may have permitted the undetectable minting of new coins.
According to Zcash developers, the vulnerability was discovered and patched at the protocol level before any evidence of real-world abuse surfaced. The quick response helped prevent large-scale exploitation, but Wilcox’s team is implementing additional precautions to ensure confidence in the total supply’s accuracy.
Zooko Wilcox emphasized that the emergency steps are intended to ensure “the supply of ZEC is mathematically and publicly verifiable by anyone running node software.”
The “turnstile” mechanism for supply transparencyUnder the new protocol, the original (and now suspect) Orchard pool will be cordoned off. All funds currently held in the old pool can only move to a freshly initialized, clean Orchard pool using a purpose-built “turnstile” gateway. This mechanism mathematically enforces that only legitimate, non-forged balances are permitted to pass through.
The turnstile system examines the total quantity of coins ever deposited into the original pool. Only this provably valid amount can exit to the new pool. If illicit issuance did occur in the past, any forged ZEC will become irretrievably locked inside the original pool, effectively removed from circulation.
Mini dictionary: The Orchard pool refers to a privacy-focused feature of Zcash that enables shielded, confidential transactions using advanced zero-knowledge cryptography. The pool is designed to obscure sender, receiver, and amount data, enhancing transaction privacy on the Zcash blockchain.
Orchard Pool (Old)Orchard Pool (After Hard Fork)Susceptible to bug, potential hidden ZECClean cryptography, only verified funds admitted via turnstileFrozen balances if forged coins existMathematically verified circulating supplyDeposits and withdrawals blocked post-forkFresh pool, balances accessible after migrationTemporary service interruptions expectedIn anticipation of the Ironwood upgrade, Zcash developers have warned that some exchanges, wallets, and swap services may need to temporarily halt ZEC deposits and withdrawals through their platforms in order to conduct software tests.
Zcash’s team underlined that these interruptions are routine technical steps—rather than signs of unsolved security problems—and do not threaten users’ coins.
Service providers may briefly suspend ZEC deposit and withdrawal functions as a matter of technical procedure while the new system goes live, but users’ funds remain secure throughout the transition.
Users who manage their ZEC through private wallets should expect that their Orchard balances may temporarily appear inaccessible as network nodes process the transition between the old and new pools.
Zcash, launched in 2016, is a privacy-centric cryptocurrency utilizing zero-knowledge proof technology to provide confidential transactions. It remains one of the leading projects focused on cryptographic privacy in digital assets.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Privacy without throughput has always been a dead end for confidential cryptocurrencies. Zcash, a network known for strong zero-knowledge anonymity, has historically managed roughly one shielded transaction per second—a rounding error compared to mainstream payment rails. That performance gap is now under direct assault. According to the original report, the newly live Zakura client is the first piece of a broader plan to take Zcash from a niche privacy tool to payment-network scale.
The target is unambiguous: handle 50,000 private transactions per second, a figure that puts the network in Visa territory. Executing a fully shielded transfer on Zcash requires generating a computationally heavy zero-knowledge proof, a process that has kept throughput minimal even as transparent blockchain scaling solutions pushed TPS into the thousands. Zakura represents a fresh node implementation designed to attack the problem from the infrastructure layer, rewriting the execution path for shielded transactions rather than relying on incremental optimizations of existing clients.
Why the client rewrite matters more than a protocol tweak Unlike a consensus-layer change, which would require a network-wide upgrade and potential political friction, a client-level rewrite can be adopted by node operators without a fork. That reduces coordination risk and lets the network test performance claims in a live environment without forcing everyone to move at once. The strategy echoes approaches seen in Ethereum’s execution client diversity push, where multiple independent implementations strengthen resilience and enable specialized optimization. Zakura is not just a faster piece of software—it’s a bet that the biggest bottleneck for privacy adoption has been engineering, not demand.
For exchanges and custodians that list ZEC, a high-throughput privacy client could change reserve-proof and compliance workflows. Many trading venues currently limit shielded pool interaction because of the operational burden of proof generation. If a node can handle payment-network volumes without degrading settlement finality, the calculus around listing shielded assets and offering private withdrawal options starts to shift. That is not a given—real-world performance under adversarial conditions and sustained load remains unproven—but the direction matters.
Market sentiment and the developer momentum angle The timing of the client release arrives against a backdrop of renewed altcoin attention. ZEC recently appeared among the top weekly crypto gainers, surging over 58% as tracked in a weekly performance roundup. While short-term price action often reflects speculative flows rather than tech milestones, a live scaling client gives the narrative a tangible anchor. Traders who have long viewed Zcash as a static asset are now being handed a measurable catalyst, not just another roadmap promise.
Developer activity provides another signal. Zcash’s presence in blockchain developer rankings has been steady, and the network often appears among projects with meaningful commit frequency. A recent developer activity analysis highlights how consistent infrastructural work separates chains with staying power from those that fade. The Zakura release adds a concrete output to that effort, something beyond GitHub numbers.
What remains uncertain—and what regulators might see Scaling privacy transactions to Visa levels inevitably raises questions that go beyond protocol engineering. Financial regulators already view shielded pools with suspicion, and a network capable of processing 50,000 anonymous transfers per second sharpens the compliance challenge. No regulator is likely to object to a faster Zcash in a vacuum, but the combination of high throughput and default-private transfers could trigger fresh scrutiny, especially if shielded volume begins to rival transparent volume on exchanges that support both.
There is also the question of whether Zakura’s design can maintain its performance guarantees under real network conditions. A synthetic benchmark of 50,000 TPS is not the same as a globally distributed network with heterogeneous hardware, varying latency, and block propagation constraints. The gap between a single-node demonstration and a fully adopted client that handles organic shielded traffic is large, and the path from here to payment-network parity is far from guaranteed. Still, the fact that the first live node is now operating marks a departure from years of theoretical research papers. The privacy coin sector, often dismissed as a niche for ideologues, now has an execution layer that demands to be measured rather than dismissed.
The next test is adoption: which node operators switch, how quickly shielded transaction counts rise, and whether exchanges begin adjusting their infrastructure assumptions around Zcash. Roadmaps are cheap in crypto. Live software that rewrites the performance ceiling is not.
AUTHOR
Max delves deep into the cryptocurrency realm, with a passion for altcoins and NFTs. Convinced of crypto's transformative potential, he envisions a decentralized financial future. Max's background in the financial sector grants him unique insights into global monetary systems. In his leisure, Max embraces the thrill of adventures and is an avid sports enthusiast, finding balance and rejuvenation away from work.
On the 16th of July, Crypto.com announced the strategic investment worth $400 million from Citadel Securities, which has valued them at $200 billion. It marked the exchange’s first institutional funding round in their decade-long history, the post read.
Cronos [CRO] reacted bullishly to the news on the day. From the day’s open at $0.0555, the token rallied 21.92% to a local high of $0.0677. The trading volume for the day had jumped by 12x the previous day’s volume.
In the following 12 hours, the exchange token saw a 15.9% retracement, falling to $0.057. Here’s how the CRO price trends could go in the coming weeks.
Is Cronos still in a strong uptrend? Source: CRO/USD on TradingView The Directional Movement Index, used to measure the relative strengths of price trends, had both its ADX (yellow) and +DI (green) well above the 20 threshold, signaling an intense uptrend in progress.
However, the OBV disagreed. It was yet to challenge the highs the volume indicator made in May, showing that buying pressure was relatively weak.
The price action leads, indicators follow, and the OBV was on to something actionable for investors. Using the bearish impulse move from $0.083 down to $0.053, a set of Fibonacci retracement levels (orange) was plotted.
At the time of writing, CRO has not even challenged the 50% level of this move. Hence, there is a chance the current move could continue $0.072-$0.077. The lower timeframe price data can be used to settle this point.
Source: CRO/USD on TradingView The 4-hour chart showed both a bearish structure and an obstinate supply zone. This band of resistance was around $0.062-$0.063. Since the time it became a supply zone in June, it has been tested four times.
The fourth time, a couple of days ago, has not succeeded yet. The bullish investment news from Citadel has been a sell-the-news type reaction.
Source: CoinGlass Another point supporting the bearish idea is based on the liquidation heatmap. The cluster of short liquidations around $0.060-$0.065 was swept by the recent price spike.
Such a sweep into a key resistance zone is usually followed by a reversal. Hence, in the coming days, a price drop toward $0.05 is likely.
Final Summary The Citadel Securities investment of $400 million was the first institutional funding round for Crypto.com in its history. The technical indicators showed upward momentum, but the longer-term price action exhibited a bearish structure.
The bankruptcy estate of FTX will be making its fifth distribution by making available nine hundred million dollars for eligible creditors. The total amount distributed will therefore reach almost ten billion dollars since the initial stage of the liquidation process began in 2025. The remains of the defunct crypto exchange FTX will be initiating yet another massive distribution of funds this month. The bankruptcy estate will start the distribution of approximately $900 million to eligible global creditors from July 31, 2026. This very important step comes at the end of a highly organized process of liquidation, which has seen huge sums of money distributed. The estate has been distributing almost ten billion dollars to affected individuals since the official launch of distributions in 2025.
The users who have been verified should be able to receive their money safely via any of the approved distribution partners within three business days. The distribution partners who have been selected to execute the current operation include reputable industry players such as BitGo, Kraken, and a digital payment service provider known as Payoneer. This large distribution comes in after the successful distribution of two billion dollars, which was carried out earlier in March.
FTX announced it will begin its Fifth Distribution of ~$900 million on 7/31/26 to holders of allowed claims in the Plan’s Convenience and Non-Convenience Classes that have completed the pre-distribution requirements.
— FTX (@FTX_Official) July 17, 2026 Achieving Multiyear Restitution Benchmarks This latest distribution plan includes some slight variations in the percentage recovery rates for the various tiers of allowed client claims. In the case of Dotcom customer claims, they will receive nine more percentage points to accumulate a total recovery rate of 105%. Similarly, in the case of the United States customer claims, they will also receive five more percentage points to accumulate that exact recovery rate. Unsecured claims and digital asset loan classes will get three more percentage points from the managers.
Additionally, the estate shall pay out $18 million to qualifying preferred equity members on July 31. This takes the total sum of payments to preferred shareholders via remission to $95 million. Nonetheless, the administrators have made several cautions about phishing emails and fraudulent claim portals. Official spokespeople remind everyone that the estate will not request connecting a personal crypto wallet at any point.
In mathematical terms, this means that the recovery figures surpass the initial prices quoted in the infamous November 2022 market crash by far. Indeed, creditors get more money than what was the bankruptcy value of their positions. Nonetheless, the previous users do not benefit from the entire recovery of the digital assets market.
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Artificial intelligence is creating a new industrial buildout unlike anything investors have seen in decades. Hyperscalers are committing hundreds of billions of dollars to data centers, chips, and power infrastructure because AI workloads require an entirely new computing backbone. The biggest question is shifting from whether AI demand exists to which companies will capture the economic value created by that demand.
That opportunity has pushed investors to search beyond the established hyperscalers for the next generation of AI infrastructure winners. Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS | NBIS Price Prediction) could be the one to achieve it.
Nebius Is Building A Hyperscaler-Style Business Respected independent research firm Wolfe Research believes Nebius could generate $34 billion in revenue and $21 billion in EBITDA by 2030. That sounds ambitious, but it is not too far off from Nebius’s own forecasts, as it has the kind of contracted demand that most early-stage infrastructure companies can only hope to secure.
The company’s own long-range model projects:
Metric Fiscal Year 2026 Fiscal Year 2030 Revenue $3 billion $33.3 billion ARR $7 billion $34 billion Gross Profit — $23.3 billion Gross Margin — ~70% That means Nebius expects revenue to compound at roughly 80% annually from FY26 through FY30 before slowing to a more mature growth rate.
Mature cloud businesses at Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) trade at roughly 15 to 20 times EBITDA once their cloud operations become established. If Nebius reaches Wolfe Research’s $21 billion EBITDA forecast and receives even the lower end of that multiple range, the math looks like this:
EBITDA Multiple Implied Enterprise Value 15x ~$315 billion 20x ~$420 billion That estimate does not include any growth beyond 2030 or a scarcity premium for owning one of the few independent AI infrastructure platforms operating at global scale. If Nebius continues expanding after 2030 and pushes revenue toward $60 billion to $70 billion, a trillion-dollar valuation starts looking plausible.
The Vineland Data Center Is The Growth Catalyst The key to Nebius reaching those targets is capacity. Its Vineland, NJ, data center is designed as a 2.6 million-square-foot AI factory developed with DataOne using Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE) fuel cells for off-grid power. It is expected to become fully operational in 2027 and Nebius already has demand waiting.
The company has signed $46 billion in contracts with Microsoft and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), including its largest agreement: a $27 billion Meta deal beginning in early 2027. The structure gives Nebius flexibility: If Meta needs the capacity, Nebius fills it; if another customer offers higher returns, the company can redirect that capacity toward the open GPU market.
That contracted backlog changes the investment story. Instead of building data centers and hoping customers arrive, Nebius is building infrastructure around already committed demand.
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Margins Determine Whether Nebius Becomes A Giant Margins are what create trillion-dollar companies. The encouraging sign is that Nebius is not relying only on hyperscaler contracts. Its non-hyperscaler cloud pipeline expanded 3.5 times quarter-over-quarter in Q1, showing demand from enterprise customers is developing alongside its largest agreements.
The company is also moving higher into the AI stack. Nebius acquired Eigen AI for $643 million, bringing its technology into its Token Factory inference platform. Inference — the process of running trained AI models — could become a larger and higher-margin opportunity as businesses move from experimenting with AI to deploying it.
Granted, building AI factories requires enormous capital spending. Nebius will need to execute on construction timelines, secure GPUs, manage dilution, and maintain pricing power as competitors expand.
The company currently trades around a $45 billion market capitalization, meaning investors are already pricing in substantial future success.
Key Takeaway In short, if the company reaches its FY30 targets of roughly $33 billion in revenue and $21 billion in EBITDA, a $300 billion to $500 billion valuation is possible based on cloud infrastructure multiples. That would translate into a potential share price range of roughly $880 to $1,500 by 2030.
Those numbers are speculative and depend on execution, but the opportunity is clear. Nebius is attempting to become the AI infrastructure layer between GPU suppliers and the companies racing to deploy artificial intelligence.
For investors comfortable with the risks of an early-stage hyperscaler, the potential payoff comes from owning the next platform before the market decides it has already arrived.
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Alan E. Baratz, President and Chief Executive Officer of D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS 0.95%), reported a sale of 52,320 shares on July 14, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value$976,291Shares sold52,320Post-transaction shares (directly held)3,247,451Post-transaction value$61.5 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($18.66); post-transaction value based on July 14, 2026 market close ($18.95).
Key questionsWhat prompted this disposition of shares?
The transaction was a non-discretionary sale-to-cover, executed by the company to satisfy tax withholding obligations triggered by the vesting of restricted stock units (RSUs). It does not represent a discretionary market trade or a change in the insider's investment thesis.What is the status of the CEO's remaining equity incentives?
Following this filing, Alan Baratz holds ~3.2 million shares directly. This ownership figure includes 1,137,257 unvested restricted stock units, ensuring continued long-term alignment with company performance.What is the company's current financial profile?
D-Wave Quantum reported trailing twelve-month revenue of $12.4 million and a net loss of $368.0 million as of the July 14, 2026 transaction date. The company maintains a market capitalization of $7 billion and a 20% one-year total return as of the same close.How significant is total insider ownership?
Across all reported insiders, the total ownership percentage for the company stands at 0.88%. The CEO's individual holdings remain a primary component of this total, with a post-transaction market value of $61.54 million as of the July 14, 2026 market close.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-07-14)$18.95Market Capitalization$7.0 billionRevenue (TTM)$12.4 millionNet Income (TTM)-$368.0 millionCompany SnapshotD-Wave Quantum Inc. develops and commercializes quantum computing systems, including its flagship Advantage quantum computer platform, alongside complementary software solutions and cloud-based services such as Leap and Ocean programming tools.The company generates revenue through quantum computing hardware sales, software licensing, cloud service subscriptions, and professional services including its Launch onboarding program designed to facilitate customer adoption of quantum computing technology.D-Wave serves enterprise customers, research institutions, and technology partners across industries seeking to leverage quantum computing capabilities for optimization, simulation, and machine learning applications.D-Wave Quantum Inc. is a pioneer in the quantum computing hardware sector with a market capitalization of $7.0 billion and a global workforce of 382 employees. The company maintains a differentiated position through its proprietary quantum annealing technology, a gate-based approach, and integrated software ecosystem, enabling customers to access quantum computing resources through both on-premise systems and cloud-based platforms.
Despite early-stage revenue generation of $12.4 million TTM, D-Wave has demonstrated significant market validation and investor confidence, reflected in its 19.71% one-year share price appreciation.
What this transaction means for investorsThe July 14 sale of D-Wave Quantum stock by CEO Alan Baratz is not a cause for investor concern, since it was executed to fulfill tax withholding obligations from the vesting of RSUs. In addition, he possessed over three million directly-held shares post-transaction, some of which are RSUs that have yet to vest, indicating he maintains a sizable equity stake in the company.
D-Wave shares rose over the past year thanks to several factors. The company was granted $100 million in funding by the federal government to advance quantum computing research, a testament to its promising technology.
It acquired Quantum Circuits in January, which focuses on a gate-model quantum platform, expanding D-Wave’s capabilities beyond quantum annealing and opening up larger market opportunities. The company also posted record quarterly bookings of $33.4 million, up nearly 2,000% year over year, in the first quarter.
While D-Wave’s technology holds the promise of delivering unprecedented computational capabilities to the computing industry, its business remains deeply unprofitable. In Q1, the company’s operational loss totaled $54.7 million, up substantially from $11.3 million in the prior year.
Robert Izquierdo 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.
SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK | SNDK Price Prediction) and Seagate Technology (NASDAQ: STX) just delivered blockbuster March quarter results, and both credit the same force: AI data creation.
One sells NAND flash for high-speed inference. The other sells nearline HDDs that warehouse petabytes cheaply. Comparing them now shows how storage is splitting into two distinct AI supply chains.
Flash Explodes. Spinning Disks Grind Higher. SanDisk posted $5.95 billion in revenue, a 251% jump, with Datacenter alone surging 645% year over year to $1.467 billion. Gross margin swung to 78.4% from 22.5% a year ago, a move that only makes sense when NAND pricing is genuinely scarce. CEO David Goeckeler called it “a fundamental inflection point” tied to BiCS8 flash and High Bandwidth Flash for AI inference.
Seagate’s numbers look calmer but no less structural. Revenue reached $3.11 billion, up 44.1%, with non-GAAP gross margin hitting 47%. Free cash flow leapt to $953 million from $216 million. Dave Mosley framed the quarter as “a new era of structural growth as AI applications amplify data creation.” The Mozaic HAMR platform is now qualified with five of the world’s largest cloud customers.
Two Very Different Bets on AI Storage Lens SanDisk Seagate Core Tech BiCS8 NAND, High Bandwidth Flash HAMR Mozaic areal density Customer Model Multi-year NBM firm commitments Build-to-order, capacity spoken for Balance Sheet Zero long-term debt Debt paydown, convert dilution risk Key Vulnerability NAND pricing swings, Kioxia reliance HDD cyclicality, tariff exposure SanDisk is locking hyperscalers into five New Business Model agreements with firm financial commitments, trying to convert a historically brutal commodity cycle into something that looks like a subscription.
Seagate is doing the opposite in spirit: leaning on decades of areal density expertise to be the cheapest place to park an exabyte. Mosley noted nearline capacity is committed through mid-calendar 2026, which is the sort of visibility HDD investors rarely get.
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The Next Test Is Whether Pricing Holds SanDisk guided Q4 revenue to $7.75 billion to $8.25 billion and EPS to $30 to $33, which prices in another leg of NAND tightness. I will watch consumer, which slipped 10% sequentially, and any hint that Kioxia supply dynamics shift.
Seagate’s guide of $3.45 billion revenue and $5 EPS depends on Mozaic ramping cleanly at 4-plus TB per disk. Both stocks have cooled recently, with SNDK down 23.38% over the past month and STX off 18.64%, so expectations are elevated.
Why I Lean Seagate for Durability, SanDisk for Torque On the data, Seagate looks like the steadier expression of the AI storage story. The 47% gross margin and build-to-order visibility feel structural and durable.
SanDisk offers more upside if NAND stays tight, and the 580% YTD run shows the market agrees, but a 60x P/E leaves less margin for error. For investors focused on AI torque, SanDisk carries more upside tied to NAND pricing, while Seagate offers steadier cash flow visibility.
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Cryptocurrency analyst EGRAG Crypto has shared a fresh perspective on XRP’s long-term technical outlook, posting a chart that removes candlestick fluctuations to focus on major historical market structures. EGRAG Crypto is widely followed for technical insights and has a notable presence on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Key indicators shape XRP’s outlookIn his recent analysis, EGRAG highlighted the 44-week moving average (44 WMA) and the Bull Market Support Band as crucial indicators closely tracking XRP’s major market bottoms in previous cycles. The analyst stated that filtering out short-term price swings allows clearer visibility of recurring patterns, which may hint at XRP’s current placement within the broader market cycle.
EGRAG explained that by observing the asset’s long-term interaction with these support levels, traders and investors can better understand the potential evolution of price movements without being distracted by daily volatility. He believes this approach underscores the significance of historical precedent in technical analysis for cryptocurrencies such as XRP, the digital asset designed for use in global payment settlements by Ripple Labs.
The chart emphasizes how XRP’s behavior around the 44 WMA and Bull Market Support Band has previously coincided with double bottom and triple bottom formations, often seen ahead of long-term price advances.
The chart also features a rising yellow trendline, which EGRAG described as a foundational level of technical support that has remained relevant across several different bull and bear market cycles.
Mini dictionary: 44-week moving average (44 WMA), a technical indicator that averages an asset’s closing prices over the past 44 weeks to identify long-term trends and support/resistance levels.
Historical market formations and current scenariosEGRAG referred to multiple bottoming patterns, including double bottom with higher low, triple bottom with higher low, and other variations that have marked the end of previous XRP downturns. The analyst now sees the potential for another historical setup as XRP’s price action appears to be aligning with these long-term trends.
He described two possible scenarios: the first is a double bottom with a lower low developing around December 2026, which would see XRP retesting previous lows before a reversal; the second scenario involves a double bottom with a higher low near July 2027, with XRP maintaining stronger support above prior lows, suggesting increased market resilience.
ScenarioTimeframeBottom StructureSupport LevelScenario 1December 2026Double bottom (lower low)Retests previous lowsScenario 2July 2027Double bottom (higher low)Holds above previous lowsA third possibility, though less direct according to the analyst, would be the formation of an extended triple bottom at a price level higher than previous cycle lows. EGRAG emphasized that the rising yellow trendline offers a critical technical reference, serving as a consistent support level even as price volatility continues.
EGRAG noted that ongoing interaction with the 44 WMA, Bull Market Support Band, and the rising trendline will help clarify which scenario emerges as XRP develops through the current and coming cycles.
Approach and additional insightsEGRAG stated that this stripped-down charting method avoids noisy price data and instead centers on trend confirmation and repeat historical patterns. The analyst refrained from offering a specific target for XRP, instead favoring a scenario-based outlook guided by significant technical levels and the lessons of past market cycles.
He explained that investors should remain watchful of long-standing support structures, as these may continue to shape price action through 2027. EGRAG advised followers to revisit major technical inflection points, particularly as XRP navigates the latter half of the current cycle.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Hedera (HBAR) showed compressed momentum on its daily price chart, as buyers continued to defend key support zones despite a pattern of smaller highs and lower lows. Technical analysis shared by CryptoWithGopal revealed this price compression is forming a symmetrical triangle, a pattern that often precedes a decisive directional move.
Current price action and market statisticsHBAR traded at $0.06636 during the latest session, with the 24-hour price swinging between $0.06539 and $0.06642. Trading volume for the same period reached approximately $38.38 million, while the total market capitalization stood at $2.91 billion. The circulating supply neared 43.79 billion HBAR, situating Hedera among the larger digital assets by supply and market cap.
The token has retreated sharply from its all-time high of $0.57, recorded on September 15, 2021. This marks a drawdown of roughly 88% from its peak. Recent sessions have reflected a shrinking price range, underscoring a period of consolidation even as HBAR remains under longer-term selling pressure.
Traders observed that HBAR’s current consolidation features a noticeable triangle formation. CryptoWithGopal highlighted that this price compression could be interpreted as a sign that sellers are losing momentum, while buyers continue to uphold support near the $0.065 area. Chart data from TradingView visually underscores this pattern of declining highs and ascending lows.
MetricValue (Last 24h)All-time/ReferenceCurrent price$0.06636$0.57 (ATH, Sep 2021)24h Low / High$0.06539 / $0.06642–Market cap$2.91 billion–24h Volume$38.38 million–Circulating Supply43.79 billion HBAR– Mini dictionary: Hedera is a decentralized network that aims to provide a fast, fair, and secure infrastructure for dApps, powered by its native cryptocurrency, HBAR. It utilizes hashgraph technology rather than traditional blockchains to improve scalability and transaction speed.
Symmetrical triangle and technical setupOn technical charts, a symmetrical triangle forms when a series of higher lows intersects with lower highs, creating a progressively narrower price range. For HBAR, this pattern has been seen with prices fluctuating mainly between $0.065 and $0.067 in recent days, producing daily candles that consistently confirm this narrowing corridor. Such formations are typically associated with a forthcoming breakout that could breach either support or resistance levels once the current lull in volatility ends.
Analysis from TradingView presents the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) signal near the neutral axis. The MACD and its signal line are close together, lacking a distinct cross and indicating muted trend momentum for now.
Additionally, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains steady around 50 to 52 on the daily timeframe, which points to neither overbought nor oversold conditions. This further supports the idea of a consolidating phase for HBAR rather than a clear upward or downward trend.
Trading volume data echoed these findings, as volume levels were consistent with the previous two weeks’ averages, without any notable surges to suggest dominant market conviction. Volatility also remains subdued.
Technical observers noted that the continued lack of strong volume or conviction on either side has contributed to the visible consolidation as HBAR trades within the symmetrical triangle pattern.
Market context and possible outcomesIn the context of HBAR’s current pattern, the symmetrical triangle appears to reflect an ongoing balance between supply and demand. Sellers have not pressed prices further downward, while buyers are still active in defending the lower bounds of the range near $0.065. Analysts such as CryptoWithGopal cautioned that this pattern does not preemptively determine whether a breakout will be upward or downward; rather, a decisive move is likely once volatility increases.
Key areas to watch include the $0.067 to $0.068 range, identified as a potential buy zone if prices manage to break higher. Conversely, a sustained drop below $0.065 could indicate renewed downward momentum and a bearish breakout.
Market data sources, including BraveNewCoin, continued to show that HBAR’s low-volatility environment and narrow trading band are persisting for now. Observers remain attentive to potential shifts in sentiment and broader risk asset trends that could break this consolidation phase and prompt new directional movement.
The ongoing consolidation in HBAR reflects broader indecision among market participants, with neither buyers nor sellers able to gain clear control as technical patterns converge on a pivotal support level.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Uniswap governance is preparing to vote on two proposals that could expand the protocol’s UNI burn by adding new fee sources from Uniswap v4 and Robinhood Chain.
Summary
Uniswap voters will decide whether v4 and Robinhood Chain fees should expand the UNI burn. Robinhood Chain crossed $6 billion in cumulative Uniswap swap volume within ten days of launch. New protocol fees would flow into TokenJar contracts before UNI is burned on Ethereum mainnet. The measures are scheduled for onchain voting from July 19 through July 26.The proposals follow the UNIfication overhaul approved in December 2025, which connected protocol fees to a UNI burn system. Uniswap founder Hayden Adams said current trading activity, especially on Robinhood Chain, could increase the amount of UNI removed from circulation. The votes use an expedited governance process created for later fee updates.
Two votes target v4 and Robinhood Chain fees The official Robinhood Chain protocol fee proposal would activate protocol fees for Uniswap v2 and v3 on the network. Uniswap launched all three versions of its decentralized exchange on Robinhood Chain when the layer-2 network went live on July 1.
According to the proposal, Uniswap deployments on Robinhood Chain crossed $6 billion in cumulative swap volume by July 10. The separate Uniswap v4 fee proposal would activate fees for selected pools on Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, BNB Chain, Polygon, Optimism and Robinhood Chain. A second v4 vote is planned for five other networks.
New protocol fees would feed the UNI burn Both proposals would direct collected protocol fees into Uniswap’s existing TokenJar system. Searchers can claim accumulated fee assets by providing UNI of equal value, which the system then sends to a burn address. UNI collected on other networks is bridged back to Ethereum before it is destroyed.
Adams said in his announcement on X, “Based on current volumes, especially Robinhood, we expect the impact on UNI burn to be substantial.” The proposal documents say protocol fees are already active across v2 and v3 pools on 11 networks. They also record a one-day burn of 186,000 UNI last month.
We just submitted two Uniswap governance proposals for final onchain vote:
(third proposal with remaining v4 chains coming soon)
Both direct all new… pic.twitter.com/NUCXxegnte
— Hayden Adams 🦄 (@haydenzadams) July 17, 2026 As reported by crypto.news, Uniswap had already recorded its largest single-day UNI burn before the latest governance push, showing how higher fee activity can increase the number of tokens removed through the mechanism.
Robinhood Chain activity raises the stakes Robinhood Chain has quickly become a major source of Uniswap trading activity since its July launch. As reported by crypto.news, the network reached $500 million in daily Uniswap volume within eight days and moved behind only Ethereum mainnet for daily activity at that stage.
Crypto.news also reported that Robinhood Chain attracted more than $70 million in bridged Ether during its first week, while total value locked moved above $106 million. The new fee proposals would allow Uniswap governance to capture part of the trading activity generated on the network and route it into the burn mechanism.
The Robinhood proposal uses the same cross-chain governance pattern applied to Arbitrum One. If approved, governance messages would travel from Ethereum to Robinhood Chain, where contracts would redirect the relevant protocol fees toward TokenJar.
Uniswap v4 requires a different fee system Activating fees on v4 requires a different structure because v4 pools can use hooks and dynamic fees. The proposal introduces a V4FeePolicy contract to calculate protocol fees and a V4FeeAdapter to apply governance rules and collect the proceeds.
The first v4 vote covers three categories: static-fee pools, pools launched through continuous clearing auctions and aggregator-hook pools. A later proposal will cover Celo, Soneium, Worldchain, X Layer and Zora because Uniswap’s GovernorBravo contract limits the number of actions in one governance proposal.
Uniswap’s fee-switch model has linked protocol activity with UNI burns since the UNIfication overhaul. The July votes would extend that system to v4 for the first time and add Robinhood Chain’s v2 and v3 activity if governance approves both measures.
Key Takeaways Uniswap community will vote on two critical governance proposals from July 19 through July 26 First proposal introduces v4 protocol fee activation spanning seven blockchain networks Second proposal enables fee collection for v2 and v3 deployments on Robinhood Chain All generated fees will contribute to the active UNI token burn protocol Within just ten days of going live, Robinhood Chain recorded over $6 billion in total Uniswap swap activity The Uniswap decentralized exchange is preparing for a pair of governance decisions that may substantially increase the rate at which UNI tokens are permanently removed from circulation. The voting window begins on July 19 and concludes on July 26.
Uniswap (UNI) Price The initial proposal seeks to implement protocol fee collection on designated Uniswap v4 liquidity pools. The scope encompasses Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, BNB Chain, Polygon, Optimism, and Robinhood Chain. This marks the inaugural governance vote concerning v4 fee activation.
We just submitted two Uniswap governance proposals for final onchain vote:
(third proposal with remaining v4 chains coming soon)
Both direct all new… pic.twitter.com/NUCXxegnte
— Hayden Adams 🦄 (@haydenzadams) July 17, 2026
The companion proposal, introduced by Uniswap’s creator Hayden Adams, aims to enable fee collection for v2 and v3 protocols operating on Robinhood Chain. All three protocol iterations were deployed to the network during its July 1 launch date.
As an Ethereum Layer 2 solution constructed using Arbitrum’s underlying technology, Robinhood Chain achieved a remarkable milestone. Its Uniswap implementations processed more than $6 billion in aggregate swap volume by July 10—a stunning achievement within merely ten days of operation.
Market analyst BATMAN, active on X under the handle @CryptosBatman, drew attention to UNI’s positive trajectory on July 13. He emphasized that UNI serves as the dominant automated market maker powering Robinhood Chain, thereby generating additional protocol revenue. His technical analysis revealed breakout patterns, with a retest level identified as an attractive entry point.
$UNI has been gaining traction.
This is due to the bullish sentiment created by Robinhood.
UNI is the primary automated market maker for Robinhood Chain, which adds more revenue for them.
The chart is pricing it in through a breakout.
A retest would make a solid entry area. pic.twitter.com/DV036wBm0D
— BATMAN ⚡ (@CryptosBatman) July 13, 2026
Each proposal channels collected fee revenue through Uniswap’s TokenJar infrastructure. Under this system, searchers can claim accrued fee assets by submitting an equivalent value in UNI tokens. The submitted UNI is subsequently transferred to a designated burn address for permanent removal. Fee collections originating from alternative chains are bridged to Ethereum mainnet prior to destruction.
Adams stated on X: “Based on current volumes, especially Robinhood, we expect the impact on UNI burn to be substantial.”
Understanding v4 Fee Architecture Implementing fee collection on v4 necessitated developing novel infrastructure components. While v2 and v3 operate with predetermined fee percentages, v4 pools leverage hooks and adaptive fee structures that can fluctuate with each block.
The current proposal establishes a V4FeePolicy contract responsible for fee calculation alongside a V4FeeAdapter that enforces governance parameters. Pools are organized into designated “families” with fees determined through rule-based algorithms rather than individual pool configuration.
An additional v4 voting round addressing five supplementary chains—Celo, Soneium, Worldchain, X Layer, and Zora—will proceed independently. Uniswap’s GovernorBravo smart contract architecture restricts individual proposals to a maximum of ten onchain operations.
UNI Token Burns Leading Up to the Vote The UNI burn framework debuted as a component of the comprehensive “UNIfication” governance reform approved in December 2025 with overwhelming 99.9% community approval. That historic decision enabled fee collection across v2 and v3 pools on Ethereum mainnet while immediately burning 100 million UNI from the protocol treasury.
The initiative has subsequently expanded across 11 blockchain networks. Last month witnessed a historic single-day burn of 186,000 UNI tokens.
UNI is presently trading near the $3.50 price level.
Meta Platforms (META 2.79%) isn't a stock that the market is in love with right now, although it has been viewed more positively in recent weeks as rumors swirl about Meta starting up a cloud computing division. This has helped the stock rally from its lows, but it's still quite cheap overall.
Cheap doesn't always equal undervalued, though, because sometimes the business is in decline, and a cheap stock price is warranted. Is that the case with Meta Platforms? Let's take a look.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Meta's business is doing well, despite what the stock price says From a valuation standpoint, Meta has rallied from its recent lows, but it's still attractively priced.
META PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts
The S&P 500 (^GSPC 1.01%) trades for 21.7 times forward earnings, making this stock cheaper than the broader market. It's also cheap compared to some of its peers. The AI hyperscalers it's commonly compared against are Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet. Of these three, Alphabet is probably the best comparison, as its core business is also advertising. However, with Amazon trading at 29 times forward earnings and Alphabet at 25, Meta's stock seems cheap. Microsoft is nearly tied with Meta, trading at 20.7 times forward earnings, so it doesn't qualify as cheaper from that perspective.
Despite this, Meta is growing far faster than each of its peers.
META Revenue (Quarterly YoY Growth) data by YCharts
It's not often you can scoop up the fastest-growing stock in a group at basically the current price, but that's exactly what Meta is offering investors. So, the question is, is it the market's perspective on Meta that's tarnished, or is it something Meta is doing? I think it's both.
Right now, Meta is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on AI computing capacity, and doesn't really have anything groundbreaking to show for it. That makes the market nervous, and it's skeptical to trust Meta, as the company has a poor track record of owning cutting-edge technologies. However, Meta is potentially launching a cloud computing business that could convert some unused computing capacity into a revenue-generating asset, something the market loves (which is why the stock rallied over the past few weeks).
Meta Platforms
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So, if Meta announces its cloud computing business and some initial clients, the market may deem it worthy to trade at a mid-20 times forward earnings valuation, unlocking more upside in the stock. However, if it doesn't, the market will maintain the view that Meta is just frivolously spending money, and the stock may sell off as a result.
The current price tag indicates uncertainty in Meta's future. Still, I think it's quite bright with a strong ad business, a potential cloud computing business, and AI products that could make money someday. This makes Meta a solid stock pick now, and I think its stock could go far higher over the next few years.
Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Tesla (TSLA 2.47%) heads into its second-quarter earnings report this Wednesday, July 22, carrying two stories that can't both be right. The electric-car maker just delivered 480,126 vehicles in Q2, up 25% year over year and its highest quarterly total since the third quarter of 2025. Yet the stock sits at about $391 as of this writing, down 22% from its 52-week high of $498.83.
And one Wall Street firm thinks the decline is just getting started. Last week, Wells Fargo raised its Tesla price target to $130 from $125 while keeping its underweight rating. From today's price, that target implies a drop of about 67%.
The firm's reasoning, in essence, is that Tesla is selling more cars than it has in any quarter since the third quarter of 2025 but earning less on each one, with price cuts and rising input costs (memory chips, copper, and lithium among them) eating away the gains.
So, who's right?
Image source: The Motley Fool.
The bull case is already public The strongest evidence for the bulls is volume. Tesla's 480,126 second-quarter deliveries were up 25% from the 384,122 vehicles it delivered in the year-ago quarter.
Delivery growth is also accelerating, up from a 6% year-over-year increase in the first quarter. After a long stretch of shrinking vehicle sales, growth is back.
The rest of the business is moving again, too. First-quarter revenue rose 16% year over year to $22.4 billion, with services and other revenue climbing 42%.
And after a soft first quarter in which energy revenue fell 12% year over year, energy storage deployments rebounded to 13.5 gigawatt-hours in Q2, up 41% from the year-ago period and up sharply from 8.8 gigawatt-hours in Q1.
Even the businesses investors are really paying up for are progressing. Tesla launched unsupervised robotaxi rides in Dallas and Houston in April, and it received approval for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in the Netherlands the same month. Its active Full Self-Driving (Supervised) subscriptions reached 1.28 million in the first quarter, up 51% year over year.
And the company has the resources to keep funding its ambitions in autonomy and robotics. Tesla ended Q1 with $44.7 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, up from $44.1 billion at the end of 2025.
That's an improving picture, and I don't think the bears can dismiss it.
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The bear case, in numbers The problem, as Wells Fargo frames it, is what all of that volume actually earns.
Tesla's first-quarter operating margin was just 4.2%, down from 5.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Net income was $477 million on $22.4 billion of revenue, which works out to earnings per share of $0.13. Over the trailing 12 months, Tesla has earned $1.09 per share.
At about $391, then, the stock trades at about 360 times earnings.
That is the entire debate in one number. A multiple like that isn't pricing in a good quarter on Wednesday. It's pricing in years of things going right, including a robotaxi business that scales into a major profit stream while the core car business stays healthy the whole way.
And consider this detail. Even at Wells Fargo's $130 target, Tesla would still trade at about 120 times earnings. In other words, even the bear case values Tesla like a premium growth company -- that's how much optimism is baked into today's price.
The honest answer is that Wednesday's report can't fully settle this. After all, the bear case is about profits, and the bull case, so far, is mostly about volume. But the report should show which way the gap is closing.
Watch whether operating margin recovers from Q1's 4.2%. Watch what the second-quarter deliveries did to pricing. And watch energy, where a second-quarter rebound in deployments needs to show up in revenue and profit, too.
I don't expect a 67% plunge. A decline like that would probably require the market to stop paying for Tesla's autonomy story almost entirely, and the company keeps making measurable progress on it. But Wells Fargo's underlying framing, I think, is the right one. At this valuation, deliveries alone aren't enough. Profits have to follow.
Until they do, I wouldn't buy the stock ahead of Wednesday's report.
If Tesla can show margins turning up while deliveries grow, the bulls will have earned the next word. If it can't, a 22% discount from the high may not turn out to be much of a discount at all.
I keep hitting the buy button on Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL | GOOGL Price Prediction), and the reason is uncomplicated: the loudest bear case against this stock has already collapsed under its own weight, and I do not think the tape has fully absorbed that yet.
Two years back the consensus fear was that ChatGPT and its imitators would gut Google Search. My conviction rests on what actually printed. In the Q1 2026 report, Search & other revenue landed at $60.399 billion, growing 19% year over year, with Sundar Pichai flagging “queries at an all time high”. AI experiences pulled users deeper into Search. That is the whole ballgame for me.
Three Receipts I Keep Coming Back To First, Search is compounding on the very technology that was supposed to kill it. Pichai told analysts that “since upgrading AI overviews and AI Mode to Gemini 3, we’ve reduced the cost of core AI responses by more than 30%”. Query volume up, unit costs down. That is the signature of a durable business.
Second, Google Cloud is behaving like a rocket with a receipt. Cloud revenue hit $20.028 billion, up 63%, with backlog nearly doubling sequentially to over $460 billion. Cloud operating income tripled to $6.6 billion, and Cloud operating margin climbed to 32.9% (up from 17.8% in Q1 2025). CFO Anat Ashkenazi added that “revenue from products built on our GenAI models grew nearly 800% year-over-year”.
Third, the machine is throwing off cash and returning it. FY2025 revenue crossed $402.84B for the first time, EPS came in at $10.81, and management raised the dividend 5% to $0.22 per share. Consolidated operating margin sits at 36.1% with return on equity at 38.9%.
Why Not Microsoft or Meta The reflex alternatives are Microsoft for AI cloud and Meta for digital advertising. My money keeps landing on Alphabet because I can point to the exact number that decides it. Alphabet trades at a forward P/E of 25 while its cloud arm grew 63%, its ad-supported search grew 19%, and consolidated revenue grew 21.8%. Meta does not run a hyperscale cloud. Microsoft does not own a Search franchise or YouTube, where ads clocked $9.883 billion in the quarter. Alphabet is the only name on my screen combining that consumer moat with that enterprise growth at that multiple.
The Risk I Will Not Wave Away Capital expenditures more than doubled to $35.674 billion in Q1, free cash flow dropped 46.63%, and full-year 2026 CapEx guidance was raised to $180 billion to $190 billion, with 2027 expected higher. That is real money and a real ROI question. My answer is that a $460 billion backlog, tripling Cloud operating income, and 800% GenAI revenue growth are the receipts that this spending reflects contracted demand. Pichai said the company operates on a “robust ROIC framework” and is “compute constrained in the near term”. I would rather own a business turning customers away than one chasing them.
What Keeps the Buy Button Active Analysts are running 14 Strong Buys and 43 Buys against zero Sells with a target of $431.91, though the ratings aren’t the trigger. I add because a compounder with 350 million paying subscribers, 16 billion tokens per minute running through its API, and Waymo doing 500,000 fully autonomous rides per week is being handed to me at 25 times forward earnings. The fear was the thesis. The thesis was wrong. I keep buying.
I keep hitting the buy button on Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL | GOOGL Price Prediction) because the loudest bearish story attached to it, the idea that Google is bleeding AI talent to Anthropic and OpenAI, does not match anything I see in the numbers or the org chart. It is the cleanest gap between narrative and reality I have found in my portfolio, and I am using it.
The Thesis Behind Every Add My conviction rests on two structural facts the brain drain story ignores. First, the merger of Google Brain and DeepMind under Demis Hassabis created the densest concentration of world-class AI PhDs on the planet, operating as one coordinated scientific unit rather than warring internal teams. Second, Google has finalized multi-billion-dollar retention packages that match startup equity while giving researchers access to internal TPU clusters that startups physically cannot replicate. If you want to train a frontier model without hitting a compute wall, Google is the destination. A handful of high-profile departures does not change that math.
The Receipts The financial evidence backs the org chart. Q1 2026 revenue landed at $109.90 billion, up 21.8% year over year, with EPS of $5.11 against a $2.63 estimate. That was the fourth consecutive EPS beat.
Google Cloud grew 63% year over year to $20.03 billion, and the backlog nearly doubled quarter over quarter to over $460 billion. Gemini is processing 16 billion tokens per minute via direct API, up 60% from the prior quarter. Companies losing their best researchers do not ship product at that velocity. Sundar Pichai put it plainly on the Q1 call: “The fact that we own frontier models and own the silicon really helps us stay ahead of the curve.”
The dividend, initiated in 2024, was raised 5% to $0.22 per share in April. The direction of travel matters for a long-term holder, even if the yield is modest today.
Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Google didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Why Not the Obvious Alternatives Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the reflexive AI pick, and I own some. I keep adding to Alphabet instead because Google Cloud grew 63% against a mature AWS at Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Alphabet also owns the Search and YouTube advertising engine that generated $77.25 billion in Google advertising revenue in Q1 2026. Meta (NASDAQ:META) is a cleaner ad play, but it lacks the cloud, the subscription base of 350 million paid users, and Waymo, which surpassed 500,000 fully autonomous rides per week. At a P/E of 28, I am not paying a premium for that optionality.
The Risk I Actually Respect Capital expenditure. 2026 CapEx guidance sits at $175 to $185 billion, up from $91.45 billion in 2025. Free cash flow already fell to $10.12 billion in Q1 2026, down 46.63% year over year. If the ROI on that spend disappoints, the story gets ugly. What holds my thesis together is the demand signal underneath it: a $460 billion backlog and cloud operating income that tripled year over year to $6.6 billion. Capacity is booked before it is built.
Why the Buy Button Stays Active Warren Buffett confirmed he initiated Berkshire’s Alphabet stake and expressed regret for not investing sooner. I understand the sentiment. As long as Alphabet owns the models, the silicon, the researchers, and the distribution, I keep buying, and the brain drain headlines keep making my cost basis better.
Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Google didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction) and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) both grew revenue 16.6% in their most recent quarters, yet the businesses beneath those matching numbers could hardly look more different. Apple is finishing an iPhone 17 super cycle with record Services revenue. Amazon is pouring cash into AI infrastructure. For investors weighing exposure into the back half of 2026, those two paths lead to very different risk profiles.
Record iPhone Quarter vs. a $200 Billion Capex Bill Apple’s March quarter delivered $111.18 billion in revenue, with iPhone at $56.99 billion and Services at an all-time high of $30.98 billion. Tim Cook called it Apple’s “best March quarter ever”, citing “extraordinary demand for the iPhone 17 lineup” alongside the MacBook Neo launch. Double-digit growth showed up in every geography, including a $20.50 billion Greater China result.
Amazon’s Q1 was louder and messier. Revenue hit $181.52 billion, AWS reaccelerated to 28% (its fastest pace in 15 quarters), and Andy Jassy touted a chips business at a $20 billion run rate. The catch: capex hit $44.20 billion in a single quarter, trailing free cash flow collapsed 95% to $1.2 billion, and net income was flattered by $16.80 billion in Anthropic investment gains.
Capital Returns Now vs. Capital Spending Later Lens Apple Amazon Operating margin 32.0% 11.2% 2026 capex posture Buybacks and dividend ~$200 billion build Shareholder returns $100B buyback, 4% dividend hike No dividend Apple is running a capital-light AI playbook: leverage the 2.5 billion active device installed base, layer on Services, and return cash. Amazon is doing the opposite, absorbing higher debt (long-term debt rose to $119.1 billion from $65.6 billion) to fund Trainium capacity for OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta. That is a real moat. It is also a moat you have to wait for.
What Actually Matters Through December I want to see Apple’s Services line sustain its mid-teens growth into the holiday quarter and the iPhone 18 launch land cleanly (Polymarket puts the release at 96.6% probability). For Amazon, the tell will be whether AWS operating margin stops slipping. It fell to 37.7% from 39.5%, and Q2 guidance already flags tariff uncertainty and recessionary concerns.
Why I Lean Apple for the Year-End Sprint If you are worried about choppy trading into December, I would lean Apple. Its capital-light AI playbook guarantees high operating margins, immense cash generation, and direct shareholder returns through December, and the stock is already up 22.81% year to date with eight straight EPS beats. Amazon’s infrastructure story is real, but with free cash flow near zero and massive capital outflows through the end of 2026, it stays a show-me stock for me. If AWS margins stabilize by the October earnings report, I will revisit.
Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Apple didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2026) - Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Microsoft securities between May 1, 2025 and January 28, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/MSFT.
Microsoft Case Details
The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements because they failed to disclose that:
Microsoft's Copilot family of products had experienced significant brand positioning, user experience, usage, data siloing, computational capacity, organizational, and interoperability problems; Microsoft's flagship proprietary AI model ranked well below competitors on a number of benchmark tests; Microsoft needed to increase by billions of dollars its capital expenditures and divert graphics processing unit ("GPU") and central processing unit ("CPU") capacity away from fulfilling demand for its profitable Azure services in order to improve the competitive positioning of its critical Copilot family of products and increase its AI-related research and development ("R&D"); and as a result of the above, Microsoft had failed to convert a significant percentage of its commercial Microsoft 365 users to paid Copilot subscriptions and Microsoft's Copilot offerings had lost market share to rival products, a trend that was increasing.What's Next for Microsoft Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/MSFT, or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Microsoft you have until August 11, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Microsoft Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Microsoft Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
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Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/301531
Source: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
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Famed investor Warren Buffett is usually not one to seek out recognition, but in a recent interview, the Oracle of Omaha took credit for Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA 0.34%) (BRKB 0.42%) taking a large stake in Alphabet (GOOGL 2.05%) (GOOG 2.06%). Buffett has never been known as a tech investor, so when this value-oriented guru takes a big stake in a leading tech company, the stock should probably be on your list of stocks to strongly consider.
Berkshire first took a position in Alphabet in the third quarter of last year, right before Buffett was set to retire at the end of 2025. It added to that position earlier this year when it invested $10 billion in a private placement to help Alphabet raise money to build out its AI infrastructure.
In the interview, Buffett said the key to investing was finding businesses that can earn a high return on capital for a long period of time. He and current Berkshire CEO Greg Abel appear to believe that Alphabet can do this with its AI infrastructure investments, and there is good reason to believe this will be the case.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
A long runway of growth As with the other big three cloud computing giants, Alphabet benefits from being able to split its computing power between its own internal needs and third-party demand. This gives it flexibility to help it generate the best return on its investments. What really separates the company from the pack, though, is its Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). It developed these chips more than a decade ago and has been improving upon them with new iterations ever since. It has also optimized its entire software and hardware stack around them.
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This gives the company a big cost advantage versus both AI model competitors and those in the cloud computing space that tend to rely mostly on Nvidia's much more expensive graphics processing units (GPUs). Alphabet's TPUs allow it to train its Gemini frontier models at a much lower cost than competitors like OpenAI. They also help the company save on inference expenses, giving it a structural cost advantage. This, combined with its distribution and ad-network edges, is why it can run a strong and profitable consumer AI business.
Alphabet's custom chips also give the company a cost edge in its fast-growing cloud computing business. It's seeing rapid cloud revenue growth, including 63% last quarter, but its cloud profits are climbing even faster, with cloud operating income tripling. Meanwhile, Alphabet's TPUs are so well regarded that Anthropic has started placing big TPU orders through its partner Broadcom, opening up another potential high-margin revenue stream.
Backed by Buffett's approval, Alphabet is a top AI stock to buy right now, with a long runway of growth ahead.
Geoffrey Seiler has positions in Alphabet and Broadcom. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway, and Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Cover image via depositphotos.com 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 a more than 100% increase in derivatives market flows, Near Protocol (NEAR) is exhibiting renewed activity, indicating that traders are once again preparing for a bigger move. Fresh capital entering futures markets may indicate that volatility is about to return, even though NEAR has spent the last few weeks consolidating following its explosive rally in May and June.
Liquidity is growingRecent futures flow data shows that NEAR saw a net inflow of about $1.7 million during the four-hour period, which is a 242% increase. With net inflows of $1.78 million and growth of more than 200%, the eight-hour period also remained steadily positive. When traders start opening new positions ahead of expected market movement, such spikes usually signify increased speculative interest.
NEAR/USDT Chart by TradingViewWhen combined with growing open interest across major exchanges, the derivatives picture becomes even more intriguing. Despite a recent slowdown in spot market volume, open interest remains high, and Binance, Bybit, and MEXC continue to dominate NEAR trading activity. When traders prepare for a directional breakout during accumulation phases, this divergence frequently appears.
HOT Stories
Near might be stuckTechnically speaking, NEAR is still stuck between important moving averages and is currently trading at about $1.93. After failing to maintain a move above the $2.00-$2.10 range, where the 50-day moving average continues to serve as resistance, the asset recently lost momentum. Bulls, however, continue to have a significant advantage because the price is still above the 100-day and 200-day trend indicators in the $1.80-$1.85 range.
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The chart also shows that, in contrast to the extreme fluctuations observed in May and June, volatility has considerably decreased. Sharp directional movements have historically followed such contraction periods. This indecision is reflected in the Relative Strength Index near 48, which is essentially in neutral territory and allows for either bullish or bearish expansion.
Regaining $2.05 would probably give bulls fresh momentum and possibly pave the way for the $2.30-$2.50 range. On the downside, losing support at $1.80 would render the existing recovery structure invalid and put NEAR at greater risk of a retracement.
NEAR appears to be entering a phase where the next volatility expansion could happen sooner rather than later, as futures flows have accelerated by more than 100% while the price remains compressed. Traders are already positioning themselves for it.
TLDR: NEAR Protocol futures flows increased sharply across four-hour and eight-hour periods, showing renewed speculative activity despite limited spot market momentum. NEAR price trades near $1.93 and faces a dense resistance cluster between $1.94 and $2.10, where several short-term averages restrict recovery attempts. A confirmed move above $2.05 could support an advance toward $2.30 and $2.50, while losing $1.80 may weaken the current recovery structure. Rising ecosystem liquidity, higher open interest, and compressed volatility suggest traders are preparing for a larger directional move in the futures market. NEAR Protocol futures flows have accelerated while the token trades near $1.93. The increase shows that derivatives traders are opening fresh positions during a period of narrow price movement.
Four-hour net inflows reached about $1.7 million, representing a 242% increase. Eight-hour flows also exceeded $1.78 million after rising more than 200%. Meanwhile, NEAR price remains trapped below a cluster of short-term moving averages.
The combination of rising derivatives activity and falling volatility creates a sensitive technical setup. Traders now watch $2.05 for bullish confirmation and $1.80 for signs of a deeper decline.
NEAR Protocol Futures Flows Rise During Price Compression NEAR Protocol futures flows have more than doubled across several short trading periods. The move signals stronger interest from leveraged traders after weeks of consolidation.
Source: Coinglass Open interest also stays elevated across Binance, Bybit, and MEXC. Those exchanges account for a large share of NEAR derivatives activity. However, spot trading volume shows less conviction.
Binance recorded around $11.6 million in daily spot volume. That level offers limited support for a lasting breakout without a clear rise in demand.
Funding rates near 0.0065% remain broadly neutral. Therefore, perpetual traders have not built an extreme long or short bias. This reduces immediate squeeze pressure but leaves room for positioning to expand quickly.
On-chain figures provide another source of support. The NEAR ecosystem’s total value locked rose 61.21% over the past week. Decentralized exchange volume increased by almost 100% during the same period.
Protocol fees showed little movement despite the liquidity increase. This suggests much of the activity may reflect capital rotation rather than sustained network usage.
NEAR also introduced Confidential Intents through its Infinex integration on July 18. The product enables private cross-chain swaps and deposits. Still, daily trading volume fell, limiting its immediate effect on NEAR price.
NEAR Price Faces a Breakout Test Near the Two Dollar Level NEAR price trades below several closely grouped indicators. The seven-day simple moving average stands near $1.96, while the 20-day average sits around $1.94.
The 12-day and 26-day exponential moving averages also cluster near $1.95 and $1.96. This narrow resistance wall explains why buyers have struggled to secure a daily close above $2.00.
Momentum indicators show limited directional strength. The Relative Strength Index sits near 48, placing NEAR in neutral territory. The MACD histogram rests near zero, while the MACD line holds slightly negative.
The Stochastic indicator near 32 and 25 points to weaker momentum without showing extreme oversold conditions. Bollinger Bands place support near $1.79 and resistance around $2.09.
Source: TradingView A daily close above $1.96 would improve short-term momentum. Bulls would still need to reclaim $2.05 with stronger trading volume. That move could open the path toward $2.30 and $2.50.
Failure to hold the $1.90 area may expose $1.86. A break below $1.80 would damage the recovery structure and increase the risk of a move toward $1.74. The 200-day moving average near $1.58 marks the broader structural support.
Following a bruising Q2 earnings response that dropped the stock to $74.35, our proprietary model says Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX | NFLX Price Prediction) is severely mispriced.
The 24/7 Wall St. price target for NFLX is $178.11, implying 139.56% upside over the next 12 months. Our recommendation is buy, with confidence at 90%. That figure runs well above the $112.17 Wall Street consensus target.
24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $74.35 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $178.11 Upside 139.56% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 90% The fundamentals remain intact. Forward EPS of $9.8 at reasonable multiples leaves substantial room above today’s price, and the ad business is only now starting to compound.
What the Post-Earnings Tumble Actually Told Us NFLX is off 40.53% over one year and 20.7% year-to-date.
Q2 revenue of $12.559 billion missed the $12.581 billion consensus by 0.17%, while EPS of $0.80 beat the $0.7883 estimate by 1.48%. Free cash flow collapsed to $1.53 billion from $2.27 billion, a 32.73% drop that spooked investors more than the small top-line slip.
Management flagged that content amortization was front-loaded in H1 and will moderate in H2. Full-year 2026 guidance was narrowed to $51 billion to $51.4 billion with a 31.5% operating margin and roughly $12.5 billion in FCF, with ad revenue projected to roughly double to $3 billion.
Why Bulls See a Breakout Above $190 Regional growth is broad-based: LatAm 21%, APAC 16%, EMEA 14%, and North America 10%. The advertiser base is up 70% YoY to 4,000+ clients, and the ad-supported tier accounts for over 60% of new sign-ups in ad markets.
Netflix is deploying generative AI across roughly 300 titles and its full advertising lifecycle. Q2 buybacks were $4.7 billion, the largest quarter ever, with $27.1 billion remaining authorized.
Our bull-case scenario prices NFLX at $191.05. A widely circulated r/wallstreetbets post announced a $300,000 double-down on the stock, drawing 591 upvotes post-report.
The Risks Worth Watching Operating cash flow fell 28.04% YoY and capex rose 40.26%. Revenue growth has decelerated from 17.61% in Q4 25 to 13.37% in Q2 26, with Q3 guidance of just 12%. A $1 billion debt maturity later in 2026 needs refinancing.
Polymarket traders currently assign a 0.7 probability to NFLX hitting just $65 this month. Our bear-case sits at $143.81. The FCF weakness looks timing-driven given management’s H2 amortization guide, and Q1’s $2.8 billion Warner Bros. termination fee is a non-recurring distortion that muddies year-over-year comparisons.
How Netflix Stacks Up Against Disney and Spotify Disney (NYSE:DIS) is the most direct US-listed streaming comparison. Disney trades at a trailing P/E of 14 with a $173.15 billion market cap, an operating margin of 14.65%, and ROE of 11.78%.
Netflix runs at a 33.4% operating margin and 42.76% ROE yet trades at a trailing P/E of 29. That premium is earned: Netflix’s profitability is more than double Disney’s, making our expansion-oriented target reasonable.
Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) is the subscription-first audio peer facing the same retention and ad-scaling math. Spotify posted FY25 EPS of $10.51 on $17.19 billion in revenue with a $97.89 billion market cap.
Its Q1 26 free cash flow of $824 million grew 54.6% YoY, contrasting Netflix’s FCF decline. Spotify’s premium valuation shows investors will pay up for scaling subscription platforms, arguing NFLX is undervalued.
The Model Says Buy The 24/7 Wall St. price target for Netflix is $178.11, implying 139.56% upside with 90% confidence. The recommendation is buy. The scale tips on forward earnings power.
The bull thesis strengthens if H2 content amortization moderates and ad revenue tracks toward the $3 billion guide. The bear case gains traction if Q3 revenue undershoots the $12.86 billion guide or FCF worsens. On current numbers, the risk-reward skew looks asymmetric to the upside.
Our 24/7 Wall St. price target model projects Netflix could trade in coming years, assuming current growth and margin discipline hold.
Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $178.11 2027 $268.00 2028 $402.00 2029 $588.00 2030 $833.20 These projections assume Netflix executes on ad-tier scaling, live sports monetization, and disciplined buybacks. Meaningful downside would materialize if competition from Amazon, Disney, and Alphabet forces margin compression, or if content spend re-accelerates faster than revenue.
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Walmart capitalized on international travelers' awe. Ben Shimkus/Business Insider A Walmart Supercenter is a fluorescent palace of American consumption.
To US shoppers, it's a utilitarian one-stop shop where groceries, televisions, tires, and just about everything else sit beneath one enormous roof.
To some international World Cup fans, though, it is a viral tourist sensation. Many fans made a point to visit Walmart during their stay in the United States. Even Spanish soccer star Lamine Yamal shopped there between matches.
Walmart said it organized the tours to seize on all the attention. Over the past month or so, the retailer has worked with the professional Spanish soccer league, LaLiga, to offer guided store tours paired with appearances by some of soccer's biggest names.
I attended the final tour at Walmart's East Brunswick, New Jersey, store on Saturday, about 29 hours before Spain and Argentina were scheduled to kick off the 2026 World Cup final.
On the tour, guests received VIP lanyards, giveaway bags, and small "passports" to be stamped as they moved through a carefully curated version of the Walmart experience.
The featured main attractions: peanut butter, ground beef, soccer jerseys, and — of course — ranch dressing.
America's surprising superstore star
Walmart hosted around two dozen guests on a store tour on Saturday. Ben Shimkus/Business Insider As soccer-loving (er, football-loving?) travelers crisscrossed the country for this year's World Cup games, some of the most ubiquitous fixtures of American consumer culture inspired genuine awe: a cheap Waffle House breakfast, the sprawling excess of a Buc-ee's gas station, and the giant aquariums inside Bass Pro Shops.
Videos went viral after a crowd of Australian national team fans turned a Dallas Walmart's produce section into an impromptu party. Wearing yellow-and-green jerseys, they traded the familiar "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!" chant for a new refrain: "We're going to Walmart!"
The tours were Walmart's effort to turn that organic wonderment into an official welcome — and to highlight its unique position as both a cornerstone of American consumerism and a place to get ranch dressing.
There was just one surprise at the tour I attended: The passport holders I spoke to were Americans.
Passports, ranch dressing, and rain
Walmart's tour ended at 11 a.m. The outdoor event was interrupted by a thunderstorm. Ben Shimkus/Business Insider Walmart said it had expected international visitors at the East Brunswick event.
The store sits about 30 miles from MetLife Stadium, where Argentina star and overall legend Lionel Messi was set to chase a second World Cup title the following day. The outdoor LaLiga event — which included games, free food, and live music — also promised appearances from retired Spanish star Carles Puyol and Colombian striker Radamel Falcao.
About four hours before the player meet-and-greet, Walmart representatives handed tour guests giveaway bags containing about $35 in merchandise and small paper "passports."
The first stop was the condiments aisle, where guides presented ranch dressing and peanut butter as American staples. Guests received a stamp in their passports before moving on.
Next came the meat department, where ground beef earned a steak-shaped stamp. We stopped near the apparel, where Walmart showed off soccer-themed jerseys and added one last mark to each passport.
Finally, we ended back in the produce section, where Walmart highlighted its best-selling product across the US: the banana. Walmart says they sell 4.46 billion bananas each year.
While Walmart said they expected international travelers in New Jersey, that wasn't who showed up on Saturday. Everyone I spoke to said they all lived in the United States.
Karl Marttz, who lives 40 minutes away in North New Jersey, brought his children along for the tour while rain fell outside.
"As a person who lives near another Walmart, it was … eh," he told Business Insider after the tour concluded. He was mostly there for the meet-and-greet.
A Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider it built the tours to "be relevant for first-time or longtime fans," and that they were "happy from all of the positive feedback."
Quickly after the tour, the weather soon worsened. A thunderstorm swept through, prompting organizers to move the meet-and-greet from the parking lot into the store.
That put the soccer stars under the same enormous roof as the now-Walmart-product-passport-holding Americans.
Nearly everyone I spoke with said they planned to watch the final on television the next day. One woman told the group she was going to MetLife Stadium to see Messi in person.
"I am so excited," she said.
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Ben Shimkus You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Ben Shimkus is a reporter for the Business News desk. He writes about cars, transportation, retail, and jobs. Ben's reporting has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Verge, Automotive News, USA Today, AutoBody News, LGBTQ Nation, TopSpeed, and Out Magazine. He's also held staff writing positions at The U.S. Sun and the Daily Mail. He graduated from NYU with a Master's in journalism in 2024. Email Ben at [email protected] or message him privately on Signal at bshimkus.41.
Chair and CEO Shantanu Narayen disposed of 4,112 shares of Adobe Inc. (ADBE +0.96%) on July 15, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value~$923,391Shares sold (indirectly held)4,112Post-transaction shares (total)~364,000Post-transaction shares (directly held)399Post-transaction shares (indirectly held)~364,000Post-transaction value$81.8 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($224.56); post-transaction value based on July 15, 2026 market close.
Key questionsWhat is the nature of this transaction?
The disposition was a non-discretionary execution to cover tax liabilities associated with the vesting and exercise of stock options.How much of the insider's position is held through indirect entities?
The vast majority of the equity holdings are held indirectly through The Narayen Family Trust, which accounts for ~364,000 shares.What is the status of the remaining derivative portfolio?
Narayen continues to hold over 70,000 derivative securities directly, representing significant continued equity exposure beyond the direct and indirect common stock positions.How does the insider's ownership compare to the broader share structure?
Following this transaction, insider ownership at the firm stands at 0.0916% of shares outstanding as of July 15.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-07-16)$235.31Market Capitalization$93.5 billionRevenue (TTM)$25.2 billionNet Income (TTM)$7.2 billionCompany SnapshotAdobe operates three primary business divisions — Digital Media, Digital Experience, and Publishing and Advertising — delivering a comprehensive suite of cloud-based software solutions that enable content creation, distribution, and amplification across enterprises, teams, and individual users.The company generates revenue through subscription-based software licensing models, including the cloud-native Document Cloud platform and creative applications, which provide recurring revenue streams from enterprise and consumer segments.Adobe serves a diverse customer base spanning creative professionals, enterprises requiring digital experience management solutions, and organizations leveraging publishing and advertising technologies across multiple industries.Adobe Inc. is a globally recognized software provider with a market capitalization of $93.5 billion, positioning it as a market leader in digital content creation and experience management. The company's diversified business model, anchored in subscription-based cloud services, generates substantial profitability with TTM net income of $7.2 billion, reflecting strong operational efficiency and pricing power.
Adobe maintains competitive advantages through its integrated product ecosystem, extensive customer relationships, and continuous innovation in artificial intelligence and digital transformation solutions.
What this transaction means for investorsAdobe CEO Shantanu Narayen’s July 15 sale of company stock was executed to fulfill tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units. Consequently, it was a non-discretionary transaction that’s not a cause for investor concern.
Narayen announced in March that he intends to step down from the CEO position. This, combined with Wall Street’s fears that artificial intelligence’s ability to automatically generate digital content will eat away at Adobe’s business, led to the company’s share price falling to a 52-week low of $190.12 in June.
However, Adobe reported record revenue of $6.6 billion in its fiscal second quarter ended May 29. This suggests AI is not taking business away. In fact, the company introduced AI features in its software to help customers streamline their work.
Fiscal Q2’s 13% year-over-year sales growth demonstrates clients find Adobe’s offerings continue to meet their needs. Moreover, Adobe stock trades for a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 9.7, a low point for the past year and about half what it was a year ago. This suggests now is a good time to buy shares at an attractive valuation.
Robert Izquierdo has positions in Adobe. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Adobe. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2028 $330 calls on Adobe and short January 2028 $340 calls on Adobe. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
IBM has been a bit of an afterthought since the curtain rose on generative AI's first act. This past week the company took center stage—but for problematic reasons.
Belgium has officially earned the title of the most physically demanding team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, covering more total distance than any other squad through the knockout stages.
Belgium’s numbers are genuinely absurd Youri Tielemans leads the individual distance charts with 61.8 kilometers covered through the tournament’s quarterfinal stage.
Timothy Castagne posted perhaps the most jaw-dropping single stat of the tournament: 16.29 kilometers in a single match. The average professional footballer covers around 10-11 km per game, which makes Castagne’s output look like he was playing a different sport entirely.
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Spain’s Rodri has actually logged a higher total distance of 71.17 km according to alternative tracking metrics, though Belgium’s collective effort across the full squad is what sets them apart.
Where crypto enters the picture The 2026 World Cup marks the deepest integration of cryptocurrency sponsorship in FIFA history. Kraken holds the title of Official Crypto Exchange Supporter for the tournament across both North America and Europe.
W26, a World Cup-themed memecoin built on Solana, has seen active trading throughout the tournament. The token essentially lets fans speculate on World Cup hype as a tradeable asset.
The fan engagement thesis The 2026 World Cup suggests the market has found a different entry point from structured fan tokens. Rather than structured fan tokens with governance rights, the engagement is flowing through memecoins and exchange-level sponsorships.
The risk, as always with event-driven tokens, is that the music stops when the final whistle blows. Traders piling into W26 or similar tokens should understand they’re trading momentum, not fundamentals.
Kraken’s FIFA partnership and the organic emergence of World Cup memecoins represent two very different expressions of the same underlying trend: digital assets are becoming embedded in how fans experience live events.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Solana (SOL) is trading near $75.44 after a modest 24-hour recovery, as buyers focus on defending a critical support level following a recent pullback. The asset’s market capitalization stands at approximately $43.95 billion, with daily trading volume close to $880 million, as reported by Brave New Coin data.
Key support at $74.50 under scrutinyOver the past day, SOL rebounded from a session low of $74.54, returning to the higher end of its intraday range. Market participants remain attentive to the $74.50 area, which has become a pivotal line for the current recovery structure. Analyst Trader Symba identified this level as essential support, warning that a break below could see Solana retrace gains from its move starting near $64.
Holding above $74.50 is viewed as crucial for maintaining bullish momentum. If buyers sustain this area, Solana may aim for higher resistance levels. However, a decisive breach below could result in renewed selling pressure and a further test of lower supports.
Defending the $74.50 zone is critical for Solana’s short-term outlook and recovery potential. Losing this support could quickly shift sentiment and trigger deeper retracements.
Support/ResistancePrice LevelKey Support$74.50Immediate Resistance$76.05 / $76.82 / $78.64Next Major Target$80.83Higher Target$84.18Wedge pattern signals breakout potentialTechnical chartist Anglio shared that SOL is currently consolidating within a descending pattern, with price action indicating a potential move higher from its recent support. If Solana breaks above resistance at $76.05, $76.82, and $78.64, analysts expect an advance towards $80.83 and $84.18 as the next hurdles.
The immediate goal for buyers is to reclaim the $76–$78 region. Achieving this would likely pave the way towards the $80 barrier, which remains an important short-term target among traders.
Macro view: Deeper correction or cycle breakout?From a broader perspective, analyst CryptoAmsterdam outlined a scenario where SOL might undergo a larger correction before a sustained uptrend. The macro chart suggests a possible final retest in the $30 to $20 accumulation zone if there is a further market downturn. This area represents a potential opportunity for long-term participants should significant weakness return.
On the upside, reclaiming higher trading ranges after such a retracement could set the stage for a major upside expansion, with chart projections pointing towards the $400 level by 2027 or 2028.
Mini dictionary: CryptoAmsterdam is a pseudonymous cryptocurrency market analyst known for sharing long-term technical insights and macro-structural charts on major digital assets.
Long-term outlook: $100 breakout and beyondAnalyst James Easton presented a long-term bullish thesis, noting that SOL is consolidating within a broad range, with $100 marking the first key breakout level. While short-term movements will remain important, breaking through $100 would open the door to a potential multi-phase rally, with $1,000 seen as an eventual long-term target if positive momentum persists over the coming cycle.
If SOL pushes above $100 and sustains momentum, a broader cycle expansion could eventually bring four-digit price levels into focus.
For now, immediate attention is set on whether Solana will defend the $74.50 support and reclaim resistance in the $76–$78 area. A move past $80.83 and $84.18 would set the stage for renewed discussions around the $90–$100 price band.
Failure to hold $74.50 may expose SOL to a deeper decline towards the $70 area, and potentially even the $64 level, as flagged in previous technical analyses.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Key TakeawaysNetwork Evolution and Technical AdvancementsCompetitive Pressures and Economic Model Questions ETH currently sits around the $1,870 price level US-based spot Ethereum ETFs have launched, providing institutional and retail access Recent network enhancements have doubled capacity while slashing mainnet transaction costs to under $0.02 Rival platforms like Solana present formidable competition with superior speed and affordability Scaling solutions on layer-2 networks may not directly translate to ETH price appreciation Within the cryptocurrency landscape, Ethereum maintains its position as the second-largest digital asset following Bitcoin. While Bitcoin serves primarily as a store of value and digital gold, Ethereum functions as the foundational layer powering decentralized applications, DeFi protocols, stablecoin infrastructure, and tokenized real-world assets.
Ethereum (ETH) Price This expansive functionality positions ETH as an attractive long-term holding, though it doesn’t automatically ensure upward price momentum.
The current market price for ETH stands near $1,870.
Network Evolution and Technical Advancements Research published in 2026 revealed that Ethereum’s latest protocol improvements successfully doubled the network’s transaction processing capacity throughout both its base layer and layer-2 infrastructure. The median cost for mainnet transactions plummeted from above $2 to less than $0.02. Meanwhile, layer-2 transaction fees experienced reductions exceeding 95%.
The implementation of specialized data structures known as “blobs” drove these improvements, dramatically reducing operational costs for Ethereum-compatible rollup solutions including Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism.
July 2024 marked a milestone when spot Ethereum ETFs commenced trading across US markets. This development positioned ETH alongside Bitcoin as accessible investment vehicles through traditional brokerage platforms and tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
Additionally, Ethereum operates on a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, enabling token holders to generate passive income through network validation. This characteristic gives ETH yield-generating properties that Bitcoin lacks.
Competitive Pressures and Economic Model Questions The most significant headwind facing Ethereum stems from intensifying blockchain competition. Solana delivers superior transaction speeds and minimal fees within a unified ecosystem, eliminating the complexity of bridging across multiple layer-2 solutions.
Data from 21Shares indicates that Solana accumulated roughly $2.85 billion in total revenue during the twelve-month period from October 2024 through September 2025.
A fundamental concern revolves around economic value accrual. While reduced fees on layer-2 platforms enhance user experience, they simultaneously diminish revenue flowing to Ethereum’s base layer. This creates a scenario where Ethereum could underpin substantial economic activity without corresponding ETH price appreciation.
Industry analysts have additionally identified concerning levels of consolidation among Ethereum block producers, sparking debates about potential centralization vulnerabilities within critical network components.
Historical price action demonstrates that ETH exhibits significant volatility and has periodically lagged Bitcoin’s performance throughout various market phases.
Key Takeaways Ethereum maintains its position as the dominant platform with strong institutional backing and a mature decentralized application network Solana offers superior transaction speed and cost efficiency, with fees averaging just $0.00025 per transaction Both blockchains now have spot ETF products available in the United States, leveling the institutional playing field Stablecoin volume on Solana has surged past $11 billion, with monthly transaction counts exceeding 200 million While both represent high-risk investments, Ethereum is generally viewed as the more conservative choice for long-term portfolios While Ethereum and Solana both function as smart-contract platforms, their technological approaches and investor appeal differ significantly.
Ethereum (ETH) Price Ethereum represents the veteran in this comparison. The network supports an extensive collection of decentralized applications, stablecoins, and tokenized real-world assets. Its scaling philosophy centers on layer-2 solutions that process transactions off the main blockchain while leveraging Ethereum’s base layer for final settlement and security guarantees.
Throughout 2024, regulatory approval of spot Ethereum exchange-traded products in the United States created new pathways for mainstream adoption. Investors can now access ETH exposure through conventional brokerage platforms and tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
Future development plans for Ethereum include technical enhancements such as PeerDAS and increased blob capacity, both designed to accommodate higher volumes of layer-2 transaction processing.
A critical challenge facing Ethereum investors involves the economics of value accrual. With growing transaction volumes migrating to layer-2 solutions, the base layer captures diminishing fee revenue.
User experience complexity presents another hurdle. Participants frequently navigate between different networks, utilize cross-chain bridges, and handle multiple token variants across various layers.
Why Solana Emphasizes Performance Solana operates as a monolithic blockchain without depending on secondary scaling layers. This architectural choice streamlines the overall user experience.
Solana (SOL) Price Transaction costs on the network remain remarkably minimal. Standard operations cost approximately $0.00025. This pricing structure positions Solana favorably for applications requiring high-frequency, low-cost interactions — including decentralized exchanges, blockchain gaming, payment systems, and NFT marketplaces.
The Solana network has witnessed explosive growth in stablecoin adoption. According to the Solana Foundation, stablecoin circulation on the platform has exceeded $11 billion, with monthly transaction volumes surpassing 200 million.
Access points for institutional capital have expanded considerably. Investment products from firms like 21Shares, Grayscale, and Bitwise now provide American investors with regulated SOL exposure, including vehicles that incorporate staking rewards.
This development has significantly reduced Ethereum’s historical edge in attracting institutional investment flows.
Understanding the Risk Profile Solana faces heightened implementation challenges. The ecosystem has demonstrated considerable dependence on speculative trading dynamics, particularly within the memecoin sector. Network activity may contract substantially during bearish market conditions.
Ethereum confronts a distinct set of challenges. While the layer-2 approach enhances transaction throughput, it simultaneously fragments liquidity and complicates the user journey. Long-term questions remain about the proportion of economic value that ultimately accrues to ETH token holders.
Investment Implications Risk-averse cryptocurrency investors may find Ethereum represents a more suitable foundation for portfolio allocation. The platform benefits from operational longevity, established infrastructure networks, and mature relationships with institutional participants.
Solana presents potentially higher appreciation potential, accompanied by increased price volatility and ecosystem uncertainty.
Many sophisticated investors adopt a dual-allocation strategy — capturing Ethereum’s network effects while participating in Solana’s rapid ecosystem expansion. Regardless of approach, both assets remain fundamentally speculative with substantial downside risk potential.
Key TakeawaysSolana: Performance, Scalability, and Corporate PartnershipsChainlink: Critical Data InfrastructureOndo Finance: Bridging Traditional Assets and BlockchainEvaluating the Top Choice Solana stands as a leading Ethereum alternative with partnerships from Visa, PayPal, and Worldpay Chainlink delivers critical oracle services that connect blockchain networks to real-world data feeds Ondo Finance’s tokenized asset platform exceeded $500 million across more than 200 different assets Each token offers substantial utility but comes with significant volatility exposure An optimal portfolio strategy would allocate the most to Solana, with smaller allocations to Chainlink and Ondo As cryptocurrency investors prepare for the next major market rally, attention is shifting toward projects demonstrating tangible utility and measurable adoption. Three altcoins standing out in this landscape are Solana, Chainlink, and Ondo Finance, according to market analysts.
Solana: Performance, Scalability, and Corporate Partnerships Solana has established itself as a formidable Ethereum rival. The platform’s architecture enables rapid processing of high transaction volumes at minimal cost, supporting use cases including decentralized exchanges, payment systems, stablecoin transfers, and blockchain gaming.
Solana (SOL) Price Solana’s primary strength lies in its unified architecture. Applications operate within a single ecosystem, avoiding the complexity Ethereum users face when navigating between the mainnet and various layer-2 scaling solutions.
This streamlined experience has captured the interest of prominent payment processors and financial institutions. According to Solana’s official website, partners include Visa, PayPal, Circle, Western Union, and Worldpay.
The SOL token serves multiple network functions: paying for transactions, staking for network security, and governance participation. Increased on-chain activity could potentially drive greater demand for the token.
However, significant risks remain. Historically, much of Solana’s transaction volume stemmed from memecoins and high-risk speculation, which typically evaporates during market downturns. The network has experienced outages previously, although stability has noticeably improved in recent periods.
Chainlink: Critical Data Infrastructure Chainlink functions as essential infrastructure within the decentralized finance ecosystem. Smart contracts require external information such as asset prices, benchmark rates, and proof-of-reserves verification—services that Chainlink’s oracle infrastructure delivers.
Chainlink (LINK) Price Chainlink is now expanding into traditional finance sectors. Its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) aims to enable financial institutions to move data and tokenized assets seamlessly across disparate blockchain platforms.
This strategic pivot positions Chainlink as foundational technology for the emerging tokenization movement beyond just DeFi applications. As financial instruments potentially migrate across multiple blockchain networks and private ledgers, reliable data connectivity could become indispensable.
The critical uncertainty involves whether Chainlink’s expanding network usage translates directly into increased LINK token demand. This relationship isn’t automatically guaranteed.
Major financial players might develop proprietary infrastructure solutions, while competing oracle providers are actively pursuing the same market opportunities.
Ondo Finance: Bridging Traditional Assets and Blockchain Ondo Finance specializes in blockchain-based representations of conventional assets, including US Treasury securities, equities, and exchange-traded funds.
Ondo Price In January 2026, Ondo announced its tokenized stock platform reached over $500 million in aggregate value spanning more than 200 different assets, with cumulative trading volume surpassing $7 billion since the platform’s September 2025 debut.
The company also established a partnership with Broadridge to introduce a compliant US-based solution for tokenized third-party securities. Qualified token holders now gain access to shareholder voting privileges, effectively linking blockchain technology to traditional regulated financial markets.
Should asset tokenization achieve widespread adoption in mainstream finance, Ondo could capture significant market share. However, the ONDO token doesn’t represent company equity. Token holders don’t directly benefit from the platform’s revenue or profits.
Additional concerns include scheduled token unlock events, evolving regulatory frameworks, and potential competition from established banks and asset management firms. Market observers suggest ONDO functions better as a smaller speculative allocation rather than a portfolio cornerstone.
Evaluating the Top Choice Solana presents the most comprehensive package of network activity and institutional adoption. Chainlink offers diversified infrastructure exposure spanning multiple blockchain ecosystems. Ondo represents the highest-risk proposition but potentially the greatest reward if asset tokenization accelerates.
All three assets exhibit substantial price volatility. Even robust fundamental strengths provide limited protection during widespread crypto market corrections.
